Qatar Airways has yet to pass sharply higher jet fuel costs on to passengers, despite prices rising by around 90% since the beginning of the year, Qatar Airways Group CEO Hamad Ali Al-Khater said.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV during the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, Al-Khater said jet fuel was trading at about $182 per barrel, representing an increase of roughly 90% from February 28, 2026, when the Iran-US conflict began.

He said Qatar Airways has an integrated team focused on fuel optimisation and efficiency, allowing the airline to manage the increase without currently transferring the additional cost to customers.

Al-Khater said the carrier is also reviewing its capacity strategy based on route profitability. Routes generating stronger returns are being expanded, while less profitable services are being suspended or temporarily paused until demand improves.

According to Al-Khater, the approach enables Qatar Airways to retain valuable airport slots and maintain its loyal customer base. He added that travel demand remains resilient despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Passenger booking patterns have changed, however. Around 75% of Qatar Airways customers are now booking their flights within 60 days of travel, Al-Khater said.

“Passengers are booking later, but demand is still pretty strong,” he said, adding that the airline plans to expand its network to more than 170 destinations.

Reflecting on the regional crisis that emerged only months after he became Group CEO in December 2025, Al-Khater described it as the largest crisis in Qatar Airways’ history. He said managing geopolitical disruption is a regular challenge for the airline.

He also acknowledged the personal difficulty of navigating the crisis, while stressing that passenger and employee safety remained his primary concern. Al-Khater said he was proud of the team’s response to the challenges.

Source: The Peninsula

European airlines are set to resume scheduled services to and from Jordan after the country was removed from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) said Monday.

CARC Board of Commissioners Chairman Deifallah Farajat said Hungary-based Wizz Air will restart flights to Queen Alia International Airport on Tuesday, following a suspension of several months. The airline will operate two flights per week.

Farajat said the first returning Wizz Air service is expected to arrive with a high passenger load, indicating continued demand for travel to Jordan. He said the return of European carriers could also support the country’s tourism and commercial sectors.

Ryanair is also expected to resume operations at the end of October, Farajat said. The airline will reconnect Jordan with four major European destinations, providing additional low-cost travel options.

According to CARC, the decision follows technical consultations between the Jordanian regulator and EASA that resulted in Jordan being removed from the agency’s Conflict Zone Information Bulletin.

The change means the previous recommendation for European airlines to avoid operating flights to Jordan has been lifted. Airlines must instead carry out their own risk assessments before starting or restarting services.

Farajat said CARC would continue working with international partners and airlines to maintain aviation safety and security standards while seeking to attract more international carriers to Jordan’s airports.

Source: Jordan News Agency

SalamAir has introduced a new promotional campaign offering passengers 25% off base fares across its network.

Travellers can access the discount by entering the promo code MEGA25 when making bookings from September 21 to September 24, 2026.

The reduced fares are available for travel between October 1 and November 20, 2026.

The promotion covers SalamAir’s entire network, with no fixed limit on the number of promotional seats. However, discounted fares remain subject to flight availability.

Source: SALAM AIR

Qatar Airways has yet to pass sharply higher jet fuel costs on to passengers, despite prices rising by around 90% since the beginning of the year, Qatar Airways Group CEO Hamad Ali Al-Khater said.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV during the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, Al-Khater said jet fuel was trading at about $182 per barrel, representing an increase of roughly 90% from February 28, 2026, when the Iran-US conflict began.

He said Qatar Airways has an integrated team focused on fuel optimisation and efficiency, allowing the airline to manage the increase without currently transferring the additional cost to customers.

Al-Khater said the carrier is also reviewing its capacity strategy based on route profitability. Routes generating stronger returns are being expanded, while less profitable services are being suspended or temporarily paused until demand improves.

According to Al-Khater, the approach enables Qatar Airways to retain valuable airport slots and maintain its loyal customer base. He added that travel demand remains resilient despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Passenger booking patterns have changed, however. Around 75% of Qatar Airways customers are now booking their flights within 60 days of travel, Al-Khater said.

“Passengers are booking later, but demand is still pretty strong,” he said, adding that the airline plans to expand its network to more than 170 destinations.

Reflecting on the regional crisis that emerged only months after he became Group CEO in December 2025, Al-Khater described it as the largest crisis in Qatar Airways’ history. He said managing geopolitical disruption is a regular challenge for the airline.

He also acknowledged the personal difficulty of navigating the crisis, while stressing that passenger and employee safety remained his primary concern. Al-Khater said he was proud of the team’s response to the challenges.

Source: The Peninsula

Saudi low-cost carrier flynas has been named the Middle East’s Best Low-Cost Airline for 2026, extending its winning streak to nine consecutive years at the Skytrax World Airline Awards in London.

The award ceremony brought together senior executives and officials from the global aviation industry. flynas also improved its position in the worldwide rankings, reinforcing its place among the top 10 low-cost airlines globally.

Established in 1999, the Skytrax World Airline Awards are based on independent customer surveys covering more than 70 categories across the passenger travel experience. Millions of travellers worldwide participate in the annual voting process.

The latest recognition adds to flynas’ growing list of international achievements and highlights the carrier’s expansion within Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector. The airline’s development aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to strengthen the Kingdom’s role as a global centre for aviation, travel and tourism.

In June 2026, Skytrax awarded flynas a four-star rating for low-cost airlines. The assessment covered around 800 aspects of the passenger experience, including airport services, seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food and beverage standards, and staff and cabin crew efficiency. The rating made flynas the highest-rated low-cost airline in the Middle East.

The carrier also received the Middle East’s Leading Low-Cost Airline title at the 2026 World Travel Awards for the 12th consecutive year, along with the Middle East’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew award.

As part of its “We Connect the World to the Kingdom” strategy, flynas is continuing to expand its international network and strengthen air connectivity with global markets. The strategy supports the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy by increasing travel options for passengers.

Listed on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul), flynas currently operates 156 routes connecting more than 80 domestic and international destinations across 38 countries, with over 2,000 flights each week. Since launching in 2007, the airline has carried 110 million passengers.

The carrier aims to expand its network to 165 domestic and international destinations as part of its long-term growth plan aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Source: SPA

Jazeera Airways has entered into a strategic partnership with Trip.com Group to expand the Kuwaiti low-cost carrier’s international reach, strengthen advance bookings and contribute to the growth of Kuwait’s travel and tourism industry.

Under the agreement, Trip.com will leverage its global customer base, demand forecasting tools and multi-market technology to support Jazeera Airways’ network, with particular attention to new and demand-sensitive routes. The initiative will seek to improve the airline’s visibility, stimulate passenger demand and increase bookings across both origin and destination markets.

Jazeera Airways CEO Barathan Pasupathi said the partnership represents an important development in the airline’s distribution and growth strategy. He said access to Trip.com’s global demand ecosystem and AI-powered retailing capabilities would help improve network performance while enabling the airline to engage potential travellers more effectively.

CT Ooi, Chief Executive Officer of Flights at Trip.com Group, said the combination of Jazeera Airways’ network and local expertise with Trip.com’s international reach, demand intelligence and technology could help the airline access high-potential traveller segments in key global markets.

The partnership will also promote Kuwait as a stopover and tourism destination through curated content, flexible travel packages and regional storytelling. The companies said these initiatives are intended to support economic diversification and attract more international visitors.

Jazeera Airways will also gain access to Trip.com’s distribution and retailing technology, allowing it to target groups such as students, expatriates and travellers visiting friends and relatives. The technology will support fare bundling, ancillary product sales and upselling opportunities.

Additional exposure for Jazeera Airways will come through Trip.com’s media channels, joint campaigns and customer relationship management initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, engagement and bookings.

The companies expect the collaboration to strengthen Jazeera Airways’ international distribution network while contributing to Kuwait’s wider efforts to develop its aviation and tourism sectors.

Source: TradeArabia