Wednesday, 09 September 2026

Etihad Airways Launches First-Ever Flights to Uzbekistan With Daily Tashkent Service

Published: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Etihad Airways Launches First-Ever Flights to Uzbekistan With Daily Tashkent Service

Etihad Airways has launched its first route to Uzbekistan with the arrival of its inaugural flight in Tashkent, establishing a new daily connection between Abu Dhabi and the Central Asian country.

The non-stop service strengthens Abu Dhabi’s role as an international gateway, providing passengers from Uzbekistan with access to Etihad’s growing network across the Gulf region, Europe, the Levant and North America.

The launch follows Etihad’s recently established codeshare partnership with Uzbekistan Airways. Under the arrangement, passengers can travel beyond Tashkent to eight destinations across Uzbekistan, including Andijan, Bukhara, Fergana, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Termez and Urgench. The partnership also provides access to selected international destinations served by Uzbekistan Airways.

The new route gives travellers from Uzbekistan direct access to Abu Dhabi, a major destination for tourism, leisure and business. The UAE capital offers attractions ranging from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Saadiyat Island to the entertainment venues of Yas Island, alongside luxury resorts and year-round cultural and leisure experiences.

Speaking at the launch event, Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer of Etihad Airways, described the inaugural service as an important milestone in the airline’s network expansion.

Meyer said Uzbekistan is among Central Asia’s fastest-growing markets, supported by its cultural heritage, tourism potential and increasing economic importance. He added that the daily service would create a new link between Central Asia and destinations worldwide through Abu Dhabi.

Etihad said the new route is intended to meet rising demand between Uzbekistan, the UAE and international markets while supporting tourism, business links and broader access to global opportunities for travellers in both directions.

Source: WAM

Thai Airways unveils 66-route winter schedule for peak travel season

Published: Monday, September 07, 2026
Thai Airways unveils 66-route winter schedule for peak travel season

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) will operate 66 domestic and international routes under its winter 2026/27 timetable, covering key destinations across Europe, Australia and Asia.

The seasonal schedule will run from October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027, aligning with Thailand’s peak tourism period.

THAI announced the programme on September 2, 2026, saying it had increased selected services and flight frequencies in response to passenger bookings and travel demand. The airline is also using the winter schedule to strengthen its network connectivity through Bangkok.

The carrier’s winter network will include 15 routes to Europe and Australia, 43 routes across Asia and eight domestic routes.

Source: QCAA

flyadeal launches new direct route between Madinah and Karachi

Published: Monday, September 07, 2026
flyadeal launches new direct route between Madinah and Karachi

Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline flyadeal, part of Saudia Group, has expanded its operations in Pakistan with the launch of a new direct route linking Madinah with Karachi.

The airline will operate two flights per week on the new route, deploying Airbus A320neo aircraft equipped with 186 Economy Class seats.

With the addition of Madinah, Karachi is now connected by flyadeal to three Saudi cities, following the airline’s existing services from Jeddah and Riyadh.

The new route also takes flyadeal’s total number of destinations in Pakistan to seven, highlighting the carrier’s continued expansion in the market.

Abdulaziz Bahri, Chief Operating Officer of flyadeal, said the launch demonstrates the airline’s growing commitment to Pakistan, where demand has continued to strengthen across its international network.

Bahri noted that flyadeal began serving Pakistan with two routes last year and has since expanded to seven. He said the rapid growth reflects the strong economic, cultural and people-to-people ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, alongside growing demand for the airline’s modern, efficient, friendly and affordable services.

Source: TradeArabia

Riyadh Air Launches Nonstop Riyadh-Bangkok Flights

Published: Saturday, September 05, 2026
Riyadh Air Launches Nonstop Riyadh-Bangkok Flights

Riyadh Air has launched nonstop services between King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, adding a new air link between Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The Bangkok service is the airline’s 12th destination since Riyadh Air began commercial operations with its inaugural flight in June 2026. The route is also aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly efforts to strengthen tourism, trade and cultural connections with international markets.

Riyadh Air will initially offer three flights a week between Riyadh and Bangkok. The frequency is scheduled to rise to daily service from November 9.

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said the new connection between the two capitals reflects the carrier’s commitment to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 through stronger commercial, tourism and cultural links between Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The new route is expected to provide additional travel options between the two countries while supporting Riyadh Air’s expanding international network.

Source: TradeArabia

Etihad, ROX Sign MoU to Explore Travel and Mobility Partnership

Published: Saturday, September 05, 2026
Etihad, ROX Sign MoU to Explore Travel and Mobility Partnership

Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi-based AI technology company ROX have agreed to explore potential areas of collaboration, with the partnership initially centred on ROX’s Africa Grand Tour S2.

Under the memorandum of understanding, Etihad’s brand will appear on the vehicle used for the overland expedition. The companies will also consider joint content, storytelling and marketing initiatives linked to the tour, creating an opportunity to connect air travel with ground mobility and destination experiences across Africa.

ROX’s Africa Grand Tour S2 is an extended overland expedition across the continent featuring the ROX ADAMAS. The journey is intended to demonstrate the vehicle’s capabilities across a wide range of destinations and driving conditions while generating content around travel, exploration and mobility.

The initiative will serve as an initial platform for Etihad and ROX to explore ways of combining air connectivity, ground transportation and destination experiences through storytelling and content.

The MoU was signed in Abu Dhabi during the inauguration of ROX’s Advanced AI Manufacturing Centre. Beyond the Africa Grand Tour, the agreement provides a broader framework for the two companies to examine potential cooperation in intelligent mobility, technology, lifestyle innovation, future travel experiences and destination-focused mobility.

Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the Africa Grand Tour offers an opportunity to bring together travel, destinations, mobility and storytelling.

“From Abu Dhabi, Etihad connects people to a growing global network, and we are always interested in new ideas that can enhance how people experience the places they travel to,” Neves said. He added that the MoU would allow both sides to assess potential areas of alignment and the prospects for future collaboration.

Yan Feng, CEO of ROX, said the company was established with the aim of developing intelligent mobility solutions that connect people, technology and destinations.

He described the Africa Grand Tour as a starting point for exploring broader opportunities in intelligent mobility, travel and lifestyle, adding that ROX and Etihad could complement each other by connecting land-based exploration with air travel.

Both companies are headquartered in Abu Dhabi and see potential for their respective technologies, capabilities and brands to work together, beginning with the Africa Grand Tour S2.

Source: WAM

Air Arabia Adds Fourth Daily Sharjah-Bangkok Flight from October 25

Published: Saturday, September 05, 2026
Air Arabia Adds Fourth Daily Sharjah-Bangkok Flight from October 25

Air Arabia is expanding its services to Thailand by adding a fourth daily non-stop flight between Sharjah and Bangkok, strengthening air connectivity between the UAE and Southeast Asia.

The additional frequency will begin on October 25, 2026, increasing the airline’s Sharjah-Bangkok operations to 28 non-stop flights per week and giving passengers more travel options.

The expanded Bangkok schedule complements Air Arabia’s existing 21 weekly non-stop flights between Sharjah and Phuket, strengthening its presence in two of Thailand’s major destinations.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said the increased Bangkok service reflects the importance of Thailand to the airline’s network and growing demand for affordable travel between the UAE and Southeast Asia.

He said increasing Bangkok operations to four daily flights, alongside the existing Phuket service, would give passengers greater flexibility while enhancing Sharjah’s connectivity with Thailand.

With the new frequency, Air Arabia will operate a combined 49 non-stop weekly flights between Sharjah and Bangkok and Phuket, making Thailand one of its key destinations in Southeast Asia.

The expanded schedule will also provide passengers travelling from the UAE with more flexibility when planning direct journeys from Sharjah.

Source: ZAWYA