Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
www.viadubaionline.com
Issue 74 July 2019
Ready for Summer Rush Rising through the ranks
GCAA opens new air accident investigation laboratory KLM and TU Delft to create V-shaped aircraft DCAA Interview
Inside DCAA
Mohammed Obaid
Dubai Police delegation 7 visits DCAA
Up-to-date with security procedures
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Middle East News 18
DCAA receives 7 delegation from Vistara Airlines
Airports 20
IATA mandates airports for RFID use on baggage Opinions Airport operators should exceed the expectations of customers Angela Gittens
Our roots are with network carriers 22
ATM 26
Alexandre de Juniac
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Technology 32
Message
from the President
Ready as ever
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s summer sets in, Dubai gets into travel mode in July and the airports are ever ready to handel the large number of holiday makers and vacationers. Dubai International (DXB), which handled close to 90 million international passengers last year, is the 18th most internationally connected airport. The world’s busiest airport for A380 and Boeing 777 movements facilitates connections across all six inhabited continents. For DXB, the months of July and August bring with them challenges in handling a massive number of passengers. Last year, DXB recorded its second busiest month ever surpassing the eight million passenger mark in July. This year’s summer rush has come after we recently carried out the refurbishment of one of the two runways at Dubai International. DXB expects to see 16 million passengers during July and August. As many as 73 passenger carriers connect DXB to 221 airports in 215 cities across 95 countries. Dubai Airports is taking steps to ensure the high volume of traffic does not affect the customer experience. Throughout the busy period, it will be augmenting staff levels at touchpoints from the kerb to the boarding gate to ensure the smooth flow of passengers. The Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), which is the nerve
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
centre of DXB, will use a monitoring systems to keep an eye on the flow of customers, bags and status of various services to anticipate pinch points and interruptions. Dubai airports have in place technology that works in enabling a host of smart features within the facilities. Passengers can complete the immigration process within seconds thanks to the Smart Gates. Emirates has launched the world’s first integrated “biometric path” which offer its customers a smooth and truly seamless airport journey. Our success is the outcome of the teamwork and cooperation among all our stakeholders who diligently works round-the-clock to ensure that your journey remains memorable all the times.
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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 07
Dubai Police delegation visits DCAA
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DCAA receives delegation from Vistara Airlines
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GCAA opens new air accident investigation laboratory
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.
General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
UAE in Focus
Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Marketing Manager Fahed Mohammed
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Aviation sector in UAE to touch US$88.1-billion mark by 2030
E-mail: viadubai1@naddalshiba.com 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.
Cargo & Logistics 30
India’s air freight demand to touch 1.1 million tonnes by 2025
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Rhenus Logistics targets Middle East markets
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Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management
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
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youtube.com/user/dcaadubai
Message
from the Director General
Excellent Efficiencies
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crucial behind-the-scene factor in the success of an airport is the efficient handling of traffic movements by its Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP). Handling the massive round-the-clock aircraft movements at international travel hubs like Dubai requires excellence in the Air Traffic Management (ATM). This Herculean task assumes extra importance when the ANSP has to manage two busy international airports within an urban conurbation.
Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
The globally-benchmarked success of Dubai International can be attributed to its unblemished ATM track record. From being a less equipped part of Dubai Airport when it started in September 1960 with just nine airlines and 127 aircraft movements per week, the Dubai Air Navigation Services (Dans) facilities have grown by leaps and bounds.
safe and efficient operations. Taking into account the ambitious aviation growth, we are working hard to enhance our capabilities in terms of safety, efficiency, capacity and the environment. In Dubai, aircraft movements have grown 50 per cent since 2010.
Its Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations are responsible for all the aircraft arriving and departing from Dubai and the Northern Emirates – usually around 1,300 movements daily – and ensuring that delays and disruptions are kept to a minimum.
Travellers who want to get to their holiday destinations on time feel disappointed due to air traffic delays. With proper investments in technology and manpower, ANSPs should and must make things better now and in the future.
Once again, Dans is ready to handle the summer rush at Dubai airports and has taken measures to ensure least delays and disruptions to flight movements. Over the next three months, over 95,000 flight movements are expected to be handled by the ANSP. One of the runways at DXB has been recently refurbished and will be handy for us to handle the
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Inside DCAA
Dubai Police delegation visits DCAA
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, represented by the Air Transport and International Affairs Sector, received a delegation from Dubai Police General Command headed by Tarek Sultan Al Suwaidi, Director of the Department of Diplomatic Affairs. The visiting delegation was received by Abdullah bin Khediya, Director of Air Traffic Department. During the meeting, a number of themes were discussed in relation to the role of the Authority in enhancing international relations that contribute to enhancing aviation traffic and its sustainability in the Emirate. The role of the Department of International Affairs and the best management practices that facilitate the performance of its functions in this regard were also discussed. At the end of the visit, Abdullah bin Khediya presented a commemorative shield to the visiting delegation, and stated that the Authority continuously seeks to contribute to enhancing cooperation with government bodies.
DCAA receives delegation from Vistara Airlines
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ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) received a delegation from the company Vistara Airlines. The delegation was received by Saud Abdulaziz Kankzar, Executive Director of Air Transport and International Affairs. During the meeting, a number of important topics were discussed in the aviation sector. The delegation was told that the Authority is always keen to contribute to the strengthening of relations and cooperation in the field of civil aviation because of the importance of this sector. India-based Vistara Airlines is a joint venture between India’s Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines.
Year of Tolerance Tolerance at workplaces
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he UAE is undoubtedly an inspiring tolerance hub with people of almost all nationalities, faiths and cultures living safely and enjoying a good quality of life. It truly embodies understanding, harmony and acceptance. The country has always been a model of tolerance and coexistence, set apart by values that promote openness, acceptance and respect for ethnic and religious diversity. The UAE renounces discrimination, hatred and racism and promotes pluralism. The UAE is a model for peaceful coexistence, says His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, who is the UAE’s – and also the world’s – first Minister for Tolerance. Humane and tolerant leadership in the UAE is a reflection of the Arab and Islamic heritage. Tolerance is all about accepting and understanding every culture and weaving it well into our societies. Virtues like better understanding of each other go a long way in building a tolerant atmosphere, especially in a work environment. A tolerant workplace also makes for happier staff. When employees feel that the work culture respects their beliefs and values, they become more effective and efficient at what they do. Tolerance at workplaces means having the courage to recognise and acknowledge the differences between people based on their divergent views. Open communication, willingness to see another’s point of view, and clear boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour can foster tolerance in a workplace. In a multi-cultural workplace, tolerance is a key driver of productivity, which eventually affects the bottom line. The difficulty for middle management is to help employees build bridges and capitalise on the perceived differences present in the workplace. All businesses should encourage employees to find common ground between them so they can overcome their differences and work together. A lack of tolerance thwarts team and company progress and encourages a breeding ground for misunderstanding and unethical behaviour.
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Inside DCAA
Mohammed Mubarak Obaid, Head of Aviation Security Section, DCAA
Up-to-date with security procedures T
he Aviation Security Section implements with exemplary efficiency all civil aviation related security procedures in record time to match the increase in the number of inbound and outbound flights and the number of passengers. The Aviation Security Section is one of the key sections of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and is mandated with the responsibility of implementing the quality control activities related to civil aviation security procedures. Mohammed Mubarak Obaid, Head of the Aviation Security Section, in DCAA, spoke to Via Dubai about the important role the section is playing to support Dubai’s aviation industry and its activities to face the challenges ahead. Excerpts from the interview:
What are the main activities of the Aviation Security Section and its importance?
The Aviation Security Section is composed of national talented personnel who are certified and accredited by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for having successfully passed security aviation training courses. The team implements and follows up all civil aviation security related tasks in the Emirate of Dubai.
What are the tasks and objectives of this section? The Aviation Security Section is tasked with applying the quality
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control programmes (audits and inspections) related to the civil aviation security procedures concerning airports, helipads, airline operators and companies with aviation related activities, with the aim to ensure compliance to standards set by ICAO, in addition to national legislation and requirements on both local and federal levels. The Section is also responsible for reviewing and endorsing the security programmes and procedures related to civil aviation in the Emirate of Dubai, as well as supervising the certificates issuance of the security screeners operating in Dubai Airports.
What are the achievements of your section in 2018?
We have transformed all the section services into electronic services that are implemented and delivered via the Authority’s website, in addition to introducing Compliance Management Activities System (CMAS); a quality control programmes’ electronic system that includes the planning and implementation of quality control programmes and producing audit/ inspection reports. This system has contributed to reducing the time required to implement these programmes.
What are the challenges facing the Aviation Security Section?
Due to the continuous development, the Emirate of Dubai is witnessing in all areas, both economically and socially, Dubai has become an important tourist and business destination that competes on equal terms with many global cities. This has contributed to the traffic growth the airports are witnessing, and eventually to the increase in the number of inbound and outbound flights and the number of passengers. This is a huge challenge to the field of civil aviation security, and we are dealing with that through the implementation of all civil aviation related security procedures in a record time that matches this increase.
What are your future projects?
Our section is looking forward to increasing community awareness regarding airport security procedures. We are planning to organise awareness campaigns targeting all airports users, with the aim to reduce the time required for check-in and inspection of passengers and luggage. The section is also looking forward to continuing developing and improving its operational procedures to match the latest updates in international and national procedures and legislation at federal and local levels.
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Cover Story
Ready for Summer Rush An all-time record 16 million passengers will travel through the Dubai International (DXB) over the peak summer months of July and August
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hroughout the summer months of July and August, it is time to go outside the UAE for Emirati and expatriate families to spend their long summer holidays. Dubai International (DXB), the world’s number one airport for international passengers since 2014, is ready to handel an all-time record-breaking summer travel season, with officials working on minimizing delays for passengers and make their passage smooth. In July last year, DXB recorded its second busiest month ever surpassing the eight million passenger mark. Passenger numbers in July totalled 8,207,987. Like the previous years, Dubai Airports, the operator of DXB and Al Maktoum International-DWC, launched campaigns to encourage passengers to get to the airport early and ensure that the passenger flows go on smoothly. Remarked His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group: “Dubai Airports, in collaboration with airlines and other partners, is taking measures, including awareness campaigns and the
deployment of additional resources to ease the passenger flow through the facility.� Massive seasonal spikes in traffic strains even the largest airports. Despite enjoying one of the highest travel satisfaction ratings in the world, travellers to and from Dubai continue to desire and look forward to an even better airport experience than before. On their part, airlines open new routes and increase flight frequency in summer as travel demand increases sharply. This year, DXB expects to see 16 million passengers during summer holiday rush in July and August. As many as 73 passenger carriers connect DXB to 221 airports in 215 cities across 95 countries. Airlines are also into summer rush mode. Emirates
Airlines says multiple destinations across various countries will be served by additional flights during peak travel season. In order to meet increased seasonal passenger demand Emirates will be introducing its Airbus A380 aircraft to several destinations. Dubai Airports is taking steps to ensure the high volume of traffic does not affect the customer experience. Throughout the busy period, it will be augmenting staff levels at touchpoints from the kerb to the boarding gate to ensure the smooth flow of passengers. The Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), which is the nerve centre of DXB, will use a monitoring system to keep an eye on the flow of customers, bags and status of various services to anticipate pinch points and interruptions. It says the efforts of the operations centre had resulted in a 30 percent reduction in waiting times during the first quarter of 2019. It urged passengers to arrive early at the airport to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. It is also urging passengers to have a smooth start to their vacation by arriving early to the airport and making the most of the food, entertainment, shopping and relaxation opportunities lined up for them at Dubai International.
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Cover Story
Passengers can confirm with their airline, check online on www. dubaiairports.ae or use Dubai Airports’ smartphone app. Eligible visitors (nationals of countries that get visaon-arrival) and the UAE residents (Emirates ID card) can use Smart Gates to avoid queuing at passport control, both while arriving and on departure.
Dubai Airports has issued 10 Smart Travel tips:
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Be sure to check which airport and terminal you are departing from/arriving into beforehand
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Arrive early at the airport. It is best to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. Take into consideration daily rush hours and available routes in calculating your commuting time to the airport
expect to be charged for baggage more than the limit set by your respective airline.
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Leave extra time for your journey to the airport as the roads can be very busy during the holiday season
It is always simpler to pack liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) in your check-in baggage. However, if you must carry LAGs in your hand luggage, make sure they are in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre
Check with the airline in advance for information on your baggage allowance. Irrespective of the allowance, a single unit of baggage weighing more than 32kg will not be accepted at check-in. You should
Beat the queues by checking-in online. Customers with baggage can make use of the quick-baggage drop counters, while those carrying only hand luggage can proceed directly to Immigration
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Remember to put anything metal -- watch, jewellery, mobile phone, coins, and belt -- into your hand luggage well before you arrive at the X-ray machine. This will save time at security screening
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Eligible visitors (nationals of countries that get visa on arrival) and UAE residents (Emirates ID card) can use smart gates to avoid queuing at passport control, both while arriving and on departure
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You can choose DXB’s Wake Up at the Gate package, the special package that allows a family of four to check in at Terminal 3 for their flight up to 12 hours before, get through security and head into departures starting their holiday in completely stress-free way. Perfect for those early morning flights the package turns the airport into a playground to explore, play and eat. Travellers can settle in for a good night’s sleep before the whole family wakes up fresh and ready to travel just minutes from the aircraft
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Irrespective of your class of travel, the Al Majlis VIP service eases your journey through the airport, speeding you through check-in, immigration and baggage clearance even assisting with travel documentation - while you relax in luxurious lounges
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UAE in Focus
No single-use plastics in Emirates flights
8,028 UAVs registered with the GCAA
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mirates Airlines has joined the growing movement to ban single-use plastics with the unveiling of its plans to remove an estimated 82 million plastic items on board its aircraft. The Dubai-based carrier made the commitment to reduce the use of plastic as it introduced eco-friendly paper straws. The airline will also replace plastic swizzle sticks and stirrers with eco-friendly alternatives by the end of the year, and from August paper bags will be used in place of inflight retail plastic bags. Additionally, Emirates is segregating large plastic bottles on board to be recycled.
The airline has conducted a full review of the plastics on board, and over the next few months it will gradually implement other initiatives to tackle plastic waste – part of its ongoing sustainability efforts. Dubai Airports, which manages Dubai International and Al Maktoum International, says items such as plastic knives and forks, straws and shopping bags, will be banned from consumer spaces from the first day of January next year.
Aviation sector in UAE to touch US$88.1-billion mark by 2030
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he aviation sector in the UAE is projected to reach AED323.6 billion (US$88.1 billion) by 2030, according to the Airport Council International (ACI) World. Last year the sector contributed 15 percent to the country’s GDP. The expected increase comes as ACI revealed Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport has been rated 19th internationally in terms of volume handled. Once completed, it is expected to become the largest airport
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in the world with a capacity of up to 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of air freight volume annually. There are seven international airports welcoming over 100 million passengers annually in the UAE. The UAE has invested an estimated AED1 trillion (US$270 billion) in the aviation sector, which includes improvements to airport infrastructure and a fleet of 884 commercial aircraft.
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or the first time in the UAE, individuals can now shoot videos and take photographs using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones in “permitted locations and at heights specified by the local authorities”, according to a top official of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The use of drones for such purposes can be done only after securing the required approvals from the concerned authorities. The Authority has updated the smart mobile app My Drone Hub which facilitates the immediate identification of areas where photography is permitted. It has taken into consideration the safety, security of air traffic, national facilities, privacy of individuals and properties while flying and photographing. According to the GCAA, 8,028 UAVs have been registered with the authority so far and there are 92 registered companies which are permitted to operate them. There are certain free fly zones, where people can fly drones up to a height of 400 feet. The app helps locate all information to users through an interactive map.
UAE in Focus
Air Arabia launches new flight routes
GCAA opens new air accident investigation laboratory
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harjah-based low cost carrier Air Arabia has launched two new routes. First is a four times a week flight from Sharjah to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan with flights started on July 4. Travellers will also be able to fly from Sharjah to history-rich Tunis. The route commenced on July 4 with four flights per week until September, when the service will drop down to three time per week. Elsewhere, Air Arabia is launching a new flight from Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh to Naples in Italy, with flights starting from July 15.
he General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has opened an Air Accident Investigation Laboratory in Abu Dhabi. The new lab has been established by the Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) at the GCAA. The lab offers great potential for the Air Accident Investigation Sector to operate effectively and smoothly, based on data recorded by flight recorders. The laboratory covers 97 per cent of aircraft models operating in the UAE. As part of its strategic plans, the GCAA intends to establish a comprehensive laboratory
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi Director-General of General Civil Aviation Authority
that includes equipment for the testing and installation of metals, electronic devices and components of the aircraft, as well as an electronic imaging laboratory, as a step to advance internal and establish a distinguished Air Accident Investigation Centre worldwide.
Another new route on the radar is Dubai to Qingdao with China Eastern. The Chinese airline launched a thrice-weekly service to the seaport city from June 29. Flights depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and the journey time is set to be around ten hours.
Novus Aviation eyes Far East aircraft markets
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ubai-based aircraft lessor Novus Aviation Capital has plans to double its portfolio to reach 150 aircraft under management worth US$10 billion over the next few years.
The firm is seeking additional opportunities in the Philippines, where last year Novus announced a debt financing agreement with Philippine Airlines (PAL). It is looking
towards East Asia for opportunities amid an ambitious global expansion plan. Novus leased and acquired between US$700 and US$800 million worth of aircraft in the last 18 months. It sold approximately the same number of aircraft, keeping its average size at about US$4 billion, according to a report in Arabian Business.
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Special Report
Why struggling airlines spend more on safety? A
irlines with lower profitability are more likely to choose to invest in new aircraft, says a research study by the faculty members of INSEAD, one of the best business schools in the world. Every airline worth its salt claims to value passenger safety over and above all else, but the fact remains that airlines have to balance the oftenconflicting imperatives of safety and profitability. This is an inescapable fact of doing business in an industry obsessed with potentially hazardous technology.
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In a study published in the prestigious Harvard Business Review, Henrich Greve, Professor of Entrepreneurship, and Vibha Gaba, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, both at INSEAD, described their research into airlines’ management of these complex tradeoffs and, in particular, how financial performance affects an airline’s focus
on safety. When they began their research, their assumption was that the most successful airlines (those with secure profitability) would be leading the pack on the safety front. In their work, they specifically examined when airlines decided to replace particular aircraft. In this
Special Report
have less-than-stellar accident records with models considered to be very safe – is one of the ways top-level airline management can improve safety. As one might expect, these transactions usually involve selling at a discount and buying at a premium. This means the airline loses out financially on the deal. To track aircraft sales and purchases, they obtained fleet composition statistics and accessed accident records for all global airlines, which they narrowed down to incidents resulting in an airplane being deemed permanently unfit to fly. This category of mishap (Hull Loss) includes tragic crashes, but also serious electrical fires, water landings, and any other event rendering repairs either futile or too costly. They also assessed the tenor of media coverage for each aircraft model in the sample, as they assumed that the publicity around the planes would affect fleet management decisions. A high-profile accident that was widely reported would have an outsized impact on airlines’ safety-based calculus. They then traced the connections between the changing composition of an airline’s fleet and its commercial fortunes. They found that airlines with above-average safety records responded to increased accident rates of models in their fleet by changing their fleet composition. Interestingly, this effect was stronger for airlines with a lower level of profitability. particular context, they found instead that airlines with lower profitability were more likely to choose to invest in new aircraft after a crash of a model in their fleet — like that of the Boeing 737 Max 8 — even if the flight was not being operated by that airline. Altering the composition of the fleet – replacing older models of aircraft that
The low-profit airline would on average increase its aircraft sales by 55 per cent as compared to the high-profit airline, which would only increase its aircraft sales by 29 per cent. And among airlines with relatively high accident rates, financial performance played an even more decisive role: Underperforming carriers disposed of aircraft in a bid to improve safety,
The low-profit airline would on average increase its aircraft sales by 55 per cent as compared to the high-profit airline but the prosperous ones did not bother. For airlines equally far below the industry average safety record, an airline with low profitability is 50 per cent more likely to sell aircraft than the one with high profitability. They cited as examples Indonesia’s Lion Air’s reportedly planning to drop a US$22 billion order for 737 MAX aircraft in favour of Airbus planes following both the recent Ethiopia Air crash and its own tragedy in October last year when one of its own MAX jets crashed minutes after take-off killing all passengers and crew. It might seem strange that financially struggling airlines are the most willing to spend more on safety, but they believe that it has to do with the way organizations think about survival: Airlines whose profits are riding high can survive a scandal, and their executives know it. Their less successful peers may already be bordering on failure and could ill afford the public outcry that a prominent accident would cause. It’s also worth noting that the buying and selling of aircraft for safety’s sake was influenced mostly by accident rates, but media tenor was a significant factor too. Take the barrage of negative press coverage surrounding the Boeing 787 Dreamliner following a series of battery fires in 2013 and 2014.
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Special Report
The UAE is now among the Top 20 in the world for allowing visafree/visa-on-arrival to citizens of 167 countries
Rising through the ranks
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ong before it became part of the UAE, Dubai has been the Arabian Gulf’s trading hub with the Emiratis travelling to various countries for business and leisure for ages.
As the country progressed and tourism facilities developed, visa regulations were relaxed to allow more people from across the world to come to the Arab land to enjoy its sunny weather, hospitality and breath-taking landmarks. On the other hand, Emiratis used to face hurdles in getting visas to go to their choice destinations. In the past decade, the world has been increasing beckoning the Emiratis towards it due to the aviation’s expanding reach.
the UAE passport took the biggest climb of any country for the first time in index’s 14 year history. The Henley Passport Index is widely acknowledged as the original and most authoritative passport index, with historical data spanning 14 years. The global ranking is the only one of its kind that is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information.
For the first time since it began to appear on the world’s most- influential index , the United Arab Emirates has now find a slot in the Top 20 ranking of passports of countries across the world. It jumped a “record-breaking 41 places over the past decade. In the Henley Passport Index 2019,
The index is enhanced by extensive in-house research. It noted the UAE has more than doubled its number of visa-free destinations over the past five years.
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Today, the UAE allows visa-free/visaon-arrival to 167 countries, according
to the 3Q 2019 update of the index. The Henley Passport Index 2019 includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations — including micro-states and territories. The index ranks of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa or the number of countries a holder can go to where they can obtain a visa, visitor’s
Special Report
Today, the UAE allows visa-free/ visa-on-arrival to 167 countries, according to the 3Q 2019 update of the index permit, or electronic travel authority upon arrival. In the 2018 edition, the UAE ranked 33rd, offering visa-free travel to 133 countries- up from 121 countries in 2017, gaining access gaining access to 12 new destinations in just one year. In the Middle East region, the UAE climbed an impressive 28 places on the index that year - the biggest climb of any country in the world over a decade. The UAE’s success is linked to the fact that, between 1999 and 2018, visa restrictions on Emirati citizens have been lifted by countries such as New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Ukraine, and China, as well as those in the Schengen area. Dr Christian H Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index concept, said: “With a few notable exceptions, the latest rankings show that countries around the world increasingly view visa openness as crucial to economic and social progress. Discussions of passport power and global mobility tend to focus on the benefits for the
countries with the strongest passports. Increased visa-openness benefits the entire global community, and not just the strongest countries.” With a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 183, the UK and the US now share sixth place – the lowest position either country has held since 2010, and a significant drop from their first place in 2014. They share the position with Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland, and Norway. Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg are on the third rank. France has dropped to the fourth spot, now sharing the position with Spain and Sweden. Other climbers include Taiwan on 38th position – climbing 24 places over the past ten years, Serbia at 41st place – climbing 24 places in the past decade. Afghanistan at 109th is last on the list with a visa-free/visaon-arrival score of just 25. The Index noted that in just five years, the UAE has more than doubled the number of jurisdictions its citizens can enter without a prior visa. he 2019 index puts the UAE on top with a ‘visafree score’ of 173, followed by Finland, Luxembourg and Spain with 168, and, -- in joint third place with scores of 167 -- Denmark, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Ireland and the US.
(187), Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg (186), France, Spain, Sweden (185), Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland (184), Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, United States (183), Malta (182), Czech Republic (181), Australia, Iceland, Lithuania, New Zealand (180) and Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (179). The index disclosed several countries around the world have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to fewer than 40 countries. These include: Bangladesh, Eritrea, Iran, Lebanon, North Korea (39 destinations), Nepal (38), Libya, Palestinian Territory, Sudan (37), Yemen (33), Somalia (31), Pakistan (30), Syria (29), Iraq (27) and Afghanistan (25). Countries with citizenship-byinvestment (CBI) programs continue to perform strongly on the index, and demonstrate a similar connection between passport power and economic and social progress. Malta now sits in 7th place with a score of 182, just one spot behind the UK and the US. Cyprus retains its 16th place, with a score of 172, while the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda is now in 29th place, rising 11 places over the past decade.
The best passports to hold midway through 2019 are :Japan, Singapore (189 destinations), Finland, Germany, South Korea
July 2019
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Middle East News
IBS Software plans Middle East expansion
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BS Software, an India-based aviation software major, is planning to launch its international listing by 2020-21, with a view to expanding its operations in the Middle East. Market analysts estimate IBS’ valuation in the range of US$1.5 to US$2 billion. The proposed listing is part of IBS’ strategy to pursue an aggressive growth plan in various international markets including the Middle East, where it is currently expanding its operations. Emirates is among the leading international airlines which currently uses the frontline crew planning and optimisation platform of AD OPT.
The acquisition will help IBS to get on a platter the former’s businesses in the Middle East and other regions. IBS operates its businesses in the
EgyptAir get its third Dreamliner
Middle East airlines losses set to deepen
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he Middle East is the worst performing region for airline profitability, with the losses of regional carriers set to deepen this year, according to a report by the IATA. Airlines in the region are expected to see a combined net loss of US$1.1 billion this year, US$100 million more than in 2018, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. That equates to an average US$5.01 loss per passenger flown, the poorest forecast for airlines in all six global regions assessed by the airlines body. The Middle East has faced
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Middle East out of its Dubai office for the last 10 years. It is due to open soon its second office in the region in Abu Dhabi.
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“substantial challenges” in recent years, both to the business environment and to business models, it noted. Airlines in this region are going through a process of adjustment and their announced schedules point to a substantial slowdown in capacity growth in 2019. Performance is now improving but the worsening in the business environment is expected to prolong losses in 2019, it said. The Middle East is also the worst ranked region according to other key metrics tracked by IATA.
gyptAir has taken possession of its third Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner after its arrival at the Cairo International Airport. The airliner has contracted Boeing to buy a total of six aircraft of the same model as part of its fleet modernization plan. This Dreamliner has been deployed for flights to Paris. This Dreamliner is part of the largest deal in airliner’s history as it includes the purchase of 45 new aircraft models worth US$6 billion, including Boeing Dreamliner 787-9. These aircraft will be utilized for long routes from Egypt like Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, Bangkok and Frankfurt.
Middle East News
Saudia restarts direct flights to Athens after a decade
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audi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has restarted direct flights between Riyadh (RUH) and Athens (ATH) after a gap of 11 years.
The 2,583-kilometre-long service between the capitals of both countries will be operated four times a week, utilising an A320 aircraft. The airline discontinued service to Greece’s capital in 2008. The Riyadh-Athens route is operated four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Last year, the airline flew more than 34 million passengers,
LOT Polish relaunches flights to Beirut
L and introduced five new routes to its network including Vienna (Austria), Trivandrum (India), Surabaya (Indonesia) and Medan (Indonesia). It also re-introduced flights to Cochin, India, and operated three seasonal routes to Izmir, Malaga and Moscow. Currently, the airline flies to 95 destinations worldwide, with a fleet of more than 160 narrow and widebody Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
MEA becomes launch customer for A321XLRs
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iddle East Airlines (MEA), the flag carrier of Lebanon, has signed a firm order for four A321XLRs, thus becoming the launch airline customer of Airbus’ latest evolution of the A321neo family. The agreement takes the airline’s cumulative single-aisle orders with Airbus to 15 A321neo family aircraft, including 11 A321neos and 4 A321XLRs with deliveries starting in 2020. The airline will use the
A321XLR to strengthen its network in Africa and Asia. The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR which responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. The A320neo and its derivatives are the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family with over 6,500 orders from some 100 customers since its launch in 2010.
OT Polish Airlines has relaunched flights to the capital of Lebanon. The first airplane from Beirut departed from Warsaw Chopin Airport. The flight timetable was planned to ensure convenient transfers for passengers from the whole region of Western and Central-Eastern Europe. Flights will be four times a week in September and October and five times a week in July and August. One of the airplanes operating the route will be Embraer 195, which accommodates from 112 to 118 passengers, depending on the version. The service relaunch is to cater to tourist and business traffic. For several years, the number of Poles travelling to Lebanon has been steadily increasing. LOT sees an opportunity in the fact that the current offer of flights to Lebanon of from Central and Eastern Europe is limited. It sees a large potential in ethnic traffic between Scandinavia and Germany, and Lebanon. The traffic comes both from Scandinavia and Germany to Lebanon and from Lebanon to Germany and Scandinavia.
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Airports
IATA mandates airports for RFID use on baggage
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In 2018, IATA assessed whether the air-transportation industry was ready for RFID.
IATA’s Recommended Practice (RP) 1740c provides RFID specifications for interline baggage, which was revised in 2018 to reflect the latest developments in RFID technology, and to include a set of tests to ensure global performance standards are met.
It found that technology providers, airlines and airports could handle the transition, and that RFID tags could be provided at the scale required. Additionally, IATA conducted a survey of airports in cooperation with the Airports Council International (ACI) at the end of last year. The two organizations found that airports are ready to implement RFID for
fter more than a decade of study and recommendations, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has voted to require the use of UHF RFID on air-travel baggage to prevent the mishandling of bags.
baggage tracking. In fact, 70 percent of the airports surveyed were already considering RFID implementations, while 52 percent were working on a business case.
Celebi to introduce taxibots across Indian airports Birmingham Airport plans £500 million expansion
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irmingham Airport in the UK has published its final Master Plan for expansion following a three month public consultation. The airport wants to increase annual passenger numbers to 18 million by 2033, up from its current 13 million. It plans to invest £500 million and says the project will generate more than £2 billion in regional economic benefit. The most common feedback concerned surface access, the environment and flight path changes.
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July 2019
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urkish ground handing company, Celebi Aviation, is planning to introduce Taxibots across Indian airports at an investment of about Euro45 million. The company, which recently deployed its offerings at Delhi International Airport, plans to introduce the technology at other key airports in the country. TaxiBots are used to tow narrowbodied aircraft from the terminal gate to the take-off point, with the airplanes’ engines turned off.
The semi-robotic Taxibots have been specially designed to ensure operational efficiency, in addition to reducing environmental damage. The pilot-controlled semiautomatic Taxibots are designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption by 85 per cent and Foreign Object Damage (FOD) by 50 per cent, thereby ensuring safety and lesser congestion at the airports. Use of Taxibots will also bring down the emission of carbon dioxide and other noxious gases by 85 per cent, and check noise pollution at airports by 60 per cent. The two Taxibots currently used at Delhi airport are responsible for towing narrow-bodied aircrafts from the terminal gate to the take-off point, with the aircrafts’ engines turned off.
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Opinion
Airport operators should exceed the expectations of customers A
irports are tasked with meeting and exceeding the passenger expectations through different providers, from the airport operator, airlines, ground handlers, retailers and governmental agencies, among others, that come together under one airport community. At the same time, airports cater to diverse passengers with different profiles, trip purposes and expectations. To discuss all the relevant issues, the ACI is organizing a global summit on this issue in September. Under the theme of “One Airport Community; Many Passenger Journeys, over 400 airport experts will gather for the second annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit, being held in partnership with PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero), from September 2 for four days in Bali, Indonesia. In addition to two days devoted to ASQ subscribers, the conference portion will feature insights and best practice exemplars from experts inside and outside of our industry. We will also take the occasion to welcome our 2018 ASQ Awards winners and Director General’s Roll of Excellence inductees, to receive their recognition and celebrate with their peers at the Awards Gala dinner. This won’t be the only ACI event dedicated to helping airport operators understand, meet, and exceed the ever-changing needs of their customers this fall. The Trinity Forum, the world’s most influential airport commercial revenues conference, will take
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place in October and will focus on: “Reimagining the Trinity’s role in a phygital world.” With the extensive use of smartphones, tablets and laptops, the Internet of Things - as well as in-store touchpoints such as kiosks and magic mirrors passengers now have different ways of interacting directly with businesses and purchasing goods. The challenge and opportunity for airports and airport retailers worldwide, is to safeguard and develop the commercial side of airports by evolving in step with customer expectations. This involves forging innovative business partnerships and developing new revenue streams and commercial models that embrace the digitalization of airports – including the phygital. Key topics at The Trinity Forum will include: reimagining the airport commercial model, demographic challenges and online competition, new shopping frontiers, and the power of the trinity partnership, among other pertinent topics.
Angela Gittens Director General Airports Council International (ACI World)
Opinion
Our roots are with network carriers T
he Association’s membership today stands at 291 airlines. Together our members serve 82 per cent of global demand for air transport—both cargo and passenger. Since we last met, 13 airlines have seen the value of joining IATA. Nearly 20 per cent of our membership classify themselves as low cost or hybrid carriers. I can assure you that our settlement systems are operating at the high levels of efficiency and accuracy that you expect. In 2018, the BSP, CASS and Clearing House processed US$348 billion of your funds. The NewGen ISS rollout has reached 58 markets representing 42 per cent of total settlements. By year-end, it will cover markets representing 90 per cent of total settlements. And we remain on target for 100 per cent during 2020. The Transparency in Payment initiative enables airlines to decide which payment method to accept from agents in full knowledge of the costs involved. The initiative is now integrated into BSP operations covering 62 per cent of credit card volumes and we are aiming for 95 per cent by yearend. The global scope and scale of IATA’s settlements systems is a major strength for our industry. It helps us to continuously reduce costs and improve efficiencies.
establishes a code of conduct for how manufacturers work with their airline customers. Secondly, we are developing a strategy for drones—a fast growing force in aviation. A third innovation is a new service called Turbulence Aware. It is a data-sharing program that helps airlines better manage turbulence. Already 18 airlines are participating in operational trials with very positive results. The fourth is IATA Pay—a new payment option for consumers when purchasing a ticket directly from an airline website using Open Banking capabilities. A final area concerns the safe transport of lithium batteries.
Alexandre de Juniac Director General and CEO International Air Transport Association
Excerpts from the speech at the IATA AGM 2019 in Seoul
Reducing emissions is the aim of our sustainability efforts. CORSIA will cap emissions from 2020. We are redoubling our efforts to cut emissions. Our initiatives include an agreement with CFM that
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Airlines
JAL takes delivery of first A350 XWB
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apan Airlines (JAL) has taken delivery of its first A350 XWB. The A350-900 is the first aircraft produced by Airbus for JAL. This is the first Airbus ever ordered and delivered to JAL. JAL’s A350900 is configured in a premium three class layout, with 12 seats in First Class, 94 in Class J and 263 in Comfort Economy. JAL also unveiled the all new cabin in Tokyo.
31 A350 XWB aircraft, comprising 18 A350-900s and 13 A3501000s. JAL will initially operate the A350-900 on high frequency domestic routes, while the larger A350-1000 will fly on the carrier’s long haul international network from 2023. The first aircraft will enter service on the airline’s Tokyo HanedaFukuoka route in September.
The new JAL A350-900 will have reduced take-off weight of just 217 tonnes. With the reduced engine thrust, it is fit for Japan domestic high cycle operation.
Air Malta in the black after two decades
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ir Malta has managed to turn its business around after two decades of losses and soar with the big players in the airline industry. According to a BBC report, Air Malta is a tiny operator with 10 aircraft that had experienced two decades of annual losses.
JAL intends to use the new A350 to replace B777 on domestic routes. Altogether, JAL has ordered
It was €10.8 million in the red (£9.6 million) in the financial year to March 2017. Air Malta had trouble competing with the big airlines who also shuttle tourists to Malta’s beaches and baroque buildings. The state-owned airline turned a profit of €1.2 million - its first in 18 years.
Switzerland launches a new airline
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witzerland has launched a new airline which will commence operations under the name of Chair Airlines.
The leisure carrier is the successor to Germania Flug, one of the two subsidiaries of Germania, which declared bankruptcy in early 2019. In June second week, it was announced that the Zürich-based charter airline
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July 2019
Germania Flug has been re-branded as Chair Airlines. The re-branding and change of name to Chair Airlines were key markers of an “intensive transformation process” that Germania Flug has been undergoing since the start of the year. The beginning of this year saw the downfall of the carrier’s parent airline, Germania.
The number of passengers soared to two million, a rise of 11 per cent. Two-and-a-half years ago, Air Malta decided to redesign its computer systems around web-based APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).
Airlines
Airlines took in US$1.3 billion in baggage fees in first quarter
AA orders 50 A321XLRs
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merican Airlines is ordering 50 new Airbus A321XLR planes. The deal marks the first major US carrier to purchase the European planes since their debut in June.
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irlines have collected nearly US$1.3 billion in baggage fee revenue in the first quarter of 2019 — an increase from the year prior, new data shows. As of June 17, airlines have collected US$1.29 billion in revenue from passenger baggage fees, about a US$170 million increase from 2018, according to the US Department of Transportation’s latest statistics During the first quarter last
This is Airbus’ longest-range, single aisle aircraft. Under the agreement, American will convert 30 of its orders for the smaller Airbus A321neo in favour of the longer-range model, and order a 20 additional A321XLRs. year, airlines took in US$1.1 billion in baggage fees. The airline that collected the most was American Airlines followed by United Airlines and Delta respectively. Last year, many airlines, including American, United, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue announced they would be increasing its fees for checked bags and penalties for overweight parcels.
The planes could replace some older aircraft like Boeing 757s. The new planes are aimed at longer routes where there aren’t enough travellers to support the expense of operating a larger twin-aisle jet. The 321XLR is expected to open more routes between the US and smaller, secondary cities in Europe.
United to continue regional fleet replacement
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seat configuration. Deliveries of the planes are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2020.
The contract, worth US$1.9 billion at list prices, consists of 20 firm orders and 19 options for E-175 jets in a 70-
The new E175s will be used to replace older aircraft operated at United Express regional affiliates such as ExpressJet Airlines, Mesa Airlines and
nited Airlines has signed a deal with Brazil’s Embraer for a total of 39 E-Jets that will go to its regional branch, United Express.
SkyWest Airlines, according to Flight Global. United Express can only have up to 225 aircraft with 70-76 seats in its regional fleet under its contract with pilots. The regional branch flies the CRJ-100/200, CRJ-700, as well as E-170s, according to data by planespotters.com.
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ATM
Embraer proposes ATC framework for air taxis
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razilian aerospace firm Embraer has laid out details of an air traffic control infrastructure it says must be in place before urban air taxis evolve from concept to reality, according to Flight Global. The airframer’s EmbraerX innovation division, working with two partners, released a 50-page report that calls for creation of an urban air traffic management (UATM) system. The report marks another step by Embraer into urban air mobility (UAM) – the concept that electric or hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will provide taxi-like intra-city transport. The report, Flight Plan 2030, presents a concept for the design and management of low-altitude urban airspace that will allow UAM to evolve over the next decade.” The report calls for city-specific air management systems – the UATMs, which would run on advanced information networks and incorporate automation technology and even artificial intelligence.
Europe to face turbulence as air traffic surges
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ince the creation of the European Union’s internal aviation market in 1992, there has been a revolution in air travel within the Europe. The aviation sector supports 8.8 million jobs and contributes over €621 billion to the EU economy. According to a report in The Parliament Magazine, this sector, despite its growth, is also facing many challenges. European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Director
India to modernise ATM with Boeing’s support
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ndia is all set to have a modernised Air Traffic Management (ATM). The Airports Authority of India (AAI), the body that manages around 125 airports in the world’s second most populous country, has inked a technical assistance agreement with the US-based aviation giant Boeing.
July 2019
As per the agreement, both AAI and Boeing would develop a comprehensive 10-year roadmap for modernizing ATM in the country. The roadmap would be developed within 18 months. Boeing will analyse the existing technologies and processes with an aim to identify efficiency improvements.
EASA approves Aireon as an ANSP
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he European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has officially approved Aireon as an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) organization to provide Air Traffic Management (ATM)/Air Navigation Service (ANS) surveillance services, to support the separation of aircraft. This makes Aireon as the firstever certified provider of aircraft surveillance-as-a-service.
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General Montserrat Barriga says: “The European air traffic management (ATM) system is currently creaking from a lack of capacity, growing delays, increased emissions and excessive costs.”
This designation represents the culmination of a three-year long collaboration between Aireon and EASA, the agency that determines and promotes civil aviation safety standards for the Member-States of the European Union (EU) and other associated States. EASA’s rigorous and holistic certification process ensured the performance of the Aireon data for use in critical safety-of-life Air Traffic Services (ATS) surveillance.
ATM
First British airport to use remote tower technology
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ollowing a comprehensive testing period in 2018, Jersey Airport has become the first hub in the British Isles to achieve approval for managing air traffic using remote tower technology. Ports of Jersey contracted Frequentis to supply the remote tower technology with project management support from Systems Interface Ltd (SIL). Significantly, this is also the first remote digital tower implementation to be overseen and reviewed directly by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the ANSP competent authority for Jersey.
Urban air mobility market to generate US$5.32 billion Remote tower market projected projected to reach $392 million by 2025
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report by Research and Markets has predicted that the remote tower market is projected to grow from US$63.2 million in 2019 to US$391.7 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 35.53 per cent during the forecast period of 2019 to 2025. A remote tower is an advanced and cost-effective solution for the management of air traffic and airspace.
FAA revises projections for Air Traffic Controllers
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he US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revised downward its projected number of air traffic controller hires for the 2019 fiscal year by 37 per cent. The FAA now faces a critical shortage of controllers, but the
agency insists the staffing level is still more than adequate. The FAA had anticipated hiring 1,431 controllers during the fiscal year that ends September 30, but it now projects that it will hire just 907 controllers, according to its annual Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan. The last time the FAA hired fewer than 1,100 controllers during a fiscal year was in 2013, when federal budget sequestration forced a nine-month hiring freeze.
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he global urban air mobility market is expected to generate US$5.32 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 26.19 per cent during 2023-2035. The urban air mobility is expected to be used for several operations, such as humanitarian missions, weather monitoring, ground traffic assessment, emergency medical evacuations, news gathering, package delivery, rescue operations, and passenger transport. The growing human intervention for intercity and intra-city transportation using eVTOL and growing smart city investments for urban air mobility are expected to create significant opportunity in the global urban air mobility market. Urban air mobility (UAM) is an attractive business proposition, which is not too far off in the future. As the road travel in large megacities becomes increasingly congested, the population commuting daily are looking for a better way to safely travel to work and other destinations. In the coming future, the advancements made by the Europe and North America region in the flying vehicles are expected to create lucrative opportunity for the global urban air mobility market.
The FAA said that the approximately 14,300 controllers who will either be fully certified or in training at the end of this year are still more than adequate.
July 2019
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MRO
DC Aviation eyes Saudi market for expansion
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ubai-based DC Aviation AlFuttaim (DCAF) is exploring the possibilities for entering the Saudi market, according to a report. Its Managing Director, Holger Ostheimer, told AIN that he sees the situation “gathering momentum,” and looks to “hopefully [firm] up our presence there” in the near future. DCAF has six aircraft under management. “We always target
Boeing invests in Robotic Skies
Connected FMS becoming a reality
oeing has announced its investment in Robotic Skies, a services provider that connects manufacturers and operators of commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with a global network of more than 170 civil aviation authority-certified repair stations.
he Connected Flight Management System (FMS) is slowly becoming a reality through software updates and an expanded use of high speed connectivity and aircraft interface devices by pilots, according to a report.
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The investment is part of Boeing’s disciplined, long-term strategy of entering into value-added partnerships that enhance and accelerate growth and deliver key differentiators for customers. Boeing HorizonX Ventures led this funding round with participation from Thayer Ventures, Sun Mountain Capital and KickStart Seed Fund.
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Honeywell Aerospace engineers are researching and developing ways to further improve the concept of the connected FMS that has already been established with Honeywell’s FMS data link service. GE Aviation and Avionica are also in the process of obtaining FAA supplemental type certification for their version
July 2019
of the connected FMS, which focuses more on increasing the available interconnectivity between pilot tablet applications and the FMS itself. The two companies formed a joint venture in 2018 with a focus on accelerating aircraft systems edge processing and wireless connectivity capabilities to allow operators to better acquire and analyse critical aircraft data.
Honeywell bolsters Asia-Pacific repair footprint
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oneywell, the avionics and auxiliary power unit giant, has strengthened its repair footprint in Asia-Pacific by adding the aerospace division of ST Engineering to its component MRO network. The long-term agreement will see ST Engineering become a licensed repair center for Honeywell-made parts.
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winning one or two new managed aircraft per year. This year, the objective remains the same: bringing one or two additional managed aircraft into the fleet, while at the same time increasing our maintenance footprint, more certified aircraft, more activities both within the area of the strategic partnership with Lufthansa Technik, targeting the A320 and BBJ, as well as outside that strategic operation, on all other procedure types.”
It will have access to Honeywell’s maintenance document and technical support for more than 2,000 individual part numbers, which the OEM says range from avionics to electrical and mechanical components. Set to be one of aviation largest markets, the AsiaPacific region is projected by Aviation Week’s MRO & Fleet Forecast data for some impressive growth rates.
MRO
Drones to be used for aircraft inspections
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rones have gone beyond surveying and taking aerial photographs to delivering food, parcels, groceries to your doorsteps and more. Now this unmanned aerial vehicle is playing another role in aviation – as a helper in aircraft maintenance. Air New Zealand is using this technology for inspecting its aircraft, as it says airborne drones significantly reduce the time in carrying out this task.
Deal to build second MRO facility in Bangalore
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nterGlobe Aviation, which operates India’s largest domestic airline IndiGo, will build its second aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre in Bengaluru to cater to a fast-growing fleet of mostly Airbus SE planes. The facility will be built at the premises of the Kempegowda International Airport. IndiGo has signed a 20-year pact with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which runs the airport, to sub-lease five acres for the 13,000 square metres facility that will be able to service two narrow-body aircraft at a time once it opens in 2020.
Magnetic MRO plans organic growth
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altic maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firm Magnetic MRO is planning to raise up to US$10 million to fund organic growth, through a capital increase that could see Chinese company Shenzhen Yongtai Trading and Hong Kong-based Sapphire Investment Holding acquiring shareholdings. Magnetic MRO has total 11 different business units. A significant part of the planned equity injection will be allocated
into fuelling organic growth in its growing business units. Magnetic MRO is currently fully owned by Hangxin Aviation Services. However, Magnetic MRO has revealed detailed plans to issue up to 30,158 new shares, with a nominal value of €6.40 each, paving the way for two new shareholders. The company’s share capital currently stands at €1.09 million, but this would rise to €1.28 million following the new shares issue.
Rolls-Royce expanding MRO capacity
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olls-Royce is working towards finding both engine maintenance capacity and repair capability, in advance of models such as the Trent 1000 and XWB entering their first shop refurbishment visits in a couple years. The company is in a period of doubling its in-service widebody engine fleet in 10 years from around 4,000 at the end of 2018 to around 8,000 in 2028, one of its officials said at an aviation summit. Rolls-Royce is taking a twoprong approach to develop repairs for the Trent 1000 and XWB.
In some cases, Rolls will develop the repair and put out bids to find companies to perform the repairs. In other cases, it will seek companies to both develop and perform the repair, such as MTU. Trent 1000 and XWBs will generate about US$9.1 billion between 2020 and 2025, according to an industry forecast.
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Cargo & Logistics
Amazon Air cargo fleet gets 15 more airplanes
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mazon Air, which operates a fleet of aircraft that are used exclusively for delivering Amazon parcels, is expanding its fleet with the addition of 15 new cargo airplanes. The e-commerce giant Amazon, which recently purchased Souq.com in the UAE and re-branded it as Amazon.ae, announced a partnership with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) to lease 15 Boeing 737800 cargo aircraft. They will join the five 737-800s that have already been leased from GECAS. The aircraft will fly in the US out of 20 air gateways of its Amazon Air network.
India’s air freight demand to touch 1.1 million tonnes by 2025
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ndia’s domestic air freight demand is expected to touch 1.1 million tonnes by the fiscal 2025 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of seven to nine per cent propelled by rapidly growing e-commerce activity, increasing capacity and improving airline connectivity to smaller cities.
airlines, ratings agency CRISIL said. The global analytical company providing ratings, research, and risk and policy advisory services, said the domestic dedicated freighters fleet currently stands at only seven planes compared with about 680 passenger aircraft, including of the grounded carrier Jet Airways, it said.
However, cargo capacity of airlines is expected to grow at a higher CAGR of 13-15 per cent, given the impending fleet expansions. This will further shift the market towards
In comparison, as per Boeing data, the global freighter fleet stood at 1,870 aircraft as of 2017, compared with a commercial fleet of 24,400 aircraft.
Kerry Logistics targets Chinese e-commerce market
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erry Logistics has entered into a partnership with Spanish national postal service Sociedad Estatal de Correos y Telégrafos as they target Chinese e-commerce demand. The two groups will establish a joint venture (JV) company, with Kerry taking a majority stake. The JV will offer end-to-end cross-border e-commerce solutions from China to worldwide destinations. The facility, targeting to open in 2019 Q4, will occupy an area of over 200,000 square feet and have a sorting capacity of 500,000 parcels per day. Cross-border e-commerce exports from China recorded a 67 per cent year-on-year increase in 2018, amounting to RMB56.1 billion, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.
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Cargo & Logistics
Rhenus Logistics targets Middle East markets
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henus Logistics of the UK is predicting further growth in its Middle East business on the back of year-on-year growth in its air and sea routes between the region and the UK. The German-owned freight forwarding operator attributes this expansion to an economic renaissance in the region, which it said is shifting from its historic
reliance on oil as a source of revenue. It has recently launched a shipping route from Manchester to the UAE. Looking to the next few years, the freight forwarder is anticipating increased demand for this service, especially for its LCL (less container load) shipments to the region. In terms of airfreight movements, the business handles around 10 consignments per month to Doha.
China Airlines plans to upgrade fleet with B777 freighters
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oeing has received order from the national carrier of Taiwan, China Airlines, for six 777 freighters, as part of plans to upgrade its fleet that currently consists of 747 freighters.
This order comes on the back of the airline’s launch of operations from Taipei to North America and Europe – two key markets that provide higher yields for the carrier. The freighter jet, capable of flying 4,970 nautical miles (9,200 km) with a maximum payload of 102,010 kg, will allow China Airlines to make fewer stops and reduce associated landing fees on these long-haul routes, resulting
EK SkyCargo steps up its pharma handling capabilities in the lowest trip cost of any large freighter and superior tonne-mile economics. China Airlines operates 51 Boeing airplanes. The addition of 777 Freighters will enable the carrier to streamline maintenance and parts for its 777 fleet.
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mirates SkyCargo, the cargo carrier for the Emirates Airlines and Group, has significantly boosted its worldwide pharma handling capabilities and infrastructure. It has commenced handling pharmaceutical cargo at a new purpose-built facility in Chicago. The facility, dedicated solely for pharmaceutical shipments, is spread over 1,000 square metres, with scope for additional expansion and provides comprehensive protection for pharma cargo through temperature controlled zones for acceptance and delivery, pharma cargo build up and break down, storage and direct ramp access.
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Technology
Boeing unveils rendering of its hypersonic jet
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utch airline KLM has teamed up with TU Delft to create the Flying-V aircraft concept, which is designed to consume 20 per cent less fuel than Airbus A350. KLM will financially support Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in its research and development of the V-shaped aircraft, in a bid to make aviation more sustainable. The aircraft’s V-shaped design will integrate the passenger cabin, the cargo hold and the fuel tanks into the wing structure. Compared to the Airbus A350 – one of the most advanced aircrafts of today – the long-distance Flying-V aircraft concept is smaller, giving it less aerodynamic drag and a reduced weight. According to KLM and TU Delft, this means the aircraft will use 20 per cent less fuel than the Airbus A350. It will be able to use existing infrastructure at airports like gates and runways, and will fit into the same hangar as the A350. It will also be able to carry the same number of passengers – 314 in the standard configuration – and the same 160 cubic metres of cargo
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volume. According to TU Delft, global aviation is responsible for around 2.5 per cent of total CO2 emissions, and this percentage is set to rapidly increase as passengers travel more often and further. The Flying-V is propelled by the most fuel-efficient turbofan engines currently available, and has the potential to be adapted to make use of innovations in the propulsion system, such as using electricallyboosted turbofans. Researchers plan to reveal a flying scale model of the Flying-V and a full-size section of its interior in October to test whether it can remain stable when being flown at low speeds. The mock-up of the new cabin design at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is timed with KLM’s 100th anniversary celebrations. The completed plane is expected to enter service between 2040 and 2050.
S airplane maker Boeing has unveiled a rendering of the firstever design for a hypersonic passenger plane at an Atlanta aerospace conference. This is a concept that is likely decades from being built. The hypersonic passenger plane could, in theory, fly as fast as Mach 5, or just under 3,900 miles per hour. That would allow the plane to carry passengers between Los Angeles and Tokyo in roughly three hours. A flight from New York to London could be as quick as two hours. Right now, those flights take about 11 hours and 7 hours, respectively. The key will be the development of lightweight materials for the fuselage and new engines that will propel the jets at greater speeds. All of that will take years to be designed and tested. Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin are hard at work developing their own version of a hypersonic jet. In fact, plans for a hypersonic jet that’ll cut long haul travel time down dramatically have been in the pipeline for over a decade. Broadly defined, supersonic travel occurs between Mach 1 and Mach 5 and once you pass Mach 5 you’re into hypersonic territory. Boeing has pencilled in 2023 for the maiden flight of the Aerion AS2 business jet.
Technology
Ampaire test-flies world’s biggest electric plane
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he US aircraft maker has launched Ampaire 337, the largest hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. With commercial use beckoning for 2021, it is a step in the direction of reducing carbon footprints in the sky.
The Los Angeles-based company also conducted a test flight above Camarillo Airport in California. Never before has a hybrid-electric aircraft
this large actually taken off. The twin-engine plane will be able to carry seven to nine passengers and boasts a range of up to 100 miles.
It is based on the six-seat Cessna 337 Skymaster, which was retrofitted with Ampaire’s proprietary electric propulsion system powered by a lightweight battery system. Ampaire also set out its path to commercial operations in 2021.
SmartRoutes launched for commercial aviation
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oute Dynamics Corporation (RDC) has launched their breakthrough service, SmartRoutes, a dynamic rerouting service for en route flights.
Test flights would see the aircraft fly several times per week until August and would gather data about the electric propulsion performance characteristics, the company said in a statement. It is easy to implement solution that automatically and continuously identifies route optimization opportunities that achieve significant savings in flight time, fuel and operational costs.
United and Airbus to manage data and predictive maintenance
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he US-based United Airlines has partnered with the European aeronautic giant Airbus to connect to the latter’s open-data platform Skywise to improve the airline’s maintenance and engineering operations on its Airbus fleet. Skywise features flexible and visual tools, which allow airlines to store, access, manage and analyse data with greater efficiency while benchmarking against other airline users’ trends. By providing all technology elements, including data warehousing, visualisation, alerting and machine learning packages, in one place, the open-data platform allows United Airlines and other carriers to develop and deploy their own analytical products. Skywise also seamlessly connects with
the Palantir Foundry data integration platform, which United Airlines began using last year. United Airlines expects the combination of Palantir Foundry and Airbus’ Skywise to provide the data and tools to improve its operational reliability. Launched in 2017, Skywise is being used as the platform of reference by major
aviation players to improve operational performance, ensuring data continuity. More than 70 airlines globally are currently connected to Skywise. Skywise provides a single-access point to users for their aggregated and anonymised aviation data, obtained from multiple sources across the industry, into a single Cloud-based platform.
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Tourism
NASA promotes space tourism
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he National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an independent US agency responsible for the civilian space programme, has decided to allow tourists to visit the International Space Station (ISS) from 2020, priced at US$35,000 per night. This is the first time the orbiting station is being opened to tourism and other business ventures. There will be up to two short private astronaut missions per year. Private astronauts would be permitted to travel to the ISS for up to 30 days, travelling on US spacecraft. NASA had previously banned any commercial use of the space station and prohibited astronauts from taking part in for-profit research.
Myanmar’s visa-on-arrival for six more countries
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yanmar has announced plans to issue visas-on-arrival to travellers from six more countries. The plan will come into effect in September when tourist highseason begins, according to a report in The Irrawaddy.
The new tourist visas will allow visits of up to 30 days in Myanmar and will cost US$50 under the programme. Visas-on-arrival are likely to be available for passport holders from Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Germany and Australia.
Turkey sees tourist spending climbing
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ne in every eight Turkish lira is now generated by the nation’s travel and tourism sector. According to a report, the tourism sector contributed TL461.3 billion (US$95.6 billion) to the country’s economy in 2018, with the sector now representing a 12.1 per cent share of the Turkish economy.
Tourism to contribute US$70 billion to Saudi economy
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he Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute US$70.9 billion to the country’s GDP in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
International arrivals to the Kingdom are also expected to increase 5.6 percent per year from 17.7 million in 2018 to 23.3 million by 2023, according to a research by Colliers. Religious tourism will continue to be the biggest contributor to these numbers over the next decade,
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according to the research, with a goal of 30 million pilgrims to the Kingdom by 2030, an increase of 11 million from the 19 million Hajj and Umrah pilgrims that visited the country in 2017. Leisure tourism is also gaining traction in Saudi Arabia, with various projects and initiatives under the Vision 2030 reform plan already in progress. Saudi Arabia will see a vast expansion of its hotel and resort inventory during 2019, with over 9,000 keys of three, four and five-star international supply expected to enter the market.
Tourism
France continues attracting more tourists than before
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ourism in France has reached a record new high in 2018, the national statistics institute (INSEE) said.
online hospitality service brokerage company whose members can use the service for lodging, primarily homestays, or tourism experiences.
The number of nights spent by people at French tourist accommodation, including hotels, campsites and youth hostels, rose to 438.2 million in 2018, up nine million on 2017. The report did not include figures for homesharing platforms such as Airbnb, an
France received nearly 90 million foreign tourists in 2018, one million more than the previous year and a new world record. Latest data published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) show that international tourist arrivals grew six
Free SIM cards for tourists at Dubai airport
MENA’s wellness tourism market ranks top in the world
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ubai is the first city in the world to offer free SIM cards to tourists on arrival at Dubai International (DXB). The DU SIM cards will be given to all tourists over the age of 18, and will come loaded with complimentary talk time and data. According to Gulf News, the free SIM card provides three minutes of talk time and 20MB data, and will be valid for one month. The free SIM card will be available from the airport’s immigration counters. The “Connect with Happiness” initiative had been launched by Smart Dubai, alongside network provider du and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
per cent in 2018, totalling a 1.4 billion, which was forecasted to be reached only in 2020.
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Global Wellness Institute (GWI) study has revealed that the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) annual wellness tourism market is growing 13.3 percent, its spa industry 15.4 percent, and its thermal springs sector 30.4 percent. In terms of recent growth percentages, no wellness tourism market is growing faster than MENA’s: 13.4 percent annually (from 2015–2017) to reach US$10.7 billion. MENA’s spa industry is also seeing explosive 15.4 percent yearly growth and is now valued at US$2.8 billion. And its thermal/mineral springs market also has the #1 recent growth rate worldwide at 30 percent a year. The wellness trips across MENA (domestic and inbound combined) grew from 8.5 million in 2015 to 11 million in 2017. Wellness tourism
revenues jumped from US$8.3 billion in 2015 to US$11 billion in 2017 and will grow another 75 percent to reach US$18.7 billion by 2022. Growth in the Turkey’s tourism sector has in fact outpaced the global growth rate: the nation’s travel and tourism economy grew by 15 per cent in 2018, significantly higher than the global growth rate of 3.9 per cent. The report further ranked the Turkish city of Istanbul eighth in the world for international spend, accruing US$16.3 billion in visitor exports, ahead even of other popular European destinations such as London, Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
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