Deena Kamel

1 week ago | thenationalnews.com | Deena Kamel

Saudi Arabian plane lessor AviLease has signed a deal for up to 77 Airbus planes, featuring a mix of freighters and narrow-body passenger jets, as it seeks to become one of the world's top 10 lessors by 2030. The company signed an initial firm order for 10 A350F, the freighter variant of the A350 platform, along with 30 A321 Neo and A320 Neo planes during the first day of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget. This could increase to 22 A350Fs and 55 A320 Neo jets, with added options included.

2 weeks ago | thenationalnews.com | Deena Kamel |Alvin R. Cabral

Israel's attack on Iran is the latest in a series of global conflicts that are ratcheting airlines' security concerns, while weighing on their operations and profitability. An increasing number of conflict zones around the world means airlines are forced to take longer and costlier routes – impacting fuel, emissions and passengers. For passengers, this means flight cancellations and delays or longer journeys as jets are diverted away from conflict areas.

2 weeks ago | thenationalnews.com | Deena Kamel

The deadly crash of an Air India 787 Dreamliner on Thursday will be a "stress test" for Boeing, which had made progress in rebuilding trust after a series of safety and production quality lapses. At least 290 people were killed, including people on the ground, when the aircraft bound for London's Gatwick Airport crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport, in western India, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.

2 weeks ago | thenationalnews.com | Vanessa Ghanem |Deena Kamel

Lebanon is looking forward to a boost in tourism from Gulf countries as its new leadership works to rebuild ties after years of estrangement. The UAE and Kuwait have lifted bans on their citizens travelling to Lebanon after recent visits by President Joseph Aoun, who has also travelled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar after taking office in January.

2 weeks ago | thenationalnews.com | Deena Kamel

Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) is studying setting up a low-cost carrier aimed at serving destinations in the Middle East and Europe, as the country plans to construct a second terminal in Beirut airport. The budget airline would be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the wider MEA group but fully independent, Mohamad El Hout, MEA chairman, told The National. “We are thinking of preparing within the next two years to launch a low-cost airline under MEA, starting with four aircraft,” he said.