Aviation Business December 2017

THE MAGAZINE FOR AVIATION EXECUTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST | DECEMBER 2017
EVERYONE THOUGHT
LAST YEAR WAS THE
BEGINNING OF THE END
FOR EMIRATES.
SIR TIM CLARK SAYS
CEO
INTERVIEWS
AIR ARABIA,
EGYPTAIR
FLYDUBAI, WATANIYA
SALAM AIR, EMPIRE Download the free Aviation
Business app and be the first
p24 to read the latest issue on your
mobile devices.
NEWS UPDATE | FACTS & FIGURES | IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | TRADE COLUMNS

THE MAGAZINE FOR AVIATION EXECUTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST | DECEMBER 2017
EVERYONE THOUGHT
LAST YEAR WAS THE
BEGINNING OF THE END
FOR EMIRATES.
SIR TIM CLARK SAYS
December 2017
CEO
INTERVIEWS
AIR ARABIA,
EGYPTAIR
FLYDUBAI, WATANIYA
Volume 16 Issue 12 CONTENTS
SALAM AIR, EMPIRE Download the free Aviation
Business app and be the first
p24 to read the latest issue on your
mobile devices.
NEWS UPDATE | FACTS & FIGURES | IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | TRADE COLUMNS
THE FRONT
RADAR Dubai Airshow deals total $114 billion 08
RADAR Emirates surprises with 40 Dreamliner deal 09
RADAR Flydubai announces 225 Boeing commitment 10
RADAR “Game On”: Emirates president’s response to Gulf airlines pairing up 11
RADAR Wataniya orders 25 A321 aircraft in bid to feed Kuwait Airways 12
RADAR Turkish to return to 10% growth by 2018 13
RADAR Air Arabia adds six Airbus A321neo to its fleet 13
24
INTERVIEW
FLYDUBAI WANTS MORE
A big order at the Dubai Airshow is part of
the push for growth, says Ghaith al Ghaith
25
INTERVIEW
AIR ARABIA WILL GO IT ALONE
The airline will grow and it isn’t looking
for partnerships to do it, says Adel Ali
26
INTERVIEW
EGYPTAIR IS BACK
16
COVER STORY
LIKE NEVER BEFORE
President Sir Tim Clark is transforming Emirates
With things in the country improving, into a lean and hungry machine
EgyptAir is making a move, says Sherif Ezzat
www.aviationbusinessme.com December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS 03

CONTENTS
AVIATION
PARTNERS
PARTNER NEWS Dubai South Safety Training Academy to be up and running Nov 2018 42
PARTNER NEWS Rolls Royce to open customer service centre in Abu DhabiRolls Royce 47
TECHNOLOGY Panasonic to equip Saudia with IFE solutions 49
34 38
INTERVIEW INTERVIEW
WATANIYA’S HYBRID PLANS FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE
Five months after its reboot, Kuwait’s third carrier is adding air- Being the first low cost carrier in a country with tourism poten-
craft to feed into the national carrier’s, says Hamad al Tuwaijri tial gives Salam Air a huge advantage, says Mohamed Ahmed
40 COMMENT
EMPIRE’S DECADE OF
GROWTH
Steve Hartley, executive director, Empire
Aviation Group, shares how the company
has grown and where it’s looking to next
04 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

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Emirates half year airline profits double
RADAR Group, airline posted 77 and 111 percent profit growth in the latest half year results
Deals at Dubai Airshow total $114bn,

including record single day sales
Organisers say trade visitors to event were up by 20% on previous show in 2015
In 2013, orders for commercial aircraft at the Dubai Airshow peaked at over $200 billion
AIRSHOW game-changing deals from start to finish taniya airways signed a deal to lease 25
As the doors closed on another record- including Airbus revealing its largest single Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, while Air
breaking Dubai Airshow on Thursday, announcement ever – a $49.5 billion deal Arabia, the Middle East low cost carrier,
total orders stood at nearly $114 billion, or- with Indigo Partners to purchase 430 air- agreed to lease six Airbus A321neo aircraft.
ganisers announced. craft in its A320neo family. AerCap and Egypt Air negotiated a deal
Trade visitors to the event were also up The announcement, on Day four of the with Airbus during the Dubai Airshow to
around 20 percent on the 2015 event, with Airshow, provided a huge public boost for lease 15 Airbus A320neo.
some 79,380 people entering the purpose- the French aircraft manufacturer, who “This has been a very successful show
built hall at Dubai World Central during lost a $15.1bn deal with Emirates to US for Boeing. Our regional customers have
its five-day run. plane-makers Boeing for 40 787 Dreamlin- maintained their trust in our products and
Michele van Akelijen, managing direc- ers on Sunday, a headline deal on the first technology, and our partnerships in the
tor of organisers Tarsus F&E Middle East, day of the airshow. Middle East region continue to grow,” said
said: “The figures speak for themselves – On the same day, Boeing signed a $27bn Bernard Dunn, president, Boeing Middle
it’s been another successful year. Dubai is deal with UAE carrier flydubai for 225 air- East, North Africa and Turkey. “We signed
geographically at the centre of the global craft in its 737 MAX family. The deal was agreements with key airline partners includ-
aviation world, and Dubai Airshow is noted as the largest single-aisle jet order by ing Emirates, flydubai, Azerbaijan Airlines,
where the sector comes to do business. We number of airplanes and total value by any ALAFCO and Ethiopian Airlines.”
have seen incredible, unmatched deals, in- Middle East carrier. The airshow returns to Dubai in 2019.
novations and ideas.” Golden Falcon Aviation, the exclusive 15th edition of Dubai Airshow ends today
The airshow will be remembered for aircraft provider of Kuwaiti carrier Wa- to return in 2019.

Air Arabia Q3 results show 27% profit growth
Year to date net profit now stands at almost $173 million, a 17.5% improvement RADAR
Emirates surprises with 40 Boeing

Dreamliner order at Dubai Airshow
Emirates has committed to future delivery of 204 Boeing wide-body aircraft
ORDERS The order, valued $15.1 billion at list Emirates “always wants to be ahead of
Emirates has surprised visitors to the prices, will see Emirates take the aircraft the game,” Sheikh Ahmed said at the an-
Dubai Airshow 2017 with a surprise order in from 2022. Emirates expects to make nouncement for the largest variant of Boe-
for 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners after another announcement regarding engine ing’s most expensive aircraft. The agree-
earlier saying all plans for such an order options once they have been decided, ment includes conversion rights to switch
“had been placed on hold.” Sheikh Ahmed added. the aircraft to 787-9s, from 787-10s. Aircraft
The Dubai-based airline’s chairman, No word about any orders for Airbus will be delivered in a mix of two and three-
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, A380s has been made public yet, although cabin class configurations, potentially seat-
made the headline announcement today reports over the past week had indicated ing between 240 and 330 passengers.
after an hour long wait for an impromptu Emirates is close to signing a deal for a Emirates’ announcement, made in the
press conference which most had assumed similar number of A380s valued at close presence of the Vice President and Prime
was to announce an order for Airbus A380s. to $16 billion. Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Mak-
toum, as well as representatives from the
US Commerce Department shores up
Emirates stance that it supports thou-
sands of jobs and consequently the econ-
omy of the US.
The new order will create and support
over 78,000 additional jobs in US aero-
space manufacturing, Emirates said in a
statement, and comes on top of Emirates’
historic purchase of 150 Boeing 777X
aircraft equipped with GE9X engines at
the 2013 Dubai Air Show, to be delivered
Emirates is the world’s biggest operator of A380s from 2020 onwards.
EgyptAir signs major C-Series deal with Bombardier

ORDERS Egypt Air had teased the idea of an and marketing machinery.
Egypt’s national carrier handed ailing upcoming major order last month, with This is the second major announcement
Bombardier a major lifeline at the Dubai reports suggesting the airline planned to of a C-Series order since the deal with Air-
Airshow by agreeing to purchase up to 24 make an announcement of over 40 aircraft. bus. The Canadian company ended an 18
of its struggling C-Series aircraft. “Egypt is the gateway to the Mid- month order drought earlier this month
The letter of intent includes includes 12 dle East,” said EgyptAir CEO Captain with a deal for 31 C Series jets, extendable
CS300 aircraft with purchase rights for an Safwat al Musallam at the press confer- to 61 , to an undisclosed European carrier.
additional 12 aircraft. ence, adding that the order could lead to
Based on the list price of the CS300 a major market breathrough for Bombar-
airliner, a firm-order contract would be dier in the region.
valued at approximately $1.1 billion US. Bombardier had been struggling to
Should EgyptAir also exercise the 12 pur- market its C-Series aircraft, finally agree-
chase rights for CS300 aircraft, the con- ing to sell rights to half of the programme
tract value would increase to nearly $2.2 to Airbus last month. The deal allows
billion US. Bombarder to tap into Airbus’ vast sales Emirates is the world’s biggest operator of A380s

Airbus names Eric Schulz Successor to John Leahy
RADAR Schulz comes from Rolls-Royce where was president, Civil Aerospace since January 2016
Flydubai announces commitment for

225 Boeing 737 Max for $27 billion
Deal represents the largest-ever single-aisle jet order from a Middle East carrier
the popular MAX 8 and MAX 9.
The low-cost carrier, which has an all-
Boeing fleet, now has a total of 320 aircraft
on order from the US plane manufacturer.
By the end of this year, flydubai will
have a fleet of 61 Next-Generation Boe-
ing 737-800 aircraft and Boeing 737 MAX
8 aircraft. In addition, there is a pipeline
from a previous order of 70 aircraft due for
delivery by 2023.
“Today’s aircraft order underlines the
success of Flydubai’s founding vision help-
ing to strengthen trade and tourism links
across its network and has contributed to
the enhanced connectivity of Dubai’s avi-
ation hub,” said Sheikh Ahmed, chairman,
New rules have been imposed around the world Flydubai. “In under a decade, flydubai has
extended its network to 97 destinations in
ORDERS Middle East carrier. 44 countries and we look forward to the
Dubai-based flydubai announced a The agreement includes a commitment arrival of the new aircraft from 2019 in
commitment to a $27 billion order for for 175 MAX airplanes, and purchase support of our future ambitions.”
225 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft at Dubai rights for 50 additional MAXs. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, Flydubai
Airshow. The deal represents the larg- More than 50 of the first 175 airplanes said since the carrier was launched in
est-ever single-aisle jet order – by num- will be 737 MAX 10s. The balance of the 2009, it has “opened up 67 previously un-
ber of airplanes and total value – from a initial airplane order will be made up of derserved markets.”
Boeing sells 20 737 Max 8s to Kuwait’s ALAFCO

Deal valued at $2.2 billion was first announced as a commitment at the Paris Air Show
ORDERS port ALAFCO’s future growth”, said Adel
Boeing and Aviation Lease and Fi- A Albanwan, deputy CEO, ALAFCO.
nance Company (ALAFCO) have final- “We have had success with the 737 family
ised an order for 20 additional 737 MAX in the past and are confident the 737 MAX
8s at the 2017 Dubai Airshow, doubling will continue to help grow our business.”
the lessor’s order book for the airplane. “The 737 MAX 8’s ability to fly fur-
Kuwait-based ALAFCO now has 40 ther than the competition while using
737 MAXs on order. The deal, valued at less fuel is one of many reasons why
$2.2 billion at current list prices, was ini- customers like ALAFCO have helped
tially announced as a commitment at the make the 737 MAX the fastest-selling
Paris Air Show. airplane in Boeing history,” says Boe-
“Our customers rely on fuel-efficiency, ing Commercial Airplanes president &
reliability and low operating costs to be CEO Kevin McAllister.
successful and the 737 MAX aircraft will The 737 MAX has surpassed 4,000 to-
meet the needs of our customers, and sup- tal orders to date. Flyadeal began operations in September

TS&S names Mansoor Janahi deputy CEO
Janahi was previously vice president at Mubadala RADAR
“Game On” says Emirates president as

Gulf airlines pair up to capture traffic
Unfazed by airlines joining forces in the region, Dubai remains the region’s honeypot Sir
Tim Clark tells Aviation Business
OUTLOOK Saudi Arabia’s national carrier is leverag- national carrier’s network. Meanwhile,
Emirates’ partnership with Flydubai ing its new low cost subsidiary, Flyadeal, to Oman’s newest carrier, Salam Air, has in-
might have garnered the most attention, but tap growing domestic and regional demand dicated its low cost offerings “complement”
is just one in a spate of recent airline pairings for air travel. Kuwait’s newly rebooted Wa- those of national carrier, Oman Air.
in the Gulf. taniya is also attempting to feed into the However, Emirates president, Sir Tim
Clark, is unfazed by any prospect of grow-
ing competition over the Middle East’s skies.
When asked if any of the regional pair-
ings suggested a cause for concern, his re-
sponse was simply, “No, not at all. Game on.”
“Dubai is the honeypot, and soaks up an-
ything thrown at it,” he told Aviation Busi-
ness in an interview at the Dubai Airshow
last week.
The region will support a huge amount
of passenger growth, whether for low cost
or full service travel, according to Clark,
and adding capacity on trunk and regional
routes “is the smart thing to do.”
Kuwait and a number of other countries
are beginning to think in the same way, he
says. “So you only need to bolt on a few other
points (to routes), and that ends up being
great for consumers, the city and the air-
King AbdulAziz International Airport is being developed for an ultimate capacity of 80 million lines.” (Read the full story on page 40)
Flydubai, Emirates to add more codeshare destinations

Flydubai’s CEO Ghaith al Ghaith says it is ‘too early’ to gauge the success of the partner-
ship between the two airlines
CODESHARE ing forces with Emirates.
Flydubai and Emirates are likely to ex- “As we perfect those routes that we’ve
pand their codeshare deal to more destina- launched, we will launch more routes to-
tions by the end of the year, according to gether,” Ghaith told Arabian Business
flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith. at the Dubai Airshow “I think we’ll try
Earlier in November, the two airlines squeeze something [more] in by the end of
announced that 16 new destinations - in- the year.”
cluding those in Russia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Ghaith added that “it is too early” to
Bangladesh and Tanzania - were added to gauge the success of the a partnership be-
their shared network, which was initially tween the two airlines, but said that he is
comprised of 29 destinations, following the confident it will be successful in the long-
July announcement that flydubai was join- term. Airbus has the option to increase its stake in 2023

DXB passenger traffic up 6.9 percent in October
RADAR Year to date, passenger numbers at DXB have risen 5.9% to 73,433,846
Wataniya orders 25 A321 aircraft in

bid to feed Kuwait Airways
Airline plans to undbundle its economy class product from 1 December
The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 turbofans
ORDERS “Our customers in Kuwait like being “Like Flydubai and Emirates what we
Propelled by aircraft packed to capacity, able to fly non-stop instead of having to fly want to do is feed traffic through Kuwait
Wataniya is adding 25 new A321-LR to its through Dubai or Sharjah,” says Al-Tuwai- Airways because they fly to a lot of routes
fleet just four months after it resumed op- jri. “With these new long range aircraft, we we don’t,” says Al-Tuwaijri. “We want to
erations. Kuwait’s third carrier will operate can now fly as far as Beijing, China.” be a hybrid-low cost airline.”
the aircraft under lease from Golden Falcon Wataniya returned to the skies after Wataniya currently operates with both
Aviation, Wataniya’s biggest shareholder. a six-year hiatus in July. In a country premium and economy cabins to attract
The airline currently operates two through which Emirates flies A380s, the passengers on either end of the spectrum.
A320-200 aircraft but with fl ights packed airline currently competes with national Economy class passengers receive all the
up to “100 percent on some routes and 80 carrier Kuwait Airways as well as low- same services as business class passengers.
percent on others” the airline is on track cost carrier Jazeera Airways. From 1 December, it will unbundle its
to continue with growth plans, Hamad However, there is no reason to deter economy product into ‘Wataniya Seat’
Al-Tuwaijri, Chairman of Golden Falcon optimism over future fortunes because which will allow customers to purchase a
Aviation, told Aviation Business at the the market for travel is growing, accord- food, baggage and other in-flight options
Dubai Airshow last month. ing to Al-Tuwaijri. as add-ons to seating.
Dubai’s DAE leases 5 Dreamliners to Bahrain’s Gulf Air

LEASING Dubai Aerospace Enterprise’s CEO, Fi- ment with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise sees
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd roz Tarapore said: “Leasing these state of Gulf Air gear up for a landmark moment in
has announced that its leasing division, the art new technology aircraft underlines our history as we welcome five Boeing 787-9
DAE Capital, and Bahrain-based Gulf Air Dubai Aerospace Enterprise’s ability to Dreamliners in the coming months.
have signed an agreement to lease five Boe- work across the asset spectrum and help “The incoming aircraft represent an
ing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. customers with varying fleet requirements. important step in our strategic direction
The planes are scheduled to enter the We look forward to supporting one of the towards furthering Gulf Air’s fleet moderni-
Gulf carrier’s fleet in 2018, a statement from Gulf Air as it continues to grow.” sation process, enhancing passenger comfort
DAE said, adding that they will help Gulf Gulf Air deputy CEO, Captain Waleed and broadening our network as we look to
Air expand its network. Abdulhameed Al Alawi, added: “Our agree- strengthen our presence across the globe.”

Bahrain Duty Free inflight partnership with Gulf Air
143 Bahrain Duty Free-supplied products will be available four purchase on Gulf Air flights RADAR
Turkish to return to 10% growth by 2018: CEO

Turkish airlines’ record third quarter this year has profits in nine months of 2017 at $956 million
OUTLOOK “Istanbul’s third airport, will come istan as well as in Sierra Leone in Afri-
What turned out to be an extraordi- online next year and will change the ca. “We’re looking strongly at India and
nary year in Turkish Airlines’ history game. With traffic growing we foresee China to grow, as well as in Africa,” said
last year shouldn’t be used as a gauge for the need for more widebody aircraft,” Eksi. “We have a very good network and
the airline’s future success, CEO Bilal said Eksi. fly to over 120 countries, the most in the
Eksi told Aviation Business last month. Next year the airline plans to intro- world. That and the huge domestic mar-
“Last year, we increased passengers duce a number of new destinations to its ket we have gives us a bigger advantage
by 3 million over 2015 but the growth network including Samarkand in Uzbek- than other airlines,” he added.
was shadowed by the fi nancial numbers.
However, results for 2017, will prove the
previous year is not the norm. We expect
to return to 10 percent growth annually
very soon, probably by 2018,” said Eksi.
A tepid political climate and attacks
at its hub in Istanbul forced Turkish
Airlines to post its fi rst loss in 17 years
in 2016. However, the airline notched a
record third quarter this year with $939
million in profits, growing total profits in
the nine months of 2017 to $956 million.
“There are no security concerns any
more, and passenger numbers will in-
crease by an expected 6 million over
last year. The numbers are beginning to
show it as our load factor has grown by
six percent, and we’re hopeful we will
end the year in profit as well,” he said.
The airline is currently decided on a
widebody aircraft tender issued to both
Boeing and Airbus concerning the US-
made 787-9 Dreamliner and the Euro-
pean manufacturer’s A350-900. Emirates will deploy planes with 615 seats and without first class cabins on some routes to Gatwick
Air Arabia adds six Airbus A321neo to its fleet

Sharjah-based carrier says to target Africa, Asia with new long-range aircraft
LEASING taking place between January and October He said Air Arabia would have the
Low cost-carrier Air Arabia has signed a 2019. range to reach destinations in China, Thai-
lease deal to add six aircraft to its fleet from “This will allow Air Arabia to fly from land and Malaysia. From its Morocco base,
2019, giving it greater reach to target long- its main base in Sharjah, from our hub he said Air Arabia would look to operate
range destinations in Africa and Asia. in Morocco, as well as our hub in Egypt, routes to east Europe. “It’s a target that
The Sharjah-based airline inked an further afield, almost up to eight hours we’ve always had,” he said, of the Moroc-
eight-year lease agreement with US-based anywhere within that range,” said Adil Ali, can base.
Air Lease Corporation (ALC) to take add Group CEO of Air Arabia. Air Arabia currently has 50 Airbus
six A321 neo long range aircraft (with re- “It also gives us a good capacity increase A320s in its fleet, serving a total of 133 des-
duced fuel consumption) to its fleet. Each of up to about 45 to 50 seats on each aircraft tinations. The airline will take delivery of a
aircraft will have 215 seats, with deliveries from our existing capacity.” further three over the next two years, with
the six from ALC to added in 2019.

DXB passenger traffic hits 7.2 million
RADAR Total traffic is 1.7% more than that recorded in the same month of 2016
Could retail giant Alibaba be Etihad’s

key to more travellers from China?
Carrier’s latest deals for greater access to world’s second largest economy include strategic
agreement to tap into Ali Baba’s half billion active users
In 2013, orders for commercial aircraft at the Dubai Airshow peaked at over $200 billion
EXPANSION there aren’t too many gaps that we have in over 100,000 tourists from the country
The UAE’s national carrier is hoping the network,” he told journalists ahead of flocked to Abu Dhabi in the first three
Chinese retail giant, Ali Baba, turns into last year’s International Air Transport As- months of 2017.
just what it needs to gain greater access to sociation annual general meeting. There are over 750 million internet us-
the world’s largest economy. Etihad’s first step in filling that gap was ers in the country, and Ali Baba commands
After agreeing to promote China’s an- a codeshare deal with China Southern Air- the attention of 520 million active users on
nual 11.11 shopping festival, the largest of lines in June to fly customers to Shangai its platform. Etihad plans to tap into that
its kind in the world, with livery on aircraft and Chengdu from Abu Dhabi. Travellers market to boost the number of travellers on
that fly to 40 destinations around the world, on Etihad will then be able to fly on with its aircraft even further, says Bulooki.
Etihad last month signed an agreement the Chinese carrier to secondary airports “There is an impressive and growing
with e-commerce platform, Ali Baba, to al- within China or countries further East. number of Chinese outbound travellers
low its customers to trade loyalty points on China has been a tough and “competi- exploring new destinations and unique ex-
purchases for Etihad Guest miles. tive” market for Etihad so far, according periences,” says Bulooki.” “Also, the volume
The Abu-Dhabi based airline has also to executive vice president, Mohammad al of goods transportation generated on ecom-
opened its booking system to payments Bulooki, adding new visa on arrival ser- merce platforms has been amazing. We be-
from Ali Baba’s payment platform, Ali Pay. vices will help promote the UAE and Abu lieve cooperation with Alibaba Group will
The developments come as Etihad Dhabi as business and leisure destinations. better consolidate our product and service
works overtime to plug a gap in its network China trumped India and Russia this advantages as well as enhance our brand
that former CEO James Hogan first identi- year to become the number one source of awareness and jointly optimise our prod-
fied last year. “With the exception of China, tourists into Abu Dhabi earlier this year; ucts and services.”

Oman Air cuts chauffeur service
All chauffer drive services have been cancelled as of 18 October RADAR
Gulf carriers wary of possible charges

against them in US tax reform bill
Etihad Airways said the provision in a bill being deliberated by the US Senate appears to be
derived from one of the US legacy carriers
REGULATORY to long-standing rule that has exempted “We are working with a broad coali-
Gulf carriers may face a possible new foreign airlines from corporate taxes. tion of industry representatives to inform
barrier to its flights to the United States if The amendment, put forward by Sena- lawmakers on this issue, which appears to
a bill is passed by the US Senate. tor Johnny Isakson of Georgia (where US be the result of continued anticompetitive
The US Senate will vote on a new tax carrier Delta is headquartered), would re- efforts by one or more of the big three US
bill that if passed could see Gulf carriers, quire foreign carriers to pay US corporate legacy carriers.”
and those from other countries like Singa- tax if a country doesn’t have a tax treaty Emirates, aware of the proposed pro-
pore, Serbia and Fiji, hit with a new tax. with the US and if US carriers with at vision, declined to comment.
Included in Senate’s tax bill is a change least $1 billion in annual revenue must In the wider aviation industry, the bill
have at least two weekly arrivals and de- is seen as affecting global aviation in “a
partures there. major way like nothing else,” according to
The move is widely seen as targeting car- Abdul Wahab Teffaha, secretary general
riers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where of Arab Air Carriers’ Organisation.
none of the three big US airlines fly to. “There is a real danger it will sup-
Etihad Airways, which will suspend its press aviation and it will be bad for the
Dallas route in 2018 due to American Air- consumer. And there is also the danger
lines ending its codeshare agreement, said of proliferation. I am afraid that many
the new provision appears to be derived countries will see what the US is doing
from at least one of the US legacy carriers. and will follow suit,” he told Air Trans-
“Etihad Airways is aware of the lan- port World.
guage in the Senate tax reform bill, which International Air Transport Associa-
is widely agreed to be inappropriate un- tion told The Financial Times that, if en-
der US law and contrary to several inter- acted, it would “upend decades of prece-
national agreements,” an Etihad Airways dent” and to foreign governments possibly
Proliferation in response to the bill is a concern spokesman said. imposing reciprocal taxes in return.
Gulf Air appoints former Croatian Airlines boss as CEO

Kresimir Kucko replaces Maher Salman Al Musallam who stepped down in June
APPOINTMENTS of Gulf Air’s board of directors said: “He
Bahrain’s Gulf Air has appointed for- (Ku ko) brings with him exceptional in-
mer Croatia Airlines chief Krešimir Ku ko dustry knowledge that I am confident will
as its new CEO. add considerable value to our business and
Ku ko resigned as CEO of Croatia’s I look forward to the journey ahead for the
national carrier last month after 25 years Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier.”
with the carrier. He joins the airline’s recently appointed
He replaces Maher Salman Al Musal- deputy CEO, Captain Waleed Abdulha-
lam, who stepped down from his position meed Al Alawi, at a significant time in the
in June. Al Musallam successfully reduced airline’s history as it prepares to receive a
the airline’s debts by 88 percent during his new fleet consisting of 39 new Boeing and
tenure as CEO. Airbus aircraft, due for delivery commenc-
Zayed Bin Rashid Alzayani, chairman ing in early 2018. Emirates is the world’s biggest operator of A380s

COVER STORY
Sir Tim Clark is transforming Emirates

into a lean and hungry machine
LIKE NEVER
BEFORE By Shayan Shakeel

COVER STORY

COVER STORY
Sir Tim Clark joined Emirates Airline as a founding member in 1985 and has been its president since 2003
O
n Day 4 of the Dubai has brought the airline it’s swagger back. Emirates is the world’s largest operator of
Airshow, as Aviation Business “When the annual results came out both A380s and B777s
sat down to speak with last year, everyone was going ‘this is the
Emirates president, Sir Tim beginning of the end’, and ‘Emirates is
Clark, the wires were aflood with stories finished.’ Well, think again,” says Clark.
about the airline’s tug of war with a cer- At Emirates since the airline’s incep-
tain European aircraft manufacturer. tion, Clark is arguably aviation’s most
Emirates had kicked off Dubai’s bi- important executive in the world. He’s
ennial aviation marquee by shocking led the airline since 2003, turning it into
the world with an order for 40 Boeing a global powerhouse and household
Dreamliners on Day 1, and no A380s. name, and he’s done it his way. Now, he’s
Clark’s statement earlier in the year spearheading a change in the airline’s
turned out to be the one that rang most business unlike anything seen before.
loudly: that he wouldn’t be pressured by
a “guillotine in November” to seal a deal DID YOU KNOW?
111%
for more of the superjumbos that have
defined its fleet over the last decade.
The airline would likely still have
pressed just as hard–the world’s biggest Improvement in air-
A380 customer is asking for changes at line profits over last
Airbus the way its biggest shareholder year when Emirates
would. But a return to form this year,
after the biggest decline in profitability in
suffered the worst de-
the Dubai-based airline’s history in 2016, cline in its history

COVER STORY
The first batch of those changes have is beginning to show results. Group and
been evident with onboard crews not- airline profits rose by 75 and 111 percent
ing meal and flight preferences through respectively in the airline’s half year The Google’s of the
smart devices as opposed to the tradi- results announced in November. Yields,
tional clipboard, pilot training aids in the which have long been under pressure, world say we’re going
form of eye-tracking technology, and the are picking up as well, as is passenger to just make you a
company’s plans to develop autonomous demand, says Clark.
vehicles for ground side operations as “A lot of it is through more computing supplier of seats from
well as an interface to integrate experi- power and understanding segmentation. A to B. Wrong! This is
ences for travellers for platform. But Emirates is now perfectly positioned now
Emirates’ embrace of future technology in terms of cost structure. We’re a much Emirates you’re
goes even deeper. better and leaner company in 18 months taking about and we
At the heart of Emirates’ journey to than perhaps a couple years ago,” he says.
become more agile is the customer, and Spurred by the airline’s advancing will never be
the airline is constantly learning how to digital repertoire, one of the biggest commoditised,
better understand what customers want, changes Clark will attempt in the next
and transforming how its website mar- five years is to remove the thorn in its subsumed or
kets and sell tickets online. side: intermediaries. subjugated by some
“With the digitalisation and the knowl- “I have often said, I find it a great pain
edge AIs that we have, we’re learning all to me that I put the Emirates inventory other overarching
the time what our customers want, when into the hands of another. They’re very global brand.”
they want it, why they want it and what grateful to get that inventory. And they
they’re going to do with it,” he says. “It’s flog it and make a fat margin because worldwide. For decades, and at a cost
only been a few years for us on the jour- they then have the nerve to charge us to airlines, they have been the standard
ney, but we have 1.2 million people flying for putting our inventory in their system. industry method to sell airline tickets.
with us every week at the moment and I think that just makes no sense to me,” But some such as Lufthansa and British
we’re getting far better at it.” Clark is talking about the global distri- Airways parent IAG have recently an-
The rapid embrace of all things digital bution systems powering travel agencies nounced surcharges on GDS bookings.
Emirates has had to work with GDS’
until now only because it had to. “We
couldn’t do anything about it at the time
because we didn’t have the technology
then. Now, we do,” he says.
“All sorts of people enter the system
that do not go from the look to book, but
we have the data about where they look,”
says Clark. The trick then is to create a
huge raft of products in the online world
that Emirates can hyperpersonalise and
then market itself, he adds.
“I don’t see a place for them in five
years,” Clark says. “The GDS’ have a
contra-rotating agenda of lining their
own pockets first and ours somewhere
down the line. But there’s a storm com-
ing and I’ve been saying it for a long
time to these guys. What they do and the
value they bring was fine 15 years ago,
but that’s no longer the case, because we
can actually do what they do better than
they could ever do.”
Some analysts point to the growth of
online travel agencies and search en-
gines and say air travel is ultimate in for

COVER STORY
a commoditisation in terms of seats, even

more so if airlines abandon the GDS’ en
masse. But Clark has sharp words for
any that would want to include Emirates
in that fold.
“The Google’s of the world say we’re
going to just make you a supplier of seats
from A to B. Wrong! This is Emirates
you’re taking about and we will never be
commoditised, subsumed or subjugated
by some other overarching global brand,”
It’s not just GDS’ but any other inter-
mediaries including the aviation lessor
community, as well as banks that the
airline deals with that Clark is ready to
go to war with.
“I make no secret of the fact that for
many years people have been very fed Emirates is trying to upgrade business class across its fleet to make it similar to the experience on its A380s
up with intermediaries. We need to dis-
intermediarise the business in many Clark has a degree in Economics from
respects, with all the people that come University of London, is a Fellow of the Royal
between us and the true nature of the Aeronautical Society, holds an honorary
game. Be they lessors or even the banks doctorate from the University of Middlesex,
that we deal with.” and an honorary degree from the Newcastle
“There’s a lot of people in the mid- Business School at Northumbria University
dle of the aviation game that extract an
enormous amount of value. And when I
go back to the prognosis of yields, I can
take flatlining or lowering yields in real
terms if we can dis-intermediarise the
business so we actually get the value we
need to reduce the cost base.”
Clark’s faith in Emirates’ ability to
decipher customer demand leads him
to be optimistic about first class. “A lot
of people think we’re going the other
way and I say to myself ‘Excellent, keep
thinking like that’ because then we get
all the business.”
The airline recently dropped first class
options on certain routes to Gatwick this
winter, but that’s just part of the plan, ac-
cording to Clark.
“Of course we will adjust the horse
for the course. We might drop it to the
Phillipines or Durban, but if you talk
about London, LA or Beijing then first
class demand is very strong there.
Where it doesn’t exist to the levels to jus-
tify a full cabin of seats, we take it down
to a two class offering.”
Eventually, Emirates will upgrade its
business class product similar to what it

COVER STORY
When I go back to
the prognosis of
yields, I can take
flatlining or
lowering yields in
real terms if we can
dis-intermediarise
the business so we
actually get the
value we need to
reduce the cost base.”
In five years, Clark doesn’t see a space for GDS platforms which supply travel agencies with airline inventory
offers on its A380s. “So if you do not find Air has also indicated it wants to “compli-
first class and have to go on business ment” Oman Air, according to its CEO.
class, then it’s perfectly okay.” “No, not at all, Game on,” says Clark
On the question of premium economy,. when asked if they pose any cause for
Clark concedes Emirates “may have concern. Partnerships such as these will
underestimated demand.” However, a lot once again increase the size of the pie,
of premium economy came to market be- according to Clark. “Dubai is the hon-
tween 2007 and today, according to Clark, eypot of course, and soaks up anything
when the global economy went through getting thrown at it which is great for
a real problem. “Demand then was pretty consumers, city and airlines.”
flaky,” he says. “However, with all that said, Instead, the one wildcard to all of
demand is picking up again with people’s Clark’s plans for Emirates’ future is the
propensity to pay for premium but not global economy. Clark acknowledges
necessarily for business. We are looking at that the airline went through “burning
premium economy seriously and consider- hoops over the last 18 months,” but
ing whether the cabin is big enough and much of that is because of the global
what the risk reward might be.” economy, “nothing to do with what we’ve
Similar changes to price points and seg- done,” he says. With oil prices on the
mentation are how Emirates will respond way up and US market at historic peaks,
to the “the gathering storm”, the phrase the last thing the world needs is “dis-
Clark coined in relation to ultra long equal equilibrium caused by geopolitical
haul low cost carriers (ULHLCC) such traumas, such as in Korea or wherever,”
as Norwegian Airlines and Singapore’s he says.
Scoot. “You have to believe those carriers “If quantitative easing remains where
will increase the size of the pie by tapping it is today or comes off a bit, we might
into incipient demand from a lot of people what’s driving emerging markets to keep
who never would have travelled before. moving. If my hunch is right, and even
And we want a piece of the action.” the world’s greatest global economists
In the Gulf, partnerships similar to the are struggling with this, once you pass
one Emirates and Flydubai announced that inflexion point it’ll move on its own.
in July are springing up. Saudi Arabian I’m kind of optimistic that’s what’s going
Airlines has set up a low cost subsidiary, to happen, but can’t tell you for certain,
Wataniya wants to tap into Kuwait Airways’ but when in doubt as I always say, follow
network, and Omani low cost carrier Salam your instinct.”

HIGHLIGHTS
DAS17:
in pictures
A big reveal followed by a
surprising order on Day 1.
A relatively calm second
day followed by a flurry of
announcements on day three
and a record breaking day four.
Needless to say, after initial
scepticism about whether
the Airshow would deliver,
all left with the impression
that the event had surpassed HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE,
Ruler of Dubai and HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive
expectations. Council open the Dubai Airshow 2017
The new Emirates’

Flight Training Academy
with Cirrus SR22 G6 and
Embraer Phenom 100EV
Business class on Flydubai’s new 737 Max
Etihad Airways’ flying test bed

HIGHLIGHTS
Emirates A380 and B777 perform their first ever fly-by together
Emirates’ 100th A380 Emirates’ all new Boeing 777 first class suites
Airbus signs $49.5 billion, 430 aircraft agreement with Indigo Partners, its Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director General, UAE Space Agency and Astro-
biggest ever deal naut Col. Al Worden, USAF-Retd., Command Module Pilot, Apollo 15
The inaugural Airport

Solutions Conference
AirBaltic’s Bombardier CS300 which flies direct from

Abu Dhabi to Riga, Latvia

FLYDUBAI
WANTS MORE
Flydubai’s signing with Boeing at the Dubai Airshow 2017 includes a commitment for 175 MAX airplanes,
and purchase rights for 50 additional MAXs. Meant to tap into the unfolding partnership with Emirates, CEO
Ghaith al Ghaith is optimistic the order will allow the airline to grow well beyond 67 destinations and 44 million
passengers per annum.
H
ow are plans for the part-
nership with Emirates pro-
gressing?
The partnership is going
going full steam ahead. There is a ob-
viously a major emphasis on growth
by the leadership of the country and
our ownership. We’re very grateful for
the opportunity to work with Emirates
and it only bodes to be a significant for
both airlines as well as the aviation
prospects of the UAE.
An order for up to 225 aircraft is a

significant indicator that you expect
exponential growth in the next few
years. Can you tell us a bit more about
that?
It was a no-brainer to get 225 more as
we grow. The challenge of course will
be to take these aircraft and translate it
into real value for the consumer. With
the partnership with Emirates, we’re
in a fortunate position to have all the
right deals to make the most of these
airlines. So really with how growth is
being pushed in the UAE, this order is
really an evolution in the airline’s own
journey as well as that of the country. c Flydubai’s commitment with Boeing at the Airshow is valued at US$ 27 billion at list prices
With Emirates and Flydubai ordering to, so if the price and profits aren’t
more aircraft on top of the ones still to
There will be some right we won’t. We’ll go somewhere
be delivered, what are your thoughts bumps on the road in where it makes business sense. The
on over-capacity and the low-yield expansion the country wants makes
environment we’re in? Will it persist?
terms of yields and it a no-brainer that we have to make
Capacity, you have to understand, is unprofitability on those decisions. Of course there will
very easy to deploy as long as you be some bumps on the road in terms
have the opportunity to go to the right
routes. But it shouldn’t of yields and unprofitability on routes.
destinations. It’s up to us where to fly stop growth.” But it shouldn’t stop you from growing

AIR ARABIA
LOOKS EAST
Air Arabia’s existing fleet of existing fleet of 50 A320 will grow by six A321 LR after it agreed to lease them from
Air Lease Corporation. The longest range single aisle airliner on the market will help the Sharjah-based low
cost carrier tap into high density routes, says CEO Adel Ali .
c Arabia’s new A321neo LR aircraft will feature 215 seats per aircraft
A
t our last discussion in senger traffic across our hubs and remain
April, you were pushing for The addition of focused on our business model and mis-
more capacity into India.
How has that conversation
A321neo Long Range sion to provide affordable fare and value
for money to passengers. The addition of
progressed if at all? aircraft allow us to A321neo Long Range aircraft allow us to
The aircraft orders aren’t really related
to that, we’re looking at key markets in
expand our service to expand our service to longer range desti-
nations and helps offer more flexibility in
Europe and South East Asia to grow. Of longer range destina- our existing high density routes. We look
course the decision for more traffic rights
into India is up to the governments of each.
tions and helps offer forward to receiving the new aircraft in
2019 as we continue to offer our customers
Traffic rights into India, I would reiterate, more flexibility on an excellent product with more destina-
is about Air Arabia and other airlines in
the UAE wanting more capacity in to the
high density routes.” tions to discover”.
country. The market can take it and most of Would Air Arabia be willing to part-
us are flying at a very high seat factor. Air a good business case. ner with any of the other UAE airlines
Arabia has 13 airports and we think India as some have suggested?
has many more airports. For the good of What was the key determinant in opt- We’re a publicly listed company and look at
the two countries and also for the people ing for the long range A321s and when any good business opportunities. But can
that live both here and there, it would be do you expect to receive the aircraft? assure you that at the moment we’re not
good to have more capacity. It makes for We continue to witness growth in pas- looking at any partnership with anybody.

EGYPTAIR
ATTEMPTS REVIVAL
Political instability and security threats have affected EgyptAir›s fortunes over the last decade. But with orders for
up to 24 Bombardier C-Series aircraft, as well as 15 Airbus A320neos and 6 Boeing 787s from leasing company
AerCap at this year’s Airshow, the carrier is expecting better times ahead, says Chairman Capt. Sherif Ezzat.
E
gyptAir has had a turbulent
few years. But now you are
ordering large numbers of air-
craft. What’s changed?
The problem isn’t endemic to the air-
line but is a refl ection of the reality of
the whole Middle East. However, we’ve
made some very important decisions that
are now showing results at EgyptAir.
We’re now renewing the old product
with six widebody Dreamliners and 15
narrow body aircraft as well as the 24
C-Series 300 for EgyptAir Express. This
will allow us to increase frequencies to
existing destinations and over the next
fi ve years introduce more routes. We
have 84 aircraft to come in so we can
expand the network as we increase the
fl eet by 70 percent through various leas-
ing agreements. We’re replacing the old
product with the new before we embark
on getting new aircraft.
You’ve chosen to lease as opposed to

buy, why is that? c EgyptAir CEO Safwat al Musallam at the announcement for 12 Bombardier CS300 upgradeable to 24
Leasing is an industry standard and it is
company policy to not own the aircraft rything is returning to normal levels.
so as to reduce capital costs. It also al-
Leasing aircraft allows us to go back to the market for new Airlines from the Gulf likely pose
lows us to go back products at the end of the contract when growing competition, how do you plan
there something new emerges.
to the market for to tackle that?
It’s tough competition especially with
new products at the How are tourist numbers faring, as airlines in the Middle East, but one of
the benefits we have is the large domestic
end of the contract you’ve mentioned, after the period
of instability? population with lots of developed tour-
when there is some- Egypt has had problems with tourism. ism. You have to compete with others
But tourists are related to the economy with your best strengths to get a piece
thing new that which is now improving. In terms of of the cake and it’s a tough market.
emerges.” regular travellers, and not tourists, eve- across the globe.

WATANIYA’S
HYBRID PLANS
Just five months after its reboot, Kuwait’s Wataniya Airways, signed a deal for 25 additional Airbus A321LR at
the Dubai Airshow. The plan is to add seven aircraft each year up to 60 by 2025, as the carrier grows the market,
according to the chairman of its lessor and largest shareholder, Hamad al Tuwaijri.
c With the A320neo, Wataniya will be able to tap into demand for flights to Beijing in China.
W
ith three carrier’s now Kathmandu, so we can feed into their
operating in Kuwait We want to be a network quite well. Right now, we’re
is the market not too
saturated?
hybrid airline, growing to where Kuwait and Jazeera
don’t fly to such as Sarajevo in Bosnia as
All combined, the carriers are only captur- which is why we well. Load factors on these routes are at
ing 30 percent of domestic demand. What
we need to be aiming for is 80 percent.
have both normal near 100 percent
With Kuwait Airways getting more wide- economy as well as With that plan how can you match
body aircraft it should be to fly further
and gain back some of share that other
premium classes your service to compliment Kuwait
Airways’ full service proposition?
regional carriers have taken. Our custom- with business class We want to be a hybrid airline, which is
ers like the ability to fly non-stop where
previously they needed to fly through the
lie-flat seats.” why we have both normal economy as
well as premium classes with business
UAE with Air Arabia and Flydubai to get class lie-flat seats. Until December 1, we
to Kuwait. We began with a capital of 10 add on to their network? have been offering premium services to
million Kuwaiti Dinar and of course can What we want to do is feed the national all passengers so they can have a feel of
increase that as and when it is needed. carrier from destinations it doesn’t fly our services. From December we will be-
to such as Kathmandu. And there are gin ‘Wataniya Seat’ which will be the low
Would you be open to partnerships a lot of people that want to go on to cost product on which customers can
with any of the domestic carriers to destinations like Europe and US from choose ancillary services.

SALAM AIR
SALAMAIR’S
FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE
Less than a year old, Oman’s first low cost carrier SalamAir is now being led by its second
CEO. However, despite closer attention that the carrier’s owners have on return on invest-
ment, Mohamed Ahmed is optimistic the airline has what it takes to be successful.
By Shayan Shakeel
T
his might be the best they don’t go so as to grow on that abil-
time for low cost to pros- ity to complement their offering.”
per,” says SalamAir CEO Crucially, SalamAir is targeting those
Mohamed Ahmed who customers who would otherwise not fly
joined the carrier after serving at and opt instead to drive to destinations
Air Arabia. “With regional econo- within Oman. “We fly four times daily
mies practicing austerity, the appeal to Salalah from Muscat, but during the
for a low cost carrier grows. We’re summer we were flying seven times
the first one in Oman which gives us daily at load factors over 90 percent. It’s
a huge first-move advantage as well, because our fares were low enough to
while complimenting the full service convince domestic travellers who would
carrier in Oman.” have otherwise opted to drive 12 hours
Ahmed insists SalamAir will to take a chance on low-cost air travel
help grow the market instead
of taking share away from the
DID YOU KNOW?
60
country’s full service carrier.
“They have a very differ-
ent product which targets
a very different segment Destinations SalamAir
compared to us. There
might be some overlap wants to grow to in
in terms of destinations five years once along
of course, but we’ll try with taking in 25 A320s
to fly to destinations

SALAM AIR
SalamAir currently flies to three destinations in Oman, as well as Dubai and Sialkot in Pakistan
The benefit of low-cost carriers is that countries also puts Oman at at an advan-
they bring a win-win proposition for the tage. “Geopolitical uncertainty definitely
industry by growing the market, says We’re bringing a helps Oman because of it friendly rela-
Ahmed. “If demand doesn’t historically product that hasn’t tions which allow it to benefit from an
exist for travel in a destination, we’ll increased traffic flow,” he says.
create it by flying there.” yet been available. What might make Ahmed’s job trick-
The airline currently operates three
A320s and will add upto four aircraft
Add to that Oman is ier is the CEOs at both Oman Air and
Salam Air departing abruptly earlier in
each year before reaching 25 in five a big country with a an indication that the there is a lot more
years. “As a private company, revenue
and income will of course be core to
number of airports attention in Oman on returns from avia-
tion. “The fantastic state of the art air-
our growth plans,” he says. “But our about to come online. port about to open next year has been
goal is to be able to reach 60 destina- spent on heavily and so the country is
tions in five years, across the Indian So we’re here at the looking for a return on that investment
subcontinent, the GCC especially
Saudi Arabia, as well as the wider
right time and place.” by emphasising non-oil sectors,” says
Ahmed.
Middle East in Sudan, Iran and peratures reach 45 degrees in the rest The pressure to bring profitability is
Iraq.” of the Gulf, Salalah is at 20 degrees. So ultimately determined by how well plans
The carrier currently flies the country has a lot to offer and we’re can be executed, he says. “Fortunately
to Dubai and Doha, as well as working hand in hand with the tour- the infrastructure including airports and
three airports within Oman. The ism department to bring more visitors ground handling already exist. Oman
country’s own population may be here,” he says. has also commenced licensing a second
small, but with Oman’s potential Emirates and Flydubai joining forces ground handler at Muscat International
for tourism, including some of the bodes even better for low cost travel, Airport which is unprecedented in the
longest beaches in the region, Ahmed and consequently SalamAir, according Gulf,” he says.
says SalamAir is merely waiting for to Ahmed. “One of the main challenges “Being the first low cost carrier is a
the opportunity to yields in the region has been overca- huge advantage,” he says. “We’re bring-
to expand op- pacity. Such partnerships help reduce ing a product that hasn’t yet been avail-
erations to more that overcapacity, so the market will able. Add to that Oman is a big country
airports as they rationalise, easing pressure on yields,” with a number of airports about to come
come online in he says. online. So we’re here at the right time
2018. “At times A stable political climate as well as and place to propel both GDP growth
when the tem- cordial relations with neighbouring and investment.”

REPORT
The
connected
world of travel
As the connected world of travel becomes a
reality, we’re witnessing a heightened focus
on critical areas like cyber security and the
Internet of Things (IoT), along with significant
levels of investment to make the passenger
experience and services smarter.

REPORT
T
he community’s move into the
digital age is also giving rise to
emerging approaches to identity
management, such as single
token travel, as more and more people’s
transactions are managed and verified
digitally–whether on mobile devices
or online.
A CYBER QUEST
“Airlines are investing in areas which
will promote a connected world of travel
for the benefit of passengers and the
workforce,” says Nigel Pickford, Director
Market Insight, SITA.
“We see new priorities attracting more
investment, with cyber security and elec-
tronic flight bag solutions coming to the
fore in this year’s research.”
According to the Airline IT Trends
Survey, one of the biggest quests in
cyberspace is indeed assurance of the
utmost security. As many as 91 percent of
airlines said they plan to invest in cyber
security programs over the next three
years. That’s up from fewer than half of
airlines (47 percent) three years ago.
ALL THINGS CONNECTED

The focus on cyber security reflects the
emergence of the IoT, which will see vast
numbers of physical objects connected to
the internet. By enabling tracking, data
collection, analysis and control, the IoT
clearly necessitates more security.
The IoT has an overarching influence, c How travellers would behave if the world only had 100, according to SITA
according to Pickford. “The Internet of
Things simply means things are commu- provide destination services and duty-free SMART AND MOBILE
nicating with each other. They communi- shopping apps, while 70 percent plan to The IoT primarily depends for connectiv-
cate with us only to take instructions and provide multi-media file streaming on pas- ity on everything that’s smart and mo-
report results.” senger devices. bile–and providing passenger services via
An overwhelming majority of airlines A key area of IoT investment is in con- smartphones continues to be a core area
(68 percent) are investing in IoT programs necting aircraft to the complete ecosys- of airline investment: 79 percent are plan-
in the next three years, up from 57 percent tem: today 37 percent of airlines operate ning major investment over the next three
this time last year, says the survey. connected aircraft and this will jump to years while a further 17 percent are plan-
Initiatives to realise the IoT include two thirds by 2019. ning a pilot program or R&D in this area.
smart bag tagging to enable continuous Services to passengers on tablets will
tracking, which is planned by 61 percent also see significant investment with 71 per-
of airlines by 2019. Nearly half of airlines FAST FACT cent of airlines planning major programs
are also planning IT programs for single for these devices (up from 63 percent
token travel for passenger identification.
Over the next three years big increases
68%
Percentage of airlines across the world
in 2015). Airlines are using social media
activity and physical location to tailor per-
in services are expected via mobile apps, investing in IoT over the next three years sonalised offers to passengers, with three
with more than half of airlines planning to quarters planning to do this by 2019.

REPORT
c The speed of change continues to accelerate
There’s ample evidence of the growth Trends Survey indicates the highest lev- sengers: 39 percent trialed in the next five
in connectivity: 99 percent of airlines of- els of satisfaction are attained in the early years, 53 percent in the next 10 years.
fer web check-in, compared to 78 percent stages of the journey, such as flight book- One in five airlines expect to be trialing
in 2015. Mobile check-in is offered by 78 ing and check-in where personal technol- virtual reality services for both passengers
percent of airlines compared to about 50 ogy usage is most prevalent. and staff within the next five years–with
percent last year. almost two in five doing so within 10 years.
Three-quarters of airlines now use FUTURISTS
mobile boarding passes, up from approxi- Innovations based on the IoT are equally ACCELERATING CHANGE
mately 45 percent in 2015–and 91 percent on the radar for both airlines and their The speed of change continues to acceler-
plan to offer them by 2019. Also by 2019, passengers. Asked when they first antici- ate and shows no signs of slowing, fed
70 percent of airlines expect to be using pate trialing a range of new and emerging by an appetite from passengers and
mobile for location-based notifications (14 technologies, airlines demonstrated a airlines for technology that improves ser-
percent now), and 72 percent for missing range of visionary ideas. vices, offers a more cost-effective package
baggage communication (12 percent now). For example, despite the withdrawal of and simplifies the complexities of cross-
Smartwatches are in the mix, too, with Google Glass, 40 percent of airlines expect ing continents.
27 percent of airlines already offering to trial wearables for staff (either smart- This is being driven by the ability to
mobile boarding passes using the technol- watch or smart glasses) within the next create seamless connections from curb to
ogy–and 47 percent expecting to do so by five years–and 51 percent in 10 years. curb–between passengers, airlines and air-
2019–while 38 percent will offer located- Similar results were returned for spe- ports, powered by the Internet of Things
based notifications (5 percent now). cific wearable-enabled services for pas- and the ubiquity of mobile connectivity.
This move to mobility and self-service And while the incidence, complex-
on the part of passengers was strongly ity and risks of malicious and criminal
underlined in SITA’s 2016 Passenger IT One in five air- cyber attacks has increased at the same
Trends Survey: “Passengers are showing lines expect to be tri- exponential speed, the evidence of this
a strong preference to use their own tech-
nology, where they have the option. This
aling virtual reality year’s Airline IT Trends Survey is that the
industry is fully engaged at all levels in
gives them the freedom to complete tasks
services for both pas- delivering the benefits of this technology,
and prepare for travel at their own pace”. sengers and staff as this issue of Air Transport IT Review
Not surprisingly, the Passenger IT within five years” shows.

© Unicef/UN05314/Dragaj
DO SO METH IN G
A M A Z ING TO DAY
Help build a better

world for children. unicef.uk
EMPIRE AVIATION GROUP
EMPIRE’S
DECADE OF GROWTH
From a single aircraft to a regional Hawker operator to a fleet of 24 that flies across the world,
Empire Aviation Group has been a success story in the region’s business aviation industry.
Executive director Steve Hartley spoke with Aviation Business on what it takes to chart a
course of growth.
By Shayan Shakeel
A
decade ago when Empire
Aviation Group began
service as an operator of
business and private jets, its
offices at the Dubai Airport Freezone
resembled a classroom, says executive
director, Steve Hartley.
“They were lined up one behind the
other and everyone was shuffling papers
as we scrambled to get our air operator’s
certificate (AOC) to fly,” he says.
Ten years on Hartley and his team
were carving into a cake at the Dubai
Airshow celebrating how the company
has grown. Empire now has a fleet of air-
craft flying all over the world. “We began
with a single Dassault Falcon 900 with
which we applied our AOC for. Now we
operate four for the same customer and
have a fleet of 24,” he says. Steve Hartley co-founded Empire Aviation Group with Paras Dhamecha in 2007
Hartley began his professional life
as a surfer. At the age of 19, the South Things have changed dramatically in
DID YOU KNOW? African was a national champion who the 10 years since, says Hartley. “We
24
went on to sell his business building used to be known primarily as a regional
surfboards and embark on a 38 year ca- Hawker operator. But now we have
reer in aviation. Hartley was a partner in G650s, three global express jets and two
Empire’s fleet has grown the National Airways Corporation which Falcon 7xs, and only one Hawker.”
from one Hawker in he sold to Imperial Group in South Africa The acquisition of high performance
in 2005 before starting Empire in the jets is an indication of how the dynamic
2007 to a mix of 24 air- UAE two years later. A certified pilot in of demand has changed, says Hartley.
craft in a decade the US, he also holds a pilot’s license in “People want to fly further and faster
the UAE for hawker jets. with greater comforts. Our most in

EMPIRE AVIATION GROUP
If the news about

liberalisation and
new cities
materialises that’s a
huge opportunity. If
Saudi does what
Dubai has done, that
will create a whole
new opportunity.”
want to do something that’s borderline.”
Empire went as far as signing an MoU
with a company in the Kingdom towards
a joint venture, but opted not to go for it
because “we didn’t feel comfortable with
the integrity of the people we were doing
it with,” he says.
“For us our strength is integrity,
honesty, and quality. If there’s a ques-
tion of doubt we’re not going to do it,”
says Hartley. Still, Empire has “some
very good Saudi customers that we fly
regularly,” adds Hartley, even if the big-
gest corporate jet market in the Middle
Hartley, centre, with his team at Empire Aviation Group at the Dubai Airshow 2017 East might take some to open up. “If the
news about liberalisation and new cities
demand routes are east of here into Getting a non-scheduled operator’s materialises that’s a huge opportunity. If
Asia. Hong Kong and China are big permit (NSOP) has been “a real battle,” you look back to 15 years ago, Dubai has
destinations for us. But we also go West says Hartley, but one that will make a grown exponentially. If Saudi does what
into the US. With the G650 we’ve done lot of sense. “We’ve made a significant Dubai has done, that will create a whole
Dubai to New York direct. It’s a strong amount of investment in replicating our new opportunity,” he says.
one for us.” Dubai offices in Bangalore. There are Until that happens, Hartley expects
Empire’s investments in San Marino real management players in India and more regional consolidation to take
and India are helping it to grow further. having the NSOP will allow us to really place. “We’ve seen that with some,
“The operation there in terms of main- tap into that. Just prior to this conversa- Execujet would be a good example.
tenance is easier. If we have an airplane tion we had a meeting with an European We’ve been approached too,” says
that needs maintenance in Singapore bank that we’re speaking with to manage Hartley. But on the dawn of a decade in
we can get a factory approved facil- their assets there. So it’s a real opportu- the business, Empire’s content to main-
ity to do that now, where in the UAE nity for us.” tain its boutique operation. “We got here
you would need UAE approval of that In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is with our staff and nothing would have
facility before you could get it done. If something to keep an eye on, but the been possible without them. Our custom-
we were operating in the old days like market isn’t growing yet the way the ers call for a more personal feel rather
with the Hawkers, we’re happy to do news would portray, says Hartley. “The than want us to turn into a goliath where
maintenance here. But if you’re flying Saudi charter market is big but we’ve not you have to get past a call centre to book
14-15 hours east and west maintenance been acting there because of the non- a flight,” he says. “And we’re happy with
becomes an issue.” approved operators there. And we don’t that right now.”

OLYMPUS

OLYMPUS
OLYMPUS
WIDENS FOCUS
Olympus’ imagery solutions have a leading market share in the inspection and
safety testing of turbines, engines and fuselages. With a dedicated regional office,
officially inaugurated a year ago, the company is looking to ramp up and deliver
locally the full portfolio of its services to the sector in the region.
H
amburg based imagery safety and testing, which we have the share with the technology and even
company Olympus’s focus best equipment to cater to. With offices more across the rest of the world.”
on the Middle East, Africa, in Dubai we can deliver not only better The Middle East’s harsh environment
and Turkey translated into quality but faster service which is the makes Olympus as a natural fit for the
a regional legal entity in Dubai to cover main advantage to a regional presence. aviation industry. “We have similar
the region two years ago, says Maurice Without needing to import or export equipment that’s used in oil and gas,
Faber (pictured) who was appointed as parts, we can deliver up to 70 percent of power generation even in the healthcare
regional managing director. all services and will be able to deliver and surgical business. All of those are
“My tasks were to build the entity, the whole portfolio of our solutions very harsh and extreme areas where we have
start the workshops and hire the right soon,” says Albert Alterjman, who works developed an expertise that lends itself
team that would allow us to grow our with Faber as general manager for the well to aviation as well,” says Faber.
business in the region. So we’ve done region. The big challenge in the Middle
well, and we show our revenue and NDT used to be done via X-ray and is East is hiring the right staff. “Training
income independently now,” says Faber. quickly being phased out by ultra sound, technicians can take up to three years
Olympus’ multi-million dirham eddy current and magnetic resonance which is why so far we have recruited
facility in Dubai employs 35 staff with technology, a lot of which requires experienced professionals from other
60 others throughout the region across external technicians to be trained on Olympus workshops around the world,”
product and application specialists, with workshops and demonstrations. says Faber. However, by working with
repair technicians and training “The airplane turbine has a lot of small 18 channel partners, which it hopes
professionals. Aviation’s promising parts. Our strength is imagery, and we to double by next year, Olympus is
outlook has caused Olympus to focus can deliver the resolution as well as bridging the talent gap. The company
intently on the sector. “We were already the flexibility, in terms of bending and is also currently training 70 NDT
working with most of the global airlines moveable cameras, unlike any other specialists at its workshops in the
as well as engine manufacturers such as company in the world,” says Faber. Middle East which it hopes to graduate
Rolls Royce,” he says. “The Middle East Apart from turbines Olympus’ by the end of the year.
is probably the fastest growing aviation services span turbine blade inspections “We train and track them with
region in the world which is why we’re to test their sturdiness as well as the very strict quality standards,” says
very interested in it.” fuselage for corrosion and other repair Alterjman. “After all with the amount
The company’s services in remote needs. “We have a global market lead of demand we are receiving from region
visual inspections (RVI) and non- with our Omni-scan technology,” says including from airlines looking to grow
destructive testing (NDT) went live only Alterjman. “The ultrasonic technology such as Saudi Arabian Airlines as well
in April this year, but within a short tests any surfaces for cracks, fatigue and as others in Ethiopia, it is important that
time are able to cater to 70 percent of all any other weaknesses. In the Middle we provide the same standard of service
requests, says Faber. “We concentrate on East we have 50 percent of the market across our network.”

EXECUTIVE LUXURY
JETEX’S
FIVE STAR FBO
Jetex’s FBO at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai is a one of a kind experience.
Designed by Perkins + Will, the facility caters to only the most elite of clientele including pri-
vate, business and government VIP travelers, and offers 24-hour customs clearance, dedicated
executive passenger and crew lounges, aircraft handling and ramp services, as well as person-
alized concierge services for those seeking VIP transportation or hotel accommodations.
O
ur brief was to design an landscapes and glimpses of colour when Rolls Royce airside transport and a
experience for clients with being viewed from above during flight. quick efficient walk through the lounge
focus on 5 star hospitality The resulting concept is islands of tex- to the waiting aircraft. Iconic Arne
and contemporary interior tured luxurious carpets in a sea of white Jacobsen Egg chairs in red and Zaha
design that includes a touch of retail. It’s stone punctuated with accents of colour. Hadid sofas delight and entice guests to
essentially a visual feast as guests move The ceiling represents the cloud cover- linger–though Jetex provides a “no wait”
through the space very quickly,” says ing with pockets of accent lighting as if service. The experience is one of quality
Diane Thorsen Principal Design Director rays of light are streaming through gaps and a visual impression that is simply
at Perkins + Will. in the clouds, she says. beautiful.
Spatial planning took inspiration from The Jetex service experience includes Guests can enjoy a cigar lounge within

EXECUTIVE LUXURY
the FBO terminal and the staff focus on

providing the highest level of comfort
to their guests. Crew are equally valued,
with a dedicated lounge featuring sleep
pods for power naps and relaxation areas
to recover and restore.
Behind the scenes, the terminal de-
sign provides for efficiency in the typical
ground and baggage handling, fueling,
security, and concierge services includ-
ing bespoke air transfer arrangements
to major locations in the Emirates to
avoid traffic delays. On-site customs and
immigrations officers handle any neces-
sary formalities with a minimum wait for
passengers.
This is certainly a unique space and
one where the boundaries of hospitality,
commercial and retail design blur into
each other.

COMMENT
QUANTUM
COMPUTING
Annie Gelinas, project director at creative and technology agency,
Omobono explores the impact of accelerated innovation on
commercial airlines
A
year ago, China announced Quantum computers will soon be storage, communications and security
the creation of the Sunway able to execute multiple calculations at systems could bring an end to issues of
TaihuLight computer, which once, speeding up extremely complex air traffic congestion, a major concern
has the capacity to carry out operations. Deloitte says that “it for most major city airports such as
93 quadrillion calculations per second. would take a classical computer 10.79 Dubai International Airport, which
Impressive right? While this represents quintillion years to break the 128-bit could otherwise see growth slow
a fantastic achievement, this machine AES encryption standard, while a down as passengers look for other,
is likely to be outsmarted in the next quantum computer could conceivably less busy transit options. But more
few months. Science is at a cross road break this type of encryption in importantly, the current challenges
and it would seem binary computers approximately six months.” around software debugging and
have taken us as far as we can go. So Without the capacity to replicate overall speeding up the software
what’s next? protein molecules or to predict systems verification and validation
In laymen’s terms, quantum complex weather systems, several (V&V) process, critical for the aviation
computing is the field dedicated to fields have reached a wall. For the industry, could be a thing of the past.
creating computers more powerful next wave of scientific breakthroughs Predicting complex weather systems?
than anything we currently have to happen, quantum computing needs Personal travel to space? Leave the
based on quantum mechanics to take us from the 50-ton computers math to the computer.
principles and a really, really cold of the 1950s to the iPhone, all within Most global companies already
freezer space. the next few months. understand the importance of
When the technology is made supporting the development of
available, the impacts of quantum quantum computing and are actively
If quantum com- computing will be far-reaching looking for applications in their
puters are able to across all industries. Most global

companies have understood this, and
respective fields. In the last three
years alone, governments across the
decrypt code in re- in aviation and aerospace especially, world have invested $2.2 billion to
cord time, where the applications are promising. support research into the technology.
does that leave se- With the capacity to optimise Airbus is investing in cryptography
curity infrastruc- complex algorithms, quantum

computers could improve air traffic
applications. Lockheed Martin has a
research program looking at potential
tures? Could your management systems, reduce travel V&V quantum applications. It’s not
company’s data be time between destinations as well hard to see the possibilities. However,
left vulnerable? as fuel consumption. Improved data with substantial investment required,

COMMENT
Quantum computing is bound to bring about a sea of change in the way business is done, says Gelinas
it seems quantum computing is vulnerable? Should you start building the technology isn’t yet at a stage
likely to be adopted by Fortune 100 your cyber defences already? The new where it can outsmart current super
companies initially. Does this mean scientific wave will also bring about computers, this is not a distant dream.
you should leave it to the big guns its own ecosystem of supporting Google has just published its plan to
before taking an interest? technology, offering smaller create a 50 qbit quantum computer in
Any new technology, especially businesses opportunities to pioneer the next few months. Such a device
on the scale of quantum computing, the way towards the 5th industrial would render obsolete the most
is bound to bring about a sea of revolution. powerful computer we have, ushering
change that will affect the way you Yes, quantum computers still have in the era of quantum supremacy. So
do business. For example, if quantum a long way to go. Currently, only while building quantum-resistant
computers are able to decrypt code one firm sells quantum computers infrastructures around your
in record time, where does that leave and systems have to be kept at encrypted data may be a little way
security infrastructures? Could temperatures colder than outer- away, it is worth keeping an eye on
sensitive data become vulnerable to space - one of many engineering the latest developments in the field. It
quantum computer cyber-attacks? problems associated with advancing is likely to develop much quicker than
Could your company’s data be left the science behind it. However, while you might think.

AVIATION PARTNERS
Dubai South aviation safety training
academy to be operational Nov 2018
Dynamic Advanced Training to invest in some of the world’s most advanced training equipment
TRAINING safety, fi rst aid, occupational health and to offer realistic and engaging training at
Dubai South has signed an agreement safety, and environment. The academy affordable cost,” says Mark Kammer, Co-
with Dynamic Advanced Training to set will be located in the second phase of Founder of Dynamic Advanced Training.
up an aviation safety training academy in Dubai South’s “Aerospace Supply Chain” “We see a need to bridge the gap between
the aviation district, set to be the region’s development. demand and supply in the rapidly develop-
most advanced training facility. “Training reflects one of our key busi- ing aviation industry, while at the same
The facility will offer comprehensive ness verticals and perfectly blends with time our team of industry experts strive to
Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP) the aviation ecosystem. Leveraging our set new regional and global benchmarks.”
training, including both theoretical as well strategic location connecting both air and
as hyper-realistic, practical instruction. sea mega ports, we are creating a self-
The independent academy will cater for sustained urban destination to empower
a wide range of both corporate and busi- businesses, families and individuals to
ness jets as well as commercial airlines, grow and prosper,” says Khalifa Al Zaffi n,
and will be compliant with international executive chairman of Dubai Aviation
standards including the General Civil City Corporation.
Aviation Authority (GCA A), European “Dynamic Advanced Training will be
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the a state-of-the-art training center unri-
Federal Aviation Authority (FA A). valled by any in the region. We thank
Dynamic plans to become an accredited Dubai South for the great support they
International Air Transport Association have provided to us from the outset all
(IATA) training centre which will comple- the way to the project’s launch,” says
ment a wide offering of other aviation re- Tariq Hussain Khansaheb, director of
lated courses customised to serve ground Khansaheb Investments, the main in-
handling personnel as well as non-aviation vestors in Dynamic Advanced Training.
safety courses. These include general fi re “Conveniently located, we will be able c Dynamic aims to be unparalleled in MENASA
UAE’s Strata committed to $7.5bn deals until 2030

CEO of composite aerostructures manufacturing facility says company has contracts with companies includ-
ing Boeing and Airbus, and has so far delivered more than 34,000 aviation parts
CONTRACTS Abdulla said the company is moving
Strata Manufacturing, fully owned forward to promote its competitiveness
by the Mubadala Investment Company, among the world airplane manufactur-
is committed to contracts amounting ers through its keenness to expand its
to A ED27.5 billion ($7.5 billion) until suppliers’ database in the UA E.
2030, according to its CEO. Facilities have increased to reach
Ismail Abdulla said in a statement 31,500 square metres coinciding with
cited by state news agency WAM that the the surge in the production lines to
contracts for the the UA E-based com- reach 10 lines by the end of 2016, com-
posite aerostructures manufacturing c Strata CEO Ismail Abdulla pared with the one production line
facility include airplane manufacturers in 2010.
Boeing and Airbus. “Made with Pride in the UAE” initiative. The CEO added that UA E nationals
A b du l l a r e ve a l e d t h a t S t r a t a He said that more than 2,000 airplanes constitute 51 percent of the labour force
Manufacturing has so far delivered around the world were using parts made in the company, which has more than
more than 34,000 airport parts under it in the UA E. 700 employees.

Airbus A350-1000 now certified to fly
AVIATION PARTNERS First delivery of longest-fuselage version of A350 XWB jetliner will take place this year AVIATION PARTNERS
Dnata blockchain tech with

programme partners
Concept will now be rolled out via innovation lab across cargo ecosystem
TECHNOLOGY
CONTENTS
digitalisation of documents.
Dnata, in conjunction with Emirates “Blockchain has great potential to ISTANBUL NEW AIR-
Innovation Lab, IBM and fl ydubai Cargo, exponentially improve effi ciency and PORT CONTRACTS SITA
has used blockchain technology to create transparency of business networks, espe- TO BRING IT TO LIFE
a new value proposition for cargo service cially in Cargo & Logistic flows. However SITA will support 75 flight de-
delivery. neither the technology nor the potential is partures per hour, 3,500 flight
Most processes in cargo are still paper easy to understand or appreciate. It is im- operations per day
based, requiring multiple authorisations perative to carry out such business experi- P44
by inspectors and receivers before goods ments and trials so that participants can
can be delivered. Even when electronic, experience the benefits of breakthrough
the system still requires multiple parties technologies in a live environment,” says
to sign off on cargo shipments, creating Neetan Chopra, Senior Vice President–IT
a lengthy administrative process. Strategic Services, Emirates Group. “The
Dnata with its various partners, jointly Innovation Lab will now work with our
developed a logistics platform in which partners and stakeholders to prepare
blockchain infrastructure was imple- the scale out plan of this innovation to
mented for supply chain transactions the larger cargo ecosystem.”
from a purchase order from the origin
to delivery to the Consignee warehouse LGS TO SUPPORT EGYPTAIR
at its destination. Through PoC (Proof Milestone achieved in growing re-
of Concept), fl ydubai Cargo, Emirates lationship with plane-maker
Innovation Lab and dnata were able to P45
identify issues from various perspectives
such as technology, security, operation,
legal perspectives, and were able to real- STRATA DELIVERS FIRST
ise new supply chain services including c Dnata with its partners AIRBUS FLAPS
A380s, A340s to have major work
done by Etihad’s MRO arm
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens team P46
up for electric future
E-Fan X demonstrator is expected to fly in 2020 after testing
EMIRATES, THALES TO DELIVER
TECHNOLOGY engines replaced by a two electromagnetic compat- NEXT-GEN BROADBAND
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and megawatt electric motor. ibility issues. The objective Incoming Boeing 777X to have
Siemens have announced Provisions will be made to is to push and mature the Inmarsat’s GX global network
they are jointly developing replace a second gas tur- technology, performance, P48
a fl ight demonstrator for bine with an electric motor safety and reliability of
hybrid-electric propulsion once system maturity has hybrid electric technol-
for commercial aircraft. been proven. ogy. The programme also
The E-Fan X hybrid- The E-Fan X demon- targets future certification
electric technology dem- strator will explore the of electrically powered air-
onstrator is expected to fly challenges of high-power craft while training a new
in 2020 following a ground propulsion systems, such generation of designers
test campaign, provision- as thermal effects, electric and engineers to bring
ally on a BAe 146 fl ying thrust management, alti- hybrid-electric commer-
testbed, with one of the tude and dynamic effects cial aircraft one step closer
aircraft’s four gas turbine on electric systems and to reality.

AVIATION PARTNERS Rhinestahl sets up operations centre in Dubai
MRO Company provides tools to Emirates, Flydubai, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, TS&S, AMMROC
CONTRACT UPDATE
Round up of MRO agreements
and signings, both in the region UAE’s Strata delivers
and beyond
first set of A350 flaps to
Kuwait Airways signs AFI KLM E&M; Turkish Technic, Airbus
SAEI sign MoU, Gulf Air partners with Honeywell
‘Major milestone’ in growing rela-
Kuwait Airways has picked tionship with European plane maker
AFI KLM E&M to maintain
its fleet of GE90-115B engines DELIVERY
to under a support by the Strata Manufacturing, the advanced composite
hour contract covering en- aerostructures manufacturing facility wholly owned by
gine removal management, Mubadala Investment Company, has completed deliv-
shop visits, logistics/AOG ery of its first set of A350-900 inboard flaps to Airbus.
support. The engines equip Airbus selected Strata to manufacture the A350-900
the ten 777-300ER aircraft inboard flap in 2015. Located along the trailing edge
recently integrated into the of the wings, the inboard flaps are positioned next to
Kuwait Airways fleet. the airplane’s body, enabling it to secure greater lift
during the most critical part of take-off and landing.
Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata, said: “The
Turkish Technic and SAEI impending delivery of flight critical and complete
(Saudia Aerospace Engineering assemblies to the Airbus Final Assembly Line in
Industries) have signed an MoU Toulouse, reinforces Strata’s status as a tier-one
building on support and main- supplier to Airbus. We are investing in innovative
tenance solutions in the field of techniques to produce these components, including
component service. Both intend processes like automatic tape layering and adaptive
to pursue a longer term business machine fixtures, in line with global best practice
partnership to support customer in this industry.”
fleet operations in the Gulf. Strata-produced inboard flaps will be incorporated
Under the terms of the MOU, into A350s from January 2018 and the UAE-based
both companies will share com- company expects to ramp up production of these
ponent maintenance and pool important components in 2018 and 2019.
services, while also supporting Franck Martin, head of Airbus Procurement
each other in warehouse and Aerostructures, said: “The delivery of the first shipset
logistics services. of A350 inboard flaps to Airbus is a major milestone
in the Airbus and Strata relationship, building on our
Gulf Air has signed an agree- significant achievements over the last nine years.
ment with Honeywell for Airbus is proud to be a premier partner of Strata
Auxiliary Power Units toward and the UAE and we look forward to continuing our
its incoming fleet of 29 Airbus relationship into the next decade.”
320/321neo aircraft. Honeywell Strata’s current manufacturing portfolio for Airbus
will also provide maintenance, includes complete wing movable assemblies for the
repair and overhaul services A330, A350 and A380 product range.
helping Gulf Air achieve greater
cost predictability for future
maintenance while reducing ex-
penses when unexpected servic-
ing is required. Gulf Air earlier
also confirmed it will purchase
58 LEAP-1A engines to power 17
Airbus A321neo and 12 A320neo
aircraft and an additional 7 spare
engines from CFM International. c Strata and Airbus have been working together for nine years

Strata inks JV with Boeing for high-tech materials AVIATION PARTNERS
High-tech facility to be built in Al Ain will manufacture material for composites in 777X MRO
Emirates says 3D printing used Rolls Royce to open

for aircraft cabin parts new customer service
Dubai-based airline is 3D printing video monitoring centre in Abu Dhabi
shrouds and air vent grills CSC will be Rolls Royce’s fifth across
APAC, Americas, Europe, China
TECHNOLOGY tion sector. This has the potential to
3D printing technology is being reduce to lead to significant reduc- EXPANSION
used to manufacture components for tions in fuel emissions and costs for Rolls-Royce is set to open its new Customer Service
Emirates aircraft cabins, the airline Emirates. Centre (CSC) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, later this month, com-
announced last month. Additionally with the SLS technique pleting a global customer service network for its airline
A new 3D printing technique, selec- it is possible to print more than one and lessor customers and delivering a new standard in
tive laser sintering, has been used to component at a time when compared service for its customers based across the Middle East
produce video monitoring shrouds. with other 3D printing methods. This and Africa.
Additionally, 3D printed air vent grills leads to quicker per-part production The centre, at the Aldar headquarters building in Al
have been certified and installed for times and lesser wastage of raw ma- Raha, is the fi fth CSC to be opened by Rolls-Royce and
onboard trials on Emirates aircraft. terials used for production. completes a network that extends across Asia Pacific,
Emirates is working with 3D Emirates has also worked with the Americas, Europe and Greater China.
Systems, a US-based 3D printing UUDS to develop 3D printed air- A sixth team is dedicated to serving leasing company
equipment and material manufacturer craft cabin air vent grills that have customers on a global basis. Rolls-Royce is dedicated to
and services provide and UUDS, a received EASA certification and were improving customer care by bringing its people closer
France-based engineering and cer- installed on aircraft for onboard trials to customers, working alongside them and sharing their
tification services provider, to cre- in October 2017. working day.
ate the video monitor shrouds using “Over the last two years Emirates The Abu Dhabi CSC will deliver operational planning
selective laser sintering (SLS), which Engineering has been actively explor- and data insight as well as supporting sales campaigns
uses lasers to bind together powdered ing 3D printing for aircraft cabin parts and leading customer account management. It will also
plastic, which, in the case of Emirates, as it is a transformational technology act as a hub for Rolls-Royce Airline Support Teams based
is a new thermoplastic developed by that can be used to achieve an increase at major airport locations across the region.
3D systems. in efficiency and productivity,” said The centre will have local decision-making authority
Among the advantages of SLS, ac- Ahmed Safa, Emirates senior vice presi- and will be connected to the recently-opened Rolls-Royce
cording to Emirates, is the reduced dent - engineering support services. Airline Aircraft Availability Centre in Derby, UK, which
weight of printed components as “We worked with a number of sup- tracks engine data and provides engineering expertise
well as their strength. Video moni- pliers to develop prototypes of 3D worldwide.
tor shrouds that are 3D printed using printed cabin parts but ultimately The CSC concept has already demonstrated success,
the SLS technique can weigh between decided on working with 3D Systems with the Singapore CSC, the first in the network, reduc-
9 and 13 percent lighter than compo- and UUDS. The technology we use ing its response time to customers by 75 per cent in its
nents manufactured traditionally or has the potential to deliver cabin parts first year of operations. Dominic Horwood, Rolls-Royce,
through the 3D printing techniques with reduced weight without com- Director, Customers and Services – Civil Aerospace, said:
that are traditionally used in the avia- promising on structural integrity or “This is the final piece in our global Customer Service
cosmetic appeal.” Centre jigsaw. Our Abu Dhabi CSC will make us more
According to Emirates, the airline responsive to customers, with teams given authority to
will also help make inventory manage- make decisions locally, resulting in real improvements in
ment efficient for thousands of aircraft service support. Our CSCs complement other important
cabin interior components, as it will service improvements we are making in terms of data
no longer have to hold a large inven- and continuing to develop a competitive, capable and
tory of spare components or wait long flexible global CareNetwork of engine service facilities.”
periods for replacements. The Middle East and Africa accounts for 12% per cent of
Emirates plans to evaluate the Rolls-Royce civil large engines in service around the world
performance and durability of 3D and the regional in-service fleet is set to grow from 600
printed air vent grills and video moni- engines today to 1800 engines by 2027. Sixty people will
tor shrouds before further rollouts. be employed at the Abu Dhabi Customer Service Centre.
c Onboard trials were in October 2017

AVIATION PARTNERS
GROUND Oman Air increases allowances to India, Phillipines
SERVICES Guests to India can take up to 40 kgs, while those to Phillipines get 50 kgs
Dubai targets major

TECHNOLOGY
investments at
purpose built district
Supply Chain free zone
development will cater
to businesses part of the
global aerospace supply
chain
Dubai South’s Aviation District
has added a suppliers complex to the
development of its ‘Aerospace Supply
Chain’ offering maintenance and
manufacturing solutions to meet all
aspects of the aviation and aerospace
industries.
The Dubai South ‘Aerospace
Supply Chain’ is a landside free
zone development of multi-purpose
buildings for businesses that are a
part of the global aerospace supply
chain which caters specifically from c SITA will provide 1,041 check-in and boarding workstations and 90 validation touchpoints
small to medium enterprises in the
global MRO (Maintenance, Repair
and Overhaul) sector.
The development is aligned with
Istanbul New Airport contracts
the Dubai Industrial strategy where
the government has outlined 14 stra- SITA tech to bring it to life
tegic initiatives to develop the aero- Solutions reduce existing container fleet need by 20 percent to 1,200 units
space cluster over the next 13 years.
The Dubai South Aviation district Due to open at the end of 2018, Istanbul New Airport has appointed SITA to bring its
is divided into four business verti- range of airport, passenger and baggage processing solutions to boost capacity. SITA’s IT
cals–General Aviation which is home solutions will manage everything from landing to take off as well as all passenger process-
to the VIP Terminal, hangars, fuel ing and baggage management systems from check-in through to boarding, supporting 75
farm, catering, ground handling, heli- flight departures per hour, 3,500 flight operations per day and 1,000 bags per flight.
copter operations; Maintenance and Upon completion of all phases of the project, the airport intends capacity to reach
Technical Support which includes a over 200 million passengers annually, making it one of the world’s biggest airports.
paint shop, the MROs and the aero- Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India and Africa said: “Airports are
space supply chain; a Commercial without a doubt one of the most connected public spaces. SITA’s role is to provide and
Strip which has retail & hotel, and integrate all these systems to provide effortless airport management while elevating
the exhibition area; and an Education the passenger experience and satisfaction. We remove the complexity so that IGA can
and Training vertical that hosts the focus on what is really important: the passenger.”
Emirates Flight Training Academy, SITA will deploy passenger processing systems including a departure control sys-
simulators and different universities tem and common-use platform to allow multiple airlines to connect and use the same
and vocational training institutes. check-in and boarding infrastructure. SITA will also implement automated passenger
Being built at an investment of access control that will validate all types of boarding passes against travel documents
US$55 million the development in- at key touchpoints such as security and boarding. In total, SITA will provide 1,041
cludes two aerospace supply chain check-in and boarding workstations and 90 touchpoints where passengers can vali-
buildings and one suppliers complex. date their boarding passes.

AVIATION PARTNERS
Shell to operate fuelling facilities at Salalah GROUND
Salalah International Airport was expanded in 2015 to enable it to serve 1 million passengers per year SERVICES
Hala Bahrain to
handle MENA
Aerospace
transfers
Hala Bahrain was launched
earlier this year by BIA
MENA Aerospace has signed an

agreement with Hala Bahrain for the
provision of passenger handling ser-
vices at a newly revamped, dedicated
terminal building for travellers flying
in and out of Bahrain International
Airport (BIA) on private or
charter jets.
MENA Aerospace delivers solu-
tions handles aircraft in and around
hangars using Mototok electric tugs.
Hala Bahrain was launched earlier
this year by Bahrain Airport Company
(BAC), the operator and managing
body of BIA. Hala Bahrain will ensure
c Deal has been renewed for seven years transfers for passengers and crew ar-
riving on private, government, busi-
ness and corporate, or chartered
EgyptAir, Lufthansa’s LSG flights; with services for passenger

transportation, passenger handling,
Sky Chefs renew catering deal and luggage handling.

MENA Aerospace is a vital part-
LSG is now the largest provider of catering services to EgyptAir ner of BIA, and plays a critical role in
the Bahraini private and charter jet
EgyptAir and Lufthansa’s LSG Sky year catering deal will see Lufthansa’s business,” says Bahrain Minister of
Chefs have renewed a seven-year com- LSG Sky Chefs provide catering services Transport and Telecommunications
mercial partnership that includes cater- to EgyptAir Inflight Services in vital Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed. “Many of the
ing and in-flight services agreement. markets and destinations. This will make same strengths and opportunities that
The deal marks the continuation of LSG the largest provider of catering ser- make Bahrain an aviation hub also
more partnerships between both sides, vices to EgyptAir. make it a popular destination for com-
with a joint venture possibly being Egyptair In-Flight Services, the car- merce, so this vital services infrastruc-
the next step, says Safwat Musallam, rier’s own catering service provider, will ture upgrade will contribute to both
Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding. be able to increase its market share by spheres simultaneously.”
The two airlines are also looking into attracting foreign capital and improv- “This agreement marks the realisa-
boosting cooperation that would contrib- ing investment, according to Sherif el- tion of a long-held vision for MENA
ute to more investments in the passen- Maghloub chairman of LSG Sky Chefs Aerospace to deliver convenient indi-
gers’ services and many other fields. Catering Egypt. vidual and packaged handling servic-
“We see this as a step of developing fur- “I am convinced that we will see a es directly to our clients,” says MENA
ther opportunities. Both our senior teams phase of more rationalisation. I think Aerospace CEO Omar Matar. “We
met to discuss further ways in which we this industry needs to see a healthier enthusiastically welcome the oppor-
can develop and strengthen our partner- relationship between offer and demand, tunity to personally redefine quality
ship over time,” Musallam added. and I’m optimistic we will see this in the standards for our clients, as well as for
As part of this partnership, the seven- years to come,” he says. the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

AVIATION PARTNERS UAE GCAA launches helicopter app
TECHNOLOGY App lists updated, technical information about vertical airstrips and locations for helicopters
Emirates, Thales, to deliver next-gen inflight

Inmarsat GX broadband onboard on 777X
Over 800,000 passengers use inflight WiFi on Emirates every month
CONNECTIVITY ing 777X fleet with the next generatio- ity speeds coupled with Thales’ AVANT
Emirates will equip its Boeing 777X nAVANT inflight entertainment system. innovative and highly customisable IFE
fleet with next generation inflight The new agreement is part of the Emir- system will provide a further boost to
broadband connectivity using solutions ates and Thales’ plans to develop and Emirates’ award-winning inflight enter-
from Thales and Inmarsat’s GX global enhance the state-of-the-art inflight en- tainment system, ice, the statement went
network. tertainment and connectivity (IFEC) on on to add.
Emirates and Thales have an existing the 777X fleet, the airline said in a state- Emirates has invested over US$200
multi-million dollar deal to fit the Boe- ment last month. Broadband connectiv- million to equip its aircraft with state-of-
the-art connectivity. Demand for Wi-Fi
on board has been steadily increasing, ac-
cording to the airline – over 800,000 pas-
sengers per month connect while inflight.
Emirates offers all its customers 20MB
of complimentary Wi-Fi data on board
while Emirates Skywards members in
premium classes receive unlimited com-
plimentary Wi-Fi.
Emirates is the largest operator of the
Boeing 777 aircraft, The airline has 165
Boeing 777s in its fleet, and a further 164
on firm order, including 150 of the next
generation Boeing 777x aircraft.
Emirates connectivity investments total over Emirates’ Boeing 777X aircraft are due
US$200 million
for delivery starting in 2020.
EgyptAir signs agreement with CPaT Global to provide

distance learning solutions for pilots
TRAINING Air’s pilots on the Airbus A320 family, management is embracing new technol-
CPaT Global will provide custom dis- A330, Embraer 170, Boeing 737NG and ogy and methods to enhance training
tance learning solutions to train Egypt Boeing 777. through CPaT Distance Learning and
Air and Egypt Express commercial and “EgyptAir employs over 1000 pilots LMS, which provide a good solution for
cargo carrier pilots, according to an flying five different aircraft types,” says our pilots and dispatchers.
agreement signed last month. Captain Moataz Refaat, EgyptAir’s The Computer Based Training ad-
CPaT’s Learning Management Sys- Manager of Ground and Simulator dresses both our operational training
tem (LMS) will be used to provide class- Training. “As we approach a new era, needs as well as IT demands.”
room and mobile training for Egypt the company is growing and expanding, Captain Greg Darrow, CPaT Glob-
al’s VP Sales and Marketing says:
“EgyptAir has implemented CPaT’s
advanced solutions including LMS
tools, dynamic exam generator system
and interactive classrooms tailored to
each version of aircraft, allowing pilots
best quality training and the ability to
Training is for pilots on the Airbus A320 family, A330, Embraer 170, Boeing 737NG and Boeing 777 study anywhere on any device.”

Airbus A350 goes digital for parts traceability AVIATION PARTNERS
Programme is first to introduce digital Auto-ID / RFID for flyable components in production TECHNOLOGY
Panasonic wins new Saudi Arabian Airlines

deal to fit 35 Airbus aircraft with IFE
To be fitted on 20 Airbus A320neos and 15 A321neos
CONNECTIVITY Panasonic’s eXO overhead entertain- rier has also picked Panasonic’s to equip
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) an- ment system will be fitted on 20 Airbus for its future fleet of 30 Airbus A320neo
nounced at the Dubai Airshow that it A320neos and 15 A321neos. aircraft with the eXO hybrid IFE system.
has picked Panasonic Avionics to install Saudia had earlier picked Panasonic’s Saudia’s “fleet revitalisation” program,
in-flight entertainment systems on 35 air- to install its eX1 IFE systems on its exist- involves upgrading the existing fleet’s in-
craft in its short-haul fleet. ing fleet of seven A320 aircraft. The car- flight entertainment offering and overall
onboard experience, says Saleh bin Nasser
Al-Jasser, the director general of Saudi
Arabian Airlines. “Once the new enter-
tainment solutions by Panasonic are retro-
fitted on the existing A320 fleet, and new
A320 aircraft are delivered, our guests
onboard will be able to maximize their
time in the sky with a wide range of enter-
tainment solutions to make their onboard
journeys even more enjoyable,” he says.
“We are delighted to be extending our
relationship with Saudia with this exciting,
new commitment across their long and short
haul fleets,” said Hideo Nakano, CEO of Pa-
nasonic Avionics. “We will help Saudi Ara-
bian Airlines optimize their investment in
next-generation aircraft with an unmatched
Panasonic will equip the Saudia fleet with a number of IFE solutions
experience for all their passengers.”
Royal Jordanian looks to reduce costs with Honeywell’s

fuel efficiency solutions and reports
EFFICIENCY forts toward running cost-efficient op- ciency software makes this possible by
Honeywell’s GoDirect Fuel Efficiency erations at all levels using different tools, integrating many different data sources
software will integrates with Royal Jorda- among which is this innovative software. to save fuel, lower environmental impact
nian’s (RJ) existing airline systems to pro- It will also help us work toward Jordan’s and ultimately cut fuel costs with a sim-
vide reports on fuel consumption across its pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emis- ple software upgrade.”
operations, the company has announced. sions,” says Stefan Pichler, President and GoDirect is Honeywell’s industry-
Although fuel efficiency results can CEO of Royal Jordanian. “The technology leading portfolio of services and appli-
vary by aircraft and airline, fuel con- also fully complies with the European Un- cations that provide business aviation
sumption can account for 20 to 40 per- ion emissions trading system legislation, operators, flight crews and maintenance
cent of an airline’s operating costs. Even among many other software-based fuel- teams with the information they need
single-digit percentage improvements savings recommendations for each flight.” to control their services and network.
in fuel savings can save tens of millions “One of the biggest pressures facing Royal Jordanian joins an expanding list
of dollars per year, the airline says in a airlines today is improving operation- of global customers already using Hon-
statement. RJ expects to reduce fuel costs al efficiency while meeting very tight eywell’s innovative GoDirect Fuel Ef-
by up to 5 percent. margins,” says David Shilliday, vice ficiency software, including India’s Jet
“There’s huge potential for Honeywell’s president, Airlines, EMEAI, Honeywell Airways, Japan Airlines, Finnair and
Fuel Efficiency software to push our ef- Aerospace. “Our GoDirect Fuel Effi- Turkish Airlines.

DEPARTURE
LOUNGE
Paper-based systems
can’t last
Simon Meyer, Managing Director of Aviation Solutions at Human Recognition Systems on
how to get the industry to online security processes
O
n the one hand, the avia- writing such that they have to be re- suance. Because all signatories are given
tion sector is synonymous jected, slowing the process down for that their own unique login details, the digital
with being at the forefront particular applicant. Subsequently, it is platform can track every application
of security technology – predicted that up to 30% of initial applica- through the logins and provide auditable
from biometrics being used at passport tions are rejected. and traceable data for any required com-
control, to the latest developments at pliance inspection.
Changi Airport and the aquarium tunnel CAN TECHNOLOGY HELP?
at Dubai Airport. On the other, with the A technology solution which enables Having an online system also enables
risk of insider threats are greater than the pass office to offer an on-line tool to changes to the application process to
ever, airports also need to know who has process applications is one way in which be systematically communicated to all
access to their high risk environment. time and resources can be reduced. The signatories or pre-notification of system
So it might seem surprising to learn that system enables the pass office to set up changes to be advised. This has previ-
the industry still relies on paper-based signatories for the various companies ously been problematic with paper-based
systems to administer security checks on that require passes so they can apply as systems. Therefore, one of the key ben-
airport staff. and when they are required. The same efits realised is that the time and effort
system can also help validate the infor- spent on each application can be signifi-
IS PAPER THE BEST WAY TO mation required, by policy, relevant to cantly reduced for both the signatory
ACHIEVE THIS? each pass type, ensuring that every ap- and the ID pass office.
The challenge that airports face when plication issued is traceable and transpar-
vetting workers is one of historical pro- ent in terms of auditability. WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR TECH-
cess. Yet, despite airports being technol- NOLOGY IN PRE-AIRPORT VET-
ogy driven, ID pass offices are still work- WHY IS THIS LEVEL OF TRANS- TING?
ing on archaic, paper-based systems that PARENCY IMPORTANT? The industry needs to accept that it has
are inefficient, time-consuming and by Compliance is critical for the pass of- to make the on-boarding of its workers
their nature inherently difficult to make fices. Periodically, an airport will be as efficient and as effective as taking
any updates to address new security inspected to ensure that it is compliant, passengers through the airport journey.
concerns. with auditors taking a snapshot of appli- There will always be the need to keep
cation packs. If the pass office is utilising records and ensure that airports are
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS an online system, this auditing process compliant with the very latest regula-
Regulations stipulate that airports vet becomes much simpler and applications tions, and technology can really help to
all permanent and temporary staff for can be stored electronically rather than make this as seamless as possible. The
either landside or airside employment, in paper form. It also creates less of a adoption of technology also enables new
a procedure carried out by the airport physical storage issue as applications capabilities to be realised including self-
pass office, which has historically been must currently be stored for seven years pass printing or additional vetting checks
a paper-based process. This results in a requiring significant amounts of storage which enables ID Centres to not only
significant drain on resources as it takes space. increase the number of passes processed
time to check every paper-based applica- but also ensure security compliance is
tion, contact signatories when inaccura- WHAT OTHER BENEFITS DOES AN above the required standards. Any air-
cies are found in the data supplied and ONLINE SYSTEM OFFER? port that isn’t incorporating this type of
all this has to happen before vetting can Online systems enhance the role of secu- solution will eventually find itself racing
begin. It is not uncommon for the initial rity, enabling the pass offices to focus on to catch up with those who have adopted
application to include errors, or illegible the priority of their job of vetting and is- technology early.

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THE MAGAZINE FOR AVIATION EXECUTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST | DECEMBER 2017

NEWS UPDATE | FACTS & FIGURES | IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | TRADE COLUMNS

NEWS UPDATE | FACTS & FIGURES | IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | TRADE COLUMNS

www.aviationbusinessme.com December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS 03

04 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

BOOK YOUR PRESENCE TODAY

THE MIDDLE EAST’S ONLY AIRCRAFT INTERIORS EVENT

ITP MEDIA GROUP

EDITOR’S LETTER Group Editorial Director Greg Wilson

On the last issue EDITORIAL

of it: this magazine wouldn’t be where it is today without Rey,

Published by and © 2017

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TUESDAY 17th APRIL

save the date APRIL

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MARK PALMER SHAUN EBELTHITE SOPHIE MCHUGH TERI DUNSTAN

Deals at Dubai Airshow total $114bn,

08 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

Emirates surprises with 40 Boeing

EgyptAir signs major C-Series deal with Bombardier

www.aviationbusinessme.com December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS 09

Flydubai announces commitment for

Boeing sells 20 737 Max 8s to Kuwait’s ALAFCO

010 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

“Game On” says Emirates president as

Flydubai, Emirates to add more codeshare destinations

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Wataniya orders 25 A321 aircraft in

The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 turbofans

Dubai’s DAE leases 5 Dreamliners to Bahrain’s Gulf Air

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Turkish to return to 10% growth by 2018: CEO

Air Arabia adds six Airbus A321neo to its ﬂeet

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Could retail giant Alibaba be Etihad’s

014 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

Gulf carriers wary of possible charges

Gulf Air appoints former Croatian Airlines boss as CEO

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Sir Tim Clark is transforming Emirates

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a commoditisation in terms of seats, even

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Business class on Flydubai’s new 737 Max

Etihad Airways’ ﬂying test bed

022 December 2017 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com

The inaugural Airport

AirBaltic’s Bombardier CS300 which ﬂies direct from

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An order for up to 225 aircraft is a

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You’ve chosen to lease as opposed to

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