50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United Arab Emirates aviation news

Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner Touches Down In Riyadh

Etihad Airways’ latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner route was launched with the state-of-the art aircraft touching down in Riyadh, capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The occasion was marked with an official welcome ceremony attended by the airline’s senior management led by Hareb Almuhairy, Etihad Airways Senior Vice President Corporate and International Affairs, together with Mo...

Jet Aviation named FBO of the Year at the Middle East Aviation Business Awards

Jet Aviation was twice honored at the tenth annual Middle East Aviation Business Awards ceremony recently held at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai, UAE. The company’s FBO at Dubai International Airport won the 2016 FBO of the Year Award, while its Dubai MRO facility was shortlisted in the MRO Service Provider of the Year (International) category. Organized by magazine publisher ITP Business...

Emirates completes makeover of its Business Class lounge at DXB

Emirates has completed a major makeover of its Business Class lounge at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport. The US$11 million refurbishment project took two years to complete and is part of the airline's continuous investment to improve and upgrade its products for a seamless and enjoyable travel experience. Emirates’ premium customers can enjoy the lounge experience with thre...

INVESTMENT IN BUSINESS AVIATION TO BE FOCUS AT MEBAA CONFERENCE DUBAI

December conference to discuss industry’s growth potential The Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) will once again host the MEBAA Conference in Dubai in December ahead of its flagship event, the MEBAA Show. Featuring a line up of industry leading speakers, the conference, supported by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), will address a range of t...

Dubai International Airport cuts aircraft landing delays

Passengers flying in to Dubai can expect more timely arrivals now that a new procedure is in place at the airport. With the new air traffic management system and optimum use of the two runways at the airport, air-traffic controllers can now accommodate more aircraft landing after larger jets such as the Airbus A380, cutting peak arrival delays by up to 40 per cent. Smaller, less heavy aircraft...

Red Bull brings its Cliff Diving World Series to the UAE

As long as there have been cliffs from which to jump, humans have been doing so. It requires no equipment or power source – just a lot of courage. Cliff diving can be traced back to Kaunolu on the ­Hawaiian island of Lanai, where before the arrival of Western ­Europeans, native boys would dive from clifftops as a rite of passage. The cliff-­diving antics of ­Native Americans...

Etihad Airways To Fly Its B787 Dreamliner To Tokyo

From 1 December 2016, guests flying between Abu Dhabi and Tokyo Narita will enjoy the luxury and comfort of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner when Etihad Airways upgrades its service on the route. The state-of-the-art aircraft, configured in three classes, features the airline’s ground-breaking First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats. It will replace the Airbus A340 which currently o...

Emirates hopes next US president will keep open skies pact intact

Emirates is hopeful a change of guard at the White House in January will leave the open skies deal intact. The current agreement between the UAE and the US allows Emirates to operate to any number of cities in the US. "I do hope whoever becomes president will still recognise the value of the liberal open skies arrangements that they have [with] many countries … and won’t go...

Businesses using drones must respect the rules of the air

Drones are taking off – but, as the most recent shutdown of Dubai airspace shows, the rise of the technology is causing considerable turbulence. Aside from recreational use, there are numerous commercial applications for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ranging from infrastructure inspections to document deliveries. But some specialist UAE drone consultancies have a warning for busines...

Etihad’s Savoy-trained butlers strive for consistency

White gloves might be de rigueur for royalty or a trip to the opera, but it’s also what your butler will be wearing when he or she delivers a hot towel during your next journey with Etihad Airways’ The Residence. A uniform prerequisite for the carrier’s team of 52 butlers, they can take some "getting used to", according to butler Thomas Piroska. "Sometimes I...

Etihad Airways first UAE airline to be awarded coveted five-star rating

Etihad Airways has received the most coveted quality standard in the airline industry, the Skytrax certified five-star rating. Etihad is the first airline in the UAE to be awarded five stars, although in July, Emirates was named the world’s best airline in the Skytrax awards – with Etihad coming sixth. The only airline in the Middle East to already have the five-star rating is Qa...

Jen’s back! Emirates releases new advert with actress for its A380 service

Emirates airline has released a second advertisement for its Airbus A380 service featuring the Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston. The ad, published on Wednesday, was preceded by two teaser trailers. It features Aniston finding a child in her first-class cabin, then walking through the rest of the plane to find the boy’s parents in economy class. The spot was directe...