HALO Space, a global pioneer in near-space tourism, has unveiled an ambitious 10-year roadmap to make commercial near-space flights a reality—beginning with the first-ever launches from Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made at the inaugural TOURISE Summit in Riyadh, a global platform redefining the future of tourism through innovation and cross-sector collaboration.

Etihad Airways has commenced flights from Abu Dhabi to Medina this week, further expanding the airline’s strong footprint in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and enhancing travel options for guests across religious, business and leisure segments. The resumed direct service connects Abu Dhabi with Medina, one of the most spiritually significant cities in the world and a key destination for visitors performing religious travel throughout the year. The route will support growing demand from pilgrims and travellers across the world seeking seamless connections to the Kingdom’s holy city. Medina becomes the latest addition to Etihad’s operations in the Kingdom, reinforcing the UAE’s national carrier as a major facilitator of travel to and from Saudi Arabia. With the launch of flights to Medina, Etihad will operate 93 flights per week to five cities across the Kingdom, flying four times per day to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and three services per week to Al Qassim. This expansion is part of Etihad’s ambitious growth strategy, announcing 31 new destinations in a year.

AACO, SITA, and Amadeus have come together to explore how data and technology can bring greater accuracy and transparency to aviation’s sustainability efforts. The initiative represents a concrete step toward helping airlines and passengers make informed decisions based on the environmental impact of air travel, and building the trust needed to support meaningful climate action. Conscious of the criticality of the challenge, two of aviation’s leading technology providers are working together. The collaboration pairs SITA Eco Mission, which draws on real aircraft performance and operational data to deliver accurate emissions and fuel-burn calculations, with Amadeus Travel Impact Suite, which aggregates carbon emissions calculations from multiple recognized sources and standards. Together, they provide the ecosystem with detailed emissions information so that travelers can make more informed decisions. Their shared goal is to demonstrate how accurate data can support decision-making on sustainable travel and facilitate climate action, such as carbon offsetting.

AACO, SITA, and Amadeus have come together to explore how data and technology can bring greater accuracy and transparency to aviation’s sustainability efforts. The initiative represents a concrete step toward helping airlines and passengers make informed decisions based on the environmental impact of air travel, and building the trust needed to support meaningful climate action. Conscious of the criticality of the challenge, two of aviation’s leading technology providers are working together. The collaboration pairs SITA Eco Mission, which draws on real aircraft performance and operational data to deliver accurate emissions and fuel-burn calculations, with Amadeus Travel Impact Suite, which aggregates carbon emissions calculations from multiple recognized sources and standards. Together, they provide the ecosystem with detailed emissions information so that travelers can make more informed decisions. Their shared goal is to demonstrate how accurate data can support decision-making on sustainable travel and facilitate climate action, such as carbon offsetting.

Avianca announced its succession plan for the airline. Frederico Pedreira will step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 28th, 2026, after five years with the company. To further strengthen the airline’s leadership structure and ensure a smooth transition, Avianca’s Board of Directors has approved the creation of a President position, to be filled by Gabriel Oliva concurrently with his COO role, effective immediately. Frederico will remain as CEO until February 28th to ensure full continuity and alignment across the organization.