Jat links Abu Dhabi with Belgrade
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) welcomed Jat Airways to Abu Dhabi International Airport early last month. The first passenger aircraft arriving from Belgrade was greeted by water cannons after it touched down. The route provides the first direct air link between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade since 1998. Jat Airways will operate two flights per week with a 126 seat B737 aircraft. Convenient morning departure out of Abu Dhabi means quick connections to other European gateways, such as Paris, Milan and Amsterdam through Belgrade. Jat Airways, founded in 1927, is the full service national airline of Serbia.
Lufthansa’s no ticket to ride
A mobile boarding pass service introduced recently by Lufthansa has been extended and is now available on almost all long haul flights departing from Germany. The system entails passengers having their boarding pass sent to an internet enabled cell phone. In addition to the relevant flight data, such as the passenger’s name, flight number and departure time, the boarding pass contains a 2D barcode, which permits passengers to pass through the security checkpoints and then proceed straight to their departure gate. There, the barcode is read by a scanner, enabling passengers to board the aircraft directly.
Air Arabia Maroc launches LCC service
Using two new Airbus A320 aircraft, Air Arabia Maroc, Morocco’s new lost cost carrier (LCC), operating out of Casablanca, commenced operations with an inaugural flight to London on May 6. The Kingdom’s newest carrier provides Morocco based passengers with extremely cost effective options to travel to selected destinations in North Africa and Europe while offering value for money opportunities for regional travellers to visit Morocco. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia said that Air Arabia had established itself as one of the region’s great success stories in just five years, and looked forward to contributing to the ongoing economic growth and tourism development of Morocco.
Etihad flying to Kazakhstan
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has commenced what will be a once a week service to Astana in Kazakhstan from its Abu Dhabi home base, using an Airbus A319 aircraft. Astana is the second destination in Kazakhstan to be served by Etihad and the airline’s 52nd across its expanding global flight network. The start of the new service follows the launch by Etihad in December 2008 of flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. To facilitate the launch, Etihad’s current four times a week service to Almaty has been reduced to three times a week.
Oman Air adds wide-body service
Oman Air, the national carrier of The Sultanate of Oman, introduced wide body A330 aircraft on their daily Muscat to London Heathrow service on May 1 and in addition added a second A330 to their fleet that, from May 17, started operating on their Muscat to Bangkok route. Every Oman Air passenger will now enjoy comprehensive in-flight entertainment with personal in-seat video screens. Business class passengers will also have the added bonus of seats that convert to a 180 degree flat bed. The Airbus A330-200 aircraft is a product upgrade and is an initial step before the delivery of their new wide body fleet in August.