If you require privacy, flexibility and quick travel times, you could use Emirates’ latest offering. The Dubai-based airline has introduced an on-demand regional charter service, specifically for those seeking shorter trips in the GCC from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The flying workhorse is a Phenom 100 twin-engine aircraft capable of flying to various destinations inside and outside the Emirates network. The list includes KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE. The four-seater flight will also offer refreshments, while each passenger can carry up to 15kg of one medium-sized bag. And that’s in addition to a carry-on handbag. In Dubai, users can expect Emirates Chauffeur Drive Services, VIP clearance at customs and immigration and short pre-flight waiting periods.

A new A320 Family final assembly line (FAL), owned and operated by Airbus, has begun operations. Installed in the former A380 “Jean-Luc Lagardère” assembly building in Toulouse, France, the new FAL went live in 2022, delivering the first fuselage sections. However, it is expected to roll out its first fully assembled A321 by the end of 2023. The new facility will help Airbus ramp up the production rate of the A320 Family aircraft to 75 per month in 2026. And, of course, it will play a crucial role in meeting the demand for the A321. Presently, this aeroplane accounts for around 60 per cent of the total A320 Family backlog.