Browsing: Travel

Etihad Airways will commence scheduled flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea region starting on Oct. 4, 2026. The route will link Zayed International Airport to Red Sea International Airport in Tabuk Province. Initially, the airline will operate once a week, increasing to two weekly flights from Oct. 25. The journey duration is just over three hours, marking the addition of a sixth Saudi destination to Etihad’s route network.

Anak Krakatau ash disrupted air travel across Indonesia before major airports reopened. The Ministry of Transportation said Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma and Husein Sastranegara airports resumed operations at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed at 2:25 a.m. Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had reopened Monday morning. Two airports in Lampung, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas, still awaited further assessment in the latest official transport update. Airport authorities also ordered aircraft safety inspections before normal operations resumed.

Air Arabia Enhances Bangkok Service with Four Daily Flights to Meet Rising Demand SHARJAH / RankWire.AI / – On Friday, low-cost airline Air Arabia revealed a strategic boost to its Southeast Asian route network, particularly increasing flight frequencies between the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. Effective October 25, 2026, the airline will add a fourth non-stop daily service linking Sharjah International Airport with Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. This expansion raises the weekly number of non-stop flights on the Sharjah-Bangkok route to 28, providing greater schedule flexibility for both leisure and business travelers. In response to growing regional travel needs, Air Arabia increases its Bangkok flights to four daily from Sharjah, reinforcing its commitment to expanding connectivity across key commercial corridors.

Inbound tourism in South Korea surpassed 2 million visitors in July 2026, maintaining levels above those seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. The country attracted a total of 2,093,223 international travelers during that month, as reported by the Korea Tourism Organization. This figure represents a 20.8% increase compared to 1,733,199 arrivals in July 2025, and it also amounts to 144.6% of the July 2019 count, prior to the global travel disruptions caused by the pandemic. Foreign visitor arrivals in South Korea rose 20.8% year on year in July. Furthermore, July’s total marked a 48.6% rise from the 1,408,499 foreign visitors recorded in July 2024. The latest statistics reveal significant growth across South Korea’s main inbound tourism markets. China remained the top source of visitors for the month, with approximately 777,000 arrivals from there, followed by travelers from Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and Hong Kong. Each of these five markets also exceeded their respective July 2019 figures. Chinese arrivals grew by 49.6% compared to July 2019, Japanese visitors increased by 20.2%, and Taiwan experienced the largest percentage growth, rising 129.4% from its 2019 level. Leading Asian Markets Drive Visitor Expansion Compared to July 2019, arrivals from the United States grew by 54.4%, and those from Hong Kong

Air Arabia is set to begin nonstop flights connecting Sharjah and Gdansk on Dec. 14, 2026. This new route will link Sharjah International Airport with Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport, operating five times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This addition provides another direct connection between the UAE and northern Poland, broadening Air Arabia’s flight network within the country. Ticket sales for the new service are already available via the airline’s sales channels.

Etihad Airways is set to begin seasonal nonstop flights connecting Abu Dhabi and Gothenburg starting December 17, 2026. The airline will operate the route four times weekly until March 21, 2027. This new service links the UAE capital with Sweden’s second-largest city during the winter travel season. Tickets for the Abu Dhabi to Gothenburg route are now available. The flights will operate between Zayed International Airport and Göteborg Landvetter Airport.

South Korea achieved a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its most robust monthly result since the onset of COVID-19. This figure reflects a $1.44 billion increase compared to June 2025, when the country experienced an $846.8 million deficit. According to data from the Korea Tourism Organization, June’s surplus ranks as the second-highest monthly figure on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it with a $661.5 million surplus.

On the first day of implementation, Spain’s Interior Ministry conducted passport and document checks on 199 individuals arriving from Italy via air and sea. The inspections took place at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. These procedures include verification of passports, nationality, and visa status for Italian passengers and other travelers arriving from Italy. While these temporary controls are in effect, air and sea routes between Spain and Italy continue to operate normally.

Dubai-based airline flydubai revealed on Wednesday that it is significantly expanding its European route network, aiming to accommodate increasing international travel. As announced by Emirates News Agency, flydubai is intensifying services to key Italian airports, specifically Milan-Bergamo and Naples, to strengthen direct connections between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. Beginning July 31, 2026, the airline will operate twice daily between Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport, while increasing its service to Naples International Airport to a daily schedule.

This advanced checkout setup allows users on mobile devices to be redirected seamlessly to their digital wallet application to authorize flight payments. Once approved, they return to the airline’s app to receive their e-tickets. Desktop users choosing the digital payment method at checkout scan a QR code displayed on their screen using their mobile device and approve the transaction within the wallet app. After the transaction is verified across the payment network, automated systems promptly confirm bookings and issue flight itineraries along with electronic travel documents.