International consortium led by Qatar’s UCC Holding to redevelop Damascus International Airport in Syria with 31m passenger capacity, new fleet, and advanced infrastructure
Aviation
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi boosts flights to Baku, Tbilisi amid rising demand for regional travel
The move reflects the growing appetite for affordable travel options between the UAE and popular leisure markets
Aviation
Dubai Duty Free smashes all-time July sales record by nearly 6%
Despite DXB passenger numbers growing by 2.3% in the first 6 months, DDF’s year-to-date sales are up 5.86% to $1.29bn
Airport
London Heathrow submits $65bn proposal to UK government for a third runway
The new runway, which has divided opinion for many years, will add 276,000 flights a year and increase passenger capacity to 150 million
Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways expands partnership network to over 40 airlines
Etihad Airways’ partnerships expand access to markets including China, North America, Africa and Europe
Aviation
Dubai’s Emirates launches 5th China route with daily flights to Hangzhou
The airline now operates 49 weekly flights to five major cities in China.
Abu Dhabi
dnata wins multi-year Etihad Airways catering contract at Jordan AMM airport
dnata will produce and uplift more than 90,000 meals annually for the UAE carrier’s 14 weekly flights between Amman and Abu Dhabi
Air Arabia
Air Arabia announces two new routes to Russia
The airline said the two new routes mark continued expansion from its Ras Al Khaimah hub, complementing existing direct flights to Moscow
Apple
Saudia enhances baggage recovery with new feature for Apple users
The airline can now track delayed or lost baggage via Find My Share Item Location Feature
Aviation
GWC and Qatar Airways extend logistics agreement by five years
Services to include import/export handling, customs clearance, warehousing and distribution, inventory management and document storage
Air Arabia
Air Arabia adds third daily flight to Bangkok from October 2025
The additional service is expected to boost travel capacity between the UAE and Thailand
Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways first Airbus A321LR enters service August 2025
Etihad employees and stakeholders gathered at the airport to mark the aircraft’s arrival
Airbus
Dubai Islamic Bank executes the first Islamic finance deal with Turkish Airlines
In a significant step for Shariah-compliant structures, DIB helps Turkish Airlines induct a new Airbus A350-941 on a 12-year Islamic finance lease
Aviation
Dubai International Airport (DXB) sets record with 46 million passengers in H1 2025
The second quarter saw 22.5 million passengers pass through DXB, marking a 3.1 per cent rise over the previous year
Aviation
Dubai aviation firm signs purchase agreement with United Airlines for 10 Boeing 737-9 aircraft
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise currently owns, manages, and is committed to own or manage a total of 750 aircraft, including 225 from Boeing
5G
Airplane mode: Do we really need it in 2025? Experts weigh in
As airlines from the world over roll out 5G services that let passengers make calls mid-flight, the question really is – does this decades-old ritual still makes sense?
Aviation
Emirates launches refurbished Boeing 777 service to Madrid
The deployment marks Madrid as the first destination in Spain to operate with Emirates’ next-generation interiors