Dubai, UAE, 01 April 2020:   The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) released a GIF image of the decrease in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration in the GCC countries, between 26 November 2019 until 27 March 2020. The Remote Sensing Department at MBRSC published the results using data acquired by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-5P mission. The drop in NO2 concentrations beginning late-February coincides with the regionwide precautionary measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus 'COVID-19'. Nitrogen dioxide is mainly produced from engines, power generation and other industrial processes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In view of the lockdown announced in various countries, fewer vehicles are on the road, fewer planes are taking flight and industries have also been affected ......read more

Opportunity for UAE scientific community to propose projects in  Human Health or Earth & Space Science fields   Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 01, 2020:   Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), today announced that it is inviting applications from the UAE’s research entities to propose scientific or technology-driven projects in the fields of Human Health or Earth & Space Science to be conducted by astronauts on the International Space Station. The objective of the initiative is to provide research entities in the UAE the opportunity to further humanity’s knowledge and support future space missions by conducting research that tackles challenges faced in the region that would eventually prepare for human exploration of the solar system beyond Low Earth Orbit ......read more

Aspiring candidates can submit their applications until 1st May 2020 Dubai, UAE, March 30, 2020:   The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) today announced that it is extending the registration deadline for the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme to 1st May 2020. The second batch of the programme is aimed at finding the next two Emirati astronauts who will join the UAE's astronaut corps and further the country's ambition for crewed space exploration. So far, the second batch of the programme has received a large number of applications, and by extending the deadline, MBRSC is expecting many more Emiratis from different walks of life to apply.  To qualify for the UAE Astronaut Programme, applicants should be UAE nationals above 18 years of age with a bachelor's degree. Professionals from all ......read more

Carrier will tweak its freighter network to adjust to passenger suspension; launches passenger freighter network in line with the current environment to ensure continuity Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - March 26, 2020:   Following the directive issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates to temporarily suspend all passenger services to and from the UAE, Etihad Cargo continues to play a vital role in connecting key cargo markets and ensuring the UAE’s import and export needs are adequately covered in line with current demand. To complement its fleet of Boeing 777 Freighters, Etihad Cargo is introducing a fleet of Boeing 787-10 aircraft as passenger freighters to operate 34 weekly flights, serving 10 ......read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 23 March 2020 - Etihad Airways (Etihad) will temporarily suspend all flights to, from, and via Abu Dhabi following a decision by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), to suspend all inbound, outbound, and transit passenger flights in the UAE. This decision has been made to limit the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus and to protect citizens, residents, and international travellers. The suspension of flights to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport will commence at 23:59 (UAE local time) on Wednesday 25 March, and will last for an initial 14 days, subject to further directives by the relevant authorities. Cargo and emergency evacuation flights are exempt and will continue. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, ......read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 22 March 2020 - Due to the global spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, the health and aviation authorities of the People’s Republic of China have issued a directive to all international airlines flying to Beijing, instructing them to land in another designated airport in China before continuing to the capital. Effective from Sunday 22 March, Etihad Airways services to Beijing will stop in the city of Xi’an, where passengers will disembark for health screening, customs clearance, and to claim their baggage. This procedure is likely to be lengthy.  Once cleared by the local authorities for entry into China, passengers will re-board and baggage will be reloaded for the short flight to Beijing.  This directive does not affect the return schedule from Beijing to Abu ......read more

Dubai, UAE, 22 March 2020:  The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center commemorates Isra Wal Mi’raj, one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar, by sharing this image of Al Aqsa Mosque taken from space by KhalifaSat. KhalifaSat is one of the world’s most technologically advanced remote sensing observation satellites – and the first 100% designed and manufactured in the United Arab Emirates. It was launched into low Earth orbit in October 2018, beginning a 5-year mission to capture and transmit high-quality detailed images of Earth the MBRSC in Dubai. These assist global governments and private organisations to monitor environmental changes, ensure effective urban management, and aid in disaster relief efforts, amongst other critical services. With five patents to its name, KhalifaSat confirms the ......read more

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 19 March 2020: Abu Dhabi Airports announces the temporary move of several flights from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). On 18 March 2020, Abu Dhabi Airports consolidated operations into two terminals. Select flights operating to and from Terminal 1 are now operating out of Terminal 3.  The temporary terminal move reflects Abu Dhabi Airports’ commitment to delivering efficient operations and a seamless passenger experience. The airports company is currently working in close partnership with the respective airlines to ensure a smooth transition from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. The recent terminal operational updates do not reflect the current situation regarding the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19). It is fully in line with Abu Dhabi Airports’ dedication to ......read more

19 March 2020, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – In response to the current situation, Etihad Airways is introducing Etihad Credit to give guests the freedom to delay their travel plans by permitting a free cancellation and is offering the original value of their booking to be used as credit towards their next trip.   As the situation around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, these new measures will provide maximum flexibility and ensures guests that need to travel, do so safely and conveniently. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “In these unprecedented times, we understand that some of our guests are either unable to, or choose not to travel and it is our responsibility to help them as much as possible.    “Now, more than ever, there is ......read more

19 March 2020 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is appealing to governments in Africa and the Middle East, as part of a worldwide campaign, to provide emergency support to airlines as they fight for survival due to the evaporation of air travel demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.    “Stopping the spread of COVID-19 is the top priority of governments. But they must be aware that the public health emergency has now become a catastrophe for economies and for aviation. The scale of the current industry crisis is much worse and far more widespread than 9.11, SARS or the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Airlines are fighting for survival. Many routes have been suspended in Africa and Middle East and airlines have seen demand fall by as much as 60% on remaining ones. Millions of jobs ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - March 16, 2020:   The organisation behind Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden has announced a temporary closure of the attractions, with immediate effect, until the end of March 2020.  This is in light of the COVID-19 virus that is affecting the nation and has been implemented as a measure to protect visitors and workers.   Engineer Abdel Naser Rahhal, Vice Chairman of Cityland Group, the developer of Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden, commented,:  ”Within the framework of the precautionary and preventive measures against the new Corona virus emerging in the Emirate of Dubai, and in our attention to the health and safety of visitors and employees, Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden announce their temporary closure until the end of ......read more

15 March 2020: Due to the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus and its continuing impact on air travel services globally, Etihad Airways continues to follow UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives and has implemented a series of consolidated network changes. This is also being carried out for the safety and convenience of its customers and staff, and to minimise operational disruption during this period. The following services from Abu Dhabi have been temporarily adjusted: Milan (MXP) All flights suspended until 30 April. Rome (FCO) EY85/86 suspended until 30 April. EY83/84 suspended until 30 June. Beirut (BEY) All flights suspended from 16 March until 31 March. Istanbul (IST) All flights suspended from 16 March until 31 March. Casablanca (CMN) and Rabat (RBA) All flights suspended ......read more

13 March 2020 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and its members continue to support governments in their efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. At this time of extreme pressure on the industry, IATA urged governments to:   • Prepare for the broad economic consequences of these actions,  • Respond quickly to the financial frailty of airlines, and • Follow WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations.   These calls come in response to the US government’s banning of non-US citizens, and individuals who are not legal permanent residents of the US, who have been in the Schengen Area in the past 14 days from entry into the United States.   “These are extraordinary times and governments are taking unprecedented measures. ......read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways has launched a collaborative project with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in a bid to combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, recently hosted the Combating Wildlife Trafficking workshop at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, attended by 37 representatives of national entities and other key stakeholders involved in the fight against wildlife trafficking. Speakers from The Royal Foundation and United for Wildlife discussed the current situation in enforcement in wildlife trafficking and provided an insight into the international methods used to counter smuggling. The workshop aimed to improve knowledge of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which the UAE ......read more

• World’s largest single-structure airport terminal and integrated transportation hub • Daily service between the UAE and Chinese capitals provides convenient connectivity to popular business and leisure destinations via Abu Dhabi  • Daily Beijing-Nagoya service enables short getaways to Japan • Greater air-rail connectivity opportunities across China  • Etihad is dedicated to strengthening social and economic ties between the UAE and China   Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — Effective 1 June 2020: Etihad Airways (Etihad), the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will transfer all its flights to and from Abu Dhabi and Beijing, and its flights to and from Beijing to Nagoya, Japan, to the new state-of-the-art Beijing Daxing International Airport ......read more

Chairman’s Statement Overview 2019 was a turbulent year for the Cathay Pacific Group. With our three-year transformation programme starting to bear fruit we delivered a positive performance in the first half of 2019 notwithstanding a difficult environment brought about by geopolitical and trade tensions. However, with social unrest in Hong Kong intensifying over the second half of the year and mounting US-China trade tensions, we experienced a sharp drop in both inbound and outbound passenger traffic. We were faced with an incredibly challenging environment to operate as the Hong Kong economy slipped into recession. As a result, our second-half results – traditionally stronger compared to first-half results – fell well below what we would have hoped for. The Cathay Pacific Group reported an attributable profit ......read more

March 10, 2020: SITA, the leading IT provider for the air transport industry, has made six predictions about how ultra-fast 5G networks will bring major change for airports, airlines, and passengers. With download speeds of up to 400MB per second, 5G will be a game-changer.   The potential for innovation is huge and airports, airlines, and passengers will feel the force of 5G in very different ways. SITA’s predictions are based on unique IT insights and emerging air transport industry technology trends. They follow hot on the heels of 5G trials like the recent ones carried out by both London Gatwick Airport and Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport services which signpost our entry into a new era of ultra-connected air travel.      Gilles Bloch-Morhange, VP SITA Platform, said: ......read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is giving travellers peace of mind when making their next booking by allowing one complimentary date or destination change for all flights booked between 8 March and 7 April 2020.   Valid for travel from 22 March 2020, the offer is applicable to all fares including Etihad Guest redemptions and Etihad Holiday bookings. Any fare difference arising from the rebooking/rerouting will be applied.

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has suspended temporarily all flights between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to a directive from the General Authority for Civil Aviation, Saudi Arabia, to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The airline operates up to 12 flights per day between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. It has cancelled a total of seven flights today between Abu Dhabi and the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina, and is now advising passengers who were booked to travel today.  Another four flights which were en-route to Saudi Arabia at the time of the directive were permitted to land. When flights arrived in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, nationals of Saudi Arabi were permitted to disembark but all other passengers remained on the aircraft, which ......read more

• Daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights between Abu Dhabi and Austria’s capital city   Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, will launch new daily scheduled year-round flights to Austria’s capital Vienna using a two-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The service will initially operate with four weekly flights between 22 May and 30 June.    Etihad is introducing the new service to provide greater choice and convenience for point-to-point business and leisure travellers between the UAE and Austria, and to promote direct inbound tourism to Abu Dhabi.    Departures have been conveniently timed to arrive early morning in Vienna, and to connect seamlessly in both directions via Abu Dhabi to gateways across the Etihad network including the GCC, ......read more

 Etihad pledges to increase its female employees by 25 percent by 2025  Arabic ‘Business Class’ renamed to encompass gender-inclusive language    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is marking International Women’s Day by pledging to increase its female workforce by 25 percent over the next five years – the first airline in the country to make this commitment. This follows the International Air Travel Association’s (IATA) voluntary ‘25by2025’ campaign which aims to improve gender balance within the aviation industry.    Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We are so proud to already have thousands of strong, ambitious and talented women working with ......read more

-Relief Measures Needed- 5 March 2020 (Singapore): The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its analysis of the financial impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency on the global air transport industry. IATA now sees 2020 global revenue losses for the passenger business of between $63 billion (in a scenario where COVID-19 is contained in current markets with over 100 cases as of 2 March) and $113 billion (in a scenario with a broader spreading of COVID-19). No estimates are yet available for the impact on cargo operations. IATA’s previous analysis (issued on 20 February 2020) put lost revenues at $29.3 billion based on a scenario that would see the impact of COVID-19 largely confined to markets associated with China. Since that time, the virus has spread to over 80 countries and ......read more

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre celebrates the 59th Kuwait National Day with this image of Kuwait Towers taken from space by KhalifaSat. KhalifaSat was fully developed at MBRSC facilities by Emirati engineers and was launched to space in October 2018. It has 5 patents and seven space innovations making it the most advanced satellite of its category in the world. KhalifaSat provides images with specifications that meet the highest international standards in space images. These high-resolution detailed images help organisations in government and private sectors get accurate data which allow them to monitor environmental changes, detect the effects of global warming, ensure responsible urban planning and management, and aid relief efforts at times of natural disasters. This will contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 25, 2020:   Turkish Airlines’ successful brand AnadoluJet will offer the opportunity to fly to abroad at prices starting at 1 USD with its new international flights starting on 29 March 2020 from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara Esenboğa airports.  Adding Germany, Austria, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Georgia, Holland, United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Kuwait, Russia and Saudi Arabia to its flight network, carrier will be flying to 21 countries. Passengers who wish to take advantage of the discount that is available for a limited number of seats will be able to fly at prices starting at 1 USD* before taxes between 29 March – 24 October 2020 for tickets purchased from all sales channels until 1 March 2020. While ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2020: As the airline that flies to more countries than any other, Turkish Airlines directly contributes to tourism both locally and globally with its ever-improving fleet and service quality. Flag carrier will be operating 98 flights every week from 26 international destinations to Turkey’s favorite tourism spots such as Antalya, İzmir, Dalaman and Bodum during the Summer 2020. Turkish Airlines which contributed greatly to the record number of tourists coming to Turkey during 2019 will increase its support during 2020 as well. In line with this support and direct tourism endeavor, the weekly frequency of direct flights from international destinations to Turkey’s tourism centers will be increased by 18% this year compared to 2019. Commenting on the “Direct Tourism ......read more