UPFRONT

EMIRATES RAMPS UP NETWORK COVERAGE AS TRAVEL CORRIDORS START TO OPEN

THE OPENING OF TRAVEL corridors between the UAE and multiple destinations has seen Emirates boost its network, with the carrier operating more than 280 weekly flights from Dubai across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean from July 1.

In Europe, Emirates passengers leaving Dubai can now access quarantine-free travel to Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Spain, and France (introduced on June 9).

In the Middle East, the carrier has expanded its flight schedules to Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain and Egypt and from July 2, more convenient travel options will be available to The Maldives, Seychelles, and Phuket in Asia and Kenya, Tanzania and Morocco in Arica.

Emirates is also now flying to 11 destinations in the United States and will add Miami to its network on July 21.

The airline is also continuing to enhance its partnership with flydubai, stepping up its joint network and schedule to offer 48 cities across 33 countries with quarantine-free entry this summer, providing more options than any other airline in the region, it claims.

Emirates is also scaling up its IATA Travel Pass capabilities on its flights to Barcelona, Moscow, Istanbul, New York JFK, Madrid and from London Heathrow with plans to scale up across all of its flights by July, in addition to offering customers travelling from Dubai paperless verification of COVID-19 related medical records through its partnership with the Dubai Health Authority.

NEW AND REINSTATED AIRLINE ROUTES UPDATE

AIR ARABIA is launching the first ever service from Sharjah to Phuket and resuming services to Bishkek on July 2 AIR ARABIA ABU DHABI will fly to Sarajevo from July 12 AIR ARABIA EGYPT will introduce three new domestic routes from July 2: Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo, Alexandria to Hurghada and Cairo to Hurghada AIR CANADA has resumed its three-times weekly Dubai service EMIRATES will operate a new service to Miami from July 22 and is resuming services to Venice from July 1, to Phuket and Nice from July 2, to Lyon from July 9 and to Malta via Larnaca from July 14 FLYDUBAI is resuming flights to Naples, Italy from July 1 and will fly to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos until September 29 FLYNAS is introducing non-stop services from Jeddah to the Seychelles from July 1 OMAN AIR has launched a seasonal service between Muscat and Tbilisi QATAR AIRWAYS is resuming flights to Sharjah and Phuket on July 1 and to Malaga on July 2 WIZZ AIR ABU DHABI will launch services to Chisinau, Moldova from Setpember 4

Naples

Ireland opens up to vaccinated GCC travellers

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND has announced the adoption of the EU’s new Digital COVID Certificate, which will be extended to vaccinated visitors from outside of the EU, including the GCC countries, from July 19. This means all travellers with approved vaccinations can visit Ireland without the need for a test or quarantining from that date. Approved vaccinations accepted for travel to Republic of Ireland include two doses of Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca and one dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen. Travellers from the GCC will be able to travel to Ireland provided they have received the full course of any one of these approved vaccinations. These rules apply to Republic of Ireland only and exclude Northern Ireland, which is subject to the UK government requirements.

Airline alliances call for universal travel standards

ONEWORLD, SKYTEAM AND STAR

ALLIANCE have urged governments to agree on a common set of travel and health standards to enable the safe reopening of borders. Ahead of June’s G7 meeting, the alliances called on the government “to lead the world in aligning to the following travel measures to reconnect travellers with the world, safely and securely”: ■ Fully vaccinated passengers being exempt from quarantine; ■ Accessible, affordable and consistent testing; ■ Digital processes to manage travel health credentials including vaccine and test certificates; ■ G7 states to agree to common requirements and standards for health credentials as set out by the World Health

Organisation and

International Civil

Aviation Organisation; ■ Connecting passengers at airports not being subject to additional testing or quarantine restrictions at the point of transfer if remaining in the transit zone.

The alliances cited a recent OECD study estimating that international tourism declined by around 80 per cent in 2020 and warnings from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) that up to 174 million jobs could be at risk globally. “International air travel and tourism are vital to the global economy,” said CEOs Kristin Colvile (Skyteam), Rob Gurney (Oneworld) and Jeffrey Goh (Star Alliance).

“With considerable data now available to support government decisions in managing risks, decisive action from G7 members to open borders and support clear, consistent, and datadriven measures, would remove uncertainty, particularly around testing and quarantine.

“Vaccination will have a key role in the restart of international air travel and tourism. We strongly advocate for governments to accept accredited vaccination as a safe and appropriate reason to avoid quarantines. In the meantime, while we wait for the global population to be substantially vaccinated, it is important to have robust and consistent testing protocols, along with interoperable digital solutions developed to facilitate the customer journey.”

IATA URGES GLOBAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS TO MANAGE THE REOPENING OF BORDERS

THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA) has urged governments to make data-driven decisions to manage the risks of COVID-19 when reopening borders to international travel. Strategies without quarantine measures can enable international travel to restart with a low risk of introduction of COVID-19 to the travel destination, it has argued.

“Data can and should drive policies on restarting global travel that manage COVID-19 risks to protect populations, revive livelihoods and boost economies,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General last month (June).

IATA has cited evidence from multiple sources proving that vaccinations protect travellers from serious illness and death and ensure there is a low risk of introducing the virus into destination countries. The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has said “the likelihood of an infected vaccinated person transmitting the disease is currently assessed to be very low to low” while the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has stated that “with a 90 per cent effective vaccine, pre-travel testing, post-travel testing, and seven-day self-quarantine provide minimal additional benefit”. In addition, between February 25 and May 5, 202, 365,895 tests were conducted on passengers arriving to the UK who had been PCR negative before travel. Only 2.2 per cent tested positive for COVID-19 infection during universal quarantine measures after their arrival. Of these, more than half had travelled from so-called ‘red list’ countries considered very high risk. Removing them from the statistics would result in test positivity of 1.46 per cent. “Many governments continue to require universal quarantine—either hotel-managed or self-managed. This impedes the freedom of movement, discourages international travel and destroys employment in the travel and tourism sector. Data from the UK tells us that we can and must do better,” said Walsh.

Jazeera Airways launches Heathrow route

JAZEERA AIRWAYS has launched a weekly service (every Friday) between Kuwait and London Heathrow. It’s the first low-cost carrier from the Gulf to operate a direct service from the region to the UK capital. The route is being operated by an Airbus A320neo. Currently, only fully vaccinated Kuwaitis can travel into and out of Kuwait. A widening of entry permissions to Kuwait, to include all UK originating passengers who have been fully vaccinated, is under consideration.

ALL ABOARD FOR EXPO 2020 DUBAI

DUBAI METRO’S new Expo 2020 Station has been revealed by Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA). It’s part of Route 2020, a 15-kilometre extension connecting Jebel Ali Station to the Expo 2020 site, passing through communities such as Discovery Gardens and Dubai Investments Park.

Situated at one of the four entrances to Expo 2020, Expo 2020 Station provides direct access to Dubai Exhibition Centre, while Al Wasl Plaza, at the epicentre of Expo, is a short walk away, making this the ideal transportation option for Expo visitors. e Expo 2020 Station, which can accommodate a peak of 22,000 passengers per hour in each direction, is currently open only to Expo sta and those with permission to access the site.

Members of the public will be able to alight here from October 1, 2021, when Expo opens its doors to the world.

Qatar Airways launches on Huawei’s App Gallery

QATAR AIRWAYS has launched its mobile app on Huawei’s o icial app distribution platform, AppGallery. The airline has collaborated with Huawei to o er mobile users in more than 170 countries an easier way to plan and manage their travel while limiting physical contact and interactions at all stages of their journey. Innovative features enable flight bookings to more than 1,500 destinations worldwide across Qatar Airways’ and partner airlines’ network. Passengers can check-in, use mobile a boarding pass, select preferred seating and dining, access fast-track luggage, and get the latest travel information.

REGIONAL AIRLINE PARTNERSHIPS UPDATE

ETIHAD AIRWAYS AND SAUDIA have launched a reciprocal loyalty agreement, expanding on the existing codeshare deal between the two. Members of the Etihad Guest and ALFURSAN programmes can now earn and redeem miles on flights across both carriers’ networks. They can also earn Tier Miles and Tier Segments, enabling them progress to the next tier level faster, as well as earn miles on Etihad and SAUDIA codeshare flights.

OMAN AIR AND QATAR AIRWAYS have also expanded their codeshare partnership to cover more than 80 destinations on Qatar Airways’ network, providing more convenient travel options for both airlines’ passengers.

A stylish Istanbul escape

BOASTING BREATHTAKING views in the quiet yet vibrant new Maslak 147 neighbourhood, Somerset Maslak Istanbul is great place to escape this summer. e property, which o ers studios, one-, two, three-, and four-bedroom serviced apartments and lifestyle amenities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, breakfast lounge, business centre and a children’s playroom, has launched an ‘Escape in Style’ promotion . Book now at the-ascott.com/o ers and receive a 25 per cent discount. Somerset Maslak Istanbul recently awarded the Travellers’ Choice 2021 by renowned travel company TripAdvisor, while parent company, e Ascott Limited, was crowned ‘Best Serviced Apartments Brand in the Middle East’ at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2021 (see p26).

Marriott and Quintessentially unveil new collection of luxury experiences in MEA

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL has teamed up with Quintessentially to launch a collection of exclusive luxury travel experiences and bespoke holidays in the Middle East and Africa, available from now until August 31. They include a ‘Family Reunion in Abu Dhabi’ at St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa with experiences ranging from guided kayaking adventures and cultural visits to Louvre Abu Dhabi to desert activities and a falconry show; a ‘Doha, the Art Capital of the Middle East’ journey with a stay at Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, private helicopter and private yacht tour and trips to Souq Waqif, the National Museum of Qatar, the Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf the Arab Museum of Modern Art and Katara Cultural Village; and ‘Family Fun in Jeddah’, including a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, snorkeling and diving experiences, a chance to swim with the dolphins at Al Fakieh Aquarium and visits to the floating mosque, Balad, the city’s historic quarter and Souq Al Alawi. Lastly, the ‘Sand, Sun and Skyscrapers in Dubai and Seychelles, combines stays at Bvlgari Resort Dubai and North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort, with a desert safari, private astronomy and chef experiences in Dubai, and a cruise to La Digue with its iconic granite boulders that frame Anse Source d’Argent beach plus an islands boat trip. For more information on the options available, visit quintessentially.com/Marriott-experiences

ELEVATED STAYS AT THE LANGHAM E-SCOOTER YOUR WAY AROUND THE GULF

TO MARK ITS 156TH ANNIVERSARY, luxury hotel brand Langham Hotels & Resorts has launched a series of elevated experiences. They include top-suite stays at The Langham hotels in New York, London, Chicago, Boston, and Pasadena; Australianstyle adventures inclusive of helicopter jaunts over the Great Ocean Road in Victoria combined with hot air-ballooning in New South Wales; sailing down Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour in a luxury yacht, topped off with Michelin-starred culinary experiences, private destination tours and more; and, for the ultimate experience, the chance to live like royalty at The Langham Nymphenburg Residence in Munich, featuring a direct view of the majestic 490-acre imperial estate of Nymphenburg Palace, with unique handcrafted porcelain art pieces in every room.

Part of the proceeds of the 156th anniversary elevated experiences will be donated to local charities to benefit the communities where The Langham hotels are located. NEXT TIME YOU’RE in the UAE, Qatar or Bahrain, why not hire an e-scooter to get you around town?

After a successful pilot launch in Abu Dhabi, micro-mobility operator FENIX is now offering its MyFENIX private e-scooter services in seven cities, covering communities across Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Doha and Manama. You do need to subscribe with subscription packages available via the FENIX mobile application, available on the iOS and Google Play stores. It’s an affordable mode of transport, with a weekly fee of AED 100 or a monthly fee of AED 200. The service is inclusive of unlimited rides, a smart app to lock and locate the scooter, and free maintenance with vehicle replacements in less than 24 hours. Users who subscribe for 24 months will permanently receive their e-scooter, as a no-commitment lease-to-own product. Users can rest assured that FENIX prioritises the health and safety of each commuter and every FENIX e-scooter is equipped with integrated hand sanitisation packs.

Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh

Promising luxurious experiences

In the pulsating city of Riyadh that is filled with history, shopping malls and business opportunities, travellers and residents are sure to find themselves immersed in exciting experiences. Matching this vibrancy, the awardwinning Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh is an address that promises indulgent moments for travellers and residents alike.

Part of the prestigious portfolio of properties by leading international lodging owner-operator,

The Ascott Limited, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh appeals to wealthy leisure and business guests.

Featuring studios and one- and two-bedroom serviced apartments, guests are welcomed to comfort and style in their own private sanctuaries.

Each apartment boasts spacious living and dining areas, as well as a fully equipped kitchenette, for a comprehensive living experience.

Ideal for short or long stays, Ascott Rafal

Olaya Riyadh offers an array of wellness, leisure and business amenities. These include separate swimming pools for men and women, a stateof-the-art gymnasium and sauna, prayer rooms, an interactive children’s play area and modern conference facilities. The property is also home to two of the city’s renowned dining venues, ‘Don Puro’ and ‘Opaline’, both offering delicious cuisine and situated on the ground floor.

As part of the brand’s Ascott Cares initiative,

Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh has received the accredited ‘Bureau Veritas’ label for its alignment

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh; there are two expansive outdoor pools; guests can relax in comfort and enjoy city views; living areas are spacious and stylish to international health and safety protocols. The property also takes part in the recent partnership between Ascott and International SOS, offering guests complimentary teleservices for health, counselling and travel security advisory.

Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh was crowned ‘Saudi Arabia’s Leading Serviced Apartment 2020’ at the renowned World Travel Awards.

Those looking to book a short escape can now benefit from up to 25 per cent off on stays with the ‘Escape in Style’ promotion when they sign-up for the brand’s loyalty programme – Ascott Star Rewards. For bookings visit the-ascott.com/offers.