News

ExecuJet Middle East Expands Ultra-Long-Range Jet Fleet

Catering to elite travelers, the high-end carrier is updating its fleet with next-gen jets, redefining private aviation standards.

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2025

Joanna Melki

ExecuJet

In response to rising global mobility among ultra-high-net-worth individuals and increased demand for high-performance aircraft, ExecuJet Middle East is expanding its fleet with some of the most advanced large-cabin jets on the market. The move signals a strategic shift toward smarter, more personalized ownership experiences and reflects the evolving expectations of a globally connected clientele.

Based at its new flagship terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), ExecuJet is strengthening its regional presence with the addition of ultra-long-range aircraft such as the Bombardier Global 7500, Global 6000, Global 5000, Challenger 650, Gulfstream G650ER, Dassault Falcon 7X, Falcon 8X, and the Boeing Business Jet. These aircraft represent the leading edge of performance, efficiency, and cabin innovation — designed to deliver effortless long-haul travel with maximum comfort and privacy.

execujet middle east new fleet

Headlining the fleet is the Bombardier Global 7500, featuring cutting-edge avionics, luxurious interiors and the ability to fly over 7,700 nautical miles nonstop, connecting Dubai with key global destinations like New York, Tokyo, and Sydney.

While most aircraft in the fleet are privately owned and not offered for charter, the expansion enhances ExecuJet’s operational agility — supporting better crewing, aircraft management, and personalized service models tailored to owners’ needs across the region.

“As the demands of private aviation continue to evolve, our focus remains on delivering a seamless, intelligent and globally connected ownership experience,” said Khalid Al Hai, Board Member, ExecuJet Middle East. “This fleet expansion represents not only a response to growing client needs but also a reflection of our long-term vision to set new benchmarks in operational excellence and personalized service”.

Also Read: UAE’s Etihad Rail Launches In 2026 — What You Need To Know

Patrick Hansen, CEO of parent company Luxaviation Group, echoed the sentiment, adding, “ExecuJet Middle East’s fleet expansion is a strong step toward delivering advanced, tailored solutions for the next generation of jet owners”.

Looking ahead, ExecuJet Middle East aims to manage 30 aircraft by 2030. This target will be supported by investments in fleet optimization technologies and enhanced fixed-base operation (FBO) and hangar infrastructure at strategic international locations.

This milestone reflects ExecuJet’s broader commitment to shaping the future of private aviation — where technological innovation, global reach, and personalized ownership converge to meet the lifestyle demands of modern business leaders and private clients.

News

Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon

Foreign visitors will be the first users to benefit, but whether Syria’s own banks and cardholders follow is still an open question.

Published

1 week ago

August 27, 2026

Dana Saadeh

visa's return to syria starts with a test and a bank in lebanon

Visa is returning to Syria. Its first live international card transaction in the country was a test rather than a launch, and the milestone event ran through a Lebanese bank.

The acquirer (the bank on the merchant’s side of a card payment) was Fransabank Lebanon, with Paymera as the other named partner. Nadim Moujaes, who heads a Fransabank Group subsidiary, describes the test as both the culmination of “longstanding efforts to link Syria back to international payment networks” and “the first step in a larger path”.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa makes the first electronic payment in Syria using a @Visa card at a store in Damascus, following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/lpAN7nQ6Fc

— Tech Magazine (@TechMGZN) August 27, 2026

“We are excited to have successfully tested live transactions today as we plan to enable international visitors to use their Visa cards while in Syria,” says Leila Serhan, Visa’s senior vice president and group country manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. Although a significant first step, that plan doesn’t come with a hard date for when a visitor’s card will work normally.

Mohammed Safwat Raslan, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, says the test paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria and that maintaining strong compliance, risk management and operational controls will remain essential. Serhan likewise stresses that Visa has worked within applicable legal, regulatory and compliance requirements. For a test transaction, it seems there was a great deal of attention paid to the rules, with the entire operation being carefully managed.

Also Read: Lebanon’s 5G Era Begins With 150 Stations And A $1M Budget

The test is the latest step in a sequence that began in December 2025, when Visa announced a strategic roadmap to support Syria’s integration into the global digital economy. In February 2026 it hosted its first industry gathering of banks, ecosystem partners and policymakers in Damascus and, the same month, signed an agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in San Francisco.

Michel Kattouah, Paymera’s CEO, called the test “the return of international card acceptance,” but while that’s positive news, there’s no word yet on when a Syrian bank will issue a Visa card to a Syrian customer.