DOS AND DON’TS FOR TAKING PICTURES ON AIRPLANES
Dubai: It seems mundane enough – you hop on an aircraft, and as you wait for it to take off, you snap some selfies and maybe a video. And what’s a selfie if you don’t show it off to the world via social media, right?
Harmless as it sounds, you may well be violating airline rules.
As per the rules on-board Emirates flights, for example, passengers can take photos or videos of their personal experiences using small cameras or smartphones as long as they do not violate others’ privacy.
“Customers must keep in mind that their activities do not disrupt operations during the flight or infringe on the privacy of other customers on-board,” an Emirates spokesperson said.
The case is much the same on board other carriers. In fact, across the UAE, publishing pictures that show individuals without their consent may be punishable by law.
Flydubai said in a statement that passengers may take pictures and videos on-board aircraft “provided they respect the privacy of our passengers and cabin crew.”
“Photos with cabin crew should only be taken with their permission and at a convenient time i.e. not during critical times of the flight such as landing or take off. Photos and videos of other passengers would need to be taken with their permission,” flydubai said.
But it’s not just on-board aircraft. You might also want to think twice before snapping a shot of all those cool planes lined up on a runway.
In its statement, flydubai added that “all photography whilst airside in Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central without a licence from Dubai Airports is not permitted.” (Airside refers to all areas accessible to aircraft including runways, taxiways, and ramps. Check-in areas are not included.)
But it’s not just the UAE where such rules apply.
In the US, for example, as per rules on United Airlines flights, customers can take pictures or videos “provided the purpose is capturing personal events.” Filming or taking pictures of other passengers of airline staff without their consent is prohibited. As per those rules, the viral video of a man being dragged off a United aircraft that was over-booked was a violation of policy.
American, Delta, and Southwest have similar policies.
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UAE PETROL PRICES CHEAPER IN JUNE
Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Energy on Sunday announced new fuel prices for June.
The per litre prices are Super 98 for Dh1.96, down from Dh2.01 in May; Special 95 for Dh1.85, down from Dh1.90; E Plus-91 for Dh1.78, reduced from Dh1.83.
Diesel price has been reduced to Dh1.90 per litre in June from Dh1.97 in May. The new prices will come into effect from June 1.
Fuel prices are linked to international crude oil prices. Brent, the global benchmark is currently trading at $52.15 per barrel, whereas US crude West Texas Intermediate at $49.80 per barrel.
Oil prices plunged nearly 5 per cent on Thursday after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and other major exporters extended their current deal to limit oil production for nine months.
Thirteen members of the Opec and eleven non-Opec members agreed to cut production by about 1.8 million barrels a day to support oil prices in December last year for six months. The agreement came into effect from January 1.
Opec agreed to slash output by 1.2 million barrels a day and non-Opec members led by Russia by 558,000 barrels a day.
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EMIRATES APPOINTS 3 EMIRATIS TO KEY POSITIONS
Dubai: Emirates has appointed three UAE nationals to key management positions within its commercial and cargo operations team in the Middle East.
The appointments, which will take effect from 1 June 2017, are expected to enhance the airline’s commercial and cargo presence in the region.
The three appointees have years of experience in their line of work and are considered experts in their field.
“All three UAE nationals who will be taking on new roles have a deep understanding of the business and operations at Emirates, from both the passenger and cargo side. We believe that this will strengthen our leadership team and will deliver significant benefits to maximise our commercial performance in the region,” said Thierry Antinori, executive vice president and chief commercial officer.
In the UAE, Emirates has named Abbas A Haji as vice president hub operations for SkyCargo. Abbas will be in charged of Emirates SkyCargo’s hub operations in Dubai at both Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai International Airport.
Abbas joined the Emirates Group in 1977, working for dnata Cargo. He has held several positions across the group since then and previously held the role of vice president Iran, Iraq and Central Asia, running the airline’s commercial operations activities in multiple markets.
Mohamed Khoory will be taking on the role as manager Iran. Mohamed joined Emirates in 2011 as part of the UAE National Management Programme for Commercial Operations.
He had previously held commercial posts in India and the United States prior to his appointment as district manager in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. More recently, he held the role of manager Jordan and West Bank, heading the market’s commercial and business development activities.
In Jordan, Emirates named Sultan Alriyami to drive the airline’s commercial priorities in the market as well as build on Emirates’ business performance as manager Jordan and West Bank.
Sultan joined Emirates in 2014 as part of the UAE National Trainee Management Programme for Commercial Operations. Since then, he has held commercial support roles in Singapore, and more recently in Iran.
The global airline, which has received numerous aviation awards, serves 151 airports in 80 countries from its hub in Dubai. Its fleet of Airbus and Boeing 777 aircraft is said to be the world’s largest.
It maintained that its operations in the Middle East market continue to grow with the region witnessing a 3.6 per cent increase in revenue in 2016/2017 over the previous financial year.
The half-year financial results for 2016-2017, however, showed that the company has been hit by the “double impact of a strong US dollar and challenging operating environment.”
Last November, it was reported that Emirates Group’s half-year net profit for 2016-2017 reached Dh1.3 billion, down 64 per cent.
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UAE SURVEYS REWARD EXPATS WITH FREE AIR TICKETS, HOTEL STAY
Dubai: The next time you are asked to participate in a survey, it might be a good idea not to ignore it, because chances are that you might end up getting a prize – either a free ticket, a hotel stay or a dinner for two.
A recent government office in the UAE, which seeks to collect data from customers by incentivising respondents, have proven just that.
Three travellers recently brought home free Air Arabia air tickets given away by the Sharjah Airport Authority through the “Because We Care” campaign.
The three winners, Khalifa bin Rashid Al Saeedi from Oman, Mohammed Tamer Aboud from Guinea-Bissau and Bawn Ghandi from India, were among the passengers who responded to the Customer Feedback Questionnaire Programme, which was designed to gauge customer pulse and gather suggestions to improve airport services.
The airport authority hopes that by offering rewards, flyers are more encouraged to participate in its survey and provide more helpful feedback.
“Sharjah Airport Authority is committed to engaging the users of Sharjah International Airport in all the programmes and initiatives launched by the authority,” said Shaikh Faisal bin Saud Al Qasimi, director of Sharjah Airport Authority.
“Through these programmes and initiatives, we are keen to open the channels of communication with all the airport’s users to identify their feedback and suggestions with the aim to improve the services,” he added.
The three travellers aren’t the only ones who got lucky with surveys in UAE. Larissa, an expatriate based in Dubai, recently won a free night stay at a premium hotel in Abu Dhabi. The reward also came with free breakfast, brunch and massage for two guests.
She got the prize after participating in an online survey by a magazine that promised to reward respondents. “All I did was filled out a form and about a week or two later, I got a notification saying I won a prize,” she said.
The prize couldn’t have come more timely since the expat was about to celebrate her birthday. “That was perfect timing,” she said.
When doing surveys or market research, businesses dangle incentives to customers in order achieve higher response rates. Rewards come in different forms and they can be in the form of cash, voucher or token.
Survey respondents, however, have been advised to be extra careful when participating in such surveys, as some of them could be a scam.
According to SCAMwatch, there are a number of online scams out there that offer fake gift vouchers or other bogus inducements in order to entice people to give away their personal details, including credit card information that can be used to commit identity theft.
How scams work:
1. These scams abuse the brand names and logos of well-known companies and products to make them look legitimate.
2. As with many legitimate offers and online posts, you might be asked to complete a survey and/ or pass on an offer to others before you can claim a voucher or other inducement or enter a competition. But the scams will take your valuable information and give you only disappointment in return – the products don’t arrive or the vouchers are fakes and the retailers won’t honour them.
3. Recent scams have related to supermarkets, coffee shops, smart phones and tablets, including offers featured on Facebook.
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ETIHAD CELEBRATES DELIVERY OF ITS 10TH AIRBUS A380
Dubai: While other airlines are cutting costs and suspending operations in a number of destinations, a UAE-based carrier continues to invest in order to up the ante in customer experience.
Etihad Airways has just added a new superjumbo jet to its fleet, the Airbus A380, which is touted as the world’s largest commercial passenger plane.
The UAE national airline announced on Thursday the delivery of the double-decker aircraft at the European planemaker’s plant in Germany which, similar to its previously acquired superjumbos, also features luxurious “accommodations” in the air, including a private suite with a living room, a shower and a bedroom.
Dubbed “The Residence,” first launched a few years earlier, the three-room suite is the only accommodation of its kind on a commercial airline, designed for two passengers travelling together.
Guests who book this room can fly in comfort, with the living area featuring a luxurious leather double-seat sofa, two dining tables and a 32-inch flat-screen TV.
The tenth A380 acquired by Etihad also boasts nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios, a lobby lounge and 415 economy smart seats.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline operates its Airbus A380s on flights from the UAE capital to London, Sydney and New York. Starting July 1, the superjumbo will be serving the Paris route as well.
Etihad first introduced the luxurious private cabins in 2014.
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WHY DUBAI RESIDENTS CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THE OUTSKIRTS
Dubai now has several self-sufficient communities where individuals can comfortably live, work and play. Not so long ago areas such as Business Bay, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Dubai Motor City were considered secondary living options. Now these communities are home to numerous amenities as well as trendy food and beverage outlets, thereby enhancing residents’ lifestyles and becoming increasingly popular choices.
The improvement of infrastructure within the emirate also means that residents are able and willing to withstand a longer commute for the sake of affordability and getting more for their money in terms of apartment size, quality, and in some cases both. This applies for both first-time tenants in Dubai as well as a vast number of existing renters assessing their options at the end of a lease and asking the inevitable question: “Should I stay, or should I go?”
Within the newer areas of Dubai, locations such as Downtown Dubai, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are still typically considered to be among the prime locations for apartment-style living.