Saudi Arabia is preparing to host the 2026 Airports Forum as the Middle East enters a period of major investment, technological development and infrastructure expansion across the aviation sector.

The forum will take place on November 30 and December 1, 2026, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. It will feature four concurrent conferences covering global aviation issues, investment, airport design and construction, and women’s participation in aviation.

The event comes amid rapid growth in the region’s aviation infrastructure. According to the latest Airports Council International (ACI) data cited by organisers, airport development spending across the Middle East has reached around $180 billion, while air connectivity in the region is expected to increase by 21% in 2025.

The forum programme will examine issues including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced air mobility, airport investment, smart infrastructure, sustainability, passenger experience and future workforce requirements.

Global aviation issues

The Global Aviation Issues Conference will focus on airport security, air traffic management and emerging technologies affecting aviation operations.

Sessions will examine artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, passenger and baggage screening, operational resilience and workforce development. Discussions will also cover airspace capacity, automation, international coordination and the integration of drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

Participating organisations include the International Civil Aviation Organization, GACA, MATARAT Holding, Riyadh Air, Etihad Airways, IATA, SITA, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and the Saudi Civil Aviation Academy.

Investment and financing

The Future of Aviation Investment Conference on November 30 will examine financing requirements for the next phase of aviation development in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, discussions will cover public-private partnerships, airport concession models, investor confidence and infrastructure investment. The programme will also examine capital trends across airports, airlines, air cargo, aircraft leasing and maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

Sustainable aviation finance, green bonds, ESG-linked investment and funding opportunities for eVTOL and drone infrastructure will also feature.

Organisations taking part include the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Saudi Arabia, daa International, Sofia Airport, the National Center for Privatization & PPP, Oman Airports and Avilis.

Airport design and construction

The Airport Design and Construction Conference on December 1 will focus on infrastructure requirements for the aviation sector’s expansion.

Topics will include new airports, terminal development, digital twins, automation and connected passenger journeys. Speakers will also address how airport projects can balance capacity, operational efficiency, sustainability, technology and changing passenger expectations.

The conference will explore the role of local identity in airport design and challenges associated with large-scale developments, including procurement, risk management, phased construction and maintaining airport operations during expansion.

Participants include King Salman International Airport, Gensler, Mott MacDonald, Riyadh Air, Foster + Partners and Grimshaw.

Women and the aviation workforce

The Women in Aviation General Assembly will conclude the forum on December 1, with discussions focused on leadership, workforce development and women’s participation in the aviation industry.

Sessions will examine the role of Saudi Vision 2030 in supporting women in aviation, alongside artificial intelligence, digital transformation, future skills, talent development, gender diversity and career opportunities.

Focus on Hajj aviation operations

The programme will also feature a dedicated session on the management of large-scale Hajj operations at Jeddah airports.

Experts in planning, airport operations, passenger experience, communications and emergency response will discuss the systems and practices used to manage the movement of millions of pilgrims during the annual Hajj season.

Industry dialogue in Riyadh

Daksha Patel, Events Director at Niche Ideas, said the aviation industry was undergoing significant changes across airport financing, infrastructure, technology, operations and workforce development.

She said the Airports Forum would bring together international industry figures and potential partners to exchange knowledge, address common challenges and explore opportunities linked to the region’s aviation expansion.

As Saudi Arabia continues to pursue its aviation objectives under Vision 2030, organisers said the four conferences will provide a platform for decision-makers and specialists in investment, technology, operations, design, policy and talent development.

The event is also expected to bring aviation leaders, investors and experts to Riyadh to discuss regional and global developments and potential areas for cooperation.

Source: AJEL.SA

SalamAir has entered into a distribution agreement with travel technology company Amadeus as the Omani low-cost airline steps up efforts to expand its international presence and reach new customer segments.

Under the agreement, travel sellers connected to the Amadeus Travel Platform will gain access to SalamAir's fares and services, allowing the airline to expand its distribution network and improve the availability of its products across global markets.

Steven Allen, chief commercial officer of SalamAir, said the partnership would support the airline's growth ambitions by strengthening its international market presence and making its services more accessible to travellers seeking affordable air travel.

The agreement forms part of SalamAir's broader strategy to diversify its sales channels, increase its global visibility and respond to rising travel demand across its expanding network.

Maher Koubaa, executive vice-president of the Travel Unit and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Amadeus, said the partnership reflected the company's commitment to supporting the low-cost airline sector. He added that Amadeus' technology solutions were designed to help low-cost carriers expand and compete in international markets.

Source: Oman Daily Observer

Emirates is expanding its Dubai-Durban schedule with 14 additional flights during the 2026-27 festive season, offering travellers more options during one of the busiest periods of the year.

The additional services will operate as a second daily flight between December 17 and 23, 2026, and January 2 and 8, 2027. The airline will deploy a three-class Boeing 777 on the route.

Flight EK2535 will depart Dubai at 04:00 and arrive in Durban at 10:30. The return service, EK2536, will leave Durban at 12:15 and land in Dubai at 22:30.

Emirates' existing daily flights, EK775 and EK776, will continue to operate according to their regular schedules.

The airline is also providing flexible booking options to help passengers manage changes to their travel plans. Customers booking flights to Dubai can change their travel dates an unlimited number of times without fees across all cabin classes. For tickets to other destinations, passengers are entitled to one complimentary date change.

Emirates' Hold My Fare service allows customers to reserve a ticket price for 24 hours at no additional cost. The airline has also reduced its refund fees.

Source: TradeArabia

Lufthansa has increased fuel loading on flights bound for Frankfurt Airport as a precautionary measure amid tighter jet fuel supplies caused by reduced pipeline capacity.

The airline said on Thursday that the move was intended to manage potential supply constraints at Germany’s largest aviation hub. Airport operator Fraport confirmed that routine maintenance was under way on a pipeline supplying jet fuel to the airport.

Fraport said the maintenance had been factored into its operational planning and was not expected to cause a fuel supply bottleneck. Alternative supply routes and sufficient storage capacity were helping to mitigate potential disruption.

“The airport's operational capability is therefore not affected,” Fraport said.

Lufthansa said it was not currently anticipating any flight cancellations as a result of the situation.

German newspaper Bild first reported the additional fuelling measures, citing internal instructions reportedly issued to Lufthansa pilots on selected routes. The practice, known as “tankering”, involves carrying more fuel than required for a flight so that an aircraft needs less or no refuelling at its destination.

According to Bild, the additional fuel carried by Airbus A320-family aircraft is limited to eight tonnes to ensure the planes can still be towed on the ground. The measures primarily affect short-haul services, although some long-haul flights are increasingly being included.

The precautionary steps are intended to give Lufthansa greater flexibility in managing its fuel requirements while pipeline maintenance continues at Frankfurt Airport.

Source: Reuters

Turkish Airlines has signed a strategic agreement with CFM International to strengthen engine maintenance capabilities and support the expansion of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet.

The long-term services agreement will cover the airline group's entire LEAP-1B engine fleet, including engines already ordered and delivered, spare engines, units installed on leased aircraft and potential future options. The combined total exceeds 600 engines operated by Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary, AJet.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during a ceremony in Istanbul by Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Murat Şeker; Turkish Technic CEO and Board Member, Mikail Akbulut; and Safran CEO Olivier Andriès. Safran is one of the two parent companies of CFM International.

The agreement also includes a material services arrangement to support the development of an engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Türkiye.

Şeker said the partnership would help Turkish Airlines accommodate fleet and network growth while improving operational efficiency. He added that the expanded services agreement would provide the technical expertise and long-term support required to develop LEAP engine maintenance capabilities.

Akbulut said the agreement would enable Turkish Technic to undertake comprehensive LEAP engine maintenance. He also reaffirmed the company's commitment to investing in engine services alongside its existing aircraft and component maintenance operations.

Andriès described the MoU as another milestone in a relationship with Turkish Airlines that has lasted nearly four decades. He said the agreement reflected both companies' ambitions to support the airline's growth and fleet expansion, while promoting an open MRO ecosystem offering flexible, competitive services to improve operational performance and control costs.

GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. also welcomed the agreement, highlighting Turkish Airlines' extensive international network and its confidence in CFM engines. He said the partnership would build on the companies' established relationship as the airline expands its Istanbul operations and engine maintenance capabilities.

Turkish Airlines currently operates 96 Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft powered by CFM56-7B engines and 79 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft equipped with LEAP-1B engines.

CFM said it had delivered more than 10,000 LEAP engines during the 10 years since the engine entered service, with the fleet accumulating over 100 million flight hours. The manufacturer continues to introduce upgrades, including a high-pressure turbine durability kit designed to extend time on wing and a reverse bleed system (RBS).

The agreement is expected to strengthen Turkish Airlines' long-standing relationship with CFM International and support the integration of newly ordered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into its expanding fleet. The planned engine MRO facility will also enhance Turkish Technic's ability to provide comprehensive maintenance services.

Source: Turkish Airlines

Oman Air has entered into a codeshare agreement with Finland’s Finnair, expanding travel options for passengers flying between Oman, Europe and Australia.

The deal represents the airline’s first partnership of this nature since it officially joined the Oneworld global airline alliance in June 2025.

Under the agreement, passengers will be able to reach Helsinki via London Heathrow Airport, where Oman Air operates 11 weekly flights from its main hub in Muscat.

The partnership will also cover Finnair-operated services connecting Helsinki with Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Milan and Rome, providing passengers with additional options for travelling between major European cities and the Finnish capital.

The agreement extends beyond Europe to Australia, with connections to Melbourne available via Bangkok. Oman Air operates two daily flights to the Thai capital, creating further opportunities for passengers travelling between the Middle East and Australia.

Rohan Patel, Head of Partnerships and Alliances at Oman Air, described the agreement as a significant strategic move towards maximising the benefits of the airline’s Oneworld membership.

He said the partnership had helped Oman Air broaden its customers’ travel options, making it easier for them to reach Helsinki and connect with destinations across Finnair’s wider network.

Source: Oman News Agency