Etihad Set To Increase Flights Across Middle East And India

UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, has announced that it will increase flights to some more destinations across the Middle East and India later this year. From March 15, 2024, Etihad will operate seven more weekly flights to Jeddah and Riyadh. That takes the total weekly services to both cities in Saudi Arabia to 28.

Then, from June 15, 2024, Etihad will operate four additional weekly flights to Amman and Columbo, boosting the per week service counts to the Jordanian and Sri Lankan capitals to 11 and 17, respectively. From the same date, the carrier will also add two more per week flights to Beirut (Lebanon), one more to Kolkata (India) and three more to Bengaluru (India). After those additions, their weekly service counts will increase to 7, 8, and 17, respectively.

Earlier this month, Etihad expanded its reach in India by introducing two new routes.

Porsche India Sold 914 Cars In 2023

The year 2023 was the best one for Porsche India since its inception. Over the 12 months, the Indian arm of the German carmaker retailed 914 cars. That equates to a 17% growth over 2022 and a mammoth 64% increase over 2021. Of all the vehicles Porsche India sold last year, 113 were BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). And 65 units were from the 911 range.

Porsche India presently has eight dealerships nationwide. That number will jump to ten by mid-2024 as two more facilities are planned, one in Pune and one in Hyderabad.

Roping in the Middle East and Africa markets along with India, Porsche’s 2023 performance delivered an 11 per cent sales growth. In all the three regions, the company retailed 9,135 vehicles. Globally, Porsche sold 320,221 cars. That’s a 3 per cent increase over the previous year.

Also Read: Porsche’s New Second-Generation Macan In All-Electrified

Kia EV9 Impresses The 50-Member NACTOY Jury

Kia’s flagship all-electric offering, the three-row EV9, was recognised as the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year by NACTOY (North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year). The 50-member jury included automotive experts from print, online, radio and broadcast media. As part of the screening process, the jury assesses vehicles on various fronts, including automotive innovation, design, features, performance, technology, value, user experience and driver satisfaction.

The EV9 becomes the third Kia in five years and the second all-electric model from the brand to claim the top spot in the abovementioned category. The first pure-electric Kia to bag the award was the EV6. That was voted as the top choice in last year’s ceremony.