Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Israel’s El Al and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways have signed a memorandum of understanding covering the eventual introduction of joint codeshare services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, along with closer cooperation on cargo operations, engineering, loyalty, destination management, and use of pilot and cabin crew training facilities, Etihad said on Thursday. Etihad this week announced its intention to start daily services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv on March 28.

 


The deal comes some three and a half months after El Al completed the first-ever commercial flight between Israel and the United Arab Emirates following an announcement that the two countries would normalize diplomatic relations. The sides signed a formal agreement on September 15 at the White House.

 


Talks between the carriers’ engineering and cargo divisions would involve MRO cooperation and exploring ways to increase volumes of freighter traffic flowing into and out of Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and across the carriers’ combined networks.

 


Along with codeshare operations, the teams at the Etihad Guest and El Al Matmid loyalty programs will explore reciprocal “earn and burn” opportunities for their members. Meanwhile, the airlines’ destination management teams will collaborate to encourage reciprocal tourism to Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.

 


Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam’s third-holiest shrine and a focus of interest for Muslim visitors from the UAE, who have until recently never had a chance to visit the site.&nbsp;

 


According to official figures, Israel saw 4.1 million tourists in 2018, compared with 3.6 million in the previous year. Israeli statistics show that Muslims accounted for 2.4 percent of the arrivals, or around 98,000 people.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

El Al, Etihad to Broadly Cooperate Under Terms of MOU

Etihad’s plan to start services to Tel Aviv on March 28 heralds a codeshare deal, MRO collaboration and cooperation on cargo services.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

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Howard Hardee

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

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Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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