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

Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) has signed a cooperation agreement with Delta Air Lines aimed at expanding direct air links between the Kingdom and the United States.

The agreement, signed during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, supports plans for Delta to introduce direct flights between Riyadh and Atlanta. The new connection is expected to give US travellers greater access to Saudi Arabia while providing additional travel options between the two countries.

The planned service is expected to provide more than 85,000 round-trip seats each year and will be operated with Airbus A350 aircraft.

ACP CEO Ahmed Albrahim said the partnership represents an important step in strengthening direct connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the US.

According to Albrahim, the Riyadh-Atlanta route will also connect travellers to Delta’s broader North American network, improving access to Saudi Arabia from key international markets.

He said partnerships with major global airlines support ACP’s strategy of developing routes with significant strategic and economic value. Such connections, he added, can provide passengers with access to wider international networks rather than serving only as direct links between two cities.

Albrahim said ACP will continue working with aviation and tourism partners to attract more international airlines and increase seat capacity from priority markets.

The agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to expand international air connectivity, establish direct links with key markets and advance the Kingdom’s tourism and aviation objectives under Vision 2030.

Source: ZAWYA

Dubai Airports expects Dubai International Airport (DXB) to handle about 70 million passengers in 2026, a significant reduction from its earlier forecast of nearly 100 million, CEO Paul Griffiths said on Thursday.

The revision follows the Iran war and temporary closures of Gulf airspace, which disrupted flight operations across the region and forced the airport operator to abandon its previous passenger target.

DXB recorded 31.5 million passengers during the first half of 2026, compared with 46 million in the same period a year earlier. Griffiths said airport capacity has since recovered to 84% of pre-war levels, while passenger volumes have reached 78%.

The expected return of several European airlines that suspended regional services because of the conflict has helped underpin the revised outlook. Griffiths said he expects operations to be "pretty much back" to normal by the end of the year.

He added that both transfer and point-to-point travel markets remain strong, while business travel continues to perform well.

India, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom continue to be Dubai's leading passenger markets, according to Griffiths.

Looking beyond 2026, he said advances in smaller, longer-range aircraft could enable DXB to expand its network further. The airport currently has direct connections to around 240 cities, a figure that could rise by mid-2027.

Griffiths said Dubai Airports is already in discussions with airlines about launching routes between Dubai and cities in Europe and Africa that currently have no direct services.

The disruption caused by the conflict could also influence the design of Dubai's planned new airport, he said, with possible changes aimed at making the facility more resilient to future disruptions.

Source: ZAWYA

Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah has secured Level 2 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI World), highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance services and improve the passenger journey.

The accreditation was granted under ACI World’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme, which promotes best practices in understanding passenger needs, measuring satisfaction and improving service quality.

The recognition reflects the airport’s efforts to strengthen customer experience across its facilities and improve the quality of services provided to travellers.

The initiative also supports the development of Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector and aims to enhance services for visitors to Madinah, including pilgrims and Umrah performers, in line with the objectives of the Aviation Programme and Saudi Vision 2030.

Source: SPA

Oman’s airports handled a total of 7,689,967 passengers, including arrivals, departures and transit travellers, during the first seven months of 2026, according to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The figure was 8.1% lower than the 8,366,273 passengers recorded during the same period in 2025.

International flights arriving at and departing from Muscat, Salalah and Sohar airports totalled 45,904 by the end of July, down 9.5% from 50,747 flights a year earlier.

Muscat International Airport

Muscat International Airport handled 49,315 international and domestic flights through July 2026, representing a 7.3% decline from 53,170 flights during the corresponding period of 2025.

Passenger traffic fell 8% to 6,855,942, compared with 7,453,204 passengers a year earlier.

International flight movements decreased 8.4% to 43,970 from 47,986, while international passenger traffic declined 9% to 6,164,584.

Domestic operations, however, recorded growth. Domestic flights increased 3.1% to 5,345 from 5,184, while domestic passenger traffic rose 2% to 691,358 from 677,837.

During July 2026, Omani nationals accounted for the largest share of incoming and outgoing passenger traffic at Muscat International Airport, with 204,591 travellers, including 95,111 arrivals and 109,480 departures.

Indian nationals ranked second with 169,751 passengers, comprising 99,958 arrivals and 69,793 departures. Bangladeshi nationals followed with 46,665 passengers, including 23,171 arrivals and 23,494 departures.

Salalah Airport

Salalah Airport recorded 5,569 international and domestic flights through July, down 5.3% from 5,881 flights during the same period last year.

Passenger traffic declined 8.4% to 797,620 from 870,616.

International flight movements dropped 30.8% to 1,864 from 2,693, while international passenger numbers fell 32.9% to 246,257 from 367,168.

Domestic operations moved in the opposite direction. Domestic flights increased 16.2% to 3,705, while domestic passenger traffic grew 9.5% to 551,363 from 503,448.

Sohar and Duqm Airports

Sohar Airport handled 122 international and domestic flights through July, down 6.2% from 130 flights in the same period of 2025.

Passenger traffic decreased 24.6% to 5,150 from 6,831. International flights rose 2.9% to 70 from 68, although international passenger traffic dropped 33.2% to 199.

Domestic flights declined 16.1% to 52, with domestic passenger traffic falling 24.2% to 4,951.

At Duqm Airport, domestic flight movements decreased 9.4% to 326 from 360. Passenger traffic also declined 12.3% to 31,255 from 35,622 during the corresponding period of 2025.

Source: QCAA