AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION
THE MAGAZINE FOR AVIATION EXECUTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST | VOLUME 18 ISSUE 09 SEPTEMBER 2019
TALENT RISING
Developing the next generation
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REALITY PREVIEW
TECHNOLOGY THAT’S The MEBAA
CHANGING THE INDUSTRY
Show, Morocco
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AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION
THE MAGAZINE FOR AVIATION EXECUTIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST | VOLUME 18 ISSUE 09 SEPTEMBER 2019
TALENT RISING
Developing the next generation
of aviation professionals
VIRTUAL SHOW September 2019
REALITY PREVIEW
Volume 18 Issue 09
TECHNOLOGY THAT’S The MEBAA
CHANGING THE INDUSTRY
Show, Morocco
p30
GREENER Download the CONTENTS
FLIGHTS free Aviation
Business app
and be the first
to read the
latest issue on
your mobile
devices.
How business aviation is flying the talk, with biofuels,
carbon offsets and more innovations
NEWS UPDATE | FACTS & FIGURES | IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | TRADE COLUMNS
THE FRONT 8
8
Turkish Airlines and Bangkok Airways ink codeshare agreement 9
Bahrain’s Gulf Air says new ‘boutique’ strategy paying off 9
First international flights take-off from Jeddah’s new airport 10
Emirates shows photos of its first Boeing 777X 11
Air Arabia posts Q2 profit of AED210 million, up 75% 11
British Airways IT glitch causes travel chaos
Rolls-Royce selects IFS to unlock new data insights on its Trent engines
164 18
SHOW PREVIEW
THE MEBAA SHOW, MOROCCO
What to expect at the mega event for
the region’s business aviation sector
24
TRAINING COVER STORY
DEVELOPING GEN-NEXT FLYING GREENER
We look at the latest trends in aviation Business aviation is researching and implementing inno-
talent development
vative solutions to shrink its carbon footprint
30
September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 3
VIRTUAL REALITY
VR IN THE WORKPLACE
Airlines are using augmented and virtual
reality to enhance operations
www.aviationbusinessme.com
CONTENTS
AVIATION
PARTNERS
GROUND SERVICES Oman Air Cargo continues digitisation push with new mobile app 38
TECHNOLOGY Hong Kong protests’ impact on air cargo sector muted 38
Emirates denies using IFE for spying on passengers 40
36 38
AVIATION PARTNERS GROUND SERVICES
VISTARA TAKES ON THE UAE AIRLINES WEAK DEMAND AFFECTS AIR CARGO VOLUMES
Vistara CEO sees significant demand for premium econo- Middle East-based airlines saw cargo volumes slump by 7%
my offering on routes between India and the UAE in June compared to the same month last year
39 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
FEDEX 50 BY 50
AFTER RAISIING $200MILLION, FEDEX LAUNCHES THE
NEXT STAGE OF ITS CSR INITIATIVE
4 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
EDITOR’S LETTER PO Box 500024,Dubai,UAE
Tel:+ 971 4 444 3000
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E very few years, a Scandinavian buzzword comes along Offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London & Mumbai
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able to its physical effects. Yet, flygskam seems a wholly inef- Group Editorial Director GregWilson
fective way to achieve a zero carbon future.
EDITORIAL
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25-26 SEPTEMBER 2019
MARRAKECH MENARA AIRPORT, MOROCCO
POINT CAMERA
TO REGISTER
THE DESTINATION
FOR BUSINESS AVIATION
WWW.MEBAAMOROCCO.AERO
RADAR Over 6,000 made Hajj journey from Dubai Airports
2000 travellers headed for Jeddah and Madina from Dubai
Turkish Airlines and Bangkok Airways
ink a new codeshare partnership
Convenient travel connections created from Turkey to destinations in Southeast Asia
BUSINESS
Turkish Airlines and Bangkok Air- c Codeshare flights operated by Bangkok Airways currently cover 16 routes
ways have announced a new codeshare
partnership, which will provide their Turkish Airlines general manager, Bi- Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, presi-
passengers with convenient travel con- lal Eksi said; “Turkish Airlines is pleased dent of Bangkok Airways said; “Bangkok
nections from Turkey to destinations in to strengthen the long lasting commercial Airways is very pleased to work with
Thailand and other cities in Southeast cooperation with Bangkok Airways by Turkish Airlines, a leading internation-
Asia. expanding it with a codeshare agreement. al airline, as our codeshare partner to
As one of the important gateways to Asia strengthen our respective route networks.
Under this agreement, codeshare Pacific in the region, our passengers will This will offer business and leisure trav-
flights operated by Bangkok Airways cur- benefit and enjoy greater convenience ellers enhanced connectivity and seam-
rently covers 16 roundtrip routes on both when connecting to popular Thailand do- less access while traveling in Thailand
domestic and international; Bangkok-Chi- mestic destinations...” and our neighbouring countries.”
ang Mai, Bangkok-Chiang Rai, Bangkok-
Lampang, Bangkok-Sukhothai, Bangkok-
Trat, Bangkok-Samui, Bangkok-Phuket,
Bangkok-Krabi, Samui-Phuket, Bangkok-
Danang, Bangkok-Phu Quoc, Bangkok-
Yangon, Bangkok-Mandalay, Bangkok-
Nay Pyi Taw, Bangkok-Vientiane and
Bangkok – Luang Prabang.
In addition, there are two more
roundtrip routes that are subject to ob-
taining government approval which are
Bangkok-Phnom Penh and Bangkok-
Siem Reap.
Gulf Air says new ‘boutique’ strategy paying off
Bahrain carrier says it carried 600,000 more passengers during the first half of 2019
FINANCIAL RESULTS Kuko, CEO, said: “With greater capacity returning customers since the launch of our
and number of seats, it was challenging to new fleet products the Boeing 787-9 Dream-
Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, hit greater seat load factors however we liner and the Airbus 320neo”.
carried 600,000 more passengers during the managed to achieve this goal. Our passen-
first six months of 2019, the airline revealed. gers are proving to be more loyal and we see Earlier in the summer, Gulf Air
started operations to its new seasonal
The carrier said it lifted a total of 3.2 destinations - Malaga in Spain and Sala-
million people with a load factor of 77.4 per- lah in Oman. The summer season also
cent in the first half of the year compared witnessed strengthened frequencies in
to 2.6 million and 74.3 percent in the year- Gulf Air’s network with added flights
earlier period. to popular destinations. The airline also
received its third A320neo aircraft and
Gulf Air said the results further comple- announced its plan to fly to Male in the
ment the launch of its boutique strategy, Maldives starting from October.
announced in January, focused on catering
to a more premium niche market. Krešimir
8 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
Pakistan closes three air routes for Indian carriers RADAR
The move comes amid tension over Kashmir. It increases flying time by 10 to 15 minutes
First international flights take-off
from Jeddah’s new airport
The new King Abdul Aziz International Airport is one of the world’s largest
AIRPORTS
The first international flights departed c Haramain High Speed Rail connects KAIA to Madina and Makkah
from Jeddah’s new King Abdul Aziz Inter-
national Airport for Abu Dhabi, Bahrain tion between the Western region and the Holy Mosque in Makkah and home to the
and Muscat on Friday, August 9. rest of the world. The airport is the gate- world’s fourth largest terminal: the Hajj
way for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to the terminal, 510,000 m2 in size.
The flights were destined for two air-
ports in the Gulf, with Saudi Arabian Air-
lines taking off from Terminal 1 bound for
Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. These will both
go on to be daily services.
A third flight to Muscat, Oman, started
on Saturday (August 10), with an average
of four services a week, according to the
General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The 800,000-m2 transportation hub
is expected to attract more than 30 mil-
lion visitors annually to Saudi Arabia’s
Western region, most of them Hajj and
Umrah passengers.
The new airport is one of the largest of
its kind in the world and one of the most
significant infrastructure projects in Saudi
Vision 2030. It will serve as a central hub
for tourism, transportation and economic
development to strengthen the connec-
Emirates shows photos of its first Boeing 777X
The UAE flag carrier expects delivery of the 777X in mid 2020
FLEET MANAGEMENT photos of Boeing 777X adorned with the enth aircraft of this type to be built, and
UAE flag and colours. is expected to be delivered to Emirates in
Emirates airline has released photos of its January 2021. Emirates have ordered 150
newest Boeing 777X aicraft, which is cur- The Emirates Boeing 777X is the sev- of the new jets worth $76 billion.
rently in production at Boeing’s factory in
Everett, Washington. With new breakthroughs in aerody-
namics and engines, the 777X will deliver
“We’re proud to see the UAE flag for 10 percent lower fuel use and emissions
the first time on the Emirates Boeing and 10 percent lower operating costs than
777X. Currently in production, the 777X the competition.
combines the best features of today’s Beo-
ing airplanes 777 with a longer fuselage, Emirates had also confirmed in June
new engines, new composite wing design, that it was in talks with Boeing to rene-
greater cabin width & seating capac- gotiate its order and may replace some of
ity,” Emirates tweeted with a number of them with smaller 787s.
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 9
RADAR Delhi’s airport to add fourth runway
Indira Gandhi International Airport’s $1.4bn expansion plan will expand capacity to 140
million passengers a year
Air Arabia posts Q2 profit of
AED210 million, up 75%
The low-cost carrier reported H1 2019 profit of AED338 million and carried
over 5.82 million passengers
BUSINESS Air Arabia’s turnover for the first six months of 2019 reached AED2.173 billion
Air Arabia has announced strong finan- first half of 2019, an increase of 12 per During the first half of 2019, Air Ara-
cial and operational results for the second cent compared to first half of 2018. The bia received its first brand new Airbus
quarter of this year ending June 30. average seat load factor – or passengers A321 neo LR airplane bringing its total
carried as a percentage of available seats fleet size to 54 aircraft. The new Airbus
The low-cost carrier registered a re- – for the same period stood at an impres- A321, which accommodates 215 passen-
cord net profit of AED210 million for Q2 sive 84 per cent. gers, is the first of five aircraft to be de-
2019, an increase of 75% compared to the livered in 2019 that will help the carrier
AED120 million reported for the same Al Thani continued: “Air Arabia’s re- expand to new medium-haul markets in
period last year. The company’s turn- cord second quarter and first half 2019 addition to strengthening the existing
over for Q2 2019 increased by 22 per performance reflects the strength of the routes with increased seat capacity.
cent to AED1.144 billion, compared to business model we operate as well as the
AED938 million in the corresponding appealing demand for the value driven ser- Al Thani concluded: “Growth pros-
period last year. vices that Air Arabia offers. The global and pects for the MENA region remain
regional aviation industry continued to be strong for the aviation industry and es-
The strong second quarter financial impacted by pressing economic challenges pecially for the low-cost travel segment.
results were backed by solid growth in and escalating geo-political tensions dur- We look forward to the remaining of
passenger demand with Air Arabia serv- ing the first half of this year; and despite of the year as we continue to focus on ex-
ing over three million passengers from that, Air Arabia managed to register record panding our geographic reach, driving
its four hubs in the UAE, Morocco and performance supported by strong passen- cost control measures and investing fur-
Egypt, an increase of 16 per cent com- ger demand, momentum growth and op- ther in value-driven product offering to
pared to 2.59 million passengers carried erational efficiency” he added. our customers.”
in the same quarter last year.
The average seat load factor – or pas-
sengers carried as a percentage of avail-
able seats – for the same quarter stood
at 84%.
Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al
Thani, chairman of Air Arabia said: “We
are glad the strong Air Arabia perfor-
mance witnessed in the first quarter of
this year continued in the second quarter
driven by our cost control measures, im-
proved yield margins and strong passen-
ger demand”.
For the first half of the 2019, Air Ara-
bia registered a net profit of AED338 mil-
lion; a 47 per cent increase compared to
AED230 million reported for the same
period last year. The company’s turnover
for the first six months of 2019 reached
AED2.173 billion, an increase of 20 per
cent compared to AED1.816 billion in the
corresponding period last year.
Air Arabia served over 5.82 million
passengers from all its four hubs in the
10 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
British Airways IT glitch causes travel chaos RADAR
Thousands of BA passengers were stranded as flights were cancelled or delayed
Rolls-Royce selects IFS to unlock
new data insights on aircraft engines
IFS will ensure optimised maintenance scheduling, service and product development
through simplified access to Rolls-Royce Trent engine data
TECHNOLOGY thousands of air passengers and tons of Rolls-Royce IntelligentEngine vision,
cargo across the world on a daily basis, which sees a future in which our aero en-
Rolls-Royce has selected IFS Mainte- and maximising the safety, efficiency and gines are increasingly connected, contex-
nix for exchanging engine data with insights gained on each trip is paramount. tually aware, and even comprehending.
airlines operating Rolls-Royce Trent
engines, including the Trent 1000, With the support of IFS Maintenix “Working with IFS Maintenix to en-
Trent XWB and Trent 7000. The IFS and its aviation analytics capability, sure we receive accurate and timely en-
Maintenix solution will help Rolls- Rolls-Royce is able to offer a systemat- gine life data will help us as we make
Royce and its customers share data. ic method of exchanging and accurately further progress toward that objective by
updating airline engine life data to op- helping us deliver greater levels of reli-
The IFS Maintenix aviation analyt- timize the interval between engines be- ability and efficiency to our operators.”
ics capability enables the automated ing removed and sent for overhaul.
provision of field data, which ensures Scott Helmer, president, aerospace &
that Rolls-Royce receives timely and This will provide new streams of defense business unit, IFS added: “We
accurate information. data for Rolls-Royce to analyse the are thrilled to work with Rolls-Royce to
performance of fleets with Trent en- deliver next-generation maintenance pro-
IFS Maintenix then acts as a gate- gines and refine the aftermarket offer- tocols, all based on up-to-date engine life
way to automatically push mainte- ings it can provide its customers, from data. This strategically important deal
nance programme changes from Rolls- service-based contracts to analytics in- offers further proof that IFS Maintenix
Royce back to the airline operator. As a sights and more. can help aviation organisations maxim-
result, life-limited engine part mainte- ise the revenue potential of their assets
nance deadlines can be updated based Richard Goodhead, Rolls-Royce, SVP through standard, lean, and predict-
on actual operating conditions and life Marketing – Civil Aerospace, said: “Ease able maintenance.”
consumed by each engine in use. of data sharing is a key component in the
Rolls-Royce helps in the transport of
IFS will provide new streams of data for Rolls-Royce to analyse the performance of fleets with Trent engines
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 11
THE MEBAA SHOW MOROCCO PREVIEW
REACHING FOR
THE SKIES
Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, founding & executive chairman, Middle East Business
Aviation Association, discusses the upcoming show in Morocco
Business aviation companies (24 September; Mandarin Oriental in innovations and the future of business
are quite keen to exploit the Marrakech). Visitors can attend both aviation, the impact of big data in the
MENA region’s opportunities, events – conference attendees will auto- industry, new technologies such as
offered through the platform matically be granted access to the show blockchain, airports and infrastructure
of the MEBAA Show Morocco (25-26 – to maximise their time in Marrakech. and the African market influence in
September; Marrakech Menara Airport). Morocco.
There are also challenges facing the
Helming MEBAA is Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, industry. MEBAA is working to ensure The MEBAA Conference Morocco will
founding and executive chairman – a sea- that business aviation is recognised as an maintain these high standards of dis-
soned aviation professional with over 30 important part of the aviation industry cussions and provide a platform for the
years of industry experience and a board as a whole. We communicate with our industry. The MEBAA Show Morocco
member of several international aviation members to discover what issues they serves as a further platform for indus-
industry companies. With his experience would like to see resolved. An example try networking and discussion along
of aircraft purchase, sale, lease and VIP of this would be illegal flights, where we with demonstrations by exhibitors not
cabin interior completions, Alnaqbi is well have had some success in bringing it to the on display during the conference, giv-
qualified to represent the business avia- authorities’ attention in the region and are ing attendees a thorough insight into
tion industry across the Middle East and beginning to make inroads. the business aviation industry in the
North Africa. Excerpts from an exclusive Middle East and North Africa.
interview with AVB. One of MEBAA’s objectives is to work
with governments and other key regula- Why are events like the MEBAA Show
What significant developments are af- tory bodies in order to present the chal- Morocco important to the industry and
fecting business aviation today? lenges faced by business aviation and work to attendees?
It’s an exciting time for business avia- together towards solutions. Events like the The business aviation sector in Morocco
tion. New technologies are impacting MEBAA Show Morocco and the MEBAA shows promising potential, increasing
everything from manufacturing to flying, Conference Morocco are a fundamental employment and economic opportunities
inflight communications make transition- part of this, providing a platform for dis- for Morocco and the rest of the region. With
ing from the boardroom to the aircraft cussion and the means for the industry 70% of private jet usage for business, and
seamless, big data and blockchain have the to work together. the rest for pleasure, it’s hardly surpris-
ability to fundamentally change the way ing that the industry has such positive
the business aviation industry functions. What are some of the hot issues that implications. The MEBAA Show Morocco
will be addressed during the event? was developed to give North Africa the
Many of these topics are on the agen- The key topics that will be discussed at chance to access this growing industry,
da for the MEBAA Conference Morocco MEBAA Conference Morocco include: as the MEBAA Show in Dubai does for the
Middle East.
The business aviation sector in
Morocco shows promising potential, Major industry players recognise the
increasing employment and economic opportunities Morocco offers. As a stra-
opportunities for Morocco and the rest tegic location with easy access to Europe,
of the region.” the Middle East and the rest of Africa, it’s
a popular destination for corporations
looking to expand internationally, and the
aerospace industry in the country benefits
12 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
THE MEBAA SHOW MOROCCO PREVIEW
from ardent government backing.
As the region’s only dedicated business
aviation event, two days at the MEBAA
Show Morocco can be more useful than a
whole week at a general aviation event due
to its focused nature. It’s a chance to meet
and network with peers, find out about
their latest developments, strengthen
business relationships and discover em-
ployment opportunities.
How has the profile of visitors and Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, founding & executive chairman, MEBAA
companies participating changed?
When you look at the driving factors: that the Middle East, and the rest of Africa, for business aviation in 2019, reinforced by
business aviation in the region is growing, Morocco is seeing an increasing amount the interest we are seeing from key indus-
and Morocco is leading this with an ex- of movements and a new business avia- try players in the MEBAA Show Morocco
panding wealthy elite increasing business tion airport, Tit Mellil in Casablanca, to and the MEBAA Conference Morocco.
jet usage — ONDA reports the country’s be operational by 2025.
airports manage 50% of North Africa’s What are the top three things visitors
business jet movements, combined with Office Nationale des Aeroports (ONDA), can do at the MEBAA Show Morocco
Government support, it makes sense that our partner in the MEBAA Show Morocco, this year?
the MEBAA Show Morocco is growing. reported that business aviation traffic has The ‘top three’ would depend very much
changed slightly in recent years: 2018 re- on the individual visitors own objectives
Over the years, we have seen an increase corded a total of 9,823 movements against for attending. To pick three, I would say:
in interest in the show from all sectors of 9,622 the previous year; an increase of knowledge, networking and potential
business aviation – in 2019 we will see 2.16%. In addition, Morocco represents investments in the industry. Visitors can
OEMs like Dassault, helicopter compa- about 50% of the business jet activity in learn about the latest developments in the
nies such as Bell and services providers North Africa. industry, forge and strengthen business
like Swissport Aviation, among many relationships, and of course, view industry
others. The business aviation industry ONDA’s objective is to position Morocco innovations and the latest business aircraft
in Morocco is attracting new players and as a regional hub for business aviation in on the static display.
that is reflected in the exhibitors at the North Africa. The country’s main asset is
show. For example, Sarah Airways, which a network of airports covering almost the What do you hope attendees will take
launched in 2018, has chosen the MEBAA entire Kingdom, supported by the neces- away from the MEBAA Show Morocco?
Show Morocco to promote its new aircraft, sary aeronautical infrastructure. I hope that attendees will take away from
a Hawker 900XP. the event exactly what they want to going
Morocco’s 2020 aerospace goals include into it. Each of the 2000 attendees will
We’re expecting more than 2000 trade bringing in 100 new investors, creating come with their own objectives and the
visitors across the two days of the show, 23,000 new jobs and generating $1.6 billion great thing about a dedicated industry
which will include Heads of State, corpo- in new revenue. According to the Moroccan event such as the MEBAA Show Morocco
rate aviation end users, private buyers Agency of Investment and Development is that it provides the platform for them
and High Net Worth Individuals, plus (AMDI), the number of companies active in to achieve them. While the show takes
many companies from within the busi- the aeronautics industry increased from 10 place every two years, the relationships
ness aviation supply chain. to more than 100 from 2001 to 2011, while and business created from the event has a
total employees increased from only 300 much larger reach and a massive positive
What is your outlook for the North to more than 10,000 with a total sales of impact on their businesses.
African market in general and Middle over $1 billion. GIMAS predicts the number
East market in particular? of total employees to reach 35000 by 2020.
Business aviation across the Middle East
and North Africa is a growing market These indicators all point to a good year
with a number of opportunities across
the whole supply chain – business avia-
tion flights to Africa were trending up
by 8% in September 2018, according to
WingX Business Aviation Monitor. Due
to its strategic location between Europe,
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 13
THE MEBAA SHOW MOROCCO PREVIEW
MEET UP IN MOROCCO
Business aviation professionals have marked their calendars for the 2019 edition
of the MEBA A Show Morocco
T he MEBAA Show Morocco
returns to Marrakech
Menara Airport this year
(25-26 September 2019), to
give the business aviation industry
the opportunity to be a part of this
growing market.
The business jet market is expected
by Mordor Intelligence to reach $19.95bn
globally by 2024; while the Middle
East and Africa business jet market
in particular is evolving with rising
investments on general aviation airport
infrastructures.
In addition, the growth in number
of high net worth individuals in the
region is turning the market into a
lucrative one, for both business jet
service providers and OEMs. As a re-
sult, the MENA business jet market is The show has received robust support from the Moroccan government
anticipated to register the highest CAGR
during the forecast period. growing market and Morocco is a good includes flights servicing the South
One company set to take advantage launch pad for the North African side. American market.
of the opportunities offered is AMAC It is still in its infancy if you compare it A new business airport will open in
Aerospace. Kadri Muhiddin, group ex- to Europe or the Middle East. Like air- the country within the next few years
ecutive chairman and CEO of AMAC craft manufacturers, like other MROs that will complement the new FBOs by
Aerospace, explains the decision to be and completion centres, we will be Jetex and Swissport Executive Aviation,
part of the MEBAA Show Morocco this exhibiting at MEBAA Show Morocco to which are opening later in 2019.
year: “The global business aviation demonstrate that business aviation is The number of business aircraft
market is a growing trend. Aircraft accessible — to open peoples’ eyes and movements in the MENA region is
manufacturers are always updating educate them.” predicted to reach 175,000 by 2020,
their products making them bigger, Due to its strategic location between while the number of registered aircraft
faster, more comfortable, more eco- Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of is expected to increase to 1200. This
nomical and safer.” Africa, Morocco is seeing an increas- sharp increase is attributable to the
Muhiddin continues, “Africa is a ing amount of movements, which also region’s thriving economies, notably
Morocco and an expanding wealthy
The business jet market is expected by elite who are using business aircraft
Mordor Intelligence to reach $19.95bn global- in increasing numbers.
ly by 2024; while the Middle East and Africa
business jet market in particular is evolving The Moroccan government has recog-
with rising investments on general aviation nised the potential for employment and
airport infrastructures.” development offered by the industry
and is actively investing in creating
an attractive environment for manu-
facturers to establish themselves in.
The MEBAA Show Morocco has
14 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
THE MEBAA SHOW MOROCCO PREVIEW
received robust government support, This year’s show will have an impressive percentage of new exhibitors
with Morocco’s HE Mohammed Sajid,
Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Muhiddin of AMAC Aerospace agrees sion, VIP and VVIP flights, catering
Crafts and Social Economy saying in that Morocco is a good launch pad for and fuelling among others.
2018 that the show plays an important the North African side of the growing
part in giving the industry access to African market. Montasser Channoufi, CEO of
these opportunities. Carthage Sky Services says that the
He confirms, “We will be exhibiting growth in infrastructure, particularly
The 2019 edition will host an im- at MEBAA Show Morocco to demon- in Moroccan airports, plus interest in
pressive percentage of new exhibitors strate that business aviation is acces- the region from operators and indus-
alongside those who have been with sible – to open people’s eyes and educate try players makes it a key market for
MEBAA Show Morocco since its incep- them about AMAC’s capabilities and them. He adds that MEBAA Morocco
tion in 2015. services.” Among these capabilities are also helps to address challenges in the
MRO, completion and refurbishment industry from this growth, such as a
Other industry leaders exhibiting services, charter and brokerage services requirement for more dedicated FBOs.
at the MEBAA Show Morocco will be and engineering expertise.
Dassault, Bell and Swissport Aviation. “An increase in the number of private
Also new to the event this year is jets in Morocco has seen an increased
“Morocco and Africa are big mar- Carthage Sky Services, whose portfolio demand for excusive FBO terminals and
kets with huge potential,” says Khalid includes trip planning and supervi- private flight support services,” agrees
Serghat, CEO of Sarah Airways. The Adel Mardini, CEO of Jetex.
company, which launched in 2018, will
be promoting its new aircraft, a Hawker “Previously these services were con-
900XP, which is adding “range, comfort tracted to commercial airlines.” Jetex,
and luxury” to its fleet. Serghat con- however, sees this changing as the
tinued, “Morocco is situated geographi- industry matures.
cally in a strategic position serving
the continent [Africa], Europe and the Mardini continues: “We’re incredibly
Middle East.” positive about the Morocco market
which is demonstrated by our network
It’s this strategic location that attracts of four terminals in Agadir, Rabat,
Milano Prime to participate in the event Marrakech and Casablanca. As well
each time it takes place. “This is our as being a strategic location between
third year exhibiting at MEBAA Show Europe and Africa, it’s also becoming
Morocco,” confirms Chiara Dorigotti, a new favourite with travellers with
CEO of Milano Prime. The company has the opening of a range of boutique and
recently opened a new business and luxury resorts. We are looking forward
general aviation terminal at Milan to bringing once-in-a-lifetime experi-
Malpensa and sees it as the perfect ences to the Moroccan market.”
complement to Morocco’s location as
a link to Europe.
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 15
AVIATION BUSINESS AWARDS 2019
MEET OUR JUDGES Aviation Business
Middle East Awards
Just a month to go until of the travel and tourism industries, 2019 Categories
the 13th edition of the with 20+ years in market research and
Aviation Business Awards consulting for large and small clients, Featuring 14 categories, including
kicks off! September will from the US Dept of Commerce to air- two new additions, this year’s edition
see the judges evaluating lines and aerospace OEMs. is brought to you by Gold Sponsors
nomination submissions Honeywell and Olympus, as well as
across 14 categories Nick Humphrey: Partner at the Category Sponsors Dunleavy White, JETEX
Dubai office of Kennedys Law, he Flight Support and Sanad Aerotech.
Comprising the best and specialises in aviation and transport
brightest veterans of the avi- liability claims, dispute resolution, • TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION OF
ation industr y, here’s a look regulator y and commercial law. He has THE YEAR
at the judges for this year’s prior in-house experience as the prin-
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handling and cargo operations and as • TRAINING PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Leonard Favre: Managing director senior legal counsel at defence logis- • HEALTH & SAFETY INITIATIVE OF
of 1BlueHorizon Group, specialising in tics provider, Supreme Group.
transformation management, interim THE YEAR
management and asset management, Issa Baluch: Author and founder, • UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
with offices in Abu Dhabi and Bern. Swift Freight International, Issa was • BUSINESS AIRCRAFT OPERATOR OF
With more than 25 years of experience president of National Association of
in senior leadership roles, 15 of them Freight Logistics of UAE and presi- THE YEAR
in the Middle East, in aviation, aero- dent of International Federation of • GROUND SUPPORT SERVICES
space and defence, this Swissair vet- Freight Forwarders Associations
eran is determined to ‘get things done’. (FIATA). Currently, he ser ves on the PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Dean’s Council at Harvard Kennedy • ENGINEERING INNOVATION OF
Addison Schonland: Founder and School, after being a Senior Fellow of
partner of AirInsight, a company that the Advanced Leadership Initiative of THE YEAR
provides market intelligence solutions Har vard University. He is chairman of • FBO OF THE YEAR
in commercial aviation. He is a veteran First Hectares Capital, AKILI and the • LOW COST AIRLINE OF THE YEAR
FIATA Logistics Academy. • AIRLINE OF THE YEAR
• AIRPORT OF THE YEAR
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(NEW)
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GOLD SPONSORS CATEGORY SPONSORS
16 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
AVIATION BUSINESS AWARDS 2019
Issa Baluch Leonard Favre Nick Humphrey
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 17
COVER STORY
18 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
COVER STORY
FLYING
GREENER
Business aviation is finding solutions to
shrink its carbon footprint with alternative
fuels, improved design, carbon offsets and
innovative technology
By Shalaka Paradkar
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 19
COVER STORY
Electric VTOLs - working as air taxis - are envisaged to solve the problem of urban congestion, while cutting carbon emissions
This May, a record 23 of the 58 jets Sustainable innovative, it has faced a backlash in
arriving at Europe’s annual busi- aviation fuel (SAF) recent times from environmental activist
ness aviation mega-event, were is forecast to help movements like Flygskam, a Swedish
fuelled by sustainable alternative aviation reach its word that translates to “flight shame”.
jet fuels. goal of capping
the growth of An anti-flying movement that origi-
In Geneva for the annual European carbon emissions nated in Sweden last year, it encourages
Business Aviation Convention & by 2020, and people to shun flights so as to lower
Exhibition (EBACE), the jets came from reducing the carbon emissions. Already, Sweden has
major manufacturers such as Bombardier, levels by half of seen a 3% decrease in domestic flights.
Gulfstream, Cirrus, Embraer, Piaggio, the recorded IATA general manager Alexandre de
Dassault and Textron Aviation. figure in 2005, Juniac rejected the polluter stigma, de-
by 2050” claring it based on lies and half-truths.
European Business Aviation Association “The air transport sector is facing a repu-
(EBAA) chairman of the board of gover- tation risk. And it’s a first,” he said.
nors Juergen Wiese declared it “a mile-
stone in business aviation’s commitment According to the Air Transport Action
to sustainability and reducing carbon emis- Group (ATAG) website, the global avia-
sions”; a feat that demonstrated the viabil- tion industry produces around 2% of
ity and the value of alternative fuels. all human-made CO2 emissions, with
aviation responsible for 12% of CO2
While the aviation industry’s sustain- emissions from all transport sources.
ability initiatives are ambitious and
20 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
COVER STORY
Worldwide, flights produced 895 million Zero Avia is
tonnes of CO2 in 2018 (humans pro- targeting short-
duced over 42 billion tonnes of CO2.) haul trips which
constitute 50% of
But unlike other industries running on worldwide
fossil fuels, the aviation industry should departures”
be inspired by its role in the fight against
climate change, according to one of its Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO, Zero Avia, is offering a zero-emission option for short flights
sustainability leaders.
works and find a way of funding transi- 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas
Michael Gill, executive director of the tion costs of what is essentially a huge emissions, Gulfstream claims.
Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) told technological change in order to achieve
the Global Sustainable Aviation Forum the ICAO 2050 Vision for Sustainable Regional perspectives
this year: “Ten years ago, the aviation Aviation Fuels.” The oil economies of the Gulf have also
industry set one of the first long-term started the process of reducing carbon
goals for any single sector: to reduce our According to ATAG data, a third of emissions.
net CO2 emissions in 2050 to half of what the operating costs of airlines is spent
they were in 2005. For a growing indus- on fuel: 33%, up from 13% in 2001; likely On January 15 this year, an Etihad
try like air transport, halving emissions to rise further as fuel prices go up. The Airways Boeing 787 flew from Abu Dhabi
is a considerable challenge, particularly challenge now is ensuring steady, reli- to Amsterdam, powered by GE’s GEnx-1B
when you layer global politics on top of able, sustainable and cost-effective sup- engines utilising locally produced sustain-
necessary climate action.” ply of SAF. able fuel.
Gill acknowledged that fulfilling Plane makers have stepped up to the Produced from plants grown in salt-
climate obligations is a hard ask, but challenge. Boeing’s ‘green diesel’ – made water, the project was spearheaded by
unavoidable. It’s a challenge that aviation from oils and fat, is a significant new the Sustainable Bioenergy Research
is tackling with improved technology, source of sustainable aviation biofuel Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit estab-
increasing efficiency, and transitioning that emits at least 50 percent less CO2 lished by Masdar Institute. The biofuel
away from fossil fuels towards sustain- than fossil fuel. will not only help decarbonise the re-
able energy sources. gion’s aviation sector, but also support
Since 2011, when a Gulfstream G450 food security and the UAE’s oil sector.
Alternate fuels crossed the Atlantic on SAF, the manu-
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is fore- facturer has steadily increased its use of Newer planes also boast improved fuel
cast to help aviation reach its goal of SAF. Four years ago, Gulfstream signed efficiency. Paras Dhamecha, managing
capping the growth of carbon emissions an agreement with World Fuel Services to director, Empire Aviation Group, says:
by 2020, and reducing the levels by half provide a consistent supply of SAF, reduc- “The trend in regional private aviation is
of the recorded figure in 2005, by 2050. ing CO2 emissions by 950 tons. Earlier towards larger aircraft, with longer range
Already, nearly 180,000 commercial this year, Gulfstream made SAF available and the ability to fly non-stop to intercon-
flights have been made on SAF, usually to customers at its Long Beach, California tinental destinations. These aircraft offer
from waste resources. The next few facility. Its SAF supply is chemically larger and brighter cabins, low noise and
years will see SAF production commence equivalent to conventional jet fuel, and comfortable cabin pressure, along with
at a number of new facilities currently each gallon burned achieves more than the entertainment and communications
under construction or financing.
Major manufacturers have planes that
can fuel up on SAF at airports across
Europe and the United States.
At this year’s EBACE, Eurocontrol
director general, Eamonn Brennan,
outlined the challenges ahead: “SAF
and airframe and engine technology
improvements are key to aviation mini-
mising its carbon footprint. The problem
is, the cost of production is still too high
for aircraft operators. The challenge of
industry and above all governments is to
establish clear long-term policy frame-
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 21
COVER STORY
SBRC has developed a biofuel that will help decarbonise UAE skies and support food security
technology you might expect at home or Unlike Sweden, there is no cultural powertrain in existing certified airframes,
in the office, and large baggage holds. backlash against flying. “Owners attracted starting with the Piper M Class.
Smaller more efficient engines help burn to this region tend to operate larger aircraft
less fuel. than in other geographic areas valuing “Our mission is to accelerate the
their own space when doing air travel,” world’s transition to sustainable avia-
“Awareness of the need to address the says Holger Ostheimer, managing director, tion by giving aircraft customers and
challenge of sustainability is growing DC Aviation Al-Futtaim. Jet sharing pro- airframe manufacturers a zero-emission
across the industry. Empire Aviation is in grammes where private fliers can carpool option that serves the most common air-
constant contact with all the major busi- also help reduce emissions, as fractional line trips,” says Val Miftakhov, founder
ness aircraft manufacturers on their tech- ownership can enable many more people and CEO, Zero Avia.
nological developments and we are work- to share a single jet.
ing with partners and staff on our own first Miftakhov says Zero Avia offers a
small steps, including managing onboard Hydrogen propulsion drop-in solution that does not force com-
consumable items.” Aviation start-up ZeroAvia designs and panies to change how they do business
produces hydrogen-fuelled electric pow- or abandon existing contracts with their
Oliver Hewson, commercial manager, ertrains for the aviation industry and has current airframe suppliers. “Instead,
Gama Aviation says they do their utmost the largest zero emission aircraft in the we are enabling them to offer a zero-
to reduce environmental impact. “In this world flying today using no fossil fuels. emission option to their customers.” By
respect we seek to minimise harmful Currently, the company is targeting 500 2022, ZeroAvia plans to offer operators
emissions by operating responsible flight mile short-haul trips which constitute 50% with a 20-seat commercial aircraft that
procedures and operations to limit fuel of worldwide departures. ZeroAvia claims will fly up to 500 miles per trip.
burned, while maintaining safety stand- to be able to do this at half of today’s cost
ards. We also engage in waste recycling of operating aircraft that run on jet fuel. Electric aircraft: all charged up
schemes throughout our operations. In Last year, Dubai-based Jetex Flight
recent years we have also reviewed all ZeroAvia has aviation-certified third- Support inked a partnership with US-
areas of consumption particularly of paper party components such as hydrogen fuel based start-up Wright Electric, to develop
through activities such as using Electronic cells, motors and inverters, proprietary a network of charging stations to support
Flight Bags (EFB), removing all marketing integration software and hardware, mak- private jets using electric propulsion. Jetex
brochures, and using certified sustainable ing up its powertrain system. It installs the and Wright Electric are also collabo-
paper stocks.” rating to develop an electric aircraft
22 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
COVER STORY
Every booking
with UK-based
charter broker Victor
includes a minimum
200% offset,
approximately 0.3%
of the cost of a
booking”
designed specifically for the Middle Gama Aviation is focusing on efficient flight procedures and operations to limit fuel burned
East. With an estimated range of
540km, a passenger can fly from Jetex
FBOs in Dubai to Muscat or Malaga to
Casablanca on a single charge.
For Wright Electric, the goal is
to make every short-haul flight a
zero-emissions flight within 20 years.
According to Wright, their airplanes
will be 50% quieter and 10% less expen-
sive to operate. Wright uses batter y
packs with advanced cell technology.
Despite the challenges, Jetex CEO
Adel Mardini believes this is the future
for short-haul flights. “As you know, it’s Jetex and Wright Electric are collaborating on an electric aircraft for the Middle East.
a new thing, so there will be challenges
in the beginning. Same as it was with Airbus flew a full-scale version of plans for a 12-person electric business
electric cars when they started being its eVTOL in 2018 for the first time. jet to take flight in 2022.
produced. It faced big resistance. But Boeing’s prototype made its maiden
now we can see a lot of people use it flight in Januar y. Munich-based start- Carbon Offsets
and they are enjoying this product.” up Lilium flew a five-person electric A number of private aviation companies
More than 70 companies are devel- air taxi, while Zunum Aero – backed offer carbon offset programmes. Every
oping electric alternatives, including by JetBlue Technology Ventures and booking with UK-based charter broker
Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Bell. Boeing Horizon X – has announced Victor includes a minimum 200% offset,
which is approximately 0.3% of the cost
of a booking. Clive Jackson, CEO and
founder of Victor comments: “As a
business leader, I have the opportunity
to take a bold and perhaps unpopular
step in highlighting a very uncomfort-
able truth within our industr y.
“We must act now and encourage
others to follow our lead rather than
passively waiting for governments and
legislation. The problem is only going
to get worse, so the sooner we all start
to prioritise the reduction and mitiga-
tion of greenhouse gas emissions, the
better chance we have at preventing a
1.5 degree increase in the Earth’s aver-
Zero Avia’s hydrogen-fuelled electric powertrain installed in a Piper M class plane. age temperature.”
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 23
AVIATION TRAINING
DEVELOPING
THE NEXT
GENERATION
OF AVIATION
PROFESSIONALS
24 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
AVIATION TRAINING
As global demand for aviation professionals continues to
grow, AVB speaks to regional airlines and training academies
partnered with the industry to examine the latest trends in
aviation talent development
By Parinaaz Navdar
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 25
AVIATION TRAINING
Arecent report by Boeing pre- The Middle East needs to train around 10 pilots every day to meet the demand for 60,000 pilots by 2036
dicts the global aviation sector A simulator at Alpha Aviation Academy
will require 804,000 new civil
aviation pilots, 769,000 new
maintenance technicians, and 914,000
new cabin crew over the next 20 years.
The demand is fuelled by the growth
in passenger journeys. Etihad Aviation
Training managing director Captain
Paolo La Cava says: “The number of pas-
senger journeys on the world’s airlines is
expected to double within 20 years, and
aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing
are both predicting that total aircraft num-
bers will also double to accommodate this
growth.”
While the industry continues to grapple
with the global shortage of trained pilots
and other aviation professionals, demand
is also growing for trained professionals
in other areas.
“Notably, there is a growing demand for
drone pilots, ATC professionals and avia-
tion psychologists,” says Alpha Aviation
Academy general manager Captain
Nadhem AlHamad.
Emirates Airline and Group executive
vice president Abdulaziz Al Ali notes:
“The Middle East needs to train around
10 pilots every day as the region needs
around 60,000 pilots by 2036. Beyond this,
the need for new skillsets is clear to see.
Artificial intelligence, data analytics, and
cybersecurity are just a few areas where
we are investing for the future.”
While the lack of talent persists, there
is growing interest in aviation careers in
the region, according to Al Ali. He says:
“Aviation is expected to contribute around
20% of UAE’s total GDP this year and
around AED324 billion (US$ 88.2bn) by
2030, and there is heightened awareness
of all the possible careers within the in-
dustry – it’s not just about being pilots or
cabin crew. Aviation and related careers
are growing at an exponential rate and
there is strong demand for training.”
Expansion of the region’s aviation sec-
tor is also drawing interest from aviation
academies and training institutions, ob-
serves AlHamad.
He explains: “There is a growing influx
26 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
AVIATION TRAINING
of investors and companies interested in
setting-up academies or institutions in
the Middle East given the major aviation-
related expansions and developments tak-
ing place in the region however, cost and
availability of qualified and experienced
trainers remain a challenge. We have also
recently seen academies in neighbouring
countries opening their doors, ultimately
leading to an increased competition
among aviation providers in the region.
“The differentiation between provid-
ers in the Middle East and the rest of the
world include maturity – we are not as
mature as our Western competitors; and
flexibility – we are more open and flexible
compared to the Eastern aviation train-
ing providers.” Additionally, the training
provider’s branding, the ability to secure
jobs for trainees and a shortage of quali-
fied instructors are also challenges the
sector faces.
Paolo La Cava,Etihad AviationTraining The number of TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
passenger journeys While some airlines such as Air Arabia
www.aviationbusinessme.com on the world’s airlines train their staff through third-party acad-
is expected to double emies such as Alpha Aviation, other major
within 20 years, and airlines have invested heavily in building
aircraft in-house training facilities.
manufacturers
Airbus and Boeing are At Emirates, for instance, all cadet
both predicting that pilots are training the Emirates Flight
total aircraft numbers Training Academy, which launched in
will also double to 2017. The academy has its own fleet of 27
accommodate this aircraft, dedicated air traffic control tower
growth” and a runway.
Paolo La Cava, Etihad Aviation Training The airline’s cabin crew also go
through safety and emergency training,
which covers aircraft equipment, fire-
fighting, inflight emergencies and evacua-
tion, and medical emergencies.
“We are also investing in areas such
as digital leadership and contemporising
our training offerings to give more flex-
ibility, personalisation and customisation.
The way that our people want to learn is
changing,” Al Ali states.
According to La Cava, training new
pilots from ‘ab initio’ stage was a growing
activity of Etihad Aviation Training, which
currently has over 100 cadet pilots and 22
training aircraft, including four Embraer
Phenom 100 jets at its facility in Al Ain.
September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 27
AVIATION TRAINING
But by far the fastest-growing seg- Emirates cabin crew trainees practise safety and emergency procedures
ment of the business has become re-
training pilots to fly new aircraft types, There is a growing influx of investors and
particularly the Airbus A320-family of companies interested in setting-up academies
narrow body jets and the wide-bodied or institutions in the Middle East given the
Boeing 787 Dreamliner, two of the most major aviation-related expansions and
in-demand types. developments taking place in the region”
La Cava says: “As airlines and private Nadhem AlHamad, Alpha Aviation Academy
operators introduce more of these jets,
demand is increasing significantly to contribute significantly to our business talent pool has to offer, which comple-
transfer pilots from flying other aircraft every day. Our Emirati colleagues can be ments organisational goals.
types. Many operators simply don’t found in every role – whether working on
have the facilities or capacity to retrain the ramp, in aviation security, as pilots, “One of the key challenges is ensur-
the number of pilots required for these cabin crew, analysts, planners and senior ing that regional talent remains regional
planes. But we do, and demand for our leaders across the organisation. We of- – that is, they do not get drawn to other
services is growing. In the first half of fer an extensive range of courses, educa- markets, which also have increased de-
this year, our volumes have exceeded tional programmes, training, executive mand for pilots, such as Asia Pacific and
expectations by 30%. A key reason for our development, leadership and talent man- North America,” AlHamad says.
success is that our instructors are also ac- agement courses to develop our people
tive pilots with Etihad Airways, operating across the board.” Dunleavy White chief executive Rick
the aircraft types on which we are training White concurs with AlHamad, saying:
other pilots.” Developing regional talent comes with “The challenges have been the breadth of
its own set of challenges and opportuni- experience in the region as there are only
While low cost carriers may not be able ties, according to AlHamad. The benefits a defined number of organisations where
to match the quality of in-house training include maximisatig the skills, talent, candidates can gain experience. The ben-
offered by major airlines, they work with creativity and competencies that local efits of recruiting local people for positions
training academies to onboard staff and in local Middle Eastern companies is very
provide continuous training.
AlHamad says: “At Alpha Aviation
Academy UAE we provide pilots exclu-
sively for Air Arabia, the Middle East’s
leading low cost carrier. We train our
cadets via the multi-crew licence pro-
gramme (MLP), which is a relatively new
form of training but one that enables the
cadets to be trained on an Airbus A320
specifically to Air Arabia’s requirements.
This best practice ensures the cadets can
be trained relatively quickly compared to
traditional training methods – in under 18
months – and are fully equipped with the
specific skills they require.”
ATTRACTING TALENT
To meet the growing demand for aviation
professionals, airlines are increasingly
tapping into the local talent pool.
Al Ali says: “We support the local com-
munities in every destination we fly to, and
more so in Dubai, which is our hub. We
fully support the Dubai Government’s ini-
tiative on Emiratisation and above all, our
trained, talented and committed Emiratis
28 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
AVIATION TRAINING
Around 50 per cent of Alpha Aviation Academy’s trainee cadets are female
apparent as they know, understand and needs. We continue to develop our and challenges that will dominate the
are part of the local culture. The ability leaders of today and tomorrow through aviation training market over the next 10
to speak Arabic is always a big positive multiple platforms including the Global years include the training cycle between
for candidates. When you bring people in Business Consortium, in partnership developing and maintaining qualified and
from overseas who may not have lived and with the London Business School and experienced trainers, maintenance of cost
worked in the region previously, it can be the Executive Leadership Development in a manner that is still viewed as attractive
a challenge to not only settle into their new Programme in partnership with Warwick by the target market, and provision of job
role and company but also for them and Business School. security with a reasonable income for the
their family to adjust to the region.” trainees; there is a large number of new
“We focus on offering dynamic learn- fields opening up in various industries of-
In addition to recruiting new talent, ing assets, optimising our talent, building fering more attractive remuneration.”
companies are also investing heavily in the right infrastructure, and aligning our
continued professional development. investment and resources to high-impact Al Ali observes: “More and more,
activities that address business needs and training methodologies will become col-
Emirates, for example, launched prepares us for the future of work.” laborative across cities and continents in
LinkedIn Learning across the enterprise real-time, and incorporate the latest in-
to complement its existing training cur- Looking ahead, experts predict AI and novations, including AI, virtual reality and
riculum. virtual reality will be an integral part of possibly robotics. Training will become
the training process. hyper personalised and customised, mak-
Al Ali explains: “This empowers our ing for shorter, more intense training ses-
people to learn anytime, anywhere from White says: “Capital expenditure for sions. The pace of change could challenge
industry experts, while minimising cost Sims for all new Airbus and Boeing air- trainers and educators, who need to keep
and the time away from work. We intro- craft [will be a big trend]. Previously, both themselves constantly updated.
duced digital and mobile team effective- companies produced slight upgrades on
ness tools to connect and elevate teams equipment however there is now a step “Aviation training, anywhere in the
across group entities. change to the new aircraft suppliers are world, is generally complex and regu-
producing which bear little resemblance lated, and therein lies the challenge and
“We offer bespoke leadership, peo- to previous variants.” the opportunities.”
ple development and mentoring pro-
grammes based on strategic business AlHamad says: “Among the chief trends
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 29
VIRTUAL REALITY
THE VIRTUAL
WORKPLACE
From inflight entertainment to training solutions, airlines
are using augmented and virtual reality to enhance opera-
tions. Aviation Business learns how AR and VR solutions are
transforming the aviation sector
By Parinaaz Navdar
30 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
VIRTUAL REALITY
A ccording to a recent re- Lufthansa passengers have undertaken virtual excursions, with VR goggles
port by research company
Markets and Markets, the they wanted to purchase a seat up-
global virtual reality mar- grade on the spot.”
ket is expected to grow from US $7.9bil-
lion in 2018 to $44.7 billion by 2024. Last year, Emirates trialled VR
headsets in its business class and
The proliferation of VR technol- first class lounges to provide immer-
ogy in the aviation sector has been sive cinematic experiences. At the
particularly noteworthy over the last time, Emirates said in a statement
two years. The use of virtual reality that a mix of content would be made
and augmented reality technolo- available, including 3D & 2D movies,
gies has had a fundamental impact box sets, documentaries and 360-de-
on the development and creation of gree videos.
operational processes, new products,
services and the overall customer ex- However, while airlines are keen
perience within the sector. to offer more VR-based entertain-
ment for passengers, safety remains
Lufthansa Group senior direc- an issue.
tor sales, Gulf, Afghanistan and
Pakistan, Heinrich Lange says: VR training is the closest thing to the
“Virtual reality technology offers the real environment, and it can even be bet-
opportunity to develop and imple- ter than reality as some things just can’t
ment new methods in order to design be trained safely in a real-world scenario”
and create seamless, connected and
highly customised travel experiences Thomas Hoger, 3spin
for our customers.”
For example, last year, passengers
flying from Frankfurt to Dubai on
Lufthansa flight LH630 were the
first to experience the airline’s new
prototype ‘VR Moving Map’, while
on board the Airbus A330. Passengers
wearing special VR goggles were able
to view the moving landscape be-
low them as a 3D map and take part
in 360° virtual excursions at places
of interest, such as the Prater Ferris
Wheel in Vienna.
While most airlines are yet to offer
VR options as part of inflight enter-
tainment, several are integrating VR
in different ways to target customers.
In May, Saudia launched a virtual
reality experience for passengers, al-
lowing them to explore the aircraft
prior to purchasing tickets.
Similarly, Lufthansa has used VR
to sell upgrades for a few years now,
according to Lange. He says: “In the
past, at certain airports, Lufthansa
has given passengers the chance to
virtually see what it is like to be seat-
ed in premium economy or business
class. By checking the 360° view of
the cabin interior, they could decide if
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 31
VIRTUAL REALITY
Lufthansa Aviation Training virtual reality hub for cabin training 3spin co-owner Thomas Hoger says:
“Safety and service concerns need to
When compared be addressed such as giving passen-
with training on a gers notifications once meal service
real aircraft or in a starts or turbulence occurs – however,
cabin simulator, VR all these problems can be addressed
training is the most through software, which is what
efficient and cost-ef- 3spin has already tried together with
fective solution; Lufthansa and Lufthansa Systems.”
Lufthansa Aviation
Training saves TRAINING SOLUTIONS
around 75% of costs While airlines still have some way to
compared to real air- go before integrating VR more fully
craft-based training” in customer and entertainment expe-
riences, the technology has changed
Heinrich Lange, Lufthansa Group the way airlines train staff across all
functions, from MRO to cabin crew.
IFS director, MRO product line,
aerospace & defence business unit,
32 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
VIRTUAL REALITY
3spin partnered with Lufthansa to develop the world’s first VR pilot training solutions
James Elliott notes: “We have seen a train nearly 20,000 Lufthansa flight AR solution allowing flight attend-
steep rise in the adoption of AR and attendants each year in Frankfurt ants to walk through the aircraft and
VR for training in the airline indus- and Munich. acquaint themselves with the layout
try since one of the early adopters, of the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Japan Airlines a couple of years ago, “In our modern VR hubs, these aircraft.
deployed a virtual reality headset flight attendants are undergoing rel-
for engine mechanics and flight evant safety and security trainings Lufthansa and 3spin also partnered
crew trainees. as part of their recurrent training in to develop the world’s first mobile VR
a virtual way. For the training itself, pilot training solution, and 500 pilots
“Virtual reality can greatly sim- VR goggles are handed out to the a year are expected to use it in the
plify and speed up the airline staff participants – then they are taken to future.
training in conducting an exter- one of the 18 VR cabins at the training
nal aircraft inspection. Employees locations in Frankfurt and Munich. Hoger reveals: “The first trainings
wearing a head-mounted display As soon as the trainees put on their have been evaluated scientifically
(HMD) can virtually walk around an VR goggles, they are immediately in in Phoenix, USA and led to a 15%
aircraft, detect existing issues, and a virtual cabin and receive a short in- increase in overall performance.
check whether all necessary safety troduction from the digital assistant Furthermore, Lufthansa and 3spin
equipment is correctly placed. virtual interactive assistant (VIA). are using Augmented Reality for
During the entire exercise, a panel cargo training – this allows to bring
In April 2019, Lufthansa Aviation operator in the VR hub has a con- 3D cargo into a regular office train-
Training introduced VR-based train- stant view of the action via several ing session which makes the training
ing modules, which will be used to monitors. They transmit live videos much more authentic compared to
from each cabin as well as what the textbook learning.”
participants are seeing through their
VR goggles. The trainee and operator Similarly, the International Air
can also contact each other directly at Transport Association (IATA) now
any time – whether it be for questions uses VR to train ground crew and
or assistance,” Lange explains. flight attendants.
Last year, Virgin Atlantic also an- The move from classroom-based
nounced it was testing an augmented and practical training to VR-aided
reality training app for cabin crew. lessons is a no-brainer in most cases,
The airline tapped SITA to create an according to airlines and training
providers.
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 33
VIRTUAL REALITY
A flight attendant uses the VR hub at Lufthansa Aviation Training
Hoger states: “Studies have shown More experienced technicians can signed onboard service. Ground staff
it is the most effective learning also use a VR simulation for recurring too could benefit from VR, learning
method compared to textbook and training before tackling a procedure the proper way to manoeuver ground
video training. VR training is the they may not have performed recent- service equipment and sequence the
closest thing to the real environment, ly, or at all. complex array of servicing tasks dur-
and it can even be better than reality ing an aircraft turn. Immersive VR
as some things just can’t be trained Elliott explains: “An instructor can training can save hundreds of mil-
safely in a real-world scenario.” be in one place and the technicians lions of dollars of annual damage
can be distributed across a wide ge- repairs and delay costs.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Elliott, ography. Yet both can gather together
who notes: “VR is a no-risk way of in the same virtual workspace to Lange agrees, saying: “When com-
learning new skills without risk of review a specific training scenario. pared with training on a real aircraft
damage to actual components. An This reduces an airline’s need to pull or in a cabin simulator, VR training is
immersive experience can give new mechanics off the line and send them the most efficient and cost-effective
technicians a multidimensional look to a training classroom in another solution; Lufthansa Aviation Training
at a complex problem that would be city or country.” saves around 75% of costs compared
hard to duplicate in a typical training to real aircraft-based training.
environment. They can perform a vir- He adds: “The same approach can Furthermore, the training can be car-
tual repair and gain the experience be applied to other staff too. Flight ried out on a much more individual
needed for work in the field.” attendants can learn how to operate basis than in an airplane.”
new equipment and deliver rede-
34 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
VIRTUAL REALITY
An immersive experience can give new
technicians a multidimensional look at a
complex problem that would be hard to
duplicate in a typical training environ-
ment. They can perform a virtual repair
and gain the experience needed for work
in the field”
James Elliott, IFS
Some companies, however, are tak- a more effective customer training what we currently have. It’s possible
ing a more pragmatic view. Pratt & experience that can be accessed even that we could take this technology to
Whitney director, customer training from remote locations. In order to the point where a mechanic can get
Zonda Feulner says: “One of the big- be adopted for mainstream mainte- credit for learning what they need to
gest limitations we have come across nance in the future, an integrated, know by picking up a virtual wrench
is the maturity of the available VR mature, wireless solution needs to from a virtual toolbox to work on one
technology. We have been purchasing become readily available.” of our virtual engines.
and evaluating hardware to determine
long-term feasibility to meet our needs. Feulner notes that while some limi- Ultimately, Hoger notes, the adop-
We have noticed some societal prefer- tations currently exist, the company tion of VR across all functions of avia-
ences to using VR as well. Some are ea- is hoping to add more VR-based com- tion is an inevitability. He says: “With
ger to try the technology while others ponents to its training modules. She pressure points currently impacting
strongly prefer not to wear a headset. explains: “Currently, Pratt & Whitney airlines with newer and more complex
customer training is done through aircraft entering the supply chain and
“Augmented and mixed reality classroom time and with real en- a shortage of engineers, we are only
tools are under development to sup- gines. Our vision is to have a virtual going to see further proliferation of
port immersion training, providing reality component that supplements augmented and virtual reality.
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 35
AVIATION PARTNERS
India’s Vistara aims to take on the
top UAE airlines
Vistara CEO Leslie Thng sees significant demand for premium economy offering on
routes between India and the UAE
NEW LAUNCHES Our approach is not much different with in the UAE and Middle East region were
international operations, and that includes dependent of multiple factors including
Vistara, which launched its first direct the Middle East,” he said. bilateral agreements between the two
flight to Dubai from Mumbai on August 21, countries, availability of aircraft and slots.
aims to take on the leading airlines of the Air India is currently the lone full ser-
UAE by offering a combination of world vice carrier from India to the UAE and “Our fleet is also set to grow signifi-
class services and premium economy on the larger Middle East region, after the cantly over the next few months,” he said.
its flights between India and UAE. collapse of Jet Airways.
After India’s civil aviation ministry
In an exclusive interview with AVB The Vistara CEO said the airline would allotted additional airline seat capacities
sister publication Arabian Business, Leslie soon be expanding its operations to the from the quota of Jet Airways to other
Thng, CEO, Vistara, said: “There is a Middle East region but declined to share Indian carriers, Indian carriers such as
significant demand for an Indian carrier the details of its proposed expansion plans. Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have been
offering a premium experience on flights launching new flights between several
between India and the UAE, and Vistara “Passenger traffic between India and Gulf and Indian cities in the recent weeks.
will be that carrier for people. It is now the Middle East continues to rise, and
also the only airline to offer the choice as a fast-growing airline with unique With its maiden flight to Dubai from
of Premium Economy on flights between product and service, there’s room for Mumbai on Wednesday, Vistara – a joint
India and the UAE. Vistara to grow on the India-UAE route venture between Indian conglomerate
just as well. Naturally, we wish to further Tata Group and Singapore Airlines – has
“We challenged the status quo and strengthen our international network with joined the bandwagon to compete for a pie
changed millions of peoples’ perception more flights to/from points in the Middle in the air traffic to Dubai, one the most
of air travel to bring back joy and wonder- East,” Thng said. sought after destinations from India.
ment to flying (in our India operations).
He added the airline’s expansion plans Air traffic to the Middle East region
c Premium Economy class on a Vistara flight account for close to 50 percent of the
total international air traffic originates
from India, according to passenger traf-
fic data.
The Vistara CEO also hinted at the
possibility of entering into code shar-
ing agreements with more international
airlines in select regions as it expands
its operations.
“As we expand our network within and
outside of India, we continue to look for
like-minded partners in regions across
the world to provide our customers an
extended worldwide network. We have
code-share agreements with some of the
leading airlines of the world, and we will
continue to selectively implement such
partnerships in regions aligned with our
expansion plans,” Thng said.
On the issue of fleet expansion, Thng
said that by the end of March 2020,
Vistara will have over 40 aircraft.
36 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
Air India flies Delhi-San Francisco over North Pole
Polar route will shave 90 minutes off flight time AVIATION PARTNERS
Special needs artist creates CONTENTS
cover for Emirates IFE guide
Emirati artist Abdulla Lutfi created the September cover
CSR INITIATIVE An artist on the autism spectrum, WEAK DEMAND
Abdulla Lutfi’s distinct black and white WEIGHS ON AIR CARGO
Emirates’ inflight entertainment (IFE) drawings usually feature an exaggerated VOLUMES
guide will feature a special edition cover and humorous glimpse of everyday Emirati
with artwork created by Abdulla Lutfi, an life. Despite his young age, Abdulla is an Volumes slump by 7%
Emirati artist represented by Mawaheb accomplished artist having already had a in June compared to the
from Beautiful People. sold out solo exhibition. same month last year
Meaning ‘talent’ in Arabic, Mawaheb P38
is a Dubai-based art studio for adults with
special needs. FEDEX CARES 50 BY 50
Abdulla worked closely with the IFE New CSR initiative to help
team to create the magazine cover for 50 million people.
Emirates and it features a lively depiction
of a flight with customers tuned into dif- P38
ferent channels on ice, the airline’s award-
winning inflight entertainment system. CARGO TERMINAL
“In bringing this cover to life, we held Lödige Industries equips
a short briefing meeting where I drew a Turkish Cargo terminal
very rough sketch on my whiteboard to
explain what we envisaged... Abdulla was P39
able to imagine what we wanted and add so
much more. It was a pleasure to collaborate SURVEILLANCE
with Abdulla and we’re really happy with
the final result!” said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates denies using IFE for
Emirates’ division vice president – cus- spying on passengers
tomer experience.
P40
Etihad is Middle East’s most
punctual airline for first half of 2019
Four Middle Eastern carriers featured in OAG’s list of the top 50
most punctual airlines
FLEET OPERATIONS month for air travel in the Four Middle Eastern car-
Middle East. riers featured in OAG’s list
New figures from avia- of the top 50 most punctual
tion data company OAG John Wright, Etihad airlines. Etihad’s July per-
show that Etihad Airways Airways’ VP, global air- formance was 10 percentage
was the only Middle Eastern ports and network opera- points above the region’s
carrier whose punctuality tions, said: “Etihad Airways average, and four per cent
averaged more than 80% is a high quality airline, and above the next highest
for flights in the first seven reliability is a key element carrier in the region. The
months of 2019. of the total product we of- globally applied definition
fer. We continually strive of on-time departure and
OAG data also showed to deliver excellence for our arrival is within 15 minutes
that Etihad was ranked 24th guests, in the air and on the of published schedule times.
globally for on-time perfor- ground.”
mance in July, peak summer
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 37
AVIATION PARTNERS Hong Kong protests impact on air cargo muted
GROUND Delays are expected over shipments moving in the belly hold
SERVICES
Oman Air Cargo PASSENGER SERVICES
continues
digitisation push Weak Europe, Asia-Pacific
demand weighs on MidEast
Follows on from deploy- air cargo volumes
ment of a SmartKargo
cloud-based cargo man- Middle East-based airlines saw cargo volumes slump by 7% in
agement solution June compared to the same month last year
Oman Air Cargo has successfully According to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle
launched a mobile app as it contin- East-based airlines saw cargo volumes slump by 7 percent in June compared to the same
ues its drive towards digitisation. month last year, weighed by weakening demand in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Capacity
increased by 2.7 percent.
Available to download on both
Apple and Android stores, the app It said seasonally adjusted demand has been falling since late 2018, and the latest data
follows on from the deployment of show volumes to Europe (down by 7.2 percent) and Asia-Pacific (down by 6.5 percent)
a SmartKargo cloud-based cargo were particularly weak.
management solution that was
launched back in September 2017. Globally, IATA said air cargo demand decreased by 4.8 percent in June compared
to the same period in 2018. This marks the eighth consecutive month of year-on-year
“[The app] empowers shippers decline in freight volumes.
and clients by providing them
with self-service and mobile ca- IATA said signs of a modest recovery in recent months appear to have been premature,
pabilities (access any-time, from with the June contraction broad-based across all regions with the exception of Africa.
anywhere) for their most used re- Capacity growth remains subdued and the cargo load factor continues to fall.
quirements to interface real-time
with Oman Air Cargo, including “Global trade continues to suffer as trade tensions—particularly between the US and
quote, flight schedules, and capac- China—deepen. As a result, air cargo markets continue to contract. Nobody wins a trade
ity queries, to real-time bookings war. Borders that are open to trade spread sustained prosperity. That’s what our political
and tracking notifications,” Oman leaders must focus on,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.
Air said.
September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
Other benefits include improved
accuracy of the shipment informa-
tion and facilitation of shipment
readiness when it reaches the
airline warehouse. It also includes
the ability to book shipments on
the go, and provides an easy-to-
access “guest” mode that allows
non-registered customers to
check schedules, track shipments
& get a quote, as well as enhanced
security with touch ID access and
real time synchronisation.
38
Virgin Atlantic, Delta expand UK-US freight services AVIATION PARTNERS
Delta will join Virgin Atlantic at Gatwick Airport for the first time GROUND
SERVICES
Lödige Industries equips FedEx launches next
Turkish Cargo terminal
stage of FedEx Cares
When completed, the terminal will have a handling
capacity of two million tons per year and a total area 50 by 50
of 300,000 square meters
New strategy launched
cThe cargo terminal will be maintained on site by a local service team (representative picture) after meeting goal to in-
vest $200 million in 200
AIR CARGO service team and will also be connected communities by 2020
to the Lödige Customer Care Centre in
Lödige Industries has been selected Germany, which will be able to quickly FedEx Corp has launched the next
to supply a new fully automatic termi- remedy system errors 24/7. stage of its global community en-
nal with state-of-the-art technology to gagement program – FedEx Cares
Turkish Cargo. “We are proud to have contributed 50 by 50, to help 50 million people
to the creation of this flagship project by the company’s 50th anniver-
When completed, the terminal will and our selection by Turkish Cargo for sary in 2023. FedEx launched the
have a handling capacity of two mil- this new mega-hub is testament to our new strategy after exceeding its
lion tons per year and a total area of engineering and automation expertise as goal to invest $200 million in 200
300,000m2. well as our rich experience in air cargo global communities by 2020 six
terminals,” said Philippe De Backer, months early.
The equipment of the new cargo ter- CEO of Lödige Industries.
minal will include automated high-bay “At FedEx, we believe that when
warehouses with 17,000 storage bins, 30 “The new state-of-the-art terminal we connect people and possibilities,
stacking cranes, 15 lifters and an inte- will place us in an excellent position for we can change the world,” said Raj
grated warehouse management system future growth,” added Turhan Özen, chief Subramaniam, president and COO,
(Lödige Cargo Professional) with a direct cargo officer at Turkish Cargo. “In Lödige FedEx Corporation.“FedEx Cares
interface to the customer and freight man- Industries, we have selected a partner that 50 by 50 will allow us to continue to
agement systems. has enriched the project with innovative work with some of the world’s top
solutions to our specific requirements. We nonprofits to support the change
Freight handling for perishable goods, have found them to be both flexible and in social challenges like sustain-
excess luggage, express luggage, domestic cost-sensitive, which is always a bonus able transportation, road safety and
freight and general cargo will take place with such large scale projects.” youth unemployment.
on two levels.
FedEx Cares 50 by 50 was
The cargo terminal will be maintained launched at the World Golf
on site by a local Lödige Industries Championships-FedEx St.
Jude Invitational hosted at TPC
Southwind in the U.S., Memphis,
Tennessee in late July.
www.aviationbusinessme.com September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS 39
AVIATION FAA bans recalled MacBook Pros from flights
PARTNERS
TECHNOLOGY Select laptops banned after Apple disclosed some units had batteries that posed a fire risk
Airbus A380s face Emirates denies using IFE for
urgent checks spying on passengers
Cracked metal part, dug from Passengers’ usage of inflight entertainment system is logged
Greenland, is linked to a sus-
pected manufacturing flaw INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT video cameras.
The airline told CNN Travel that im-
Investigators probing an engine explo- Emirates has denied reports from a media
sion on an Air France A380 in 2017 are outlet in New Zealand which suggested ages are not captured from embedded
studying a possible manufacturing the Dubai carrier has “been filming un- seat-back cameras, but images of pas-
flaw in a recently salvaged cracked suspecting passengers through their sengers are collected while they are on
part. The move is likely to trigger in-flight entertainment systems”. board and data is collected through the
urgent checks on dozens of Airbus IFE, looking at how they spend their time
superjumbos, people familiar with The Dubai carrier said that although during the flight.
the matter told Reuters. cameras form part of the IFE, it was not
a policy to use them by the airline as yet. “In line with standard practice and
The focus of the investigation into to protect our customers and frontline
the mid-air explosion over Greenland, A spokesperson said: “Some of our staff, there are CCTV cameras installed
which left the plane carrying more 777 aircraft have cameras that came pre- in our airport lounges and onboard air-
than 500 passengers with the front installed with the inflight entertainment craft (one camera, positioned near the
of one engine missing, has switched (IFE) hardware that we had purchased cockpit door) for security purposes,” the
to the recently recovered “fan hub”, from the manufacturer (Panasonic). It spokesperson said.
the people said. was originally meant for seat-to-seat video
calls, however Emirates has never acti- They are further quoted as saying:
The titanium alloy part is the center- vated it.” “Our inflight entertainment systems do
piece of a 3-metre-wide fan on engines not have any cameras, microphones or
built for the world’s largest airliner Earlier this month, a spokesperson for sensors to monitor passengers, nor have
by US-based Engine Alliance, co- Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific revealed they in the past.”
owned by General Electric and United it is recording passenger activity via its
Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney. It inflight entertainment (IFE) systems and
was buried in Greenland’s ice sheet
since September 2017 and prised from
the ice in June after a high-tech aerial
radar search.
France’s BEA air accident agency
said it had discovered a “sub-surface
fatigue crack” on the recovered part
and the engine maker was preparing
checks. The crack was linked to a
suspected manufacturing flaw. BEA
said the checks, carried out urgently on
engines that have conducted a certain
number of flights, would affect dozens
of the double-decker jets.
c Emirates said images are not captured from embedded seat-back cameras
40 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
DIRECTORY
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DEPARTURE
LOUNGE
How AI is improving the
customer experience
Amit Taneja, chief business officer — international
markets, Cleartrip, explores how analytics is defining
travel in a digital-first world
In the coming years, AI will have heavily invested in. It is one of those From guidance on when to book flights
revolutionised retail and travel tools that makes discovery easier and to when to fly, machine learning allows
experiences. Using machine swifter by eliminating the need for mul- a customer to have any possible chal-
learning, natural language under- tiple inputs. When we integrate this lenges, fully resolved.
standing and processing, AI will be with our customers’ booking behaviour
able to analyse customer sentiment and and preferences, we believe we will add Most leisure travel itineraries are flex-
feedback, and even mood, at scale, pre- considerable value to this mode of dis- ible; customers looking to make a travel
cision, and speed. covery and booking, moving towards plan for the third week of September
making travel simple. might be agreeable to flying out in the
We see a future where the majority first week of October if they can get bet-
of initial customer interactions will be While machine learning is at the heart ter fares then.
managed without a human, AI and data of customer acquisition engines, it is also
analytics are enabling companies to used to provide better customer experi- Solving this requires extensive
anticipate a customer’s next need before ences. Data analytics and machine learn- machine learning and data analytics
they even know it. ing can be used to streamline search and capabilities. This is vital in times when
discovery by retaining the travel-related customers are demanding more, when
Data analytics plays a major role at information previously entered by us- star ratings and famous destinations are
Cleartrip, and helps shape decision-mak- ers across devices and platforms. This no longer as sought after. Today’s travel-
ing across all key business functions. not only enables facilitates a smoother ler wants unique experiences, boutique
From the propensity to book models booking process, but also improves user hotels, off-the-beaten-track destinations
which looks at hundreds of data points, retention. — Sarajevo is one such destination that
to our lifetime value scoring for new cus- has recently surged in popularity with
tomers. Analytics is defining the journey We also utilise data science models for Middle East travellers.
that has to be undertaken to thrive in an cash-back optimisation, offering more
increasingly digital-first world. personalised deals to users and improv- Big data is helping companies move
ing conversions. This extends to the from what its staff think is important to
Our analytics teams spend an enor- likes of fare alerts when we expect pric- what the customer thinks is important.
mous amount of time looking at consum- ing to increase or drop, to recommenda- At Cleartrip, we have introduced cutting-
er behaviour. As a company we measure tions of experiences and destinations. edge features including Flexifly, an offer-
hundreds of different attributes and ing designed to save travellers from the
identify problem statements to consider We know that personalisation gives heavy charges associated with amending
before embarking on a product develop- customers a feeling of ‘bespoke’ service flight bookings, and 2-d Fare vs Duration
ment journey. and thanks to data analytics, customers Filter, which provides a comparative
can receive unique offers and promo- trade-off between flight duration and fare
AI itself is becoming increasingly so- tions, delivered at exactly the right time, for long-haul flights.
phisticated and we need to not only keep to the right device, even the message
up, but stay ahead. itself, tailored to suit the customer. Newer technological innovations
have already driven a lot of disruption in
Voice is a technology that has been traditional travel processes. Travel will
become faster, smarter, and more contex-
Data analytics and machine learning tualised. The scale of this disruption is
can be used to streamline search and dis- only bound to increase in the near future,
covery by retaining the travel-related in- which is why companies like Cleartrip
formation previously entered by users invest in constantly upgrading technologi-
across devices and platforms.” cal capabilities to drive operational dif-
ferentiation and retain our position as the
region’s leading online travel portal.
42 September 2019 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com
CONNECTING
THE AEROSPACE
INDUSTRY
17-21 NOVEMBER 2019
DWC, DUBAI AIRSHOW SITE
WWW. D U B A I A I R S H OW. A E R O | @ D U B A I A I R S H OW
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