SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) Sign Codeshare Agreement With China Southern Airlines

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) has announced a codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines, enabling travellers to conveniently access additional domestic and international routes across both carriers’ portfolios.

Passengers flying to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with the Saudi carrier will be able to connect to further Chinese itineraries, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan.

Meanwhile, the guests of the Chinese airline will benefit from the access to SAUDIA’s network from the Chinese hub with the option of transiting through Dubai International.

The new partnership follows SAUDIA’s network expansion with two new destinations this year, Multan and Port Sudan, and demonstrates the carrier’s commitment to offer improved travel options and flexibility to its passengers.

Saudia Airlines has announced the expansion of its fleet with the addition of a new Boeing 787-9, the first of 15 jets awaiting delivery, bringing the current number of Boeing aircraft to seven.

Purchasing the state-of-the-art aircraft from major global producers is the carrier's strategy to constantly modernise its fleet, according to the requirements for different types and sizes of the aircraft, reflecting its operational strategies for domestic, regional and international flights.

Presently, the Saudi national airline boasts 129 jets, including the market's latest Boeing and Airbus wide-body aircraft.

airBaltic launched its direct route linking Riga and Aberdeen on May 02, offering convenient travel options for travellers from the UK and Baltic states.

The schedule will operate three times weekly on board a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Carol Benzie, managing director, Aberdeen International Airport, commented, "The route will provide Aberdeen holidaymakers with easy access to a number of increasingly popular destinations in the Baltic states, such as Tallinn, Palanga and Vilnius, which was one of the most requested destinations in a leisure survey we undertook with our local community in 2016."

Qatar Airways has been named the official airline partner of the Paris ePrix, an electric street race, as well as sponsor of the 2017 Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, which will take place in the French capital on May 20.

The carrier has also been named the official airline partner of the first-ever New York City ePrix taking place in Brooklyn on July 15 – 16.

Commenting on the partnership with Formula E, H.E. Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive, Qatar Airways, said, "We are very pleased to be able to support this environmentally-friendly sport that promotes the latest technological innovations in producing alternative energy solutions for electric cars.

Qatar Airways is committed to promoting the importance of sports in bringing people together through our many partnerships

On May 01, Oman Air celebrated its inaugural flight from Muscat International Airport to Manchester Airport.

The daily flight to Manchester, operated by an A330-200, represents the carrier’s third daily frequency to the UK and is expected to further boost the already strong political, economic and social links between the two countries.

Additionally, the direct flight will open up easy access to the carrier’s outstanding range of destinations from both Muscat and Manchester with over 27 locations having connectivity within three hours in both directions.

The launch of the new route is in response to significant customer demand and also demonstrates Oman Air’s commitment to continuing its ambitious and dynamic programme of fleet and network expansion.

Celebrating 10 years of services to Kerala, Etihad Airways has launched a fourth daily nonstop schedule from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Calicut International Airport, bringing the total number of weekly schedules to the state to 63.

The extra itinerary makes Kerala one of the carrier’s most frequent Indian destinations, where the airline flies to the gateways of Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, representing more than 30 percent of all Indian frequencies.

Neerja Bhatia, vice president, Indian subcontinent, Etihad Airways, commented, “With our multi-frequency scheduled flights to and from Kerala, Etihad Airways has demonstrated a commitment to this vibrant state by offering convenient global access and boosting the domestic tourism industry.”