Via Dubai Magazine | June 2014 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 13 June 2014

Airport Show 2014

A Great Takeoff

Inside DCAA DCAA participates in 3 14th Airport Show H.H.Sheikh Ahmed 4 congratulates DCAA for winning gold medal

UAE in Focus 14 Jumeirah Group unveils AED8 billion expansion plans Emirates profit jumps 43 15 per cent to AED3.3 billion

UAE gets SAFA membership

Middle East 18 KSA plans new pilgrimage airport at Taif

International

Hanan Al Mazimi

Development of employees’ skills our top priority

India goes for real- 20 time aircraft tracking Survey finds gaps in 21 Canada’s aviation safety

Opinion Happy airports make more money

Flashback DANS 30 Making air travel safer

A roadmap to smooth transition

John Jarrell

In Focus 24

ANSPs not ready to infrastructure upgrades

Ireland’s first National Aviation Policy soon 22

Leo Varadkar

Jeff Poole

Cargo & Logistics

Airport industry as a whole is profitable

Technology 28

Angela Gittens

Message from the President 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 AlMaktoum, 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.

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 Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Executive Editor Mohammed Abdul Mannan Creative Manager Mohammed Akram E-mail: viadubai@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.

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

Tel +971 4 25 66 707 Fax +971 4 25 66 704 info@naddalshiba.com www.naddalshiba.com

Additional achievements Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

he aviation industry in Dubai has bagged additional achievements in last month by hosting the Airport Show 2014, which was co-located with GALF and TCE, in addition to a global conference organized for the first time in the Middle East by Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS) on the transformation of Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) to Aeronautical Information Management (AIM). Hosting of major conferences and exhibitions helps in strengthening Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rising standing as the global hub for the aviation industry which is in the midst of tremendous transformation. Experts and aviation professionals from across the world came to Dubai to exchange their experiences and insights into the aviation industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trends and developments. Topics discussed at the GALF were very interesting and reflected the challenges faced by the industry until 2020, including the security challenges given the big increase being recorded in the number of air passengers. Airports management tends to be concentrating more on passenger security. One of the measures to successfully handle this challenge is to place strong emphasis on the utilizing and adopting

smart technologies to ensure seamless passenger facilitation procedures in airports around the world. Discussions also focused on Open Skies policy and its importance in pushing forward the industry to more growth and in improving passenger experiences at the airports. These international measures will bring high positive results to the aviation industry in the region. The Dubai International Airport has posted impressive passenger growth with the number of passengers surging by 13.7 per cent to cross the 6.1 million mark in April compared with the same period last year. In the first four months of this year, the airport handled 24.5 million passengers, a performance which will help the airport achieve the goal of 70 million passengers during the current year. The impressive performance could not have been possible without the unwavering confidence that prevails among our strategic partners who are working hard to enhance the performance of the aviation industry, a key strategic economic pillar of Dubai. Excellence in aviation is at the heart of our vision and our dream is to make Dubai the global aviation hub.

Printed by Printwell Dubai

Our Vision Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is driven by the vision of Dubai to become the global Aviation Capital contributing to prosperity and enabling growth for Dubai.

Our Mission Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is committed to support the aviation sector in:

E-mail: dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae Website: www.dcaa.gov.ae Tel: (971) 4 216 2009 Fax: (971) 4 224 4502 P.O.BOX 49888 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

u Capturing the full value potential as a global passenger, tourism, trade, cargo and logistic hub u Providing the capacity, connectivity and leveraging existing assets to meet the aviation sector and economic growth plans of Dubai u Ensuring sustainable and responsible growth committed to safety, health, environment and security u Providing and creating customer-focused services to gain competitive advantage from innovation, knowledge and efficiency u Building and retaining capabilities, for the aviation sector, while offering career opportunities for Nationals u Ensuring a transparent, effective and commercially balanced regulatory framework that reflects the interests of the aviation industry, Dubai and the UAE u Providing efficient and cost-effective services to the aviation sector

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Message

from the Director General

DCAA participates in 14th Airport Show Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

Aviation is a strategic pillar of economy

ur visionary leader, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, last month affirmed that the aviation sector is a strategic pillar of the UAE economy, without which tourism and trade cannot flourish. I am proud to say that the UAE is continuing its position as a leader in the aviation industry development and presents an unrivalled success story worth emulating. It must be said that the socio-economic role and contribution of civil aviation will grow further in the coming years. The $2.2 trillion global aviation industry with 3850 airports under its wings, if taken as a country, would rank 19th in the world for the GDP. The aviation sector’s contribution is expected to rise to 15 per cent of the UAE’s GDP by 2016, according to projections revealed by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) at the launch of its 2014-2016 Strategic Plan. Dubai is enabling the aviation sector towards contributing up to 32 per cent of the emirate’s GDP by 2020. The growth of our airports and airlines is commendable with the UAE leading the pack in the Middle East whose airports will collectively handle 450 million passengers by 2020. The regional airlines are projected to be investing $450 billion to acquire 2525 new aircraft by 2030 which will increase their fleet by a staggering 160 per cent. The UAE airspace is likely to handle 1.62 million aircraft movements in 2030. Managing such a mammoth growth, coupled with operational and regulatory challenges, is by no means an easy task. To remain at the cutting-edge of the highly-competitive business, one is required to remain technological advanced and knowledgeable about current challenges and future trends. At three major aviation industry events that Dubai hosted in May –Airport Show, Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) and Global Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Conference – the industry professionals gained insights into the latest innovation and technology that is changing the way we travel, and also got the chance to enhance their professional knowledge. Air navigation experts reviewed the status of phased transition from Aeronautical Information System (AIS) to AIM by ICAO Member-States. The challenges faced by the aviation industry is immense, while the answers are limited. We need to look at broadening cooperation among the stakeholders and adopt latest technologies to improve our efficiency and to accommodate the anticipated growth. 

June 2014

or the fourth consecutive year, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has participated in the Airport Show held in Dubai from May 11 to 13 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of DCAA, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. Held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) with the participation of 250 exhibitors from 39 countries who occupied over 12500 square metres of gross exhibition space, the world’s top-league B2B event attracted over 7000 visitors the UAE and overseas. The 14th edition of the annual show provided an opportunity to DCAA employees to explore the latest innovation and technology massively transforming the aviation industry, along with networking with experts and specialists and key industry players at the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF), a co-located event. On the other hand, the event provided a platform the Authority to reach out to the global aviation industry to update them about the aviation developments in the Arabian Gulf states where, according to IATA, about $40 billion airport developments are in the works. DCAA management team received a number of official delegations at the DCAA Standand exchanged information about a variety of bilateral issues and current industry trends and developments. They also consolidated relationship with the industry stakeholders, many of whom were exhibitors at the Show. 

Inside DCAA

H.H.Sheikh Ahmed congratulates DCAA for winning gold medal

is 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 and Group, has congratulated DCAA management and staff members on the occasion of a documentary on Dubai’s civil aviation winning a gold medal in a global competition in New York. Attending a ceremony to celebrate the recognition by cutting a cake and meeting the DCAA management and employees, he said the appreciation goes to the team that has worked on the project documenting the journey of success of civil aviation in Dubai and the invaluable contribution of many who participated in its development which gave Dubai the status of a global aviation hub.

Titled Flying a Dream, the documentary bagged Gold World Medal in the Society and Social Issues category at the 2014 edition of New York Festival’s World’s Best Television and Films, a highly regarded and respected authority in the industry. Commissioned and supported by the DCAA, the awardwinning documentary, produced by Ti22 Films, recounts and celebrates 75 years of Open Skies, a milestone the DCAA reached in 2012. Dubai competed with entries from over 50 countries. The documentary also received two finalist certificates for Business Theatre and Direction. 

DCAA participates in Careers UAE 2014

or the seventh consecutive year, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has participated in Careers UAE, a specialized job and training fair focused on empowering the UAE nationals. Organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the fair was held from April 22 to 24 under the theme, Together We Build The Vision of Our Nation.

Held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), the fair was held on a gross exhibition space of 17388 square metre and with the participation of over 160 companies, an increase of 27 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. DCAA’s participation is line with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed’s instructions about increasing job opportunities for Emiratis in various economic sectors. The Authority is keen to employ more UAE nationals in the civil aviation industry which contributes immensely to the Dubai economy.

DCAA, officials say, is well ahead in achieving the Emiratisation target within a very short span of time. The Emiratisation rate for its higher management cadre is 100 per cent while it stands at 84 per cent at middle level management. DCAA Director General, Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, says Emiratisation has remained an integral part of the DCAA policy to support the UAE national cadre and qualify them to achieve the DCAA strategic goals and to ensure the percentage of training of employees going up by 60 per cent by 2015, up from the present 55 per cent.  June 2014

Interview

Development of employees’ skills our top priority Coordination with strategic partners is part of civil aviation sector’s success story

rganizing international conferences attended by hundreds of representatives of international organizations and experts from different nationalities and cultures is not an easy task, but Hanan Al Mazimi, Director of Corporate Communications at Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), has the skills and commitment that helps ensuring success in this domain. She takes pride for establishing the foundations for the Corporate Communications Department and nurturing the skills and capabilities of its employees What is the nature of Corporate Communications Department at DCAA? Generally speaking, the Corporate Communications Department manages DCAA’ Public Relations, Media Relations and takes care of events and activities. The major part of our responsibilities is to organize events and initiatives at Dubai and international levels. We are happy about overseeing a number of important global initiatives and events, some of which were held for the first time in the Middle East. At the Dubai level, we participated in a number of important events such as Careers UAE 2014 job fair, Airport Show, Dubai Airshow, in addition to a number of social initiatives including Earth Day and Car-free Day and some charity efforts such as Clothes for Million Children campaign. It goes without saying that the importance of those initiatives and events emanates from the fact that these plays an important role in promoting Dubai as a world hub for the aviation industry and a global destination for tourism, business and finance. What are the goals of Corporate Communications Department? The Corporate Communications Department aims to achieve a number of important goals to strongly contribute towards achieving the vision and mission of the DCAA, locally and internationally. Through a slew of media campaigns wherein we use all available media channels, we also contributes towards developing customer and employees satisfaction levels and creating a teamwork spirit among the DCAA employees drawn from various nationalities and cultures. We also work towards building a working environment that enhances the relationship in the DCAA family.

June 2014

to enable them take on the challenges of a crucial organization like DCAA which oversees the implementation of the Dubai Civil Aviation Strategy with the top goal of becoming world’s aviation hub. In an exclusive interview with Via Dubai, she provides insights into the achievements and challenges that all came all the way through her career right from her first job at the Dubai International Airport in 2001 when she became the first Emirati woman to work in the Operations department.

Hanan Al Mazimi

Over the years, we had organized five events targeted at employees, including the recentlyconducted Innovative Employee Day which included a training workshop about building teamwork capabilities. It also included group games which had seen the participation of our Director General, His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli. The employees’ satisfaction levels for this event exceeded 97 per cent. The Corporate Communications Department also plays an important role in achieving the larger and effective connectivity between the DCAA employees with different social occasions. Recently, we made use of the ICT to invent a new way to deliver the Director General’s message to employees through video clips that are directly delivered to employees’ personal emails and smartphones.

What are major challenges you are facing? There are a number of important challenges that the Corporate Communications Department has on its shoulders. We have a very small team but we take the responsibility of organizing international events which are attended by hundreds of experts from various nationalities and regions. This entails a huge volume of correspondence, coordination and follow-up with different bodies and departments in terms of the logistics. In addition to that, we consider developing and upgrading the skills of our employees as one of main priorities as this will introduce them to the latest concepts and trends in Public Relations and Corporate Communications practices. We consider the setting up of a training system as one big challenge for us. During my initial career phase, I oversaw the establishment of a training system at the Operations Department of the Dubai International Airport in 2002. The system later helped in arranging training courses for more than 500 employees. Undoubtedly, continuous training enables employees to achieve the DCAA’s strategic vision and ensures opportunities for employees to develop, innovate and manage DCAA’s effective and extensive relationships with different government bodies and strategic partners. What are most important achievements of your career? As I mentioned earlier, we oversaw the successful hosting of a number of global conferences, some of which were held in the Middle East for the first time. The ICAN 2008 conference that we hosted in Dubai was the first of its kind in the world. The conference was organized based on a suggestion from DCAA to the world organization during the Air Transport Conference

Interview

in 2006. The astounding success of the ICAN 2008 motivated the international organization to adopt the concept of collective negotiation mechanism through periodical conferences to be held among the Member-States. A total of 102 organizations representing 33 countries participated in the conference and more than 46 meetings were conducted. Ensuring the appropriate venue and privacy for the discussions and deliberations was the biggest challenge we successful handled. The participants’ satisfaction level for this conference was more than 75 per cent. We have also participated in a number of important events such as Aviation Law Conference in 2003 and Air Transport Deregulation Conference in 2006. What is the importance of such conferences? Hosting of conferences contributes towards enhancing the reputation and standing of Dubai as the world aviation hub. Throughout my career, I have noticed that organizing such conferences becomes easier given Dubai’s strategic geographical location and its globally strong reputation. Most participants show their keenness towards attending them no matter how busy they are. Some of them have become frequent participants

Successful hosting of international conferences enhances Dubai’s reputation as the world aviation hub in conferences in Dubai. When they return home, these participants become Dubai supporters and attest our aviation sector’s success and developments. Hence, their support and strengthening of efforts by Dubai has contributed towards the UAE winning the bid to host in Dubai the Expo 2020 – the world’s third biggest event after Olympics and FIFA World Cup. What is the Corporate Communications Department’s role in enhancing cooperation with strategic partners? Strong cooperation among DCAA strategic partners is one of the key attributes of our civil aviation success story. In this regard, we have sought to establish a unified team under the name of Al Sawahin. It is the tasked with organizing events and conferences at the Dubai level. The team consists of representatives from Dubai Police, GDRFA-Dubai, Dubai Customs and DCAA. The joint efforts, resources and organizational

and planning capabilities of the Corporate Communications departments at the four government bodies helped in achieving success. Besides Al Swahin, we have a National Identity Team. This was established in 2011 and plays an important role in spreading the UAE culture and traditions and reinforces a true national identity feeling through a variety of initiatives jointly conducted by the team members. How important is Media Relations management to your department? Managing relations with different local and international media organizations, including broadcast, print and electronic media, is an important part of our duties. We are in touch with different media organizations on a daily basis to respond to their queries and provide them with information and data that are related to our work and activities. Since last year, the DCAA is also publishing a bilingual monthly

newsletter which acts as the voice of the DCAA and helps spread our message and work across the world. The newsletter, Via Dubai, is the first specialized publication of its kind to be published by a civil aviation authority in the region. The newsletter plays a very important role in highlighting the most important developments and trends in the civil aviation industry, locally regionally and internationally, and acts as a knowledge sharing platform for the industry decision-makers and other professionals. What are the personal achievements you are proud of? It goes without saying that I was the first Emirati woman to work in the airport operations department at Dubai airport. I have more than 13 years of experience in the aviation sector and held various responsibilities in different domains. I am proud that my career has given me opportunities to give represent the DCAA and its Director General at international conferences and spell out our strategy and future plans. Last but not the least; I am proud that we have developed several innovative ideas that helped different government bodies such as DTCM, Dubai Courts and universities in participating in international conferences that we organize.  June 2014

Exclusive

Mohammed Ahli, Director General of DCAA (left) with other officials at the conference

A roadmap to smooth transition

raditionally, all aeronautical information such as charts, flight procedures and airport, terrain and obstacle data has existed on paper. Updating and sharing the different types of data that create this information has been a timeconsuming and costly process with a high risk of error. Transferring from a manual paper-based system to an automated digital solution provides many benefits, including reduced data entry errors and a much more efficient way to convert raw data to useable information. Better aeronautical information is essential to a safe, integrated and interoperable air traffic management system. The role and importance of aeronautical information has changed significantly with the implementation of Area Navigation (RNAV), Required Navigation Performance (RNP), the incoming RNP Authorization Required (RNP-AR) and the whole concept of Performance Based Navigation (PBN). Airborne computer-based navigation systems, including Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), are all data-dependent, and in that respect aeronautical data has become the necessary critical component of the system. The reduction of manual data entries and a decrease of data inconstancies over the complete aeronautical data chain are paramount for the industry. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has published a roadmap for the transition

June 2014

from Aeronautical Information System (AIS) to Aeronautical Information Management (AIM). Today, AIM primarily means managing the change from the classical AIS organizational model to an AIM performance-driven model in terms of organization, workflow, data structures, electronic data provision and data exchange by using standard and commonly used data formats. At its core, the global initiative recognizes that in order to move forward to a true ‘services’ paradigm, civil aviation industry must consolidate a fractured, stove-piped data layer that had been developed to support paper products and transform it into a single, logical architecture framework. The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions for air traffic with over 1.63 million aircraft movements projected at UAE airports by 2030. The region will see the fleet of its airlines going up 160 per cent from 1060 aircraft to 3750 aircraft during this period. Interestingly, the region boasts of being home to the world’s young fleet of aircraft. Airports Council International (ACI) projects global passengers will reach 7.4 billion by 2020 and aircraft and freight movements surging by 3.5 per cent and 5.4 per cent, respectively, during the same period. Against such a challenging scenario, experts, air navigation regulators and officials from 66 countries gathered in Dubai from May 13 to 15 to debate the transition from AIS to AIM.

DANS in the forefront of digital transformation

tating that the discussions at the Global AIM Conference strongly suggested of the UAE being in the forefront of digital transformation of aeronautical information and data, Ibrahim Ahli, Senior Vice President, DANS, says the UAE is ready to offer its experience to help other countries move quickly in transforming their aeronautical information systems compatible with the changing needs. Participants showed their interest in several elements of the aeronautical information management that DANS has in place. DANS has recently acquired a number of new technologies, including the automatic navigation messaging system (AMHS), AVITECH, Automatic Tracking 83 and simulators.  Hosted by Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), the Global AIM Conference was organized by the International Federation of Aeronautical Information Management Associations (IFAIMA) in cooperation ICAO, IATA and Euro Control.

Exclusive

Recommendations

he IFAIMA Global AIM conference participants asked the UAE to lead in helping other countries in the digital transformation of aeronautical information and data. They recommended a roadmap to accelerate, facilitate and organize the digital transformation of aeronautical information systems worldwide. The conference underscored the need for deepening regional cooperation and coordination to improve the quality of aeronautical information services and standardize the processes and procedures. It also called upon the ICAO to produce a check list on mandatory skills for the AIM professionals and to raise awareness among and training for those working in the aeronautical domain and to determine the skills and abilities that they should possess and the means to measure and evaluate their professional efficiencies. The conference highlighted the need for aeronautical

Held under the patronage of 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, the conference attracted over 337 participants, including 29 global experts and 64 exhibitors which included AIM-related software and hardware providers. Among the companies which participated in the conference were THALES, skyguide, Comsoft, ESRI, ITV Consult, FREQUENTIS, IDS and AVITECH Indra. The participants included 198 officials and professionals working the

service providers to continue investing in new technology and solutions to ensure an effective and smooth digital transformation of aeronautical information systems. They also called upon all national civil aviation regulators to come up with plans for implementing policies, concepts, recommen-

air navigation and aeronautical management domains. This was the seventh edition of the IFAIMA global conference and the first to be held in the Middle East. Implementing AIM – The next generation Aeronautical Information Professionals was the theme of this year’s conference. Ibrahim Ahli, Senior Vice President, DANS, said: “The hosting of this important global conference in Dubai reflects its increasing importance on the air navigation world map and its pioneering role in developing the aeronautical information services in a way that enables us to absorb the tremendous increase in aircraft movements anticipated in the Gulf region in general and the UAE in particular.”

dations issued by the ICAO in this domain. Participants also urged regional economic blocks to adopt the GCC Model for the management and sharing of aeronautical data and dealing their airspace as a common airspace with no limits or barriers enabling the effective Air Traffic Management (ATM). They called upon the civil aviation authorities across the world to understand the value and contribution of aeronautical information management systems in the growth of capacity and efficiency of the airspace management. They called upon airlines to take into account the right configuration and technologies in new generation of aircrafts to enable pilots to receive real-time aeronautical data through all phases of the journey, thereby contributing to the aviation safety, reduction in operational costs and eliminating aviation carbon footprint. 

He said DANS, through hosting the conference, aims at sharing of expertise and best practices among the air navigation industry players and also to determine the opportunities and challenges facing the industry and the requirements and qualifications for the next generation of professionals handling the Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) systems. The guest speakers for the conference included Fernando Lopes, President of IFAIMA, Michael Hohm, Technical Expert at ICAO’s Meteorology Department, and Darren Eulenstein, Head of Meteorology and Air Navigation Information, DANS. The other speak-

ers were Paul Bosman, Head of System-Wide Information Management/Enterprise Architecture (SWIM/EA) at EUROCONTROL, Lawrence Ward, IATA expert, and Joachim Bruja of Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO). Fernando Lopes, President, IFAIMA, said the digital transformation was inevitable at a time when the aviation industry has moved from being centered around a few aircrafts and bigger airspace to the current stage where there are too many aircrafts and limited airspace availability. The conference included six sessions over the three day duration. ICAO representative gave a presentation about the implementation AIM system. One session shed light on the needs and requirements of the aeronautical information users and qualifying the staff in aeronautical information departments to be able to switch from AIS to AIM system and achieving integration with ATC. The conference also explored opportunities and challenges facing the next generation of professionals working on the AIM systems. At another session, participants took a look at ways of measuring staff efficiency in the context of AIM.  June 2014

Special Report

Airport Show 2014

A Great Takeoff

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed touring Airport Show 2014 at DICEC

he Airport Show, hosted at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from May 11 to 13, has further consolidated its global standing as a not-to-be-missed B2B platform for the airport industry with the 2014 event breaking all its previous records in terms of number of exhibitors and hosted buyers, exhibition gross space, delegates and visitors. Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organizer of Airport Show and its two co-located events, Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) and Travel Catering Expo (TCE), said: “ It was a completely sell out show weeks before it took off. Given the space constraints, there was hardly any possibility to accommodate more exhibitors. There is no doubt that show makes a difference to the bottom line of exhibitors and benefits them in more ways than one. We noticed unfaltering global interest in the Middle East region with $100 billion investments in airport developments in the works.” The show took off on a strong positive note with a formal inauguration by its patron, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,

June 2014

While the 14th edition of the Show provided tremendous opportunities for exhibitors in generating new sales leads and business networking with the regional decisionmakers, the incredibly successful show offered invaluable insights to hundreds of aviation industry professionals about the technology and trends that are shaping the way we travel now and the future developments.

President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The show was supported by DCAA, Dubai Airports, dnata and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) among others. Co-located with the Airport Show were 2nd edition of Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) and the debut Travel Catering Expo (TCE). Strong backing came from trade bodies like German Airport Technology and Equipment (GATE), Danish Airport Group, British Aviation Group, British Airport Services and Equipment Association, Swiss Airport Suppliers, Netherlands Airport Technology, UBIFRANCE, Middle East Business Aviation

Association (MEBAA), UAE Society of Engineers, and Supply Chain and Logistics Group. The show received strong support from key players through sponsorship by G4s (platinum), emaratech (gold) and Smartworld and Ultra Electronics Ithra (silver). Honeywell sponsored the Innovation Podium where 37 sessions offered participants insights into the latest technology and products and emerging trends. LG Electronics sponsored the Show Bag while DTP went for the Lanyards sponsorship. This year’s world’s top-league B2B event featured 250 exhibitors from 39 countries. Dubai’s iconic aviation industry exhibition occupied about 12,600 square metres of gross exhibition space in three halls at the DICEC.

Special Report

Excel, Etihad Airways signs deal for Champion GSE unit

xcel Industries, part of Ajman-based Mesco Group, has signed a contract with Etihad Airways for a unit of Champion Ground Support Equipment (GSE). Champion GSE is producer of Stronghold brand of aircraft engine stands, containers and affiliated ground support equipment. Excel serves as Champion GSE’s exclusive regional representative and provides training, sales and after-sales support for Champion GSE’s Middle Eastern customers. Champion GSE unit will be used by the UAE’s fastest growing international airline for various types of aircrafts in its expanding fleet, including 787 Dreamliner. Champion GSE participated in the 14th Airport Show to explore and tap the regional aviation markets and the US-based company

This year’s show has grown substantially in terms of exhibition space, number of exhibitors, hosted buyers and registered delegates, reflecting the renewed global enthusiasm in the region’s booming aviation markets and positive global economic scenario and dynamic business environment. The trade show has been designed for the airport procurement, supplies, solutions and technology for the Middle East region where estimated $100 billion investments, including $40 billion in the six GCC states, have been earmarked for airports expansion and new developments to handle the anticipated growth in air traffic.

is confident about its Etihad Airways deal creating a cascading impact in the region in terms of new business. The company is currently holding negotiations with Emirates Airlines, Gulf Air and Oman Air to sell similar GSE units. Todd DeVore, Vice President and General Manager of Champion GSE, said the massive growth in airlines fleet and MRO business provides ample growth opportunities for the company from the region. Middle Eastern airlines are projected to spending $450 billion for their fleet expansion which will the number of aircraft increasing by 160 per cent to 3725 by the year 2020. Expanding our local support for airlines and maintenance, repair and operations networks

The Middle East, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA), is expected to record the fastest growth rate of 6.6 per cent until 2016, making it the second-fastest growing aviation market in the world. Experts says airports in the MENA region, currently under various stages of expansion and upgrades, are projected to cater to 400 million passengers by 2020, with the UAE airports taking onefourth of the share in the anticipated growth in air passenger traffic. H.H. Sheikh Ahmed remarked: “The event mirrors the aviation industry’s robust growth and the region’s economic resilience. Billions are be-

in the Middle East is one of our strategic initiatives, he said. Over time, Champion GSE and Excel will expand the repair and refurbishment programme for Stronghold engine stands and containers available in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. Champion GSE units are manufactured under license from GE, one of the biggest aircraft engine manufacturers in the world. Till date, more than 40 Stronghold units have been sold to clients in Europe, Asia and America. The GSE unit costs about $200000 and provides the highest possible degree of protection and safety for aircraft engines which has an average weight of 14000 tonnes. The average price of an aircraft engine is $50 million, which calls for the best GSE facility. 

ing invested to provide the additional airport capacity required to accommodate the anticipated demand.” The show has recorded a nine per cent growth in the gross exhibition space which stood at 12,600 square metres. The number of exhibitors surged 11 per cent to reach the 250 mark. Exhibitors have come from 39 countries, including eight new entrants-Estonia, India, Libya, Luxemburg, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Thailand. Repeat exhibitors accounted for 64 per cent of the total exhibitors at the sold-out 2014 edition, reflecting the strong standing and unfaltering appeal of the show among the global companies to tap the high-

potential regional markets through the business networking and new customer base. The immense potential offered by the show to global companies for successfully tapping new business and sales leads from the regional airports and civil aviation bodies is amply amplified through the successful running of the Hosted Buyers Programme since 2009. The B2B initiative recorded a spectacular 80 per cent growth with an all-time high participation of 105 decision-makers from 38 airport operators and civil aviation authorities from 19 countries. They came from Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the UAE. As many as 66 companies, representing a broad spectrum of aviation industry segments, participated in six country pavilions, including the first-ever joint US-Canada marquee. Germany Pavilion was the biggest of them with 31 exhibitors, including 11 new exhibitors, while China, France and Swiss pavilions featured a total of 28 exhibitors, including seven new participants. About 7000 aviation industry professionals drawn from 50 countries attended the Airport Show. Global companies utilized the show to unveil 40 new products, solutions and technology, including several Middle East debuts. June 2014

Special Report

GALF- A solid knowledge sharing platform

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed, Jamal Al Hai and Ara Fernezian, at the GALF - 2014

n its second year, the Global Airport Leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum (GALF), co-located with Airport Show, has grown solid in appeal and stature as an ideal knowledge sharing platform. Following a formal opening ceremony in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, an impressive lineup of 30 key global government decision-makers, policy makers, thinkers and visionaries took to the stage to debate the challenges and opportunities for the airport industry. It was organized by Reed Exhibitions Middle East in cooperation with Nadd Al Shiba PR and Event Management. Eng. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman, Dubai Aviation City Corporation, said the forum has provided the aviation industry professionals the opportunity to discuss common issues, gener-

June 2014

ate innovative solutions to meet head-on the present and future challenges, and most importantly drive global economic and social improvement and advancement. In his keynote address, Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director General of General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said the challenges faced by the aviation industry are huge, while the quick solutions are limited. He underscored the need for broadening cooperation and coordination among the stakeholders and adopting latest technologies that will contribute to air traffic management efficiency to accommodate air traffic growth. Moderating a panel discussion on Airport Development: Economic pillars to increase national competitiveness, Laila bin Hareb Al Muhairi, Assistant Director General of Strategy and Inter-

national Affairs at GCAA, said the UAE was aiming to go two notches up in the Global Competitiveness Report by 2020 for quality of airports, in line with the vision of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership. Mohammed Al Bulooki, Chief Commercial Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), highlighted the need for focusing more passenger facilitation at the airports and enlarging the scope of cooperation and collaboration among the aviation industry stakeholders for national competitiveness. Homaid Al Shemmari, CEO, Aerospace and Engineering Service at Mubadala, took the debate on creating a pool of talented and qualified Emirati cadre for the aviation industry further up. Dr.Mustafa Sani Sener, CEO and Executive Board Member of

TAV Group of Turkey, endorsed the effectiveness and benefits of Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) for the airports in remaining efficient and competitive. Mohammed Al Rais, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Hill International Middle East, said the success of UAE in the aviation sector was the outcome of the advance planning, timely decision-making, effective implementation and involvement of all stakeholders in the development process. Another panel saw aviation experts discussing the seamless experience and excellence playing the determinant factors in the success of airports. The panelists were Thani Abdulla Alzaffin, Director General and Board Member of emaratech, Hans Joachim Klohs, Vice President of Central Infrastructure, Traffic and Opera-

Special Report

Dubai Rail Projects- A Catalyst for Urban Mobility

t the 2nd Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF), Abdullah Yousef Al Ali, Acting CEO of Rail Agency at Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), provided insights into impact and expansion of Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram and the Etihad Rail and Palm Jumeirah monorail projects. The projects, he asserts, will help cope up with the urban mobility needs arising out of the massive expansion of aviation, tourism and trade sectors. He says Dubai Metro – the world’s longest fully-automated driverless Metro network – has carried more than 330 million passengers since its launch in September

Jamal Al Hai

2009. The average daily ridership of Dubai Metro has reached to 450,000 per day in 2013. Dubai Metro has contributed to reduction in traffic congestion by seven per cent emirate-wide and 15-25 per cent on some corridors. Currently, the Metro is reducing the CO2 emissions by more than 370 tonnes per day and over the next five years this will go up by 600 tonnes per day. With the NOL fare system, the Dubai Metro is amongst the cheapest in the world. About Dubai Tram due to be launched in November, he said it will be the longest continued catenary free system in the

Khalifa Alzaffin

world. It is also the first Tram project with central AC and also the first with station screen doors. He disclosed that the second phase of Dubai Tram project is in the works. Referring to Dubai Rail Master Plan for 2030, he says Dubai Metro is being expanded to cover the Expo 2020 site and Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai World Central (DWC). Dubai Rail project strategy, he says, is aimed at developing sustainable rail transit system as part of integrated multi-modal transport network that will help both residents and the visitors. 

Hamdi Osman

Abdulla Al Ali

The opening session of GALF - 2014

tional Planning at Munich Airport, Luca Merando, Head of Airport Industry Division at SELEX ES Italy, Dr.Andreas Wittmer, Managing Director of Centre for Aviation Competence at the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland, and Duncan Alexander, Director of West Asia at Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

They discussed issues related to the success of a number of countries that have excelled in airport management and development, as well as other issues ranging from privatization to generating additional revenue streams and reducing operating costs and betterment of passenger facilitation.

The challenges faced in the adoption of Open Skies in the Middle East region and the socio-economic benefits of the aviation policy were debated by another group of panelists who included Dr. Hamdi Chaouk, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority of Lebanon, Bader Almershed, Vice President, Jazeera Airways, Ibrahim Khayat,

President, International Centre for Strategic Analysis. In his keynote address, Jamal Al Hai, Executive Senior VicePresident for International Affairs & Corporate Communications Dubai Airports, and former member of UAE’s Federal National Council (FNC), said Open Skies, pioneered by Dubai way June 2014

Special Report

George Horan

Duncan Alexander

Michael Herrero

Ibrahim Khayat

A panel discussion at GALF 2014

back in 1930s and adopted globally since then, has remained the frontline of our winning strategy for the civil aviation development in the UAE. In his presentation, Michael Herrero, Manager for Gulf Area at IATA, said the Middle East and Asia will benefit immensely

from the shift in balance in economic activity globally, from the West to the East. A leading US academic and Father of Aerotropolis concept, Dr John D. Kasarda, offered insights into the new urban form placing airports in the center with cities growing around them, with

Dubai World Central (DWC) as a classic example. Joining him in the panel discussion were Dr.Gene Eu (Ching Yuh) Jan, Financial Vice President, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, and Eng.Khalfan Said Mubarak Al Shueili, General Manager – Readiness, Oman Airports Man-

agement Company. They supported the aerotropolis concept and shared details of the facilities now under development in their respective countries. Hamdi Osman, Former Senior VP and CEO of FedEx Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa, moderated the session.

emaratech: Smart gate ensures seamless passenger experience

maratech, the company behind the Smart gate passport screening systems at Dubai airports, has plans to double the number of registered users of Smart gate to 700000 by the end of 2014. Insights into the cuttingedge technology for border control and seamless passenger facilitation, its impact at Dubai airports and future plans were unveiled during a panel discussion at the 2nd Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) in Dubai. Thani Abdulla Alzaffin, Director General and Board Member of emaratech, says the smart gate systems, which can process three passengers a minute, are set to become

June 2014

increasingly important as passenger numbers through Dubai airports continue to rise. He said more than 20 external registration centres have been opened across Dubai to register their biometrics and use the smart gates when they arrive in Dubai. Registration is open to the UAE citizens and residents, GCC citizens and residents of 43 countries that are eligible for visa on arrival. He stressed on the need of changing the mindset of the ground staff, right from security to immigration, to the airlines support staff. “People like to use the latest technology, but they first have to change the mindset,” he said.

Talking about the phenomenal growth of Smart Gates used by passengers to pass through immigration gates at Dubai airports without being attended manually, he said. Last year, emaratech’s e-Visa systems have processed more than 50 million applications and transactions for individuals, establishments and channel partners. At the same time, emaratech’s systems were processing over 12 million applications for Emirates ID. Building strong relationships between emaratech and its channel partners enabled the company successfully complete 30 million applications and transactions through their systems. 

Special Report

Hamdi Chaouk

Thani Alzaffin

Omar Bin Ghaleb

Homaid Alshemmari

GALF 2014 provided ample knowledge sharing opportunities

Travel Catering Expo – A refreshing debut

he inaugural edition of Travel Catering Expo (TCE), co-located with the Airport Show-2014 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from May 11 to 13, has generated huge global response. Key decision-makers from 27 airport operators and companies from 14 countries participated in the Hosted Buyers programme. The countries represented under the Hosted Buyers Programme were: Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, UAE and Zimbabwe. More than 50 exhibitors from UAE, Turkey, Jordan, China, Bahrain, France, Sri Lanka, Canada and The Netherlands, amongst other countries participated. Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibi-

tions Middle East, said: “TCE has proved to be the best platform to navigate regional markets for the global travel catering industry while it acted as the best source for the big-budget regional players for sourcing their requirements. The huge expansion programme of airports and airlines in the region has enlarged the scope of business opportunities for the global travel catering industry.” Travel Catering Expo was supported by Emirates Flight Catering, Food Point, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Dubai Airports. TCE is expected to enable the participants tap the high-potential region whose share in the $15 billion travel catering market has been rising fast above the global average growth of five per cent due to unbridled expansion of airports and airlines fleet and route networks.

Visitors were given a plenty of choice to explore at the TCE in terms of products and technology that comes handy in managing the growing volume of catering services for the air travelers. Craig M Finney, Head of Sales Foodservice-UAE, IFFCO, a major

supplier of food items and partner with most of the regional airlines, said it was a good opportunity to meet prospective buyers from other parts of the world, and expressed confidence that this show will become an annual event and will expand in the next edition. June 2014

UAE in Focus

Jumeirah Group unveils AED8 billion expansion plans

is Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has endorsed Jumeirah Group’s AED8 billion expansion plans which cover luxury hotel projects in 11 countries. The expansions will see addition of 4,300 hotels rooms by 2017. He said the UAE foreign investments will grow rapidly in next years, as the investment strategy will focus on the

three basic themes: balance, diversification and secure geographical distribution between east and west of the world. He urged the group to focus on the GCC, Chinese and some developed Asian markets. The development aims to double the revenue of the Dubai Holdings’ member company within the next few years and expand its portfolio to more than 40 hotels and 10,000 hotel rooms by 2017 and

complete the fourth phase of the Madinat Jumeirah expansion by the beginning of 2016. The Madinat Jumeirah project comprises four major phases, including a five-star mega hotel, restaurants, open walk, and a shopping mall. The group at present runs 22 hotels worldwide and plans to add 19 more in the next few years which would double the company’s revenues. 

Arabian Travel Market

Spectacular Show

he 21st edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) that Dubai hosted from May 5 to 8 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) with substantial increase in gross exhibition space and exhibitors has been a grand success on all fronts and provided the global travel and tourism industry insights into the vibrancy and growth potential of the regional markets. This is the first ATM after a slew of multi-million dollar tourism and aviation infrastructure projects were unveiled following the successful winning of the bid by the UAE to host World Expo 2020 in Dubai, expected to bring in 25 million visitors over the six-month duration of the world’s third biggest event after Olympics and FIFA World Cup. The world’s third largest tourism industry attracted 2700 exhibitors from 80 countries, along with 68 country pavilions, sharing 24,500 square metres of exhibition space. A slew of travel and hospitality product launches were made at the show by tourism industry regulators, hotels, airlines and tourism companies among others. Emirates Airlines and flydubai utilized the show to reach out to the industry and travelers with various initiatives and announcing route expansion plans.

June 2014

ATM remains a big attraction for tourism industry professionals

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under whose patronage the ATM is held, launched Dubai’s new trade brand, which will be used in the global marketing and promotion of the emirate by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). During his visit to the ATM, he was accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The largest-ever travel trade event in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) concluded on a high note as the B2B and con-

sumer show welcomed over 10 per cent more visitors than last year. The stand-holder numbers grew by 10 per cent to 420, including new exhibiting destinations like Taiwan, Slovenia Bulgaria and Romania, and debut presence of Kuwait Airways and IMG World of Adventures. Both exhibitors and visitors represented 157 countries. The Caribbean was also represented for the first time. Exhibitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including the UAE, and the wider Middle East demonstrated the biggest participation this year, followed by Asia, Europe and the Americas. Reed Travel Exhibitions, organizer of ATM, said that visitor num-

bers topped 23,000, up by over 2,100. The record-breaking show, accommodated over 2,700 exhibitors with 120 first-time participants, 68 national pavilions and a packed schedule of 40 seminar and tech theatre sessions. This year’s show had 115 hosted buyers, including 40 luxury buyers. Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director of Reed Travel Exhibitions, said: “The preliminary figures for this year’s show underscore the Arabian Travel Market’s relevance to the regional travel and tourism sector and reflect the healthy performance and confidence of the industry and its vital role as a major economic driver for the region.” 

UAE in Focus

40 new destinations on its wish list

Emirates profit jumps 43 per cent to AED3.3 billion

ubai’s flagship carrier Emirates has announced its 26th consecutive year of profit that jumped by 43 per cent to AED3.3 billion while its revenue increased by 13 per cent to AED82.6 billion on new routes and more passengers during the financial year 2013-14. The Emirates Group revenues increased by 13 per cent to AED87.8 billion while its net profit jumped by 32 per cent to AED4.1 billion compared to last financial year 2012-13. Last year, the world’s largest international airline flew 44.5 million passengers with closed to 80 per cent load-factor. Throughout 2013-14, the Group has collectively invested over AED22 billion, the highest amount ever in one financial year. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of

ADAC signs MoC with Fujairah Airport

Emirates Airline and Group, said: “Achieving our 26th consecutive year of profit in a financial year marked by record increases in capacity and significant business investments across the Group, is testimony to the strength of our brands and our business fundamentals.” “We know that to be a sustainable and profitable business we have to keep adding value to our stakeholders, our customers, partners and employees. We need efficient new aircraft, quality products and services, and cutting-edge facilities. Every dirham invested has been carefully considered against short and long-term goals - be it enhancing our capabilities, improving our product, or expanding our business footprint,” he said. The Group also continued to invest in and expand on its employee base, increasing its overall

staff count by 11 per cent to over 75,000-strong representing over 160 different nationalities, across its more than 80 subsidiaries and companies. In 2013-14, Emirates increased its capacity by 5.9 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKMs), the largest capacity increase in the airline’s history in a single year. This brings the airline’s total passenger and cargo capacity to 46.8 billion ATKMs at the end of the financial year.

The airline also marked a new record of over one million block hours in terms of fleet production. Emirates received 24 new aircraft during the year, including 16 A380s, six Boeing 777-300ERs and two Boeing 777Fs, bringing its total fleet count to 217. The airline remains the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 and A380. It launched nine new destinations: Boston, Clark, Conakry, Haneda, Kabul, Kiev, Sialkot, Stockholm and Taipei. 

Air Arabia starts operations from RAK airport

bu Dhabi Airports and Fujairah Airport have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to develop an airport development master plan that will ensure the delivery of an efficient and adequate expansion program for Fujairah International Airport. The Department of Civil Aviation, owner and operator of Fujairah International Airport, intends to undertake an expansion program to enhance the airport’s facilities. Through this MOC, Fujairah Airport will benefit from the expertise of Abu Dhabi Airports in planning, managing and supporting an airport expansion program at Fujairah Airport. 

udget carrier Air Arabia has started operations from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport offering direct flights on the routes which were used by the RAK Airways which shut down operations earlier. The official ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, and Eng. Sheikh Salem Bin

Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman, Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Ras Al Khaimah. At the ceremony, Air Arabia and Ras Al Khaimah DCA said both are committed to using the start of this service to further strengthen travel and tourism sector of the emirate. RAK International Airport is the airline’s fourth international base, and second in the UAE.

Two new Airbus A320 aircraft have now been based in Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, following a strategic partnership signed between the airline and Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation. More European charter airlines are looking at starting flights to Ras Al Khaimah. Currently, around 25 charter companies flying to Ras Al Khaimah.  June 2014

UAE in Focus

UAE gets SAFA membership

he UAE has become the second nonEuropean state to be granted membership in European Union’s Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA). The UAE membership in the EU-SAFA programme means the GCAA will be able to share resources and inspection findings with the EU. Under the membership, the civil aviation authority aims to increase the number of inspections to reach 300 a year. Morocco is the other non-European

country to have been granted membership of the EU’s SAFA programme. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said: “Over the past years several far-reaching, co-operations and initiatives were taken which helped in the transformation of the UAE aviation sector and in the establishment of a robust and coherent safety oversight system in a very short time span.” 

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi

Five new destinations for flydubai

uilding on the momentum from last year during which 17 new destinations were added to the network, flydubai has further cemented its commitment to enhance connectivity by doubling its network in India with the addition of flights to Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.

June 2014

Kazakhstan will join the budget airline’s network for the first time. Flights will be launched later this year to two destinations Almaty and Shymkent. It will operate daily flights between Dubai and Moscow starting from 23 September 2014. flydubai CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said: “As flydubai ap-

proaches its fifth year of operation it has created a network of 74 destinations in 35 countries. The new routes are a clear demonstration of the important role we are playing in the development of the tourism industry and there remains much opportunity.” He said flydubai was committed to further strengthen

the trade, travel and tourism links in the region by opening up previously underserved markets to support the Dubai Tourism Vision 2020. The airline which has built up a fleet of 36 new aircraft since 2009 will take delivery of more than 100 aircraft by the end of 2023. 

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Middle East in Focus

KSA plans new pilgrimage airport at Taif

audi Arabia is planning to build a new international airport to serve Muslim pilgrims to the holy city of Makkah in the nearby city of Taif. The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) is preparing a tender and will ask consortia of international and local companies to bid to develop the airport, and aims to award a contract in the first half of 2015, GACA spokesman Khaled al-Khaibani told Reuters. It will be developed on a buildoperate-transfer basis, in which a developer finances the construction and recoups its investment by operating the airport. GACA is working with the International Financing Corporation (IFC), the consulting wing of the World

Bank, to help prepare the tender. The existing airport at Taif serves domestic flights. There are four international airports in Saudi Arabia, located in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. There are long-term expansion plans at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which will accommodate more than 30 million passengers annually in the future. The annual capacity of Riyadh Airport will also increase, rising to 35 million passengers after the opening of its fifth terminal. In order to cater for increasing passenger traffic, there are fresh plans to increase capacity at King Abdullah Airport in Jazan to four million passengers per year, Abha airport to five million passengers, and Prince Naif Airport to 2.5 million. 

Embraer forecasts $25 billion small plane orders

mbraer Commercial Aviation forecasts that airlines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will need 530 new 70-130 seat aircraft, valued at $25 billion at list prices, over the next 20 years. The plane maker estimated that 65 per cent of the total new deliveries will be added to support market demand growth while 35 per cent will replace aging retiring aircraft. According to Embraer, 17 of the world’s top 30 fastest growing countries in 2014 will be in the region. It predicts that air transport in the Middle East will steadily grow 7.1 per cent annually over the next 20 years - above the world average of 4.8 per cent, more than tripling the air traffic to, from, and within the region. 

Passenger booking behavior shifting towards online

leading online payment service provider in the Arab world, PAYFORT, says 71 per cent of airlines say ticket sales on mobile phone platforms will revolutionize how people pay for travel. GCC airlines represent 11 per cent of the global airlines market and over seven per cent of their bookings are placed online. Statistics show that 47 per cent of Middle Eastern residents own smartphones, with almost three quarters using their mobile phones to make purchases online. Some 67 per cent of carriers have mobile check-in services, while almost half have apps that let customers reserve and pay for flights on their phones. Meanwhile, 28 per cent of firms allow passengers to customize their flights by choosing seats and other perks. The number of services airlines plan to launch on mobile platforms is expected to grow significantly. Just fewer than 20 per cent of carriers say they hope to offer e-wallet payment for in-flight products and other extras by 2016. 

June 2014

Qatar opens $15.5 billion new Doha airport

atar has opened its thricedelayed new international airport in Doha, built at a cost of $15.5 billion. The first commercial flight to land at the Hamad International Airport (HIA) was a flydubai flight carrying passengers from Dubai. The seaside airport, whose construction began in 2007 with 50,000 workers, has been initially only to 10 airlines, including flydubai. The airport, which replaces the old Doha International, will initially be able to handle 30 million passengers per year, and expand to 50 million by the time work finishes in 2020. It spreads over 29 square kilometres land, 60 per cent of which

reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf waters, and features two runways measuring 4.85 kilometres and 4.25 kilometres. The terminal has a total surface of 60 hectares. Qatar Airways moved its entire hub operations to Hamad International Airport. The new airport is said to be two-thirds the size of Doha city. In its opening configuration, the terminal has three concourses and 33 contact gates, increasing to five concourses and 65 contact gates, including eight for the A380 in the final build-out. flydubai will move its nine daily flight operations from the main terminal at Doha International Airport to HIA. 

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International

Malaysia opens world’s largest airport for budget airlines

ast month, Malaysia opened a new airport built specifically for the budget travel sector. The new facility near the main Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) officially commenced operations when a flight by Malaysia-based Malindo Air touched down. KLIA2 is about four times bigger than the KLIA, features natural lighting and a sky bridge connecting to a satellite terminal. AirAsia—by far KLIA2′s largest tenant—is expected to fully migrate from the old terminal. The number of flights will rise to 450 per day involving about 70,000 passengers, according to officials of state-linked airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB). Budget carriers using KLIA2 include Malindo Air, the Philippines’ Cebu Pacific Air, Singapore’s Tiger Airways, and Indonesia’s

The airport opened three years after originally planned due to repeated delays caused by concerns over safety and construc-

tion quality, as its cost doubled to $1.2 billion. KLIA2 complied with international safety standards set by ICAO. 

India goes for real-time aircraft tracking

China buying into global general aviation market

ndia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed airlines to track all aircraft in real time, a decision the regulator said was prompted by the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. The directives will apply to both passenger and cargo planes. The regulator has ordered Indian carriers to track aircraft in real time using onboard Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) or Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B). It also said airlines should devise a procedure to track aircraft flying over areas not covered by ACARS or ADS-B. It ordered flight crews report aircraft coordinates, speed and altitude every

Lion Air. KLIA2′s capacity is 45 million passengers per year, and about 24 million are expected in the first 12 months.

June 2014

15 minutes while flying over such areas. The regulator said airlines should monitor faults and warning messages of ACARS and that

flight crews must immediately report any issue with ACARS or ADS-B to ground stations using a voice or data link. 

RAND study has suggested that China’s commercial aviation manufacturing sector is challenged to match Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer in building large passenger jets, but it faces brighter prospects in building general aviation and business aircraft. China’s overall commercial aviation industry more than doubled its sales between 2005 and 2010, according to the study, which cites the China Civil Aviation Industry Statistics Yearbook as its source for revenue figures. The industry remained domestically focused. In 2010, it generated $16 billion in sales, of which 13 percent were from exports. It employed 254,844 workers, just 20,454 more than in 2005. 

International

Heathrow airport unveils new-look Terminal 2

ondon Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 will be formally opened with the first flight taking off on June 4 and is expected to handle up to 20 million passengers per year. The terminal features a 78-meter sculpture designed to resemble the turbulence of a tumbling stunt plane. Its architect Luis Vidal says the terminal is a ‘cathedral for the 21st century’, CNN quoted him as saying in a report. The Queen’s Terminal features vaulted ceilings filled with natural light that are designed to guide up to 20 million pas-

sengers a year exactly to where they want to be. The new facility is expected to ease the air traffic congestion that has left Heathrow struggling to maintain its former status as Europe’s chief aviation hub. The $4.2 billion building is certainly an improvement on the old Terminal 2, which closed five years ago after more than 50 years of service. It will accommodate 26 airlines, including United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and others among the global Star Alliance, and connect to more than 50 destinations. 

Aircraft dismantling market to reach $80 million

he global market value of the aircraft dismantling services market is set to reach $80 million this year, according to an industry study conducted by TeamSAI Consulting in partnership with the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA). A rapid increase in the number of aircraft reaching the end of their economic life presents considerable opportunities for the aircraft dismantling and recycling industry. Between 1,200 and 1,800 aircraft are expected to be torn

down over the next three years. The study also found that close to $3.2 billion worth of harvested parts will be made available to the commercial aviation supply chain in the form of aftermarket parts annually, offering savings of approximately 50 percent compared with new OEM parts. Aircraft manufacturers estimate that up to 44 percent of the global fleet will be replaced in the next 20 years, amounting to more than 13,000 airplanes. 

Survey finds gaps in Canada’s aviation safety

new survey of Canada’s professional aviation inspectors has found 85 per cent of respondents believe air travelers have been exposed to higher risk because of Transport Canada’s transition to safety management systems (SMS). Canadian Federal Pilots Association (CFPA), which co-sponsored the survey with the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE), said the results should be treated as a “major red flag”. Since 2008, the federal department has required air operators whose planes carry 20 or more passengers to develop their own in-house safety management systems. Under the regime, inspectors effectively became system evaluators who sometimes conduct traditional audits. The survey found nearly nine in 10 respondents think SMS actually prevents the timely correction of safety problems, and 84 per cent expect a major aviation accident or incident in the near future. The CFPA-UCTE e-mail survey of 284 aviation inspectors was conducted between February 13 and March 14. 

ASEAN Open Skies deal promises economic integration

he Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is looking to liberalize its airline and aviation market with an unified Open Skies agreement in place by 2015. It aims for a single aviation market in ASEAN in line with the implementation of the ASEAN Community 2015, which seeks to deepen intra-ASEAN integration, according to Eurasia Review analysis. The ASEAN Open Skies project would be a boon to the ASEAN aviation industry, which would likely see greater growth and development as airlines in the region are spurred to greater competition. It would also go a long way towards greater economic integration among ASEAN member states. In November 2004, the ASEAN transport ministers drafted a 10-year plan under which the region’s air travel sector would be progressively integrated and liberalized. Three years later the ministers agreed to push for open skies within ASEAN by end of 2015. Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) says about 89 million travelers visited ASEAN in 2012, a 9.9 percentage increase from the previous year.  June 2014

Opinion

Happy airports make more money

By John Jarrell Head of Airport IT Amadeus IT Group

ome time ago I read an article based on a research study that showed satisfied passengers will spend 45 per cent more on airport retail purchases than disappointed passengers. Although technology has revolutionized air travel during the past decade, passenger satisfaction with airports continues to lag behind

that of other aspects of the travel industry, largely because passenger expectations of basic needs are not being met consistently. It seems that there is a correlation between the best rated airports and those offering the best shopping experience, making more money derived from retailing activities. If we take the Skytrax Awards as a reference, in the last two years Singapore Changi, Incheon, Schiphol, Hong Kong and Beijing rank as the Top 5 best airports in the world. Three of them also score in the Top 5 as the best shopping experience and four of them rank in the Top 5 for leisure amenities which is also a good source of non-aeronautical revenues for airports. The airport experience is very often rated as the least pleasant segment in a trip.

It is the first and the last part of a journey so often sets the tone of the overall trip experience. Many passengers just want to get in and out the airport as quickly as possible. However, sometimes we put bells and whistles on our facilities and forget that passengers are especially concerned with basic needs: short wait times, flight punctuality and prompt baggage delivery. Things like short checkin lanes, a fast, smooth security process and ease of navigation are expected as a minimum. Anything that adds complexity, stress or waiting time causes dissatisfaction. The equation looks clear: the quicker the walk from the terminal door to the boarding area, the more time and the better mood to spend money at airports. Airports can increase convenience for passengers by offering

airport services as part of the pack of overall travel services. Don’t you think passengers would appreciate that possibility? Wouldn’t that make airports happy as well, driving additional revenues and establishing a relationship with travelers? Airports should get ready to take a big leap forward to become the nodes of the nervous system of travel – an intelligent network of passengers, airlines, ground handlers, air traffic controls, railway companies and even cities. We should all aim to build a global Airport Operational Database (AODB). Tomorrow’s airport will be a complex environment that should have the passenger at its heart, collaboration as its lifeblood and innovation as its currency.  Excerpts from the Amadeus corporate blog, Let’s shape the future of travel

Ireland’s first National Aviation Policy soon

By Leo Varadkar Minister for Transport & Tourism Ireland

have always enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on Irish transport policy. Incredible changes have taken place in the world of transport over the years. The tourism industry has been one of the key drivers of our economic recovery and of course it depends critically on the range and competitiveness of the air and sea access routes into Ireland.

June 2014

Visitor numbers to Ireland increased by seven per cent in 2013. I am similarly optimistic for 2014. Our target for 2014 is an increase of four per cent. The government has honored our election commitment to abolish the travel tax in response to a major increase in airline capacity. Over 20 new routes have been announced since it was signaled on Budget Day. The newly-independent Shannon Airport halted the decline in its passenger numbers, recorded modest growth in 2013 and has added significantly to its routes for 2014. Over the coming months, we will complete our work on the first national Aviation Policy for Ireland in over 20 years.

The new national aviation policy will chart the road ahead for the expansion of Irish aviation, making it more competitive and tackling barriers to growth and entry. he new aviation policy will guide decision making on aviation over the next 20 years or so and will provide the industry with certainty and an incentive to plan and invest for the future. I will shortly publish a draft of the policy to provide a further opportunity for stakeholder input before finalizing and adopting the policy later this year. We will be re-stating some elements of existing policy, for example on airline competition and making new proposals in other areas for example future funding arrangements for re-

gional airports, regulation, ownership and access. The draft policy will be published shortly and I encourage those interested to use this opportunity to help shape the future of aviation in Ireland by providing us with your views on the draft. We also need to renew existing infrastructure before it requires even more costly reinstatement. Many of these requirements are in transport, but transport projects tend to have a long delivery time. Right now, we have no visibility on what we may be able to invest beyond the end of 2016. We need to address that.  Excerpts from the speech at the Transport Ireland Conference 2014, Dublin

Opinion

ANSPs not ready to infrastructure upgrades

By Jeff Poole Director General CANSO

he Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation’s (CANSO) objective is to transform global Air Traffic Management (ATM) performance to enable airlines to fly in seamless airspace globally across ‘invisible’ borders. This is a formidable challenge as ATM is at present adversely affected by very fragmented airspace. In addition, there are big differences in ATM

maturity, technology, procedures, cultures, business models and regulatory frameworks across the regions and across Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). CANSO has developed and committed to Vision 2020, the first ever strategic framework for the ATM industry. It is supported by the CANSO Work Plan which captures 126 supporting activities planned at global and regional level, each with detailed actions, deliverables and timescales. IATA and other stakeholders have committed to work with us. Performance Based Navigation (PBN) ASBUs will help to provide additional focus on the implementation of PBN, which is a high priority for both CANSO and IATA. Some operating environments are more conducive to the implementation of PBN than others. Some operators may need incentives to upgrade their fleets

and train their crews. We are producing a “CANSO PBN Best Practice Guide” to be published in the second quarter of 2014. ANSPs are not ready to commit to upgrades in the infrastructure in the absence of a critical mass that is ready to use new services. For them, investment decisions need to be supported by a positive business case. Clearly, a new paradigm is needed in view of this “chicken or egg” situation to realize early benefits from new technology and procedures. CANSO is therefore engaged with IATA, ACI and ICAO on Service Priority. We are proposing that Service Priority concepts be trialed at two or three key airports or TMAs. One of the technologies taken into consideration for Service Priority is ADS-B capable aircraft. Regional efforts to accelerate ADS-B implementation are continuing.

With the bridging of surveillance gaps by ADS-B, the next step is to increase airspace capacity on these routes by gradually reducing aircraft separation. We have established a special task force on FIR Boundary Crossings to identify the problem areas and recommend mitigation strategies. We will be producing firm recommendations later in 2014. Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) is a powerful example of all elements of the value chain collaborating to improve ATM system performance. ACI, IATA and CANSO have agreed to identify synergies between respective work programmes, and to accelerate delivery of outcomes that benefit all stakeholders.  Excerpts from the speech at the IATA Operations Conference in Kuala Lumpur

Airport industry as a whole is profitable

By Angela Gittens Director General ACI World

irports Council International (ACI), which represents 683 airports accounting for 70 per cent of the world’s passenger traffic, is optimistic about aviation’s growth potential in 2014 despite the global economy remaining in a vulnerable state. The future of air transport demand and the story of its growth

potential stems from the vigorous activity in emerging markets. Some 86 per cent of the world’s population resides in emerging markets and developing economies. Of the emerging markets, the BRICS economies represent a major force, both in population and GDP. History has shown us that the per capita propensity for air travel increases with GDP. In 2013, the worldwide passenger traffic increased by four per cent, somewhat down from 2012 growth rates, with airports in advanced economies growing by 1.9 per cent, compared to 8.1 per cent in developing economies. The Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America-Caribbean had the highest increases. In 2000 emerging markets made up approximately a quarter of global airport traffic. By 2013, this figure had grown to 43 per cent.

There has been an increase in the proportion of aeronautical revenue since 2005 from 51.5 per cent to 57 per cent across the world’s airports. Aeronautical revenues alone are not sufficient to cover the cost of running an airport. The move to revenue diversification has been a key to the financial resilience of airports and has been the primary source of infrastructure financing support. Retail continues to be the leading source of non-aeronautical income for airports at 29 per cent of the total. Retail remains king in the Middle East and Asia. While the airport industry as a whole is profitable, with airports posting net profit margins in the realm of 13 per cent, a significant proportion of airports are actually in the red. In fact, as many as 67 per cent of airports globally operate at a net loss, with 80 per cent

of airports that service fewer than one million passengers per year posting net losses of six per cent on average. We see that airports worldwide had an average return on invested capital of 3.5 per cent with the highest return generated by airports with passenger volume between 15 and 25 million. Similar to what was revealed for smaller airports regarding net profit margins, airports with fewer than one million passengers have a negative return on invested capital of -1.8 per cent. While on the whole, airports appear to be in good financial health, each airport is subject to its own economic, political and environmental conditions.  Excerpts from the speech at 6th ACI Economics and Finance Conference and Exhibition, London

June 2014

In Focus

Unruly passengers:

The devil in our Midst The 50 -yearold Tokyo Convention has been revised by the ICAO for ratification by Member-States to help deal firmly with inflight disturbances by passengers. IATA says the right legal framework in place will go some way in preventing further incidents which could potentially cost an airline up to $ 200,000.

n February, the crew of an Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai to Stockholm had a tough time dealing with a male passenger who started shouting, left his seat, ignored instruction to remain seated, and made his way towards the cockpit. They handcuffed him during the flight and later handed him over to the police. Swedish tabloid Expressen reported the man had been running through the plane, screaming he had a bomb, about an hour after the departure from Dubai. A month earlier, a Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 767-300ER flight from Barcelona to New York with 216 passengers had to be diverted to Shannon in Ireland. Reason: fashion icon Ralph Lauren’s 41-year-old niece, in a state of drunkenness, threatened, abused and insulted the crew aboard. The plane followed established procedure in diverting to the western Ireland city “to have law enforce-

ment address an unruly passenger.” An Irish court later slapped the New York jeweller with a fine of 2,000 euros ($2700). The unscheduled diversion is said to have cost the Atlanta-based carrier more than $43,000. During the same month, the Australian police arrested a passenger on Emirates Airlines’ Singapore-Brisbane flight and charged him with unruly behavior inflight by repeatedly seeking to smoke. In December last year, a 40-year-old passenger forced a Qantas A380 superjumbo London-Dubai-Sydney flight to return to London Heathrow only an hour into the flight. The British national, seated on the upper deck of the aircraft, began to display threatening behavior not long after take-off. Six cabin crew members were required to restrain him.

UAE: Preventive measures to curb the trend

policy paper presented by General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to an ICAO meeting, said: “IATA’s most recent statistics are suggestive of an escalating trend. Quite often, passengers are simply not aware of the consequences of engaging in such behavior. The eradication of unruly incidents in the aviation context requires a number of preventive measures. Some perceived flaws have been identified and ICAO has already engaged in a process to revise the adequacy of the international legal regime.” The UAE strongly supports the revision of the international legal regime. The international law-making will not of itself re-

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June June 2014 2014

solve the problem. Authorities must also strongly emphasize education of the travelling public. There is a strong case for effective preventive measures.” It said the UAE campaign, Love your Sky, purports to tackle unruly and disruptive behaviour on board aircraft. The initiative provides guidelines on what behaviour will not be tolerated and how other passengers should react in cases where such incidents occur. It also highlights the consequences of engaging in such behaviour. The UAE is of the firm belief that increasing passenger awareness could significantly contribute to reducing the occurrence of these nefarious incidents. 

During the same month, a drunken man was tackled by a group of off-duty cops while trying to storm the cockpit on a flight from Warsaw to Toronto. An inebriated passenger on a flight from Iceland to New York tried to grope and choke fellow travelers until crew members and other passengers bind him with duct tape. Instances of air rage and unruly passengers are on the rise globally. The trend has prompted airlines to call for new laws to deal with unruly passengers and other onboard mayhem on international flights. Many airlines that participated in an International Air Transport Association (IATA) survey on unruly passengers viewed alcohol as the major contributor to disruptive behavior. They observed that passengers, in numerous instances, may have been intoxicated at the time of boarding the aircraft or had access to their own alcohol supply on board. The Tokyo Convention, adopted in 1963 by representatives from 185 countries, contained a set of laws that focused on onboard crimes related to hijacking. These laws are outdated and do not address the kind of mayhem that some passengers cause, delaying flights and fraying nerves. For example, the convention states that the country where a plane is registered has legal jurisdiction over offenses on the plane. But today about 40 per cent of commercial planes are leased, meaning the country where the plane is registered is not always the country where the airline is based, according to IATA. Perry Flint, an IATA spokesman, said: “Lots of changes have taken place over the past 50 years. The old rules no longer do a good job of addressing this problem.” Currently airlines are using laws created in Tokyo Convention (1963) and Montreal Convention

(1971) to regulate passenger behaviour. IATA believes it is incredible that archaic laws are still being used to govern a situation that could potentially cost an airline $200,000, as was the case in 2011 when a transatlantic flight was forced to reroute after two drunken passengers physically and verbally abused the crew. Michael Herrero, IATA’s Manager for Gulf Area, said: “The number of unruly passenger incidents happening globally are increasing. Most of the time, the guidelines when dealing with unruly passengers are unclear and this basically gives unruly passengers the right to behave badly without being judged. What we need are revisions to those conventions.” The long-drawn move to make the laws compatible with the changing times has taken off, finally. A rare, once-a-generation diplomatic conference was held in March in Montreal and attended by representatives of 100 governments, to update international law on dealing with unruly passengers. The diplomatic conference in the headquarters city of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was the culmination of a five-year process to revise the 50-year-old Tokyo Convention, a process triggered by an International Air Transport Association (IATA) proposal in 2009. Between 2007 and 2013, there were over 28,000 reported cases of air rage and unruly behavior globally, as reported to IATA’s Safety Trend Evaluation, Analysis & Data Exchange System (STEADES). According to experts, unruly behavior reflects a broader societal problem where anti-social behavior is becoming more and more prevalent. In the confined environment of a commercial aircraft in flight, though, unruly be-

In Focus

havior “takes on a whole different nature.” The unruly passenger problem is global, not focused on any particular type of airline business model, or class of seat. “It’s as much a business-class problem as economy.” IATA officials say two necessary updates to the 1963 Tokyo Convention involve legal jurisdiction and flight crew immunity. The jurisdiction issue deals with archaic wording. The Tokyo Convention grants jurisdiction over passenger offenses to the State of Registration (SoR). However, today, over 40 percent of aircraft are leased – up from just three per cent when the Tokyo Convention was signed, so the SoR may have no relation to the country from which the airline operates or the one in which the aircraft lands. IATA is lobbying to have the jurisdiction provision of the Convention extended to reflect the reality of airline business practices today. The immunity issue deals with what IATA views as unclear wording, subject to broad interpretation by local authorities. Article 6 of the Tokyo Convention states that the aircraft commander may impose “reasonable measures” on passengers who have committed, or are about to commit, an offense or unlawful act. The courts around the world have been inconsistent in what they consider to be reasonable actions by the pilot in command. Another realm in which IATA believes justice is inconsistently administered is passenger rights. Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO, called European Commission (EC) Regulation 261, which establishes rules on flight delays, cancellations and denied boarding, “our biggest passenger nightmare.” The agreed amendments to the Tokyo Convention, discussed in Montreal from March 26 to April 4, will come into force when 22 nations ratify the new convention. IATA, which represents 240 airlines, recommended that pilots and cabin crew should get more legal authority to confront misbehavior while in flight.

A Chinese airline crew members undergoing martial arts training to combat unruly passengers

The law defines a disruptive passenger as “a passenger who fails to respect the rules of conduct at an airport or on board an aircraft or [fails] to follow the instructions of the airport staff or crew members and thereby disturbs the good order and discipline at an airport or on board the aircraft.” Dealing with an unruly passenger can be a tricky business. In December 2012, IATA issued Guidance on Unruly Passenger Prevention and Management. The guidance material contains a Passenger Notification Warning Card that can be handed to a disruptive passenger, similar to a yellow card in soccer. This card clearly outlines the powers of the pilot in command and warns of the consequences of continued misbehavior. There are also specifications related to company policy, procedures, and training in the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and through IATA’s Recommended Practice 1798a. Additionally, IATA is calling for civil aviation authorities to deter and prevent unruly behavior by promoting passenger awareness of the unacceptability and legal consequences of disruptive

behavior in aviation facilities and on board aircraft. Guenther Matschnigg, former Senior Vice President, Safety and Flight Operations, IATA, says: “But really we need to shift the focus from managing these events to the prevention of these

incidents in the first place. The crew is concerned with safety, security and the comfort of their passengers on board the aircraft and shouldn’t have to be placed in a position where crew members become a police force in the sky.” 

IATA members calls for a ‘balanced’ package of measures

t the 70th Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Doha, the members unanimously adopted a resolution to effectively deal with the problem of unruly air passenger behavior. Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO, IATA, said: “This resolution confirms the determination of airlines to defend the rights of their passengers and crew. Everybody on board is entitled to enjoy a journey free from abusive or other unacceptable behavior. Many airlines have trained both ground staff and cabin crew in procedures not only to manage incidents of unruly behavior but

also in measures to prevent them. But a robust solution needs alignment among airlines, airports, and governments.” The Resolution’s core principles include calls for: airlines to ensure that they have in place corporate policies and appropriate training programs for cabin crew and ground staff to enable them to prevent or manage disruptive passenger behavior, including at check-in, during security search, and at the gate, governments and airlines to raise awareness of the consequences of unruly behavior and airports and airport concessionaires such as bars and restaurants to implement procedures that could help prevent unruly behavior on flights.  June June 2014 2014

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Cargo & Logistics

Emirates SkyCargo launches operations at DWC

mirates SkyCargo’s freighter fleet has started operating from its new cargo terminal at the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) Al Maktoum from May 1. The start of operations was marked by the arrival of an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 777 Freighter from London Heathrow, carrying a full load of more than 100 tonnes of cargo. Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo, said: “The start of operations at DWC is a major milestone for Emirates SkyCargo. We have held numerous trials to test the readiness of every aspect of the facility and the movement of cargo between the DWC and Dubai International to ensure a smooth transition and enable us to meet our customers’ expectations.” Construction of phase one of the cargo terminal and supporting facilities began in July 2013, and with its completion

operations are now in full swing with 250 staff on site. The newly-opened terminal is equipped with start-of-the-art technology and will be able to handle 700000 tonnes of cargo annually and have 500 staff when Phase II, scheduled to be completed by September 2014, comes into operation.

It features a fully automated material handling system which is one of the world’s first to have an automated Quick Dolly Transfer System that enables quick transfer of six Unit Load Devices (ULDs) simultaneously. In addition, an automated pallet handling system, advanced storage system, offic-

es, workstation areas, modern communication and security systems and many amenities for employees, including canteens have been installed. The perishable area has been designed to handle about 140 000 tonnes of cargo per annum, featuring three large areas each with different temperature ranges. Emirates SkyCargo currently has a fleet of 12 freighters, 10 Boeing 777 Fs and two Boeing 747-400 ERFs, which operate to more than 50 destinations around the world. Cargo arriving on freighters will be transported by dedicated trucking services between DWC and Dubai International along the Emirates Road (E611) which will be the main corridor for connecting cargo between freighters and the passenger fleet. The current trucking fleet numbers 47, which will be increased relative to future growth requirements. 

EK receives ACC3 validation

mirates Airlines has become the region’s first air carrier to successfully complete the validation process for the European Union-initiated ACC3 security regulation. The validation ensures Emirates SkyCargo’s uninterrupted services into the EU which has 28 member-states. The Department for Transport of the United Kingdom of Great Britain granted Emirates’ ACC3 status on behalf of the EU. Through close collaboration between Emirates Group Security and SkyCargo, the world’s fastest growing airline completed the ACC3 security validation at the Dubai hub before the deadline on July 1.

June 2014

Failure to complete the validation would have potentially prohibited Emirates from transporting cargo into the EU–severely disrupting SkyCargo’s operations. Emirates’ air cargo business accounts for over 15 per cent of the airline’s total transport revenue. Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of group security, said: “We placed the highest priority on the inspection and validation of our cargo operations in Dubai being the hub for our operations. Emirates is seeking similar validation at other stations from where Emirates regularly operates freighter flights direct to the EU.” 

AAPA remains positive about regional air cargo scene

ore evidence of an up-tick in the air cargo sector has emerged with Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) figures showing growth in traffic. Boosted by stronger export markets, east- and south-east Asian carriers registered a 6.7 per cent increase in international freight demand as measured in freight tonne kilometre terms. Offered freight capacity grew 5.9 per cent, and consequently the average international

air cargo load factor for Asia Pacific carriers edged 0.5 percentage points higher to 68.4 per cent, the first increase seen in over a year. AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman says for the first quarter of the year international freight markets saw an encouraging 3.8 per cent growth in traffic, with further evidence of a pick-up in international trade, leading to stronger demand for Asian exports. 

Cargo & Logistics

DWC sees big freight growth in first quarter 2014

reight volumes at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) continued to grow strongly in the first quarter of 2014 as more airlines started operations at Dubai’s second airport which opened in October 2013. Freight volumes rose, recording 76,816 tonnes in the first three months of the year, up 42.3 percent from the 53,974 tonnes achieved during the first quarter of 2013.

1.4 million workers needed for US logistics by 2018

he US logistics industry, which accounts for 8.5 per cent of GDP, is growing fast and will be requiring 1.4 million new supply chain workers by 2018, according to a report by Fortune magazine. It said the $1.3 trillion industry is getting bigger every year. The vast US logistics business,

which delivers 48 million tonnes of freight worth about $48 billion daily, employs roughly six million people who operate mostly behind the scenes. In total, says a new MHI report, the logistics business will be looking to fill about 1.4 million jobs, or roughly 270,000 per year, by 2018. 

Kenya launches ESWS

enya has launched an Electronic Single Window System (ESWS) to facilitate faster and efficient trade and improve the business environment. Kenya TradeNet System will have major positive impact on business in the region that includes reducing the cargo dwell time at the Port of Mombasa to a maximum of three days and

at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to a maximum of one day. The system will simplify international trade logistics that involves submission of large volumes of information and documents to Government authorities to comply with import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements. 

Volumes were boosted by the introduction of several new scheduled freighter services with Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Cargolux all moving their dedicated freighter flights to DWC since the end of last year. This has increased weekly scheduled freighter flights to more than 60. The growth trend is expected to be maintained, with Emirates SkyCargo joining DWC in May when by moving all dedicated freighters to the airport. 

Big growth projected for KSA & Kuwait freight markets

market study by Business Monitor International has projected that air freight volumes in Saudi Arabia are set to grow 7.5 per cent in 2014 to reach 766160 tonnes. Growth to 2018 will average 6.5 per cent a year. Jeddah Islamic Port’s total tonnage throughput for 2014 is forecast to return to growth at 4.4 per cent. Growth will average 5.2 per cent from 2014 to 2018. The outlook for the Saudi Arabian freight transport sector is upbeat with air freight performing well with the help of Saudia Cargo which maintained a solid performance in 2013 amid a challenging economic environment. The airline registered an eight per cent

year-on-year rise in cargo volumes to 557,800 tonnes in 2013. In another country report, BMI forecasts slow but steady growth in Kuwaiti air freight over the medium term. Kuwait International Airport’s air freight tonnage is forecast to grow 1.2 per cent in 2014 and to an average growth of 1.3 per cent a year to 2018. Kuwait Airways, as part of its ongoing fleet development, is to purchase 10 A350-900 and 15 A320neo aircraft from Airbus. These new aircraft will be able to carry freight in their bellyholds, enabling Kuwait Airways Cargo to boost volumes carried on its network, and in Kuwait’s airports. 

Chicago top-performing logistics airport

ones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) proprietary Airport Index for 2014 has ranked Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles as the top performing US airports based on criteria such as availability of industrial and warehousing space, access to large population centers, and air cargo growth prospects. Chicago O’Hare moves to the top position, up from second in last year’s index. Miami scores second highest in the index, down from the top position in last year’s

report. Los Angeles moved up in the rankings from last year’s report, and now ranks third. JLL based the index on 13 measurable performance metrics divided into two major categories: air cargo operations and real estate market factors. The resulting index score is then a combination of the performance metrics and provides a subjective measure of an airport’s value to JLL’s clients and their customers.  June 2014

Technology

All-electric plane heralds future of green aviation

Gogo’s Next-Gen in-flight Internet technology

irbus has introduced its all-electric experimental aircraft in a first public flight, paving way for low-emission and quieter aviation. The experimental two-seater, named E-Fan, flown during a demonstration in Bordeaux, France, on 25 April, features an all-composite construction and is fully powered by batteries. Airbus plans to develop also a larger version with four seats, powered by a hybrid propulsion technology capable of switching between the batteries and a combustion engine. One day, the plane you board to go on holiday might be flying using cleaner, greener electric power, reports New Scientist. Called the E-Fan, the quiet, sleek carbon-fibre plane is the work of Airbus, the French plane-maker. With two 65-kg lithium battery packs hidden in its wings, each driving a 30-kilowatt electric motor, the E-Fan cruises at 185 kilometres per hour and flies for an hour. It is the first step in a development

programme that could lead to much bigger electric planes – with next generation, high-power lithiumair batteries and superconducting motors. Boeing built and flew an electric fuel-cell-powered light aircraft in 2007. From 2017, a new division of Airbus called VoltAir will make and market the E-Fan, says Jean Botti, CTO of Airbus Group, selling them as training planes for pilots and tow planes for gliders in a market dominated by Cessna. Later hybrid versions of the E-Fan – in two and fourseat versions – will use a small engine to charge the batteries in flight so that it can stay aloft for threeand-a-half hours. In a research programme called E-Thrust, Airbus is aiming to produce a hybrid airliner with 80 seats that can handle regional city hops – a Toyota Prius of the skies, if you like. Boeing, too, is researching hybrid electric aircraft designs alongside NASA – looking into planes that could seat as many as 150 people – although its plans are a little further off. 

ogo, a leading aircraft communications service provider to the global aviation industry, has announced the next step in its technology roadmap for global connectivity - 2Ku. Gogo expects this new technology to outperform other global connectivity solutions currently available in the market. The new technology will utilize the same low-profile antennas as Gogo’s Ground to Orbit (GTO) technology, which will be deployed for aircraft flying in North America; however, instead of utilizing Gogo’s Air to Ground solution for the return link to the ground, 2Ku will have two low-profile, high efficiency Ku-band satellite antennas. The new technology will deliver peak speeds to the aircraft of more than 70 Mbps. 

Move to form a global aircraft tracking task force

R AT&T building 4G LTE in-flight connectivity service

T&T has announced plans to launch a high-speed 4G LTE-based in-flight connectivity service for airlines and passengers in commercial, business and general aviation. The service, planned to be available as soon as late 2015, will be capable of providing inflight broadband for customers including fast, reliable Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment. AT&T plans to build an innovative air-to-ground network

June 2014

in the continental US, based on global 4G LTE standards, to provide fast speeds and efficient utilization of spectrum already owned by AT&T. “Everyone wants access to high-speed, reliable mobile Internet wherever they are, including at 35,000 feet,” said John Stankey, Chief Strategy Officer at AT&T. “We expect this service to transform connectivity in the aviation industry – we are truly mobilizing the sky.”

AT&T plans to work with Honeywell to provide hardware and service capabilities to deliver the in-flight connectivity solution. In-flight connectivity is a natural fit for AT&T, which over the past six years has invested more than $140 billion into its wireless and wireline networks. AT&T has more than 116 million wireless subscribers and more than 16.5 million total broadband subscribers. 

ockwell Collins Inc., maker of a key communications system for jets, is interested in joining a task force on improving global airline tracking to prevent further disappearances of planes like Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The task force has been planned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that will look at ways to track airplanes and make recommendations. The task force convened by IATA is expected to include airlines, aircraft and system makers and search and rescue experts, said IATA spokesman Perry Flint. IATA has also said the task force would include the International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN agency that sets air travel standards. ICAO held a two-day special meeting in May at its Montreal headquarters to discuss airplane and satellite capabilities needed to track flights globally. 

Technology

Cavotec – shaping the airports of the future C

avotec is a leading systems integrator in the global airports sector. Our comprehensive range of innovative ground support equipment (GSE) includes power supply, air, fuel, water systems; housed in underground pits, tunnel systems and caddies. We develop technologies for our own customers, and as a trusted partner of leading OEMs. Cavotec has global reach with local presence. Supported by extensive engineering expertise drawn from applications around the world, we work closely with customers and suppliers locally, on the ground, day-in day-out, to deliver complete systems that meet the specific demands of each project. Cavotec’s Airports Market Unit is a complete ground support systems integrator for the global airports sector. Working closely with airport operators, airlines and aircraft manufacturers, we develop a diverse range of advanced ground support equipment (GSE). The Cavotec prod-

uct range includes 400Hz power systems, pre-conditioned air units (PCAir), refuelling and Wet Services, tunnel systems, connectors and tow-bars, cable coilers, crocodile systems and battery-driven caddies. Our innovative technologies help reduce tarmac congestion, improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Cavotec’s Airports Market Unit comprises four manufac-

turing ‘Centres of Excellence’: Cavotec Meyerinck and Cavotec Fladung, both based in Germany, Cavotec Dabico, based in the UK and the US, and Cavotec INET, also based in the US. Since its establishment in 1993, Cavotec Middle East (CME), the Group’s UAE-based subsidiary, has worked on a large number of major projects across the region.

Cavotec systems – including 400Hz cable coils, mobile GPUs, pop-up and hatch pits, refuelling systems and Wibe cable management systems – serve airports in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, India, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, KSA and Qatar. Cavotec’s regional headquarters are located in Dubai, with branch offices in Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain. 

New mobile booking solution for small airlines

New technology to eliminate turbulence

lobal aviation technology provider SITA has announced a white-label solution for airlines that need better mobile apps. The iTravel “futureproofed” solution will allow airlines to customize a mobile platform, eliminating the “cost and complexity of software development.” Consumers will be able to book tickets on airlines’ versions of the new iTravel app, using geo-location to search for flights. Maps are somehow involved, which may or may not be the most efficient way to perform a flight search. SITA points out that iTravel provide “valuable business intelligence on the customer’s behavior.”

Airlines have yet to figure out the best way to reap the benefits of all the data they gather, but, with the right help, they might start putting it to good use.

Air India, S7, Jeju, Malaysia Airlines, Meridiana, Menzies Aviation and Air Arabia are among airlines taking a closer look at iTravel. 

ew technology that helps airline pilots avoid bumpy pockets of air could make your next flight safer and smoother. There are around 750 turbulence-related incidents annually that result in injuries or damage, and each one can cost airlines as much as $167,000. Some airlines are using new technology to try to avoid turbulence and reduce instances of injury or property damage. Some American Airlines planes have sensors connected to a tracking system called Total Turbulence. The system measures the intensity of the turbulence around the plane and sends the data to a center that warns other planes who fly in the same path.  June 2014