Travel Unpacked: Emiratis can register for US Global Entry Scheme and Etihad launches A380s to Paris

The National rounds up the most interesting tourism news you might have missed

Emirati travellers flying to the US can register for Global Entry, while Etihad is brining its A380 superjumbos back to Paris. Photo: Etihad

The UAE has been added to the Global Entry Scheme, making it easier for citizens of the Emirates to fly to the US, while passengers going from Abu Dhabi to Paris can do so on Etihad's A380 superjumbo, which has returned to the City of Light. Meanwhile, cruise lines are being evaluated on the basis of the pollution they cause.

Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.

Etihad's A380 superjumbo jets back to Paris

The Etihad A380 superjumbo is home to the only three-room suite in the sky. Photo: Etihad

Travellers flying from Abu Dhabi to the City of Light this festive season can do so aboard the world’s largest passenger jet as Etihad Airways reintroduces its double-decker superjumbo on flights to Paris.

The national airline of the UAE landed the 73-metre-long Airbus at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on Friday, marking the start of twice daily A380 flights. Home to The Residence, the only three-room suite in the sky, Etihad's A380 jets also have nine first class “apartments”, 70 business studios and 405 economy smart seats, 68 of which have extra legroom. Premium passengers travelling on the superjumbo can also access to The Lobby, an exclusive lounge area.

“As a city celebrated for its style and ambience, Paris continues to be a key destination in our global network. The return of our A380 strengthens the travel offering between Abu Dhabi and Paris, reflecting our commitment to this important route,” said Arik De, chief revenue and commercial officer, Etihad Airways.

“Our broader network expansion plans, including increasing to year-round, double-daily frequencies to Milan, Rome, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona and Madrid, demonstrate our strong growth momentum in Europe,” added De.

The return of the A380 increases capacity between Abu Dhabi and Paris by 31 per cent, with an additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner joining the schedule from January 15. Etihad has said that it sees a rising demand for travel in France, and plans to announce more news for the region before the end of the year.

UAE citizens can now travel to the US under the Global Entry scheme

Global Entry expedites customs checks on arrival in the US for pre-approved and low-risk travellers. Bloomberg

Emirati travellers are now able to register for the US Global Entry Programme. Starting this month, Emirati citizens can move more easily through US airports under the scheme after the UAE was listed as one of 23 partner countries from where citizens can apply for membership.

The move is part of efforts to enhance UAE-US relations and help facilitate trade between the two countries. It was first announced in September following a visit to the US by President Sheikh Mohamed.

Global Entry is a US government-run programme that expedites customs checks on arrival in the US for preapproved and low-risk travellers. The programme screens the security background of applicants before travel, and allows members to immediately check in at a Global Entry kiosk at US airports.

“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to facilitating secure and efficient travel while enhancing border security for both nations,” said Diane J Sabatino, acting executive assistant commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. “By offering Global Entry access to UAE citizens, we are making safe, secure travel more accessible while fostering stronger diplomatic and economic relations.”

Helping to cut down on long queues and paperwork on arrival in the US, the programme uses automated immigration processes for approved applicants. All participants in the programme must still have a valid US visa to enter the country.

Applicants need to create an account online and pay a non-refundable application fee of $100, then schedule an in-person interview. A valid passport and one other form of identification is required as part of the interview process. The application-vetting process normally happens within two weeks after sending an application.

Once accepted, the Global Entry membership will last five years. At select US airports, at separate Global Entry lanes, members have their photo taken, which confirms their identity, before they briefly meet a customs and border patrol officer.

Disney cruise line is Europe’s most polluting, finds new research

Disney Dream, a Disney Cruise Lines ship, sails to the Bahamas. Reuters

New research by Which? in the UK has ranked Europe’s cruise ships on the basis of how much pollution they emit, with Disney Cruise Line coming out worst. The non-profit consumer research company used the European Union’s 2023 MRV emissions data to calculate the average carbon dioxide emission per ship to establish the ranking.

Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream, the only vessel that the company had sailing in Europe last year, emitted an average of 1,481kg of carbon dioxide per nautical mile on its journey. With a capacity of 2,500 passengers, water parks, restaurants and hundreds of cabins, the vessel pumped out the fumes as it voyaged around northern Europe.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s megaship, Norwegian Epic, which can accommodate about 4,000 passengers, had the biggest footprint of all ships surveyed, emitting 95,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide last year. Princess Cruises ranked third in the study, which has been rejected by many cruise line companies.

Norwegian Cruises told Which? that the European Union’s data can offer valuable insights, but is misleading, as it does not account for time in port or the number of passengers on each ship.

About half of the new cruise ships being built today can run on liquefied natural gas. Italian-owned MSC cruise line, which also sails from Dubai, has two new ships that can run on LNG and emit less carbon dioxide than those operating on traditional marine fuels. However, LNG is still a fossil fuel and the gas traps more heat than carbon dioxide does.