Jordan to start regular flights to Iraq soon
Jordan's state-owned airline Royal Jordanian is expected to resume scheduled flights to Iraq this month after a break of over a decade, Information Minister Taleb al-Rifai has said, adding the state carrier's logistical preparations were almost complete. Virgin orders six A380s LONDON: British airline Virgin Atlantic ordered six Airbus A380 planes plus options. Virgin plans to introduce new standards of passenger comfort such as casinos and duty free shops on board the super jumbo and will operate the A380 on routes to the USA. Summer boost for frequent flyers MANAMA: Gulf Air has announced a range of special promotions for its Falcon Frequent Flyer Programme aimed at both the leisure and business traveller in time for the peak summer season. The airline said its 'Family Mileage Bonanza' has now become a permanent scheme under which family members can earn up to 75 per cent of the normal mileage award on behalf of a Falcon member on all routes except GCC and Iran. Emirates to help build India airports HYDERABAD, India: UAE's Emirates airline will be involved in the development of the airports in the Indian cities of Bombay, New Delhi, Madras and Trivandrum, the airline's chairman, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said while announcing airline's new flights to Hyderabad in India. Emirates will fly eight flights a week between Hyderabad and Dubai from July 1. Saudi airline launches in-flight exchange JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) has launched its on-board flight Skyteller money exchange service which will enable passengers to exchange money to the currency of their choice at 'very competitive rates from the comfort of their seats,'the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Bid to lift Dammam airport traffic DAMMAM: Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authorities have mapped out a plan to lift traffic at Dammam's King Fahad International Airport (KFIA) in the Eastern Province. The 10 proposals include supply of jet fuel at cheaper rate to all airlines operating at the airport and a revision of landing and other service charges, a report said. Air fares cut from Bahrain to Indian cities MANAMA: Gulf Air and six other airlines have slashed fares to travel from Bahrain to destinations in India before June 15, it was reported. The airlines are offering low fares of up to BD150 ($397) to Bombay and Delhi from the usual price of BD220.. Similar cuts have also been made in fares to Chennai, Trivandrum and Cochin. Gulf Air in global retraining drive MANAMA: Gulf Air is to launch a global retraining campaign which will target all its staff to deal better with the public, the airline's vice president - commercial and customer services, Adel Abdulla Ali said. The training will cover both technical and behavioural aspects. All frontline staff, including the airport and ground service people and the sales personnel, will be trained and retrained. Air France 'to resume Kuwait flights' KUWAIT CITY: French flag carrier Air France plans resume its flights to Kuwait by September this year, a local report said. The airline stopped its flights to Kuwait three years ago. The report said Malaysian Airlines also had held talks to operate flights to Kuwait from next month, the airlines' agent in Kuwait said. BA cargo revenues climb 15pc DUBAI: British Airways World Cargo (BAWC) has said its revenues in the Gulf, Iran and Kazakhstan markets climbed 15 per cent last year despite an equal fall in tonnage. Tony Notham, BAWC's London-based regional cargo manager, southern, said in Dubai the company had met its business goal to increase yield in its key Middle East markets for the year to March 2001.The UAE had the highest net revenue gain of 33 per cent, with tonnage increasing by 6 per cent. Carrier launches mail order shopping MANAMA: Jet Airways has become the first Indian airline to offer in-flight mail order shopping. Passengers can now browse through a catalogue featuring high-quality products at attractive prices, complete an order form and hand over the same to the cabin crew. Customers would quote their credit/charge card for payment and the products would be home delivered two to four weeks, the airline said. The offer is valid for product delivery in India only.