October 28, 2021

Emirates, flydubai mark four years of strategic partnership

DUBAI, Emirates and flydubai mark four years of strategic partnership. The Dubai-based airlines joined hands in 2017 and since then, more than 8.3 million passengers have enjoyed seamless connectivity across the joint network.

Emirates Skywards – the loyalty programme for Emirates and flydubai – continues to grow its global membership base, offering more than 27 million members exclusive rewards and benefits.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group and Chairman of flydubai, said, “The strategic partnership between Emirates and flydubai continues to be a great success. The combined network offers our customers a better travel experience with more choices and greater flexibility – while also boosting traffic flows into our global and modern hub, Dubai. With the world’s mega event, Expo 2020, currently taking place – we are thrilled to be playing a vital role in welcoming more than 25 million visitors to our home.”

The Emirates-flydubai network offers customers enhanced connectivity to more than 210 destinations across 100 countries. Emirates customers can access more than 118 flydubai destinations; and flydubai passengers can access more than 126 Emirates destinations. Over the past 12 months, the most popular destinations booked through the codeshare partnership include Zanzibar, Male, and Kathmandu.

Over the past four years, more than 8.4 million Emirates Skywards members have earned 133 billion Skywards Miles through the Emirates and flydubai partnership. The award-winning loyalty programme continues to grow and diversify its partnership portfolio to offer more than 27 million members unique and unmatched loyalty privileges.

In celebration of the fourth anniversary, Emirates Skywards is offering an exclusive Cash+Miles promotion, in which members can enjoy even more savings by instantly reducing the amount of cash paid towards the cost of any flight ticket. For every 2,000 Skywards Miles redeemed, members can enjoy a USD20 discount off an Economy Class ticket, or US$40 discount off a Business Class or First Class ticket. The offer is valid on all Emirates and flydubai tickets purchased from 7th November until 21st November, for travel until 31st March 2022.

Emirates Skywards is also offering registered members a chance to earn a mile a minute during a stopover or holiday stay in Dubai, applicable on all Emirates and flydubai tickets purchased from 1st August 2021 until 31st March, 2022.

Emirates and flydubai customers can travel to and through Dubai with a peace of mind as both airlines have implemented a comprehensive set of safety measures at every step of the customer journey. Since it safely reopened to international tourists in July 2020, Dubai remains one of the most popular holiday destinations for business and leisure travellers alike. It was one of the world’s first cities to obtain a Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) – which endorses Dubai’s comprehensive and effective measures to ensure guest health and safety.

Source: Emirates News Agency

October 28, 2021

AED4.9 bn of weeklong real estate transactions recorded in Dubai

DUBAI, A total of 1,254 real estate transactions were valued at AED4.9 billion during this week, according to the Dubai Land Department (DLD).

The DLD weekly report said 174 plots were sold for AED920.4 million, along with 1080 apartments and villas sold for AED2.18 billion.

The top three transactions were a plot of land in Business Bay worth AED69 million, followed by two for AED47 million each in Mohammad Bin Rashid Gardens.

The top three transfers for apartments and villas were an apartment was sold for AED69 million in Nad Hessa worth AED69 million, followed by two transactions in Burj Khalifa worth AED50 million and AED44 million each.

The Business Bay came on top in terms of volume and value, recording 155 transactions worth AED170 million.

The sum of the amount of mortgaged properties for the week was AED1.64 bn. In addition, 79 properties were granted between first-degree relatives worth AED179.81 million.

Source: Emirates News Agency

October 28, 2021

Emirates increases flight frequency, capacity to Australia to meet demand

DUBAI, Emirates announced today that it will enhance its operations to Australia to meet pent-up demand for travel in and out of the country.

The announcement comes following Australia’s decision to re-open its borders to international travellers from 2nd of November, with New South Wales and Victoria allowing vaccinated travellers to return without quarantine, after an increase in vaccination rates in both states.

With easing of travel restrictions, Emirates will step up the frequency on flights EK414/415 between Dubai and Sydney to daily from 2nd November, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER.

Flights to Melbourne will operate as a four-weekly service as EK408/409, with the potential to increase in line with demand.

The capacity on flights to Sydney and Melbourne will return to 100 percent in a positive sign that the recovery is well underway for Australia, allowing 354 passengers across all cabins to travel on its flights.

Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members will be able to enjoy unrestricted travel once again to and from the two points for the first time since the pandemic began, whether travelling abroad to global destinations for leisure or finally travelling home to visit family or friends, as long as they are vaccinated against COVID-19 with a TGA-approved vaccine.

Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft will also return to the Australian skies from 1st December, serving the Dubai-Sydney route, on a daily basis.

On this occasion, Barry Brown, Emirates Divisional Vice President for Australasia, said, “We are extremely delighted to once again be able to extend our services to Australians, with the capacity and frequency that they deserve. Passengers will appreciate the return to normality – for vaccinated travellers wishing to go home to Australia, this will mean no more restrictions on capacity and no quarantine on arrival into New South Wales or Victoria, ultimately allowing them to see their families sooner.”

“Starting 1st November, Australians will also be able to plan a holiday and travel internationally. Of course that’s good news for us as we are ready to serve those customers with access to our network spanning more than 120 destinations via our hub in Dubai, which is convenient for those considering a stopover to embrace the wonders of Expo 2020 Dubai.”

“We would like to thank our customers for their loyalty as we navigated the challenges together since the start of the pandemic. We are more than ever committed to Australia and it is especially exciting for us to add Sydney to the growing network of destinations served by our popular A380 aircraft. Our customers appreciate the spaciousness and amenities of the flagship A380 and starting in December they will be able to experience the exceptional product when flying to or from Sydney,” he added.

Source: Emirates News Agency

October 28, 2021

Arab Space Cooperation Group appoints UAE’s Salem Al Qubaisi as its president

DUBAI, The Arab Space Cooperation Group has appointed Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, as its president, following a summit, which took place during the Seventh Arab Dialogue for Space Cooperation, involving all 14 member states committed to advancing peaceful space exploration.

The UAE Space Agency organised the Seventh Arab Dialogue for Space Cooperation, which concluded today, during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), held in Dubai for the first time ever from 25th to 29th October. It brought together officials, experts, specialists and scientists from global space agencies and institutions, to exchange knowledge and expertise, as well as discuss key developments and technological advances in the international space sector.

The Seventh Arab Dialogue for Space Cooperation kicked off with a speech by Al Qubaisi, in which he presented the latest developments related to the work and activities of the Arab Space Cooperation Group.

Also, witnessed the election of a new President of the Arab Space Cooperation Group Members discussed several key working papers as well as the latest developments regarding Arab Space Cooperation Group’s basic charter, which was recently signed by Egypt and Morocco. It also presented an opportunity to discuss prominent space-related developments from across the Arab world.

The meeting reviewed the latest developments in the Arab 813 multispectral satellite, which is scheduled to monitor Earth. It will monitor climate change and support precision agriculture by measuring vegetation, soil types, minerals, water sources, and greenhouse gas emissions.

The 813 Arab Satellite is funded by the UAE Space Agency and will be built by Arab engineers at the National Space Science and Technology Centre at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, with the participation from engineers and scientists across the region.

Al Qubaisi said, “We continue to implement our commitment to activate the role of the Arab Space Cooperation Group, whose seventh meeting was organised on the sidelines of the 72nd International Astronautical Congress. As one of the most important international events in the space field, it served as an importance platform to reinforce the role of the Arab Space Cooperation Group in advancing shared interests.”

He added, “We are keen for the Arab Space Cooperation Group to form a united alliance at regional and global events for the mutual benefit of all members. This will ensure the success of important collaborative projects such as the 813 Arab Satellite.”

The Arab Space Cooperation Group was formed in 2019 by the UAE. It aims to enhance the exchange of knowledge, technical expertise, experiences, and information, as well encourage the development of scientific research and innovation to develop advanced space capabilities. It promotes the harmonisation of international laws and regulations and seeks to unify them as much as possible in line with global best practices. The charter encourages members without a space agency or space program to develop them and to cooperate with regional and international organisations.

Source: Emirates News Agency

October 28, 2021

PCFC carries out oil spill drill in Jebel Ali Port

DUBAI, The Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), represented by the Environment, Health and Safety Department, conducted an oil spill drill to deal with an oil leakage in Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, as part of its objectives aimed at preserving the environment by enhancing its readiness to confront emergencies and crises that affect any of ships or marine crafts in the port area.

Salem Abdul Rahman Al Hammadi, Director of the Environment, Health and Safety Department, said that the drill for oil leakage in the port comes within the framework of a series of ongoing training and exercises in cooperation and coordination with a number of concerned authorities and strategic partners, to measure the extent of preparedness and raise the level of readiness, and to assess the speed of action taken related to the environment and safety in the port in such situations, the response time and the available capabilities, as well as the opportunity to identify areas of improvement and development.

Al Hammadi explained that the drill scenario is based on a leakage case estimated at about 200 to 300 litres in the port’s water, and immediately the work teams took the necessary measures to combat marine pollution by studying marine factors, limiting, containing and treating the oil slick to control the leak.

The Director of the EHS praised the fruitful cooperation between the various parties participating in the drill, stressing the importance of carrying out these drills to determine the extent of the readiness of all teams and prepare them for ways to contain similar incidents, and to strengthen the channels of communication between the various relevant authorities, which ensures safety of the maritime environment.

Source: Emirates News Agency

October 28, 2021

UAE, Niger discuss promoting bilateral relations

ABU DHABI, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State, has met with President Mohamed Bazoum of the Republic of Niger in the capital, Niamey, to discuss ways to further boost bilateral ties between the two countries in various fields of common interest.

Sheikh Shakhbout conveyed to President Bazoum the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their wishes for Niger’s further progress and development.

The President of Niger, in turn, reciprocated his greetings to the UAE leaders, and his wishes for progress and prosperity to the UAE.

President Mohamed Bazoum lauded the strong and deep-rooted relations between the two countries and the constructive cooperation at all levels, stressing that there are numerous opportunities to enhance them in different fields.

Sheikh Shakhbout, during the meeting, praised the distinguished relations between the UAE and Niger, highlighting both sides’ interest in promoting cooperation relations between the two countries as there are many possibilities to develop them across various sectors.

On the other hand, the UAE Minister of State also met with Hassumi Masoudou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Niger, where they discussed the distinguished bilateral relations between the UAE and Niger and ways to further these relations.

Source: Emirates News Agency