Emirates pioneers web virtual reality technology on emirates.com

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Emirates pioneers web virtual reality technology on emirates.com

Emirates has introduced 3D seat models on emirates.com, becoming the first airline to introduce web virtual reality (VR) technology on its digital platform. The 3D seat model is a visualisation engine that displays an immersive 3D 360 degree view of the interior of the Emirates A380 and the Emirates Boeing 777, giving customers a chance to explore their seats, the spacious cabin and the Emirates onboard product.

This new feature available on emirates.com allows users to navigate through the Economy, Business and First Class cabins, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Alex Knigge, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand (Digital), said: “As we continually invest to provide our customers with an unmatched travel experience onboard and on the ground, we also work very hard to give our customers a world-class digital experience. We are pleased to be the world’s first airline to introduce this cutting edge web VR technology, which offers our customers an immersive opportunity to learn more about the fantastic Emirates experience before they step on board. In our usability tests with customers, we found that they particularly appreciated the 3D seat and cabin models when selecting their seats.” The high-quality 3D generated graphics offer an outstanding render that is close to reality. The immersive experience is now available for the three class Emirates A380 but will soon include renderings of Emirates’ entire fleet including all configurations of the A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The 3D 360 degree views of the cabins also feature a virtual reality element for a more immersive experience. Users can enjoy hands-free cabin navigation and seat selection by using any VR headset like Google Cardboard.  This award-winning technology is compatible with all devices without the need for external applications or plugins. The 3D seat models were created in partnership with Renacen who were awarded the Crystal Cabin for the best visionary concept for this project at the recent Crystal Cabin Awards. Customers accessing emirates.com via their mobile devices or the Emirates app for iOS and Android will also be able to explore their seats before checking in online with the 3D seat map. The tool allows customers to navigate from one seat to another, and even allows would-be customers to book their preferred seats from within the 3D environment. In addition to the new 3D cabin models, new product videos are available on emirates.com which illustrate the end to end travel experience across all cabins. The videos serve as a guide, giving new customers a clear idea of all the unique features of the Emirates travel experience. Emirates also continues to conduct frequent usability studies with customers and frequent flyers in different geographies to identify further opportunities to enhance its digital user experience.

Flydubai announces the alignment of its frequent flyer programme to Emirates Skywards

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Flydubai announces the alignment of its frequent flyer programme to Emirates Skywards
  • Award-winning Emirates Skywards to become the loyalty programme for both airlines from 01 August 2018
Dubai-based carrier flydubai has announced, today, that the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates airline, Emirates Skywards will become the loyalty programme for both airlines. This strategic move builds on the success of the initial phase of the extensive partnership which sets out how the two Dubai-based airlines have been able to offer customers unmatched travel options.The innovative partnership, announced in July last year, goes beyond code-sharing to a number of initiatives spanning commercial, network planning, airport operations, customer journey and with today’s announcement, the alignment of the carriers’ loyalty programmes. From 01 August 2018, OPEN members will be enrolled into Emirates Skywards to continue to be rewarded when travelling with flydubai. Members will be able to earn both Skywards Miles and Tier Miles every time they fly with Emirates or flydubai enhancing collection and spending opportunities. During July, OPEN Gold members and Emirates Skywards Silver members and above, who are also OPEN members, can convert their OPEN reward points to Skywards Miles (2 OPEN reward points = 1 Skywards Mile). OPEN reward points held in existing accounts can be redeemed until 31 July 2018 for future flights with flydubai. Since launch, more than 650,000 passengers have benefitted from the Emirates and flydubai partnership. The seamless approach to travel committed to by both airlines is further cemented today with this collaboration, passing on the benefits to passengers who now have the choice to travel to over 200 unique destinations on the combined network of both airlines. To learn more about the alignment of the OPEN programme with Emirates Skywards, members are encouraged to read the communication sent by the airline or log in to their OPEN account: https://www.flydubai.com/en/open/programme-changes  

About flydubai

From its home in Dubai, flydubai has created a network of more than 90 destinations and over the next decade the airline will see its fleet grow by up to 296 aircraft. Since commencing operations in June 2009, flydubai has been committed to removing barriers to travel, creating free flows of trade and tourism and enhancing connectivity between different cultures across its ever-expanding network. flydubai has marked its journey with a number of milestones that represent the scale of the ambition planned for the airline:
  • An expanding network: Created a network of more than 90 destinations in 48 countries across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and South-East Europe, the GCC and the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent.
  • Serving underserved markets: Opened up more than 71 new routes that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were not served by a UAE national carrier from Dubai.
  • An efficient single fleet-type: Operates a single fleet-type of 61 aircraft including Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
  • Record-breaking orders: Placed the largest single-aisle aircraft orders in the region at the 2013 and 2017 editions of the Dubai Airshow.
  • Enhancing connectivity: Carried more than 50 million passengers since it began operations in 2009.
For all our latest news, please visit the flydubai Newsroom.

Etihad Aviation Group announces new structure

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Etihad Aviation Group announces new structure
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Aviation Group today announced a new organisational structure and operating model, effective immediately, to deliver on its mandate as it embarks on the next phase of its transformation. The reorganisation is the next step in ensuring the group is fit for purpose to prosper as a people-focused business driven by innovation, safety and sustainability, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision for the future.
  • Robust organisational structure to deliver transformation of the group
  • New leadership team announced: promotion of Mohammad Al Bulooki to Chief Operating Officer, appointment of Robin Kamark as Chief Commercial Officer, and Ibrahim Nassir as Chief Human Resources & Organisational Development Officer, as part of new seven-strong C-suite
  • Almost half of the leadership team are UAE nationals
Under the new structure, the group will be reorganised into seven business divisions – Operations, Commercial, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), Human Resources, Finance, Support Services and Transformation, led by a new executive leadership team reporting to Group Chief Executive Officer (Group CEO), Tony Douglas, who also assumes responsibility for Etihad Airways. His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, said: “As we approach our 15-year anniversary, the reorganisation and restructure of the group and leadership team will help us lay the foundations for Etihad to optimise its value as a world-leading group, streamline operations, and capitalise on opportunities, allowing the business to focus on improving its core operating performance. “We recorded an improvement in our operating results for 2017 and are confident that we are back on track this year, strengthening our position group-wide after a period of consolidation, bolstering our presence in key global markets, and continuing to support Abu Dhabi’s growth in the aviation, trade and tourism sectors.” Peter Baumgartner will now serve as the Senior Strategic Advisor to Tony Douglas as part of the executive leadership team. Having led Etihad Airways as CEO since 2016, Mr. Baumgartner will advise at group level on global partnerships and innovation. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and will be responsible for core areas including network operations, flight and technical operations, fleet engineering, aviation security and safety, as well the Etihad Airport Services entity which manages ground and cargo handling, and catering. He is also responsible for the airline’s pilot and cabin crew community. Robin Kamark has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Kamark, who joined Etihad Aviation Group in April 2017, will spearhead the overall commercial strategy of the airline, including cargo, sales and marketing, revenue management, customer service, network planning, and alliances. He is also charged with leading Etihad Airways’ destination management arm, Hala. Ray Gammell will assume responsibility for airline equity partners. Ibrahim Nassir has been appointed Chief Human Resources & Organisational Development Officer, and is responsible for a wide range of support functions including, among others, learning, organisational development, medical services, talent acquisition, rewards, people services, and immigration. Mr. Nassir will also lead the group’s Emiratisation programme. The new group organisational structure also sees Abdul Khaliq Saeed become Chief Engineering Officer (MRO); Mark Powers, Chief Financial Officer; Mana Al Mulla, Chief Support Services Officer; and Akram Alami, Chief Transformation Officer. General Counsel and Company Secretary, Henning zur Hausen; Senior Vice President Government & International Affairs, Ahmed Al Qubaisi; and Vice President Corporate Affairs, Amina Taher, continue in their respective positions, also reporting to the Group CEO. Tony Douglas, Group CEO, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We are now well equipped to deliver our plans as a reinvigorated innovator brand, with an optimised and profitable network, technologically advanced fleet, and a strengthened position as the global airline of choice, run by a seasoned team of talented professionals. The fact that almost half of our leadership team are UAE nationals reflects our strong succession planning efforts and commitment to developing Emirati talent. “We are already seeing positive results even during this early phase of our transformation. The eventual aim of this process is for Etihad to be in the best shape to ensure its long-term sustainability, enabling it to meet the challenges of an aviation industry in constant flux. “Etihad is now positioned to continue supporting the mandate of our shareholder, and the growth and prominence of Abu Dhabi.” Etihad’s transformation programme has delivered measurable results to date, with the core airline division recently reporting a 22 per cent improvement in core operating performance for 2017, driven by improved revenues of US$ 6.1 billion and a 7.3 per cent reduction in unit costs.

SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS SINGAPORE AIRLINES FOR TRIPLE MILES PROMO IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

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SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS SINGAPORE AIRLINES FOR TRIPLE MILES PROMO IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Swiss-Belhotel International, the global hospitality management chain, is inviting members of KrisFlyer, Singapore Airlines’ popular frequent flyer programme, to earn TRIPLE miles when staying at its properties in Australia and New Zealand. Under this enticing new promotion, guests who book qualifying stays at any of Swiss-Belhotel International’s five hotels in the two countries will be rewarded with bonus KrisFlyer miles. Throughout June and July 2018, three KrisFlyer miles will be awarded for every one US dollar spent at Swiss-Belhotel International’s popular hotels in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, and its two impressive properties in Queenstown. “We are delighted to launch this exciting new promotion for KrisFlyer members,” commented Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International. “As one of the world’s leading airlines with an extensive network in Australia and New Zealand, Singapore Airlines is the perfect partner for us. We look forward to welcoming many more of their esteemed frequent flyers to our properties in future,” he added. Swiss-Belhotel International currently operates two hotels in Australia: Swiss-Belhotel Brisbane and The York by Swiss-Belhotel, Sydney. Across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand, the company operates three properties: Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park, Auckland; Swiss-Belresort Coronet Peak, Queenstown; and Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu Queenstown. Australasia is a key area of growth for Swiss-Belhotel International; the company recently announced plans to double its portfolio in the region from five to ten properties within the next three years. This is expected to include new openings in key cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Singapore Airlines currently serves nine destinations across Australia and New Zealand: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. The KrisFlyer offer only applies to bookings made direct via the Swiss-Belhotel International website using the Best Flexi Rate for at least one night. The promotion ends on 31st July 2018 and blackout dates apply. To book your next stay in Australia and New Zealand, visit swiss-belhotel.com/krisflyer. For media contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR Mob: 00971 50 6975146 Tel: 00971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com Notes to Editors: Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than *145 hotels, resorts and projects located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy and Tanzania. Awarded Indonesia’s Leading Global Hotel Chain seven times, Swiss-Belhotel International is one of the world’s fastest-growing international hotel and hospitality management groups. The Group provides comprehensive and highly professional development and management services in all aspects of hotel, resort and serviced residences. Offices are located in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United Arab Emirates, China, Indonesia and Vietnam. *Numbers may fluctuate

Central Hotels in Dubai gears up for rapid growth with xnPOS and protel PMS from Xn protel Systems

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Central Hotels in Dubai gears up for rapid growth with xnPOS and protel PMS from Xn protel Systems
Dubai, UAE – global hospitality management software company Xn protel Systems today announced that the newly opened 5-star Royal Central The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE (207 rooms, 6 F&B outlets) and the 5-star Canal Central Hotel Business Bay, Dubai, UAE (278 rooms, 4 F&B outlets) have both installed a protel property management and xnPOS point of sale system. The strong partnership between Central Hotels and Xn protel will see existing and new hotels within the group strengthening the brand through the creation and delivery of exceptional, personalized guest experiences. Central Hotels, launched in 2015, is a fast-growing hospitality management company headquartered in Dubai, UAE. The company offers a full spectrum of choice in terms of hotel categories and comprises five distinct hotel brands: Grand Central, City Central, Central Inn, Central Suites and Central Living. Central Hotels has rapid growth plans, which could see them reach up to fifty hotels in the next five years. xnPOS provides comprehensive functionality and scalability that meets the needs of hotel F&B, table service restaurants and hospitality foodservice operations. The product is already proven in a wide spectrum of F&B operations in some 50 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. The pedigree and range of international customers endorses the system’s flexibility, functionality, language capability and simplicity of use. protel MPE is an on-premise or hosted property management system for group hotels, serviced apartments and other accommodation businesses. It is internationally proven, feature rich and seamlessly connects to all other critical business systems. protel MPE provides the tools needed to support the guest journey, empower staff, and support the growing needs of the hospitality business. Central Hotels has chosen the ‘hosted’ option within Xn protel’s Data Center. Ammar Kanaan, Group General Manager, Central Hotels said: “Our partnership with Xn protel is key to us providing our hotel teams with the right tools to make sure our guests receive a warm welcome and great service.” Ammar continues, “Choosing the ‘hosted by Xn protel’ option for our PMS and POS means that we now have all the advantages of centralized systems, supported by people who really know what they are doing. It will allow us to better manage our resources across the Central Hotels Group and enable us to truly understand and meet the needs of our guests.” Magued Malek, Business Development Director Gulf Countries & India, Xn protel Systems comments: “Many thanks indeed to the corporate and hotel teams for helping us to ensure everything was in place ready for the two openings. We look forward to our continued partnership and working together on future openings.” About Central Hotels Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Building up on this amazing success, the brand is now poised to expand its footprint targeting the UAE and Turkey as the primary markets for growth in addition to other lucrative destinations in the Middle East. The group has recently added to its portfolio spectacular new 5-star hotels such as Canal Central Business Bay and Royal Central The Palm followed by Central House Citywalk focused on millennials, Novotel The Palm, Diamond Central – Business Bay, and Island Central in Dubai, as well as Valley Central Bursa, and Valley Central Trabzon in Turkey. For Media Contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR M: +971 50 6975146 | T: +971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com

Swiss-Belhotel International Appoints Hotel Manager For Two Upcoming Hotels In Kuwait

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Swiss-Belhotel International Appoints Hotel Manager For Two Upcoming Hotels In Kuwait
KUWAIT – Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) has appointed Hakan Gencer as the Hotel Manager of its upcoming properties in Kuwait Swiss-Belhotel Bneid Al Gar, scheduled to open in Q4 2018 and Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq, scheduled to open in Q3 2019. Hakan’s joining will establish the pre-opening office for Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar. Making the announcement, Laurent A. Voivenel, Swiss-Belhotel International’s Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, said, “Hakan is an experienced and dynamic hospitality professional with extensive operations expertise in managing luxury resorts and city hotels. He has been with our group since 2016 as the general manager for Grand Swiss-Belhotel Celik Palas Thermal Spa. We are confident under his leadership Swiss-Belhotel Bneid Al Gar will achieve the highest level of performance and guest satisfaction. In addition, Hakan will also oversee the build-up of Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq, our second property in Kuwait.” Hakan brings with him over two and a half decades of outstanding experience in the hospitality industry working with some of the world’s most successful and prestigious hotels in Turkey and London in various capacities. Prior to joining Swiss-Belhotel International group, Hakan was the complex director of food and beverages in two leading business hotels in Bursa, Turkey. Dual nationality holder from Turkey and the UK, Hakan has a long list of accomplishments and accolades during his distinguished career. Upon joining the Swiss-Belhotel Bneid Al Gar, he commented, “I am delighted to lead the team at this superb hotel and really grateful to Swiss-Belhotel International for having given me the opportunity to continue with the group. It is truly exciting to take up this challenge and be entrusted with the responsibility to open the brand’s first hotel in Kuwait.” The steady growth of tourism in Kuwait, with a vision to welcome 440,000 visitors annually by 2024 is fuelling demand for quality hotels. Swiss-Belhotel Bneid Al Gar will be a comfortable and stylish address for both business and leisure travellers offering a home-away-from-home experience. Featuring rooms equipped with top-notch facilities, the hotel enjoys an exceptional location in Kuwait City. Included in its facilities will be a multiple choice of leisure and recreation facilities such as two superb restaurants, lobby café, spa, health club and swimming pool. The second property, Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq will serve as a great base for corporate travellers being strategically located in the business district near Souq Sharq. It will offer guests a choice of one and two bedroom hotel apartments with fully-equipped kitchen facilities. The hotel will also feature an all-day-dining restaurant, a deli corner in the lobby, kids club and a swimming pool. Kuwait is pressing ahead with multiple plans to boost tourism that will see billions of dollars being invested in projects such as the expansion of Kuwait International Airport, reaching 25 million passenger capacity annually by 2025; and development of cultural attractions like Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Islamic Centre. According to figures from the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel and tourism investment in Kuwait is set to rise 1.5% per annum over the next ten years to KWD135.6 million in 2027. Performance is forecast for strong recovery in 2018 with continued growth until 2026, reaching values of KWD501.3 million. For further information visit http://www.swiss-belhotel.com Notes to Editors: About Swiss-Belhotel International Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than 150* hotels, resorts and projects located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy and Tanzania. Awarded Indonesia’s Leading Global Hotel Chain for six consecutive years, Swiss-Belhotel International is one of the world’s fastest-growing international hotel and hospitality management groups. The Group provides comprehensive and highly professional development and management services in all aspects of hotel, resort and serviced residences. Offices are located in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Europe, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. www.swiss-behotel.com For media contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR Mob: 00971 50 6975146 Tel: 00971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com

Fashion forward with Fcube & Romy Collection

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Fashion forward with Fcube & Romy Collection
Edgy, sultry and Oh so feminine! ( ..and oh so me) how could I not have done a collaboration with Romy’s collection. I loved putting these edgy looks together and had a lot of fun shooting them, goes to show how fashion forward they indeed are. So get shopping and snapping in these super Instagramable pieces. Fcube Instagram Romy Collection Instagram

Marriott International Announces Release Date For Second Quarter 2018 Earnings

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Marriott International Announces Release Date For Second Quarter 2018 Earnings
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) will report second quarter 2018 earnings results on Monday, August 6, 2018, at approximately 5:00 pm Eastern Time (ET).  The company will hold a conference call for the investment community to discuss its second quarter 2018 earnings on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 10 a.m. ET.  Mr. Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s president and chief executive officer, and Ms. Leeny Oberg, Marriott International’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, will discuss the company’s performance. The conference call will be webcast simultaneously via Marriott’s investor relations website.  Those wishing to access the call on the web should log on to http://www.marriott.com/investor, and click the link for the second quarter earnings call under “Events and Presentations”.  A replay will be available at that same website until August 7, 2019.  A transcript of the call will also be available on the company’s website. The telephone dial-in number for the conference call is 706-679-3455.  Please use conference ID 6288233 when dialing into the call.  To help ensure you do not miss any of the conference call, please dial-in or link to the call on the web 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.  News media will be able to access the conference call in a listen-only mode. A telephone replay of the conference call will be available from 1 p.m. ET, Tuesday, August 7, 2018 until 8 p.m. ET, Tuesday, August 14, 2018.  To access the replay, call 404-537-3406.  The conference ID for the recording is 6288233. About Marriott International, Inc. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,500 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 127 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram. IRPR#1 Contacts: Felicia McLemore Marriott International Corporate Relations (301) 380-2702 felicia.mclemore@marriott.com Betsy Dahm Marriott International Investor Relations (301) 380 3372 betsy.dahm@marriott.com

A New Level of Transparency for Ads and Pages

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A New Level of Transparency for Ads and Pages
Today we’re making significant steps to bring more transparency to ads and Pages on Facebook. Giving people more information about any organization and the ads it’s currently running will mean increased accountability for advertisers, helping to prevent abuse on Facebook.
  • View Active Ads: You can now see the ads a Page is running across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and our partner network, even if those ads aren’t shown to you. Just log into Facebook, visit any Page and select “Info and Ads.” You’ll see ad creative and copy, and you can flag anything suspicious by clicking on “Report Ad.”
  • More Page Information: You can also learn more about Pages, even if they don’t advertise. For example, you can see any recent name changes and the date the Page was created. We’ll be adding more Page information in the coming weeks.
We’ll also soon launch our political ads labeling and archive in Brazil, ahead of October’s general election (we launched this in the US in May). Anyone running political ads in Brazil will be able to register next month. And Brazilians will soon see labels for election ads in their country — all of which will be added to our archive. The vast majority of ads on Facebook are run by legitimate organizations — whether it’s a small business looking for new customers, an advocacy group raising money for their cause, or a politician running for office. But we’ve seen that bad actors can misuse our products, too. These steps are just the start — we’re always looking for more ways to improve. By shining a bright light on all ads, as well as the Pages that run them, we’ll make it easier to root out abuse – helping to ensure that bad actors are held accountable for the ads they run.

Flydubai marks first direct flight between Dubai and Sicily

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Flydubai marks first direct flight between Dubai and Sicily

A senior delegation from Dubai, including H.E. Liborio Stellino, the Ambassador of Italy in the UAE, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for flydubai, Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (Europe & Russian Federation) for Emirates, arrived at Catania International Airport (CTA) to mark the start of direct flights between Dubai and Sicily. The delegation was met on the ground by Muhannad Alnaqbi, Deputy Head of the UAE Mission to Italy, and by Nico Torrisi, Chief Executive Officer for Società Aeroporto Catania (SAC). On arrival, the flight was met with a traditional water cannon salute.

H.E. Liborio Stellino, Italy’s Ambassador to the UAE, said: “The new flydubai connection with Catania will enable, in an effective way, for the South of Italy to be directly linked to Dubai’s extensive air network. It is therefore favourably perceived as part and parcel of the multifaceted and comprehensive Italy-UAE partnership. Such a positive development in connectivity is going to become immediately a very useful tool for both countries, a win-win approach, creating enhanced results and a successful impact on the tourism and trade sector.” flydubai offers direct flights to Catania and through its partnership with Emirates this service will operate as part of its codeshare offering unmatched travel options. flydubai’s route network in Europe includes 27 points in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland (from October), Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for flydubai, said: “We were the first airline in the Middle East to take delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.  As part of today’s inaugural, we have announced that Catania is one of the destinations on our growing network to be regularly served by the newest aircraft in our fleet.  The convenience of direct flights from Dubai as well as onward connections opens up the world to our passengers. flydubai’s professional and friendly service onboard and the comfort of our new aircraft with a flat-bed in Business Class will ensure our passengers enjoy an exceptional travel experience.” flydubai’s brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 offers passengers more comfort and an enhanced travel experience. The new cabin offering features a flat-bed in Business Class and in addition to the extra space and privacy, passengers can sleep comfortably during their flight. Economy Class offers new RECARO seats, which are designed to optimise space and comfort so passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy their flight. flydubai also offers exceptional inflight entertainment with a full HD, 11.6-inch screen, featuring a wide selection of movies, TV shows, music and games in English, Arabic and Russian. In addition, the Boeing Sky interior with its gently-sculpted sidewalls and its smooth-flowing lines provides passengers with a more relaxing travel environment. Emirates will codeshare on this route as part of the Emirates flydubai partnership announced in July 2017. For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy classes. With the partnership, passengers from the hundreds of destinations spanning six continents in over 80 countries will have an opportunity to travel to Catania via Dubai. Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (Europe & Russian Federation) for Emirates said, “Our partnership with flydubai enables travellers in Catania and the greater surrounding area to easily access destinations across Emirates network, particularly Dubai, Thailand, Australia, Egypt and China, all of which are popular for local travellers. We also expect the route to boost the number of visitors to the region, particularly from key inbound markets like Melbourne and Sydney.” Catania is the second largest city on the Island of Sicily and is known for its rich culture, arts and history. Sicily is filled with museums, monuments and the well-known Mount Etna. In addition, the island is popular for its spectacular beaches and culinary delights, including pasta, seafood and pastries. Nico Torrisi, Chief Executive Officer for Società Aeroporto Catania (SAC), said: “The launch of new direct flight between Catania and Dubai provides easy access to Sicily from a major world aviation hub. This supports the promotion of Sicily as a unique destination with rich art and history making it popular among tourists from Dubai, Far East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, it will further stimulate trade and help to attract direct investment to Sicily.” The inaugural programme in Sicily included a press conference for local media as well as journalists from Rome and Milan and concluded with a dinner for key travel trade partners. In addition, flydubai brought a group of media and social media influencers from the UAE, GCC and India to showcase Catania and Sicily as a preferred tourist destination. Flight Details flydubai’s flights to Catania started on 13 June 2018. flydubai flight FZ767/FZ768 operates between Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) and Catania Airport (CTA). Business Class return fares from Dubai to Catania start at AED 9,745 and are inclusive of all taxes and 40kg checked baggage. Economy Class return fares from Dubai to Catania start at AED 1,895 including 7kg of hand baggage. Flights can be booked through flydubai’s website (flydubai.com), the official flydubai app, Contact Centre in Dubai on (+971) 600 54 44 45, the flydubai travel shops or through our travel partners. For competitive travel packages visit Holidays by flydubai which provides passengers with thousands of hotel options that suit all budgets and ancillary services including airport transfers, sightseeing packages, UAE visa facilitation, car rental and excursions all available within a single booking process. For the full timetable and fares, visit: https://www.flydubai.com/en/plan/timetable
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