Travel News Page 56
Air India and Thai Airways deepen partnership
Air India, India’s leading global airline, and Thai Airways International (THAI), Thailand’s national carrier, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) building on their existing interline agreement, to explore a deeper partnership aimed at boosting connectivity between Thailand, India, and destinations beyond, leveraging each other’s global network strengths. The MoU was signed on 07 June 2026 on the sidelines of the ongoing IATA AGM in Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil.
TAT elevates Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2026 with Thai brand experiences
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), together with public and private sector partners, is presenting the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2026 from June to August, inviting Thai and international tourists to discover Thai brands, local identity, and creative tourism experiences under the concept Unforgettable Experience of Thai Brands. Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said, “The next value of Thai tourism will come from experiences travellers remember, share, and return to. Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2026 is designed to make Thai brands a living expression of Thailand’s creativity, from fashion and craft to lifestyle and community products. When a purchase carries a story of place and people, it extends the journey beyond the trip and creates lasting value for Thailand.”
Icelandair: Record load factor in May
In May 2026, Icelandair transported 464 thousand passengers, an increase of 4% year-on-year. Passenger distribution was as follows: 30% traveled to Iceland, 19% from Iceland, 45% were connecting passengers, and 5% traveled within Iceland. The number of passengers traveling to and from Iceland increased by 8% and 24% respectively, while connecting passengers decreased by 5%. This reflects the Company’s focus on the currently higher yielding markets to and from Iceland.
SWISS brings the flavors of a Nidwalden summer on board
For the next three months, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will serve culinary creations from the Canton of Nidwalden to its First and Business Class guests on long-haul flights departing Switzerland. The dishes have been created by Fabian Inderbitzin, Head Chef at Seerestaurant Belvédère in Hergiswil, located on the picturesque shores of Lake Lucerne. With his passion for regional produce and his ‘haute cuisine du terroir,’ which combines tradition with influences from around the world, he has earned both a Michelin star and 17 GaultMillau points.
Jet2 announces another new Summer 2027 destination from Leeds Bradford Airport
Just a week after announcing the launch of two stunning brand-new and exclusive Summer 2027 destinations from Leeds Bradford Airport, UK consumer champion, Jet2, has today put another new summer favourite on sale. Yorkshire’s leading leisure airline and tour operator has put flights and holidays on sale to Tivat in Montenegro, giving customers and independent travel agents direct access to the destination that features everything from golden beaches and cool bars to whitewashed villages and rugged national parks
Norwegian named Europe’s most punctual airline as it heads into the busy summer season
Norwegian has been named Europe’s most punctual airline in May 2026, according to the latest On-Time Performance (OTP) rankings from Cirium, the leading aviation analytics company. With an On-time performance score of 88.58 percent as measured by Cirium, Norwegian ranked first among all European airlines, underlining the company’s strong operational performance and reliability ahead of the peak summer travel season.
RYANAIR’S NEW SUMMER 2026 MANCHESTER ROUTES TAKE OFF
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, has announced that the first flights of its new Summer 2026 routes from Manchester to Castellon, took off on Mon, 1 June, and to Rimini, which took off on Wed, 3 June. Ryanair will operate 2 weekly flights on these exciting new Summer 2026 routes, providing its UK customers with even more choice at Europe’s lowest fares.
Regent Hotels & Resorts partners with 28th Shanghai International Film Festival
Regent has been named the Official Hotel Partner of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), taking place from 12 – 21 June 2026. Regent Shanghai on the Bund will host the festival’s Official Opening Gala dinner in the third expression of Regent’s global film festival series which also included Festival de Cannes and the Hong Kong Film Awards. The momentous evening will gather filmmakers, stars of screen, and the industry’s most celebrated within the hotel’s ballroom. Here, backdropped by panoramas of the Huangpu River and Shanghai skyline, guests will experience Regent hospitality and fine dining by Executive Chefs Ting Wai Wan and Lorenzo Merolle.
AROYA Cruises Announces Strategic Partnership with Lufthansa City Center International
AROYA Cruises, the first Arabian cruise line and a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi, a Public Investment Fund portfolio company, today announced a strategic international travel trade partnership with Lufthansa City Center International (LCCI), the international franchisor of the Lufthansa City Center (LCC) global travel agency network. This partnership marks an important step in AROYA Cruises’ global distribution strategy, supporting the cruise line’s ambition to bring its “Remarkably Arabian” hospitality to new international audiences and strengthen its reach across key source markets.
Aeroflot to continue regular flights to Seychelles during the summer season
Aeroflot will continue operating regular flights to Seychelles during the summer season. Flights will commence on July 8 on will be operated using wide-body Airbus A350 aircraft in a three-class configuration: Economy, Comfort, and Business. Tickets are available.
Caribbean Week concludes in New York
Caribbean Week in New York 2026 concluded after four days of high-level dialogue, strategic partnerships and thought leadership, reinforcing the Caribbean’s unified vision under the theme “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences.” Hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) at InterContinental New York Times Square, the event brought together tourism ministers, commissioners, industry leaders, media, travel advisors and students from across the region and beyond.
Etihad and TAROM Open New Links Across Eastern Europe
Etihad Airways and TAROM, the national airline of Romania, have signed a codeshare agreement that connects Etihad’s global guests with Romania and Eastern Europe, and links travellers from Romania to Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s home and gateway to its worldwide network. The agreement was signed at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. Under the partnership, Etihad guests can book a single ticket on TAROM flights from Bucharest to six cities across Romania: Baia Mare, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Oradea, Suceava, and Timisoara. The codeshare also extends to four Eastern European capitals: Belgrade, Budapest, Chisinau, and Sofia. Guests from Romania, in turn, can reach Abu Dhabi from Bucharest on Etihad’s new service.