Middle East Airlines

Emirates and Royal Jordanian troll United Airlines post off-loading fiasco

United Airline’s now infamous slogan “Fly the friendly skies” is under attack on the social media world after its fiasco over the forcible removal of a doctor from flight 3411 last week. The doctor was injured when police attempted to forcibly eject him after the airline ran short of seats and needed them for their off-duty flight crew. Two middle-east …

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Christoph Mueller could be Etihad’s new CEO

Etihad Airways Airbus A320 A6-EIC at Kempegowda Airport, Bangalore

Industry sources indicate that Christoph Mueller is likely to be appointed as the CEO of Etihad.  The appointment comes at a time when the airline is facing severe challenges specifically —  a rising cost base and declining yields that resulted in the departure of its previous CEO James Hogan along with several other members. A turnaround expert A no-nonsense and extremely direct person, …

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Emirates’ Jennifer Aniston video cocks a snook at the US and UK electronics ban

Jennifer Aniston stars in an Emirates' TV commercial

Less than a day after the United States imposed a ban on carriage of large electronics devices in the cabin, Dubai based Emirates airline has released a video advertisement which thumbs it nose at the ban. Titled “Let us entertain you“, the ad is a clipping of the famous 2016 television commercial (TVC) featuring Hollywood superstar Jennifer Aniston. This short …

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UK follows USA, imposes ban on large electronic devices

As expected, the United Kingdom has followed the United States, and imposed its own ban on electronic devices from being carried in cabin baggage. In a written statement to Parliament, British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said “phones, laptops and tablets larger than 16.0cm x 9.3cm x 1.5cm [are] not allowed in the cabin on flights to the UK from Turkey, …

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US bans electronic devices on flights from Middle East and North Africa

Citing potential security threats and extremists seeking “innovative methods” to bring down flights, the United States has indefinitely banned virtually every electronic device from the cabin baggage of passengers flying on nine middle-eastern and north-African airlines or from 10 airports in the region, destined to the US. Domestic flights within, and international flights from, the US are exempt from these …

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Etihad shifts A380 from Mumbai to Paris. Messes up my travel plans.

Etihad A380. Airline image.

Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways appears to be withdrawing its flagship A380 superjumbo service from Mumbai and shifting it on the Abu Dhabi Paris route this summer from July 1. The A380 will operate on one of its twice-daily services to Paris and replace the Boeing 777 the airline currently flies. The Mumbai route will be replaced with an Airbus …

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Etihad and Lufthansa to co-operate on catering and maintenance

James Hogan, President & CEO Etihad Aviation Group, H.E. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman Etihad Aviation Group and Carsten Spohr, Chairman & CEO Lufthansa Group

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Deutsche Lufthansa have expanded upon their leasing and code-share agreement signed last December. At a joint press conference in Abu Dhabi James Hogan, President & CEO Etihad Aviation Group, and Carsten Spohr, Chairman & CEO Lufthansa Group signed agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoU) on catering and aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). The $100 …

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Etihad to begin third daily from Bangalore

Etihad Airways Airbus A320 A6-EIC at Kempegowda Airport, Bangalore

Middle-eastern carrier Etihad Airways will launch a third daily flight from Bangalore to Abu Dhabi from 26 March 2017. The new flight will allow the airline to offer passengers from Bangalore more connections to Europe and North America via it’s Abu Dhabi hub. The flight will be operated using a two class Airbus A321. The new flight’s late night departure …

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Qatar Airways A320neos diverted to IndiGo

Indigo Airbus A320neo VT-ITK. Image copyright Vedant Agarwal.

It appears the Airbus A320neos ordered by original launch customer Qatar Airways, are getting diverted to the world’s largest A320neo operator, currently, India’s Indigo. The Gulf carrier had ordered 34 A320neos powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW100G Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine, and was slated to be the launch customer. However the airline started cancelling airframes in their dispute with …

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Etihad Aviation Group CEO James Hogan and CFO Rigney to quit

(Left to right): Maurizio Merlo, CEO Darwin Airline; Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO airberlin; James Hogan, President and CEO Etihad Airways; Cramer Ball, CEO Jet Airways; Dane Kondić, CEO Air Serbia, Manoj Papa, CEO Air Seychelles; at the launch of Etihad Airways Partners.

James Hogan President and CEO of Abu Dhabi based Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) will step down in the second half of 2017. He will be joined by Chief Financial Officer James Rigney. The EAG Board of Directors announced the departures and said a global search for their replacements is underway. Both Hogan and Rigney will join an investment company The …

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Eithad Group and Lufthansa Group agree on leasing and code-share pact

Line up of Lufthansa aircraft at the Terminal 2 satellite. Munich Airport Image.

Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines have agreed to codeshare flights and lease aircraft. Codeshare is where one airline puts its flight code on a flight operated by the other. Lufthansa will place its ‘LH’ airline code on the twice daily flights operated by Etihad Airways (code ‘EY’) between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt and the twice daily flights between Abu …

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Emirates’ new Jennifer Aniston advert focuses on all classes not just first

In the past few months, India has been bombarded with an advertising blitz by Dubai-based Emirates airlines, showing off its economy class. What many in India are missing, is the latest edition Emirates advertisement starring Hollywood superstar, Jennifer Aniston. Unlike the earlier 2015 ad which focussed on the first class section of the flagship of the airline, the Airbus A380 …

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Qatar airways to order upto 60 Boeing 737 MAX

A CGI of a Qatar 737 MAX set against a skyline of Doha's financial center. Boeing Image.

US airframer Boeing has announced a $18.6 billion order from middle-eastern carrier Qatar Airways. The order includes a order for 30 787-9 Dreamliners and 10 777-300ERs, valued at $11.7 billion at current list prices and most importantly a Letter of Intent for up to 60 737 MAX 8s, valued at $6.9 billion at current list prices. The order builds on …

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Qatar Airways to be the first airline to meet ICAO 2021 flight tracking

Middle eastern carrier Qatar Airways has announced that it will be the global launch customer of GlobalBeacon, a technology solution by Aireon LLC and FlightAware, designed to provide up-to-the minute global tracking of all aircraft equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) in 2018. The system will make the airline compliant to ICAO’s 2021 flight tracking recommendations, three years before the …

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Inflight review: Qatar Airways A380: Business Class: Doha to Paris

The lounge on Qatar's A380.

Earlier this year, I flew Qatar Airways from Bangalore to Paris which included one leg on the airline’s flagship aircraft, the Airbus A380. Transit at Doha Airport After leaving the lounge, I was running just a little late. I asked the lounge access agent at the bottom of the escalator where gate B3 was, which was luckily just a five …

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Video: How Emirates builds its brand through sports

Emirates cabin crew at the Madrid VIP lounge. Airline photo.

Sports fans are some of the most passionate people on earth, be it soccer around the world, baseball in the United States, or cricket in India. Cities around the world wear a deserted look whenever a match is played. Players are treated as demi-gods. The collective spirits of a nation rise and fall with the success or failure of their …

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Photos: Etihad opens first and business class lounge at Los Angeles airport

Martin Drew, Etihad Airways Senior Vice President for the Americas, Haitham Al Subaihi, Etihad Airways Director of Visual Communications, Deborah Flint, Los Angeles World Airports Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, and Hareb Al Muhairy, Etihad Airways Senior Vice President Corporate and International Affairs

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has unveiled its new lounge for its premium first and business class passengers in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles (LAX) airport. The 4,400 square feet lounge is located ‘airside’ i.e. after security is may be accessed by Etihad first and business class passengers, Platinum, …

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Qatar Airways to buy 10% stake in LATAM

Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Bakar and LATAM CEO Enrique Cueto after announcing the investment.

Qatar Airways has announced on the second day of the Farnborough airshow that it will acquire a 10% stake in LATAM airlines group. The airline will invest $618 million in the Latin carrier, according to Qatar chief executive His Excellency Akbar Al Bakar. He further said this investment is further proof of the airline’s commitment to oneWorld. LATAM is the …

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FlyDubai to increase frequency of Prague flights

flydubai Boeing 737-800 A6-FEO. Photo copyright Vedant Agarwal.

Dubai-based low-cost carrier FlyDubai is increasing frequency of its flights to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. From July 1, the carrier will operate daily flights up from the current four a week. The airline has an all Boeing 737-800 fleet, on which it has introduced in-flight WiFi and live TV services, on a pay per use basis. Dubai …

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Etihad Airways opens new premium lounge at Melbourne airport

Etihad Airways' new premium lounge at Melbourne airport. Airline image

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has opened a new premium lounge at Melbourne airport. As the airline’s largest premium lounge outside Abu Dhabi, it is over 800 square metres wide in space and can seat up to 133 guests. It is also filled with natural light flowing in through the floor-to-ceiling glass, guaranteeing an …

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