Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
www.viadubaionline.com
Issue 72 May 2019
Aviation in MENA:
Spiralling Growth Emirates Group posts AED2.3 billion profit for 2018-2019
Adapting VR and AR technology in aviation training
Technology enhancing airport security checks Inside DCAA
New Columns • Airports • MRO
Opinions
DCAA observes Hag Al Laila tradition
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DCAA participates in Airport Show-2019
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Middle East News 18
Airports should facilitate safe and comfortable travel Angela Gittens
Steps Needed for Seamless Airspace 22
Airports 20
Simon Hocquard
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ATM 24
Global Aircraft Component MRO market to grow to US$18.6 billion
Technology 30
Message
from the President
Airport experience keeps changing
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he airport experience keeps changing with new technologies making their way fast into our societies. Airports around the world are going all-out in their efforts to offer passengers the best experience to win out over the competition. In order to excel in an increasingly competitive world, airports are investing in technology to increase the ease of travel through the massive facilities by deploying smart technologies. Airports are, however, finding themselves increasingly constrained and working towards improving their processes to become more efficient and offer better experiences to the passengers. The process associated with airport security is being made less stressful and the services are being refined to facilitate the smooth flow of passengers and their baggage without compromising the security measures. The emerging and maturing technologies like AI, Big Data and IoT are helping make our journeys seamless. The use of technology is now across the entire spectrum of airport operations. Airports are offering smart services like smart robots, self-check-in kiosks, beacon services, real-time navigation within the airport via mobile phones, automated parking facilities, indoor wayfinding and border control automation solutions.
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
That’s huge task considering last year, it handled more than 89 million passengers. Helping passengers complete their immigration process within seconds is the Smart Gates. A record 11.25 million passengers last year used 128 Smart Gates at Dubai International, up from 5.5 million transactions a year earlier. The multimodal biometric gates were first introduced in 2013 to help reduce the average transaction time to under 10 to 15 seconds. Airports will have to continue working to make the journeys user-friendly and hassle-free. Technology is going to help our efforts to innovate and enhance the seamless passenger experiences.
Dubai International is in the lead position in terms of utilizing newest technologies to make the journey throughout its precincts memorable and hassle-free.
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In 2007, the functions of the Department of Civil Aviation were restructured. Accordingly, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) was established as a regulatory body, by a decree of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on proclamation of law No. 21 of 2007, as amended by law No. 19 of 2010, to undertake development of Air Transport Industry in the Emirate of Dubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.
CONTENTS
Inside DCAA
07 DCAA observes Hag Al Laila tradition 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
08 DCAA participates
in Airport Show-2019
Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Marketing Manager Fahed Mohammed E-mail: viadubai1@naddalshiba.com Legal Disclaimer
The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not necessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to keep the information current and accurate, but errors can occur. The information is therefore provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness. The DCAA or Via Dubai does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional.
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Emirates Group posts AED2.3 billion profit for 2018-2019
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Adapting VR and AR technology in aviation training
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Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management
Our Vision
The World Airport, Dubai
Our Mission
To achieve leadership and ensure sustainability in the field of safety, security and environmental protection in the civil aviation sector and to support an attractive investment environment for the aviation industry . Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai
DCAA website:www.dcaa.gov.ae Working Hours:Sunday – Thursday, 0730 - 1430 (GMT+4) Location:Dubai International Airport, Terminal (1), Level (1), Gate no. (4), (Arrivals Side) P.O. Box:49888 Dubai - United Arab Emirates twitter.com/dcaadubai
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youtube.com/user/dcaadubai
Message
from the Director General
Making the air traffic seamless
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irports are tasked with providing modern, safe, and efficient Air Traffic Control (ATC) services.
In mega-aviation hubs like Dubai, the ATC plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and timely movements of aircraft in the airspace 24/7. As the air traffic growth goes up significantly, the onus rests high on the Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs). Ensuring a seamless Air Traffic Management (ATM) is not an easy task in any sense. Air traffic expansion is the biggest challenge facing the airports in the coming years. The IATA has flagged passenger traffic increases of up to 100 per cent over current levels by 2035, requiring runways and air traffic control to be expanded. There should not be any room for ATC inefficiencies. We should unlock our hidden potential. For costeffectiveness, it is required to have a holistic look at the bottlenecks and operational productivity, along with digital transformation and utilizing new technologies. Bringing in smart and innovative technology that boosts efficiency, capacity and cut costs is no longer an option but a necessity now. New challenges to the ATC are emerging from the presence of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) or drones in our airspaces. Joining them soon will be Flying Taxis.
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Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
The total aircraft movements to and from and within the Middle East will go up to 2,346,000 in 2025. A whopping 1.85 million flights movements may take place in the UAE in 2030, according to the UAE ATM Strategic Plan projections. For the Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), which provides Air Navigation Services (ANS) at four UAE airports, cutting-edge technologies are crucial in today’s ATM. A smooth, timely and hassle-free aircraft movements is going to be a challenging task. One can say that we are marching ahead with confidence towards our journey of being ahead of others.
Inside DCAA
DCAA observes Hag Al Laila tradition
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organized celebrations at its Head Office to mark the Hag Al Laila this year. The Hag Al Laila celebration is an annual traditional day, which falls in the middle of the holy month of Shaban, and sees children going door-to-door to collect sweets and nuts. Bringing the community closer together, Hag Al Laila festival helps children understand the importance of sharing and builds a strong feeling of neighbourhood and community and generosity ahead of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The DCAA employees were presented with gift items to mark the day.
Year of Tolerance Religious Tolerance
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olerance is one of the qualities that forms the bedrock of society. More and more people from different nations, cultures, religions and lifestyles are living and working together in our neighbourhoods than ever before, especially in the UAE which has since a long time remained a peaceful home for expatriates from over 200 countries. Everyone has the right to have their own religious beliefs. The Islamic teachings about the religious freedom and tolerance is not out of context here. In Surah Al Baqarah, the Holy Quran has emphasised that the matter of religion relates to the conscience of every individual. Hence, there should be absolutely no force and compulsion in religion. In times of religious peace, people gets the chance to prosper socially, economically and emotionally. Tolerance creates a society in which people can feel valued and respected. Tolerance is an essential aspect of a healthy and liveable society. One need to accept every individual of our society as our own. Then only, there can be a perfect and tolerant society. To maintain peace in the society, it is necessary to increase one’s levels of tolerance and the removal of religious prejudice. The UAE has a long and proud history of interfaith dialogue and freedom of religious expression and the first Catholic Church in the Trucial States was established in Abu Dhabi in 1965. Archaeologists found remains of a church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island dating back to the 7th century. Today, there are 76 churches and other places of worship for non-Muslims in the UAE. The UAE is working towards the promotion of peace and tolerance in today’s society.
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Inside DCAA
DCAA participates in Airport Show-2019 T
he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in the Airport Show-2019, the first of a kind airport event for aviation specialists in the MENASA region, and the ideal platform to view the latest technologies and meet key decision-makers.
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Inside DCAA
During its three-day participation, a number of DCAA’s officials and employees introduced the event’s visitors about the Authority’s role, tasks and objectives and the latest technologies and smart solutions contributing to the growth and development of the aviation sector in Dubai.
Nasser Mubarak Al Khater, Head of Aviation Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Section, delivered an introductory seminar to raise awareness on the role played by DCAA in shaping the future of aviation. In turn, the Aerodrome Safety Section organised a meeting with operators and companies specialised
in building helipads with the aim to discuss improvement means and implementation of best international practices. The Airport Show is the world’s largest specialised event in showcasing the latest technologies and airport technological solutions services catering for the requirements of the development and modernisation of airports in the Middle East. In addition to its quest to improve its services, DCAA is moving ahead with the development of the civil aviation sector in Dubai, and is working to provide it with the needed elements that are bound to ensure its excellence and full readiness to respond to future challenges. Similar to previous editions, the participation of DCAA in this year’s event proved a remarkable success and received great interest from the visitors.
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Cover Story
Aviation in MENA:
Spiralling Growth
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he who’s who of airport industry came in droves to Dubai when the 19th edition of Airport Show took place from April 29 to May 1 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). This year’s sponsors included DACO, emaratech, ASGC, Tytek, DTP, Smiths Detection, Skyguide, Smartworld and Thales. Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) continued its participation at the Show and unveiled to the participants its relentless drive to excel in the civil aviation domain. The iconic show broke all records in terms of occupied exhibition space, number of country pavilions, exhibitors, hosted buyers and visitors. The world’s biggest airport industry event had an impressive participation by 375 exhibitors from 60 countries
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who showcased over 50 new technologies and innovative products at the B2B platform to a record 7,500 participants and visitors. It had a record participation of 211 Hosted Buyers from 30 countries. Next year’s edition will be bigger with 1,000 square metres exhibition space being added to this edition’s 15,000 square metres. Three new co-located events have been added for the 2020 edition: Ground Handling, GSE and Air Cargo. Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF), Aviation Security and Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum will
continue its successful journey. For the 2020 edition, Portugal and The Netherlands have confirmed their participation as the Country Pavilions. This will be in addition to France, Germany, Switzerland, UK, Denmark, China, US and Canada. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, who officially opened the Show, said: “The air transport sector is now worth a U$2.7 trillion in global economic
Cover Story
activity, carrying more than four billion passengers and 62 million tonnes of freight each year. A good way of learning from each other’s experiences and exploring the new technology and innovations is visiting trade exhibitions like Airport Show.” Danial Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said the overwhelming support and success of Airport Show this year shows that the global aviation industry continues to be vibrant with immense growth prospects for the region. This year’s co-located event like Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly and CAPA Middle East Africa Aviation Summit, attracted wider participation from officials and experts. The conferences, along with Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF), were a major crowd pullers with participants actively debating the issues under the spotlight. This year’s co-located events discussed the benefits that disruptive technologies like AI, blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) are providing to the airport industry and the challenges it has to overcome due to the exponential increase in air traffic globally. During the Show, more than 50 new technologies and innovative products and services were unveiled. The GALF continued its appeal a key attraction at the Airport Show with topranking officials and experts addressing the co-located event to reach out to the industry professionals. At the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum, Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), said aviation has been contributing enormously to the economy of Dubai which witnesses an average of 1,500 commercial aircraft movements a day. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports Corporation, addressing the CAPA Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit, said Dubai
Bishoy Azmi
Rakan Khaled
is aiming to shake the growth of the travel industry in the decades to come, with the site of Dubai World Central accommodating 240 million passengers in the future. At the Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly, speakers highlighted the need for attracting more females to come forward and be part of the growth of the aviation industry. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has set raising the proportion of women working in aviation by 50 per cent by 2030.
undoubtedly a global model due to the wise vision of the UAE government and its investment of tens of billions of dirhams to create an unmatched air infrastructure. The UAE and the regional aviation sector will continue to lead the world with positive economic indicators and enhance the region’s importance on the global air transport map.”
Bishoy Azmi, CEO of ASGC, one of the main sponsors of Airport Show, remarked: “The aviation sector and its infrastructure is one of the pillars of the UAE economy, especially Dubai, which highly focuses on this sector. The development and success of the aviation industry in the UAE is
Rakan Khaled, Director of Global Business, Avionics, Collins Aerospace which showcased ARINC SelfPass biometric solutions at the Airport Show, said the biometric solutions provide individual and mutual benefits to airlines, airports and passengers. Using biometrics and touchpoints through the airport creates a seamless, stress-free and even safer experience for travellers from check-in to destination.
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UAE in Focus
Vista Global agrees to buy Uber-style private jet booker
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ubai-based Vista Global has agreed to buy JetSmarter which allows well-heeled travellers to book private jets on demand. Vista Global is run by the Swiss billionaire Thomas Flohr. The acquisition underscores a trend of moving away from private jet ownership globally as more people choose to buy flying hours instead. The Middle East has traditionally been a strong market for private jet operators. Founded in 2012, JetSmarter had planned to IPO and was valued at US$1.6 billion just three years ago, but has since faced tough trading.
flydubai offers new non-stop flights to Europe
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ubai-based airline flydubai has announced the start of flights to Budapest in Hungary and Naples in Italy.
The budget carrier will operate up to five flights a week to Naples from June 4, becoming the first UAE carrier to offer direct flights. Daily flights to Budapest will start on June 27 and will be in addition to the current service offered by Emirates Airlines. Emirates will codeshare on both routes and further illustrates the
strength of the partnership which aims to provide more options for travel to passengers. Both routes will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB). Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, said: “We are delighted to be launching flights to Budapest and Naples. These destinations provide our passengers with more choice on our network while reaffirming our commitment to the vision set by us to create free flows of tourism and strengthen direct airlinks with the UAE.”
Abu Dhabi Airports aims to increase flow of visitors into capital
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bu Dhabi Airports is focusing on increasing point-to-point passenger traffic to its hub to funnel visitors to the UAE capital, rather than just transit through it, as part of the emirate’s wider plan to boost tourism. According to a report in The National, the airport operator is targeting an additional 1.4 million passengers to Abu Dhabi International Airport by 2021 to its current annual point-to-point traffic of 7.7 million passengers.
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Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “We have seen that shift in terms of an increase in origin and destination [O&D] traffic, which is good for Abu Dhabi; it creates more visitors that stay in the city itself. It’s not a huge shift but we have seen an increase in passengers starting to spend more time here.” Abu Dhabi is focusing on developing its tourism sector as part of a push to diversify the economy and
reduce reliance on oil revenues. The Midfield Terminal Building (MTB), Abu Dhabi’s long-anticipated new facility, is “on plan”, he said. MTB is in the phase of operational readiness and testing in various parts of the building. MTB will span 742,000 square meters and will have a capacity of 45 million passengers a year when completed.
UAE in Focus
Collins Aerospace to boost MEA revenues beyond US$1 billion
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ollins Aerospace, the US airplane parts maker acquired by United Technologies Corporation for US$23 billion, expects its annual Middle East and Africa (MEA) sales to top US$1 billion as it expands its reach in the region, buoyed by the take-over completed last year. Formerly known as Rockwell Collins, the company is seeking to boost its presence in the UAE by partnering with local defence companies and working within the Tawazun Economic Programme, formerly known as the UAE Offset Programme, which creates additional economic value from the country’s extensive defence procurement activities. Talel Kamel, Vice President for Middle East and Africa at Collins, said: “We
have also through Tawazun Economic offset programme engaged into partnerships about how we are going to increase our local footprint from the industrial point of view. There is no avionics capability as such between Toulouse and Singapore and we would like to see if the region would have a hub for avionics in the UAE.” Collins, which derives 55 per cent of its about US$25 billion in revenue from international sales, is a big supplier of parts to plane makers including Boeing and Airbus, with commercial sales globally accounting for 75 per cent of total income and the remainder from military deals. The company is ramping up its MEA sales pivot after the takeover boosted its presence to nine countries and 15 locations in the region.
Emirates to introduce 4K screens in 2020
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or film and TV fans who love ultra-high definition, watching 4K content in the sky is about to become a reality. The Dubai-based Emirates Airline is getting ready to add high-tech 4K screens to its fleet of Boeing 777X planes from 2020, according to the Arabian Business. Getting 4K screens onto its planes results from a deal Emirates made with French multinational company Thales Group. The company will also equip Emirates’ 777X fleet with broadband connectivity capable of 50 megabits per second (Mbps). The 4K screens offer a horizontal display resolution of 4,000 pixels. It all
adds up to a very-enhanced viewing experience for passengers. The Avant system that Thales offers to airlines typically includes screens that range between nine inches and 32 inches. It’s probably safe to guess that Emirates will be going for screens that are on the larger end of that spectrum.
DXB becomes world’s first to host resident DJs
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ubai International is taking significant steps towards a complete transformation of the airport customer experience by introducing the first ever airport DJ residency. DXB is sharing its love of music with the 250,000 daily visitors in a regular monthly calendar of performances. The long-term musicDXB programme will attract established performers and also use the stage as a platform to showcase up and coming talent. The new roaming musicDXB stage will present free monthly concerts for travellers, featuring an array of international and local artists, alongside Dubai’s favourite DJ duo Hollaphonic who began their residency with two, two-hour sets. After a break during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the performances will be back and home-grown and international talent will bring energy during the airport’s busiest times. More than 63 per cent of the 89 million passengers, who passed through Dubai Airport in 2018, were in transit with just eight per cent of these passengers leaving the airport to explore the emirate.
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UAE in Focus
Emirates Group posts AED2.3 billion profit for 2018-2019 T
he Emirates Group has announced its 31st consecutive year of profit and steady business expansion. In its 2018-2019 annual report, the Emirates Group posted a profit of AED2.3 billion (US$631 million) for the financial year ending March 31, down 44 per cent from last year. The Group’s revenue reached AED109.3 billion (US$ 29.8 billion), an increase of seven over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance was AED22.2 billion (US$ 6.0 billion), down 13 per cent from last year mainly due to large investments into the business, including significant acquisitions and payment of last year’s AED2 billion (US$ 545 million) dividend. In line with the overall profit, the Group declared a dividend of AED500 million (US$136 million) to the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) for 2018-19. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “2018-19 has
been tough, and our performance was not as strong as we would have liked. Higher oil prices and the strengthened US dollar eroded our earnings, even as competition intensified in our key markets. The uptick in global airfreight demand from the previous year appears to have gone into reverse gear, and we also saw travel demand weaken, particularly in our region, impacting both dnata and Emirates.” In 2018-19, the Group collectively invested AED14.6 billion (US$ 3.9 billion) in new aircraft and equipment, the acquisition of companies, modern facilities, the latest technologies, and
In 2018-19, the Group collectively invested AED14.6 billion (US$ 3.9 billion) in new aircraft and equipment staff initiatives, a significant increase over last year’s investment spend of AED9 billion (US$ 2.5 billion). In February, Emirates announced a commitment for 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s worth US$21.4 billion at list prices in an agreement signed with Airbus, to be delivered from 2021 and 2024 respectively. The airline will also receive 14 more A380 deliveries from 2019 until the end of 2021, taking its total A380 order book to 123 units. Across its more than 120 subsidiaries, the Group’s total workforce increased by two per cent to 105,286, representing over 160 different nationalities, mainly influenced by dnata’s new acquisitions and its international business expansion. Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity crossed the 63 billion mark, to 63.3 billion ATKMs at the end of 2018-19, cementing its position as the world’s largest international carrier.
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UAE in Focus
The airline moderately increased capacity during the year over 201718 by three per cent, with a focus on yield improvement. Emirates received 13 new aircraft during the financial year, comprising of seven A380s and six Boeing 777-300ERs, including the last 777-300ER on its order book. The next 777 delivery is planned for 2020, when Emirates receives its first 777X aircraft. During 2018-19, Emirates phased out 11 older aircraft, bringing its total fleet count to 270 at the end of March. This fleet roll-over involving 24 aircraft was again one of the largest managed in a year, keeping Emirates’ average fleet age at a youthful 6.1 years. During the year, Emirates launched three new passenger destinations: London Stansted (UK), Santiago (Chile) and Edinburgh (Scotland), and reinstated services to Sabiha Gokcen (Turkey). It also added flight capacity to 14 existing destinations and upgraded capacity to six cities, offering customers more choice of flight timings and onward connections.
The Emirates-flydubai partnership continued to develop, with Emirates customers now able to access 67 more destinations served by flydubai, and enjoy greater connectivity with 11 flydubai flights operating from Emirates Terminal 3. The partnership alignment also saw Emirates Skywards become the loyalty programme for both Emirates and flydubai. Overall passenger traffic remained steady, as Emirates carried 58.6 million passengers (up 0.2 per cent). Emirates closed the financial year with a healthy level of AED17 billion (US$ 4.6 billion) of cash assets. Through the year, Emirates introduced product and service improvements on board, on the ground, and online. On the ground, Emirates launched the pilot trials for the world’s first ‘biometric path’ at Dubai airport utilising the latest biometric technology to ease Emirates passengers through check-in, immigration formalities, and boarding. Emirates became the first airline to launch 3D seat models using web-
Through the year, Emirates introduced product and service improvements on board, on the ground, and online based virtual reality technology, allowing customers to preview its onboard product and select seats. It also launched a new feature on its mobile app, so customers can browse the thousands of movies, music and shows on offer, create personal playlists before they fly, and then sync from their devices to their personal seatback screens when they board. Emirates SkyCargo continued to deliver a strong performance in a highly competitive market with dampening demand, contributing to 14 per cent of the airline’s total transport revenue. For 2018-19, dnata recorded its most profitable year with AED1.4 billion. dnata’s total revenue grew to Dh14.4 billion ($3.9 billion), up 10 per cent.
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Special Report
Terrific Take-Off
Global aircraft fleet continues its upward growth until 2029. The Middle East fleet requires 2,340 aircraft worth US$390 billion by 2029
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n a matter of a century, the global airlines industry grew from a single aircraft, one route and a lone passenger. It now connects about four billion passengers, with over 50,000 routes and 100,000 flights a day. The future holds massive growth in both the number of aircrafts and passengers. According to the Global Fleet and MRO Market Forecast 2019-2029 by Oliver Wyman, the aviation industry and the businesses that support it are experiencing another year of unparalleled growth, thanks to an expansion in the global population able to afford air travel. Rising incomes and consumer spending are pushing passenger travel to record levels and fuelling the largest yearover-year increase of the in-service fleet since 2008. Looking ahead a decade, it said air travel demand is anticipated to be equally robust, with an additional 200 million people expected to enter the middle class across the planet. Growth in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) will regularly exceed the annual expansion of gross domestic product (GDP) in most economies— particularly in high-growth areas like China and India. For the beginning of 2029, it forecast projects a total fleet of 39,175 aircraft, up more than 11,600 from the 2019 total of 27,492. Between 2019 and the beginning of 2024, it anticipate the
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in-service fleet will grow annually at 3.9 percent—a pace that will slow to 3.3 percent for the next five years. The order book and the corresponding delivery schedule associated with this expansion are translating into significant business for the world’s leading airframe manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus. The bulk of the fleet expansion will be narrowbody jets, such as Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’ A320neo. By 2029, nearly 13,800 737 MAX and A320neo aircraft will have been delivered, at which time narrowbodies will represent over two-thirds of the entire global fleet. To satisfy airline needs, Boeing and Airbus plan to ramp up already historically high monthly production. Airbus has publicly committed to producing 63 A320s per month in 2019 and eventually increasing that to 75 per month sometime in the 2020s. Boeing
also has announced its intention to boost production of its 737 MAX by nearly 10 percent to 57 per month in 2019 and has said it is studying ways to increase the monthly rate to between 63 and 70 in 2020. Decisions to keep older planes in service have also slowed airline efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. All airlines with international service have started monitoring carbon emissions in compliance with a landmark climate change agreement brokered by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that requires reductions in airline emissions beginning in 2021. By 2029, new aircraft are expected to make up 42 percent of the fleet which, on average, will produce between 15 and 20 percent fewer emissions than their predecessors. That said, high travel demand will complicate the ability of the aviation industry to meet emission targets. Labour costs also have been on the rise as contracts are negotiated in an environment of strong profitability and a tight labour market.
Special Report
Upward pressure on wages is expected to escalate as the gap grows between the number of pilots and trained aviation maintenance technicians available and the number needed. Boeing projects that the aviation industry will need 635,000 new commercial pilots by 2037 to satisfy growing demand within the sector. Currently, there are roughly 550,000 full-time commercial pilots, but because of the heavy contingent of baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) among them, a significant percentage are expected to retire within the next 10 years. The challenge of being a mechanic in today’s environment also is more difficult, requiring the ability to service older aircraft built before 2000 as well as newer planes with more sophisticated technology. Combined, these increased operating expenses are already putting pressure on what has been an unprecedented period of airline profitability. Like passenger air travel, cargo volume also has been growing, driven primarily by the double-digit expansion of e-commerce sales in recent years. Air cargo demand as measured by freight tonne kilometres (FTK) saw an estimated 3.8 percent increase in 2018, while cargo capacity, measured by available freight tonne kilometres,
saw an estimated 4.4 percent increase, after a slight contraction in 2017. Within the decade, the report expect to see commercial drone delivery develop, although it may not be initially in the US. With the expansion of business in the commercial aviation industry, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market that supports it is also expected to grow. Total MRO spend is expected to rise to US$116 billion by 2029, up from US$81.9 billion in 2019. Aside from the growth in the fleet, the increase will be driven by more expensive maintenance visits and technology enhancements. The annual average growth rate for the MRO market will be 3.5 percent over the decade. More of this growth will take place between 2024 and 2029, when MRO spend will grow $19 billion versus US$15 billion between 2019 and the start of 2024. The slower initial five years will be driven by the escalating number of newer-generation aircraft that enter the fleet. These aircraft have longer maintenance intervals and replacement thresholds for such things as life-limited parts than older jets. The active global commercial fleet stood at 27,492 aircraft as of August 1, 2018. Driven by high demand for air travel, the fleet will grow 3.6 percent annually on average over the next
The annual average growth rate for the MRO market will be 3.5 percent over the decade 10 years, supporting RPK growth of nearly 4.7 percent over the same period. During the first five years of the decade, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the fleet is expected to be 3.9 percent. As the rate of deliveries stabilizes, the fleet CAGR will slow to 3.3 percent over the second five years. As new deliveries replace older aircraft, the average age of the fleet will drop five percent from 11.3 years old today to 10.7 in 2029. In total, the reduction in age trims 22,000 total years of service from what the global fleet would have otherwise accumulated by 2029. That amounts to more than US$3.3 billion of spending on MRO. Of the more than 21,000 aircraft deliveries anticipated in the decade, 45 percent will replace inservice aircraft; the rest represent additions to the fleet. The result is a more efficient fleet that is larger in average seating capacity and has lower maintenance costs, particularly over the short to medium hauls. Airbus predicts that the Middle East fleet will treble in size with region requiring 2,340 aircraft by 2029 at a total value of US$390 billion. Boeing is projecting a Middle East market demand for 2,520 aircraft by 2030 and estimates passenger airplanes in the Middle East to grow from a current fleet of 1,040 jets to 2,710 by 2030. It has estimated that passenger airplanes in the Middle East to grow from a current fleet of 1,040 jets to 2,710 by 2030.
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Middle East News
Air Arabia received its first A321neo LR
ME aircraft services market to reach US$745 billion by 2037
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ir Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest Low-Cost Carrier (LCC), has received its first Airbus (A321neo Long Range). Air Arabia is the first Middle Eastern airline to operate the A321neo LR. This delivery is the first of six aircraft that will join Air Arabia’s fleet that comprises of 53 A320 Family aircraft serving more than 155 routes across the globe from four hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt.
ME carriers losing US$2.76 billion due to flight delays
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he Middle East carriers have been losing US$2.76 billion a year due to flight delays and cancellations, a new online survey for Cirium, the aviation data and analytics experts, revealed, suggesting widespread impact of flight delays and cancelations and the need for better management of flight disruption. In 2018, approximately 3.9 million flights – or 10,700 a day – were delayed by over 30 minutes or cancelled globally, affecting over 470 million passenger journeys around the world.
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oeing, the world’s largest plane maker, expects the Middle East market for aircraft services to grow faster than the global rate over the next 20 years as the region’s widebody fleet starts to age.
The US-based aviation giant forecasts that the Middle East demand for jet maintenance and engineering services will comprise 4.8 per cent of commercial aviation services over 20 years compared to 4 per cent globally. Widebodies,which dominate the Middle East skies, will begin to age and therefore boost the regional demand for maintenance and engineering services above the global average through to 2037, according to Debra Santos, Chief Marketing Officer for Boeing commercial services.
Demand in the Middle East for commercial planes is expected to triple over the next 20 years. The region will require 2,990 new planes worth US$660 billion for growth and replacement by 2037, bringing its total fleet to 3,890. The company predicts the swelling fleet will propel demand for aircraft services - such as flight operations, ground handling, maintenance, engineering and cargo services - to grow 4.6 per cent annually and reach US$745 billion by 2037.
Huge growth opportunities for LCCs in MEA
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he Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) began to penetrate the Middle East and Africa markets ever since Air Arabia launched its operations in 2003. The LCC sector in have since expanded - there are 200 aircraft currently operated by LCCs based in the MEA, representing just three per cent of the global LCC fleet. There are now 14 LCCs based in eight countries throughout the Middle East and Africa, but the main players are concentrated in three markets – Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE, according to a study by CAPACentre for Aviation.
Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE are the main LCC markets, accounting for 80 per cent of the total LCC fleet in the Middle East and Africa. The Middle Eastern LCCs have a fleet of 132 aircraft in service (based on the CAPA Fleet Database as of April 2019.
Middle East News
EK expands network to Saudi Arabia
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mirates Airlines has introduced the first scheduled Airbus A380 service to Saudi Arabia’s capital city effective April 21. Riyadh is the 51st destination to join the Emirates A380 network. Flight EK 817/818, currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, will now be operated five times a week by Emirates
A380. Adil Al Ghaith, EK’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations (Gulf, Middle East and Iran), said the Emirates A380 aircraft that will serve the Dubai-Riyadh route will be set in a three-class configuration, with 429 seats in economy on the main deck, 76 fully flatbed seats in business class and 14 first class private suites on the upper deck.
SalamAir adds two new Saudi routes
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ncreasing connectivity between Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) destinations, SalamAir has launched non-stop flights to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, as well as four seasonal flights to Medina catering to Umrah travelers during the Holy month of Ramadan.
ENOC to expand aviation operations in Egypt
Flynas to operate low-cost TiranaRiyadh flights
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lynas, the second biggest Saudi Arabian airline, will start operating from Albania offering lowcost flights from Tirana to Riyadh soon, according to Tirana Times. Citizens from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman can now travel without visas to Albania from April to October this year. The direct flights from Tirana to Riyadh and Jeddah will help tourists discover the Balkan country. This collaboration is part of Flynas’s growth strategy. Flynas is a Saudi Arabia-based LCC established in 2007. It currently
The new service is the airline’s second destination in the Kingdom after Jeddah. Return tickets to Riyadh and Medina are now available at special promotional fares. Starting June 1, SalamAir will fly four times a week to Riyadh on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, according to Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir.
D holds 31 airplanes and it is expected to sign its second major contract with Airbus in order to acquire 120 more. About 6.6 million passengers flew during 2018 on the 60,000 national and international flights the company operated. In Europe, the company operates flights to Austria, Turkey, Greece, and also in all Middle Eastern countries, and some of the Far Eastern countries.
ubai’s ENOC Group has acquired a share in the jet fuel hydrant system at Terminal 2 of Cairo International airport, expanding its aviation operations in Egypt. It has seen investments from Egyptian and multinational players from the energy sectors. ENOC also plans to open an office for its aviation operations and jet fuel marketing in Egypt. The announcements follow a recent agreement with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) to enable the supply of jet fuel at all key airports across the country, according to Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO of ENOC.
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Airports
Dublin Airport launches app to track its assets
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ublin Airport has created an airport geographic information systems app to track its assets to provide realtime information. The app was designed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and has been customised to track and monitor the large number of assets across Dublin Airport’s business. The range of airport assets includes lifts, escalators, car park, security and baggage
Helsinki airport to welcome three new airlines
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he operation at Finland’s biggest airport will increase with Air Serbia, Tibet Airlines and Juneyao Air Travellers at Helsinki airport will be able to profit from an increased operation this summer. Finavia — a Finnish governmental company operating Helsinki airport — will welcome three new airline carriers. Air Serbia will link the capitals of Finland and Serbia by starting to fly from Helsinki airport to Belgradethree times a week, starting in June. The Chinese carriers Tibet Airlines and Juneyao Air will strengthen Helsinki airport’s Asian connections.
Munich Airport tops climate protection rankings
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unich Airport has been recognised for its effective climate change efforts by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an international organisation that supports companies and cities with the disclosure of environmental data. The CDP awards ratings to companies demonstrating strong
May 2019
performance in reducing CO2 emissions, thus helping to limit the rise in global temperatures. As the first airport in the world to make the switch to energy-saving LED lighting for its ramp areas, Munich Airport has saved more than 1,000 tonnes per year in the illumination of ramps and roads and a further 3,600 tonnes in buildings.
New Yogyakarta Airport start operations
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he New Yogyakarta International Airport (NYIA) in Indonesia has started operating its international terminal. State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) General Manager for Adisutjipto International Airport, Agus Pandu Purnama, said the old airport served about 8.4 million passengers annually. NYIA has a 12,900-square-meter terminal. Development of the entire 210,000
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systems, boarding gates, runways and taxiways. The system enables departments to gather information on the airport’s critical assets, providing a quick, accurate and more efficient way of responding to issues. Dublin Airport has more than 30,000 assets across the airport’s campus. Real-time checking of pavement assets, runways, taxiways and stands is a huge benefit for Dublin Airport in monitoring how critical assets are performing.
square metres airport required a total investment of US$432.64 million and is expected to be fully finished by December 2019. According to PT AP I, NYIA’s international terminal is equipped with four air bridges and parking facilities that are expected to accommodate 342 cars and seven buses.
Airports
Tuzla Airport to open its new-look terminal
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uzla International Airport, the second largest airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina, after Sarajevo International Airport, will open its much-awaited expanded terminal building in May. The facility, constructed at a cost of over three million euros, is now complete. The new structure is joined with the existing terminal, forming a single functioning unit. The airport’s General Manager, Rifet Karasalihović, said: “Our intention was for the terminal to have the ability to handle two Airbus A320 aircraft at the same time, and this has now been achieved.” The terminal has now been expanded from 2.971 square metres to 4.915 square metres. The reconstruction and
All US airports to have facial recognition
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he US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is planning to implement biometric exit technology in almost all commercial airports in the next four years. The technology rollout was outlined in the department’s Fiscal Year 2018 Entry/Exit Overstay Report. It stated that in the next four years, the CBP hopes to use biometric exit technology on more than 97 percent of commercial air travellers departing from the US with the intent of catching people who have overstayed their visa. As of September 2018, there were only 15 US airports with this facialrecognition technology, and of those 15 airports, this technology has been
used on over two million passengers with 7,000 of those travellers found to have overstayed their visa. Currently, CBP checks visas via biographic manifest data or their name and passport number at most airports. However, they believe the biometric system would be more efficient, claiming it has a 98 percent match rate, according to Travel Pulse.
Irish airports handled record number of passengers
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Studio Gang to design Chicago O’Hare airport terminal
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team led by Studio Gang founder Jeanne Gang has been named the winner of the bid for the concourse and terminal at Chicago O’Hare airport, beating competition from SOM, Foster + Partners and Santiago Calatrava. The US$8.5-billion project involves terminal proposal. The Y-shaped
scheme will span 2.25 million square feet. The converging lines would conceal three areas. The tripartite design merges terminal and concourse into a single building. The pronged shaped is intended a reference to the city’s unique position along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River.
he total number of passengers handled by Ireland’s airports in 2018 hit a record high of 36.5 million, up 6.1 percent compared to the 2017 figure, according to the statistics released by the country’s national statistics bureau. Last year, the number of passengers handled by Dublin airport alone accounted for 85.5 percent of the country’s total, followed by Cork airport (6.5 percent) and Shannon airport (4.6 percent) with the remaining to be balanced by other airports. The CSO data showed that more than 266,000 flights were handled by Irish airports in 2018, nearly 84 percent of which was handled by Dublin Airport.
May 2019
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Opinion
Airports should facilitate safe and comfortable travel E
very year, the Airports Council International (ACI) World Assembly comes out with Resolutions on key subjects for airport operators that reflect the concerns and interests of the ACI members. This year, the 29th ACI World Annual General Assembly in Hong Kong in April, has unanimously expressed its position on a number of issues. About mitigating the threat of unwanted drones affecting airports, it passed a resolution that aims to provide a basis for airport action and appeals for coordinated action together with governments and other concerned parties. It also passed a Resolution encouraging airports to plan their role in the recovery of a disasteraffected area. A Resolution was also passed that affirms the commitment of airports worldwide to continuously strive for excellence in customer service and experience including accessibility for passengers with disabilities. In order to encourage continued engagement with ICAO on policy development and capacity building, the ACI gathering passed a Resolution that seeks to safeguard years of fruitful collaboration and to develop new joint ventures such as in APEX, training, events, and the collection and use of data. This Resolution also identifies target areas for advocacy, including environmental protection,
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particularly the need for aviation to develop more ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction goals to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Collectively, the resolutions put a renewed focus on helping to ensure that airports can facilitate safe and comfortable travel for all passengers, regardless of ability, as the industry strives to meet ever-increasing air service demand. They will also support ACI’s position this September when ICAO holds its triennial Assembly and will contribute to our success in representing our members’ interests worldwide. The ACI World Assembly elected ACI World’s new Chair, Martin Eurnekian, President of Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 and CEO of Corporación América Airports, and new Vice-Chair, Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni, CEO of Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC). We are fortunate to have their leadership and I can assure you that the World Governing Board and the community of airports will benefit from their valuable experience and acumen. As the only organization that can bring together airports, large and small from all regions, to agree strong measures to address the issues that affect us all, we will continue to be the effective voice of airports.
Angela Gittens Director General Airports Council International (ACI World)
Opinion
Steps Needed for Seamless Airspace C
ollaboration between all stakeholders is essential. At the operational level, measures such as Collaborative DecisionMaking (CDM) and Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) are key to smooth and seamless flow and improving capacity. Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) will need to have increased flexibility to innovate, cooperate or deliver services beyond their national boundaries. For this to happen, providers of ANS need to be treated as normal businesses with the opportunities to make investment decisions, free from relying on government budgets, free to compete across borders and make alliances. To achieve seamless airspace, we must take full advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies, which are helping to harmonise systems, processes and traffic flows without reference to land borders or even land-based equipment. These include digitisation, which is enabling remote air traffic control; automation, which allows planes to reduce separation, thus increasing capacity; big data, which leads to more efficient operations based on actual performance; and spacebased surveillance which helps optimise flight paths and reduce separation.
space based provision, and some degree of liberalisation. We are seeing new companies entering the Air Traffic Management (ATM) market providing ANS as a service over larger areas without having to invest in costly capital infrastructure such as control towers or radars. The optimisation of the network takes precedence over any individual ANSP’s or airspace user’s requirements or preferences. This, in turn, implies a stronger part to be played by a network manager governance structure. States must recognise these trends and the potential benefits they bring to the overall ATM system.
Simon Hocquard Deputy Director General CANSO
We are therefore asking them to separate regulation from the provision of air traffic services and adopt a performance-based approach to regulation. There is a need to change from a geographical sector-based approach to ATCO validation to one that is based on systems, allowing increased mobility and flexibility.
This is impacting the business models of companies that provide air navigation services (ANS), which are changing due to digitisation,
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ATM
Dans receives three ISO certifications
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he Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS) has received three ISO certifications for its quality management systems, training and Information Security.
Becoming an ISO certified organisation enables the Dubai organisation to be internationally recognized in new fronts, due to its demonstrated capabilities of complying with global standards. Dans has been granted the ISO 9001:2015 certificate in quality management System, ISO 27001: 2013 in Information security management system and a letter of compliance for complying with guidelines provided in the ISO 10015: 1999 for quality management in operational training. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman
A of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, is also the chairman of Dans. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Dans said: “Demonstrating robust quality processes and management systems implemented across each and every department has enabled us become an internationally recognised ISO-certified entity.”
Malaysia to manage its own airspace
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alaysia has initiated steps to take over the management of its airspace near the island nation of Singapore after their months-long airspace dispute.
Both the neighbouring countries have formed committee to review the conditions set under the Letter of Agreement (LOA) that was brokered and signed in 1974 over Pasir Gudang,
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AirMap to integrate drone flights into airspaces
which is now an industrial town in Johor for transportation and logistics. Singapore has decided to withdraw the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedure for the Seletar Airport paired with Malaysia agreeing to indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area (RA) status over Pasir Gudang in Johor Straits bordering Singapore. This will allow Firefly to start operations at Seletar Airport. The Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiary postponed its plans to fly out of Seletar Airport last year due to the dispute. Singapore was once part of Malaysia but they separated acrimoniously in 1965, clouding diplomatic and economic dealings for years.
irMap, a top global player in low-altitude air navigation systems for drones, with a roster of investment partners including Microsoft, Airbus, Qualcomm, Sony, Rakuten, Yuneec, Honeywell and Temasek, is at the forefront of the rapidly-evolving efforts to integrate drone flights in national airspaces, with deployments in Switzerland, Japan, Czech Republic and the US. Ben Marcus, Chairman and CoFounder of AirMap, told the World ATM Congress in Madrid about that drone operators are now able to connect to the UTM platform.
Frequentis to deploy remote tower technology in Brazil
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he Brazilian Airspace Control Department (DECEA) has selected Frequentis to deploy a Remote-Control Tower Visualisation System (SVRTWR) at the Santa Cruz Airfield. The company was selected through the Commission for Implementation of the Brazilian Air Space Control System (CISCEA) for the remote tower project. It will supply its remote tower solution, SmartVision, which will enable the Brazilian Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) to gain enhanced situational awareness and improve safety at the airport.
Muscat International Airport Middle East's Leading Airport 2019 May 2019 Salalah Airport 5 STAR AIRPORT
Muscat Int‘l Airport
Salalah Airport
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ATM
ATM market to be worth US19 billion by 2025
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ccording to a new market research report published by MarketsandMarkets, the Air Traffic Management (ATM) market is projected to grow from an estimated US$14.1 billion in 2018 to US$18.8 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 4.20 per cent during the forecast period. It said increasing airport investments, and modernization of ATM infrastructure are expected to drive the growth of the market. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the constant need to update real-time aeronautical information for safe, efficient, and economical ATM. AIM’s emphasis is on the distribution of updated aeronautical data as well as the digital conversion of data.
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n route delays in Europe have more than doubled in 2018 and will grow further, as the daily number of flights is forecast to grow by 15,000 in 2024, according to an analysis by CAPA.
Based on component, the software segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Growth of this segment can be attributed to the need to enhance software with regular updates as well as increasing automation, which relies on software algorithms.
German ATC manages 3.35 million flights in 2018
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FS, Germany’s Air Traffic Control, has recorded lower sales in 2018, although they piloted more flights through German airspace than in the previous year. The state-owned enterprise said compared to the previous year, revenues fell by 1.1 percent to almost US$1.33 billion. The number of controlled flights increased by 4.2 percent in the same period.
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En route delays in Europe to rise further
Nearly 3.35 million flights were controlled in German airspace in 2018. Almost 89 percent of all flights under DFS control reached their destinations in 2018 without delays caused by air traffic control measures. In previous years, this figure was over 90 percent. Main reason for this would be the strong increase in traffic volume for the fifth year in a row. DFS CEO Klaus-Dieter Scheurle said the German air traffic control is expecting a total of 3.5 million flights in German airspace in 2019. This would represent an increase in traffic of 3.4 percent compared to the previous year.
En route delays to fights are nearly three times greater than airport delays. European air space capacity suffers from a number of inefficiencies. In 2018, the airspace over member countries of Network Manager EUROCONTROL accommodated a record 11 million flights, an increase of 3.8 per cent year-onyear. En route delays more than doubled from 2017 to 19.1 million minutes in 2018 – an increase of 105 per cent. On average, there were 1.73 minutes of En route delays per flight in 2018, compared with a Single European Sky performance target of 0.5 minutes. EUROCONTROL has forecast that the number of flights will increase to 16.2 million in 2040 under its central scenario. Relative to 2017, the number of flights in 2024 is forecast to be 53 per cent higher, or an average of 1.9 per cent per annum. The greatest additional numbers of flights are forecast in Turkey, Germany, France and the UK. The European ATM system managed by EUROCONTROL includes 65 area control centres, all with different levels of productivity.
MRO
India gets its first ‘Cold Spray’ SMART lab
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he Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras) in collaboration with General Electric (GE) has established India’s first ‘Cold Spray’ SMART (Surface Modification and Additive Research Technologies) Laboratory. With this, IIT-Madras is now the only academic institution in India, which has a first-of-its-kind High-
Etihad Airways Engineering expands capabilities
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tihad Airways Engineering, the largest independent maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service provider in the Middle East, has announced the addition of Airbus A350 maintenance capabilities to its in-house portfolio.
Pressure Cold Spray (HPCS) facility. The High-Pressure Cold Spray equipment has been imported from Plasma Giken, Japan. Cold Spray is an emerging technology for advanced manufacturing and services and will be utilised to co-develop processes for aero-engine applications.
Global Aircraft Component MRO market to grow to US$18.6 billion
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he global aircraft component MRO market, which was worth US$ 16.2 billion in 2018, is expected to reach a value of US$18.6 billion by 2024, at a projected CAGR of 2.3 per cent during 2019-2024.
of the services provided by them. However, airline companies are now outsourcing these activities to third-party organizations for contract organizations. As aircraft component MRO accounts for a significant portion of airline expenses, this trend has created numerous growth opportunities in the market.
Etihad Airways Engineering is part of the Airbus MRO Alliance and has emerged as a centre of excellence for the Airbus A380, having supported the A380 fleets of Etihad Airways and third-party customers in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Australia.
Over the past few years, airline operators and OEMs have been using radio-frequency identification (RFID) in the commercial aerospace component MRO market to enhance the cost-effectiveness
The company said it continues to extend its coverage of major commercial aircraft types and has now received approval for Airbus A350 maintenance, awarded by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Magnetic partners with Saudi maintenance provider
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agnetic MRO has entered into an agreement with Saudi Arabian repair specialist First Premium for Support Services (FPSS) which will see both parties jointly establish wheel and tire, brake, oxygen refill, and battery shops in Jeddah.
addition to the shops, Magnetic MRO and FPSS are also considering launching an engine stands hub in Saudi Arabia, which would be operated by the Baltic repair specialist’s EngineStands24 subsidiary, which it established in 2016 to transport and store aerospace engine stands.
Estonia-headquartered Magnetic MRO says the memorandum of understanding will help it break into the Saudi Arabian market, with the partnership targeting Saudi Arabia-based airline customers. In
Plans are also in place to create an EASA 147-compliant technical training school and EASA 145-compliant line and base maintenance facilities in Jeddah.
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Cargo & Logistics
Pakistan’s logistics sector valued at US$34.2 billion
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he performance of the logistics sector provides a stark contrast to the economic recession Pakistan has been mired in, according to a report in the Dawn. As of December 2018, the logistics sector has been valued at US$34.2 billion, registering an annual growth rate of 18 per cent between 2017 and 2018, according to the government officials. Pakistan is one of only a handful of countries that does not have a dedicated Ministry of Transport. It should therefore not be a surprise that on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2018, Pakistan has a ranking of 122 (out of 160 countries), primarily due to poor scores in customs clearance, tracking and tracing and timeliness. For context, other developing economies facing similar industrial, financial and political challenges as Pakistan ranked better on the LPI; Bangladesh (100), India (44) and Nepal (114). The country’s lacklustre performance on the global index has continued despite receiving a 25 to 30 per cent share of the annual Public Sector Development Programme funding. Logistics is globally a US$4.3 trillion industry, contributing an average of eight to 10 percent to the GDP, creating thousands of new jobs and improving export competitiveness substantially.
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Etihad Cargo renews Gulf road feeder contract
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tihad Cargo has again selected MICCO as its road feeder services (RFS) provider in a multi-year agreement, continuing a decade-long partnership between the two Abu Dhabi-based logistics players. The RFS network connects major air and sea gateways in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, as well as key Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) countries including Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Etihad Cargo customers can book road feeder operations directly online through the airline’s airfreight web
portal. Under the renewed partnership, MICCO will continue to provide Etihad Cargo with customs-sealed and bonded container vehicles, as well as refrigerated and non-refrigerated reefer trucks to support Etihad’s FreshForward perishable products through door services across the UAE.
US$4.6 billion deal for Panalpina and DSV merger
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SV and Panalpina have agreed the terms and conditions of a combination to join forces with a Public Exchange Offer to all Panalpina shareholders. If the DSV offer for each Panalpina share is successful - a deal worth
around US$4.6 billion, DSV and Panalpina will become one of the world’s largest transport and logistics companies with a pro forma revenue of approximately US$17.7 billion and a workforce of more than 60,000 employees operating in 90 countries.
Saudia Cargo gets ground services certificate
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audia Cargo has gained a Ground Service Provider Certificate (GACAR 151) from the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Saudia Cargo’s Chief Executive, Omar Hariri, said: “This licence will further enhance Saudia Cargo’s
ground handling capabilities and opportunities thus increasing the logistical income into the Saudi economy in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 that aims to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub.”
Cargo & Logistics
FedEx Express to be first tenant at Bahrain’s new air cargo terminal DHL sets up distribution centre at KIZAD
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HL Global Forwarding, the leading international air, sea and road freight services provider, has signed a deal with KIZAD, Abu Dhabi’s industrial hub and a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports, to establish a distribution centre to serve the needs of its customers.
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edEx Express has signed a deal to move to the expanded freight complex at the Air Cargo Area at Bahrain International Airport.
The multinational courier delivery services company will be occupying a total of 9,000 square metres out of the 25,000 square metres available space in the US$58.5-million terminal. In addition to airside air cargo facilities, the terminal also includes 5,000 square metres of warehousing space. FedEx is the first of a potential three companies that will use the terminal as a regional air freight hub, according to Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Chairman of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) and Minister of Transportation.
Under the agreement, DHL Global Forwarding will set up warehouses in KIZAD to provide end-to-end logistics and supply chain services to its customers, who seek to leverage the optimal geographical location of KIZAD to propel their growth trajectory.
Saudia becomes 12th SkyTeam Cargo member
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audi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) Cargo has become the 12th member of SkyTeam Cargo. The development will see SkyTeam Cargo significantly increase its footprint across the Middle East as none of its current members are based in the region. Nico van der Linden, Vice President, SkyTeam Cargo, said: “The members of SkyTeam Cargo are pleased to welcome Saudia Cargo as the newest member of our growing alliance.
Jakarta Airport to build major air cargo village
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akarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is preparing to build a 148,000 square metre cargo village that could finally turn Indonesia into a major hub for air freight. Construction of its fourth passenger terminal, to meet growing demand, will mean the demolition of the airport’s current cargo facility, which is bursting at the seams, due to Indonesia’s massive e-commerce growth.
According to The Loadstar, cargo volumes handled at SoekarnoHatta jumped from 700,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes in just a couple of years. Expected to be completed by 2022, the new 1.5m-tonne facility will include three cargo terminal operators.
May 2019
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Technology
Aviation IoT market growing fast T
he airline industry has geared up gradually for the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution. An increased inclination towards automation approach in the aviation industry is likely to push the aviation IoT market to gain momentum.
According to Market Research Future, the aviation IoT market is expected to achieve a considerable valuation of US$25.13 billion by 2023. Such growth is expected to rise at a healthy pace by recording a massive CAGR of 16.34 per cent from 2018 to 2023. Smart airports are employing the latest IoT technology not only to deliver
Suction robot for inspecting aircraft for damages
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he Cranfield University has carried out the successful trails of a suction robot which can detect and repair damage to aircraft. The four-wheeled Vortex Robot, developed as part of the CompInnova Project, was tested in field trials using Cranfield’s Boeing 737 and was able to stick to and move around the sides and underbelly of the plane.
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delightful customer experience, but also make up losses in the business. The industry is leveraging the IoT to discover a whole new dimension to digital transformation. IoT is defined as a combination of operation technology with information technology. These are connected via virtual intelligence to send, control, and receive data without the involvement of humans. The technology also helps in simplifying human efforts and reduces all manual interference. Currently, airlines are being advanced to IoT-enabled ecosystems to streamline the efficiency,
enhancing connectivity and speed of communication, and decrease operational costs. In the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, the market is mostly driven by the snowballing passenger traffic in the airline industry. Airline companies are investing in finding ways to condense fuel consumption, excellent connectivity networks in flights and enhancing passenger experience during baggage and security screening. This market is likely to grow at 16.50 per cent CAGR in the forecast period.
Technology enhancing airport security checks
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echnology that could speed up and enhance security checks at airports has been demonstrated to industry experts in London. Among the innovations is a pad that could detect explosives hidden in shoes while people are queuing at security. The demonstration is part of the UK government’s Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) scheme, which is investing millions of pounds in promising ideas. However, the innovations are mostly still at prototype stage.
The shoe scanner uses a grid of sensing electrodes to analyse shoes and what they contain. When the machine detects something that should not be in a pair of shoes, it alerts staff so they can intervene. The company hopes it could be integrated with full body scanners. The company hopes to trial the technology before the end of 2019. Another company hopes to eliminate the hassle of removing coats and items such as phones and wallets from pockets.
Technology
Adapting VR and AR technology in aviation training
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ew technology encourages to rethink training processes and learning experience, especially when it comes to adaptation of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in training, according to Kim Kian Wee, Assistant Director of Training and Innovation at IATA, a trade association of the world’s airlines.
Consisting of 290 airlines, primarily major carriers, representing 117 countries, the IATA’s member airlines account for carrying approximately 82 per cent of total available seat miles air traffic. He said introduction of new technology provides an opportunity to rethink how training is conducted and how the learning experience can be optimized.
Now, a waterproof drone
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he RMIT University in conjunction with Defence Science and Technology Group (DST) has developed a waterproof drone. Known as Black Kite, it represents a successful “world first” drone for maritime applications. The air vehicle is waterproof and can land and take-off on water in low swells and in “all-weather conditions.”
According to the RMIT University’s project lead, Dr Abdulghani Mohamed, the system “would enhance abilities to investigate or meet incoming vessels or divers. Sending a drone to perform this task is quicker and safer than sending people into potential danger – also easier as it completes the mission with high levels of autonomy.”
dnata acquires new technology
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s part of digital transformation to remain on the cutting-edge of the business, dnata, the ground handling company of Emirates Airline and Group, is implementing several initiatives across its facilities in Dubai. Cargoflex is a pickup and delivery service provided by dnata Cargo that operates between Dubai Airport Free Zone, Dubai Cargo Village and Al Maktoum International-DWC cargo terminals. This product reduces truck movements at its docks by consolidating loads, offering freight forwarders a one-stop-shop for the transportation of shipments from the terminals to their doorstep and vice-versa. Cargo Integrated Control Centre (CICC) is a modern, technologically
advanced control centre that monitors and manages dnata’s cargo operations. The CICC has been ground breaking in terms of quick turnaround of requests and actions, and comprehensive communications with the government stakeholders. In collaboration with Dubai Customs Authority, dnata Cargo will soon launch Advanced Cargo Information (ACI). The ACI will enable it to receive advance cargo shipment information electronically from its airline customers. The objective of ACI is to improve cargo planning across the supply chain and will be implemented from May 2019. Officials said dnata has also added the ‘Cartel Roller Bed’ trailer to its growing
fleet of specialised equipment at Dubai World Central, which enables them to handle special cargo, oversize shipments and aircraft engines seamlessly; without the use of cranes or forklifts. It will also allow them to deliver shipments across Dubai Logistics City, Dubai South and Jebel Ali Free zone. With a strong foundation of unified processes, dnata Cargo implemented a single tool for digitalised operations: One cargo. It is an innovative tool that steers all its processes and connects its global air cargo operations on a single technology platform.
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Tourism
Turkey’s tourism revenues to reach US$100 billion
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urkey’s tourism revenues is projected to reach US$100 billion by 2023, according to a report by Anadolu Agency. An official said: “We should promote our tourism sector in a proper way, we have to raise tourism revenue per visitor from US$670 to US$1,000.” Turkey hosted around 39.5 million visitors and earned US$29.5 billion revenue last
Turkey plans to increase the country’s destination diversity, the number of tourists and income per tourist.
Tunisia tourism sector starts flying again
Belize keeps up strong tourism growth
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fter one of the fastest growth rates in tourist arrivals of any Caribbean destination last year, Belize has seen a 6.3 percent increase in the first quarter, according to new data from the Belize Tourism Board (BTB). That represents a total of 158,290 stay-over arrivals in the first three months of 2019. The tourism surge has come as Belize has welcomed a host of new flight routes from North America, while its hotel sector continues to see a boom. Tourism in Belize has grown considerably in the recent times and it is now the second largest industry in the nation. The BTB officials said the higher March 2019 numbers represented Belize’s 28th consecutive month of increased year-over-year visitor arrivals. Early 2019 cruise passenger arrivals are also trending higher.
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year. The country targeted to host 50 million tourists in 2023. After closing 2018 with historical figures in tourism, Turkey is now looking to reach 50 million tourists and US$35 billion in tourism revenue in 2019.
May 2019
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unisia, a North African country bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert, has wooed more tourists in the first quarter of this year, a 17.4 percent increase compared last year’s period, according to Tunisian Ministry of Tourism. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the tourism sector saw an influx of up to 787.8 million dinars (US$262.6 million) of hard currency revenues — an increase of 35.1 percent on last year. The Minister of Tourism
Rene Trabelsi said the tourism sector was boosted by arrivals from Europe, which rose around 22.3 percent. After several years of shunning Tunisia in the wake of a gun attacks on a beach and a national museum, major European tour operators have started to return.
Nuclear Tourism is booming in Chernobyl
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ore than three decades after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion, the Ukrainian city near the country’s borders with Belarus is seeing a tourism boom. Ever since the government opened Chernobyl to tourists in 2011, the number of annual visitors continues to climb. Last year, the government
reported 72,000 visitors, up from 50,000 the year before. The first mustvisit destination for the visiting tourists is the infamous nuclear disaster. Anton Taranenko, Chief of Tourism and Promotion Department of the Kyiv City State Administration, said Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has been very popular among the tourists.
Tourism
Greece boosts its tourism brand
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reece is expanding its tourism identity. On top of styling itself as the ideal destination for the sun-and-sea experience, this friendly country offers countless options to explore areas of natural beauty, walk in the footsteps of the ancients and embark on other adventures. The country has decent infrastructure, competitive prices and a great climate, while it consistently ranks high in lists of the safest global travel destinations. The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) is currently promoting Greece as a year-round tourism destination.
Sri Lanka to offer free visas to tourists from 30 countries
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ri Lanka is planning to boost its tourism efforts by giving away free visas to travellers from more than 30 countries. The small island nation off southern India will offer the promotion starting May 1 to travellers from the US, Canada, UK and the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, according to Lonely Planet and The Independent. The average US tourist stands to save between US$20 and US$40 in
Cruise tourism on rise in Oman
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he Ministry of Tourism in Sultanate of Oman is making efforts to attract more tourist cruise ships to visit the country.
Cruise ships visiting Oman’s port during the year 2018-2019 reached the 298 mark, showing an increase of 106 compared to the year 20172018. While the number of cruise ships that arrived at Sultan Qaboos Port was 147 ships. It was 72 at Khasab Port and 79 at Salalah Port. It is expected that in 2019-2020, the number of cruise ships visiting Oman would reach to 360. The number of tourists who came on cruise ships in 2018 was 193,467. It is expected to
visa fees. The free-visa period initially will run for six months to help bolster tourism during the off-peak season from May to August, but if successful, Sri Lanka may extend the free visas to tourists from other countries or make the arrangement permanent. Sri Lanka saw 2.1 million tourists in 2017, according to the nation’s Tourism Development Authority. Tourism numbers have been on the upswing since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009.
reach to 220,000 in 2019. Tourists who come mostly during the month of October to April, come to revel in Oman’s natural beauty and to soak up its culture and heritage. The Ministry is making efforts to promote cruise ships tourism both locally and internationally. Last year, the Ministry participated in forums and exhibitions of cruise ships under the umbrella of Cruise Arabia which comprised of ministries and authorities in the GCC countries.
May 2019
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