Etihad Airways will increase its services between Abu Dhabi and Sydney to twice daily from 15 December, adding capacity ahead of the Australian summer holiday season.

The airline, which has operated flights to Sydney since 2007, will add four weekly services to its existing 10 flights, bringing the route to 14 flights per week, or two departures each day.

All flights will be operated with Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, offering more than 5,000 seats per week in each direction.

The A350-1000 features private Business Class suites equipped with sliding doors, 79-inch fully flat beds, wireless charging and 18.5-inch entertainment screens. Economy Class passengers will have 17.4-inch-wide seats, 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens and Bluetooth audio, while high-speed Wi-Fi will be available across the aircraft.

The expanded schedule will give Australian travellers greater access to Abu Dhabi attractions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum, Saadiyat Island and Qasr Al Hosn. It will also provide additional travel options for visitors attending the Formula 1 weekend at Yas Marina Circuit in December.

Passengers transiting through Abu Dhabi can also take advantage of Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme, which provides complimentary hotel accommodation for one or two nights. The programme has recently been expanded to include Al Ain.

The additional Sydney services will further strengthen connections through Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Gulf, wider Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Africa and Europe.

Travellers continuing beyond Sydney can also access destinations across Australia and New Zealand through Etihad’s interline partnerships with Qantas, Jetstar and Air New Zealand.

Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, said the twice-daily schedule would give passengers greater flexibility when travelling between Australia and the airline’s expanding international network.

He said the additional flights would also enhance connections through Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East and Europe, while giving travellers more opportunities to visit the emirate during their journey.

Etihad’s Australian network also includes daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne, operated by Boeing 787 aircraft.

Source: WAM

Chief Commissioner of Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC), Dhaifallah Farajat, met UAE Ambassador to Jordan Sultan Al Shamsi on Tuesday to explore opportunities to expand cooperation in air transport.

The meeting, held at CARC headquarters, highlighted the strong aviation links between the two countries. Flights connecting Jordan and the UAE account for approximately 14% of total operations at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The UAE is the second-largest destination market served by airlines operating to and from Jordan, reflecting the importance of bilateral air connectivity.

Both officials emphasised the longstanding strategic and regulatory partnership between the two countries. Jordan and the UAE have maintained a bilateral air services agreement since 1972, with subsequent updates designed to liberalise the framework and facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo.

The agreement has also supported broader trade and tourism links between the two countries.

Farajat and Al Shamsi reiterated their commitment to ongoing coordination and consultation to strengthen civil aviation regulations and cooperation in both markets.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative plaques recognising the countries’ longstanding relationship.

Farajat also congratulated Al Shamsi on his appointment as UAE ambassador to Jordan, wishing him success in his diplomatic duties and efforts to advance shared interests and further strengthen the historical and fraternal ties between the two nations.

Source: The Jordan Times

Oman Air will introduce its Winter 2026/27 schedule on October 25, increasing flight frequencies and capacity across the Gulf, Europe, Russia and Asia while expanding codeshare partnerships to improve global connectivity.

The airline will significantly increase European capacity, tripling its Zurich capacity compared with the summer season through the deployment of widebody aircraft on up to five weekly flights. Services to Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan and Istanbul will also rise to as many as five flights per week.

Flights to Moscow will double from four to up to eight weekly services, building on Oman Air’s 11-city European network and offering travellers more options for winter travel while improving access to Oman for international visitors.

The new schedule will also provide the first full winter operations for several destinations launched earlier this year. Singapore will receive four weekly flights, while Tashkent will retain twice-weekly services and Sochi will operate once a week.

To meet demand on popular routes, Oman Air will introduce weekly widebody services to Mumbai and Dhaka, adding capacity and offering passengers the comfort of its Boeing 787 aircraft.

Domestic services will also increase, with flights between Muscat and Khasab rising to up to four per week. The Muscat-Salalah route will operate up to five times daily throughout the winter season.

Oman Air is also broadening its codeshare network through new and expanded partnerships. Agreements with Lufthansa and SWISS will connect passengers to destinations including Edinburgh, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Bergen, Billund, Gothenburg and Oslo via the airlines’ hubs in Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich.

An expansion of the existing codeshare partnership with Malaysia Airlines will add Shanghai, Beijing Daxing and Guangzhou, extending Oman Air’s reach across Greater China.

Members of both airlines’ loyalty programmes will also benefit from oneworld recognition, including tier privileges and service benefits throughout their journeys.

The expanded winter schedule underscores Oman Air’s focus on improving international connectivity, adding capacity to high-demand routes and supporting inbound tourism to Oman.

Source: Trade Arabia News Service

KLM is preparing to cancel selected flights over the coming months as delays in aircraft maintenance and repairs leave more aircraft unavailable than anticipated.

The cancellations will run from 26 October 2026 until early March 2027. The Dutch airline aims to keep additional long-haul aircraft available as reserves to reduce last-minute schedule changes and improve operational reliability.

A KLM spokesperson told Dutch broadcaster NOS that the aircraft shortage has been caused by unplanned maintenance requirements, damage repairs and scheduled maintenance work taking longer than expected. Delays in spare-parts deliveries have also contributed to the situation.

In some cases, KLM has been operating services with aircraft different from those originally scheduled.

The airline has not yet disclosed the number of flights that will be cancelled or identified the affected destinations.

KLM said it would select flights for cancellation based on minimising the impact on passengers and providing opportunities for rebooking. The approach is intended to deliver a more reliable schedule throughout the winter period.

Source: QCAA

Turkish Airlines carried 9 million passengers in September 2026, achieving an overall passenger load factor of 86.8%, according to its latest traffic figures.

The airline reported an international load factor of 86.6%, while domestic services recorded a higher rate of 88.2%.

Available seat kilometres (ASK), a measure of passenger capacity, rose 2.5% year-on-year to 24.6 billion in September, compared with 24 billion during the same month in 2025.

Cargo operations also posted significant growth. Combined cargo and mail volumes increased by 13% year-on-year to 205,700 tonnes during the month.

For the first nine months of 2026, Turkish Airlines transported 73 million passengers, marking a 5.2% increase from the corresponding period last year.

The airline's overall load factor reached 85% during the January-September period. International services recorded an 84.8% load factor, while domestic operations achieved 86.7%.

Passenger capacity, measured in ASK, expanded by 4.4% to 212.2 billion, up from 203.3 billion in the first nine months of 2025.

Cargo and mail traffic continued to grow, rising 10.6% year-on-year to 1.8 million tonnes, compared with 1.6 million tonnes during the same period a year earlier.

By the end of September 2026, Turkish Airlines operated a fleet of 567 aircraft.

The reported traffic figures are consolidated and cover operations under both the Turkish Airlines main brand and its subsidiary AJet.

Source: Trade Arabia News Service

Qatar Airways has announced the cancellation of additional flights scheduled for October 11, 2026, citing operational reasons, as disruptions affecting services between Doha and Riyadh continue.

The latest travel alert adds to previously announced cancellations affecting flights on October 9 and 10. The airline said it is continuing to monitor its operations and provide passengers with updated travel information through its official channels.

Three Flight Pairs Cancelled

The Qatar Airways flights cancelled for October 11 are:

• QR1170/1171
• QR1172/1173
• QR1236/1237

The cancellations affect services between Doha and Riyadh in both directions.

Qatar Airways said the safety of its passengers and crew remains its highest priority while it manages the operational situation.

Passengers Advised to Check Before Travel

Passengers affected by the cancellations have been advised to check the latest information through the Qatar Airways website or mobile application.

Travellers are also encouraged to verify their individual flight status before heading to the airport, as further operational updates could affect scheduled services.

Qatar Airways has indicated that additional information will be provided through its official channels as the situation develops.

Further Updates Expected

The October 11 cancellations follow the airline’s earlier cancellation announcements for October 9 and 10. Information concerning services between Doha and Riyadh may be updated as Qatar Airways issues further notices.

Passengers are advised to rely on the airline’s latest official updates for changes to their flight schedules, booking arrangements and travel plans.