RIYADH: Flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) will showcase two of its new aircraft at the Saudi International Air Show, taking place at Al-Thummamah airport in Riyadh from March 12-14. An Airbus A320 aircraft – one of the new retrofits currently flying on European routes, and the Formula E branded Boeing 777-300 will be on static display for guests of the air show to tour and experience. Both aircraft will be on display for all three days of the air show. Saudia, which is the main sponsor of the Saudi International Air Show, will also have a dedicated booth and…
Author: holidayweekly
EDINBURGH: Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said more people were visiting after Scotland was used as a location in films such as Mary Queen of Scots. Fans of the TV shows Outlander and Outlaw King also boosted numbers. Doune Castle near Stirling – which featured as Castle Leoch in Outlander – saw a 14% increase in footfall after 142,091 people visited last year. Urquhart Castle by Loch Ness had more than half a million visitors for the first time, up 6% to 518,195. Stirling Castle saw an increase of 7% to 605,241 visitors – making it the second most visited HES-staffed…
DUBAI: Dubai-based airline flydubai has announced plans to boost its services to Saudi Arabia with 12 new flights per week. An additional daily flight to Riyadh Airport (RUH) and five flights a week to Hofuf Airport (HOF) will start from March 16. Commenting on the increase of flights to Saudi Arabia, Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: “Saudi Arabia remains an important market for flydubai and we are delighted to be able to increase our services to the kingdom as trade and tourism between the UAE and Saudi Arabia continues to grow.” Flydubai will now operate to 11…
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has started twice a week flights from Multan to Sharjah. The inaugural flight PK 293 carrying 166 passengers departed from Multan in the early hours of Wednesday said a statement. Another new flight from Peshawar to Sharjah will start from Feb 21, flying twice a week; every Thursday and Sunday. A ceremony was held at Multan Airport with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as a chief guest on the occasion. Federal Minister for Privatization and Aviation Muhammad Mian Soomro, President & CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik, senior officials of CAA were also present at…
ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, the national carrier of UAE, has reached agreements with Boeing and Airbus to restructure “a large portion of its previous orders”, the airline said. The airline said in a statement that it has committed to take delivery of five Airbus A350-1000s and 26 A321neos plus six Boeing 777-9s “over the coming years”. The move is part of the airline’s turnaround strategy following two consecutive years of losses, said a Gulf News report. It will also continue to take delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, it said. The discussions to tweak the orders were initiated “following…
LONDON: Britain will impose a 5 kilometre drone exclusion zone around its runways as the government responds to illegal incursions that closed London Gatwick airport for 36 hours in December, disrupting travel for more than 120,000 people. The measures, taking effect March 13, extend the current 1-kilometer no-fly zone for unmanned and model aircraft, the Department for Transport said. Police will also gain new stop-and-search powers to help clamp down on violations. “The law is clear that flying a drone near an airport is a serious criminal act,” Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said in the release. “We’re now going even…
LONDON: Crowds gathered at Heathrow earlier to watch the much-anticipated arrival of a British Airways Boeing 747 painted in the design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation. The aircraft entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport on February 5th where it was stripped of its current British Airways Chatham Dockyard design before being repainted with the BOAC livery which adorned the BOAC fleet between 1964 and 1974. Alex Cruz, British Airways chairman, said: “The enormous interest we’ve had in this project demonstrates the attachment many people have to British Airways’ history. “It’s something we are incredibly proud of,…
KARACHI: After reprioritising international routes, in accordance with changing traffic patterns, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has closed the Japan route. The national flag carrier flew twice a week from Karachi/Islamabad to Tokyo via Beijing. “The route had historical significance, as it started in the 1960s,” Pakistani businessman in Japan Shahid Aziz told The Express Tribune. He said the Pakistani community in Japan, estimated at around 30,000 people, also had an attachment and preferred to travel through it as it was their motherland’s national airline. PIA, which used to operate A310 aircraft on the route, had 200 seats and is grounded,…
DENPASAR: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has expressed its objection to a plan of the Bali administration to impose a levy on foreign tourists that may be included in airline tickets. The group, which represents more than 290 airlines accounting for 82 per cent of total global air traffic, has sent a three-page letter to Bali Governor I Wayan Koster regarding the plan. “The imposition of a foreign tourist levy (or similar tax) would directly contradict accepted policies on taxation published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a specialised agency of the United Nations,” IATA regional Vice-President for…
KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and ARY Sahulat Wallet have entered into an agreement to facilitate cricket lovers to watch Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ARY Sahulat Wallet, Mr. Saqib Chaudhry and General Manager Brand management PIA, Mr. Amir Memon signed the agreement. PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik, welcoming the agreement, said it would promote sports in the country. PIA will always play its role for promotion of sports and development of the country, he added. As per the agreement, an in-flight lucky draw will be held, the winner…