Browsing: Travel

Dubai-based flag carrier Emirates has begun its northern winter travel period with resilient booking levels across its international network, surpassing initial corporate expectations. This positive trend follows a high-capacity summer operating cycle, during which the airline carried over 8.6 million passengers to 140 global destinations between July and August. Robust demand from both leisure travelers and premium segments continues to fuel passenger numbers as the airline scales capacity to meet seasonal volume projections.

Etihad Airways is set to commence year-round flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport starting on Oct. 4, 2026. Initially, the airline will operate a single flight per week, but from Oct. 25, this frequency will increase to two flights each week. This new route will position Red Sea International as the sixth Saudi destination in Etihad’s route network and will also introduce a direct nonstop link from the UAE capital to Saudi Arabia.

Indonesia has reinstated services at Jakarta’s primary airport along with several regional hubs on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau temporarily disrupted air travel nationwide. The ash cloud impacted nearly 3,000 flights and over 340,000 passengers across the country, prompting authorities to act swiftly. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport resumed operations once officials confirmed that ash levels had diminished. Monitoring teams documented three smaller eruptions early Tuesday morning, and the volcano continued to be classified at Level III, the second-highest alert status in Indonesia.Indonesia’s aviation network resumes service after widespread Anak Krakatau ash disruption.

Air Arabia enhances Bangkok services with four daily flights from Sharjah to meet increasing regional travel demand across key commercial corridors. Deployment of Airbus A320 and A321 Aircraft Fleet on Expanded Routes. Industry experts note that this increased capacity aligns with broader economic and tourism integration between the Gulf Cooperation Council and East Asian economies.

In July 2026, South Korea saw an influx of 2,093,223 foreign tourists, marking a notable continuation of the country’s robust rebound in global travel. This monthly figure represents a 20.8% increase compared to the 1,733,199 visitors recorded during the same month in 2025. Additionally, the total surpasses the July 2019 count by 44.6%, indicating a strong recovery to pre-pandemic levels, as reported by the Korea Tourism Organization on August 25.

Air Arabia will commence direct flights between Sharjah and Gdansk starting on Dec. 14, 2026, establishing a new air link between the United Arab Emirates and northern Poland. The airline plans to operate five weekly services between Sharjah International Airport and Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport, with flights scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This route offers travelers from Poland’s Pomeranian region a direct connection to Sharjah by air.

New seasonal flights will connect Abu Dhabi directly with Gothenburg from December. The new route marks the first direct air link between western Sweden and the United Arab Emirates, according to Etihad, which also states that it is Gothenburg’s inaugural nonstop route to the Middle East and Asia. Passengers will have the option to connect through Abu Dhabi to various destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, including Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru, and Colombo. Additionally, the service offers travelers from the UAE a straightforward route to western Sweden. Operated by an Airbus A321LR accommodating up to 160 passengers, the flights will feature two First Suites, 14 Business seats, and 144 Economy seats. The First and Business class seats can be transformed into fully flat beds and provide direct aisle access, while Economy passengers will enjoy 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen entertainment systems. The aircraft is equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi throughout, making use of the long-range narrow-body jet’s capacity to support three cabin classes on the Gothenburg route. Enhanced international connectivity boosts Gothenburg’s global air links

South Korea’s tourism balance reached $596.6 million in surplus during June 2026. This June result signifies South Korea’s fourth consecutive month of positive tourism balance, following a period of 72 straight months of deficits from March 2020 through February 2026. The country’s January balance registered a $1.4034 billion deficit, which narrowed to $1.0993 billion in February, before turning positive again in March at $263.8 million. The trend continued into April with a surplus of $159.9 million and remained positive in May at $220.5 million. Tourism earnings in June reached $2.784 billion, while expenditures by South Korean travelers abroad totaled $2.1874 billion. On average, foreign visitors spent $1,397 per person during the month, whereas outbound Korean tourists spent approximately $1,091 each. The disparity between inbound tourism income and outbound expenses resulted in a surplus of $596.6 million, which was the largest positive monthly balance in over 17 years. International visitor numbers increase across key markets In June, South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 international travelers, reflecting a 23.1% rise compared to the same month in 2025. China remained the leading source market with 649,582 visitors, showing a 36.2% increase from the previous year. Japan followed with 348,216 visitors, up 21.3%, and Taiwan contributed 223,127 arrivals. Additionally,

Spain has put in place provisional border checks for individuals arriving by air and sea from Italy, with these measures commencing at midnight on Aug. 8 and scheduled to be in effect until Sept. 7. Authorities now conduct inspections of travel and immigration documents along routes that normally operate without routine internal border controls. Travelers from Italy face temporary passport checks at Spanish airports and seaports. On the first day of these measures, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy were subject to verification. Italy initiated its own temporary border controls on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta from Morocco. Madrid had urged Rome to eliminate its restrictions before Spain announced its new border controls on Aug. 7. Spain argued that Italy’s measures lacked justification and unfairly targeted the country. Italy maintained its controls while Spain implemented its own temporary border measures the following day.

Exterior view of the historic Church of San Francesco di Paola in Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples, Italy. This schedule expansion broadens flydubai’s overall operational footprint in Italy, which already includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and twice-weekly seasonal summer services to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia, running through the end of August. Alongside the increased flight frequencies, the airline has also outlined operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure maintenance work in Southern Italy. Specifically, during maintenance at Naples International Airport, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily Dubai International Airport service to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport between November 1 and November 30, 2026. Regular flights to Naples are expected to resume on December 1, 2026, with passengers holding existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this transition period. Expansion of Commercial Flight Routes Bolsters Trade and Tourism Ties The new routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples continue to operate under the established codeshare agreement between flydubai and the international flag carrier Emirates. This partnership provides passengers with integrated travel options, single-ticket purchasing, synchronized flight schedules, and through-checked baggage across both airline networks. By leveraging this joint network from the Dubai hub, travelers connecting through Italian airports gain easier access to popular long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct routes to Kenya,