Emirates will increase flights to Milan with the addition of a third daily flight from October 26.
The new flight will depart Dubai at 04h20 and arrive in Milan at 08h20, operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The airline is also increasing its linked Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires flights to daily services.
This comes after Emirates announced more Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s on existing schedules to Shanghai and Zurich and upgraded services to Shanghai and Singapore with A380s.
EY launches new routes to Krakow and Salalah
Etihad Airways will add seasonal flights to Krakow, Poland, and Salalah, Oman, next year.
The Krakow route will launch on June 15 and will be Etihad's second destination in Poland, following the airline's launch to Warsaw in June this year.
The seasonal service will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until September 5, 2026, operated on an Airbus 321LR, on the following schedule:
- Flight EY163 departs Abu Dhabi at 02h40 and arrives in Krakow at 07h15.
- Flight EY164 departs Krakow at 11h05 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 19h00.
The Salalah route will operate on Thursdays and Sundays from May 21 until June 15, 2026. After that, it will operate daily until September 15, 2026. Etihad will operate this route with an Airbus 320.
The flight schedule will be as follows:
- Flight EY687 departs Abu Dhabi at 08h30 and arrives in Salalah at 10h10.
- Flight EY688 departs Salalah at 11h05 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 12h50.
VS ‘first UK airline’ to roll-out Starlink
Virgin Atlantic is reportedly set to become the first UK airline to introduce Starlink in-flight connectivity.
The airline will begin installing WiFi on its Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s and A330neos from Q3 2026, with the installation expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The WiFi service will be offered free of charge for Flying Club members.
Customers will be able to utilise the service on multiple devices simultaneously, including smartphones, laptops and tablets.
Red Sea Airport to open end-2025
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport is expected to fully open by the end of the year.
The main terminal’s layout merges immigration, security, and boarding gates into single streamlined zones and is designed to get travellers off their flight and out of the airport in just six minutes, according to Cairo Scene.
A remote check-in system allows passengers to confirm flights and check bags directly from their resorts. Guests heading to island properties can board hybrid seaplanes via the dedicated Fly Red Sea fleet, with plans already under way to transition to eVTOLs for airport-to-resort transfers.
The airport has been partially operational since April 2024, receiving international flights from Dubai while work on its central terminal building was finalised.
Taipei upgrades airport check-in
Taipei Songshan Airport has upgraded airport check-in and processing services with new self-service and biometric-powered technology.
The upgrades include a common-use self-service model in the international terminal, allowing all airlines to access a shared system. Biometric check-in kiosks allow passengers to link their ID to facial recognition for quicker access to boarding passes, according to International Airport Review.
To enhance baggage handling, a fully automated bag self-drop system is available, allowing the bag drop process to be completed in as little as 70 seconds. A new departure control system automates check-in and boarding processes and ensures uninterrupted operations in the event of network issues.
