On August 29, 2025, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced a decisive move during a special parliamentary session: Türkiye has severed all economic and trade relations with Israel and imposed a ban on Israeli aircraft entering Turkish airspace. The parliament also adopted a resolution condemning Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip as genocide.

“We have completely cut off our trade with Israel. We do not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports. We do not allow their planes to enter our airspace,” Fidan declared, decrying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and warning of the broader regional instability fueled by Israeli military operations against neighboring countries, including Syria.

However, Reuters later clarified that the airspace ban applies specifically to government flights and aircraft transporting munitions to Israel, while commercial flights transiting Turkish airspace remain unrestricted. Supporting this, independent analysis from aviation intelligence platform ch-aviation shows that Israeli carriers such as El Al Israel Airlines, Israir, and Arkia continue to fly over Türkiye en route to destinations across Europe and the Caucasus without any noticeable rerouting. No official Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) have been issued to restrict these overflights.

Türkiye and Israel have maintained a tense political relationship for several years. All direct flights between the two countries have been suspended since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent military response in Gaza. In a further indication of strained ties, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines relinquished their remaining slots at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport in April 2025, signaling that their return to the Israeli market remains unlikely in the near future.

While Türkiye’s move marks a significant escalation in diplomatic and economic pressure on Israel, the continuation of commercial overflights suggests a cautious approach to aviation restrictions, balancing political stance with operational realities of regional air traffic.

As the humanitarian and geopolitical crisis unfolds, the Turkish government’s actions reflect growing condemnation of Israeli policies in Gaza, underscoring the complex and volatile dynamics in Middle Eastern relations.

Emirates has once again strengthened its status as a global aviation leader after winning two prestigious accolades at the 2026 Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Global Passenger Choice Awards. The Dubai-based carrier was honored with the titles of  World Class Airline 2026 and Best Global Entertainment, reflecting its continuous efforts to deliver exceptional customer service, cutting-edge products, and innovative passenger experiences across its network.

The results were announced during the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO held in Long Beach, California, one of the airline industry’s most anticipated annual gatherings.

The World Class Airline recognition is considered one of the highest distinctions in commercial aviation, reserved for airlines that excel in areas such as passenger safety, sustainability, health and well-being measures, service consistency, and global operations. The award is based on a comprehensive evaluation conducted by industry experts in collaboration with Yates and Partners, as well as verified passenger feedback collected through professional auditing of traveler reviews. This recognition places Emirates among the top global carriers that set benchmarks for excellence in airline standards.

In addition, Emirates’ victory in the category of Best Global Entertainment further underscores its long dominance in inflight entertainment. The airline’s award-winning ice system, regarded as one of the most advanced in the world, offers more than 6,500 channels of movies, TV shows, documentaries, music, podcasts, games, and even live sports broadcasts.

Available in multiple languages and updated regularly, the entertainment system has become a defining feature of the Emirates travel experience and a major differentiator for the brand. Passengers also benefit from high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity onboard, allowing them to stay connected throughout their journey, a feature increasingly demanded by today’s travelers.

The APEX Global Passenger Choice Awards are especially noteworthy in the aviation industry as they are based on real passenger experiences and independently audited evaluations rather than solely subjective jury decisions. Millions of travelers worldwide share ratings on nearly 600 airlines each year through TripIt®, feeding into the data that determines winners.

This combination of passenger feedback and independent verification ensures that the accolades reflect genuinely outstanding performance and consistency in airline operations.

For Emirates, these awards come at a time when the airline is actively expanding and modernizing its fleet while also upgrading its services in line with evolving customer expectations. Over the past year, Emirates has introduced retrofitted aircraft with refreshed cabins, including its latest Premium Economy class, offering a new level of comfort.

The airline has also expanded its culinary offerings, elevated beverage services across cabins, redesigned lounges, and strengthened its renowned multicultural crew training programs to deliver more personalized care on board.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, welcomed the honors, describing them as a testament to the carrier’s unwavering focus on delivering an unmatched customer journey from ground to sky. He highlighted the airline’s commitment not only to luxury and service innovation but also to sustainable aviation, noting Emirates’ steps toward investing in modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, testing alternative fuels, and integrating environmentally conscious features in its products and ground operations.

The recognition also positions Emirates strongly against its global competitors, such as Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, all of which are known for high service standards and premium offerings. By maintaining excellence in both overall travel experience and in-flight entertainment, Emirates consolidates its place as a benchmark airline for premium international travelers seeking comfort, reliability, and consistency.

Looking ahead, Emirates will continue to enhance its global connectivity as it expands into new destinations throughout 2026, with routes planned in markets across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The airline is also preparing to welcome next-generation aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-9, both of which will introduce new levels of efficiency and customer experience to its long-haul journeys. These developments are expected to further strengthen Emirates’ position as a leader in passenger satisfaction and an airline that continuously invests in the future of travel.

Turkish Airlines (THY) reported carrying 60.7 million passengers during the first eight months of 2025, achieving an overall load factor of 82.7%, reflecting steady growth and strong demand. Passenger numbers increased by 5.8% year-over-year, driven in part by a 10.3% rise in international-to-international transfer passengers, which reached 23.1 million.

The airline’s load factor improved by 0.6 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024, with international flights operating at an 82.3% load factor and domestic flights at 86.7%. Turkish Airlines’ available seat kilometers (ASK) also grew by 6.4%, climbing to 179.2 billion from 168.5 billion in the previous year. Additionally, cargo and mail volumes increased by 5.4% to 1.4 million tons, highlighting growth in its freight operations. The carrier’s fleet expanded to 501 aircraft by the end of August.

In August 2025 alone, Turkish Airlines carried 9.4 million passengers, an 11.9% year-over-year jump. International transfer passengers surged by 17.3% to 3.49 million, with the passenger load factor rising 0.9 percentage points to 86.7%. That month, international flights achieved an 86% load factor, while domestic flights reached 92.6%. Available seat kilometers rose 8.2% to 25.3 billion, and cargo and mail volumes increased by 10.5% to over 191,100 tons.

These figures illustrate Turkish Airlines’ ongoing expansion and operational efficiency, underlining its status as a leading global carrier connecting numerous international and domestic destinations with a growing fleet and robust passenger and cargo demand.

Emirates, the world's largest international airline, will deploy its Airbus A350 aircraft on the daily Dubai-Hangzhou route starting October 26, 2025. This deployment comes just three months after Emirates inaugurated the Hangzhou service, reflecting the airline’s commitment to offering an elevated travel experience on its newest mainland China destination.

Flight EK310 departs Dubai International Airport at 04:15 local time and arrives in Hangzhou at 16:00. The return flight EK311 leaves Hangzhou at 00:10 and lands in Dubai at 06:10. The A350 represents the first new aircraft model to join the Emirates fleet since 2008, adding to the existing fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s serving China.

The Emirates A350 features the airline’s latest signature interiors, with spacious cabins boasting high ceilings and wider aisles. The aircraft is designed to enhance passenger comfort with seamless technology touchpoints and state-of-the-art inflight entertainment.

Importantly, the A350 introduction to Hangzhou also brings Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin to this route, expanding premium travel options. Premium Economy provides a Business Class-like experience with spacious leather reclining seats fitted with full leg and footrests, adjustable headrests, in-seat charging, side cocktail tables, 13.3-inch screens, complimentary pillows and blankets, amenity kits on select flights, and exclusive sparkling wine (Chandon Vintage Brut 2017).

The aircraft configuration includes 312 seats across three classes: 32 next-generation Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 21 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 layout, and 259 Economy Class seats arranged 3-3-3.

Passengers can book tickets via emirates.com, the Emirates App, contact centres, travel agents, and Emirates retail stores. Chinese customers can also use WeChat Pay on emirates.com.

 Turkish Airlines has officially resumed direct flights to Misrata, Libya’s third-largest city, following a suspension of more than 10 years. This return complements the airline’s existing Libyan services to Tripoli and Benghazi, expanding its growing footprint across the African continent.

The route, suspended in January 2015 due to regional instability, now operates three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays using Boeing 737-78D aircraft. Flight TK1145 departs Istanbul at 11:30 a.m., arriving in Misrata at 2:25 p.m. local time, while the return flight TK1146 leaves Misrata at 4:25 p.m., arriving in Istanbul at 7:15 p.m.

Mahmut Yayla, Senior Vice President of Sales for Region II at Turkish Airlines, expressed enthusiasm about reconnecting with Misrata, a city sharing deep historical ties with Türkiye. He noted the airline’s commitment to meeting increasing travel demand driven by Africa’s economic growth and highlighted ongoing efforts to diversify gateways on the continent.

To mark the route’s reopening, Turkish Airlines offers promotional fares for tickets purchased by September 9, 2025, with prices starting at $349 one-way from Istanbul to Misrata and $249 for the return trip. These fares apply to travel until November 30, 2025, and may vary based on the point of purchase.

This reopening aligns with Turkish Airlines’ strategy to reinforce Istanbul’s role as a global aviation hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, while strengthening its presence in emerging markets in Africa.

AirAsia has officially launched Cebu as its newest hub in the Philippines, marking a significant milestone in its regional expansion and reinforcing its commitment to enhancing connectivity across Asean. Cebu, known as the Queen City of the South, is one of the Philippines’ fastest-growing tourism and business centers and now joins Manila as a key operating hub for AirAsia Philippines (flight code Z2).

Starting from November 15, 2025, AirAsia Philippines will operate flights from Cebu to domestic and international destinations including Kuala Lumpur (14 times weekly), Davao (18 times weekly), Caticlan (11 times weekly), Iloilo (4 times weekly), and Macao (3 times weekly). This new hub improves access to popular leisure and business destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao regions for Malaysian travelers and connects the Philippines more conveniently to other parts of Asia.

Amanda Woo, Group Chief Commercial Officer of AirAsia, stated that the Cebu hub reopening highlights AirAsia Group’s strong commitment to the Philippines by opening new gateways and driving economic opportunities. She praised the support from Mactan Cebu International Airport, the Philippine Government, and other stakeholders critical to the success of this initiative.

Promotional one-way all-in fares from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur start at RM288, and fares to Macao begin at PHP904, available for booking through the MOVE app until September 21, 2025. The new hub aligns with AirAsia’s multi-hub strategy in the Philippines and its broader network synergy across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Cebu’s strategic location as a gateway to the central and southern Philippines offers seamless connectivity to nearby islands such as Bohol, Siquijor, and Dumaguete, making it an attractive base for travel and tourism beyond the typical routes.
The launch also coincides with AirAsia's recruitment drive aimed at expanding its pilot and cabin crew teams to support the increased operations out of Cebu.