10 minute read
UPFRONT
DXB TO CLOSE NORTHERN RUNWAY FOR 45 DAYS
DUBAI AIRPORTS has confirmed plans to close Dubai International’s (DXB) northern runway for a 45-day period between May 9 and June 22, 2022, to carry out complete refurbishment that will ensure “continued safety and e icient operations”.
While regular runway maintenance is scheduled on a weekly basis, more extensive upgrades such as the one planned require a complete closure of the runway.
The last time this level of work was carried out on the northern runway was in 2014, while the southern runway underwent similar improvements in 2019.
As DXB is a dual runway operation, the hub will continue to operate throughout this period, but several flights will be redirected to Dubai World Central (DWC), Dubai’s second airport, to limit the impact on service during the closure period.
Dubai Airports has provided advance notice to all airlines to plan for flight reductions and schedule planning accordingly and is advising passengers who are due to travel into or out of Dubai during the closure period to check with their respective airlines the airport and/or terminal of arrival/ departure ahead of their journeys.
More information will be made available as plans develop and as flight schedules are finalised, said Dubai Airports. Visit dubaiairports.ae
EMIRATES RANKED IN GLOBAL TOP 100
EMIRATES, the world’s largest international airline, has ranked among the top 100 most reputable organisations in the world by 2022 Global RepTrak® 100. e award-winning Dubai-based airline is the only company from the Middle East and North Africa region to make it to the list, with a reputation score of 72.7. As the world’s largest reputation database with more than 20 years of data, the RepTrak Platform compares companies across di erent industries worldwide, by analysing millions of perception and sentiment data points from online surveys. e scores companies achieve represent what their stakeholders think and feel about their brand.
Business travel enters hyper-growth mode
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS of 2022 saw business travel enter a “hyper-growth” mode not seen since the pandemic, with group bookings leading the surge in demand, according to corporate travel agency TripActions.
“Once Omicron cases dipped and restrictions dropped, February’s rebound resulted in TripActions’ biggest month ever. Biggest, that is, until March,” the company said.
Travel spend increased 220 per cent from January through March 2022, according to TripAction’s numbers, and rocketed 1,650 percent year-onyear in March 2022.
Sales professionals comprised 44 per cent of the Travel Management Company’s business travellers in March, with operations and engineering employees comprising 12 per cent.
In the UK market, home-working network Travel Counsellors said its corporate sales were up 20 per cent in March 2022 versus March 2019, while April was its best month yet since the pandemic.
Emirates to launch NFTs and metaverse brand experiences
EMIRATES WILL SOON LAUNCH
NFTs and “exciting experiences” in the metaverse for its customers and employees. e airline, which has earned a reputation for its innovative products and customercentric services, has said it will build signature brand experiences in the metaverse, alongside both collectible and utility-based NFTs. e rst projects are already underway, with launch anticipated in the coming months. Emirates also announced that its Emirates Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site will be repurposed into a centre for innovation, bringing talent from all over the globe to bring to life the airline’s future-focused projects including those relating to the metaverse, NFTs and Web3. Last year, it became the rst airline to launch its own VR app on the Oculus store, o ering users accurate, life size and interactive cabin interior experiences onboard its A380 aircra and B777300ER Gamechanger aircra .
Etihad and Abu Dhabi Airports launch ‘Miles on the Go’ at AUH
ABU DHABI AIRPORTS and Etihad Guest have launched the ‘Miles on the Go’ product at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). It means Etihad Guest members can now instantly earn and spend Etihad Guest Miles when shopping at participating merchants located at the airport. By simply downloading the Etihad Guest app and linking up to five Visa cards to their profiles, members can spend their miles and receive cashback on their cards. Members can earn one Etihad Guest Mile and one Etihad Guest Tier Mile for every AED 3 spent at any of the 119 participating outlets including, lounges, luxury retail stores, dining establishments and Duty-Free outlets from more than 35 brands.
AIRLINE UPDATE
NEW JAIPUR ROUTE FROM ABU DHABI Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will introduce a new service to Jaipur (pictured), the capital of Rajasthan, starting from May 5. The direct service from Abu Dhabi International to Jaipur International Airport will be operated by an A320 on Mondays and Thursdays. The airline also launched services to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on April 29, with services running every Friday and Sunday.
EMIRATES RAMPS UP OPERATIONS Emirates will ramp up its global operations with the restart of services to four destinations, including: Bali (May 1), London Stansted (August 1), Rio de Janeiro (November 2), and Buenos Aires (November 2). The airline has also announced it will boost services to Nigeria, Mauritius and Singapore to serve market demand.
WIZZ AIR UPS EUROPE ROUTES Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is ramping up its network with seven new routes to Europe this Spring. Over the past two months, the airline has launched flights from the UAE capital to Budapest, Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Vienna, Katowice, Catania and Bari. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft, o ering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint.
AIR ARABIA EGYPT HEADS TO DAMMAM Air Arabia Egypt has introduced a new service to Dammam in Saudi Arabia with direct flights from Cairo International Airport to King Fahd International Airport commencing on April 26, 2022. The flights, operated by an A320, depart Cairo on Tuesday and Friday evenings, arriving the following day (Wednesday and Saturday) and then returns from Dammam on Wednesday and Saturday.
FOUR SEASONS LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE DRIVING JOURNEY THROUGH TUSCANY
TAKING A SELF-DRIVE HOLIDAY to new heights, high-end hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has launched a week-long curated driving experience in Tuscany, designed to showcase the best of the Italian countryside by luxury car. From September 24 to 30, 2022, the brand’s first-of-its-kind journey from behind the wheel explores captivating landscapes, special access to must-see sites, and remarkable culinary o erings, with the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze as a home base. Working in collaboration with lifestyle driving experiences specialist, Canossa Events, travellers are invited to meet in the
Tuscan capital and enjoy an Italian escape from the comfort of their own vehicle or a vintage classic or luxury sportscar arranged by a dedicated guest services team. Every step of the guest journey – from the accommodations and daily activities to the exclusively curated drives and local recommendations – is managed. The inaugural Tuscan driving journey will debut with an al fresco welcome dinner in the Faggio Garden at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, launching a week’s worth of discovery. In the days that follow, guests will explore the vineyards of ‘Chiantishire’ with a private tour and wine tasting at the historic Antinori Cellars; drive the colourful landscapes of Siena, enjoying lunch under the storied arcades of the Montalcino City Hall; and journey through idyllic seaside towns and the famous green cypresses of Bolgheri to the famed vineyards of Ornellaia.
RADISSON HOTEL GROUP has launched the group’s newest brand, Radisson Individuals, in Egypt, with the opening of Marina Resort Port Ghalib, a member of Radisson Individuals. It grows the group’s portfolio in Egypt to eight hotels in operation and under development and the rst Radisson Individuals in Africa. e resort, with 159 rooms and suites, is located on desert coastline of the Red Sea, next to Port Ghalib’s palm tree-lined promenade and popular yacht-docking harbour, with direct beach access and its own water park. Accommodation includes a two-bedroom duplex featuring a kitchen, living room, dining room, and reception area, as well as two master bedrooms, each with their own en-suite bathroom. e hotel’s dining venues include La Brasserie, with live cooking stations; a Lobby Bar; and three outdoor bars: Marina Beach Bar, Splash Bar, and e Nest Bar.
Cruise Saudi welcomes Silver Whisper to Saudi waters
CRUISE SAUDI has welcomed another Silversea cruise ship to the kingdom’s waters.
Silver Whisper is the second ship operated by the luxury cruise line in Saudi Arabia a er Silver Spirit took part in a trial summer season in 2020, making it one of just a few ships to sail during the pandemic.
An ultra-luxury cruise ship, Silver Whisper will be the fourth ship to sail the Saudi waters around the Red Sea as part of its World Cruise 2022, Tale of Tales.
Over 138-days, the ship will visit 69 destinations in 32 countries, including Jeddah and Yanbu. e cruise ship o ers spacious, oceanview suites that include butler services, and most with private verandas.
Cruise Saudi was launched with a clear goal of establishing cruising as a new economic pillar and has partnerships with several major international cruise lines including MSC Cruises, Scenic Group, Viking and Silversea, which collectively have completed more than 70 sailings during the summer and winter seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Beyond Green launches new platform to make booking a sustainable trip easier
LEFT: andBeyond Bateleur Camp, Kenya; BELOW: andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
BEYOND GREEN, a global portfolio of hotels, resorts, and lodges with world-class sustainability credentials, has launched a new travel booking platform with luxury experiential travel company &Beyond.
Designed to deliver the most sustainable, inspirational luxury itineraries, Beyond Green’s new online Plan Your Trip itinerary programme provides custom, turnkey booking and facilitation services for travellers seeking intentional getaways, with Africa and South America as its launch destination offerings.
Serviced by &Beyond’s expert team, which has more than 30 years of experience planning tailor-made journeys, Beyond Green’s new end-to-end itinerary planning services help travellers seamlessly book experiences that align with their sustainable travel values and aspirations.
Inclusive of tried-and-tested, pre-set itineraries along with custom, one-of-a-kind global exploration opportunities across Africa, South America, and Asia (coming soon), travellers can enjoy complimentary use of Beyond Green’s itinerary booking platform to confirm multifaceted trips that are created with respect for nature, communities, and culture.
Keeping clients informed and inspired, the team behind the new service assists with everything from arranging activities, transfers, reservations, and tours led by expert guides, while expertly addressing any related COVID-19 protocols or potential international restrictions.
Visitors to StayBeyondGreen. com/plan-your-trip will find a range of crafted, all-inclusive itineraries incorporating a mix of different hotels, including &Beyond properties and members of the Beyond Green portfolio, all exemplifying sustainable tourism leadership through actions and impact.
Alternatively, travellers seeking a fully customised trip can submit a request form via the dedicated Plan Your Trip landing page and, in response, they will receive a meaningful itinerary recommendation that combines their interests in compelling guest experiences and great hotels committed to people and the planet, all tailored to their desires.
Sample sustainable trip itineraries
A selection of Beyond Green’s allinclusive itineraries powered by &Beyond available for immediate booking via the dedicated Plan Your Trip platform includes: ■ 9-day/8-night Journey Across
Rwanda and Kenya with
Gorilla Trekking and Safari
Experiences ■ 9-day/8-night Expedition
Around Namibia Discovering the Country’s Most Unique and Iconic Places ■ 12-day/11-night Adventure in Chile Exploring Antarctica and The Lake District ■ 14-day/13-night Voyage
Through South America
Focused on Wildlife
Conservation ■ 15-day/14-night Beyond
Green Southern Africa
Excursion featuring four
Beyond Green member properties across South Africa,
Namibia and Botswana
