AB Espresso: Dubai air taxis will take off in 2026

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Discover the latest stories from Arabian Business, compiled by our editorial team. Here's what you missed on Tuesday:

Fully electric air taxis will take off in Dubai in the first quarter of 2026 as part of its Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) initiatives, a senior official revealed. Powered by Joby Aviation, the first point of the four vertiports of the Dubai flying taxi is expected to go into operation in the first quarter of 2026, stated Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of the Transportation Systems Department at Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

In other news, Shamal Holding, a Dubai-based investment firm, has unveiled plans for the UAE’s first Baccarat Hotel, set to open in Downtown Dubai. The announcement marks a significant development in the city’s ultra-luxury hospitality sector. The 145-key property will offer views of the Burj Khalifa. The hotel’s design draws inspiration from Baccarat’s crystal heritage, featuring a glass façade that aims to complement the city’s existing skyline.

Meanwhile, supermodel Naomi Campbell and renowned fashion entrepreneur Umar Kamani have announced the launch of their new venture, KC Global Partnerships, a talent and partnerships agency set to open its headquarters in Dubai Hills Business Park later this month. The agency aims to revolutionise talent and brand collaborations in the Middle East and beyond, adopting a 360-degree approach to drive innovation and culture through partnerships between talents, brands, celebrities, industry leaders, and experts.

On the transport front, Etihad Airways carried 1.7m guests and achieved an average passenger load factor of 89 per cent across August, reflecting very strong performance during the summer holiday season. Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “Our passenger numbers in August increased significantly compared to the same period last year, demonstrating our continued growth momentum.

Aside from this, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has announced significant changes to the company’s work culture and organisational structure. In an internal memo to employees, Jassy outlined plans to reduce management layers and return to full-time office work. The tech giant aims to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15 per cent by the end of Q1 2025.

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The new set of game developers is using Blockchain as a tool to enhance the gaming experience for users, rather than deploying the technology to add more complexity to games

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