FRANKFURT: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said on Thursday it had pulled out of talks with TUI Group , Europe’s largest tour operator, aimed at creating a new joint venture holiday airline.
Under plans outlined last year TUI’s own airline TUIfly was to be merged with Air Berlin’s leisure airline Niki once Niki was bought out of Air Berlin by Etihad. The Gulf airline has a near 30 percent stake in Etihad.
Etihad said on Thursday that it was not able to reach agreement on the final nature of the joint venture despite “many months of negotiations,” while TUI said Niki was “no longer available” for a deal.
“A strong European leisure airline continues to make great strategic sense. After all, the aviation sector is characterised by overcapacity in Germany,” said Sebastian Ebel, TUI’s executive board member, said.
“However, Niki is no longer available for a joint venture. We will push the repositioning of TUIfly further ahead in order to develop long-term prospects for the airline and its employees,” Ebel said in a statement.
TUI said it remained open for partnerships and joint ventures.
As part of the deal Etihad was planning to buy Niki from Air Berlin before combining the business with TUIfly.
Air Berlin had already received €300 million ($337 million) from Etihad for Niki, according to Air Berlin’s annual report.
But Etihad said in the statement the leisure operations of Air Berlin group would now continue to operate as a separate business unit, under the Niki brand.
“Further details of this structure will be announced in due course by Air Berlin,” Etihad said.
Air Berlin said earlier that it was open to working with Lufthansa.
The airline booked losses amounting to €1.2 billion for the last two years, and depends on cash infusions from key shareholder Etihad for survival.
“We need to find a partner in 2017, and Lufthansa is a possible one,” said Air Berlin Chief Executive Thomas Winkelmann.
“I will look at everything that makes sense for Air Berlin and secures jobs in the long term,” he told Die Zeit weekly in an interview.
Executives from Germany’s second-largest airline presented a massive restructuring plan in late September that included renting 38 aircraft with crew to Lufthansa and slashing 1,200 jobs — or one in seven of its workforce.
Amid its restructuring, it has also been hit by a string of flight cancelations and severe delays, including over the recent Whitsun long weekend.
Winkelmann apologized to his clients for the problems, saying: “I am sorry for the delays. I myself am furious when there is a delay of more than ten minutes.”
But beyond the bad publicity caused by the delays, the airline would also have to pay a price.
According to Germany’s biggest daily Bild, compensation payments over the Whitsun weekend alone are expected to reach more than €500,000.
TUI, Etihad abandon plans to form new leisure airline
TUI, Etihad abandon plans to form new leisure airline
Building bridges: Saudi Arabia leads Gulf-Asia tech leap
ALKHOBAR: Saudi Arabia is forging new academic connections with Asia as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 accelerates reforms in education and innovation.
Two academics — Prof. Eman AbuKhousa, a data science professor at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Dubai, and Prof. Hui Kai-Lung, acting dean of the HKUST Business School in Hong Kong —emphasize that the Kingdom’s transformation is reshaping the development of artificial intelligence and fintech talent across the region.
For AbuKhousa, responsible AI is not just about technology; it is fundamentally about intention. “It is about aligning technology with human values: ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in every system we build.”
She highlighted that the Middle East’s heritage of trust and ethics gives the region a competitive advantage. “Institutions should embed ethics and cultural context into AI education and create multidisciplinary labs where engineers collaborate with social scientists and ethicists,” she said.
At the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Dubai, AbuKhousa trains students to question data, identify bias, and integrate integrity into innovation.
“Educators must model responsible use by explaining how data is sourced and decisions are made,” she explained. “Ultimately, responsible AI is less about algorithms than about intention; teaching future innovators to ask not only ‘Can we?’ but ‘Should we?’”
She further noted:“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has turned digital education into a national movement placing technology and innovation at the heart of human development.”
AbuKhousa emphasized the transformative opportunities for women in the Kingdom: “Today, Saudi female students are designing models, leading AI startups, and redefining what digital leadership looks like.”
Prof. Hui views this transformation through the lens of fintech. “Fintech is deeply embedded in Vision 2030, serving as a key enabler of its three pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation,” he said.
Hui stressed that Saudi Arabia’s investment capacity and modern regulatory framework “create a conducive environment for innovation.” Having collaborated with Aramco, The Financial Academy, and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship, he highlighted the strategic potential of the Kingdom’s young population. “The Kingdom has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age below 30,” he said.
Opinion
This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)
“This demographic presents a tremendous opportunity for higher education to shape future leaders, and our collaborations in Saudi Arabia are highly targeted to support this goal.”
AbuKhousa argued that universities must lead innovation rather than follow it. “Universities must evolve from teaching institutions into innovation ecosystems,” she said. “The real bridge between research and industry lies in applied collaboration: joint labs, shared data projects, and co-supervised capstones where students solve live industry challenges.”
“At UE Dubai, we’ve introduced an Honorary Senate of Business Leaders to strengthen that bridge, bringing decision-makers directly into the learning process,” she added.
DID YOU KNOW?
Vision 2030 has made digital education central to Saudi Arabia’s development strategy.
Women in Saudi Arabia are now designing AI models and leading startups.
Universities are transforming into innovation ecosystems bridging research and industry.
Cross-border collaborations with Hong Kong and Dubai are accelerating fintech and AI growth.
Hui noted that cross-border cooperation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia is growing rapidly. “Saudi Arabia’s scale, strategic location, and leadership in the Arab world offer Hong Kong an ideal partner,” he said. “Hong Kong’s academic and regulatory experience can help the Kingdom fast-track its digital transformation.”
He highlighted lessons from Hong Kong’s fintech journey. “Hong Kong’s fintech journey offers critical lessons for Saudi Arabia, particularly in creating a balanced ecosystem for innovation,” he said. “Education and regulation are both important. We need education at all levels and beyond schools to expose people to these ideas; having diverse and rich experiences also helps, as the education needs to be supplemented by real-life implementation and usage experience. That is what Hong Kong can offer.”
AbuKhousa emphasized that women’s participation in technology must extend beyond access to influence. “Empowering women in technology begins with reimagining representation: from inclusion to influence,” she said. “We need more women not only learning tech, but leading teams, designing systems, and shaping AI policy. Institutions must normalize women’s presence in decision-making spaces and provide visible mentorship networks to counter imposter syndrome.”
Both experts agreed that innovation must remain human-centered and accountable. “As AI becomes integral to financial systems, governments must strike a careful balance between innovation, data ethics, and compliance,” Hui said. “Establishing clear regulatory frameworks and transparency standards is crucial.”
AbuKhousa concurred, emphasizing the role of education in AI adoption: “Educators must position generative AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut. The goal is to teach students how to use AI critically, not merely that they can.”
Hui predicts that “AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity will be transformative forces in the region’s financial sector.” AbuKhousa sees a similar momentum in education: “The Gulf is entering a defining phase where AI becomes the backbone of education and workforce development.”
The experts concluded that the Kingdom’s digital transformation, anchored in Vision 2030, is connecting classrooms, industries, and continents through human-centered innovation.
