< PreviousCOMMENT March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 20 www.aviationbusinessme.com I work in an industr y that has always had one main concern: security. We can collectively pride ourselves on the fact that, even as more and more passengers travel by plane each year, there have never been fewer aviation accidents. Although this concern for safety is not new, it has however greatly evolved in the last three or four years. One important evolution is that the aviation industr y has geared up to face the issue of cybersecurity and other threats head on, as attacks all over the world are becoming more digital and sophisticated — be they motivated by MAKING AEROSPACE A CYBERSAFER PLACE Patrice Caine, chairman and CEO of Thales Group, shares his viewpoint on the increasing importance of cybersecurity within the realm of aviation Let me, fi rst, assess the threat level. Aviation systems benefi t from a safe- ty design that enables them to with- stand even in the event of an incident or failure. One example is the isolation of cockpit systems, and self-contained in-fl ight entertainment systems. These designs have had to evolve — they are, in fact, constantly evolving — as air traffi c management, ground ser vices, airports and aircrafts them- selves (passengers, cockpits) are more and more digitised, more and more connected to each other in what now works as a global ecosystem. The digitisation of aerospace is of terrorism, fi nancial crime or hacktiv- ism. We can all recall the 2015 episode when hacker Chris Roberts claimed he could control an aircraft engine through its entertainment system. As the Chairman & CEO of a com- pany that enables more than one million passengers per day to interact with these in-fl ight entertainment systems, which make it possible to use Wi-Fi on aircrafts and connect to smartphones, I believe cybersecurity will remain our biggest challenge in the years to come. What can we do to make aerospace a cybersafer place and thus maintain a high level of trust in the aviation industry?COMMENT 21 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com Aviation systems benefi t from a safety design that enables them to withstand even in the event of an incident or failure. course an opportunity that enables companies to ease congestion as well as to transform customer experience, with more personalised ser vices. It also makes it possible to detect poten- tially disruptive issues and respond more proactively, with new e–trouble- shooting and e-maintenance ser vices. These technologies make our industr y more competitive. But more digitisation also means new vulnerability: more surfaces to attack and more appeal to attackers. The rising inter- connection between aircraft, service and data providers means expanding vectors of threats to national security and public safety, but also threats in terms of data privacy and public trust. And the Atlantic Council report on aviation cybersecurity, under written by Thales, concludes with the “absence of clear or strong foundations in aviation cybersecurity to adequately counter emerging threats”. Which brings me back to my original question: What can we do? We must, first of all, accept that there is no such thing as total protec- tion. There will be breaches in aero- space infrastructures: the question is not if, but when. Our responsibility is therefore first and foremost to be- The rising interconnection between aircraft, service and data providers means expanding vectors of threats to national security and public safety, but also threats in terms of data privacy and public trust.” COMMENT March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 22 www.aviationbusinessme.com come more cyber-resilient; to make sure that the aircraft remains safe and secure whatever the attack. Key to this is the enabling of systems and personnel to develop real-time moni- toring capability, to know exactly what to do when something happens and of course to respond instantly. The real issue is that of governance and accountability. We must address the complexity of a concern that ties in with different legal systems, public and private actors and all the different links in the supply chain. We need to reinforce the chain of trust — cyber- trust — in civil aviation. Public actors have taken on their responsibilities. The American Department of Homeland Security, for one, organises briefi ngs to security professionals to share the informa- tion they have on possible threats, on attackers’ new tools and modus oper- andi. However, legislative procedures take too long for regulations to still be relevant at the time of issue, whereas we need to respond immediately. operation centers, and training staff members. We also participate in the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), where we make proposals to obtain state of the art security practices for the rest of the community. Nonetheless, we cannot act alone. All of us - aviation and cybersecurity industries - must work together un- der the rule of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), more than we already do. Sharing information, assets and resources, building secure worldwide interoperability, acting on an interna- tional level is the only way for us to become more cyber-resilient. Cybersecurity is not a static state but a dynamic condition; we must be able to adapt to constantly evolving legal environments, but also to ever more malicious threats. Let us face this challenge together, make this con- tinuous commitment not just as a com- pany but as an industr y. The decisive moment is now. The new Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISAC), set up both in the US and in Europe, and the European Center of Cyber-Security in Aviation (ECCSA), an EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) initiative, supported by Thales, will surely play a ver y important role in the sharing of cybersecurity informa- tion. But they are still ver y new; they must continue to grow before they can reach their full capacity. We, of course, also have our part to play. Some of our clients are relying on us to explain threats and give them confi dence that their system is, or can become, secure; others are already ver y savvy. All of them count on us to provide them with secured solutions in an environment that is increasingly un- predictable. Some of our clients ask us to help them deploy our solutions in a secured overall architecture. We also help them with identifying risks, prior- itising protection measures, setting-up cyber-response teams and security More digitisation also means new vulnerability: more surfaces to attack and more appeal to attackers, says Caine.March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 24 www.aviationbusinessme.com DUBAI AIRPORTSPaul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, breaks down Dubai International’s rebrand, sustainability initiatives, and the plan behind DXB’s upcoming southern runway closure 25 www.aviationbusinessme.com By Alexander Sophoclis Pieri March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS REIMAGINING THE DXB EXPERIENCE DUBAI AIRPORTSMarch 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 26 www.aviationbusinessme.com In 2018, DXB’s annual traffi c surpassed 89.1 million and achieved an average monthly traffi c of 7.4 million. From the heart of Dubai Airport’s executive offi ces, lo- cated to the side of Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport (DXB), Aviation Business got the op- portunity last month to sit down with Paul Griffi ths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Head of the world’s busiest airport in terms of international customer num- bers for the fi fth consecutive year in a row, Griffi ths went on to discuss the current transformational drive that is altering DXB’s identity. While building on the success stor y of 2018 is certainly in the cards, con- tinued growth is not the only target of 2019, set forth by Dubai Airports. “We have now decided that not only is growth ver y much on our agenda for present and future, we are now see- ing a maturity in the aviation market, which is putting us in a position where we want to be not just the biggest We have now decided that not only is growth very much on our agenda for present and future, we are now seeing a maturity in the aviation market, which is putting us in a position where we want to be not just the biggest airport for international traffic but the best.” airport for international traffi c but the best,” comments Griffi ths. “We made a commitment to trans- form our customer service standards, through a whole plethora of different initiatives, to make Dubai International the most remarkable customer experi- ence. This is being achieved by working very closely with our airlines and all of our service partners to transform the way an airport operates.” Coming off an impressive 2018, DXB’s annual traffi c surpassed 89.1 million and reportedly achieved an average monthly traffi c of 7.4 million. In addition to posting big numbers for the year, DXB broke the 8 million customer mark at two points over 2018 — July saw 8.2 million travel through the airport, while the month of August reported 8.4 million passengers. The latter was a signifi cant milestone as it ended up the busiest month ever experi- enced by the airport in its 58-year history. Other achievements for 2018 includ- ed a 28% reduction in wait times, a feat reportedly achieved thanks to DXB’s introduction of smart gates and an ad- vanced operations centre. While fl ight movements for the year were subdued at 408,251 (-0.3%), the average number of passengers per fl ight saw gains up to 226 (1.3%) annually. In terms of cargo, a total of 2,641,383 tonnes of airfreight was processed at DXB, a reduction of 0.5% over fi gures reported in 2017. During the same period, baggage volumes increased by 3.1% to reach 74.9 million bags pro- cessed through the airport’s 175km long baggage system. Hoping for an equally strong 2019 performance, Dubai Airport’s CEO shares that a number of key develop- ments are coming into play at DXB that is transforming the passenger experi- ence. Part of this consists of invest- ments in both technology and process improvements that are helping realise a seamless passenger experience, along with maximising capacity within the terminals. “We don’t have the space to build DUBAI AIRPORTSa huge amount of new aviation infra- structure, to create additional capacity. So we’ve decided to invest in processes and technology, to speed up the pas- senger journey,” says Griffi ths. “That’s a combination of consolidation and elimination — putting processes together that are currently operated in discrete silos, such as check-in, immigra- tion, security, and boarding. All of those at the moment are discrete processes. “What we want is to eliminate them al- together. Soon, I don’t think you’ll need to check-in using any physical token of booking. Most of it will be done at the time of booking in the offi ce or home. We just need to fi nd a way of dealing with baggage and I think technology is moving towards that area too,” he adds. While certainly creating a better ex- perience for passengers, getting them into the terminal faster is only one side of the coin of Dubai Airport’s current strategy. Last month, as part of a VIP-studded event that was attended by HH Sheikh During the upcoming southern runway closure at DXB, Dubai World Central is expect to see a 700% increase in passenger fl ights. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, the airport operator unveiled a new brand for DXB. Aimed at transforming Dubai 27 www.aviationbusinessme.com International into a destination in of itself, the new brand is more than simple logo update. At the core of the rebrand, DXB has already begun to create immersive experiences within the airport’s terminals. Each of these ‘experiences’ will highlight different cultural, hospitality, and entertain- ment elements that exemplify life in Dubai. Part of this will include the introduc- tion of feature zones throughout DXB’s concourses, which will group together themed attractions, retail outlets, crea- tive exhibitions focused on art and fashion, as well as globally recognised food & beverage chains. Examples of the latter include the recent launch of a Hard Rock Café in Concourse B that features not only a bar, restaurant and takeout station, but also the iconic merchandising store where passengers can purchase celebrity memorabilia. Last year saw the launch of the hub’s fi rst Nutella Café, also located in Concourse B of Terminal 3. “The personality of the airport chang- RECORD BREAKER Posting impressive numbers for the 2018 year, DXB’s annual traffi c climbed over 89.1 million passengers and reported two monthly instances where traffi c broke the 8 million mark. The fi rst instance was in July, where the airport recorded 8.2 million travellers. It was then followed by the record-breaking month of August, which saw the arrival and departure of 8.4 million passengers. This marked the busiest period ever experienced by DXB in its 58-year history. March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS DUBAI AIRPORTSMarch 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 28 www.aviationbusinessme.com es as you move along. For example, you move through an area that is a family zone and features trampolines, cinemas, and various other amusements for kids. Then you go to another area that’s is a refl ection of Arab hospitality with iconic art drawn from artists that reside here in Dubai. Another area will have retail space,” explains Griffi ths. “To fi nd out what they [passengers] may want, we did extensive research to The EXPO presents an opportunity for Dubai Airports to demonstrate Dubai’s hospitality, says Griffi ths. sub-divide our traveller base into several different characteristics and we analysed the needs of all of those different travel- ling groups … we are matching that with our product design, service design, and the experience we have in each zone While the majority of these devel- opments are front-facing, behind the scenes, the airport infrastructure is also evolving quite signifi cantly. Another key area of focus for Dubai Airports over the past year was on sustainability. Challenged to not only reduce its carbon footprint and overall environmental impact, the airport op- erator was also pressed to signifi cantly reduce the overall cost of running Dubai International. In the case of the latter, the CEO ad- mits that the operation of the airport, which costs an estimated $150m (AED 550 million) annually, is the “biggest consumer of electricity and water in the whole of Dubai”. To tackle these challenges, Dubai Airports has already put several green initiatives into play, such as the deploy- ment of energy effi cient fi ttings, along with the installation of a 4,989KWp rooftop photovoltaic (PV) array on the rooftop of DXB’s Terminal 2. The solar energy system is being in- troduced as part of a joint project in col- laboration with Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), who is also tasked in replacing 150,000 conventional lamps at the airport with energy-effi cient LED bulbs. Combined with the PV array, the project is expected to reduce energy consumption at DXB by 5%, the equiva- lent of offsetting CO2 emissions by an estimated 22,000 tonnes per year. The drive to realise a greener future has also led Dubai Airports to introduce electric vehicles (EV) into its support fl eet We don’t have the space to build a huge amount of new aviation infrastructure, to create additional capacity. So we’ve decided to invest in processes and technology, to speed up the passenger journey.” DUBAI AIRPORTS29 March 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com ROBUST OPERATION At the peak of the upcoming 45- day refurbishment project at Dubai International, a total of 90 construction vehicles are expected to travel to and from the airport, along with roughly 18,500 truckloads of concrete, asphalt, and materials. A total of 1,900 employees are expected to be involved in the project. Work packages considered non-critical are expected to be held off until the safe recommissioning of the new runways. Opening its doors back in November 2018, Hard Rock Café has become a popular stop for DXB travellers. at the DXB. Launching back in December 2018, the Chevrolet Bolt Electric Vehicle was the culmination of a joint-project conducted in partnership with Chevrolet Middle East and Al Ghandi Auto. Featuring a range of up to 520km on a single charge, the Bolt EV is currently utilised to transport support teams as they tackle of variety of airside tasks. This includes works related to airfi eld maintenance, traffi c management, as well as taxiway inspections. The airport operator currently has plans in the pipeline for the potential replacement of the DXB’s fl eet of Diesel-powered buses with some form of sustainable alternative. The CEO went on to briefl y touch upon the upcoming southern runway closure at Dubai International that is scheduled to last from 16 April to 30 May 2019. Set to last a total of 45-days, DXB will effectively lose 50% of its runways. Despite the loss, the actual reduction in passenger fl ights will only be 32%, thanks in large part to an optimised schedule that will see 96% of capacity utilised on the northern runway. Airlines will also reportedly deploy larger aircraft during the period, which in turn will re- duce the number of seats by only 26%. “In order to make DWC more attrac- tive, we’ve put a range of different ground transportation operations in place. We’ve discussed an arrangement with Dubai Taxi and we just announced an arrangement with Careem ... we are putting buses on to connect people for free between DXB and DWC, because the airports will only be effective, if they’ve got good ground trans- portation options,” explains Griffi ths. “We’re also putting more staff down at DWC to help steward airlines through the period and we’ve worked with the airlines to come up with concessions to eliminate any extra cost differentials … We have opened up more capacity at DWC to han- dle the extra fl ights and we are pretty con- fi dent that this will go very smoothly.” When asked about his expectations for DWC following the reopening of DXB’s southern runway, Griffi ths holds high hopes that the experience will promote increased demand at the airport once passengers see fi rst-hand “quality of ser- vice and effi ciency at DWC”. The airport itself has already caught the eye of several airlines, such as the case of Aerofl ot, who now offers a daily service from Dubai to Moscow. In an- other example, Virgin Atlantic recently introduced a 747 into DWC, which is cur- rently serving routes to Birmingham and Manchester in the UK. Looking beyond the confi nes of 2019, Dubai Airport’s CEO shares that the organisation and its airports will play a crucial role in the UAE’s hosting of the upcoming EXPO. Already, Dubai Airports has established exhibition and advertising material for EXPO 2020 at its airports, and is expected to continue dolling out engaging community con- tent, closer to launch. “We are going to be doing a lot of clever digital advertising and partner- ing with EXPO, to make sure the whole event is a great celebration and give people cause to come and see the EXPO site and to experience everything it has to offer,” explains Dubai Airport’s CEO. “It is an opportunity for us to demon- strate that Dubai is at the forefront of modern hospitality and that hospitality should begin and end at the airport,” concludes Griffi ths. We’re also putting more staff down at DWC to help steward airlines through the period and we’ve worked with the airlines to come up with concessions to eliminate any extra cost differentials.” DUBAI AIRPORTSNext >