VIA DUBAI ENGLISH JANUARY 2020 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

www.viadubaionline.com

In Safer Hands

Issue 80 January 2020

Dubai hosted the World Aviation Safety Summit (WASS) for the seventh successive year and brought top-notch officials and specialists on a single platform

Sir Tim Clark

A legend is hanging up his boots

Revolutionizing Airport Retail

Supersonic Standards

Inside DCAA The General Authority for the Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones honoured Dubai Civil Aviation Authority DCAA Participation in ICAN

Middle East News 20

Cover Story

DCAA Interview

Opinions

Reshma Munavver Mohammed

Optimize the airport infrastructure use

Flying isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the enemy, CO2 is

Angela Gittens

Michael Gill

Adding wings to national carriers

MRO 21

ATM 26

Technology 28

Message

from the President

Our journey of success continues

ver since the opening up of its skies in 1937, Dubai has achieved a quantum leap and is now a force to reckon with in aviation. The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has resulted in an indelible economic transformation. The aviation industry will contribute 45 per cent of Dubai’s GDP by 2030, according to Oxford Economics. Though Dubai has an airport since 1960, it was only in the 1980s the journey to build a comprehensive aviation infrastructure began. Now boasting three terminals, including the world’s first and largest A380 terminal, DXB hosted one billionth passenger in 2019. DXB had also been ranked the world’s third largest airport for passenger traffic. Dubai continued its success in 2019 by remaining the world’s number one airport for international travellers for the sixth consecutive year. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and all our major aviation industry players like Emirates Airlines, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), Dubai Airports, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) and flydubai have done well and continue contributing to Dubai’s journey of success. Also in 2019, the UAE was elected to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council for the fifth consecutive term. The UAE is a force to reckon with in aviation having four national carriers flying to over 224 cities in 108 countries around the world, with a fleet of over 498 aircraft. The UAE continues maintaining its top global ranking for both aviation safety and security standards. The UAE has remained the country with the world’s second highest number of Open Skies deals, with Solomon Islands joining the list of 122 countries in 2019.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Overall, 2019 was a great year for the aviation industry. Growth is expected to be firm and wide this year for aviation, tourism and other crucial economic sector. Expo 2020, the largest show on earth which the UAE is hosting in Dubai from October 2020, will play an important role in bringing over 25 million visitors over a six month period and participation by over 192 countries in the first-ever Expo in MENASA. I am confident that all the stakeholders will continue their unstinted efforts in being a source of inspiration and commitment to re-write our success story far better.

January 2020

Message

from the Director General

In 2007, the functions of the Department of Civil Aviation were restructured. Accordingly, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) was established as a regulatory body, by a decree of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on proclamation of law No. 21 of 2007, as amended by law No. 19 of 2010, to undertake development of Air Transport Industry in the Emirate of Dubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.

CONTENTS

Inside DCAA 06 The General Authority for the

Via Dubai is the official bilingual monthly newsletter of DCAA, designed to highlight the initiatives and developments in the aviation industry and act as a knowledge-sharing platform for all the stakeholders and aviation professionals.

Continuing saga of progress

General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf

ubai’s success has remained unparalleled and it continues to be an inspiration for developing the aviation and tourism. Economists cite Dubai as a model to follow for economic diversification and an allencompassing social development. Aviation has come a long way when Dubai, in 1937, began pursuing Open Skies policy. Ever since the 1960s when it started the operations of its first airport, Dubai has never looked back in pursuing its aviation ambitions with determination and dynamism. The aviation industry now contributes US$47.4 billion to the economy or 13.3 percent of the UAE’s GDP. As a key strategic asset, aviation, according to IATA, could generate an extra US$80 billion in GDP by 2037. By then, the UAE’s aviation market will contribute US$128 billion to our economy. The UAE’s four national carriers have now a combined fleet of over 498 aircraft and its airports handled a whopping 134 million passengers in 2018, with over 89 million passengers in Dubai alone. In its journey of excellence, the aviation sector has held its forte firmly in Dubai. As a regulator, DCAA has remained ever-vigilant to developments and in facilitating aviation growth. In 2019, we successfully shouldered the responsibilities through a variety of initiatives. The year saw us ensuring a safe and secure Dubai Airshow. More than 160 aircraft came for the static and flying displays. It was business as usual at the Dubai International. Our qualified staff members worked for its resounding success. Also, the Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) was our partner in the success. We hosted, for the seventh consecutive year, the World Aviation Safety Summit (WASS) that debated all the

Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones honoured Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA)

06 DCAA Participation in ICAN

Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi

DCAA Interview

Marketing Manager Fahed Mohammed E-mail: viadubai1@naddalshiba.com

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

issues regarding the aviation safety, a prime concern for both the ICAO and IATA. We entered into cooperation and MoUs with organisations, with the Sharjah Civil Aviation Authority being the last one in 2019. The DCAA’s enlarged role and effective implementation of rules of regulations for a safe and secure aviation have been possible due to cooperation by one and all involved. This would not have been possible without the continuous guidance and unstinted support of the DCAA President and Chairman of Dubai Airports, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. We look forward to aviation keep playing its crucial role in 2020 – and beyond, to ensure the UAE attaining new heights of success.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not necessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to keep the information current and accurate, but errors can occur. The information is therefore provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness. The DCAA or Via Dubai does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional.

Advertise with us

Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management

Reshma Munavver Mohammed

Adding wings to national carriers

UAE News 13 Dubai Airports bans single-use plastics

Dubai Airports to digitise its procurement process

Our Vision

The World Airport, Dubai

Our Mission

To achieve leadership and ensure sustainability in the field of safety, security and environmental protection in the civil aviation sector and to support an attractive investment environment for the aviation industry . Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai

DCAA website:www.dcaa.gov.ae Working Hours:Sunday – Thursday, 0730 - 1430 (GMT+4) Location:Dubai International Airport, Terminal (1), Level (1), Gate no. (4), (Arrivals Side) P.O. Box:49888 Dubai - United Arab Emirates twitter.com/dcaadubai

September 2020

youtube.com/user/dcaadubai

Inside DCAA

Honour for DCAA

he General Authority for the Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones honoured the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), where H.E. Saif Sultan Al Ariani, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security, delivered an honorary shield to H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA at the Strategic Partners Forum. The event was attended by H.E. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri Chairman of the General Authority for Ports, Borders and Free Zones Security and H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kuwaiti, Director General of the Authority. The honouring of DCAA falls in the framework of the efforts and fruitful cooperation carried out by DCAA in its capacity as a strategic partner.

DCAA Participation in ICAN

eaded by Saood Kankazar, Executive Director Air Transport and International Affairs Sector, a delegation from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in the ICAO Air Service Negotiation Conference (ICAN) held in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and attended by about 70 countries. Made under the umbrella of the UAE delegation comprising as well representatives of airlines and the different aviation sectors in the state, the participation aimed to update the bilateral air transport agreements signed with a number the countries participating in the conference.

Reshma Munavver Mohammed, International Affairs & Agreements Manager, International Affairs & Agreements Section, International Affairs Department, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

Adding wings to national carriers T he Air Transport and International Affairs Sector of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) plays a crucial role in the progress of the civil aviation sector by regulating the general policy for civil aviation in the Emirate of Dubai, in line with the federal legislations. It also ensures the proper implementation of the provisions of Air Services Agreements (ASA) and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other States. The Air Transport and International Affairs Sector has two Departments namely – the Air Transport Department and the International Affairs Department. Both these departments facilitate operations of airlines in an orderly manner into and out of Dubai whilst, respecting the national laws and rules of the country. The International Affairs & Agreements Section, under the International Affairs Department, is mandated with the key responsibility of negotiating bilateral air services agreements through the federal framework, namely; the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) with various governments, for the operation of national carriers of Dubai – Emirates (EK) and flydubai (FZ). Miss Reshma Munavver Mohammed, International Affairs & Agreements Manager, from the International Affairs & Agreements Section, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, spoke to Via Dubai to explain the crucial role played by the section, in smoothening the operations of the airlines and ensuring increased traffic rights for the national carriers. Excerpts Q: What is the role of International Affairs & Agreements Section? International Affairs & Agreements Section

January 2020

is the core section of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. The main responsibility of our section is to obtain new traffic rights, as well as to enhance the existing traffic rights for our national carriers, in order for them to operate international air services to destinations across the world. Our aim is to expand the network of international air services for passengers and cargo movements to and from Dubai. We also attend to the day to day matters our airlines need to address, in the implementation of the already negotiated rights. Q: How is this responsibility undertaken by the section? This is done through the negotiation of bilateral air services agreements between the governments of both the countries, i.e. the UAE and other States. Q: How are the bilateral air services agreements negotiated and implemented? The role is to represent the Government of Dubai in the negotiations of bilateral or multilateral air services agreements with other countries, in coordination with GCAA. We have a huge responsibility of monitoring the implementation of traffic rights with close to 180 countries. Q: How are the bilateral air services agreements accorded generally? The negotiated agreements are accorded on the basis of reciprocity and are either frequency based or seat based. These negotiated terms need to be strictly adhered to by both our designated national carriers, as well as by the designated carriers of the other Contracting Party.

Q: How are landing rights accorded? In the case of landing rights, when the IATA seasonal schedules are submitted by the foreign carriers to operate into and out of Dubai, the International Affairs & Agreements Section initially scrutinizes these schedules, to verify if they are as per the agreements or the Memoranda of Understanding. Once the approval is granted by our section, the Air Transport Operations Section issues a permit for them to operate. Q: Being a part of DCAA, how does International Affairs & Agreements Section contribute to the economy of Dubai? International Affairs & Agreements Section being a primary section of DCAA contributes towards the GDP, overall growth of Dubai and to the rise of Dubai as a “Global Aviation Hub” by obtaining traffic rights for our national carriers through the negotiation of bilateral air services agreements. This is apparent in the network expansion of our national carriers, as well as the growth of foreign carriers operating into and out of Dubai! We do have challenges, but we are ready to face and overcome them successfully to the best of our ability and thus, contribute to the vision of our great leaders of this glorious country.

January 2020

Cover Story

In Safer Hands

Dubai hosted the World Aviation Safety Summit (WASS) for the seventh successive year and brought top-notch officials and specialists on a single platform

afety is the highest priority for all the aviation stakeholders. Aviation Safety means the state of a system in which risks associated with activities related to or in direct support of the operation of aircraft are reduced and controlled to acceptable levels. It refers to the efforts taken to ensure airplanes are free from factors that may lead to injury or loss. The shared goal is to ensure every flight takes-off and lands safely. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an easy and one-time task, but calls for a constant and coordinated endeavour considering the challenges, including fatal accidents, emergence of newer technologies and drone threats. Despite a record number of more than four billion passengers last year, the industry has experienced safest years in terms of fatal accidents, according to the Aviation Risk 2020 report by Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty (AGCS) in association with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

The long-term improvement of the risk management record is getting further consolidated with the civil aviation authorities overseeing. Fatal air accidents involving the modern generation of commercial aircraft are infrequent. Between 2008 and 2017, there were 2,199 fatalities from 37 commercial passenger fleet jet events globally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; less than eight percent of the total number since 1959. In 2017, for the first time in at least 60 years, there were no fatalities on a passenger jet flight, and 2018 ranks as the third-safest year ever, with 2015 in second place. In 2018, out of 37.8 million global commercial airline departures, 15 ended in a fatal accident, for a rate of 0.39 fatal accidents per million flights, according to the Aviation Safety Network. When one takes-off on a commercial flight anywhere in the world, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less than a one in one million chance that the flight will end in a fatal crash. Back in the early 1970s, the odds of that happening

were about one in 160,000. Worldwide, there were more than 50 fatal airline accidents a year through the early and mid-1990s, claiming well over 1,000 lives annually, according to figures compiled by the Flight Safety Foundation. Fatalities dropped from 1,844 in 1996 to just 59 in 2017, then rose to 561 in 2018

and 209 in 2019. Officials and experts credit advances in aircraft and airport design, better air traffic control, improved pilot training and wider supervision by authorities. They are not lax and keeps working to better the safety records by debating and sharing experiences and expertise.

The report, which analysed more than 50,000 aviation insurance industry claims worth over US$16 billion from 2013 to 2018, revealed collision/crash incidents accounting for over half the value of all claims and over a quarter of claims by number. This volume reflects the growth in air transport, with increased passenger numbers and congested airports as well as ever-increasing demands on airlines, air traffic management and ground services. The increasing sophistication of new generation aircraft is also driving up the need for wider aviation security net.

January 2020

Cover Story

while maintaining a high level of capacity and efficiency. The aviation industry’s common goal remains, as had been in the previous years, to ensure every flight takes-off and lands safely. That’s a Herculean task in the UAE given the fast aviation growth. By 2037, the UAE’s aviation market will contribute US$128 billion to the economy. The UAE’s four national carriers already have a combined fleet of over 498 aircraft and its airports handled a whopping 134 million passengers in 2018 alone, with over 89 million passengers in Dubai alone. Similarly, the aviation industry is expanding at unprecedented levels in the Middle East and Africa. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has already come out with a Regional Plan of Action under the Global Safety Roadmap to help develop an expansive overview of the state of aviation safety.

This Group members include ICAO, IATA, Airbus, Boeing, ACI, CANSO, IFALPA, FAA and the FSF, along with the Arab Civil Aviation Commission and the Arab Air Carriers Organization. Dubai has been pursuing an agenda of its own to better global aviation security levels. For the seventh successive year, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) hosted the World Aviation Safety Summit (WASS) for two days in December 2019. This global gathering of safety professionals and senior leadership from airlines, airports and aviation authorities provided with the tools they need to ensure ever safer aviation. Aviation safety is at the core of DCAA’s fundamental objectives and it is constantly striving, in close collaboration with the air transport community, to further improve the safety performance

His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services, said: “Aviation security is a shared responsibility of all the stakeholders globally. The UAE achieved the world’s highest score for aviation safety in the history of the ICAO six years ago. There is no let-up in our efforts. The aviation history is full of continuous safety improvements. We must never lose sight of it. Safety is a critical and fundamental to ensuring air transport continues to play a major role in driving sustainable socio-economic development.” Through the WASS, the Authority is working successfully to identify existing and emerging risks and deficiencies and take preventive and remedial steps. This time, it highlighted the effects of the growing use of flight data analytics and

digitalization and the use of data in realtime and the shift in management from a responsive function into a core planning and prevention tool. The speakers showed trends on the collection, analysis, and sharing of data as well as addressed how analysis of millions of data points aboard aircraft leads to the prevention of incidents and effective management of threats and hazards. Remarked Khalid Al Arif, Executive Director of Aviation Safety and Environment at DCAA: “The WASS provided us an opportunity to learn about the latest advances in digitalization, big data, and predictive safety. These technologies are advancing rapidly and it is important that we understand how they can be used to ensure improved safety. The event reviewed and examined the implementation of cutting-edge aviation safety procedures and futureproofing regulatory frameworks taking into account the growth trends.” The IATA projects passenger numbers to reach 7.3 billion by 2034. It predicts 65 billion people will fly in the next 20 years alone. By 2030, the industry is expected to transport approximately 6.6 billion passengers, thereby making safety a continued top priority for air travel around the world. The world jet airliner fleet will get almost doubled, increasing

January 2020

to 44500 aircraft. More than 23000 aircraft fly on a daily basis through over 3700 airports. The safety risks needs to be addressed proactively to ensure that this significant capacity expansion is carefully managed and supported through strategic regulatory and infrastructure developments. Saood Kankazar, Executive Director, Air Transport and International Affairs Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) commented on how DCAA remains committed to working with all key stakeholders in the region to improve safety. He also commented on the importance of adopting cutting-edge technologies to enhance safety in the sector and the necessity of having a just culture within the industry. Organized by Tarsus F&E Middle East and Streamline Group under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of DCAA and Chairman of Dubai Airports, the Summit attracted participants from several countries. Among those who addressed it were Alan Corner, Executive Director of Egis, Saood Abdulaziz Kankazar, Executive Director Air Transport and International Affairs Sector at DCAA, Capt. Mark Burtonwood, Senior Vice President – Group Safety at Emirates, Joe Gazzolo, Senior Captain of Gulf Air, Abdulrahman

Seddiq, Technical Investigator at Aviation Investigation Bureau of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Hussein, Safety Manager of Badr Airlines, Gareth Lloyd Evans, Manager Flight Operations Risk at Emirates, Susan Morton, IMS Sustainability and Responsibility, Amal Muraleedharan, GRC Platform Analyst and Ace Respende, Regulatory Officer (all three from dnata), Bob Simmons, Director, Baines Simmons, Ahsan Farooq, Area Operations Manager – Middle East, Chevron International, Paul Dear, Safety Manager, dnata, Mohammed Raad, Regional Head, QHSE – Middle East, Swissport, Charles Cockrell, Partner, HFW, Rubén Martínez Sevillano, Director, ALG, Dr Adrian Costigan, Managing Director – Middle East, A-SAFE, Mohammed Raad, Regional Head, QHSE – Middle East, Swissport, Mohammed Salama, Safety Manager, Riyadh Airports and Vangelis Demosthenous, Founder, Kratis. The Summit highlighted cross-industry collaboration remaining a priority in ensuring safety for the sector, both regionally and globally. Stakeholder consensus, more regulatory feedback and greater measurement and analysis tools were all positioned as critical areas of increased focus for the industry. The Summit displayed new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that will help improve safety in the aviation sector. Experts from dnata displayed the Oscar bot, an Alexa-style solution that can help safety specialists report incidents in a more efficient and effective way. The Oscar bot enables managers and operators to report in real time exact details of incidents and receive feedback and planning options through AI enabled technology. A session handled how Big Data is being applied to aviation safety and safety intelligence. AI is already being widely used in the industry to enhance traffic forecasting, optimise flight routes, increase predictability of operations and identify potential threats and safety hazards.

January 2020

UAE in Focus

A legend is hanging up his boots

Dubai Airports bans single-use plastics

Sir Tim Clark is retiring after distinguished service which made Emirates the world’s largest international airline

fter playing a domineering role in building up the Emirates as the world’s largest international airline and contributing immense towards making Dubai an ever-expanding aviation hub, Sir Tim Clark is hanging up his boots. Come June Tim, one of the airline industry’s celebrities, will say goodbye to his slick and turbo-charged responsibilities at the airline which he helped start with just two leased aircraft and oversaw it become the world’s largest operator of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleet. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, in a note to colleagues, said: “After more than 30 years of exemplary and distinguished service, Sir Tim Clark will retire at the end of June 2020. Tim will remain an advisor to Emirates, and our strong and stable leadership team will ensure a smooth transition. Having worked closely with Tim since the airline’s inception in 1985, I know firsthand of his deep passion for Emirates the business, the people, the brand. Through wars, economic recessions, disasters natural or man-made, and various industry upheavals, Tim has ably steered and grown Emirates to its standing today as the world’s largest international airline, and an eminent player in the global airline industry.” He added: “Not many airlines in the world have delivered an unbroken run of profitability for the past 31 years, and can proudly say that it was all achieved

January 2020

without any aero-political protection or subsidy. There is no question of Tim’s brilliance as an airline manager and planner, nor of his courage in taking forward bold ideas, and his dedication to quality and innovation. These qualities have been fundamental to the airline’s success, as well as to the success of Dubai as a global aviation hub and destination. Tim’s contributions to Emirates have been invaluable, and I’m pleased that he will stay on to support the leadership team in an advisory role. I’d like to sincerely thank him for his dedicated service through all these years. His achievements are too many to recount individually, but they will all be remembered. Please join me in wishing Tim all the best on his well-deserved retirement.” Tim Clark shared his thoughts about passing on the mantle. “I will close a 35-year chapter of my professional life. I will leave Emirates in the capable hands of our leadership team who are all talented executives and long-serving

colleagues who have worked closely with me to manage the airline. I’d be honoured to offer them my support as an advisor should the need arise. Our airline is the best in the world. It’s never been about any individual person, but about a company and a brand that we are building together.”

ubai has banned all single-use plastics across all terminals of the Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) from the first day of 2020. Plastic cutlery, water bottles, drinking straws, takeaway food packaging and polythene bags have been banned from cafés, restaurants and shops. Given that 90 million passengers pass through Dubai’s two airports every year, consuming tens of thousands of plastic items, Dubai Airports admits

that it is “a huge challenge” to the management team and to every business in the supply chain. The operator has been working closely with more than 290 of its concession and hospitality partners. In total, 95 percent of its commercial partners have already signed the pledge to stop using disposable plastic in their outlets. With an estimated 5,500 tonnes of singleuse plastic being generated at the

airports each year, the aim is to recycle a minimum of 2,000 tonnes per year starting March 2020. Dubai airport began its sustainability journey with over 11,000 bottles and more than 280 tonnes of single-use plastic already recycled in 2019.

DAE managed portfolio rises to $3.5 billion

ubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has reached a significant milestone in the growth of its managed aircraft portfolio with current aircraft under management plus mandates to source and manage portfolios for third party investor customers reaching US$3.5 billion.

He added: “Emirates is the airline that travellers want to fly with, and talented people want to work for. It is an airline that is commercially-driven, innovative, ethical, and contributes positively to the economies and communities it operates in.

Since announcing the DAE Aircraft Investor Services (AIS) in January 2018, DAE has grown its managed fleet to over US$2.5 billion today, managing four aircraft ABS securitizations and aircraft for investor partners.

We’ve had plenty of ups and downs: from our days as a fledging start-up airline in 1985, to being the upstart industry disruptor over the next two decades, to our standing today as an esteemed global brand and an industry player with clout. I’m very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take Emirates this far with all of you. This would not have been possible without the trust, support, and visionary leadership from our chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.”

Following the latest portfolio sale agreement announced in October 2019, DAE’s managed fleet has grown to 75 aircraft.

Emirates takes off to Mexico City

mirates Airlines has taken off to Mexico City, marking the carrier’s first passenger flight to Mexico.

The EK flight departed at full capacity with over 300 passengers. The aircraft utilised for the inaugural flight was EK’s newly-refurbished two-class Boeing 777-200LR which offers 38 Business Class seats in a 2-2-2 layout, and 264 seats in Economy Class. The flight stopped in Barcelona before continuing on its journey to Mexico City. Emirates, which fly the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, operates to 161 destinations in 85

countries across six continents from its Dubai hub. It has a particularly strong presence in the South and Southeast Asian region, which together connect Dubai with more international destinations in the region than any other Middle Eastern airline. After a prolonged stalemate, Emirates had been granted approval to operate the flight by Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport. Emirates was finally able to connect Dubai with Mexico City via Barcelona, after the Mexican authorities grant permission after weeks of uncertainty.

January 2020

UAE in Focus

Interview

Etihad scores a first with loan tied to UN Sustainability Goals

tihad Airways has become the first airline to fund a project with a commercial loan based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Dubai Airports to digitise its procurement process

ubai Airports, operator of Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), has partnered with Tejari, the leading spend management provider, to digitise all its procurement activities. Dubai Airports’ employees will be able to accurately track the status of open tenders as scoring will be automated and responses will be standardised under the new platform. Tejari’s JAGGAER ONE platform will enable

effective and efficient management of strategic sourcing events, supplier registration and performance as well as contract performance in a single, userfriendly centralised repository to ensure transparency and automation within the Dubai Airports procurement process. More than 21 percent of Dubai Airports’ suppliers are already registered on Tejari’s eSupply portal which has been adopted by 40 government entities so far.

DB Schenker opens fully solar-powered logistics centre

B Schenker has opened its first fully solar-powered logistics centre in Dubai with an area of 33,000 square metres. The regional distribution centre, DLC II, is located in the logistics area of Dubai South, in the immediate vicinity of Al

January 2020

Maktoum International Airport. DLC II will become the central regional logistics hub in the Middle East for DB Schenker’s customers. The construction of the logistics centre had been powered entirely by solar energy as part of a series of Eco Warehouses at DB Schenker. Further green warehouses are located in Singapore, Helsinki, Klagenfurt, Tilburg and Dortmund. In addition, DB Schenker’s warehouses are gradually being converted to LED lighting.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier linked the expansion of an “eco-residence” cabin crew apartment complex to two UN goals — affordable and clean energy as well as industry, innovation and infrastructure — to qualify for the 100-million euro loan.

Dubai is a heavily differentiated role-model

Tech Mahindra, a US$4.9 billion customer-centric IT giant, runs over 100 projects in the Middle East region. Ram Ramachandran, Head (Enterprise) for Middle East and Africa, tells Via Dubai in an exclusive interview, that Dubai is a good example for others to follow. Excepts:

By doing so, it receives a lower interest rate on the loan from the outset but the bank reserves the right to increase the cost of the funding if it is no longer in compliance with the UN framework.

How big is Tech Mahindra now? Tech Mahindra represents the connected world. We are a US$4.9 billion company. We are part of the US$21 billion Mahindra Group that employs more than 200,000 people in over 100 countries.

Bollore plans new logistics base in Dubai

The Group operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, after-market, IT and vacation ownership. We are helping 946 global customers including Fortune 500 companies.

ollore Logistics is holding discussions with dnata which wishes to build a new facility at Al Maktoum International Airport for long-term regional logistics support. It is expected to be ready by late 2020. dnata, which holds a 51 percent stake in Bollore Logistics, runs cargo villages at Dubai International Airport (DXB), as well as at DWC. It also employs a light industrial unit at Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone to receive inbound freight being handled for UAE and Gulf customers. In the UAE, it manages 23,000 square meters of warehousing, of which 5,000 square metres is dedicated to aerospace. Of the 26,000 employees in Bollore Logistics, more than 12,000 are based in Africa.

Our convergent, digital, design experiences, innovation platforms and reusable assets, connect across a number of technologies to deliver tangible business value and experiences to our stakeholders. Tech Mahindra is the highest ranked non-US company in the Forbes Global Digital 100 list and in the Forbes Fab 50 companies in Asia. Why Tech Mahindra is focusing in the ME, especially the UAE? The Middle East has been a strategic focus market for Tech Mahindra for more than two decades. We started our Middle East operations from Dubai in the early 1990s and since then have expanded our footprint to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. We have a large customer base in the government, banking, retail, construction, oil & gas,

utility, travel & logistics and telecom sectors. We have been able to bring in differentiated digital and business-driven global solutions to the UAE market and we see a good potential of growth led by a progressive government and sound business-friendly policies. The UAE also serves as an excellent hub for us to run our Middle East and Africa operations. Is Dubai a good example for others to follow? Dubai has defined exemplary standards for not just the Middle East but the entire world. Dubai dares to dream and has the unique ability to make the dream a reality.

What is Tech Mahindra’s message to the Arab world? The Arab world is a huge focus and growth market for Tech Mahindra. Clients in this region are passionate about what they do. The progression we see across the Arab world and the drive to change is huge. The region is at an inflection point in the next stage of its growth and we believe the adoption of technology can be a big enabler to accelerating the progress. We will continue to focus on our journey in the Arab region. We look forward to increasing our presence in the Middle East and plan to step-up the localization initiatives across the region.

We have seen it happen time and again. Be it the building of Burj Khalifa, establishing Free Zones, Blockchain initiatives, Expo 2020, or the world’s only Ministry of Artificial Intelligence. The country’s leadership is always welcoming new thoughts and ideas towards the betterment of not just its citizens but also global betterment.

Tell us about your Middle East projects and future focus? We run over 100-plus projects in the Middle East region. We provide digital, consulting and implementation led services to key local, regional and global organizations based here. We represent the connected world, offering innovative and customer-centric information technology experiences, enabling Enterprises, Associates and the Society to rise.

Aspects like inclusive development, embracing of global talent, ease of doing business, incubating thoughts and adoption of new-age technologies and business models, sets Dubai apart as a heavily differentiated, role-model country.

Apart from IT services, we are also focusing on strengthening initiatives around Smart City, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Cloud, Robotics and Automation, Security and Big Data Analytics, in a big way.

January 2020

Special Report

Supersonic Standards

supersonic flight, it has to first grapple with the resulting sonic boom. When an aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound - Mach 1 - it creates a continuous shock wave that mimics a close-by clap of thunder. This promoted the US and other countries to ban supersonic flights over land in 1973. In order to overcome these limits, Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been working with NASA since 2010 on ways to muffle the sonic boom. NASA and Lockheed Martin have been working on the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator concept for several years now.

The world has seen only two supersonic aircraft till now, but the dream of flying faster than the speed of sound is alive even today. The ACI has asked the ICAO to draft supersonic standards

n the over 100 years of its history, the civil aviation industry has seen only two supersonic aircrafts – Tupolev Tu-144 and Concorde. Tupolev Tu-144 was the world’s first commercial supersonic transport (SST) aircraft. It had its maiden flight in December 1968. This aircraft was slightly bigger and faster than Concorde. A fatal Paris crash that killed six on board and eight on the ground delayed the Soviet program by four years, allowing Concorde to enter the service first. It finally started flying passengers in 1977. Aeroflot used the Tu-144 to serve the two-hour route between Moscow and Alma Ata, the then capital of Kazakhstan. The service was cancelled after six months. In total, just 17 Tu-144s were produced, including prototypes. The program was finally grounded in 1984. In October 1969, Concorde made its first supersonic flight. However,

January 2020

it suffered its only fatal accident in 2000 which killed 113 people near Paris, not far from where the first Tu-144 crashed in 1973. Passengers flew with the supersonic commercial airplane for the last time in October 2003. The Concorde was retired three years after a July 2000 crash of Air France Concorde that killed all 100 people on board and four on the ground. The supersonic aircraft flew passengers at speeds exceeding Mach 1.0—the speed of sound. Only 20 Concorde airplanes were ever built and just 14 of them were production

aircraft. The Concorde was used by only two airlines - Air France and British Airways - on just two routes. British Airways the final commercial Concorde flight in October 2003. A total of 14 Concorde aircraft entered the service. Co-developed by British and French, Concorde was the first and only viable supersonic commercial airliner. The Concorde could cruise at Mach 2.02 or around 1,340 mph at fly comfortably at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet. Ever since the retirement of this turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airplane, jet travel has not

gotten any faster, but it is work in progress to fly commercial passengers again at supersonic speeds. The dream of flying faster than the speed of sound has never diminished. A handful of companies have doggedly pursued the creation of a supersonic jets. Commercial supersonic air travel, which involves travelling at speeds higher than 767 miles per hour - Mach 1. The Concorde, which travelled at Mach 2, twice the speed of sound, was prohibited by the FAA from flying at supersonic speeds over the US because of the disturbing sonic boom that is inevitable at those speeds. The airline flew at supersonic speeds between Paris and New York only over the Atlantic Ocean, which limited the use of its capabilities. Before the aviation industry can satisfy the pent-up demand for

The Low Boom Flight Demonstrator program, which is developing the X-59, is just one part of the journey to return supersonic airliners to the US. The X-59 is a supersonic aircraft, but its sonic boom is much quieter. That is a critical step in unlocking the potential of supersonic transport for airline passengers around the world. This aircraft is scheduled to have its first flight in 2021. NASA will present its study on the noise levels and the public response to them to the FAA in 2023. The Nevada-based company Aerion is working on plans for the development of a supersonic private jet (SBJ) that could reach speeds of Mach 1.6, potentially carrying its first passengers by the end of the decade. By 2021, the world’s first supersonic business jet will get travellers from New York to London in three hours. The three-engine, 12-seater Aerion AS2 will fly at 1,217 mph, almost as fast as Concorde. HyperMach Aerospace has proposed the development of SonicStar, a jet the company claims would reach Mach 4 (about 2,600mph and approximately twice the speed of Concorde) and could speed from London to Sydney in an afternoon or from New York to

The three-engine, 12-seater Aerion AS2 will fly at 1,217 mph, almost as fast as Concorde.

London in about an hour. The firm estimates it could enter production in the 2020s. JAXA, the Japanese equivalent of NASA, conservatively bets economical and environmentallyfriendly supersonic travel will be available “in the 21st century.” Boston-based Spike Aerospace has plans to develop Spike S-512, a 12-18-seat supersonic private jet designed for commercial use and supposedly capable of flying from New York to London in less than four hours. Modern commercial long-haul jets typically cruise at speeds between 480 and 560 mph. British aerospace firm Reaction Engines Limited is working on an engine system that will be able to take 300 passengers anywhere in the world in just four hours. The LAPCAT A2 will be able to “pretty easily” fly around the world at an incredible Mach 5 - five times the speed of sound. US airplane maker Boeing is working on a hypersonic passenger plane, a concept that is likely to decades from being built. The hypersonic passenger airplane could, in theory, fly as fast as Mach 5, or just under 3,900 miles per hour. Airbus and Lockheed Martin are also hard at work in developing their own versions of a hypersonic jet. The new generation of hypersonic jets will be capable at flying at 55,000 feet up to 100,000 feet – far above the current standard cruising altitude of 30,000 feet. Boeing has pencilled in 2023 for the maiden flight.

January 2020

Special Report

Miles Ahead

Airlines are fiercely fighting to please their passengers through their Frequent Flyers Programmes (FFP)

Revolutionizing Airport Retail

Dubai Duty Free (DDF) is eyeing a US$3 billion turnover by 2022

n 1946, when Heathrow airport opened just outside London with the terminal being a tent, the only retail facilities were a bar with chintz armchairs and a small newsagent’s – more or less a waiting room. A year later saw the world’s first duty-free shop at Shannon Airport in Ireland took off as a service for Trans-Atlantic airline passengers typically travelling between Europe and North America whose flights stopped for refuelling on both outbound and inbound legs of their journeys. The idea by one of its former Catering Comptroller became an immediate success - and remains open till this day. Since those days, providing travellers with a chance to shop without paying taxes, duty-free shops have become an inseparable part of airports around the world, beginning with Hong Kong in 1960 and in Hawaii in 1962. Flyers discovered fantastic savings compared to high street prices on a wide range of products including fragrance, skincare, cosmetics, wines and spirits, sunglasses, fashion accessories, confectionery, souvenirs and travel essentials. Dubai, which was a pit-stop for airlines travelling between the West and East in the first two decades since opening its humble airport, thought about having

January 2020

a duty free facility to become a mostpreferred transit airport than Bahrain which topped the list. The duty free concept in Dubai started with the first flight from the first airport that opened in the city in 1960. The duty free in Dubai then had three small shops offering simple gifts. By the end of the 60s, the number of shops had risen to six. In 1983, a 10-member team was contracted from Ireland to set up Dubai Duty Free at Dubai Airport within a record six month time – and it achieved sales of US$20 million in its very first year of business with 100 staff. The project was executed with mere US$2.4 million. With Emirates Airlines launching its flights in late 1985, DDF sales in the following year reached US$32 million. Today, it is the world’s single largest travel retail operator. Colm McLoughlin, founder-member of DDF and its first General Manager, is now the Executive Chairman and CEO of the iconic facility with over 600 awards to its credit. Dubai Duty Free is in good shape when compared to other duty free operators.

It is aiming to have a US$3 billion turnover by 2022 from its operations at the emirate’s two international airports - average sale per departing passenger is about US$38 per head. Further, the income DDF generates across its retail space has been estimated at US$70,000 per square metre per annum. The high turnover expectations is driven primarily by the expansion of Dubai’s second airport, Al Maktoum International whose capacity at present is five million passengers, rising to 26 million by 2022. By then, DDF will have 80,000 square metres of retail space across DXB and DWC – more than double the 36,000 square metres it operates at present.

he idea of a ‘Loyalty Fare’ was floated for American Airlines, which launched in May 1981 AAdvantage just before the deregulation of the domestic air passenger market in the US, allowing passengers to receive a free flight ticket after travelling a certain number of miles. It was the world’s first mileage-based Frequent Flyers Programmes (FFP). United Airlines swiftly followed suit, to be quickly followed by Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and Air Canada. In 1982, British Airways joined the competition league. Thus began air miles dogfight. Today, FFPs have ballooned in their numbers, reach, benefits and impact to the world of passengers and businesses, especially the airlines, airports and hospitality industry. FFPs have proved their worth as being sustainable, transparent and profitable. By 2005, a total of 14 trillion unredeemed frequentflyer points were accumulated by people worldwide, corresponding to a total value of US$700 billion - worth more than all the dollars in global circulation, as the influential The Economist reported at the time. Today, virtually everybody talks about FFPs, making it a thrilling business. With the ability to earn flight miles extended

to the use of credit cards and shopping with affiliated parties, the popularity of FFPs has continued to soar. Now, there are more than 220 FFPs on the globe – a number that keeps on increasing continuously. As many as 92 airline loyalty programmes globally offer a range of customer benefits, such as using accrued miles to gain free flight tickets (excluding taxes), access to lounges, priority check-in and fast track security lanes. Awards are not even always restricted to people, as Virgin Australia has announced a programme for pets too. And then there are also hundreds of Loyalty Programmes operated by hotel chains, car rental companies and airport authorities. These programmes too have become an important promotion and marketing tool in the industry. As soon as a specified number of points is achieved, they can be exchanged for a reward. Rewards are available for free air travels, hotel stays, car rentals and a

range of hospitality, shopping and leisure activities, among other things. Currently, the same airlines participate in up to 30 different programs with the corresponding number for hotel chains or car rental companies being far higher. According to a new study, it’s getting easier to redeem frequent flyer miles, but many airlines are only making the cheapest award tickets available on flights where the cash fare is low. Several airlines now make more reasonably-priced free seats available to loyalty programme members than a few years ago. Globally, American Airlines (AA) showed the biggest jump in the annual CarTrawler Reward Seat Availability Survey, offering cheap reward seats on roughly 82 percent of flights, an increase of 27.8 points, yearover year. Other major gainers include Turkish Airlines (up 15.7 points to 95 percent) and United Airlines (up 10.7 points to 75.7 percent).

Given that the company currently does 74,000 transactions each day – adding up to 27 million in a year and 74 million items of merchandise – it is not difficult to envisage the huge growth potential. New plans for DDF includes an online portal for flyers to purchase goods before they fly. Since launching, it sold over 70 million items a year.

January 2020

Middle East

MRO

Middle East sees heightened ICAO compliance

he International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Middle East Region has been one of the fastest growing in the world for passenger and cargo traffic since 2011. Regional carriers are recording 4-5 percent growth rates for passenger and freight traffic and that a 10 percent increase in tourist arrivals by air occurred in 2018. During a Kuwait visit, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu said aviation presently supports more than 2.4 million jobs and contributes US$130 billion to GDP in the region. She commend the MID Region on the aviation safety performance being achieved, even as traffic figures continue to rise. The MID Accident rate of 2.3 accidents per million departures is better than the global rate and the

regional effective implementation of SARPs has increased from 70.5 to 75.23 per cent - a significant improvement compared to other regions. This achievement is illustrated by ICAO safety oversight auditing, which has revealed no significant safety concerns in the region. The good level of cooperation among the states in the region has positioned them well in terms of implementing the outcomes of ICAO’s 40th Assembly, which included the setting of a zero-accidents by 2030 target, but also security, environmental sustainability, economic development, and the GANP.

ahrain-based Gulf Air has signed a codeshare agreement with Lebanon’s flag carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) in a deal that will offer MEA passengers a direct daily service from Beirut to Bahrain on Gulf Air. The Middle East Airlines will place its ‘ME’ code on Gulf Air flights on the Beirut-Bahrain-Beirut route. Gulf Air connects Bahrain and Lebanon with daily flights to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport and adds more frequencies during peak travel seasons. The codeshare with Gulf Air will complement the MEA network to the Gulf.

ir BP has developed a cloud-based fuelling-safety program. It has acquired the hardware and software needed to begin rolling out its Airfield Automation fuelling-safety digital platform at all of the airport locations in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) where it has direct operations. According to a report in AIN, the rollout of the platform throughout the region will begin at its airport locations in the UAE. It expects to complete installation of the cloudbased platform—designed to prevent misfuelling of aircraft and to provide operators with real-time data on their fuelling activities—at all its

January 2020

UAE airport sites in 2020. In total, the company is planning to roll out the platform at some 350 locations worldwide where it has direct aircraftfuelling operations. Air BP has locations in more than 800 locations in 55 countries worldwide ad counts 350 airlines and 16,500 private aviation operators as customers.

T Thermoplastics to be used in wings, fuselages and empennages

assenger cabin and cargo compartment doors and their components have historically been high-maintenance items, given their vulnerability to corrosion and high collision risk. The OEMs and their suppliers are working to make their products more damage-tolerant and less maintenance-intensive through innovation in materials and parts.

Aerostar completes 15 years in commercial aircraft MRO

Air BP rolls out fuelling-safety digital platform in ME

US aircraft repair industry launches campaign against MRO bill

Gulf Air signs codeshare agreement with MEA

Oman Air and Air Italy sign codeshare deal

man Air and Air Italy have entered into a codeshare partnership to offer customers enhanced connectivity between the Sultanate of Oman and seven major destinations in Italy. Under the agreement, Air Italy’s “IG” code is being placed on Oman Air’s flights between Milan Malpensa and Muscat. Oman Air is putting its “WY” code on Air Italy flights between Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino, Naples, Cagliari (Sardinia), Palermo and Catania (Sicily) and Lamezia Terme (Calabria).

n December 2004, Aerostar started on its long journey into the new venture of commercial aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). On that day, the first aircraft to fly into Aerostar’s Bacau base for a heavy check was a FlyGlobespan Boeing 737-300 Classic. Fifteen years later, Aerostar has become firmly established as a centre for excellence for commercial aircraft MRO.

he US aviation maintenance industry has come out swinging against pending legislation that would heighten US oversight of foreign aircraft repair stations and impose new maintenance reporting requirements upon airlines. The staunch opposition is coming from the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), which represents aircraft repair stations, and other industry groups. It told members to urge their representatives to vote against the new repair station bill, called the

Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act. It was approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in November last year. Non-US aircraft repair stations must already be certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to work on US-certificated aircraft. The bill would require the FAA make surprise inspections, and it sets new certification standards for employees at those sites.

Vistara to install MRO software AMOS for its entire fleet

istara will be installing AMOS, the maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) software for its entire fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Vistara’s newly phased-in Boeing B737-800NG will be directly managed in AMOS. Vistara is a joint venture of TATA and Singapore Airlines. The implementation will be split into two main phases: Phase one will focus on the B737 fleet. The next phase foresees the transfer of the complete fleet including Airbus and future Boeing 787 Dreamliner into AMOS. With AMOS, Vistara will use a future-proof M&E software that allows the airline to launch its digital transformation process.

health, enhance the productivity of resources and aircraft with greater mobility and information on fingertips. Vistara has already hired the engineering and maintenance staff familiar with AMOS. This in-house AMOS know-how is expected to help Vistara accelerate the implementation and reduce the time devoted to training and the general familiarization process.

The AMOS will help it gain insights into the fleet’s engineering

January 2020

Airlines

Airports

China approves new foreign airline routes

Hong Kong Airlines allowed to keep operating

ash-strapped Hong Kong Airlines has been given a lifeline by regulators who decided not to punish it for delaying salary payments amid an ongoing financial crisis. The international finance hub has seen six months of massive protests which has dealt a massive blow to the tourism sector and airline operators. The carrier is majority owned by struggling Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, which has been looking to lower its debt burden. The Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) says the airline has met the conditions for raising and maintaining its cash level. Earlier in 2019, HNA unloaded budget carrier HK Express to rival Cathay Pacific

C and resorted to several capacity cuts, including the suspension of flights to Vancouver, Ho Chi Minh City and Tianjin from February 2020. The carrier’s chairman Hou Wei said “an initial cash injection plan has been drawn up” and the services will gradually return to normal soon. Hong Kong Airlines and larger rival Cathay Pacific Airways are battling a steep decline in demand. Hong Kong Airlines had been in a precarious financial position even before the unrest. The unlisted company had lost US$383.39 million in 2018.

Airline retailing market to reach US$28 billion mark by 2027

he global airline retailing market is expected to reach US$27.66 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 16.4 percent during the forecast period of 2019-2027. The airline retail market is witnessing growth through the preboarding segment. This is due to the fact that the major airlines are offering an opportunity to the flyers to pre-book their merchandises, accessories, alcohol, and beauty products, among others during ticket booking. The airline customers also have the flexibility to purchase the

January 2020

products any time before their flights depending on the airline’s terms and conditions. The key benefit of the prebooking of products is that customers can choose the delivery of the product at the airport or on-board. This benefits the passengers by carrying a lesser quantity of the luggage, which further reduces the risk of incurring excess baggage fees.

hina has approved new routes operated by several major foreign airlines to Mainland China. Singapore Airlines has been granted approval for a seven-times-weekly service between Singapore and Hangzhou. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC), Singapore Airlines now only flies to three major cities in Mainland China: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Its low-cost subsidiary airline Scoot also operates a six-times-weekly service between Singapore and Hangzhou using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Lufthansa has gained approval to launch a new three-times-weekly service between Munich and Shenzhen. This will be the German flag carrier’s sixth destination in Mainland China after Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao and Shenyang. Egypt Air is will launch a new twice weekly route linking Cairo and Shenzhen. The airline’s current destinations in Mainland China include Beijing, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. The regulator also approved South Korean LCC Eastar Jet’s seven-timesweekly service between Seoul and Yantai in Shandong Province; Aeroflot’s new five-times-weekly Krasnoyarsk-Beijing service; Russian charter carrier I-fly’s new service between Vladivostok and Nanjing, as well as its new routes linking Sochi and Kunming, Shijiazhuang, Jinan, Wuhan.

Manchester Airport unveils £1 billion transformation details

anchester Airport, the UK’s third largest airport, unveiled details of its £1 billion transformation programme. With several months still to go until the new “super terminal” opens, Manchester Airport has shared new images and a video to showcase what passengers using the new facilities can expect when they start using it from next summer. Since the project began, more than £688 million has been spent and more than 1,800 people are currently working on it. The first phase of the programme opened in April 2019 with the first

passenger pier and a new 3,800 space multi-storey car park. New features unveiled include a honeycomb light installation that illuminates the departure lounge. With 16 million settings, it will change colours depending on the time of day.

Nepal to open a new airport in March

is being developed with financial assistance from the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Christened the Gautam Buddha International Airport, the facility

China’s Northwest Civil Aviation Construction Group is constructing the airport for which the ADB has provided US$70 million. The airport is being developed under the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project. It is expected to be completed by March 2020, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the temblor that killed some 9,000 people.

our and a half years after a devastating earthquake ravaged Nepal, a tiny hilly Himalayan nation, is out to reclaim its standing on the world aviation and tourism map with plans to attract Buddhist pilgrims from India, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, besides countries like Japan, with a spanking new international airport close to the birthplace of Buddha.

Thailand unveils massive airports upgradation plans

hailand is gearing up to spend 5.8 billion baht in upgrading airports across the country in 2020. It launched what has been called an “urgent mission” for huge investments in key regional airports. The projects include the 1.3-billionbaht construction of taxiways at Krabi airport, 800-million-baht and 775-million-baht plans to build new terminals at Narathiwat and Buri Ram airports, respectively and projects to expand airport bays (500 million baht) and an international terminal (200 million baht) at Surat Thani airport.

Zurich Airport wins India’s new airport project

he north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has approved a proposal to award the contract for construction and operation of the mega Noida International Greenfield Airport in Jewar to Zurich Airport International (ZAI).

January 2020

Opinion

Optimize the airport infrastructure use

Flying isn’t the enemy, CO2 is

or the Airports Council International (ACI), 2019 was a very productive year. We delivered the 100th Airports Excellence (APEX) in Safety Review in Abu Dhabi. The programme continues to promote the best safety practices in airport operations, utilizing the expertise and cooperation of the community of airports. Airports in all regions continued to demonstrate their commitment to customer experience excellence as represented by the feedback from passengers responding to the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey. The ACI has developed the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme which helps airports to progress through the five levels of accreditation by assessing and improving their approach to customer experience management. The ACI, along with the IATA, have announced a new governance structure for the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines that puts the interests of the traveling public at the center. It will help optimize the use of airport infrastructure, promote competition and contribute to the sustainable social and economic vitality of communities. The ACI has published new guidance for airports to address the insider threat, posed by staff members exploiting their positions of trust to do harm. It also published new guidance on airport business continuity management to help

January 2020

airport operators maintain the flow of passengers and goods in the event of disruption. We also re-launched our Smart Security programme to improve passenger and cabin baggage screening, identifying solutions that can be introduced in the short term while exploring a future vision for the security regimen. We also progressed on the New Experience Travel Technologies (NEXTT) initiative, along with IATA. Concrete results have been achieved in the areas of taxation, security, cybersecurity, facilitation, unauthorized unmanned aircraft system operations, and environment. It has been agreed to carry out a far-reaching worldwide study on a long-term carbon goal for airport operators. It will include considerations of net zero carbon airports by 2050 and the possible pathways to achieve these goals. We continue to work towards a safe, secure, customercentric and sustainable future.

Angela Gittens Director General Airports Council International (ACI) World

he aviation and climate debate has hit fever-pitch. Our research into the attitudes of passengers shows there are a large number of concerned travellers who want to fly, but are worried about the climate change and want to be reassured that the aviation industry is doing all it can to be sustainable.

The emergence of the “no-fly” movement is focusing on trying to persuade people it is better to travel by other means than airlines. I believe a world with such restricted travel opportunities would be poorer and less tolerant, while the impact of not flying on climate change would be negligible.

Those are legitimate concerns. We have remained focused on our longterm goal to reduce CO2 to half of 2005 levels by 2050.

The majority of future flyers are not coming from the West, where journey numbers per person is close to peaking, but from developing economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

This would keep us in line with the Paris Agreement target of holding global temperature rise to less than two degrees. We are not aware of any other global business sector that has set itself such a tough goal. Aviation has no immediate option to dispense with liquid fuels. The deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) could ultimately reduce emissions by up to 80 percent, along with continued improvements to efficiency of engines and airframes and improvements to inefficient air traffic control routes. For a number of people, our targets do not go far enough, fast enough.

Michael Gill Director- Aviation Environment International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Why should these people be denied the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of air travel? Our enemy is not travel – it is CO2. So our challenge is to find the fastest, most practical way to reduce our CO2 impact so that we can to enable these people to fly sustainably. It is a challenge that aviation embraces. And it is one that together, we must and will solve.

That’s why we are continually pushing towards doing more. All the available SAF is already being used. Airlines have committed not to use any fuel source for SAF that would degrade biodiversity. And we are working on strict ecological standards for SAF, through ICAO and in partnership with NGOs.

January 2020

ATM

Cargo & Logistics

Estonia’s ANSP hires consultant for airspace integration

stonian Air Navigation Services (EANS) and AirMap are developing a comprehensive and customized solution for integrating drones into Estonian airspace. As part of the multi-phase joint project, AirMap will conduct market, business, and regulatory analyses, determine best practices for business planning and stakeholder onboarding,

Bosnia takes control of its entire airspace

lmost three decades after war broke out and after 15 years of preparation, Bosnia and Herzegovina has finally taken control of the country’s upper skies. Air traffic control takes place on two levels – the first up to 10,000 meters and the second above that altitude called the middle and upper layers of airspace, where traffic is also densest. From the outbreak of war in Bosnia in 1992 until 2014, Bosnia had no control over its skies at all. In November 2014, it assumed control of the skies up to 10,000 meters. But air traffic over 10,000 meters above has since remained under the joint control of neighbouring Serbia and Croatia.

January 2020

and work closely with EANS, Estonian Civil Aviation Administration, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to create a uniquely tailored concept of operations (ConOps). The results will allow EANS to accelerate U-space roll-out and serve a growing drone community. Estonia is at the fore of European U-space

Four aircargo hubs joins antiwildlife trafficking alliance

enablement. EANS led the SESAR JU GOF USPACE project, which demonstrated complex international and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations, including emergency maritime search and rescue, eVTOL transport, and crossborder package delivery.

Skeyes and military to jointly manage Belgian airspace

he air traffic controllers from Defence joined their Skeyes colleagues to consolidate military and civil air traffic control collaboration in the Belgian airspace. The airspace above Belgium is limited in size and utmost complex because a lot of aircraft are using it. The airspace also has strategic

importance for military operations and training. In order to guarantee the safety of all air traffic, the military airspace was maximised during those military duties, both in space and in time. Thanks to a closer collaboration between both air traffic control services on the same location they can much better align their operations.

ATM market predicted to surpass US$10 billion by 2025

ong Kong International Airport, Munich International Airport, Sydney Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport have pledged to join the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking by signing the United for Wildlife (UFW) Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration. Illegal wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative transnational crimes and estimated by the UN to be worth up to US$23 billion annually.

he Air Traffic Management (ATM) market is set to grow from its current market value of more than US$8 billion to over US$10 billion by 2025, according to the latest study by Global Market Insights. The growth is attributed to the rise in passenger traffic and improvement in the global economy.

regional connectivity from developing countries such as India and China is driving the air traffic management market.

The increasing focus on technological advancements including the use of AI and digitalization in ATM is acting as one of the major drivers of market growth. The increasing demand for

The increasing demand for more advanced communication, navigation, and surveillance hardware is driving industry players to upgrade their product offerings.

ntegrated logistics solutions provider Allcargo Logistics has bought a controlling stake in Gati. Allcargo provides a comprehensive range of services, such as multimodal transport operations, container freight station operations, or inland container depot operations, projects and engineering solutions, warehousing, distribution, contract logistics and logistics parks. Gati has a wide-ranging customer base across corporate India. Allcargo has signed a share purchase agreement with Gati’s promoter group to acquire shares. It will also subscribe

dnata to expand cargo facility at Heathrow

Allcargo Logistics buys majority stake in Gati

nata, part of the Emirates Airline Group, has signed a pre-let agreement for a new cargo facility near Heathrow Airport.

The facility has been specifically designed to accommodate the operational requirements of dnata and its client, Virgin/Delta.

The proposed 115,000 square feet facility at dnata City East has been designed to operate in conjunction with a recently-completed 250,000 square feet dnata warehouse, which handles Virgin Atlantic Cargo and Delta Cargo’s airfreight at Heathrow.

The two dnata City East buildings together will double the size of the airlines’ joint cargo operations at Heathrow.

The proposed new facility will make dnata City East comfortably the largest off-site cargo handling operation at the UK’s largest commercial aviation hub.

to a preferential issue of equity shares of Gati. Allcargo will own a 19.43 percent stake in Gati. Upon acquiring these shares, Allcargo will be classified as a promoter of Gati, along with the existing promoters, and will have the right to nominate directors on the board. Gati operates an asset-light, hub and spoke model, with a network of trucking companies providing vehicles as per need. Allcargo will fund the deal through a mix of debt and monetization of non-core assets. Allcargo is also entering into a strategic relationship with Kintetsu World Express (KWE), an air freight forwarder.

U-Freight takes e+Solutions to Malaysia

-Freight Group is taking its logistics product designed for e-commerce start-ups, e+Solutions, to the Malaysian marketplace, six months after launching it in Hong Kong, targeting the growing number of small businesses and start-ups who often have limited resources and are looking for cost effective behind-the-scenes assistance. The new e+ Solutions service is being rolled out to U-Freight’s e-commerce fulfilment centre (EFC) in Penang to offer a comprehensive e-commerce logistics package.

January 2020

Technology

Innovation platform by IATA

Technical limits hit jet engines

holes in the blades. Unfortunately this clever approach has encountered some unexpected problems.

he International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a platform designed to support airlines and their partners by speeding up new technology implementation concerned with its standards. Accelerate@IATA brings together airlines, partners and startups to look at industry problems and find solutions, leading ultimately to running pilots and implementation. The global body, with over 280 airlines as its members, has selected Plug and Play to help operate the program and identify and connect with Plug and Play’s network of more than 15,000 startups. The platform will accelerate around 20 startups per year in two batches, matching their solutions with industry requirements.

Boeing 787 aircraft, operated by British Airways, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Virgin Atlantic and others, have been grounded in recent months for inspections and repairs because the Trent 1000 engine blades have been degrading faster than anticipated. It’s the type of problem that’s becoming common in the industry as the demands placed on engines become ever greater.

The solution found by its engineers was to blow cool air through tiny

Rolls-Royce quantified the cost of fixing various Trent 1000 issues at US$3.1 billion, a cash outflow the debt-laden manufacturer can ill afford. Few inventions have done more to transform our life over the past century than jet engines. They’ve let people travel faster and further, and they’re remarkably safe.

he high-pressure turbine blades in a Trent 1000 passenger jet engine have to withstand temperatures far above the melting point of the nickel alloy from which they’re made. It’s a fiendish technical challenge for the engine’s British manufacturer, RollsRoyce — comparable to trying to stop an ice cube melting inside a kitchen oven on full blast.

New AI tech makes airline travel easier

Autonomous baggage tractor being tested at Toulouse Airport

ravel delays caused by congestion at check-in, security, retail, and boarding areas will become a thing of the past.

ir France is testing an autonomous tractor to transport baggage at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. Testing of the AT135 baggage tractor involves the operation of the vehicle between the baggage sorting area and aircraft. Charlatte Autonom, a subsidiary of Charlatte Manutention and NAVYA, developed the tractor. Agents from Groupe 3S are supervising the vehicle.

The most significant stress factor at the airport is the looming anxiety of dealing with the airport. Hitachi Vantara Technology wants to alleviate airport pain. The new tech combines computer video and laser-based radarlike LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology with data analytics, and machine-learning tools to streamline check-in and security lines; achieve better on-

January 2020

time performance (flights departing on time) ; educe flight taxiing and circling for more efficient, sustainable operations; proactively manage overhead luggage space on aircraft, and provide travellers with more time to go shopping or to relax in the lounge. The new tech impacts both consumer travel and how airlines/ airports do business.

Test for the world’s largest zero emission hydrogen flight

he world’s largest hydrogen-fuelled zero emission aircraft - flying without any fossil fuel support - is to be tested in Scotland in 2020 with a target of the first commercial flights in three years. California-based ZeroAvia is in discussions with the Scottish government, which has a programme to decarbonise scheduled flights, over the potential of the technology as it prepares for the longest-range test flights in Orkney this summer.

Autoland to become a standard feature on aircraft

hen something happens to the pilot of a light aircraft, the results are often tragic for those on board. A Swiss-registered, Americanoperated technology company has come up with a solution — and it’s something that will soon be implemented on small planes from two leading manufacturers. Garmin, a company known for both airplane landing systems and GPS technology, has developed a system that blends the two — and it might help save lives in the future.

The Economist notes that following successful testing, Autoland “is about to become a standard feature on the Piper, a six-seat single-engine turboprop, and the Cirrus Vision Jet, a single-engine personal jet. In the case of an emergency, any passenger can activate the system. Once that’s done, Autoland runs an algorithm to determine the best airport at which to land. This is “an optimization scheme that considers a number of factors including approach attributes, runway attributes, distance, wind, and fuel.”

Blockchain and 3-D Printing combine to make aircraft parts

merican aircraft-component maker Moog is testing a combination of blockchain and 3-D printing to speed up the replacement of defective aircraft parts to a few hours from several days or even weeks.

of parts on demand from digital blueprints—could support a new type of digital marketplace for plane parts. Using blockchain cuts down on paperwork, letting a buyer locate a part and buy it immediately.

The aircraft-parts market is heavily regulated, with sales requiring certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other agencies.

Moog tested the combination of blockchain and 3-D printing earlier

That means it isn’t exactly known for speed. The company aims to demonstrate that putting together the two emerging technologies— the distributed ledger behind cryptocurrencies and the building

last year, allowing an airline to order a part for a plane while it was in the air and have the part installed when it landed. In the test, Air New Zealand used Moog’s blockchain system, VeriPart, to order a replacement protective part for an in-seat screen for a Boeing 777-300 as it was en route from Auckland to Los Angeles. Using the blockchain process, a maintenance team in New Zealand ordered a digital file containing the part design from Singapore Technologies Engineering, a company that provides airline-repair services.

January 2020

Tourism

Drones

Parcels only after drones fitted with anti-crash software

he UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a document outlining that drones will need specialist software before they can be flown beyond the sight of human operators.

The regulator has also said delivery and commercial drones will need automated crash avoidance capabilities as standard, so they can detect and get out of the way of fast oncoming objects like planes and gliders. Currently, drones are

not allowed to be flown more than 500 meters away from the human behind the controls, unless by the emergency services in rare and exceptional circumstances. Drones can only be flown beyond the line of sight when the CAA gives specific permission, such as for commercial tests, and even then in designated temporary no fly zones. These safety checks are currently grounding the mass adoption of commercial drones, for a wide range

of uses such as parcel delivery and inspecting and monitoring building projects.

Wichita Airport to train officers as drone pilots

Drones to monitor English Channel for migrant boats

rones will monitor migrant boats attempting to reach the south east of England. Remotelypiloted aircraft will be searching a large area of the Channel, from Eastbourne to Margate. The flights are for “the purpose of national security and protection of human life”, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said. Drones are limited to 1,200 feet above sea level and will not affect commercial passenger planes. The Home Office did not say who would be operating and providing the drones, which will fly from Lydd Airport.

January 2020

peration officers of Wichita Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in the US will integrate the use of drones into their daily routine following successful proof-of-concept flights. Following successful proof-of-concept

drone flights at Kansas’s largest commercial airport, the operations staff of the ICT will begin training to fly drones and earn their Part 107 remote pilot licenses over the next few months, according to a report in AIN.

Encroaching drones usually not seen by pilots

ilots approaching a runway usually can’t see small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) encroaching on their airspace, and they virtually never detect motionless drones, according to a study. During an airborne human factors experiment, pilots in a Cessna 172S failed to see a common type of quadcopter in motion during 28 of 40 close encounters, researchers with Oklahoma State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University reported.

Dubai beats New York as the mostvisited city in the world

The pilots got a bead on the invading drone in only 12 out of the 40 cases, or about 30 percent of the time. When the drone was not moving, the task became even more difficult. A mere three out of 22 motionless drones were spotted by the pilots. Drones were detected at distances of between 213 and 2,324 feet.

he UAE has once again clinched the title of hosting one of the top 10 destinations in the world to visit. In its latest publication, Euromonitor International unveiled the Top 100 City Destinations Ranking for 2019, and named Dubai as the first Middle East city and the seventh most-visited city in the world, beating New York City, Kuala Lumpur, Istanbul and Delhi. New York City had 13.6 million visitors, with Kuala Lumpur getting 13.44 million visitors and Istanbul standing at 13.43 million. Dubai continues to lead

Guyana has a strong tourism year

uyana, one of the wider Caribbean region’s undiscovered tourism destinations, had a very strong tourism year. the Middle East and Africa in terms of numbers of international arrivals. There were 15.9 million international tourist arrivals in 2018, according to Dubai Media Office. Dubai is the only Middle Eastern city in the top ten with more than 16 million visitors projected for 2019. The city arrivals research covered over 400 cities and highlighted the top 100 cities based on 2018 international arrivals.

Tourism could drive the Timor-Leste’s economy

xperts believe tourism, long after oil and gas have run their courses, is likely to help drive the economy of Timor-Leste, which sits at the base of Southeast Asia, one of the mostdensely populated regions on earth. With a population of 1.3 million, Timor-Leste has unspoilt mountains, crystal clear waters and pristine beaches. Located only 1,000 kilometres to the east of Bali in Indonesia whose

tourism industry is worth more than US$10 billion annually, Timor-Leste is building a sustainable and diverse economy with tourism as a key sector. The Timor-Leste government recognizes, in its Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, diversity in the growing economy is essential to the country’s long-term stability. The government is committing to the tourism sector development through the public-private partnerships. Initial partnerships could be with airlines and international tourism operators.

Tourist arrivals were up by 8.5 percent through the end of September 2019, according to the Guyana Tourism Authority. Guyana has been working to position itself as an eco-tourism destination, thanks to a surfeit of eco-lodges and one of the most naturally beautiful environments in the hemisphere.

North Korea to tap medical tourism

orth Korea, billed as one of the world’s most-reclusive states, has plans to branch out into medical tourism in 2020, offering foreign visitors, most likely from China, treatments including cataract surgery, dental implants and therapy for tumours. According to Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the launch of the “Treatment Tourism Exchange Corporation” is aimed at capitalizing on the rising demand for tourism, including medical care, in line with an international trend.

If Timor-Leste could secure just five percent of Bali’s foreign tourism, it could bring in 335,000 international visitors. With an average spent of US$1,000⁠ per person that would bring in US$335 million per annum.

January 2020