VIA DUBAI ENGLISH AUGUST 2018

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 63 August 2018

Inside DCAA DCAA team visits Dubai South Academy of Technical Training delegation visits DCAA Study on Dubai air cargo presented to DG DCAA organises Children’s Summer Camp

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DCAA INTERVIEW Ismail Ahli

Happy people are productive people

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UAE News EKFC in JV to build vertical farm

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flydubai to shift flights 14 to 10 destinations to Terminal 3 UAE airlines eye Korean market

ATM 22

‘Raise the bar’ at DXB Opinion

Summer springs surprises for Dubai tourism

Staying ahead of the curve

Adapt to change

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Airlines 23

Alexandre de Juniac

Cargo & Logistics 24

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Angela Gittens

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Technology 26

Our folk heritage, if anything, indicates our genuine and noble values that have long characterised our people.

Sayings by Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Message

from the President

Surprising us all

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n 1968, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the world’s youngest defence minister, years before the UAE came into being as a federation.

Then, six years later, a committee with him as its head was formed to manage the Dubai Airport and developing the emirate as an international aviation hub. He decided to continue to adopt the Open Skies policy to pursue his dreams of making Dubai what it is now – a world class, allencompassing destination.

Since then, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has been regularly visiting the ever-expanding airport, thereby reiterating the importance of civil aviation to Dubai’s economy and development. Recently, he took time off to visit the iconic airport to personally review the pace of progress ahead of it handling the busiest summer and Eid rush - it was set to welcome more than one million travellers in just four days in July. Passenger figures at DXB and DWC are set to increase to 124 million by 2023.

He urged the staff to “raise the bar” in welcoming travellers and simplifying procedures for people flying in and out. The passenger numbers are set for growth as Emirates and flydubai have forged closer ties with a codeshare agreement. Closer cooperation between the

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

two airlines will boost the airport’s business. This year the airport projects growth of 90.3 million passengers. Dubai now connects more than 240 destinations across six continents with more than 100 airlines.

Sheikh Mohamed began his tour with the Departures Hall at Concourse 3 where he stopped at Emirate’s checkin counters, baggage screening facilities and passport counters. He interacted with passport officers, urging them to extend warm welcome to travellers. His regular visits and tours of the airport represent a stimulus for all personnel and staff to provide best-in-class services for everyone and come up with innovative ideas that turn travel memories about Dubai more vivid and indelible. He had rightly remarked that the world remembers only the Number 1 and we are striving towards being Numero Uno.

August 2018

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

CONTENTS

Inside DCAA 06 DCAA team visits Dubai South

07 Study on Dubai air cargo presented to DG

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 Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf

08 DCAA organises Children’s Summer Camp

Marketing Manager Fahed Rahmani 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.

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DCAA Interview Ismail Ahli

Happy people are productive people

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Our Vision

The World Airport, Dubai

Our Mission

Leading and sustaining Civil Aviation Sector by providing capacity, building a competitive edge through innovating, developing people and leaders and achieving customers’ happiness.

Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai

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

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Message

from the Director General

Aviation in a Smart City

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he UAE’s aviation sector now contributes around 15 percent to the country’s GDP. A report says the total investment in the sector is expected to exceed AED1 trillion within the next two decades, nearly doubling from the current value that’s between AED500 billion and AED600 billion. The ongoing airport developments in the UAE have been valued at a total of AED85 billion to increase the airports’ capacity to 300 million passengers per year.

As the aviation gains unfaltering momentum, we have been working in ensuring that the industry remains on the right tracks. We are working in line with the Dubai’s vision of becoming a smart city. An impressive line-up of services have already been made online with wider acceptance by the industry players. We have revamped the rules and regulations in line with the changing times and need.

Two projects worth mentioning as standing out. We just implemented the Skytrax anti-drone system to monitor registered drones and prevent them from causing cost-heavy shutdowns at Dubai airports. No other city has perhaps worked as hard to monitor and prevent rogue drone activity. The DCAA monitors drones in real-time, 24 hours a day.

We are also working on self-flying taxis. Dubai has already tested the world’s first self-flying taxi. The

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

first “proof of concept flight” of the new two-seater, self-flying taxi or Autonomous Air Taxi (AAT) will help the launch of the world’s first self-flying taxi service across the city. The RTA will collaborate with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the DCAA to ensure that the operational requirements for implementing AAT services are put in place.

Dubai is well-poised to be a leader among 177 other Smart Cities. The emirate had been the world’s top three model smart cities, pioneering in different public and private services to make the emirate the happiest city on earth. The UAE has the smartest cities in the MENA region, as stated by a study by the McKinsey Global Institute. The amazing growth highlights our enlarged role and responsibilities as aviation remained in focus by the government. We hope that by 2020 Dubai will be the Number One aviation capital of the world.

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Inside DCAA

DCAA team visits Dubai South

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three-member delegation from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), comprising Abdullah bin Khidiyah, Director of Air Transport, Mattar Al Ketbi, Head of Air Transport Operations, and Nasser Al Khater, Head of Commercial Aviation and Consumer Protection, has visited South Dubai, a mega project under development.

The visiting team was received

by Ali Abdullah, Senior Vice President for Legislative Affairs, Khalid Abdullah, Vice President for Licensing, Registration and Permits and Mohammed Al Falasi, Director of Aviation Business Development at South Dubai.

The meeting discussed ways to develop and strengthen the mutual cooperation to serve the common interests in the civil aviation sector in the emirate.

Dubai South is an emerging 145 square kilometre city that will ultimately sustain a population of one million. Launched as a

Government of Dubai project in 2006, the city is mandated to embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, by manifesting the urban and societal themes as outlined in the Dubai Plan 2021.

Academy of Technical Training delegation visits DCAA

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Department, explained to the visitors the nature of work in all the departments of the sector.

Khaled Abdullah, Inspector of Aircraft Control at the DCAA’s Aviation Security and Accident Investigation

The delegation also took a field trip to Dubai International airport to exchange experiences and learn best practices in aviation safety, accident investigation, aircraft control and other operational procedures. The visit comes as part of the cooperation between the DCAA as a supporter of the Academy

fficials of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) welcomed a delegation from the Academy of Technical Training based in Knowledge Village (KV) to review the progress and development of the civil aviation security sector and the investigations of aviation accidents.

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of Technical Training and national institutions in the field of civil aviation.

The Academy offers several courses including Introduction to Dangerous Goods Regulation, Human Factor in Ground Operations, Aviation Safety and Security, AVSEC Ground Operations, Aviation Risk Management, Airside/ Ramp Safety Management and Airside Safety Accident Investigation.

Inside DCAA

Tolerance leads to progress Study on Dubai air cargo presented to DG

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is Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), received a comprehensive study on Dubai’s air cargo sector prepared by Abdullah bin Khidiyah, Director of Air Transport at the DCAA. The extensive study deals with the growth and development of Dubai and the world trade, multimodal logistics, along with the opportunities and challenges. The study highlighted the key elements of Dubai’s air cargo sector, its development and impact on the changes in logistics industry in Dubai since 1990 until 2020.

Consisting of 11 chapters the study covers economic transformation, international trade, developments in the Dubai economy and Dubai’s position on the global logistics map. A chapter focussed on logistics efficiency in the emirate and has opinions of international experts on the Dubai shipping industry and the future prospects.

DCAA hosts a donation platform

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CAA has hosted in coordination with Bayt Al Khair Association a donation platform, that included various vouchers. The initiative is part of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority’s keenness to promote a culture of philanthropy among its employees.

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he world began observing the International Day for Tolerance every year since 1995.

In the UAE, tolerance has remained a deeply cherished value – thanks to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder-President of the UAE. In both words and actions, he always promoted values of tolerance and coexistence.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, noted: “We should be proud of being a nation where different nationalities are living in peace and harmony.

With true love and tolerance, all live and work together without fear of intolerance and hatred or racial discrimination or distinctions based on colour, religion, race or ethnicity.”

To mark the Tolerance Day last year, Dubai named the pedestrian bridge over the Dubai Water Canal as Tolerance Bridge, saying bridges in the UAE connect humanity “literally and metaphorically” and that the UAE and tolerance are “two sides of the same coin”.

The UAE is the only country in the world that has a tolerance enshrined in the law. The post of the Minister of State for Tolerance was first introduced in 2016, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to eradicate ideological, cultural and religious bigotry in the society. In July 2015, a federal decree was issued on Combating Discrimination and Hatred. Dubai launched the International Institute for Tolerance to promote the UAE as a role model for tolerance. The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Tolerance Award was also launched. The UAE has also launched the world’s first formal Tolerance Charter. The National Tolerance Programme in the UAE is part of Sheikh Mohammed’s vision for 2021.

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Inside DCAA

DCAA organises Children’s Summer Camp

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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organized a Children’s Summer Camp under the supervision of its Happiness Team.

The camp, which had the presence of a group of staff members, conducted a variety of activities aimed at creating an interactive cultural environment in the concept of civil aviation.

The initiative was very much appreciated by the children participating in the camp for the knowledge-oriented activities related

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to the civil aviation sector throughout the camp period.

Abdul Rahim Al Mulla, Executive Director of Corporate Support and Communication Sector and

Mohammed Abdullah Lengawi, Executive Director of Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, attended the camp’s closing ceremony during which children were also honoured.

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DCAA Interview

Ismail Abdulrahim Ahli, International Affairs Planning and Statistical Officer, International Affairs Department, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) - Member of Happiness Team

Happy people are productive people Our goal is to create a happy, positive and supportive work environment

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alk into the office of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and you immediately sense something is different. Unlike a typical high-powered 24/7 environment, here there’s an immediate air of positivity and calm confidence as people smile and respectfully greet each other like old friends when they walk past each other in the hallways.

People hardly take frequent days off or leave early. They share ideas, everyone is always helping each other and they just enjoy coming to work. And it’s like this every day, thanks to DCAA’s Happiness Team.

Speaking about the mandate of this section, Ismail Abdulrahim Ahli, International Affairs Planning and Statistical Officer at the International Affairs Department of DCAA and a member of the Happiness Team, said ensuring employee happiness is crucial to productivity.

The happier a team is, the more productive they will be and the more inspired they will be and do come up with new, innovative ideas, he explained.

We establish the concepts of happiness and positivity so employees can feel empowered, comfortable and happy at work every day. We listen to their feedback and suggestions so we can continually improve till we are the happiest team and country in the world.

What are the goals of the Happiness Team?

Our ultimate goal is to create a happy, positive and supportive work environment. In addition, we aspire to disrupt mundane routines and break barriers between management and employees, to build an interactive relationship between the employees.

Excerpts from the interview:

This in turn fulfills a goal to boost productivity and inspire loyalty, commitment and fresh ideas.

What is the role played by members of the Happiness Team?

Tell us about the activities that have been set up for the DCAA employees?

Members of the Happiness Team have a great role to play in the preparation of practical plans and the development of programs to create a happy, positive and supportive environment for all the employees.

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The Happiness Team has developed and executed many activities related to employee happiness during the first half of the year. These included team breakfasts, a winter camp with outdoor team building activities, and an Iftar during Ramadan as

The Happiness Team has developed and executed many activities related to employee happiness during the first half of the year well as a CSR Iftar where the team visited those less fortunate and distributed meals.

We also organized summer camp for the children of our employees where they could come spend time in our office and learn about DCAA and the aviation industry, while also learning about what their respective parents do at work every day.

Meanwhile, we’ve also organized trips outside the office for visits to cultural or aviation-related educational sites like museums. For example, the Etihad Museum and the Aviation Museum in Sharjah.

We have also created an uplifting space that brings the outdoors

DCAA Interview

What is the impact of happiness activities on the DCAA staff?

indoors for employees. We call this ‘The Lounge’ and it’s a permanent new fixture in DCAA’s offices.

The Lounge helps break the routine, change the mood and encourage interaction. Designed like a green sanctuary, the room is both peaceful and inspiring with its pops of colours and different sections. From relaxing beanbags, a quiet corner with a swing, a reading area that includes shelves filled with books, a foosball table and different gathering spaces for groups and meetings, The Lounge instantly changes the mood. This is important because everyone gets bored by routine.

We’re not robots, we’re human beings. For anyone, if you sit at the same desk every day, day after day, you will get bored. And because we use so much technology, there’s no real communication and socializing.

So when you change these factors at work, that’s when we will achieve something. Most recently, we also had a spray painting artist come and do a painting for us to commemorate the Year of Zayed and remind us of the progress we have made as well as inspire us to do more.

These activities have had a great impact on employees and the overall environment. The most notable change has been when DCAA did a survey, they found fewer employees took time off since the introduction of our programs.

They don’t take day off or leave early because they are comfortable and happy at work. Moreover, we’ve had direct feedback from the staff about how much the initiatives help and how happy they feel.

They keep asking us when we’re organizing the next activity so they’re always looking forward to something. But even if they didn’t say anything, the instant changes have been clearly visible on their faces.

The mood in the office has changed.

People talk to each other more, including with management, and are always working together, sharing ideas and looking for ways to help each other with tasks. As a result, even management has observed an increase in productivity.

The best thing is, it now no longer feels like we’re co-workers but rather that we are one big DCAA family. In fact, even the formal language we used to use has changed. For example, our ‘sector’ meeting every month is now called family gathering.

What are your future plans?

The Happiness Team is working to create several new initiatives for employees to break the work routine and further increase productivity. In just six months we’ve achieved a lot but now we will challenge ourselves to do

even better for the next half of the year because we’ve got to keep the momentum going and perform beyond expectations. Some of our future activities include cultural visits to the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, a trip to the new Warner Brothers theme park, Women’s day celebrations, Civil Aviation Day, and most importantly, proudly celebrating UAE National Day, Flag Day and the Year of Zayed.

I’d like to mention here that our efforts are inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

He doesn’t just talk about happiness, he takes happiness very seriously and has set goals for us, as the UAE, to be among the happiest places on the planet by 2021. So we all have to work towards that goal.

We have to work to change the environment and the mentality of employees. We don’t want them to think ‘I go to work, just do my job and go home’. No. When you go to work, you should feel like you’re going to spend time with your second family. We want them to feel that.

So from the day His Highness mentioned it, I put his words in my mind. I have to change the happiness meter. If we are in the 90s, we must make it 100.

We will go to the top. That’s what he’s looking for and that’s why we are following him because we are looking to be the best. That’s our goal in everything, not just happiness. But if we achieve this in happiness, everything else will automatically follow.

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Cover Story

‘Raise the bar’ at DXB H

H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum continued his surprise visits to Dubai International and inspected various facilities at the iconic facility

What qualities should a leader have for good governance? Among the important leadership qualities are honesty, commitment, decisionmaking capabilities, empowerment, creativity and innovation. Being a laudable leader isn’t easy. A country is only as strong as its leadership.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, almost four decades before he took over as the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai in January 2006, had his grooming in public governance under iconic Arab leaders like his father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Beginning his first public appointment in 1968 as the Head of Dubai Police and Public Security, he has proved

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his mettle as an able and inspiring leader and soon became the world’s youngest defence minister. Then, six years later as the UAE came into being, a committee with him as its head was formed to manage the Dubai Airport and develop the emirate as an international aviation hub while pursuing Open Skies policy.

Since then, he has aggressively pursued his dreams of making Dubai what it is now. A world class, all-encompassing destination, the Dubai International Airport, nearly a city unto itself, is the world’s busiest for international passengers since 2015, toppling London’s Heathrow. A book by Daniel Brook, a prominent journalist and writer of A History of Future Cities, described Dubai becoming “crucibles of non-Western modernity” and

the amazing transformation from outlandish idea to an economic powerhouse of the Middle East.

The aviation industry is expected to contribute US$88.1 billion, or an estimated 45 per cent, to Dubai’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030.

Dubai, which is now among the 50 cities which has two international airports in their urban conurbation, has remained on the cutting-edge of the aviation business, thanks to his unfaltering vision and leadership. Continuing his frequent visits to Dubai International to see its performance and progress, he showed up at the airport for an unannounced inspection of the facilities in the third week of July.

Passengers travelling through the airport were surprised to see the

Cover Story

royal touring the facility, starting at the departures hall at Concourse 3 where he stopped at an Emirates Airlines check-in counter, baggagescreening facilities and immigrationpassport control, according to an official statement from Dubai Media Office. The purpose of the visit, according to it was for His Highness to “inspect facilities and procedures at Dubai International Airport”’.

He was joined by his son, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, who filmed the spot inspection highlights and posted it on his Twitter account. Following the inspection, Sheikh Mohammed directed officials at DXB to “raise the bar” in simplifying procedures as well as welcoming travellers. “Our priorities are centred around the human being, his happiness, and preservation of his rights and dignity, regardless of nationality, religion, sect or culture,” Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published by the official news agency, WAM. The airport now connects more than 240 destinations across six continents with more than 100 airlines. Last year,

the number of travellers going through Dubai International reached 91.3 million.

Total passenger traffic in the first half of 2018 crossed the 43.7 million mark, up 1.6 per cent over the 43 million passengers in the same half of 2017.

In March, Sheikh Mohammed, through a post to his over three million followers on Instagram, thanked His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines and Group, and his team at Dubai Airports for their hard work.

No one can deny Dubai Airports do a consistently great job, but a personal

message from Sheikh Mohammed is the real seal of approval.

Also, in July last year, which is a summer rush period at the airport, Sheikh Mohammed checked the quality of services at Dubai International through a tour of Terminal 3. He was assured of the quality of world-class services and facilities, as well as comfort and good treatment provided by the airport authorities to inbound and outbound travellers.

He began his tour at the departures hall at Concourse 3 where he stopped at Emirate’s check-in counters, baggage screening facilities and spoke to passport officers, urging them to extend warm welcome to travellers.

At the end of the tour, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed expressed his appreciation for Sheikh Mohammed’s close inspection of traffic and passenger movement at the airport.

He remarked: “Sheikh Mohammed’s regular visits and tours of the airport represent a stimulus for all personnel and staff to provide best-in-class services for everyone and come up with innovative ideas that turn travel memories about Dubai more vivid and indelible.”

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UAE in Focus

EKFC in JV to build vertical farm

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rop One Holdings, the world’s leading vertical farm operator, and Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), one of the world’s largest airline catering operators, have announced a US$40 million joint venture agreement to build the world’s largest vertical farming facility in Dubai.

and reducing carbon emissions associated with transportation.

Construction of the UAE facility will begin in November 2018 and is expected to be completed

in one year. First products will be delivered to Emirates Flight Catering’s customers, including 105 airlines and 25 airport lounges, in December 2019.

EK weighing direct flights to Cairns

EK to start third daily service to Moscow

mirates is said to be the lead contender for direct flights between Cairns in Australia and Dubai.

mirates will commence third daily service between Moscow’s Domodedovo (DME) Airport and Dubai from October last week.

The 130,000 square foot controlled environment facility will produce three tonnes of high-quality, herbicide- and pesticide-free leafy greens, using 99 percent less water than outdoor fields.

Its location will enable quick delivery of fresh products within hours of harvest, maintaining the food’s nutritional value

flydubai to shift flights to 10 destinations to Terminal 3

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ubai’s low cost carrier, flydubai, will use Terminal 3 for 10 of its destinations from December 2. It will relocate from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 at Dubai International, while other services will continue to operate from its current operating base and Al Maktoum International. The news follows its recent partnership with Emirates, which extends beyond codesharing and includes a number of initiatives such as the alignment of the frequent flyer programme and airport operations.

From December 2, flights to Belgrade, Bishkek, Bucharest, Catania, Dushanbe, Helsinki, Krakow, Prague, Rostov-on-Don and Salalah will operate from Terminal 3.

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The airline currently operates around 20 weekly flights at Brisbane Airport, with one tourism industry insider suggesting the Cairns service could involve a triangulated route between Dubai, Brisbane and Cairns.

Emirates already has strong ties with Cairns Airport, with the company’s retail arm Emirates Leisure Retail Australia launching new food and beverage outlets at both the domestic and international terminals this year.

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The route will be operated with Boeing 777-300ER in a three class cabin configuration, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy.

The freight division of Emirates will offer up to 20 tonnes of cargo capacity on the new flight. Cargo carried on the route includes perishables (food products, flowers), pharma, car spare parts for import and food products, and aircraft and helicopter spare parts for export.

UAE in Focus

UAE airlines eye Korean market

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he UAE is determined to expand its footprint in Korea.

Officials in both UAE and Korea met in Abu Dhabi to discuss increasing flight frequency between the countries. The meeting follows UAE airlines’ recent request that Korea double the number of Emirati flights flying out of Incheon.

The Korean aviation industry, however, is worried about competition from the already fast-growing Emirati presence.

Today, Emirati airlines carry 3.5 times more passengers than Korean airlines on flight routes between the two countries.

Emirates and Etihad Airways fly routes from Incheon to Dubai and Abu Dhabi at least once a day. Korean Air is the only domestic carrier that flies to Dubai.

Emirates also flies the largest plane between Dubai and Incheon - the Airbus A380.

Emirati carriers attract many Europe-bound travellers from Korea with their cheap fares.

Transfer passengers heading to Europe from Incheon with UAEbased airlines are equivalent to about 13 percent of the total number of passengers flying with domestic carriers on direct flights to Europe. If transfer passengers using other Middle East-based carrier like Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines are included, that number jumps to 35 percent.

Etihad to fly to Barcelona from November

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tihad Airways will operate five times a week service to Barcelona, Spain, effective November 21.

This is the second city in Spain served by the Abu-Dhabi based airline, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid.

A two-class Airbus A330-200 will be deployed on the route before becoming a daily operation from March 2019.

The new link will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient

timings to travel between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia.

The Catalonia region is immensely popular with business and leisure travellers alike. With 7.5 million inhabitants, beautiful mountain scenery and a 214 kilometre Mediterranean coastline, the region is rich in natural parks and protected areas.

Etihad to operate A380 for second daily service to Paris

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daily flights since July last year, with the service performing very strongly since its introduction.

This will transform the airline’s operation between the UAE and French capitals into a year-round all-A380 service, joining London Heathrow as the second European destination serviced by Etihad’s double-decker aircraft. The airline has operated the A380 between Abu Dhabi and Paris on one of its two

The airline replaces the currently deployed Boeing 777-300ER on this route. Etihad Airways’ A380s feature a total capacity of 496 seats - up to two in The Residence, nine in First Class, 70 in Business Class and 415 in the Economy Class cabin. Etihad Airways has enjoyed a codeshare partnership with Air France since October 2012.

tihad Airways will operate the Airbus A380 on its second daily service linking Abu Dhabi and Paris Charles de Gaulle from October.

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Middle East News

Flyadeal to add up to 10 aircraft per year

Gulf Air is into rebranding

audi Arabian low-cost carrier Flyadeal plans to add eight to 10 aircraft per year to its fleet over the next few years as it looks to start international flights.

ulf Air’s first aircraft donned a redesigned livery and new cabin interior, a Boeing Dreamliner 787, to enter into service on the carrier’s double-daily London Heathrow route, before being completely rolled out across the airline’s fleet.

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The airline, which launched operations in September 2017, currently has eight leased Airbus A320 aircraft in its fleet, and expects to receive three more before the end of this year.

Flyadeal is also in talks with both Airbus and Boeing about an order of 50 new aircraft. Con Korfiatis, CEO of Flyadeal, adding that the carrier is currently looking at Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and Airbus A320neo, and will pick one later this year for its fleet.

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It may come as a surprise to some that Bahrain was among the first nations in the Middle East to establish a flag carrier, in 1950, and that by the 1970s, it had the most developed commercial aviation network in the region. At the time, Gulf Air was a trendsetter that “set the bar high for luxury and glamour in the skies.” The airline’s fleet includes Boeing 787, Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

In fact, it wasn’t until the early 2000s, when Bahrain’s neighbors established their own national carriers, that Gulf Air lost some of its prestige.

Boeing in Gulf talks on 797 model

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he US airplane manufacturer, Boeing, is in talks with the Arabian Gulf carriers and other Middle Eastern airlines about potentially selling them a new aircraft model that caters to demand for mid-range planes.

The new aircraft, Boeing 797, is still at the concept stage, with Boeing yet to decide on whether it will launch productions. But the customer response globally so far has been “very positive,” according to Darren Holst, Senior Managing Director of Marketing at Boeing.

In an interview with Gulf News, Holst said Boeing is “interested in this market space” of midsized aircraft, and is looking at a future aeroplane it might produce that could fly as long as around 10 hours and have a capacity of between 200 and 300 seats.

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Gulf carriers on course to expand their fleet

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andy Tinseth, Vice President for Marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, says carriers in the Middle East continued to order and take deliveries of new aircraft.

From May 2015 to the end of 2017, Boeing delivered 2,023 aircraft worldwide and took firm orders for 2,523 more. During this time, it delivered roughly one aeroplane per week to its customers in the Middle East, including 76 aircraft to airlines in the UAE. In the Middle East, the fact that fleet renewal and expansion strategies have largely remained unaffected is further evidence that the major airlines are commercially autonomous, accountable for their capital generation and spending.

Fleet renewal is reflected in the varying average age of aircraft across the world. For instance, Emirates airline now has an average fleet age of 5.2 years, while flydubai has an average of 3.4 years, and Etihad Airways 5.8 years.

All of these are well below the average in North America, which is 13.6 years, or Europe, which is 10.7 years. The leading Middle East players clearly recognise that young fleets are a key differentiator: not only do they enable the superior passenger experience that the airlines from the region have become synonymous with, but they also allow better operating and environmental efficiencies.

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International News

EU council goes for fair competition in air transport

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he European Union (EU) Council has adopted a general approach on the proposed rules for safeguarding competition in air transport.

The proposal aims to ensure fair competition between EU and foreign air carriers operating in the EU. At the same time it seeks to maintain conditions conducive to a high level of connectivity throughout the EU. More concretely, it sets out procedures for investigating cases of practices distorting competition between EU and non-EU airlines and for deciding on ‘redressive’ measures.

Iberia to take first A350-900 with wing twist

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irbus has started delivery of A350-900s incorporating a ‘wing-twist’ aerodynamic improvement when it handed over Iberia’s first aircraft of the type. The wing twist was originally introduced on the A350-1000 and will become standard on all A350s.

Another -1000 improvement – the replacement of titanium passengerdoor surrounds with carbonfibre – is being incorporated into all A350s from the first ultra-long-range -900ULR (MSN216). This aircraft,

which made its first flight on 23 April, also features the wing twist and is due for delivery to launch customer Singapore Airlines in the second half of 2018.

The ULR incorporates a series of changes to provide additional range including increased operating weights and fuel capacity, along with weight savings. The maximum takeoff weight rises to 280t (616,700lb) from the previous highest value of 275t. This increases range by around 1,600nm (3,000km) to 9,700nm.

Air transport is a major driving force of the EU economy, enabling advanced technological innovations, more jobs and better connectivity for citizens, both inside the Union and with the rest of the world.

Once adopted, this instrument will provide the European aviation sector with a tool similar to those existing at international level in other areas of commercial activity.

Norway wants to be a pioneer in electric planes

The proposed regulation will replace an existing one which has several shortcomings and which has never been used in practice.

While aviation is a global industry, there is currently no international framework under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) governing competition among air carriers.

Norway is one of Tesla’s biggest markets, with about 8,500 cars sold last year. Now, the country wants to be a pioneer in the market for electric planes. Wideroe, a local

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August 2018

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ome to some of the busiest flight routes in Europe, whisking passengers across a rugged and mountainous landscape, Norway’s aviation industry now readies to go electric.

airline that operates small planes on short haul flights, sees no major technological barriers ahead and plans to launch its first commercial aircraft propelled by some form of electric power within the next 10 years.

Western Europe’s largest exporter of oil and gas has pledged to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 percent by 2030.

August 2018

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Opinion

Staying ahead of the curve I

ATA is in very good shape— including its finances.

IATA’s governance continues to evolve in keeping with new challenges. Today we are an association of some 290 airlines.

Together they meet 82 per cent of the global demand for air transport services—both cargo and passenger. Already 10 per cent are what we could call ‘new model’ which means that they are doing successful business outside of the network model.

In 2017, the BSP, CASS and Clearing House settled US$325.4 billion of funds. We are determined to make this service cheaper, faster and safer with the launch of the New Generation of IATA Settlement Systems—or NewGen ISS. It is already operating in seven countries. Global rollout will be completed by the first quarter of 2020.

To achieve maximum benefit from NewGen ISS we created a Global Delivery Center operating across four locations: Beijing, Madrid, Montreal, and Singapore.

The transition is running ahead of schedule.

Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) is a system designed to facilitate and simplify the selling, reporting and remitting procedures of IATA Accredited Passenger Sales Agents, as well as to improve financial control and cash flow for its

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August 2018

approximately 400 participating airlines. It is a worldwide system that operates in some 180 countries and territories. In 2017, IATA’s BSP processed US$236.4 billion with an on-time settlement rate of 99.999 per cent.

Cargo Account Settlement Systems (CASS) is designed to simplify the billing and settling of accounts between airlines and freight forwarders. It operates through CASSLink, an advanced, global, webenabled e-billing solution. At the end of 2017, CASS was processing in 94 operations, serving over 201 airlines, general sales and service agents (GSSAs) and ground handling companies. The ontime settlement rate was 100 per cent, settling a combined US$32.2 billion.

The IATA Clearing House (ICH) provides a competitive, seamless and secure service providing efficient, on-time settling of accounts between the world’s airlines, airline-associated companies and Travel Partners.

About US$56.8 billion in billing transactions was processed by the ICH in 2017, with a settlement success rate of 100 per cent.

Speech at the IATA’s 2018 AGM in Sydney

Alexandre de Juniac Director General and CEO IATA

Opinion

Adapt to change F

or the 28th consecutive time, the global community of airports discussed how airports should enhance their brands as businesses and face the emerging challenges.

Attracting more than 800 delegates, including government officials and aviation regulators from 70 countries, the selection of Brussels this year as the venue of the conference was made as it is an international policy centre.

We discussed four disciplines vital to our industry: safety and technical operations, cargo, human resources, and security and facilitation. We launched the new ACI Policy Brief on creating fertile grounds for private investment in airports and the private sector participation in the airport market.

Airports are a component of an essential and dynamic industry.

Today, we remain a pillar of the global aviation ecosystem.

We both effect change and adapt to change, whether from: technological developments, generational, regional and local demographic shifts; geopolitical trends and shocks; climate and weather events, and a myriad of other forces.

As the preeminent voice of the world’s airports, we remain committed to advance the development of sound public policy and to engage with governments and aviation stakeholders worldwide. Because together, airports are stronger and aviation is stronger.

Angela Gittens Director General Airports Council International (ACI) World

The ACI World annual general assembly adopted four business resolutions to express airport objectives on cyber security, safety data, and adaptation to climate change and infrastructure investment.

As well, it paid homage to the dedication and generosity of the original founders of the ACI Fund, the original manifestation of the commitment to: “leave no airport behind.�

Over the years, the pace of change has continued to accelerate.

August August 2018 2018

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ATM

Melbourne Orlando’s Tests in Europe for multiple ATC is ready for remote tower operations operation ithuanian air navigation service provider Oro Navigacija (ON), DLR (the

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rlando Melbourne International Airport’s new air traffic control tower is nearly complete.

The US$7.1 million project is pending Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval.

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national aeronautics and space research center of the Federal Republic of Germany), and systems supplier Frequentis performed their second validation exercise for multiple remote towers being worked by a controller at a single-site off-airport.

Air navigation service providers in more than 20 countries already experience the advantages of our tower automation solutions, said Hannu Juurakko, vice president, ATM civil at Frequentis.

During a typical week, the airport handles 1,900 private aircraft flights and 167 commercial flights.

The new tower overlooks the Northrop Grumman campus, which still bustles with construction equipment.

The cab is furnished with blue carpeting, wood cabinetry and a black ceiling. At night, blue taxiway lights and white runway lights twinkle across the 2,345-acre airport.

Each tower window is equipped with a curved water spray pipe to clear morning dew from the glass, much like a car windshield defogger.

Melbourne’s old air traffic control tower dates to 1966, when the airport was a regional facility with shorter runways. Pocked with rust-eaten splotches, the white 52-year-old structure has no elevator and predates the Americans with Disabilities Act. In September 2004, Hurricane Jeanne’s howling gusts ripped a hatch off the top of Melbourne’s air traffic control tower — resulting in significant water damage. Officials brought in a portable temporary tower from Jacksonville while repairs were made.

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August 2018

CSIA beats its own record handling 1003 flights on a day

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andling 1,003 flight movements — take offs and landings — using a single runway, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai handled the highest air traffic in India till date. It broke its own record of handling 988 flight movements in a day.

The airport is the second busiest airport in the world that operates on a single runway. While the primary runway can handle up to 48 arrivals and departures per hour, the secondary runway has a capacity of 35 flight movements per hour.

The single-runway operated Mumbai airport handled 48.49 million passengers in 2017-18, registering a 7.4 per cent growth over 2016-17.

Back in May 2017, Mumbai airport became the world’s busiest singlerunway airport by handling an average of 837 daily flights in fiscal 2017, racing ahead of London’s Gatwick airport.

A report by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation noted that Mumbai airport had reached 94 per cent passenger handling capacity and will reach saturation point in 2018.

Airlines

JetBlue founder planning a new US airline

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erial airline entrepreneur David Neeleman is returning home from Brazil to launch his third US and fourth North American-based airline.

He previously founded or co-founded Morris Air, Westjet, JetBlue and Azul, and bought effective control of TAP Air Portugal.

Tentatively called Moxy, the new airline is reportedly amassing start-up capital of US$100 million, provided partly

by Neeleman himself and two partners – Robert Milton, a former CEO of Air Canada; and Henri Courpron, the former CEO of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), one

AA to pay US$45 million to settle antitrust lawsuit

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merican Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, has agreed to pay US$45 million to settle a lawsuit filed by passengers who accused the nation’s biggest airlines of colluding to limit capacity and keep airfares high.

Another large carrier that was accused in the lawsuit, Southwest Airlines, agreed in January to settle its involvement in the case by paying US$15 million but continued to reject the allegations in the lawsuit.

The Dallas-based airline said it agreed to pay the settlement to avoid spending time and money fighting the case.

The accusations were made in 23 antitrust lawsuits that were consolidated and brought in 2016 before a federal judge in Washington.

of the world’s largest lessors of aircraft to commercial airlines.

The Airline Weekly said Neeleman’s venture is ordering 60 CS300 aircraft from Bombardier, the Canadian regional jet manufacturer.

EU lifts ban on all Indonesia airlines after safety boost

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he European Union (EU) has removed all Indonesian airlines from its safety blacklist in an acknowledgement of their attempts to improve poor safety standards.

The EU ban still affects 119 airlines from dozens of countries, including Afghanistan, Angola and Congo The bloc banned all Indonesiabased airlines from flying in its airspace in 2007 amid a string of accidents and reports of worsening safety standards following the deregulation of the country’s aviation industry in the late 1990s.

However, over the years, the EU has lifted the prohibition on seven carriers, including state-owned Garuda and its low-cost subsidiary Citilink, budget airlines Lion Air and AirAsia. That left 55 on the banned list.

trips such as flights from Jakarta to tourist destinations like Bali or the cultural capital of Yogyakarta.

The move will boost the aviation sector in Indonesia, one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. Officials stepped up efforts to improve air safety after that disaster, including raising the price floor of domestic flights and punishing pilots found to have breached rules.

An assessment by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in November last year noted that Indonesia’s flight-safety ranking had climbed from 151 to 55.

Garuda was the only banned airline that flew to the EU but Europeans had been advised not to use other Indonesian carriers for domestic

August 2018

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Cargo & Logistics

Nestlé and XPO Logistics to build a digital warehouse

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estlé, the world’s largest food and drink company, and XPO Logistics, a leading global provider of transport and logistics solutions, are co-creating a 638,000-squarefoot distribution centre at the new SEGRO East Midlands Gateway Logistics Park in Leicestershire, UK. The facility, a digital warehouse of the future, will be occupied predominantly by Nestlé for its

consumer packaged goods and will function as a testbed environment for XPO technology prototypes prior to global release.

The custom-designed distribution center, scheduled for completion in 2020, will feature advanced sorting systems and robotics alongside state-of-the-art automation codeveloped with Swisslog Logistics Automation.

Siemens to expand KAIA air cargo centre

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iemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics (SPPAL) has received an order to expand and modernize the air freight centre at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The terminal belongs to Saudi Airlines Cargo Company (SACC).

Siemens is equipping the terminal

with state-of-the-art cargo logistics and intelligent software for a considerable increase in capacity.

The contract also covers longterm maintenance of the systems.

The first phase of the project commenced in June and is expected to end by November 2019 while the second phase begins from June 2020 and ends on December 2021.

Panalpina to buy Newport Cargo to expand perishables network

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analpina, a Switzerland-based forwarding and logistics services provider, has agreed to acquire Argentine logistics company Newport Cargo to expand its perishables network in Argentina. Newport Cargo is engaged in exports of fish and berries to the US where it maintains a customer base and an office in Miami, Florida.

The company, which manages 24,000 tons of air freight exports per year, is headquartered in Buenos Aires and has offices at the Ezeiza International Airport.

In Argentina, Panalpina has been importing mainly high tech and consumer goods. The Swiss firm said that cargo flows from South America northbound can be linked with or integrated in the Panalpina Charter Network with its gateway in Huntsville in the US state of Alabama.

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August 2018

Markets hot for GSSA cargo sales agents

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ndia and Asia is getting hotter for agents of the air cargo sector. According to the 2017 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index, India climbed to the second position in the 2017 Index, switching spots with UAE. China was once again number one.

The Indian air cargo sector is poised to undergo significant growth in the coming years. Across the world, according to IATA’s forecast, there has been a rise in cargo carried in 2018, which stands at 62.5 million tonnes, up by 4.5 percent to 59.9 million tonnes in 2017.

GSSA (general sales and service agent) and GSA (general sales agent) play a large role in facilitating this growth.

Cargo & Logistics

Cainiao-led JV to build logistics hub at HK airport Aviation Corp and YTO Express. The companies hold 51 percent, 35 percent and 14 percent stakes respectively in the JV.

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ainiao Network, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, has announced its intent to invest US$1.5 billion to build a logistics centre at Hong Kong International Airport.

Cainiao Network will lead the project via its joint venture with China National

The state-of-the-art digital logistics centre at the one of the busiest aviation and cargo hubs will have an estimated gross floor area of 380,000 square meters. It will include an air-cargo processing center, a sorting center and order-fulfillment center.

It will feature automated warehousing technology and automated temperature control. It should be able to handle tens of millions of packages a year and bring an additional 1.7 million tonnes of cargo per year to the Hong Kong airport when

fully operational, supporting burgeoning activity by small and medium-sized companies involved in e-commerce, Cainiao said. The centre is slated to go online in 2023.

Apart from this handling centre in Hong Kong, Cainiao already has three global fulfillment centres operated by its partners in Hong Kong. Cainiao also opened an airfreight route between Hong Kong and Belgium last month, the second international route set up for e-commerce parcels.

Cainiao unveiled plans to open five hubs around the world, in Dubai, Hangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Liège in Belgium and Moscow.

Platinum Equity to sell flight services for €1.2 billion

World’s first curated multi-freight mode marketplace launched

The sale is expected to close during Q4 2018, subject to regulatory approval and certain closing conditions. Since Platinum Equity acquired the company in 2015, WFS has grown significantly, both organically and through a transformative add-on acquisition, and is now the world’s largest air cargo handler and one of the world’s leading providers of ground handling and technical services, with annual revenues of more than €1.2 billion. In February 2016 WFS acquired Consolidated Aviation Services (CAS), one of the leading cargo handlers in the United States.

SMEs can now benefit from this one-stop quoting, comparison, booking and tracking solution, and tap into a worldwide network of logistics providers for air, ocean, road and parcel freight. With over 40,000 forwarding and logistics companies worldwide, it is a real challenge for SMEs to identify the most ideal logistics provider to partner with. Meanwhile, for logistics providers, it remains a challenge to get exposed to reliable sales opportunities overseas.

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latinum Equity has signed a definitive agreement to sell Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) to affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management in a transaction valued at approximately €1.2 billion.

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argobase, the independent platform bridging the tech gap between shippers and providers, has launched Cargobase Mercado, the world’s first online curated multi-freight mode marketplace.

With a curated freight marketplace, SMEs can now access an international network of reliable logistics providers through an automated filtering and matching system. SMEs can invite logistics providers to submit a quote, and receive responses in real-time from providers that best match their indicated requirements.

August 2018

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Technology

New study on ‘connected aircrafts’ investments wave

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he commercial aviation industry is at the beginning of a technology investment wave fuelled by advancements in high-speed, in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity.

In the new Connected Aircraft Report by Honeywell, aviation professionals around the globe in the commercial aircraft sector reveal that spending on connected technologies will increase dramatically in the coming years, driven by a rapidly growing demand for solutions that enhance the passenger experience, save airlines money and improve operational efficiency.

Connected technologies are defined as those that make use of data sent to and from the aircraft to benefit passengers, pilots and operators.

Some examples include applications that track fleet fuel usage; give pilots landing and navigation aids; crowd-sourced weather information accessed via mobile devices; and analytics solutions that use data from “smart” sensors, sending it to maintenance personnel or aircraft operators during flight.

The report finds that spending will be largely focused beyond the cabin, with maintenance ranking highest among the pain points that airline decision makers want to tackle.

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August 2018

ARN token to be accepted on aviation marketplace

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eron has announced the native ARN token to be accepted on the Aerotrips.com aviation marketplace.

Aeron is an innovative blockchainbased platform that is set to improve aviation safety. Utilizing blockchain technology, Aeron tackles some of the most common industry problems in pilot training and flight school management, such as flight log forgery, aircraft flight hours underreporting, stopping any sort of modification or distortion of logged data and replacing an outdated

system with new technologies and sophisticated tools.

This innovative system will significantly reduce the risk of fatal accidents while leaving all data transparent and easily traceable.

Aeron has had a successful journey so far, hitting milestone after milestone. The team has successfully completed the Pilot mobile application launch to Google Play and Apple App Store, along with Aerotrips.com aviation marketplace back end being integrated onto the blockchain.

Technical problems with three mostadvanced jet engines

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slew of technical problems with the three latesttechnology jet engines is widely disrupting operations at airlines, bleeding cash from the engine makers and grounding significant numbers of Airbus and Boeing jets, according to a report in the Seattle Times.

The most difficult of the issues has left almost 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners sold to some of the world’s top airlines sitting powerless on the ground, waiting for engines before they can fly again. And if the problem isn’t contained, it could derail Boeing’s plan to raise the 787 production rate next year. British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has been inspecting its Trent 1000 engines on the Dreamliners for

cracked turbine blades deep inside, and taking off those with cracks for repair.

Flights across the Pacific, in particular, can no longer fly normal routes because, in case of an engine emergency, safety agencies now limit Dreamliners powered by one of the Trent 1000 engine models under scrutiny to flying no more than 2.3 hours from the nearest airport — down from 5.5 hours previously. Rolls is returning the repaired engines to airlines with only a temporary fix. A permanent modification won’t be available until the end of the year at the earliest.

Technology

Hybrid electric power system for VTOL aircraft

Innovations make Flightpath 2050 targets feasible

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he Flightpath 2050 target of a 75 per cent reduction in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions is extremely challenging. It has been estimated that 30 per cent reduction must come from radical new aircraft engine innovations.

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ell Helicopter has announced a newly formed collaboration with Safran on the development of innovative hybrid electric power system solutions to support Bell’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft concept.

Bell is at the forefront of on-demand mobility – ushering a new era of flight where the benefits of aviation are accessible to more people in more places. For several years, Safran innovation teams have been actively exploring the potential of hybrid solutions for future propulsion systems.

Fly Your Ideas turns six

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irbus has launched the sixth Fly Your Ideas competition and invited the next generation of innovators to propose and develop original ideas for the aerospace industry.

The ULTIMATE consortium has targeted such innovations and identified breakthrough technologies

that address the three major loss sources in existing aero engines, which means that energy input is not used optimally.

Complementing the expected efficiency improvements of current technology concepts towards the 75 per cent reduction target, five technologies have been identified within ULTIMATE as high added-value.

Boeing’s plane of the future visits FedEx hub

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oeing’s aircraft of the future has made a pit stop at FedEx’s Memphis hub.

technologies that may be destined for future passenger and freight airliners.

Powered by biofuel made from animal fat and beef tallow waste, the Boeing 777 ecoDemonstrator sported sensors that warn of airfield and airborne obstacles, along with pilot biofeedback technology, 3-D-printed parts, recycled titanium parts and other innovations. Already FedEx Express’ most advanced aircraft, this 777 is spending three months as a flying test bed for

FedEx received the plane last fall, named it Hollie after an employee’s child, and used it during the holiday peak shipping season. It went back to Boeing in January to be outfitted as the ecoDemonstrator. This is the fifth ecoDemonstrator in a Boeing program that partners with airlines to test technology before it is mass produced. It’s the first partnership with FedEx.

The biennial competition is a celebration of creativity and innovation to solve real industry challenges. Open to university teams from across the world, including all disciplines from engineering and information technology to marketing and design, the competition is an opportunity for students to unleash their pioneering spirit, working at the cutting edge of digital technology alongside industry experts.

August 2018

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Tourism

Summer springs surprises for Dubai tourism T

he hugely popular Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and the equally successful Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) have been instrumental in Dubai’s growth as the world’s most sought-after tourism destination. Summer sales continue to be strong pull for Dubai tourism. innovative customer experiences from promotions and winning opportunities to tailor-made exclusive activations and family entertainment.

The DSS is just one of Dubai Festival and Retail Establishment’s many retail initiatives throughout the year. In May it held the first of two annual three-day sales, with discounts of up to 90 per cent.

Highlights of this year’s Dubai Summer Surprises include a mega 12 Hour Sale, a daily Deal of the Day (DOTD) offer, weekly Weekend Destination surprises and the Final Weekend Sale.

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he DSS is adding the attraction of Dubai as the most preferred shopping capital of the world, even during the scorching heat.

This year’s DSS, a six-week sale offering discounts of up to 75 per cent across Dubai’s malls, began on July 1, straight after Ramadan ended, a time that many people tend to take off for their summer holiday.

Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), the 21st edition of the popular summer event features a sizzling line-up of spectacular sales, retail experiences, unmissable chances to win and weekly performances to keep the whole family entertained this summer.

The annual citywide summer celebration runs from June 22 to August 12, 2018, offering a sixweek extravaganza of sales, retail experiences and events.

DSS has been a resounding success for the shopping and lifestyle destinations in Dubai. The retailers have witnessed robust increases in visitation as a result of their

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The summer surprises gives customers 25 per cent to 75 per cent off throughout the six-week DSS period. Top name global brands will be offering knockout discounts, giving customers the chance to get their hands on belting bargains across Dubai’s malls and shopping areas over the summer.

According to the authority, there was a 30 per cent increase in footfall across malls, and a 40 per cent increase in average spend, on the weekend of the sale.

“Our major festivals are very much linked internationally, so we need

Tourism

to attract as many people to come to them. We use retail as a vehicle to increase the number of tourists that come in to Dubai,” said Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director for Retail at Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment -‎Dubai Tourism.

Festivals have been a big draw as evidenced by the influx of 815,725 passengers through Dubai’s entry and

exit points at land, sea and airports during the Eid Al Fitr holidays.

A total of 84,626 passengers used the fast channels of smart gates at Dubai International Airport, according to Major-General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA).

MyDubai Experience

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assengers travelling through Dubai International can virtually explore Dubai and its offerings through a digital installation, a new state-of-the-art kiosk dubbed “MyDubai Experience,” set up in Terminal 3, Concourse A.

Launched by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), in collaboration with Dubai Airports and Emirates Airline, the activation, “MyDubai Experience” is designed to provide a way for travellers to discover and learn more about the city without setting foot outside the airport.

The goal is to inspire the millions of transit passengers passing through DXB to revisit Dubai in the near future by showing them everything they can experience during a holiday in the city.

It can create and send to passengers via email a tailor-made two-day Dubai itinerary based on the passengers’ interests and preferred experiences.

Six metres in height and four metres in diameter, the new installation comprises LED tiles positioned to create five

360-degree rings, each exhibiting a variety of photographic, video, social media and user-generated curated content. The rings can either work together to produce a single large visual, or operate independently to create a collage. Positioned below the five rings are an additional seven 55-inch curved OLED screens and seven 22-inch touchscreens. By interacting with the latter, users are able to affect the content displayed.

Available in eight languages, the touchscreens give travellers access to a vast array of Dubairelated information and visuals - attractions, landmarks, activities, experiences, itineraries, maps and much more - all filtered according to their personal preferences and interests. Users can receive further information via email by registering their details, which also automatically enters them into a monthly draw to win a free luxury holiday for two to Dubai.

He said the department processed 21,508 entry and residence permit transactions during the holidays from June 14 and June 17.

“We are keen to achieve the highest levels of happiness for customers with the services provided, and through a well-considered plan, we provide all necessary security and facilities for a smooth entry and exit of passengers during festivals and events,” Maj-Gen Al Merri said in a statement.

During Eid, Maj-Gen Al Merri conducted an inspection tour of the airports sector at Dubai International Airport, which included arrival and departure halls at Terminal 1, 2 and 3, accompanied

by Major-General Obaid Muhair Bin Surour, deputy director-general of GDRFA Dubai, and a number of senior officers.

In addition to super sales, there will be plenty to keep residents and tourists excited all summer long with citywide attractions at some of Dubai’s top theme parks, concerts from local and global music icons and the return of everyone’s favourite character, Modhesh.

The installation can create a tailormade two-day itinerary in Dubai based on the passenger’s interests and preferred experiences, making it easier for any potential visitor to plan their stopover.

August 2018

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