Air India Express launches flights to Jeddah, Kuwait, and Riyadh: Air India Express said it has launched direct flights from Bengaluru, its largest station, to three new destinations in the Middle East: Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Services to Jeddah will commence from October 26, 2025, while flights to Riyadh and Kuwait will begin on October 27, 2025, further strengthening connectivity between South India and the Middle East. This announcement builds on the airline’s recent growth from Bengaluru, which has seen the launch of new flights to Kathmandu, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Dehradun. The airline’s upcoming services to Bangkok, starting from October 18, 2025, and Jodhpur and Udaipur from November 1, 2025, further reinforce Bengaluru as one of Air India Express’ fastest-growing hubs. The airline operates more than 440 weekly flights from Bengaluru connecting directly to 35 domestic destinations including Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Gwalior, Hindon, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kannur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mangaluru, North Goa, Patna, Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), Pune, Ranchi, Srinagar, Surat, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam and seven international destinations – Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Dammam, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, and Riyadh.
Cathay Pacific extends complimentary Wi-Fi: Cathay Pacific has said complimentary Wi-Fi will be offered to Cathay Gold members travelling in all cabins from 15 November 2025. With this upcoming rollout, complimentary Wi-Fi will be available to all passengers travelling in First and Business class, as well as Diamond and Gold members travelling in all cabins. Cathay Pacific also plans to roll out complimentary Wi-Fi to all Cathay members travelling in Premium Economy by the end of this year. Cathay Director Customer Travel Erica Peng said: “At Cathay Pacific, we recognise how important it is for our passengers to stay connected in the air, whether they are travelling for business or leisure. With the extension of our complimentary Wi-Fi service, we are continuing to further refine the travel experience for our valued passengers.” Passengers can connect with one device at a time and can switch between devices at any time during their flight.
Etihad Airways expands network: Etihad Airways is further expanding its regional network with the launch of flights to Kabul, Afghanistan, starting 18 December 2025. The new service responds to growing demand for travel between the UAE and Afghanistan, providing direct access between Abu Dhabi and Kabul while offering seamless onward connections to key markets across the GCC, Europe, Australia and North America. Flights will operate three times weekly with Etihad’s A320, featuring eight Business and 150 Economy seats. Kabul joins Etihad’s rapidly growing network as the 31st new route announced this year, reflecting continued investment in strategic markets across the Middle East and South Asia. The service will support trade, investment and cultural exchange, while facilitating travel for large Afghan communities across the GCC, Australia, Europe and the US. Etihad also said it has launched new daily flights to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, connecting Zayed International Airport (AUH) with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD). The inaugural flights operated at full capacity in both directions, reflecting the strong demand for travel between the two capitals. The service marks Etihad’s debut into Ethiopia, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation hubs. The launch also coincides with the formal activation of Etihad’s landmark Joint Venture with Ethiopian Airlines, announced earlier this year, which enhances collaboration between the two flag carriers and expands seamless travel options between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Under the new Joint Venture, Etihad and Ethiopian Airlines will coordinate schedules and jointly develop routes, offering guests more choice and convenience while strengthening trade, tourism and cultural links between both regions.
Air India expands UK flights: Air India announced an expansion of its services to the United Kingdom as part of its Northern Winter 2025 schedule, adding a fourth daily flight between Delhi and London (Heathrow), effective 26 October 2025. The additional flight increases Air India’s frequency from 24x weekly to 28x weekly this Winter, adding 1,196 seats each way per week between Delhi and London (Heathrow). All Air India flights on the high-demand route are operated by the airline’s new Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Air India is the largest carrier between India and the UK, operating 61x weekly and deploying 18,066 seats per week (in one direction), which translates to nearly 1.7 million seats annually on routes between the two countries. Air India connects five Indian cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Amritsar) to three points in the UK, namely London (Heathrow), London (Gatwick), and Birmingham. With the added daily frequency, Air India will operate two daily flights on the route with its Airbus A350-900 aircraft and two daily flights with its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. This ensures the consistent availability of Air India’s best widebody cabin products between Delhi and London, with both aircraft types featuring three cabin classes: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class. Air India also announced a new interline partnership with Taiwan-based STARLUX Airlines, further enhancing travel options for customers across Asia. The interline agreement between the two carriers enables single-ticket itineraries that combine Air India and STARLUX flights, offering smoother journeys, coordinated baggage handling, and simplified travel for customers of both airlines. Through this partnership, Air India customers will be able to access Taipei via Air India’s Southeast Asia gateways namely, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur.
Air New Zealand buys carbon credits: In a move to help spark a voluntary carbon market in New Zealand, Air New Zealand has committed to buy 8,000 tonnes of internationally verified, New Zealand nature-based carbon removals by 2030, in partnership with My Native Forest. My Native Forest provides a platform to invest in planting and restoring native forests across Aotearoa New Zealand in return for verified carbon removals. Carbon removals are a type of carbon credit – a tool that puts a value on removing, reducing or avoiding carbon in the atmosphere. Carbon removals are an important type of carbon credit because they take carbon out of the atmosphere, rather than simply avoiding or reducing emissions elsewhere. Air New Zealand’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kiri Hannifin, says the partnership with My Native Forest signals the airline’s commitment to starting in its own backyard and its confidence in New Zealand’s potential for a high-quality voluntary carbon market. Native forest planting takes time, so it’s important to secure future supply now. As New Zealand’s national carrier, the co-benefits for biodiversity and pest control here at home in Aotearoa make this agreement even more powerful.”
Air Sierra Leone selects Moment’s Flymingo Box: Moment, specialist provider of digital onboard solutions for the aviation sector, has been chosen by Air Sierra Leone, the country’s new flag carrier, to introduce a Wireless In‑Flight Entertainment (W-IFE) solution across its fleet. This marks our second contract on the African continent this semester, following a recent agreement with a regional airline. Founded in late 2024 and headquartered at Freetown International Airport, Air Sierra Leone began commercial operations in January 2025, launching with a regional route between Freetown and Lagos using a leased Embraer ERJ‑145 aircraft. The airline has since expanded its route and fleet with Boeing 737 MAX. Positioned to become a dynamic regional and international operator; Air Sierra Leone offers modern travel options, competitive fares, and reliable service to both local and international passengers. As part of this collaboration, Moment equips the B737-MAX with its Flymingo Box, the compact, wireless IFE server. It allows passengers to stream content directly to their personal devices through a platform fully tailored to the airline’s brand identity. In addition to providing the technology, Moment acts as a Content Service Provider, sourcing and integrating a diverse entertainment package that includes 20 films, 20 TV shows, 10 documentaries, 10 podcasts, 10 animated programs, and 10 games. To serve Air Sierra Leone’s international audience, all content is available in English, French, and Spanish.
Swiss International Air Lines takes delivery of first A350-900: Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), member of the Lufthansa Group, has taken delivery of its first of 10 A350-900s. Supporting the airline’s fleet modernisation programme, the latest-generation widebody is set to become SWISS’s flagship aircraft. The A350 will be operated on long-haul routes from its home base in Zurich to destinations like Boston, strengthening the airline’s global network. The Airbus A350-900 is the first aircraft in the SWISS long-haul fleet to be equipped with the new SWISS Senses cabin. Designed to provide a more personal and comfortable air travel experience for passengers in all seating classes. The aircraft cabin is configured with a four-class layout, offering three suites up to four seats in First Class, 45 seats in Business, 38 in Premium Economy, and 156 in Economy. The A350 is the world’s most modern widebody aircraft and has set new standards for intercontinental travel. The A350’s all-new design includes state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort. Its new generation engines and use of lightweight materials bring a 25 per cent advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. The A350-900 is equipped with a comfortable and spacious Airspace cabin, wide seats, high ceilings and alluring ambient lighting.
For Editorial Inquiries Contact:
Editor Matt Driskill at matt.driskill@asianaviation.com
For Advertising Inquiries Contact:
Head of Sales Kay Rolland at kay.rolland@asianaviation.com
