Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2023, the Air France-KLM Group and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today announced a new partnership between their respective loyalty programmes.

Members of Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, and Flying Blue, the loyalty programme of Air France and KLM, will now be able to earn and redeem Miles in either loyalty programme when flying on Air France, KLM, or Etihad as part of this new partnership. Elite members will soon receive reciprocal benefits.

After Air France began flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Abu Dhabi International Airport in October of last year, the partnership will officially launch today.

Redeeming Flying Blue Miles can be used to book flights, accommodations across the globe, vehicle rentals, and merchandise from the Flying Blue Store, among many other experiences. Etihad Guest Miles can be redeemed for merchandise from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop, international hotel stays, and travel.

Currently, Etihad and Air France both run daily flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol. Air France flies daily between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Saudi Airlines is set to unveil a striking new theme that will revitalize Saudia in an amazing relaunch. The airline’s revitalized identity is a testament to the successful integration of the color green, seamlessly blending aesthetics and functionality.

Embodying a sense of love and innovation, Saudia’s new look promises a harmonious fusion of style and comfort. Travelers can anticipate an exceptional and luxurious experience in business class. The updated business-class cabin offers an elegant and welcoming interior that embodies Saudia’s dedication to quality.

The airline has created a space where luxury and functionality blend together with painstaking attention to detail, making every flight a genuinely remarkable experience.

Meanwhile, the economy class’s latest features prioritize comfort, offering travelers a stress-free and joyful journey. Saudia has reinvented economy class, offering thoughtful in-flight amenities and ergonomically designed seats that make it a standout option for travelers looking for a comfortable yet reasonably priced flight.

Saudia’s introduction of a striking green colour scheme, which has been expertly incorporated into its brand to evoke a sense of love and modernity, is essential to this revitalization. The airline’s creative strategy has successfully shown how the color green can be used to create a striking and harmonious aesthetic in addition to giving its visual identity new life.

ITA Airways sets a new standard in luxury air travel with the introduction of its cutting-edge Airbus A320 and A321neo cabins. Featuring a meticulously designed three-class, premium-heavy layout, the 165-seat A321neo offers passengers an opulent and refined in-flight experience.

In collaboration with renowned seat manufacturers Safran Seats and Stelia, ITA Airways has brought its vision to life, ensuring unparalleled comfort and sophistication for travelers. The premium-heavy configuration includes a lavish full-flat herringbone pattern for the business class section, providing the epitome of luxury in air travel. Additionally, the premium economy cabin boasts cozy recliners, contributing to a relaxed and enjoyable journey.

Safran Seats plays a pivotal role in enhancing the premium experience, providing its elegant Z600 chaise-style platform for the carrier’s A321neo premium economy cabin. Meanwhile, the Z400 seat from Safran Seats graces the economy class, featuring the Comfort Economy option for added comfort.

To further elevate the passenger experience, Safran Passenger Innovations contributes its state-of-the-art RAVE Ultra inflight entertainment system with 4K touchscreens and comprehensive inflight connectivity. From nose to tail, ITA Airways ensures a seamless and immersive entertainment experience for all passengers.

When it comes to the cabin details, the business class has 12 seats spread out over six rows in a 1-1 configuration. With its large 17.3″ personal entertainment screens and reverse pattern seating, the first row stands out as having significantly more space and could be the most impressive narrow-body business class seat in the world.

With 12 seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration over three rows, premium economy features a sizable 15.6″ personal entertainment screen. Notably, the comfort and amenities of these premium economy seats are consistent with those on ITA Airways’ long-haul flights.

Credit:ITA Airways

Travelers in economy class, which has 141 seats arranged in a 3-3 configuration over 24 rows, have access to 13.3″ personal entertainment screens. In addition, 12 specifically marked economy seats provide more legroom, satisfying the various requirements of passengers.

According to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia has announced that it will no longer require entry visas for Indian nationals visiting the country as of December 1.

Following Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand, Malaysia is now the fourth nation to declare visa-free travel. According to the report, Malaysia’s economy depends on more visitors and their spending.

Anwar last month declared that he would be enhancing visa procedures for travelers and investors in order to promote their entry, “particularly from China and India,” in the upcoming year.

The decision was made in an effort to strengthen the country’s tourism sector, which is primarily composed of Chinese and Indian travelers worldwide.

Anwar stated during his People’s Justice Party’s annual congress in Putrajaya on Sunday that Indian nationals could enter Malaysia without a visa for a maximum of 30 days. He said there would be security screening on this.

Government figures show that between January and June of this year, Malaysia recorded 9.16 million tourist arrivals, of which 498,540 came from China and 283,885 from India. Prior to the pandemic, during the same period in 2019, there were 1.5 million arrivals from China and 354,486 from India.

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Due to Western sanctions against Russia, the country’s aviation industry is becoming more challenging. Russia is currently devising its own strategies and taking its aircraft to the next level so that it can fly and offer the necessary aviation support.

According to some reports, China wanted to work with Russia to build aircraft and supply the enjoins, but Russia is once again planning its own and not depending on any other nation.

The SJ 100 is being rebranded by Russia with domestic engineering, which was completed last month. It will serve smaller regions and be about 5,000 kilometers away from the current Boeing and Airbus aircraft, which will eventually cease to exist due to problems with the parts supply chain. No nation would be able to supply it.

The Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut Corporation created and manufactured the MC-21, also referred to as the Irkut MC-21, a cutting-edge and contemporary commercial aircraft. It is designed to directly compete with well-known aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 in the narrow-body, single-aisle airliner market. The MC-21 is distinguished by its cutting-edge features, economical operation, and advanced design that cater to the changing demands of the international aviation sector.

The CR929 is a widebody aircraft with a range of up to 12,000 kilometers that is sized similarly to the Airbus A330 and intended to carry between 258 and 320 passengers. Due to protracted discussions regarding work sharing and intellectual property, CR929 has already “accumulated years of delays” and is not anticipated to go into service until well after 2030. Russia’s plans to develop larger aircraft, such as a joint venture with China on CR929, have been delayed.

Delays in the MS-21 (MC-21) program timeline are another direct result of the withdrawal of Western suppliers. It was “expected to hand over the MC-21s in 2024 and roll out 270 of them through 2030,” according to the Russia-funded initiative. Russian manufacturers now have more time to replace imported actuators, avionics, and air conditioning. Russian PD-14 turbofans and a composite wing with infused Russian material were approved in December 2022.

The MC-21-300 and the shorter MC-21-200 are the two primary MC-21 variants. While the MC-21-200 can hold up to 132 passengers, the MC-21-300 is intended to carry between 163 and 211 passengers.

Fuel Efficiency: Providing better fuel efficiency than its rivals is one of the main objectives of the MC-21 program. Its cutting-edge aerodynamics and contemporary engines enable it to do this, improving both its operating economy and environmental friendliness.

With “70% substituted Western-made equipment,” an MC-21 prototype is being developed, and work is anticipated to start in December 2023. The MC-21-310RUS, the fully import-substituted version, is scheduled to fly for the first time in April 2024 and be granted a supplemental-type certificate by the end of the same year.

Therefore, the MC21 must update its engine, wings, and cockpit instruments. This will likely take more time, but it will undoubtedly benefit Russia by filling the gap left by narrow-body aircraft. additionally, it can be exported to other nations where Russia maintains strong diplomatic ties.

China announced on Friday that, in an effort to attract more visitors for business and tourism, it will grant visa-free entry to citizens of five European nations as well as Malaysia.

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysian nationals will be able to enter China without a visa for a maximum of 15 days as of December 1. The trial programme will run for a full year.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the goal is “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world.”

Norway’s citizens are now able to travel to 54 countries without a visa, according to a recent expansion by China earlier this month. In October, China’s aviation regulations announced that in the following five months, there will be 16,680 weekly flights, with passenger flights accounting for 71% of all flights four years prior.

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