Dubai-based airline flydubai is making a historic return to Damascus, announcing the resumption of direct daily flights starting June 1—marking the first such service since the onset of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

The eagerly awaited relaunch comes just ahead of Eid Al Adha and follows the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority’s recent green light to restore air travel between the UAE and Syria. Damascus, a city of immense cultural and historical significance in the region, was among flydubai’s inaugural destinations nearly 16 years ago, but operations were suspended due to the conflict.

Earlier this year, Syrian Airlines began reconnecting the two nations, with a flight from Damascus to Sharjah in January and another to Dubai in April. Now, flydubai will operate daily flights between Dubai International’s Terminal 2 and Damascus International Airport. Flight FZ 115 will depart Dubai at 6:30am, arriving in Damascus at 8:45am, while the return flight FZ 116 leaves Damascus at 10:00am, landing in Dubai at 2:20pm.

Passengers can choose from business or economy class seating, ensuring comfort for all travelers. The airline’s leadership emphasized their commitment to regional connectivity and the importance of Damascus as a key destination.

“Damascus holds a special cultural and historical significance within the region and we are excited to serve the city again with a direct daily service, highlighting our commitment to supporting the UAE's efforts to foster regional connectivity,” said flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith.

“The relaunch of flights to Damascus will enable passengers from the UAE and around the network to enjoy convenient travel options to the market,” added Jeyhun Efendi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai.

The resumption of flights follows high-level talks between Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed during the former’s first visit to the UAE since taking office in April. This landmark move is expected to boost regional travel and tourism, especially during the upcoming Eid Al Adha holiday and the busy summer season.

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is making a bold leap into the long-haul market, opening bookings for non-stop flights from Mumbai to Manchester and Amsterdam starting July 2025. For the first time, IndiGo is shifting gears from its traditional low-cost model to take on established international carriers, with a premium service that includes complimentary hot meals and beverages for all passengers—a first for the airline.

Dreamliner Debut and Dual-Class Experience

IndiGo is leveraging its newly leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from Norse Atlantic Airways for these routes. The aircraft are configured with 56 IndiGoStretch (Premium Economy) seats and 282 Economy seats. IndiGoStretch customers will enjoy complimentary meals and alcohol, while Economy passengers receive meals and non-alcoholic beverages, with alcoholic drinks available for purchase. This marks a significant upgrade from IndiGo’s previous offerings, where even its premium cabin did not receive hot meals.

Strategic Expansion and Competitive Edge

Manchester will be the only direct route from India to Northern England, addressing a long-standing demand and tapping into a large Indian diaspora. Amsterdam, already a busy European hub, will see IndiGo compete with KLM and Air India, both of which operate multiple daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai. IndiGo’s codeshare with KLM will further enhance connectivity for travelers across Europe.

Route Shifts and Operational Challenges

Initially, IndiGo had planned to launch these flights from Delhi. However, the closure of Pakistani airspace and uncertainty over its reopening prompted the airline to move operations to Mumbai, giving Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport an unexpected boost.

Collaboration and Future Ambitions

IndiGo’s growing partnerships with global airlines—including Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic—signal potential for further international expansion. The airline is eyeing key European destinations like Paris and London, where slot availability will be crucial. Collaborations could allow IndiGo to leverage its robust Indian traffic to secure valuable slots and expand its network.

A New Era for Indian Aviation

With these moves, IndiGo is stepping up its challenge to Air India, which is still revamping its long-haul fleet and facing slot constraints. IndiGo’s strong balance sheet and cost structure give it the flexibility to experiment and hold its ground, even as Air India ramps up competition on domestic routes.

Bottom Line

IndiGo’s launch of long-haul, premium Dreamliner services to Manchester and Amsterdam marks a pivotal shift in its strategy, positioning the airline as a serious contender in international aviation and setting the stage for a new era of competition with Air India and global carriers.

KARACHI, May 21, 2025 — Pakistan is set to extend the closure of its airspace for Indian flights for another month, with an official announcement expected by Thursday. The move follows a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting earlier this month, where Pakistan resolved to maintain the ban after India took what it termed "provocative steps" following the deadly Pahalgam attack in April.

A Notice to Airmen (Notam) will be issued once the extension is confirmed. Under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules, airspace restrictions cannot exceed one month at a time, requiring periodic renewals.

The restrictions, which apply to both commercial and military aircraft, are a response to heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The crisis escalated after an armed attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 tourists. India retaliated by closing its airspace to Pakistani flights on April 23, prompting Islamabad to reciprocate the following day.

Escalation and Military Response

Further tensions erupted when India launched attacks on multiple Pakistani cities on May 6–7. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces initiated a large-scale retaliatory operation, "Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos," targeting several Indian military sites on May 10. The conflict prompted global powers to intervene, resulting in a ceasefire that remains in effect.

Aviation Fallout

While Pakistan’s aviation sector remains largely unaffected—with only one eastbound flight rerouted via China and limited Far East operations—Indian airlines are reeling from the fallout. Indian carriers are estimated to have lost over Rs8 billion in the past month alone, with Rs5 billion attributed to additional fuel costs and Rs3 billion to forced stopovers for long-haul flights.

Indian airlines operating Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 family aircraft are enduring 2 to 4 extra hours of flight time per journey. With about 150 flights rerouted daily, fuel consumption has skyrocketed. At current jet fuel prices, Indian airlines are spending nearly $557,625 daily on extra fuel—totaling over Rs5 billion in a month.

Extended travel times have also triggered crew duty hour limitations, requiring crew changes at transit airports, and adding costs for landing fees, refuelling, and airport services. These stopover expenses have amounted to between Rs2.5 and Rs3 billion over the past 30 days.

Air India is reportedly the worst-hit, seeking government financial support. Other airlines, including Akasa Air, SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India Express, are also facing operational disruptions. Flights from cities like Amritsar, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Jaipur must now take longer western routes over the Arabian Sea, affecting connections to North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Historical Context

This is not Pakistan’s first airspace closure targeting India. Similar restrictions were imposed during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which caused greater aviation disruptions for India than Pakistan.

Looking Ahead

If the ban persists and the Indian government does not provide special assistance, Indian airlines may be forced to take extraordinary measures to sustain operations. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials highlight that the conditions prompting the closure have not improved, and the aviation department is prepared to issue a new Notam before the current restriction period ends.

A heart-stopping close call at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) has thrust air traffic control (ATC) safety under the spotlight, as an American Airlines flight nearly took off on a runway still occupied by a United Airlines jet.

The drama unfolded around 12:30 AM on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. United Airlines flight UA2657, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Houston, was instructed to taxi down Runway 13 and exit at a designated taxiway. Meanwhile, American Eagle flight AA4736, an Embraer E175 operated by Republic Airways, was cleared to line up and wait on the same runway for its scheduled departure to Buffalo.

Chaos erupted when United missed its planned exit and ground control redirected the aircraft to another taxiway—all while it remained on the active runway. In a critical lapse, the tower controller then authorized American Eagle to begin its takeoff roll, unaware that United had not yet cleared the runway.

As American Eagle accelerated past 100 knots, an automated conflict alert blared and the controller urgently tried to abort the takeoff. But a Spirit Airlines pilot’s simultaneous radio transmission blocked the crucial warning, delaying the message to American Eagle—exposing the fragility of current communication protocols.

Experts point to systemic flaws in U.S. ATC procedures, particularly the division of runway control between tower and ground controllers on separate frequencies. Unlike many international airports, where the tower maintains full control until an aircraft exits the runway, LaGuardia’s system creates dangerous blind spots. This setup, combined with high traffic density and overlapping radio chatter, dramatically increases the risk of catastrophic errors.

The incident is just the latest in a string of near-misses that have raised alarms about the need for urgent reform. Industry insiders and safety advocates are calling for a single point of runway control, enhanced technology, and improved communication systems to eliminate confusion and prevent future runway incursions. Until these changes are made, the skies above America’s busiest airports may remain a high-stakes gamble for travelers and crews alike