Air Arabia launches new Sochi route, expands Russia network to 6 cities
Air Arabia has inaugurated a new route connecting Sharjah to Sochi in Russia, operating six weekly flights.
The new service brings the total number of Russian cities served by Air Arabia from Sharjah to six further deepens the airline's footprint in the country.
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: 'We are glad to inaugurate our non-stop flights to Sochi, further strengthening our connectivity with Russia. This expansion not only provides our customers with a convenient and affordable air travel option between the UAE and Russia but also further strengthening tourism and trade ties between both nations.
'Sochi complements our growing network in the country and reflects our ongoing commitment to offering more travel opportunities to our customers.'
Air Arabia UAE to Russia flights
The Sharjah-based carrier now flies from the UAE to these cities in Russia:
Moscow
Kazan
Samara
Ufa
Yekaterinburg
Sochi
Alexey Starostin, CEO Aerod, managing company of Sochi airport, said: 'Today, Sochi is actively developing as an international hub, attracting more and more foreign tourists and offering extensive travel opportunities for Russian citizens.
'The UAE ranks among the top destinations served by the airport. The Emirate of Sharjah will become the third city in the UAE connected to Sochi Airport's route network, once again confirming the growth and strengthening of ties between our countries.
'Thanks to Air Arabia's wide route network, travellers will benefit from convenient connections to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, significantly expanding their international travel options,'
With this latest addition, Air Arabia now connects Russia with three major UAE airports: Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
The expansion underscores the airline's continued strategy to enhance regional connectivity, foster cultural exchange, and promote bilateral tourism and trade between the UAE and Russia.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Al Etihad
G42 makes it to TIME's 100 most influential companies' list
29 June 2025 12:15 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)G42, the UAE-based artificial intelligence leader, has made it to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list. Featured under the 'Innovators' category and described as a 'Rising AI Power', G42 has been acknowledged for its extraordinary contributions to global AI infrastructure and strategy in the fifth edition of the annual TIME100 list, curated annually by TIME editors and correspondents, highlights companies across sectors that are shaping the future through innovation, ambition, and impact. G42 joins a select group that includes global giants such as OpenAI, Meta, Amazon, Huawei, ByteDance, Palantir, BlackRock, SpaceX, Nintendo, and Berkshire the MENA region, only two companies made it to the list this year — G42 and Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Company, which is leading the transformation of the historic Diriyah district into a cultural and heritage hub under Vision 2030.G42 was especially spotlighted for spearheading the world's largest AI infrastructure project outside the United States — a 10-square-mile AI campus in Abu Dhabi, launched in May 2025 in the presence of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump. Developed in collaboration with leading US companies such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, SoftBank, and Nvidia, the AI campus will include supercomputers, data centres with 5-gigawatt capacity, a science park, and facilities powered by nuclear, solar, and gas sources.'This campus is just one G42 initiative supporting the UAE's 2031 AI superpower goal,' TIME noted. The project forms part of the broader US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, which aims to deepen bilateral cooperation on advanced technologies. Under the agreement, American companies will operate the data centres and extend US-managed cloud services, leveraging the UAE's strategic location to serve nearly half the world's to TIME, Faheem Ahamed, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at G42, said the company sees other AI firms 'not as competition, but [as] potential collaborators.' He added that G42's selection reflects its growing global influence, with giga-scale projects underway in Europe, Kenya, and the US. 'It also reflects a collaborative model that positions the company at the centre of global AI infrastructure development.'Indeed, G42's ambitions extend far beyond the Gulf. Through its subsidiary Core42, the company recently signed a strategic agreement with iGenius to launch Europe's largest AI compute infrastructure — a sovereign AI supercomputer powered by thousands of Nvidia Blackwell to TIME, winning over Washington was pivotal to the company's global ambitions. In May, the US administration relaxed restrictions on semiconductor exports to the UAE, enabling US companies to sell cutting-edge chips for G42's AI campuses. 'For US firms, closer ties offer access to substantial Emirati capital and energy, and closer proximity to half the globe's population,' the TIME report said. The UAE, a forerunner in artificial intelligence policy, has made significant strides in recent years. It was the first country to appoint a Minister of AI in 2017 and to launch a nationwide AI strategy. Institutions such as the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence underscore the nation's commitment to leading AI innovation. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's Al Safa Street widening to cut commute, ease access to City Walk, Coca-Cola Arena
The Al Safa Street will be widened to cut down travel time on the corridor from 12 minutes to 3 minutes as part of a new road improvement project announced by Dubai's Raods and Transport Authority (RTA). The project will increase the number of lanes from three to four and have several elements including dedicated pedestrian walkways and cycling tracks, urban spaces that encourage community interaction, and landscaped areas. The scope of it will extend from the junction of Al Safa Street with Sheikh Zayed Road to the junction with Al Wasl Street, spanning more than 1,500 metres. "The project serves a vital district and is home to key landmarks such as City Walk, Coca-Cola Arena, educational institutions, residential and commercial areas, luxury hotels, and high-end restaurants,' said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General of the RTA. 'It also enhances connectivity with Downtown Dubai and nearby developments along Financial Centre Street, an area inhabited by over one million residents.' Construction of bridges The project involves the construction of two bridges and two tunnels with a combined length of over 3,000 metres, along with the widening of roads and upgrades to intersections and traffic signal systems. Once complete, the the street's capacity will double from 6,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. According to details revealed by the RTA, the first bridge will serve traffic coming from Al Wasl Street towards Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street. It will have four lanes and span 1,005 metres, with an estimated capacity of 6,400 vehicles per hour. The second bridge, which will feature two lanes and extend 360 metres, will accommodate traffic coming from Al Satwa Road towards Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street and have a capacity of 2,800 vehicles per hour. Two tunnels According to Al Tayer, the project will also includes the construction of two tunnels. 'The first tunnel will serve traffic coming from Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street towards Al Wasl Street,' he said. 'It will span 1,005 metres, comprise two lanes, and offer a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour. The second tunnel will be located at the intersection of Al Wasl Street and Al Safa Street, extending 750 metres. It will feature two lanes in each direction, with a total capacity of approximately 6,400 vehicles per hour.' The project also involves widening Al Safa Street from three signalised lanes in each direction to four lanes — two providing free-flowing movement and two managed by traffic signals. Upon completion, the project will enhance traffic flow from the Upper Deck of Financial Centre Street and Sheikh Zayed Road towards Al Safa Street and Al Wasl Street, and vice versa. Al Wasl Road project On June 3, the RTA announced an integrated infrastructure project spanning Umm Suqeim, Al Safa, and Al Wasl Streets. The development project includes: It covers Al Safa Street, upgrading six key intersections between Umm Suqeim and 2nd December Street — including Al Safa Street — with five tunnels totaling 3,850 m and widening to three lanes in each direction. The corridor stretches 15 km, from Umm Suqeim Street to 2nd December Street, aiming to boost capacity from 8,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour and halve travel times. It includes urban enhancements like pedestrian walkways, cycling tracks, boulevards, and vibrant public spaces—supporting Dubai's population growth and quality‑of‑life target
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Emirates uses AI-powered engine monitoring to cut costly flight diversions
Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates is tapping into the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help the airline enhance flight safety, monitor engine health in real time, and reduce costly flight diversions, a senior official revealed. 'We're using AI to predict the turbulence en route from one destination to another. Using AI is not only for the benefit of the company but also for enhancing the safety of operations. "We are able to use AI to predict the health of the engine, and how it is performing, and that helped us a number of times to avoid diversions of an aircraft because we were able to continue operating that aircraft for the specific diagnosis and live monitoring it,' said Adel Al Redha, deputy president and chief operations officer of Emirates. He was speaking during the ForsaTek 2025 exhibition and conference last week. The event featured over 40 in-house and partner showcases, strategically organised across the innovation pipeline spectrum, from early-stage research and prototyping to proof-of-concept trials, and fully launched initiatives being scaled up. AI adoption is on the rise across all industries, and airlines are no exception. From improving operational efficiency to enhancing customer service, companies are exploring new ways to harness data and automation. Looking ahead, Al Redha stressed the importance of strengthening real-time data capabilities to further improve services. For example, he said accurate data can help airlines load the right quantity of food on board — preventing waste and saving millions of dirhams annually. On the use of passenger data, Al Redha reassured that Emirates is aligned with government regulations. He noted that the airline is already taking steps to regulate and govern the use of public data. 'The more we rely on technology, the higher the level of cybersecurity we need to invest in and ensure that we are safeguarding the operations,' he added. As the technology advances, Al Redha noted that the company will upscale its staff as the airline will increasingly adopt generative artificial intelligence (AI). 'We're going to rely on generative AI. That's going to make some of our jobs easier and information much more faster accessible. Some of the people may not be up to the same level of skill as others. We will have to examine certain staff level skills, and upskill them to be able to manage or deal with what the new norm is going to be,' he said.
