Bloomberg Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc said it’s going to charge extra for passengers who want to guarantee a spot next to an unoccupied middle seat in the age of social distancing. The carrier aims to generate revenue on the empty seats, charging from $39 to $89 depending on the route. It will have 18 “More Room” assignments available on each ...

Bloomberg Air Canada said it expects the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to last at least three years and predicted large job cuts as it hunkers down to survive “the darkest period ever” for the industry. The country’s biggest airline, which reported a first-quarter loss, said it expects capacity in the third quarter to be 75% below last year’s level, ...

Bloomberg Spain’s transport ministry is seeking to help airlines tap bank state-backed loans but more help may be needed, Minister Jose Luis Abalos said. “I do believe airlines will tap those loans, but it is possible that they may need a reinforcement to those credit-lines, which now are enough to help liquidity only in the short-term,” Abalos said at a ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The value of non-oil foreign merchandise trade through Abu Dhabi ports hit to AED37.1 billion in January and February, up 3.6 percent from AED35.8 billion during the comparable period last year, according to the figures released by Abu Dhabi Statistics Centre (SCAD). Imports increased by 12.5 percent from AED17.11 billion to AED19.25 billion during the reference ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE  on Monday sent an aid plane containing five metric tons of medical supplies to Botswana to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. The aid will assist approximately 5,000 medical professionals as they work to combat the virus. To date, the UAE has provided more than 353 metric tons of aid ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The central bank of the UAE has revealed the country’s gross banking assets have risen to AED3.128 trillion ($851 billion) during the first quarter of 2020. The March gross banks’ assets total represents a year-on-year increase of 8.1 percent compared to March 2019 (AED2.894 trillion). Statistics issued by central bank highlighted an increase in the value ...

ABU DHABI / WAM In an ongoing effort to find innovative solutions to the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mubadala Healthcare has reached out to NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) to utilise its 3D printing and Core Technology Platform capabilities to meet the growing demand for critical medical supplies. In a statement on Monday, Mubadala Healthcare said the aim of ...

Bloomberg Oil fell after a three-day rebound as a number of funds shifted away from near-term contracts, fearing a repeat of the meltdown last month that saw prices plunge below zero. Futures fell 8% towards $18 a barrel in New York as investors worried that a massive supply overhang while coronavirus shatters demand will send market tumbling again. The manager ...

ABU DHABI / WAM Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) announced the launch of the ‘I am Committed’ initiative in collaboration with 81 Designs, a UAE-based social enterprise. The programme aims to increase awareness of the government’s efforts to minimise the spread of coronavirus outbreak, encourage the community to adhere to the guidelines and get tested for Covid-19. As part ...

DUBAI / Emirates Business Emirates SkyCargo has announced that with effect from the first week of May, it has commenced dedicated cargo flights on a scheduled basis every week to 67 global destinations across six continents. This includes 11 destinations in the Middle East, seven in Africa, 22 in Asia, six in Australasia, 15 in Europe and six cities in ...