KARACHI: PIA has started flight operations to Najaf, Iraq, a spokesman of the national flag carrier said in a statement here on Thursday, 14 September. It said that the first flight to Najaf PK 219 took off from Jinnah International Airport Karachi on Thursday, 14 September, making PIA the first Pakistani airline to have direct three weekly flights to Iraq from Karachi. These flights will provide convenient connectivity with through check-in for passengers traveling from major cities of Pakistan. CEO PIA, Musharraf Rasool Cyan, along with senior officials of the airline greeted the passengers before departure of the flight at…
Author: holidayweekly
CHENGDU: The global tourism community is “more united than ever” according to United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Secretary Taleb Rifai. [huge_it_slider id=”102″] Addressing the opening session of the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly, he set an optimistic tone for the event and said , despite the challenges faced by global tourism, the sector was “more committed than ever to working closer together to make it a pillar of a better future for people and the planet”. “The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development that we are celebrating globally throughout 2017 has provided us with the platform…
DUBAI: Emirates will celebrate a milestone in aviation history when it welcomes the delivery of its 100th A380 aircraft later this year. The Dubai-based airline said Saudi travellers can join in the celebration with special fares to the Middle East, South East Asia, Indian Ocean, Europe, United Kingdom and North America. [huge_it_slider id=”100″] Special A380 fares will be offered to popular destinations from Saudi Arabia including Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Maldives, Munich, Paris, London, Canada, Los Angeles and New York. Bookings have to be made before September 21, for travel between September 15 and December 7, the airline added in…
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines plans to buy eight widebody Boeing 787 jets. The deal, worth more than $1.8bn at list prices, is expected to be one of the announcements that will be made after Prime Minister Najib Razak Najib meets with US President Donald Trump, the sources said. The United States was Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner in 2016. The meeting with Trump is critical for Najib, who is looking to raise his standing globally, and in Malaysia, where he is expected to call general elections in the coming months. Najib is scheduled to witness a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony…
BANGKOK: Thailand’s capital is to get its first city observation tower. A 459-meter-high tower will rank 6th among the world’s tallest towers as well as be the tallest observation tower in Southeast Asia. [huge_it_slider id=”98″] The tower is being jointly built by two foundations, the Bangkok Observation Tower Foundation and the National Identity Foundation, after the Thai cabinet recently gave approval for the country’s new landmark project to proceed. Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Bangkok Observation Tower is set on a 6,400 square metre land plot owned by Thailand’s Treasury Department and leased to the…
BEIJING: As quoted by the official news agency of China, Beijing is planning to set a deadline for the Chinese auto industry to stop selling vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel, according to an industry minister. The official didn’t specify when the ban would be implemented. However, the news boosted stocks in China’s new energy auto firms. Shares of BYD, the country’s largest electric vehicle maker surged 7.2 percent, while Guoxuan High-Tech, a manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles gained as much as 5.3 percent. China produces more cars than any other country and is the latest to join the…
DUBAI: The internet has been crazy with the Apple rumors for the last few weeks, which usually means one thing: a new iPhone launch is imminent. In fact, it’s just hours away. At 10am Pacific Standard Time the curtain will rise at the new Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino. Gulf News will be reporting live from the event. It’s the first time Apple has hosted a launch event at its new headquarters, commonly dubbed the “Space Ship” due to its unusual design. Previous launches were held in either San Francisco or in nearby San Jose. Typical of any Apple launch,…
NEW YORK: Etihad Airways and renowned British designer Julien Macdonald OBE officially launched a promotional fashion film on the opening night of New York Fashion Week. Featuring over 17 couture outfits by the celebrated designer, and WME | IMG models, the short inflight film draws parallels between the production of a high-end fashion show and the preparation that goes into ensuring a safe and comfortable flight. The film was at a high-profile press event in the Etihad Airways VIP Lounge at NYFW: The Shows with an archive presentation and appearance by Julien Macdonald. With participation by members of Etihad Airways’…
MADRID: Besides many other issues there is an important decision for the upcoming General Assembly is the application by the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism for a full membership into UNWTO. The application for Palestine was submitted last year. The full General Assembly has to agree with a two third majority to accept Palestine as a new country to join the organization. The full General Assembly is getting together in Chengdu, China next week. Palestine became a full member of UNESCO in 2011. Tourism is an important revenue channel for Palestine and also Israel. However, Israel is indirectly in control…
GERMANY: This year’s summer holidays are coming to an end all over Europe. Flight cancellations and delays over the summer months make European travellers eligible to some 5.5 billion euros, based on regulation (EC) 261/2004. refund.me strongly recommends to file compensation claims. Passengers are often unaware of their rights in case of flight cancellations and lengthy delays; missed connections and overbookings also entitle to claim compensation. Passengers very often get blocked when they try to file their claims with the airline directly. However, they would gain real money pursuant to EU legislation. If a flight is delayed for more than…