Air Arabia launches its new route to Sochi in Russia
Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa's first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, inaugurated its new route to the Russian city of Sochi with a frequency six weekly flights.
The new service marks the sixth Russian city to be served directly from Sharjah, alongside Moscow, Kazan, Samara, Ufa, and Yekaterinburg, further expanding Air Arabia's network in the country.
Commenting on the launch, Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said, "We are glad to inaugurate our non-stop flights to Sochi, further strengthening our connectivity with Russia. This expansion not only provides our customers with a convenient and affordable air travel option between the UAE and Russia but also further strengthening tourism and trade ties between both nations. Sochi complements our growing network in the country and reflects our ongoing commitment to offering more travel opportunities to our customers."
"Today, Sochi is actively developing as an international hub, attracting more and more foreign tourists and offering extensive travel opportunities for Russian citizens. The United Arab Emirates ranks among the top destinations served by the airport. The Emirate of Sharjah will become the third city in the UAE connected to Sochi Airport's route network, once again confirming the growth and strengthening of ties between our countries. Thanks to Air Arabia's wide route network, travelers will benefit from convenient connections to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, significantly expanding their international travel options," Alexey Starostin, CEO Aerod, managing company of Sochi airport.
With the addition of Sochi to its network, Air Arabia now serves Russia from three airports in the UAE, including Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. This expansion highlights the airline's ongoing commitment to enhancing connectivity between the United Arab Emirates and Russia, while promoting tourism, trade and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Beyond the Bottom Line: How UAE Companies Can Turn Tax Compliance into Competitive Advantage
This column focuses on different treatments of tax law. If you are in a certain industry, what is the correct timing when invoicing? What information is mandatory on supplier invoices? You can continue to ask questions of this nature up to and including internal document management and compulsory filing with external parties. By way of consequences, inevitably it is the stick, not the carrot, that delivers the greatest response. It is important to understand what penalties can be applied and the sum value of interest on those. This is because it is typically at a later time that problems are discovered. Focusing on the carrot, let us reframe this as a positive business proposition. It is a useful exercise to revisit, line by line, component by component, your profit-and-loss statement to see if contributing elements are optimised. One part often overlooked is tax. Not just corporate tax, but VAT – and depending on your business activities – excise and customs duties. You can tell a lot about a chief executive's leadership by what draws their attention first. 'Sales is vanity, profit is sanity and cash flow is reality.' In uncertain times this adage is never more true. Let's start with sales. From an organisational viewpoint, the location of sales should cause you to consider having a separate entity for non-Gulf business. Depending on what and where you do it, this business might be exempt from corporate tax. At the very least, you can elect to sit outside the UAE's VAT system having satisfied the relevant authorities that you comply with their conditions. What would be lost in reclaimable VAT would be counterbalanced by not having to comply with rules of treatment for client and supplier invoices. Add to that reporting and the potential for disruptive external audits to normal internal operations. Let us add another layer. As more rules are introduced to a tax regime, it requires more effort to manage the increased difficulty. Several regimes that are adding new or amending existing rules, often tugging operational practices in different directions, require an alternative management approach. The worst outcome is when the rules of one tax regime are permitted to dictate the actions of another and do so incorrectly. For example, I've worked with people who, for years, thought that VAT did not apply to their revenue. These businesses will discover that the people to whom they are filing their annual corporate tax return, detailing their revenue, are the same as those they are not reporting their VAT related revenue to. If this is the position you find yourself in, admit the error. The relevant authorities will work with you to correct matters. Yes, with penalties, but having dealt with and settled your dues, the issue is considered resolved and everyone moves on. The above are examples of what you might find when you review your sales processes. It's not a comprehensive list. Let us move on to cost of goods and services. Does your business track the profitability of each piece of work it does at a consolidated level? For a corporate tax perspective, you are interested in whether any of your suppliers are related or connected parties. This means understanding the different parties that make up your supply chain. While you are looking at that, take a look at your margins. While we are talking about transfer pricing, what happens when a related party is not a direct supplier, but instead supplies one who is. Do the same rules of proving that transactions are being carried out at arm's length apply? I do not know. It's possible that a business might be unaware that it's happening. Given ignorance is no defence in law, that might not be sufficient, should it be discovered. Would the value of such business matter? A one-off transaction of value verses multiple micro transactions. Given the breadth of what constitutes a related party in the UAE, it might be easier than you think to find your organisation in this position.
Gulf Business
5 hours ago
- Gulf Business
DubaiNow app users can now access their credit report, credit score
Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes The Etihad Credit Bureau (ECB), the UAE's federal entity for credit information and analytics, has announced a strategic partnership with DubaiNow, the Dubai government's unified smart services platform, allowing users to access their credit report and credit score directly through the app. The integration enables individuals to retrieve their credit data with a single click, significantly enhancing user convenience and digital accessibility. 'Etihad Credit Bureau is committed to advancing the UAE's digital transformation agenda by fostering integration across local government platforms,' said Marwan Ahmad Lutfi, director general of Etihad Credit Bureau. 'By leveraging advanced technology and seamless APIs, we've made it easier than ever to stay informed about your credit health through the digital channels individuals use most.' DubaiNow offers over 300 services Image courtesy DubaiNow website Matar Al Hemeiri, chief executive of the Digital Dubai Government Establishment, said: 'We are pleased to announce the joining of Etihad Credit Bureau to the DubaiNow application, enabling users to easily and quickly access their credit information anytime. This step embodies Etihad Credit Bureau's leading position and reflects its commitment to advancing the digitalisation of life in the UAE.' The initiative aligns with the UAE's national strategy, 'We the UAE 2031', which envisions a pioneering digital ecosystem that supports modern lifestyles and a robust digital economy. Etihad Credit Bureau's integration with DubaiNow follows earlier efforts such as its service linkage with Both entities say the partnership will encourage informed decision-making and promote financial literacy among UAE residents, while laying the groundwork for deeper intergovernmental digital collaborations.
Khaleej Times
6 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Trump says US ending trade discussions with Canada over digital tax
President Donald Trump said on Friday the US is immediately ending trade talks with Canada in response to the country's digital services tax on technology companies, calling it a "direct and blatant attack on our country." "Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven-day period."
