Qatar Airways has launched a new service to Amritsar in India which was followed by another new India service to Goa. With Amritsar and Goa both served four-times-a-week from the airline’s Doha hub, Qatar Airways has increased capacity to India to 64 flights a week spread across 10 cities. These include daily non-stop flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Trivandrum, Cochin and Kozhikode. “Our new Amritsar flights will greatly help commerce and … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Qatar Airways opens two new Indian routes

Israel’s Antitrust Authority has given the go-ahead for CAL Cargo Air Lines to purchase cargo space on Arkia Israel Airline’s flights to Western Europe and Asia for two years. A review by the competition authority found no grounds for harm to competition because, in addition to CAL and Arkia, there are numerous airlines that carry cargo in their passenger planes to destinations worldwide, as well as on designated cargo flights. … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Regulator okays CAL cargo deal with Arkia

Qatar Airways Cargo has boosted dedicated freighter services to Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on a twice-weekly schedule. The new freighter schedule has been combined with the carrier’s road haulage operations to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to offer convenient timings for shipping beyond Johor Bahru. The carrier also launched a Melbourne service, as well as daily non-stop flights from Doha to Sydney in early 2010. Qatar Airways Cargo will receive the first of … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Qatar flying 2x weekly to Johor Bahru

Yemenia, the official carrier of the state of Yemen, based in Sanaa, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 10 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. The aircraft will be deployed to enhance and expand services on regional, African, Indian and European routes, the carrier said. Yemenia’s fleet includes two A330- 200s and three A310s. Sanaa and Aden based, Yemenia’s long haul fleet, operate to destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The carrier also has … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Yemenia Airlines to acquire 10 A320s

State-owned Emirates Airlines said it will not be forced to cancel any aircraft orders following the debt crisis afflicting the Gulf emirate of Dubai. “We are all a bit shocked by what’s happened and the global fall out,” after state holding company Dubai World sought a six month debt moratorium, Emirates president Tim Clark told London’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper. “I am confident the airline will not be affected by this,” he added saying the … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Emirates says finances ok despite Dubai problems

Although the Middle East has avoided much of the global decline in airfreight traffic, regional airlines are still feeling pressure on their freight yields, according to a senior airfreight executive. “Airfreight charges are always market driven and pressure on yield during the global recession has been plainly evident,” Des Vertannes, executive VP, Etihad Airways Crystal Cargo said according to an Emirates Business report. “It is therefore important we, and the industry at … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Gulf carriers feel the burn of freight yields