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The middle-eastern airline has announced that it will bring forward the launch of four weekly flights to Seattle on its Boeing 777 aircraft to the new date of 29 January. The move will mean that the airline's U.S. network will grow to 11 gateways, surpassing the number of destinations they operated in the country pre-COVID-19.

The country's government has extended a ban on entry previously imposed on passengers arriving from the UK, the Netherlands and South Africa; the measure is now set to expire no earlier than 13 January, after previously being set to expire on 7 January. The restriction has been in place since 22 December following the emergence of new and more infectious strains of COVID-19 in the UK and South Africa.

The airline has confirmed the addition of six new flight routes to its network out of the UK. The new routes, launching in the spring, offer connections between Doncaster Sheffield, Gatwick and London Luton airports and sunshine destinations in Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain and Greece. The new holiday routes include four summer-only routes from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The airline has continued to expand its portfolio of partnerships by signing an expanded 'codeshare' agreement with Oman Air. The deal is designed to boost connectivity and provide more flexible travel options for customers. The expanded agreement is the first step in further strengthening strategic cooperation between the two airlines that first began in 2000. Sales of the additional destinations will commence in 2021.

The country's government has announced that to curb the spread of COVID-19, it has temporarily suspended international flights and entry of foreign nationals to Saudi Arabia. Subject to certain restrictions, some airlines may allow foreign nationals to exit the country, however this excludes countries with the new strain of COVID-19. Passengers should contact their airline for the latest updates and follow the advice of local authorities.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it will be operating its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft on the Dubai-Sao Paulo route between 9-30 January. The Emirates A380 will be deployed four times weekly to Sao Paulo in response to the summer season increase in demand for travel to and from Brazil. This will be the first time that the aircraft returns to South America since the suspension of passenger flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

The country's government has announced that from 22 December, all Qatari residents arriving on flights originating in the UK will be required to stay at one of two dedicated hotels for their quarantine period: Intercontinental Doha Hotel or Mercure Grand Doha. These must be booked through 'Discover Qatar'. The restrictions have been introduced in response to the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 within parts of the UK.

The country's government announced on 21 December that it had suspended all direct air passenger flights between the UK and Jordan from 21 December 2020 to 3 January 2021. Indirect routes remain unaffected for outbound flights. The restrictions have been introduced in response to the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 within parts of the UK.

The country's government announced on 21 December 2020 the closure of its land, sea and air borders with effect from 22 December at 01.00 (local time). This will remain in place for seven days and will be subject to review by the Omani authorities. During this time, it will not be possible to enter or leave Oman. The restrictions have been introduced in response to the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 within a number of countries.

The country's government has announced on 20 December in response to the spread of a new strain of COVID-19, the suspension of all international flights for travellers entering and leaving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (except in exceptional cases). Entry to the Kingdom through land and sea borders has been suspended. The announcement states that these measures are due to last for one week, and may be extended for another week.

The country’s government announced on 20 December that additional measures for all travellers arriving from the UK will apply, including a requirement to complete a 14-day quarantine in a designated, state-sponsored COVID-19 hotel. The updated restriction has been introduced in response to the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 within parts of the UK.

The country’s government announced on 20 December that travellers will not be allowed to enter Kuwait if they have been in the UK during the preceding 14 days. This ban is expected to come into force by 22 December. Further updates are due be published by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) when available. The measures will be introduced in response to the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 within parts of the UK.

The airline has now resumed services to London Gatwick Airport, operating three flights per week from its Doha hub. The resumption means the carrier is now offering 55 flights a week in total from London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh airports during December. The airline also resumes flights from Doha to the Seychelles from today, 15 December.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it will resume daily flights to Istanbul, Turkey from 21 December via the EK121 and EK122 flight numbers. The addition of Istanbul expands Emirates’ European network to 31 destinations.

The country's government announced Oman's official reopening for tourism from 10 December, allowing passengers from 103 countries to enter without a visa for a period of 10 days. All passengers must take a COVID-19 PCR test on arrival at Muscat International Airport, at a cost of OMR25 (USD65) which can be paid through the Tarassud+ App before arrival in Oman. All passengers must self-isolate at their hotel while they await test results, which usually take 12-24 hours. Passengers staying in-country for less than 10 days are then free to leave, while passengers staying for more than 10 days are subject to additional requirements; this includes further self-isolation regardless of result, follow-up COVID-19 testing and the requirement to wear a tracking bracelet.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it is expecting a busy holiday travel period, and asks customers departing from Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport to arrive at least three hours ahead of departure to allow extra time for check‑in and security screening. Passengers are also encouraged to use Emirates’ self check‑in and bag drop kiosks for a more seamless airport experience, with less queues and waiting time during the peak period.

Philippine low-cost airline Cebu Pacific has announced that it is increasing flight frequency between the country's capital of Manila and key Asian destinations including Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Dubai and Japan; as border restrictions internationally begin to ease, the airline has done so to cater to increased demands for flights during the festive season. Flights between Manila and Singapore will now operate with an increased frequency of three times weekly, while flights between Manila and Dubai will operate six times weekly.

The airline has announced that it will add flights to Seattle to its network from 15 March, launching a four-times weekly service from Doha using a two-class Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Seattle is the second U.S. destination added by the airline during the COVID-19 pandemic, following services to San Francisco which are due to launch on 15 December, alongside a frequent flyer program with Alaska Airlines. In total, from 15 March the airline will be operating 59 weekly flights to 11 U.S. destinations.

The UAE's northernmost Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has welcomed its first scheduled passenger flight by low-cost Indian airline SpiceJet. The arrival of the aircraft has been heralded as the commencement of both a new phase of operations for the United Arab Emirates’ transport hub, and a new era of connectivity between India and Ras Al Khaimah.

Indian airline Vistara has announced that it will operate non-stop flights between Mumbai and London Heathrow from 16 January; the airline will operate the flights three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - complementing its recently-launched service between Delhi and London Heathrow. The departures are part of a ‘transport bubble’ agreement between India and the UK and will be operated on Vistara’s brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.