Etihad Airways will launch direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport from October 4, expanding air links between the UAE and the kingdom’s growing tourism destinations.

The airline will initially operate one flight every Sunday from Zayed International Airport before adding a second weekly service on Thursdays from October 25, Red Sea International Airport said in a statement.

The year-round route will use an Airbus A320, with a flight time of a little over three hours.

Flights from Abu Dhabi will depart at 9:55 am and arrive at Red Sea International Airport at 12:05 pm, while return services will leave at 2 p.m. and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 6:05 pm.

The new route will provide direct access from the UAE capital to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, including The Red Sea and AMAALA tourism destinations.

“Red Sea International Airport is the front door to the Red Sea coast, home to two of the world’s most ambitious new destinations, The Red Sea and AMAALA,” said Michael White, chief commercial officer of Red Sea International Airport.

“Etihad’s twice-weekly service from Abu Dhabi opens the region to guests from across the UAE and far beyond. We cannot wait to welcome them through our doors.”

Etihad chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said the service would make the destination accessible from Abu Dhabi as well as through connections across the airline’s wider network.

“The kind of holiday people normally take a long-haul flight for – islands, reefs, and relaxation – is now a short flight from Abu Dhabi and a single connection from anywhere across our network,” Neves said.

“We are always looking ahead to where our guests will want to travel next and making sure we are there early. The Red Sea is exactly that kind of destination, and it is an easy one to reach: the holiday starts on the day guests arrive, not the day after.”

Red Sea airport expands network

Red Sea International Airport, operated by daa International, currently handles around 20 domestic and international flights a week, connecting the destination with Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, Doha and Milan.

The network has been developed with support from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, alongside daa International.

The Red Sea destination currently has 11 resorts open, including Six Senses Southern Dunes, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Four Seasons Resort and Residences, with another six expected to open in the coming months, according to the airport.

Located about 90 kilometres south of Al Wajh on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, Red Sea International Airport serves as the main aviation gateway to The Red Sea, a tourism destination being developed by Red Sea Global.

The airport said it is within three hours’ flying time of 250 million people and within eight hours of 85 per cent of the world’s population.

Red Sea International Airport has capacity for two million passengers and is preparing to handle one million guests annually by 2030 as it adds more airlines and routes.

The Etihad flights are available for booking now.

ICATT Response Plus, the specialised aeromedical venture of ADX-listed Response Plus Holding, has logged nearly 1,000 flying hours across 20 countries and five continents within five months of starting operations, the company said.

Operating from Abu Dhabi, ICATT Response Plus provides international aeromedical support for patients requiring complex or time-critical transfers between healthcare systems.

The company operates a “bed-to-bed” medical evacuation model, coordinating the patient journey from the referring hospital through ground transportation and air travel to the receiving healthcare facility.

The service is supported by a purpose-built Challenger 605 air ambulance configured as a flying intensive care unit, which the company described as the first of its kind in the UAE.

The aircraft is capable of non-stop missions of up to 7,400 kilometres, allowing critically ill patients to receive advanced medical care and continuous clinical monitoring during long-distance transfers.

The 7,400-kilometre range is consistent with information released when Response Plus launched the long-range air ambulance in May.

The service is intended for patients requiring specialist treatment unavailable locally or those who need to move between healthcare systems while remaining under continuous clinical supervision.

Complex medical transfers

ICATT Response Plus said it has conducted more than 390 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiations and transfers, including the initiation of ECMO for a three-day-old infant.

The organisation has also transferred a one-and-a-half-month-old baby requiring nitric oxide and oscillatory ventilation support.

The figures and cases are consistent with reporting on the company’s latest operational milestone.

Such missions require specialist clinical teams, advanced equipment and coordination between referring and receiving hospitals, particularly when transporting neonatal and ECMO patients internationally.

“Moving critically ill patients across borders requires far more than just transportation – it demands hospital-level care, clinical expertise, and seamless coordination throughout the journey,” said Dr Rohil Raghavan, chairman of ICATT Response Plus.

“ICATT Response Plus addresses this need by combining its proven aeromedical expertise, advanced flying intensive care capabilities and bed-to-bed medical coordination across the globe by our partners and aeromedical consultants, Dr Rahul Singh Sardar and Dr Shalini Nalwad.”

Extending critical care beyond the UAE

ICATT Response Plus also facilitates medical evacuation support for patients travelling from the GCC to destinations worldwide, with each mission planned around the patient’s clinical requirements, destination, aircraft configuration and applicable regulatory considerations.

The company’s operations come as the UAE seeks to strengthen its emergency response capabilities and extend critical care beyond conventional patient transportation.

ICATT Response Plus said its aeromedical teams are experienced in managing highly complex patients during long-distance transfers, helping connect patients requiring specialist care with healthcare facilities outside the UAE when necessary.

The UAE’s top diplomat called on Monday for a “clear” path on Iran’s nuclear programme and serious de-escalation efforts, warning that the Gulf can no longer sustain an indefinite state of neither war nor peace.

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President, told the closing session of the Hili Forum 2026 that the region’s stability requires “sustainable stability, governed by clear and common rules” rather than the fragile arrangements that currently prevail.

“Our region cannot continue indefinitely in a long period of neither war nor peace. Its stability, and the future of its people, require clarity of vision and of path,” Gargash said during the two-day strategic forum that drew more than 1,600 senior officials, diplomats, business leaders and academics from 35 countries.

The comments underscored growing regional concern that the current security architecture, forged through agreements like the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and more recent normalisation accords, remains vulnerable to reversal. The message also reflected anxiety about economic consequences of prolonged geopolitical tension on energy markets, shipping lanes and investment flows critical to Gulf prosperity.

Gargash’s emphasis on clarity over ambiguity signalled that the UAE wants explicit terms, verification mechanisms and consequences around any Iran nuclear arrangement, moving beyond the diplomatic opacity that has characterised past negotiations.

“What comes next cannot rest on fragile arrangements that are detached from, or that undermine international law. Getting there requires serious de-escalation, a long-term diplomatic approach to regional stability, and a clear path on Iran’s nuclear programme – clear in its terms, clear in its verification, and clear in its consequences,” he said.

The forum, held under the theme “Gulf at Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction,” centred on three strategic pillars: geopolitics, geoeconomics and geotechnology. It concluded with participants emphasising the need for practical approaches to strengthen Gulf security, stability and prosperity while bolstering the region’s role in shaping the international order.

GULF’S ECONOMIC RESILIENCE

The forum highlighted the Gulf’s efforts to insulate its economy from geopolitical turbulence through economic diversification and infrastructure investment.

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, told delegates that the UAE has demonstrated “its ability to turn global challenges into strategic opportunities, diversifying trade and logistics routes, accelerating infrastructure development, and investing in the technologies and industries of tomorrow.”

“We will continue to expand our network of trade and investment partnerships, support the smooth flow of global commerce, and strengthen the UAE’s role as a vital bridge between continents,” Al Zeyoudi said.

The forum highlighted the Gulf states’ efforts to build economic resilience through diversification and infrastructure investment, even as geopolitical uncertainties persist.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, participated in the forum’s discussions on maintaining economic and diplomatic cohesion among member states, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, despite divergent national interests.

FRAGMENTATION AND MIDDLE POWER DIPLOMACY

The forum concluded with a plenary on “Role of Middle Powers in a Ruptured Global Order,” which brought together former leaders and strategic experts including Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations; Vuk Jeremić, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia; and Zhandos Shaimardanov, director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies.

The two-day forum also featured a plenary session on “Data, Drones, Digital (Dis) Order,” which brought together Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Cyber Security Council; Ambassador Yoo Jeh Seung, former Ambassador of South Korea to the UAE; Daniel Mouton, VP and chief executive of Lockheed Martin Middle East; and Talal AlKaissi, CEO of Core42 and acting group chief global affairs officer at G42.

The programme also featured a presentation by Dr David Scharia, director and chief of Branch at the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate of the United Nations Security Council, as well as a fireside chat with Luigi Di Maio, European Union Special Representative for the Gulf Region.

PLATFORM FOR DIALOGUE

Dr Sultan Mohammed Al-Nuaimi, Director General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, which co-organised the forum, said the event underscored the deep interconnection between Gulf security and the functioning of global commerce.

“The essence of the crossroads lies in moving the international response beyond managing the consequences of crises towards a vision that reflects the Gulf’s importance to the stability of the international order,” he said.

Nickolay E Mladenov, DG of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, said the forum demonstrated the importance of sustained dialogue amid global fragmentation.

“The Gulf is increasingly one of the places where the future international order is being negotiated, contested and tested,” Mladenov said. “The challenge for the region is whether it can withstand an age of fragmentation, but whether it can remain a source of connection, continue building relationships and institutions, and strengthen trust across divides.”

The forum concluded by reaffirming the importance of continued dialogue among regional and international actors, even as traditional multilateral institutions face strain and major power competition intensifies.

The Outlet Village by Dubai Retail is marking its 10th anniversary this September with a month-long programme of exclusive offers, shopping rewards and anniversary celebrations, including a one-day giveaway worth more than Dhs40,000.

The highlight of the celebrations will take place on 12 September, when 100 shoppers will have the chance to receive shopping gifts as part of a special activation at the retail destination.

During the event, Dubai Retail’s concierge, Sam, will move around The Outlet Village with a signature concierge cart, inviting visitors to select an envelope from a dedicated anniversary box. Each envelope will reveal a prize, with more than Dhs40,000 worth of shopping gifts available throughout the day.

The activation is designed to reward shoppers while celebrating a decade since The Outlet Village first opened its doors.

Beyond the anniversary event, visitors can also benefit from exclusive promotions and discounts across selected fashion and lifestyle brands throughout September. Dubai Retail said additional offers and surprises will be announced through The Outlet Village’s social media channels during the month.

Since launching in 2016, The Outlet Village has established itself as one of Dubai’s destination shopping outlets, offering premium international fashion and lifestyle brands at outlet prices and attracting residents and tourists looking for value-driven luxury shopping.

The anniversary activation on 12 September will run throughout the day, while prize envelopes remain available.