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Riyadh Air, the new world-class airline launched by the Public Investment Fund (“PIF”), today announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes in a multi-billion dollar deal.
This unprecedented order for a new carrier – 39 confirmed aircraft with an option to acquire 33 additional wide-body 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes – is a strong signal of intent for Saudi Arabia to become a global aviation hub. This agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider strategic plan to transform the country into a global aviation hub. In total, national carriers today announced their intent to purchase up to 121 787 Dreamliners in what will be the fifth largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history. This will support the country’s goal of serving 330 million passengers and attracting 100 million visits by 2030. 

In terms of economic impact, in the U.S., the deal is expected to support nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and more than 300 suppliers from across 38 states, including 145 U.S. small businesses, while in Saudi Arabia, the new airline is expected to add USD20 billion to non-oil GDP growth and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.The order also underlines the importance of Riyadh Air environmental goals as it aims to operate one of the newest and most sustainable airline fleets in the world, while intending to meet the most stringent noise regulations. Operating from the capital of Riyadh, a thriving international metropolis rich in history and culture with a futuristic vision embodied by Vision 2030, Riyadh Air will help enable the transformation of the capital into one of the world’s top cities economies. The city has a rich history and is home to some of the most ambitious new projects in the world, including King Salman International Airport, Qiddiya, Sports Boulevard, King Salman Park, Diriyah Gate, and the New Murabba Development. Saudi Arabia has a unique strategic geographical location that connects the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
ADVERTISEMENTThe new world-class airline aims to connect millions of leisure and business travelers to more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030 following this partnership with The Boeing Company. Riyadh Air will be at the cutting edge of technology enabling digital innovation at every guest touchpoint while offering an exceptional guest experience with authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart. His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan Governor of the PIF and Chairman of Riyadh Air said: “This is a momentous day for PIF and Riyadh Air, and highlights our determination to significantly extend Saudi Arabia’s connectivity with the world. Our stated commitment is to create a world-class airline and this partnership with Boeing in building the fleet is the next step in achieving the aspirations of Saudi Arabia as a global transportation hub. We look forward to fostering strong strategic relationships within the wider aviation ecosystem as we continue to shape the new airline to become one of the leading carriers around the world.” 

Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said: “This is a significant order that will support Riyadh Air’s commitment to deliver a world-class travel experience, while supporting American aerospace manufacturing jobs at Boeing and across our supply chain. We are incredibly proud of our nearly eight decades of partnership to drive innovation and sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector. Our agreement builds on that longstanding partnership and will further expand access to safe and sustainable commercial air travel for decades more.”
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “The new airline reflects the ambitious vision of Saudi Arabia to be at the core of shaping the future of global air travel and be a true disrupter in terms of guest experience. Riyadh Air’s commitment to its guests will see the integration of digital innovation and authentic Saudi hospitality to deliver a seamless travel experience. By positioning the airline as both a global connector and a vehicle to drive tourist and business travel to Saudi Arabia, our new 787-9 airplanes will serve as a foundation for our worldwide operations, as we build the wider network and connect our guests to Saudi Arabia and many destinations around the world.” As an airline that will be a global leader, Riyadh Air will equip its airplanes with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. The first deliveries of the widebody aircraft are scheduled for early 2025.
Riyadh Air will be a digitally led full-service airline with a commitment to sustainability reflecting Saudi Arabia’s transformative projects under Vision 2030. It will operate in line with the country’s strides toward net zero emissions. The 787-9 Dreamliner model is manufactured with environmental impact considerations in mind, including CO2 emissions, fuel efficiency and noise regulations. The new airline was officially launched earlier this week and will serve as a lever to help fulfill Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.
The establishment of Riyadh Air is in line with PIF’s mandate to unlock the capabilities of key sectors locally to drive the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy. The airline will also support the Saudi Aviation Strategy’s broader vision, and enable the National Tourism Strategy, unlocking Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions to international tourists and creating new jobs

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Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG)’s airlines, comprising Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings, have been appointed as the official airlines for the forthcoming Malaysian Association Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair 2023.MATTA Fair visitors can look forward to a wide range of enticing offerings from the airlines including, up to 45% off on Malaysia Airlines’ domestic and selected international destinations and an opportunity to win one of the 37 return tickets in its Buyers Contest.
Meanwhile, Firefly will be offering fares starting from RM69 all-in one-way to domestic destinations and RM99 all-in one-way to international destinations onboard its ATR 72-500 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft, whereas MASwings will offer all-in one-way fares starting from RM131. This exclusive offer is valid from 16 to 24 March 2023, via the physical MATTA Fair event and the airlines’ online platforms, for immediate travel to 30 November 2023. Enrich members will also earn 50% Bonus Enrich Points during this period.
Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, Chief Executive Officer of Airlines from MAG said, “We are delighted to be part of Malaysia’s biggest travel fair as the official airlines for MATTA Fair 2023 through sister companies Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and MASwings. This reinforces our commitment to providing more value, convenience and options through great deals and travel experiences for our customers, while also playing our unique role in supporting the recovery of Malaysia’s aviation and tourism sector.
On top of the great discounts offered on air fares, customers will also get to enjoy other deals beyond air travel including on MHholidays, Journify, and travel add-ons among others, as part of MAG’s wider aspirations of becoming Asia’s leading travel and aviation services group focused on delivering highly customised, end-to-end travel solutions in line with our Long-Term Business Plan 2.0. As the appetite for travel regains momentum, we invite everyone to take advantage of the great offers available during MATTA Fair and on the airlines’ website to enjoy the best deals for their upcoming travels.”
To further enhance visitors’ experience at the physical fair, the three MAG airlines will be giving away 37 tickets in the Buyers’ Contest which includes Malaysia Airlines’ Business Class return tickets to London, Sydney and Haneda and Economy Class return tickets to Osaka, Melbourne, Perth, Seoul, Denpasar, Singapore, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi.  Meanwhile, Firefly and MASwings will offer five (5) and 12 return tickets respectively to the winners’ destinations of choice within their network.ADVERTISEMENTAs members of the Travel Safe Alliance Malaysia (TSAM), the sister airlines are dedicated to ensuring safe and seamless travel for customers by adopting the highest safety and hygiene standards across all end-to-end touchpoints of the traveller journey so passengers can continue to Fly Confidently.
MATTA Fair 2023 is scheduled to take place from 17-19 March at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). Admission to MATTA fair is free of charge and will be open from 10am to 9pm for three days from Friday to Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation such as the LRT and e-hailing services.

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Last week and according to annual tradition the Brussels Airport Aviation Awards were presented. With these awards, Brussels Airport wanted to honour airlines and partners who in 2022 have excelled in the area of punctuality and performance, network development and safety and environment. 11 awards were presented during a live partner event.Brussels Airport has been organising the Aviation Awards since 2007, in order to reward the airlines and partners for an exceptional performance. This year, awards were presented in 11 different categories.
Performance and Punctuality Awards
The Performance and Punctuality Awards are presented to passenger and cargo airlines that excel in punctuality and performance. Punctuality is the best on-time performance, that is with an arrival or departure within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.  The performance for cargo is calculated using the number of weekly flights, number of destinations, total quantity of cargo flown, cargo per flight and the growth in cargo tonnage.
1. Cargo Airline Performance Award: Ethiopian Airlines
The airline that contributed most last year to the development of Brucargo was Ethiopian Airlines. The airline currently operates 7 weekly scheduled flights between Brussels and Addis Ababa and achieved a strong traffic growth in 2022 of 8%. The other nominees were Air Belgium, Qatar Airways, Sichuan Airlines and Singapore Airlines.ADVERTISEMENT2. Short Haul Airline Punctuality Award: Air Europa
The Punctuality Awards are for the airlines with the best on-time performance. In 2022, Air Europa was the most punctual airline. They operate two daily flights to Madrid and previously won this category in 2013. Air Europa performed just slightly better than the other airlines nominated in this category: Finnair, airBaltic, KLM and ITA Airways.
3. Long Haul Airline Punctuality Award: Qatar Airways
This year, the Punctuality Award for long haul airline goes to Qatar Airways. They fly daily to Doha and also won this award in 2016. The other nominees in this category were Air Belgium, Emirates, United Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines.
Cargo Awards
There are two awards specifically for cargo stakeholders and partners at Brussels Airport for innovation, growth and partnership.
4. Brucargo Award: Aviapartner Cargo
The Brucargo Award was introduced in 2012 to shine the spotlight on our partners at Brucargo. This year, this award goes to Aviapartner Cargo, for their strong contribution to the Brucargo community and considerable efforts for Air Cargo Belgium.  The other nominees in this category were Air Cargo Belgium, ACIC Operator, dnata, and Hongyuan Group.
5. Logistic Provider Award: Expeditors
Expeditors are constantly raising the bar for pharma transport, with their expertise they are the logical choice for the pharma industry, and they are the largest user of the Airside Pharma Transporters. The other nominees in this category alongside Expeditors were Herfurth Logistics, Kuehne & Nagel, Hongyuan Group and Ziegler.
Environment and Safety Awards
The Environment and Safety Awards are presented to airlines or partners that have made a special contribution to the environment and the on-going improvement of safety standards and awareness.
6. Environment Award: Safran Aircraft Engine Services Belgium
The Environment Award went to Safran Aircraft Engine Services Belgium. This company is investing in a new building Brussels Airport and it will embed itself here in a sustainable manner. The new building will be equipped with many sustainable techniques such as fossil-free heating through heat pumps, solar panels, thorough insulation and therefore a very low EPC value, rainwater buffering and infiltration, and green roofs. On a day to day basis this company reduces its environmental impact by a zero-waste system of surface treatment of metals, heat recovery, and company fleet electrification.
7. Safety Award: Brussels Airlines Maintenance
Brussels Airlines Maintenance receives the Safety Award for its collaborative and effective safety audit, ultramodern and digitised support systems.
Network Development Awards
The Network Development Awards go to airlines that start new routes or have achieved a significant growth in passengers or cargo volumes.
8. Cargo Airline Award: Air Belgium
The award for Cargo Airline 2022 goes to Air Belgium, for starting up their full-cargo activities with ultramodern B747-8 and A330 aircraft, which strengthen the growth at Brussels Airport thanks to the successful partnership with Hongyuan Group. The other nominees were Ethiopian Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways.
9. Short Haul Airline Network Development Award: Transavia
Transavia, which started up its base in Brussels last year expanding its presence in the Benelux, receives this year’s Short Haul Award. The other nominees were Corendon, FlyOne, PLAY and SunExpress.
10. Long Haul Airline Network Development Award: United Airlines
United Airlines can take home this award thanks to the complete recovery of their traffic and the enormous growth of their three-city network in the United States; they are the largest non-Belgian long haul airline at Brussels Airport. The other nominees in this category were Air Belgium, Hainan Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Canada.
11. Diamond Award
This year, we are also presenting a Diamond Award. This Award is not presented each year, but only to highlight an exceptional performance of an organisation or individual. This year, the Diamond Award goes to the staff of TUI fly. A highly motivated airline team that mobilises all departments to meet the operational challenges that can arise at its domestic airport, whether it be organising transfers or handling baggage. The passengers are at the centre of the staff’s priorities and they do everything possible to offer them a holiday in the best possible conditions.Brussels Airport congratulates all winners and nominees for their great performances.

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easyJet customers have raised over £300,000 in three weeks to support UNICEF’s emergency appeal. Their donations have helped raise vital funds for the children and their families affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
The emergency onboard collection by easyJet’s cabin crew has now been extended into March, providing millions more customers flying with easyJet across 36 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the opportunity to donate in any currency.
Donations will go directly towards supporting UNICEF’s round-the-clock emergency response in the region. In Syria, UNICEF is mobilising supplies and services to support the urgent needs of children and families. In Türkiye, UNICEF has mobilised critical emergency supplies and ensured evacuation to safe spaces for children in affected areas.
Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services, commented:
“I would like to thank all of our customers who have already donated, for their kindness and generosity in raising over £300,000, which will help UNICEF and their volunteers to continue providing a vital lifeline in the region for the children and families who have been affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. ADVERTISEMENT“This is, of course, all made possible by our fantastic crew, who day-in and day-out go the extra mile to raise money for UNICEF.  As the relief effort continues, we are pleased to have been able to extend the collections onboard into March so more customers can have the opportunity to donate.”
Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive, UNICEF UK:
“Through our partnership, UNICEF and easyJet remain committed to ensuring that the families affected by the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria receive urgent support. By supporting UNICEF’s appeal, easyJet is helping to provide access to emergency supplies.”
“Children face extra risks to their health without supplies of food and clean water and donations from easyJet and its generous customers will continue to support UNICEF’s work around the clock to protect the health and welfare of children and their families.”
Over the last 10 years easyJet customers have raised more than £16m for UNICEF through on board collections, including more than £800,000 last year for children and their families impacted by the war in Ukraine, helping to protect millions of children around the world from disease and keep them safe during emergencies.

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Ahead of International Women’s Day, Etihad uses the strength of its partnership with MCFC to champion inclusivityThe sky is the limit for four aspiring female footballers from the United Arab Emirates after an invitation from Manchester City Women turned into the trip of a lifetime thanks to Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier.
For girls, Madiyah, 12, Meriel and Sura, both 11, and Zarah, 9, who all attend the City Football Schools in the UAE, mid-week coaching in Abu Dhabi typically ends with a tactical de-brief.
But in a new heart-warming video released to celebrate International Women’s Day, the girls were thrilled to receive a personal message from England Lionesses, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp, and Australia’s Hayley Raso, in which they were invited to join them as Manchester City matchday mascots for the Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal at the Academy Stadium on the Etihad Campus in Manchester.
Unknown to the girls, Etihad Airways had booked the players, their parents and coaches onto an eight-hour flight that evening from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Manchester.
As part of the experience, the young female players enjoyed behind-the-scenes access to Manchester City Women’s final training session before the match and were lucky enough to have photos and signatures with some of their role models from the club.ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia Bainbridge, City Football Schools Coach, said, “When we were told about the surprise and asked to put forward four girls, Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah immediately sprung to mind. They have demonstrated fantastic skills and potential, but their attitude to training is outstanding and something all the coaches at City Football Schools in the UAE really admire.
“We want to continue to inspire our female players and promote women’s football as much as we can in the UAE which has been helped massively following the Women’s Euros and Chloe Kelly’s winning goal. She’s a player the girls admire and hope one day to emulate so having the chance to watch her and the rest of the team train before meeting them was incredible.”
Before leading out the team as match day mascots in front of a sell-out crowd, the girls also toured the Etihad Stadium along with the home dressing room, where screams could be heard around Manchester as their personalised matchday shirts took pride of place.
Amina Taher, Vice President Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships from Etihad Airways, said: “The UAE places a strong emphasis on elevating the role of women in society and as the national airline we are fully engaged with this mission. We’re proud to work with our long-standing partners City Football Group to champion the inclusion and empowerment of young women ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day.
“It was an honour to fly Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah to Manchester to visit the Etihad Stadium and meet their Manchester City heroes.”

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Watch Boeing and Atlas Air Celebrate the Final 747. Boeing will present a live webcast of the ceremony marking the delivery of the final 747 to Atlas Air on Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Pacific).Thousands of people – including current and former employees as well as customers and suppliers – will celebrate the final delivery in the factory constructed to produce the iconic widebody with the distinctive hump. The final airplane, a 747-8 Freighter, is the 1,574th manufactured during 55 years of production.
While the event is not open to the public, Boeing will make this live webcast available globally at this link.
After the event concludes, a video recording will be available on Boeing.com.
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

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Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally*, this week launched an exciting design competition, encouraging talent from across the world to create the sustainability livery for one of its Airbus A321neo aircraft. The winner will receive 2000 EUR in WIZZ vouchersWith one of the youngest fleets in the world and the lowest carbon intensity in Europe, Wizz Air strives to be the greenest choice of air travel. To raise awareness of its sustainability efforts and mark its commitment to further reducing its CO2 emissions intensity by 25% by 2030, Wizz Air invites creative individuals to design the new livery for one of its Airbus A321neo.
The competition is open from 10:00 CET 20 January 2023 and closes at 23:59 on 12 February 2023. All entrants should send their designs via email to [email protected], following the Terms & Conditions and Design Guidelines of the competition. The winning design stands the chance to be used partially or fully in the creation of the final sustainability livery.
Key to Wizz Air’s sustainability strategy is the renewal of its fleet with Airbus A321neos. This aircraft incorporates the latest technologies in aviation and offers significant environmental benefits, with a nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint, a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and 50% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions compared to the previous model.
In addition to its ambitious fleet renewal programme, Wizz Air is constantly working on fuel efficiency initiatives and improving the related data analytics. The airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to explore the potential for hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as with OMV to supply sustainable aviation fuel between 2023 and 2030. These partnerships reinforce Wizz Air’s commitment to driving emissions intensity down by the end of the decade.
More information about Wizz Air’s sustainability initiatives can be found on the WIZZ Cares website and Fly the Greenest page.https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/sustainability#wizz-carehttps://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/greenestADVERTISEMENT

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The last Boeing 747 left the company’s widebody factory in advance of its delivery to Atlas Air in early 2023.
“For more than half a century, tens of thousands of dedicated Boeing employees have designed and built this magnificent airplane that has truly changed the world. We are proud that this plane will continue to fly across the globe for years to come,” said Kim Smith, Boeing Vice President and general manager, 747 and 767 Programs.The 747 has played a key role in Boeing’s history of aerospace leadership.

Production of the 747, the world’s first twin-aisle airplane, began in 1967 and spanned 54 years, during which a total of 1,574 airplanes were built.At 250 ft 2 in (76.2 m), the 747-8 is the longest commercial aircraft in service. At typical cruising speeds, the 747-8 travels roughly the length of three FIFA soccer fields or NFL football fields, per second.The final airplane is a 747-8 Freighter. This model has a revenue payload of 133.1 tonnes, enough to transport 10,699 solid-gold bars or approximately 19 million ping-pong balls or golf balls.As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

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