Qatar Airways offers iftar meal boxes for fasting passengers over Ramadhan

Passengers who are fasting while flying on Qatar Airways during Ramadhan will be offered an iftar meal box infused with a traditional Middle Eastern twist, the airline has reported. 

Qatar Airways’ iftar boxes feature a Ramadan Kareem* logo extending best wishes to all passengers during the month. First and Business Class passengers travelling on selected flights will be offered iftar boxes containing either a chicken or vegetarian sandwich wrap, hummous, crudités, mini Arabic bread, mixed nuts, baklava, dates, an Alpen fruit and nut bar, fresh laban and water. Passengers travelling in Economy Class will be offered an iftar meal box containing a vegetarian sandwich wrap, Walker biscuit, dried fruits, dates, mixed nuts, fresh laban and water.

Qatar Airways Group CEO HE Akbar Al Baker said: “This year, we continue our tradition of offering our passengers a delicious way to break their fast while flying. The holy month of Ramadhan is an important period for a vast number of our passengers, and we continue to offer them the high standards of service they have become accustomed to. We invite our passengers to embrace this special time of year by enjoying our special iftar boxes. On behalf of Qatar Airways, we extend to all warmest wishes for a Ramadhan kareem.”

In the Middle East, this year’s iftar boxes will be distributed on Qatar Airways flights to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah in the UAE; Abha, Dammam, Gassim (Buraidah), Hofuf, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Taif and Yanbu in KSA; Amman in Jordan, Bahrain; Basra, Baghdad, Erbil, Najaf and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq; Kuwait; Muscat and Salalah in Oman; as well as Mashad and Shiraz in Iran. Qatar Airways cabin crew will make an on-board announcement and will serve the iftar boxes at the appropriate time during the flight, alleviating customers from having to calculating the time.

Source: Qatar Airways. Iftar meal boxes are available to those fasting in Ramadhan.

*This greeting for Ramadhan wishes Muslims a month filled with abundance. 'Kareem' means 'generous'. 

Hajj Safe looks for partners on custom-made Hajj kits

Hajj Safe has been working with Qatar Airways to supply its products to Hajj pilgrims flying into Jeddah and Madinah, and is open to working with other partners on similar projects. Jeddah is the first Saudi Arabian city for pilgrims on Hajj.

The Hajj kits supplied by Qatar Airways, which were given to pilgrims from 15 to 22 September 2015, were designed to the requirements of the airline by Formia following several months of meetings and discussions, Hajj Safe said in a blog post. Hajj Safe has also listed what might be in a typical airline kit on its website.

Source: Hajj Safe blog.

The custom kits from Qatar Airways included wet wipes with the Hajj Safe logo, a prayer counter, prayer beads, a prayer mat, and socks, and prayer mat. The bag containing the kit could also be converted into one for shoes. 

The SVP of marketing and corporate communications of Qatar Airways commented at the time of Hajj 2015 in a press release that the exclusive Hajj kits were "a gesture of our appreciation and a thank you to the pilgrims for choosing Qatar Airlines".

Kamal Ali, CEO of Hajj Safe said, “Here at Hajj Safe, we are very proud to be working with a company that has such a formidable reputation, and we look forward to extending our products to other airlines and international organisations.”

Hajj Safe's bestseller is an anti-theft waist bag that fits under the clothing that is worn for Hajj. Whereas other bags might be stolen through thieves cutting through their straps in extremely crowded conditions, Hajj Safe's version resists common cutting techniques.

Etihad inks deal with Cognizant to define digital strategy and enhance guest experience

Source: Cognizant. Dr John Burgin, Head of Cognizant Digital Works, APAC and Middle East (left) and Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, sign the strategic agreement between Etihad Airways and Cognizant.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, and Cognizant, an IT, consulting, and business process outsourcing services provider, have inked a strategic agreement to drive digital transformation across the airline and its equity partners. Under the three-year, multi-million dollar deal, Cognizant will help Etihad Airways define its digital strategy and reimagine the guest experience along a guest's travel journey across the group.

By bringing together its digital strategy, technology, industry and experiential design expertise, Cognizant will conduct a comprehensive study of Etihad Airways' current business and technology footprint to outline and operationalise a best-in-class digital ecosystem, enabling multi-channel distribution, customer persona segmentation and personalised marketing techniques.

Through data and customer insights, Cognizant will enable Etihad Airways, and subsequently its equity partners, to better understand the needs of their guests. Combining this research with streamlined best practices, processes and technology, the airline will provide guests with customised offerings, tailored travel solutions, and enhanced experiences throughout their journey based on their loyalty status and personal preferences such as product and service features, preferred seating, meal choices, holiday destinations and more. For the airline, this means unlocking new revenue streams, enhancing its brand and building new commercial models.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, said: "Our guests are increasingly turning to digital channels to connect with us, and therefore we recognise the importance of delivering a personalised and seamless guest experience across all touch-points. Our partnership with Cognizant will help us define a superior digital experience roadmap that enhances the customer journey from planning to booking, in the airport and on the plane, and improve guest loyalty by attracting and engaging with guests in new and innovative ways. The scope includes digital tools and data insights for our customer-facing staff to further enhance their ability to provide a more customised and personalised service to our guests."

Robert Webb, Etihad Airways' Chief Information and Technology Officer, said: "This partnership is core to our technology and innovation strategy, which will empower us and our equity partners to redefine an exceptional digital guest experience that matches our remarkable inflight and on-ground experience. We chose Cognizant because of its leadership in digital transformation programmes, deep travel and hospitality industry experience, and long-term partnerships with digital technology leaders."

Francisco D'Souza, Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant, said: "We are pleased to partner with Etihad Airways to create a world-class airline guest experience by harnessing the power of digital technologies. For Cognizant, 'digital' means the ability to connect technology, data science, devices, design, and business strategy to transform processes and experiences. This engagement marks the coming together of two pioneering organisations whose growth strategy is underpinned by digital innovation.

"The Cognizant Digital Works team looks forward to helping Etihad Airways and its equity partners deliver control, simplicity and transparency to the modern connected traveller. The digital initiative will further strengthen Etihad Airways' leadership position as a premium brand known for high-touch customer service."

As part of the engagement, Cognizant will manage Etihad Airways' existing web applications and portals and integrate them into the new digital platform. A new Digital Centre of Excellence will be established to drive innovation with the airline's key technology partners.

Interested?

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about Etihad's adoption of Adobe's cloud-based solutions

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about what Cognizant thinks of the smart-life trend

Etihad offers more Riyadh-Abu Dhabi flights through flynas codeshare

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is expanding its Saudi Arabian network through a new five-times-per-week service between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi operated by its codeshare partner flynas. This comes as part of an expanded codeshare agreement between the two airlines, which was initially signed in October 2012. The current codeshare scope allows flynas to place its ‘XY’ code on 226 Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and 20 destinations around the world.

Commencing on 16 December 2015, the new flynas service will complement Etihad Airways’ existing 13 weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh to provide guests with 18 weekly flights and greater choice and flexibility whether travelling from Saudi Arabia, the UAE or beyond.

The flights will be operated by a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft, offering an additional 1,640 seats per week,and ensuring maximum connectivity through Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub.

Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways’ Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, said: “Riyadh is an important strategic destination for us due to the established cultural and commercial ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The new flynas Riyadh service will strengthen our Saudi Arabian network further, but more importantly, it will give business and leisure travellers greater choice and better flight connections in their travel to Abu Dhabi and on to Etihad Airways’ worldwide network.”

Bander Al Mohanna, NAS Holding CEO, said: “We are delighted to partner with Etihad Airways to add Abu Dhabi to flynas’ destinations within the GCC. Flynas continues to expand across the region and by adding Abu Dhabi to our GCC route network, we are significantly increasing both capacity and choice for travellers, including pilgrims as well as business commuters and leisure seekers. Moreover, we expect the mix of people travelling on the Abu Dhabi route to include flynas’ guests in transit to other destinations, which will substantially increase the volume of codeshare traffic.”

Etihad Airways has 49 codeshare agreements in place with airlines across the world, including flynas, which gives it a combined passenger and cargo network of 600 destinations, and over 25,200 flights per week, more than any other Middle Eastern airline. Codeshare partnerships, along with minority equity investments and organic growth, form the three pillars of Etihad Airways expansion plans.

Etihad Airways launched services between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh in December 2004. The airline offers 46 flights per week between the UAE’s capital and the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah, Damman, Riyadh and Medina. Services are often increased to 55 flights per week on temporary operating permits.

The Etihad Airways and flynas Riyadh – Abu Dhabi schedule effective 16 December 2015:

Flight No. From Dep To Arr Freq Aircraft EY315 Abu Dhabi 02:00 Riyadh 2:50 Daily A330-300 EY316 Riyadh 04:00 Abu Dhabi 7:10 Daily A330-300 EY317 Abu Dhabi 11:55 Riyadh 12:55 Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun A340-600 EY318 Riyadh 16:00 Abu Dhabi 18:45 Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun A340-600 XY609 Abu Dhabi 14:45 Riyadh 15:45 Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun A320 XY608 Riyadh 09:45 Abu Dhabi 12:45 Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun

Note: All departures and arrivals are listed in local time.

Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank hold recruitment promotion for ADIB Etihad Guest Visa

Source: Etihad Airways website.

Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ loyalty programme, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a UAE-based financial institution, have announced an offer for new applicants for the ADIB Etihad Guest Visa covered card.

Successful applicants can earn up to 100,000 Etihad Guest Miles* upon registration for the card in addition to enjoying benefits such as fast-tracking to Etihad Guest Gold Tier membership, and the highest mile per dirham earning rate on international card purchases. With 100,000 miles a cardholder can book a one way flight* to London in First Class, a one-way flight to Brisbane in Business Class or a return flight to New York in Economy Class, on Etihad Airways.**

Yasser Al Yousuf, Managing Director of Etihad Guest, said: “We are committed to continually providing our valued Etihad Guest members with the most innovative and rewarding products and services in the market. We have a successful partnership with ADIB, and our latest offer in partnership with ADIB’s award-winning ADIB Etihad Guest Visa covered card is the best card acquisition offer in the region.”

Philip King, Head of Retail Banking UAE, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, said: “Our successful partnership with Etihad Guest continues to bring outstanding value to our customers in the UAE. We are pleased to bring yet another offer to our customers and we are confident this will contribute in further cementing our position as a leading provider of value-added retail banking products and services.”

Interested?

Apply for the card. Applicants can call 800 2882 or SMS ‘FLY’ to telephone number 2400 to sign up for an ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Card. The special offer is valid for successful applications approved by 15 December 2015. 

Applicants can also visit the ADIB Etihad Guest travel card Member Centre located at Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 3. The facility is designed to meet the needs of existing cardholders to answer questions about the travel benefits of ADIB Etihad Guest cards as well as take new applications. The member centre will remain open until 15 January, 2016.

*Cardholders will receive an additional 50,000 Etihad Guest Miles on top of the 50,000 Etihad Guest Mile welcome bonus for the ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Platinum card upon meeting the minimum spend criteria within 45 days of card issuance.

**Actual miles required for GuestSeats vary per destination and travel class and are subject to availability. Carrier and airport surcharges apply.

Etihad Airways enables payment for flights to be collected from homes in Abu Dhabi

Guests now have access to more choices when making bookings on Etihad Airways’ website following the recent introduction of new online payment services.

The airline’s guests in the UAE can now book flights or ancillary services conveniently using Pay@home’s online payment option and have the cash collected from their nominated location within 24 hours.

Etihad Airways is the first airline in the Middle East to offer Pay@home, in cooperation with its payment partner, Payfort, which manages cash collection on behalf of the airline.

Pay@home offers a cash payment method enabling collection from homes - still a preferred payment option for many customers in the region.

Justin Warby, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Direct Sales, said: “In selecting additional payment methods for our guests, we took a very local approach. We wanted to give options which catered for the needs of our guests. The addition of Pay@home will make a significant difference to online bookings.

“With Pay@home, we now offer our guests in the UAE greater choice and flexibility when it comes to paying for the tickets they have booked online. This is part of our commitment to our guests to improve our service offering continuously.”

Interested?

Booking online can be done at www.etihad.com. When filling in the payment details, guests can choose “Home Cash Collection” as the payment method. Once they complete booking, guests will be contacted to confirm the address they have specified and a suitable time for the collection of payment. Courier teams will collect the payments and provide a receipt upon payment.

Pay@home purchases are available only if the reservation is made at least 48 hours before the flight’s departure and the payment is made within 24 hours at the location and time agreed for the collection. Fare price and availability may change or guests can request for the reservation to be cancelled.

The new payment options are only available for UAE Dirham (AED) transactions and for flights departing from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Future plans include expanding the Pay@home offering to other strategic markets of Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways will leverage Adobe solutions to understand passengers better

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has a new strategic partnership with Adobe that will enhance the airline’s capabilities to create tailored offerings for its guests through a deeper understanding of their travel preferences and how they would like to engage with the airline.

With Adobe Marketing Cloud and Creative Cloud, the airline group and its partners are empowered to create a secure, cost effective digital guest experience. Additionally, the technology will enhance the airlines’ digital marketing capabilities to provide tailored and personalised services across the globe.

Etihad Airways and its partners will use Adobe’s capabilities across Guest Experience, Global Loyalty, Cargo, Direct Sales, Marketing, Social Media and other areas of their businesses. Adobe’s solutions will enable superior digital experiences such as full self-service capabilities using digital devices. It provides greater convenience for guests as they interact with Etihad Airways and its businesses on their chosen device.

Robert Webb, Chief Information and Technology Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “This technology will entirely revolutionise the digital experience for our guests as well as the business as a whole. This investment in Adobe will allow us to enable a truly superior and seamless guest experience.

“As we continue to partner with world-class technology leaders, we’re working to ensure a remarkable experience for our guests, right from initial contact, through their journey and beyond.”

Etihad and LUXE team up on collectible limited edition Business Class amenity kits

Source: Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways has launched a new range of collectible limited edition Business Class amenity kits, the result of a unique collaboration between the airline and luxury travel brand LUXE City Guides, the guide for savvy travellers. The kits embody the flair synonymous with the Etihad Airways brand, and contain inflight amenities and natural facial products developed exclusively by London-based skincare and grooming brand Scaramouche + Fandango.

Six new stylised kit designs have been created by LUXE City Guides for Etihad Airways, inspired by some of the iconic cities on the airline’s extensive global network. The designs for Abu Dhabi, London and Madrid, have been specially produced for Etihad Airways, whilst the Los Angeles, Sydney and Hong Kong kits feature bespoke LUXE artwork. The initial limited edition offering will be expanded at a later stage, with new designs and more cities to be launched.

Each kit contains a customised Etihad Airways LUXE City Guide which corresponds to the showcased city, covering everything from hotels and restaurants, to spas, bars, boutiques and bespoke shopping, as well as services, specialists and personal guides. Scaramouche + Fandango has developed a unisex comfort kit and skincare offering in collaboration with Etihad Airways. Specially formulated for skincare needs inflight, the range consists of parabens-free products, high in natural ingredients, to enhance onboard wellbeing.

Calum Laming, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Guest Experience, said: “The introduction of these kits is not about providing brand names to our Business Class guests. It is about intelligent design, functionality and providing them with products which are attractive, natural, useful and re-usable. Collaborating with relevant, progressive lifestyle brands such as LUXE City Guides and Scaramouche + Fandango has enabled us to tailor amenities to the requirements of our guests while retaining all the authentic charm and sophistication of the Etihad Airways brand.

“Etihad Airways continues to reimagine the flying experience, setting a new benchmark for innovation and luxury. The introduction of these kits is part of a much bigger journey which was started with the introduction of our new revolutionary cabins on the flagship Airbus A380 and Boeing 787s, and the new service concepts introduced fleet-wide. These collectible kits also reflect the global nature of our business, while simultaneously highlighting the inspiration, style and unique qualities of our home, Abu Dhabi.”

Simon Westcott, LUXE City Guides Chief Executive Officer, said: “Etihad Airways offers one of the best inflight experiences in the world. In partnering with LUXE City Guides to create its new Business Class amenity kits, Etihad helps ensure that the premium experience extends long after its guests have landed. It is great to be working with fellow innovators.”

The comfort kit features a luxurious facial moisturiser enriched with vitamin E and made with anti-oxidants and essential oils to combat fatigue and the lower humidity levels in the cabin. Triglycerides and essential oils rebalance the skin’s natural moisture. A honey and shea butter lip balm enriched with vitamin E keeps lips hydrated. The new kits also include a sleep pack containing socks and eyemask, a care pack containing cotton pads and earbuds, in addition to a dental pack and earplugs.

The Abu Dhabi kit uses a unique design pattern inspired by the rich architectural heritage of the Emirate, translated into a style best described as Arabian Modernism. The pattern reflects the Etihad Airways’ brand and colour palette.

Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways enter codeshare agreement

Royal Jordanian (RJ) has further enhanced its ties with oneworld partner Qatar Airways by launching a new codeshare agreement that is set to further expand travel opportunities for the customers of both airlines.

Through the new agreement, which began August 6, 2015, RJ passengers travelling between Amman and Doha on both Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways will benefit from the same airline code and a streamlined level of services from the oneworld partners.

Members of the airlines’ frequent flyer programmes will also be able to collect points on each other’s flights, with this initial route paving the way for additional codeshare expansions in the near future between the airlines across destinations in the US and Asia.

RJ President/CEO Captain Haitham Misto said: “Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways enjoy a strong relationship, and they are both keen on providing superb on-board and on-ground services. This agreement will further enhance the cooperation between our two companies, thus offering our passengers more travel options and frequencies to cities around the world.”

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “Becoming a member of oneworld has enabled Qatar Airways to strengthen its competitive offering, while expanding travel options to passengers around the world within this leading global alliance network. The launch of this new code share agreement with our fellow oneworld member airline Royal Jordanian demonstrates this and will allow passengers to benefit from seamless journeys around the globe.”

Etihad begins UAE-Singapore Dreamliner flights

Etihad Airways has set a new benchmark for luxury travel on the UAE-Singapore route with the daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner services. First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats are available on the Abu Dhabi-Singapore route. Flight timings offer seamless two-way connections to 35 cities across Etihad Airways’ global network.

Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said deploying the Dreamliner to Singapore reflected the importance of the route to the airline and its commitment to a best-in-class experience. “The Etihad Airways B787-9 Dreamliner is the most customised aircraft of its kind in the sky. The ground-breaking, next-generation First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats offer a superior level of luxury and comfort and will transform the inflight experience," he said.

“Never before has the airline had such a compelling proposition nor been as strong a competitor in the Singapore travel market.”

Hogan also highlighted the airline’s Singapore flight timings and better connectivity to the network via the Abu Dhabi hub. Flight EY470 departs Abu Dhabi at 10pm and touches down at Singapore’s Changi Airport at 10.15am. The return flight, EY473, departs Changi Airport for Abu Dhabi at 8.10pm and arrives in the UAE capital at 11.45pm local time.

“With evening departures in both directions, we offer our guests in the UAE and Singapore more convenient travel times and improved connectivity to 35 destinations in the GCC, Middle East, Africa and Europe," he noted.

“This includes seamless connections to our flagship A380 services to London enabling guests to experience the luxurious First Apartment and The Residence, the world’s first private three-room cabin on a commercial airliner.”

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner carries 235 guests – eight in First Class, 28 in Business Class and 199 in Economy Class – and offers levels of luxury, comfort, entertainment and inflight connectivity unrivalled in commercial aviation.

The décor and lighting on board Etihad Airways B787-9 Dreamliner is inspired by contemporary modern Arabian design, complementing the airline’s Facets of Abu Dhabi design identity introduced in late 2014.

First Class guests experience luxurious private suites with Poltrona Frau leather-upholstered seat and ottoman, a personal wardrobe, chilled mini-bar, a 24" TV monitor and centre seats which can be joined to create a double bed. A professional onboard Chef offers First Class guests a bespoke dining experience, preparing fine cuisine inflight from fresh produce.

Business Class guests enjoy the comfort and space of the airline’s new Business Studios, each offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5" in length, and a personal 18" touch screen TV with noise-cancelling headsets. Food and Beverage Managers, handpicked from some of the world’s best restaurants, oversee the service of a ‘dine anytime’ a la carte and snack menu in the Business Class cabin.

In Economy Class, the Economy Smart Seat provides enhanced comfort with a unique, ergonomic ‘fixed wing’ headrest on each seat, a 32" seat pitch and a generous 6" recline. Guests can enjoy more than 750 hours of on demand entertainment on an 11.1" HD screen with an intuitive interface and video touch screen handset.

These guest experience innovations are complemented by the Dreamliner’s DNA – the commercial aviation industry’s largest windows; air that is cleaner, more humid and at a higher pressure for better comfort; large overhead stowage bins; soothing LED lighting; and technology to sense and counter turbulence for a smoother ride.

Etihad Airways commenced three weekly flights to Singapore on September 28, 2007 and went daily on February 1, 2013. It introduced its award-winning First Class to the route on 1 June 2015 with the deployment of a three-class Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Qatar Airways launches all-first class service from Doha to Jeddah

Qatar Airways launched a new daily All-First Class service from its hub in Doha to Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on June 17 to coincide with the start of Ramadhan. With the additional daily flight, services to Jeddah have gone from double-daily flights to triple-daily flights.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, said: “The demand for premium group travel continues to grow especially during the Ramadhan season, and therefore we have introduced this All-Premium A319 to Jeddah, further strengthening Qatar Airways’ position as a five-star airline providing the best First and Business Class service in the industry.”

The Airbus A319 aircraft, which is fitted with a single aisle, two-by-two seating configuration with 40 seats, will enable passengers to experience the comfort of a private jet complemented by Qatar Airways’ five-star hospitality. Passengers on the A319 All-First Class flight are eligible to visit the Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Doha’s Hamad International Airport.

Source: Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways’ A319 first-class seats recline into fully-flat beds while the recently-launched Oryx One inflight entertainment system has increased the number of movies and TV shows on board from 950 to up to 2,000. Personal entertainment can be enjoyed with noise-cancelling headphones.

The new daily flights between Doha and Jeddah are scheduled as follows:

Depart Doha QR3002 at 9am. Arrive Jeddah at 11:20am.
Depart Jeddah QR3003 at 12:20pm. Arrive Doha at 2:40pm.

Qatar Airways introduces Ramadhan promotions

Source: Qatar Airways website.

Qatar Airways is running Ramadhan promotions across the Middle East. The deadlines range from 25 July for Jodan, all the way to 8 July for Qatar.

In Jordan, passengers' deadline for booking is 25 June to enjoy up to 30% on Economy class and Premium class fares.* Passengers who book* their tickets departing Qatar from now until 8 July 2015 for travel from till 8 July 2015 enjoy up to 25% off on Economy Class and Premium Class fares. Privilege Club members will enjoy redemption discounts of up to 50% on the next flight booked between 15 September and 15 November 2015.*

Most of the booking deadlines are 30 June. For Bahrain, passengers who book tickets from now until 30 June 2015 for travel from 18 June 2015 until 31st October 2015 enjoy special fares on Economy Class and Premium Class fares*. The booking deadline for passengers departing from Iraq is also 30 June but travel is limited till 5 July 2015. Discounts are up to 25% off* on Economy Class. Passengers from departing from Lebanon also have the 30 June deadline, and may enjoy up to 20% off* on Premium class fares for travel until 14 July 2015. If in Oman, book the tickets from now until 30 June 2015 for travel from till 15 December 2015 for special Economy Class and Premium Class fares*.

The Ramadhan offer to Kuwait involves more private travel - an all-First Class experience with just 40 lie-flat all-First Class seats for travel between Kuwait and Jeddah. Privilege Club members earn 100% Bonus Qmiles for travelling from now to 20 July 2015*. The offer is applicable from 22 June 2015. A similar experience is available over Ramadhan between Doha and Jeddah for passengers departing KSA*. Travel has to be booked for between now and 16 July 2015.

The airline has also has announced its Ramadhan timings:

Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 2pm and then 4pm to 10pm
Closed on Fridays

This contrasts with opening hours for the rest of the year, which are:

Saturday to Thursday: 7:30am to 9pm
Closed on Fridays

Interested?

View the terms & conditions for travel from Bahrain
View the terms & conditions for travel from Iraq
View the terms & conditions for travel from Jordan
View the terms & conditions for travel from KSA
View the terms & conditions for travel from Kuwait
View the terms & conditions for travel from Lebanon
View the terms & conditions for travel from Oman
View the terms & conditions for travel from Qatar
*Terms and conditions apply. There were no Ramadhan offers displayed on the UAE and Iran web pages for Qatar Airways nor on the pages for Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh or Pakistan. 

QIB-Qatar Airways VISA Signature credit card raises bar on premium services

Source: QIB.

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has launched a Premium QIB-Qatar Airways VISA Signature credit card that enhances the QIB and Qatar Airways range of co-branded cards with a new range of benefits.

Designed with premium customers in mind, the QIB-Qatar Airways Signature credit card offers global concierge services, global airport lounge access, discounts and offers on luxury hotels, and full multi-trip travel insurance.

The VISA Signature co-branded card will enable customers to earn one Qmile for every QR6 spent on purchases made at a point of sale by either the customer or their supplementary card member. These Qmiles can be then used for redemptions including complimentary flights, upgrades and excess baggage on Qatar Airways’ flights, together with purchases made at Qatar Duty Free located at Hamad International Airport in Doha or the Oryx Galleria boutique in Doha, Qatar. Qmiles can also be redeemed for complimentary flights with oneworld airline partners.

The card will also provide multilingual concierge services with a 24-hour personal assistant who can arrange dinner reservations, chauffeur and taxi services, tickets, gifts or anything required in order to enhance the travel experience. The ‘LoungeKey’ Service, on both primary and supplementary cards, offers unlimited complimentary access to over 500 airport lounges worldwide.

All card holders will enjoy discounts on hotel rates, car rentals, exclusive restaurants, jewellery stores, theme parks, educational centres, holiday packages and a wide range of leading outlets around the world, including with the over 900 hotels listed in the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection.

The QIB-Qatar Airways Visa Signature Credit Card also enjoys automatic purchase protection covering all purchases made with the card. The protection includes loss, theft or damage of purchased items. Card holders will enjoy multi-trip travel insurance for themselves and their families, covering personal accidents, medical and travel inconvenience benefits. The card also comes with peace of mind on purchased items by almost doubling the manufacturer’s or retailer’s warranty on all items bought using the VISA Signature card. In addition, customers can withdraw cash of up to 100% of their credit limit as well as having the benefit of higher transaction limits.

As with all of QIB's credit and debit cards, online security is a major concern of the Bank. To counteract the risk of fraud, QIB has, over the past year, introduced a number of measures such as the use of one time passwords (OTP) that are valid for only one log-in or transaction; a move away from using the magnetic strip on the reverse side of the cards, in favour of chip-based processing; and the use of '3D Secure Technology', which has a password-protected authentication system designed to confirm the identity of the cardholder when a Visa Card is used online.

D. Anand, General Manager of the Personal Banking Group, pointed out that the launch of the VISA Signature Card specifically targets premium frequent travellers who can enjoy all travel benefits the Card has to offer, and will get to be part of Qatar Airways Loyalty Programme – Privilege Club. 

“We have witnessed that our customers’ spending habits require different payment solutions and this shari’ah compliant credit card offers a range of special privileges together with modern day convenience. Aimed at our affluent customers, we are proud to introduce the Visa Signature Co-branded credit card category, providing our clients with unique products and services, aiming as always to surpass their expectations,” he said.

“Further, the introduction of a new tier of QIB–Qatar Airways co-branded cards is a great testament to our successful partnership with one of the world’s five-star airlines.”`

Etihad Airways creates prayer areas for Muslim guests

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has created prayer areas for Muslim passengers on new fleets of aircraft which will be delivered later this year. 

Source: Etihad. The Boeing 787.

According to Etihad, the prayer areas can be curtained off for privacy and are equipped with a real-time electronic qibla-finder to show the exact direction of Mecca based on the aircraft’s geographical position.

The areas will be available on its new Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in the economy and business classes. Initial destinations to be served by the A380 and 787 aircraft are listed here.