Dammam Airports Company has secured six international accreditations from Airports Council International (ACI), marking a major achievement across accessibility, health and safety, and customer experience.

The recognitions were presented during the 2026 ACI World Airport Experience Summit in Istanbul, highlighting the operator’s efforts to align its airport network with international aviation standards.

Under ACI’s accessibility benchmarks, King Fahd International Airport, Al-Ahsa International Airport and Al Qaisumah International Airport each received Level 1 Accessibility Accreditation. The awards reflect the company’s focus on providing inclusive infrastructure and services for passengers with different accessibility needs.

King Fahd International Airport also received accreditation for health and safety compliance, confirming its operational preparedness and adherence to international safety and protection standards.

In customer experience, Al-Ahsa International Airport and Al Qaisumah International Airport were each awarded Level 1 Customer Experience Accreditation. The recognitions reflect ongoing efforts to improve passenger touchpoints and enhance the overall travel experience.

Dammam Airports Company said the achievements reinforce its strategic alignment with global aviation best practices while supporting improvements in operational efficiency, safety and regional connectivity across Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region.

Source: SPA

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

Malaysia is aiming to strengthen its position as a resilient and competitive aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region by investing in modern infrastructure, efficient airspace, regulatory capacity, skilled workers and policies designed to attract investment while protecting national and public interests.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the country’s aviation ambitions would require more than expanded capacity, calling for an ecosystem that is well governed, commercially attractive, operationally reliable and trusted by the public.

“Growth must be pursued responsibly,” Loke told local and international delegates attending the 61st Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference Asia and Pacific Region (DGCA/61). He said safety and security would remain absolute priorities, while sustainability and efficiency must be incorporated into long-term planning.

Malaysia is continuing to modernise its air navigation system, including through direct route operations across the Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu flight information regions. According to Loke, more efficient airspace management can shorten flight distances, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and improve overall operational efficiency.

The minister described aviation as a strategic pillar of national development for an open and trading country such as Malaysia.

He said Malaysian airports handled 9.3 million passengers in July last year, taking total passenger traffic during the first seven months of the year to 61.2 million. July’s passenger volume represented 96.8% of the level recorded in the same month of 2019.

Loke said the recovery in passenger demand provided confidence in the sector but also highlighted the need for Malaysia to prepare for sustained long-term growth.

On aviation’s environmental impact, he said the Malaysia Aviation Decarbonisation Blueprint provides a pathway towards net-zero carbon emissions for international aviation by 2050, in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) long-term aspirational goal.

The transition to lower-carbon aviation, Loke said, could also create opportunities for investment, domestic expertise and new industries, including sustainable aviation fuel and cleaner aviation technologies.

He also highlighted the potential impact of artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility on logistics, public services and connectivity. Governments and regulators, he said, must establish clear frameworks that allow such technologies to develop while ensuring innovation remains safe and serves the public interest.

Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud said Malaysia was working with other member states to strengthen cooperation in the use of aviation safety data.

He stressed that regional cooperation would require both technological capability and institutional trust, while urging authorities to prepare for the emerging “Low Altitude Economy”.

Unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility could offer significant opportunities, he said, but would also create regulatory challenges involving airspace, certification, traffic management, infrastructure and accountability.

Norazman said these issues should be addressed before the technologies reach large-scale deployment. Regulatory sandboxes and controlled testing environments could allow authorities to assess new technologies safely, collect evidence and develop proportionate regulations without disrupting established aviation operations.

He also called for sustainability to remain central to aviation growth and technological development, arguing that future systems must become both more efficient and environmentally sustainable as demand increases.

Hosted by CAAM, DGCA/61 has attracted more than 500 participants from 35 countries, including civil aviation directors general, senior government officials, regulators, international organisations and aviation industry leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The five-day conference is being held under the theme “Smart Skies: Emerging Technologies for Safe, Secure, Sustainable and Efficient Aviation”.

Delegates are discussing major issues shaping the future of civil aviation, including safety, air navigation, aviation security, facilitation, environmental sustainability, economic development, capacity building and regional cooperation.

The agenda also covers the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, digitalisation and innovation, with discussions focused on strengthening regulatory capabilities, improving operational resilience and supporting sustainable air transport growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: QCAA