Chinese plane maker Comac is set to display its passenger jets at the Dubai Airshow next month in a Middle East debut, as it seeks to attract regional buyers and expand its reach beyond mainly Asian airline customers.
Shanghai-based Comac will bring its C919 narrow-body and its C909 regional jet to the expo's static display, according to a presentation by the organisers of the Dubai Airshow at a media conference on Tuesday.
“They will be coming to the air show for the very first time. They will have four aircraft on display, as well as taking part in the actual flying display,” Timothy Hawes, managing director of Informa Markets that organises the air show, said.
The state-owned plane maker is developing its own commercial planes to rival the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus, but has yet to cinch deals outside of China and Chinese-allied countries in South-East Asia. Comac's C919, which is designed to compete against the Airbus A320 Neo and Boeing 737 Max models, is currently operated only by Chinese airlines.
Comac has also been eyeing Saudi Arabia for its global expansion push, as the kingdom outlines ambitious plans to develop its aviation sector.
In July, Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), led an official delegation to China, where they conducted high-level meetings and field visits with several Chinese aerospace manufacturers, including Comac, according to UAE state news agency Wam.
Mr Al Suwaidi toured Comac's production centres and met Shen Bo, vice chairman of Comac, and had a “high-level discussion that reviewed the company’s forward-looking plans and explored joint industrial opportunities”, the UAE news agency reported at the time.
Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, on Tuesday said it would be interesting to gauge Comac's technical strategy when they display their products at the air show.
“If you look at the number of automotive products that are coming out of China and how impressive those are, they may well be making quite a statement in the aerospace industry,” he told The National. “We'll know at the air show in November.”
The aviation industry is debating Comac's viability as a rival to the western duopoly of Boeing and Airbus as airlines are struggling to meet soaring travel demand amid supply chain problems that have constrained capacity.
Dubai Airshow 2025: What to expect
The Dubai Airshow will take place from November 17 to 21 under the theme 'The Future Is Here', organisers said.
The aviation, space and defence event will highlight advancements in AI, eVTOLs, the private sector's space ventures, sustainability and the development of a new generation of young talent.
The biennial expo, a bellwether for the aviation industry's health, is a major global platform for the announcement of aircraft deals by UAE and Middle Eastern carriers, as Boeing and its European rival, Airbus, compete for the highest sales at the keenly watched year-end event.
“We do expect it to be a very fruitful week in terms of contracts and orders,” Mr Hawes said, pointing to the size of the event, its expansion and the growing number of international companies participating this year.
The Dubai Airshow in 2023 recorded more than $101 billion in deals announced through the week.
More than 200 aircraft will be displayed at this year's expo, up from 192 in 2023, amid participation from manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Dassault and Embraer.
Global leaders from the aerospace, space and defence industries will descend on Dubai during the week, with the number of visitors this year expected to reach 148,000 people, up from 135,000 in 2023.
The halls will be packed with more than 1,500 exhibitors from 98 countries, according to the organisers.
With more than 490 military and civil delegations from 98 countries, 440 new exhibitors, 18 country pavilions, almost 100 chalets and 8,000 square metres of added exhibition space, this year's air show will be its largest yet, said the organisers.
French company Thales said it will show its latest solutions across military, civil aviation and space sectors, all underpinned by the use of artificial intelligence.
“Thales will highlight how AI is ethical, explainable, and secure by design. Whether supporting operators in a fast-moving conflict or reducing aviation’s carbon footprint, it brings unprecedented scale, speed, and clarity to the most complex environments,” it said.
“Thales is bringing a cognitive edge to the skies and beyond to civil and military ecosystems by using artificial intelligence to support human intelligence, opening up new frontiers: a more sovereign space, better connected civil aviation and more collaborative defence,” it added.
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
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As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
