< PreviousRADAR March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 10 www.aviationbusinessme.com At the conclusion of a historic three-day visit to UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi, His Holiness Pope Francis was fl own back to Italy by Etihad Airways. Transported on one of the carrier’s Boeing 787 Dream- liner aircraft, an extensive preparation process for the fl ight was undertaken to transport the pontiff back home. This consisted of a number of opera- tional planning meetings, team briefi ng sessions, along with simulator training. There were several design changes added to the aircraft including the addition of the Vatican’s emblem on the aircraft’s door, as well as the inclusion of specially designed insignia added to the headrests of seats. The crew that fl ew His Holiness home was comprised of 15 different nationalities. “I am very privileged to have been part of the crew fl ying His Holiness Pope Fran- cis back home to Italy. I am lucky enough to have fl own Pope Francis a number of times in my aviation career and it is a great honour to have done this again for Etihad,” said Captain Paolo La Cava, di- rector of Etihad Aviation Training. “It was amazing to have Pope Francis here in the UAE and Etihad Airways is a good representation of this country’s tol- erance and diversity,” he added. Captain La Cava led the group were tasked with overseeing the planning and operation of the fl ight. “I am very proud and thankful to have fl own His Holiness Pope Francis to Rome and to be the fi rst Emirati pilot ever to fl y the Pope. Our country’s leadership are directing us in the way of tolerance and making this country a peaceful country where people of all cultures can come to- gether,” said Captain Abdulla Obaid, the Emirati pilot who led the fl ight crew. Etihad fl ies His Holiness Pope Francis home following historic UAE visit EVENT During his visit to the country, the pontiff performed mass for a congregation of approxi- mately 130,000 people at Zayed Sports City stadium During His Holiness Pope Francis’ visit to the UAE, the fi rst instance a pontiff has visited the Gulf region, he joined Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders for the Human Fraternity conference. The event brought together a number of the The aircraft’s livery was altered to include the Vatican’s emblem on the doors. world’s prominent religious leaders, who exchange ideas towards the reali- sation of global peace. As part of his visit, the pontiff per- formed mass for a congregation of rough- ly 130,000 people at the Zayed Sports City stadium, which was then broadcast- ed live on Etihad fl eets across the globe. Emirates links Phnom Penh, Bangkok The airline will link Phnom Penh and Bangkok with a new daily service set to launch on June 1RADAR 11 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com Etihad upgrades Seoul service The airline will operate the Airbus A380 on its service from Abu Dhabi to Seoul Ahead of the upcoming 45-day southern runway refurbishment project at Dubai International, Dubai Airports has re- vealed that Dubai World Central will take on additional fl ights during the scheduled maintenance. During this time, DWC is expected to see the number of passenger fl ights skyrocket by 700%. The airport operator shared that while DXB will be operating without 50% of its runways, the actual reduction in pas- senger fl ights will only be 32%. This will be achieved through optimisation of the northern runway’s schedule, which is set to be used to 96% of its capacity during the course of the maintenance project. Dubai Airports also noted that the de- ployment of larger aircraft by some air- lines during the closure period will only decrease the number of seats by 26%. Additionally, the capacity provided Flights at DWC to increase by 700% during DXB’s runway refurbishment OPERATIONS Dubai World Central is expected to see an average of 158 passenger fl ight movements per day during the 45-day period DWC will see the number of fl ights across the Dubai Airport system reduce by only 10% and seat reductions by 11%. “The most signifi cant change for pas- sengers during the period will be the need to confi rm the airport that they travelling to or from,” shared Paul Griffi ths, CEO, Dubai Airports. “That said, we’re confi dent custom- ers and airlines will be impressed by the speed, effi ciency and convenience of Dubai’s second airport. It’s a great oppor- tunity to showcase DWC’s newly expand- ed facilities that can now accommodate up to 26.5 million passengers annually and we’re confi dent that it will shine.” During the upcoming runway refur- bishment, DWC is expected to see an aver- age of 158 passenger fl ight movements per day, which will be overseen by two charter carriers and 16 scheduled airlines. The lat- ter will include fl ights from fl ydubai, Wizz The airport operator shared that while DXB will be operating without 50% of its runways, the actual reduction in passenger flights will only be 32%. Air, Air India, Indigo, Gulf Air, Royal Jor- danian, Nepal Airlines, Kuwait Airways and fl ynas, to name a few. Adding some further details on the pro- ject, Dubai Airports shared that DXB’s operational, construction and engineering teams will move more than 18,500 truck- loads of concrete, asphalt, materials and personnel to and from the airport. Over 1,900 personnel are expected to be in- volved in the complex project. Aiming to reduce the minimal risk of construction overrun, the airport operator has already started work on a number of key jobs in advance of the full runway clo- sure. Work packages identifi ed as non-crit- ical to the completion of the project have been tasked to be completed following return to normal operations. This would provide a safety buffer should unexpected delays arise during the planned length of the refurbishment project.RADAR March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 12 www.aviationbusinessme.com Drone disrupts DXB fl ights Departures were temporarily halted between 10:13 - 10:45 GST on 15 February Air Arabia will report an accumulated loss of $83.5m (AED 307 million) due to its exposure to embattled private equity fi rm Abraaj, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. In June 2018, Air Ara- bia disclosed that it had an exposure of $336m to Abraaj through fund portfolios and short-term loans. “The carrier will report an accumu- lated loss of AED 307 million, subject to ratifi cation by Air Arabia shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting,” the company statement said. The statement added that “while Air Arabia’s liquidity status and profi table operations remain intact, this step aims to serve the best interests of the company and its investors.” In January, Air Arabia announced it had fi led a misdemeanour case against Abraaj founder Arif Naqvi. The move fol- lowed earlier arbitration proceedings that took place in July. Air Arabia reports $83.5m in accumulated loss due to Abraaj exposure BUSINESS Air Arabia said its ‘liquidity status and profi table operations remain intact’ The private equity fi rm is currently undergoing a court-supervised restructure and is trying to sell off parts of the busi- ness to repay its debt. “Not withstanding this accounting treatment, Air Arabia Group is actively seeking to maximise the realisation of this investment and remains fully engaged with the JPLs [joint provisional liquida- In June 2018, Air Arabia disclosed that it had an exposure of $336m to Abraaj. Oman will see as many as 40 million pas- sengers fl y through the Gulf country by 2030, according to the Oman Aviation Group, which was set up in 2018 to de- velop the sultanate’s aviation sector. Since its establishment, the group created over 980 direct Omani jobs and supported nearly 8,000 indirect jobs in Oman. It also played a major role in welcoming over 1.3 million additional passengers and 215,000 tons of air cargo through Muscat alone. “As Oman’s aviation sector developer, we create a robust value chain linking aviation, tourism and logistics across the Oman to see 40 million airport passengers by 2030 Sultanate. Our Group is a catalyst for growth, creating effi ciencies, boosting revenues and increasing trade. We work MARKET ANALYSIS Established in 2018, Oman Aviation Group is tasked in developing the country’s aviation sector to position Oman as a strategic hub and a world-class destination amongst interna- tional travellers,” said Mustafa Al Hinai, CEO of Oman Aviation Group. “Ultimately, we are tasked with fur- thering economic expansion and unlock- ing the connectivity potential within the sector including the $2.3m (OMR890m) contribution to GDP and the 40 million passengers expected to fl ow through Oman by 2030,” he added. In addition, the group helped rank Muscat International Airport as one of the world’s top 18 airports. It also helped open new airports in Muscat and Duqm as well as two new air cargo terminals. tors] and stakeholders involved in the mat- ter while legal proceedings taken by Air Arabia and the ongoing court-supervised restructuring of Abraaj continues.” Air Arabia posted a net profi t of $7.07m (AED 26 million) in Q4 2018, with a total turnover of $272.25m (AED 1 billion) for the three-months ending in December – a 20% increase from the same period in 2017.RADAR March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 14 www.aviationbusinessme.com Turkish Airlines targets Mexico City and Cancun The airline will operate a triangle route between Istanbul, Mexico City and Cancun Dubai Airports unveils new DXB brand and vision The launch event was attended by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai In a lavish ceremony with VIP guests, Dubai Airports unveiled a new brand for Dubai International (DXB) that focuses on elevating the passenger experience. The launch event was attended by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak- toum, Vice President and Prime Minis- ter of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, as well as Paul Griffi ths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Other attendees of the event com- prised of senior management of Dubai International, notable personalities from across the aviation industry and stakeholders, as well as members of the world’s press. “In Dubai, we continuously strive to be at the forefront of the industry global- ly and to lead the way with unwavering BRAND ambition, innovation and timely invest- ment. Aviation, tourism and travel have been fundamental in Dubai’s growth story and we believe this investment will yield further dividends by encouraging repeat traffi c and enticing connecting passengers to visit Dubai,” commented His Highness Sheikh Ahmed. He added: “We recently welcomed our billionth customer at DXB, which was a remarkable milestone. Today we are making a clear statement that will ensure DXB continues to be one of the world’s most innovative and forward- thinking airports for years to come.” As part of its new brand identity, DXB will introduce new experiences that exemplify the values of its home city, Dubai. This will include hosting music, art and fashion exhibitions, as well as featuring themed zones through- We are proud to launch the new DXB brand to refl ect the fresh direction and truly transform DXB into the airport of the future, says Griffi ths. out the airport’s concourse. The latter will include attractions centred on retail and F&B themes. “We are proud to launch the new DXB brand to refl ect the fresh direc- tion and truly transform DXB into the airport of the future, one that is led by a more customer-centric approach that incorporates the hospitality, excitement, warmth and true spirit of Dubai,” said Paul Griffi ths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “The new brand represents the ways in which we connect the world, not only by physically facilitating access to over 220 destinations around the world but by transporting our customers through their experience of different cultures, food, music and art. This is what DXB, Dubai and the UAE are all about - and what our new brand will represent moving forward.”Switch to Sharjah With DXB undergoing runway improvements between 16th April & 30th May 2019, you may wish to avoid the restrictions and switch to Sharjah. 25 minutes from Downtown Dubai Award winning FBO VIP private vehicle airside access Parking & hangarage available H24 airport Zero slot restrictions Call +971 65027703 www.gamaaviation.com/switchBOEING: ME NEEDS $745BN IN AVIATION SERVICES BY 2037 Boeing report predicts that the Middle East will need 60,000 pilots and 95,000 cabin crew According to the latest pro- jections from Boeing, the Middle East region will require $745bn in aviation services through 2037 in order to meet continued demand in both passenger and freight traffi c. The global aerospace manufacturer noted that the demand within the region is calling for the addition of over 3,000 new commercial aircraft over the next 20 years. Such a development would un- doubtedly require an increase in aviation services, such as supply chain support, improved aircraft modifi cation capabili- ties, as well as traditional maintenance and engineering services. Overall, commercial aviation is ex- pected to demand $8.8tn in services over the next two decades. Of this fi gure, ground & cargo operations will demand the most investment with $4,665bn, while maintenance & engineering will need roughly $2,365bn. Flight operations is expected to take roughly $1,115bn of the overall pie. Compared to other markets, the Middle East ranked fourth following Asia Pacifi c ($3,365bn), Europe ($1,875bn) and North America ($1,850bn). “The Middle East is an unmatched location to connect the growing markets of Asia, Europe and Africa. This feeds the appetite in the region for new com- mercial airplanes and the services to operate and maintain those jets,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing for The Boeing Company. As part of its Services Market Outlook (SMO) 2018-2037 – Middle East Perspective report, the aerospace manu- facturer noted that the increase in aircraft within the region would call for more ser- vices aimed at improved fl eet productivity and reduced operating costs. Other fi ndings from the report noted that the Middle East region will drive more than 8% of global demand for avia- tion services and will grow at a projected 4.6% annually. Additionally, roughly 218,000 new per- sonnel will be required within the region over the next 20 years. This includes 60,000 pilots, 63,000 technicians, and 95,000 cabin crewmembers. Breaking down the current com- position of fl eets in the Middle East, freighters make up 5% of fl eets, re- gional constitute 3%, while widebody and single aisle make up 47% and 45%, respectively. By 2037, the percentage of freighters will have remained the same, while single aisle are expected to increase by 52%. Both widebody and regional are projected to drop to 42% and 0%, respectively. “Our Middle East customers gain tremendous value when we pair their operational knowledge with our OEM expertise, advanced technologies, and decision support tools to help maxi- mize effi ciency in their operations,” said Debra Santos, chief marketing of- fi cer of Commercial Ser vices at Boeing Global Ser vices. “This gives their passengers a positive fl ight experience that keeps them com- ing back,” she added. For its own part, the group’s Dallas- based service arm, Boeing Global Services, reportedly continues to out- pace the aerospace services market growth rate of 3.5%. March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 16 www.aviationbusinessme.com DATA ON DECK3,000 Number of new aircraft needed in Middle East over next 20 years Nearly 218,000 new personnel needed in Middle East 2018 – 2037 Services by Region RegionServicesCAGR Asia Pacifi c3,3655.1% Europe1,8753.5% North America1,8502.9% Middle East7454.6% Latin America5155.1% Russia/CA2653.2% Africa2155.2% AfricaAsia Pacifi cAsia Pacifi c Freighter, 5%Freighter, 5% Widebody, 47% Widebody, 42% Single Aisle, 45% Single Aisle, 52% Regional, 3% pilots technicians cabin crew 60,000 63,000 95,000 20172037 Composition of Fleet Regional, 0% Asia Pacific – 38% North America – 21% Europe – 21% Middle East – 8% Latin America – 6% Russia/CA – 3% Africa – 2% 17 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com DATA ON DECKAIRBUS A380 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 18 www.aviationbusinessme.com AVB touches base with Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, who shares is thoughts on what the loss of the A380 means for Airbus 800 passengers across its two decks, the A380 is powered by some of the most powerful engines available in the mar- ket — four Engine Alliance GP7200s or Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofans. With only 234 deliveries completed out of the 313 ordered over the last 13 years, Airbus is set to complete the fi nal delivery for the A380 by 2021. “Having been one of the earliest crit- ics of this aeroplane, it comes as no surprise that Airbus has finally seen the writing on the wall and opted for kill of the loss-making A380. The A380 was never going to replicate the success of the 747-family given that average aeroplane seat count at major hubs has Following an announcement from Emirates Airlines that it would be reducing its A380 orders from 162 to 123 aircraft, Airbus’ executive management made a key decision to cease production of its premier superjumbo commercial jet. First going into production back in 2003 and with its fi rst fl ight back in 2005, high hopes were held for the air- craft dubbed the largest commercial aircraft ever designed. Despite being a technological achievement within the realm of aviation, the A380 never quite secured the orders it needed to recoup its sizeable multi-billion-dollar investment. Designed to carry between 525 to over been declining for nearly 30 years,” comments Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research. “Despite Emirates being a stalwart buyer, the A380 simply doesn’t work for every big blue-chip airline. The sea of change enacted in 1995 by the 777 family, when it entered service proved that airlines sought range, not higher capacity. The recent storming sales success, in particular of the 787 Dreamliner family, A350 and now 777X, the A380 was sporting technolo- gies from the 1980s and simply was economically unviable.” Delving deeper into the dilemma now faced by the aerospace manufacturer, END OF AN ERAAIRBUS A380 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com 19 was right — airlines are looking for more point-to-point connectivity with smaller, longer ranged aircraft,” says Ahmad. “While the A380 may have provided extra legroom and comfort, from a fi - nancial standpoint for operators — it’s a fi nancial abyss. It is little wonder that Emirates leases its A380s and doesn’t own a single one of them,” he concludes. The A380 was never going to replicate the success of the 747-family, given that average airplane seat count at major hubs has been declining for nearly 30 years.” Ahmad shares that the biggest problem that Airbus has to contend with is that it doesn’t have a product to off er within the large aircraft space. According to the chief analyst, the company’s other premium off ering, the A350-1000, has also performed badly in the market. He expects the A350-1000 will be challenged once its chief com- petitor Boeing’s 777-9 (777X) takes to the air this spring. While Emirates has moved to acquire 40 A330-900 and 30 A350-900 aircraft from Airbus, the airline currently holds orders for 150 777Xs, which are expected to replace their current 777-300ER fl eet. Ahmad expects the carrier to continue purchasing more 777Xs for future expan- sion, drawn by the aircraft’s enhanced payload, range capabilities and lower fuel burn as compared to the current 777 fl eet. “With Boeing also on the cusp of launch- ing the new middle of the market aero- plane (NMA/797), Airbus’ strategy of going for large jets like the A380 proves that their vision was wrong and that Boeing’s With only 234 deliveries out of the 313 ordered over the last 13 years, Airbus is set to complete the fi nal delivery for the A380 by 2021.Next >