Civil Aviation

Jakarta, 20th May 2024: Garuda Indonesia (GA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) signed a commercial partnership to offer reciprocal benefits for their frequent flyer programme members, and to explore revenue sharing arrangements for flights between Indonesia and Singapore, subject to regulatory approvals.The frequent flyer programme agreement was inked by Garuda Indonesia Chief Executive Officer,Irfan Setiaputra and SIA CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phong in Jakarta, while the joint venture revenue share agreement was signed by Garuda Indonesia Director of Service and Commercial Ade R. Susardi and SIA Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin.When launched, the frequent flyer partnership will allow GarudaMiles and KrisFlyer members to earn and redeem miles on codeshare flights operated by both airlines. The revenue sharing agreement, when implemented, will support joint capacity growth, marking a significant step in the plans for a proposed commercial joint venture arrangement that covers Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines flights between Singapore and Indonesia.Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia have a strong codeshare partnership that has expanded in recent months. Today, Garuda Indonesia codeshares on Singapore Airlines flights between Singapore and the Indonesian cities of Bali, Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya, as well as long-haul routes between Singapore and Johannesburg, London (Heathrow), and Mumbai. SIA codeshares on Garuda Indonesia flights between Singapore and Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya. Irfan Setiaputra, President and CEO of Garuda Indonesia said that this partnership is part of Garuda Indonesia’s efforts to improve the Company’s performance through a strategic commercial partnership, especially in providing added value to customers. “Having the same mission in optimising the potential of the aviation business ecosystem in South East Asia after the pandemic, this initiative is certainly an important manifestation of both airlines’ commitment to continue strengthening our well-established cooperation,” Irfan explained. He added,“This partnership is a special moment for us, which also marks the 58 years of Garuda Indonesia’s journey in connecting Indonesia and Singapore. In the future, we hope that this partnership will continue to enhance social, cultural, and tourism relations between Indonesia and Singapore whilst offering seamless access for customers to enjoy various destinations served by both airlines.” “We hope that the expansion of this partnership will bring added value for Singapore and Indonesia, which are served by both airlines. Furthermore, this collaboration is also expected to not only provide added value for both airlines’ customers, especially through the ease of earning and redeeming miles for tickets and other exclusive benefits, but the hope is that it will strengthen Garuda Indonesia’s support for national tourism by providing more access to points in Indonesia for foreign tourists who will visit Indonesia via Singapore in the future,” Irfan said. Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said,“Our win-win partnership with Garuda Indonesia will improve the connectivity between Indonesia and Singapore for our customers. This will help to meet the increasing demand for air travel between the two countries and beyond, as well as facilitate the growth of tourism and economic activities. Furthermore, by deepening the synergies between our frequent flyer programmes, we can enhance the benefits for our loyal customers, offering them more opportunities to earn and redeem miles when travelling with both airlines.”

Singapore, 15th May 2024: The demand for air travel remained buoyant throughout FY2023/24, boosted by a rebound in North Asia as China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, and Taiwan fully reopened their borders. SIA and Scoot carried a combined 36.4 million passengers, up 37.6% year-on-year. Passenger traffic grew 26.6%, outpacing the capacity expansion of 22.9%. As a result, the Group passenger load factor (PLF) improved 2.6 percentage points to arecord 88.0%. SIA and Scoot registered record PLFs of 87.1% and 91.2% respectively. Group revenue rose $1,238 million (+7.0% year-on-year) to a record $19,013 million. Passenger flown revenue rose by $2,319 million (+17.3%) to $15,685 million, despite a 7.6% decline in passenger yields. Cargo flown revenue fell $1,485 million (-41.2%) to $2,119 million. While cargo loads increased by 1.7% due to the strong demand from the e-commerce segment, yields were 42.2% lower year-on-year – albeit 29.8% above pre-pandemic levels2. Group expenditure increased $1,202 million (+8.0%) to $16,285million. Non-fuel expenditure rose by $1,336 million (+13.5%), and was partially offset by a $132 million decrease (-2.5%) in net fuel cost. The increase in non-fuel expenditure was lower than the 16.0% increase in overall passenger and cargo capacity. On the other hand, net fuel cost fell despite higher volumes uplifted (+$918 million) anda lower fuel hedging gain (+$358 million), mainly due to an18.5% decrease in fuel prices (-$1,281 million). As a result, Group operating profit reached a record $2,728 million, up $36 million or 1.3% from a year before. The Group’s net profit improved by $518 million (+24.0%) to $2,675 million. This was mainly due to the better operating performance (+$36million), a net interest income versus net finance charges a year before (+$215 million), lower tax expense (+$132 million)3, and a share of profits versus a share of losses of associated companies from the previous year (+$104 million). Second Half FY2023/24 – Profit and Loss Second half Group revenue rose by $492 million (+5.3%) year-on-year to $9,850million, marking a record for the Group’s half-yearly revenue. This was driven by a $749 million (+10.1%) increase in passenger flown revenue on the back of a 17.5% growth in traffic, which was slightly below the 17.7% expansion in capacity. The Group PLF remained almost flat at 87.3% (-0.1 percentage point). Passenger yields declined 6.0% on intensifying competition as other airlines progressively restored capacity. Cargo revenue fell $446 million (-29.7%), with yields declining (-35.9%) amid the recovery in bellyhold cargo capacity. This was partly offset by an increase in loads (+9.7%) due to robust e-commerce flows. The demand for airfreight from Asia was also supported by security concerns in the Red Sea, bolstering the overall cargo performance. Expenditure grew $776 million (+9.8%), consisting of a $496 million increase (+9.2%) in non-fuel expenditure and a $280 million increase (+11.1%) in net fuel cost. Net fuel cost increased to $2,794 million, mainly due to higher volume uplifted (+$365 million) and lower fuel hedging gain (+$185 million),and partially offset by a 6.8% drop in fuel prices (-$219 million). In the second half, the Group operating profit decreased by $284 million (-19.5%) from the previous yearto $1,174million. The Group net profit was stable, rising $4 million year-on-year to $1,234 million. This was mainly driven by a lower tax expense (+$249 million)and a surplus on disposal of aircraft, spares, and spare engines versus a loss the year before (+$45 million), whichoffset the decline in operating performance. Balance Sheet As of 31 March 2024, the Group shareholders’ equity was $16.3 billion, down $3.5 billion from 31 March 2023. This was due to the partial redemption in June and December 2023 of the June 2021 Mandatory Convertible Bonds (MCBs) for $5.1 billion, including accrued yield. Total debt balances decreased by $1.9 billion to $13.4 billion, mainly due to the repayment of borrowings. As a result, the Group’s debt-equity ratio increased from 0.77 times to 0.82 times. Cash and bank balances decreased by $5.1 billion to $11.3 billion, arising from the redemption of the MCBs, repayment of borrowings, and payment of dividends. This was mitigated by the $5.1 billion of net cash generated from operations, which included proceeds from forward sales.On top of the cash on hand, the Group has access to $2.9 billion of committed lines of credit, all of which remain untapped at present. Fleet and Network Development As of 31 March 2024, the Group operating fleet consisted of 200 aircraft with an average age of seven years and three months. SIA had 142 passenger aircraft4 and seven freighters, while Scoot had 51 passenger aircraft5. In April 2024, the Group added one Airbus A350-900 and two Embraer E190-E2 aircraft to its fleet. As of 1 May 2024, the Group had 89 aircraft on order6. As of 31March 2024, the Group’s passenger network7 covered 118 destinations in 35 countries and territories. SIA served 73 destinations while Scoot served 67. The cargo network comprised 123 destinations in 37 countries and territories. For the Northern Summer 2024 operating season (31 March 2024 to 26 October 2024), Barcelona, Beijing, Darwin, Hong Kong SAR, Houston, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Milan, Perth, Rome, Seattle, Shanghai, Taipei-Tokyo (Narita), and Yangon will see an increase in services. SIA launched services to Brussels in April 2024 and will begin operations to London (Gatwick) in June 2024. Scoot began Embraer E190-E2 operations on 7 May 2024 with flights to Krabi. The aircraft will operate to existing destinationssuch as Hat Yai, Miri, and Kuantan, as well as two new points – Koh Samui (in May 2024) and Sibu (in June 2024). Operating the aircraft on thinner routes to non-metro destinations in the Asia-Pacific allows the Group to unlock significant growth opportunities in the region. Final Dividend The Board of Directors recommends a final dividend of 38 cents per share for FY2023/24. Including the interim dividend of 10 cents per share paid on 22 December 2023, the total dividend for FY2023/24 will be 48 cents per share. Subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 29 July 2024, the final dividend (tax exempt, one-tier) would

New Delhi,10th May 2024: In a significant development at the Arabian Travel Market 2024 in Dubai, Emirates Airlines is considering initiating flights from Dubai to Lucknow said one of their representatives who visited the Uttar Pradesh tourism pavilion at the Arabian Travel Market 2024. The presence of Emirates at the pavilion initiated discussions on boosting the influx of tourists from the UAE to Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh currently leads in domestic tourism and is actively pursuing strategies to boost inbound tourism. The state is promoting its tourism destinations globally, showcasing prominent sites such as Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, the upcoming Mahakumbh, key Buddhist sites, Chunar Fort, the Sufi circuit, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, and Chitrakoot among others. These attractions garnered attention from thousands of tour operators from various countries visiting the pavilion. Prateek Heera, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) revealed that discussions were held with representatives from Emirates Airlines regarding the launch of flights to Lucknow. The selection of Lucknow stems from its status as both the capital and its excellent airport facilities, which would facilitate accessibility for residents from other districts. Uttar Pradesh is renowned for hosting globally significant religious and spiritual tourism sites. These globally relevant sites have been divided into Twelve tourism circuits by the state. Other than the prominent tourism destinations, the state is now aiming to bolster wedding, health and wellness and alike tourism options to cater to every category. Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture, said, “Uttar Pradesh is taking rapid strides in tourism development. The promotion of Uttar Pradesh’s tourism destinations at the Arabian Travel Market 2024 (ATM) is expected to attract tourists from around the world to Uttar Pradesh and we are positive of achieving greater heights in inbound tourism as well”.

Delhi, 2nd May 2024: Jazeera Airways, in the first quarter (1Q) of 2024 recorded a break even in operations, and reported a net loss of KD 2.7 million. This was mainly due to the impact of foreign currency losses of KD 2.5 million. The total group revenue for this quarter was KD 46.4 million versus KD 48.3 million from Q1 2023. Jazeera Airways handled 1.2 million passengers in 1Q 2024, an increase of 4.2% or approximately 47k passengers more vs 1Q ‘23. Load factor was at 79.3% while Jazeera Airways’ network market share increased to 37.3% vs 36.1% in 1Q 23. The retail lease revenue for Terminal 5, owned and managed by the airline increased to KD 378k. Duty free business grew by 5.4% over 1Q ‘23 to KD 1.2 million. Marwan Boodai, Chairman, Jazeera Airways said: “Jazeera Airways, time and again, has demonstrated strong resilience through several unique situations. Last year, headwinds driven by overcapacity, combined with a tough regulatory, geopolitical, and regional landscape put pressure on our year end results. In 1Q 2024, our operations remained steady, yet we recorded a loss impacted by foreign currency fluctuations. However, by staying focused on controlling our operational costs and, nimble and agile to market conditions, we are well positioned to grow in summer and to navigate 2024.” Financial and Operational Highlights 1Q 2024 Highlights: ● Operating revenue: KD 46.4 million, down 4.1% from 1Q’23, up 18.3% from 4Q ‘23 ● Operating profit: KD 1.3million, down 64.6% from 1Q’23, up by 120% from 4Q ‘23 ● Net loss: KD2.7 million, down 216.5% from 1Q’23, down by 62.2% from 4Q ‘23 ● Passengers: 1.2 million, up 4.2% from 1Q’23, up by 0.7% (1.14m) from 4Q ‘23 ● Load factor: 79.3%, down 2.7% from 1Q ‘23, up by 3.5% from 4Q ‘23 ● Yield: KD 37.43, down 8.9% from 1Q ‘23, up by 17.7% from 4Q ‘23 First Quarter 2024 Review In the first quarter of 2024, Jazeera Airways welcomed a new Chief Executive Officer, Barathan Pasupathi (Bara), a veteran in aviation and finance with vast experience in heading a budget carrier. The airline also announced the launch of direct flights to Batumi, Georgia scheduled to start from 14 June 2024. Other destinations are also scheduled to resume operations for the summer season. These include Antalya, Beirut, Bodrum, Larnaca, Prague, Sarajevo, Salalah, Sharm El Sheikh, Tirana, Tivat, and Trabzon. 2024 Outlook With the launch of upcoming summer destinations, Jazeera covers close to 63 destinations across the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe. Growth, both financial and operational, remains on top of the agenda for Jazeera Airways. This is supplemented by continuous enhancements to products, services, and Jazeera Terminal 5.

Colombo: 29 April 2024 SriLankan Airlines and Air Seychelles have signs a codeshare partnership, ushering in seamless travel to multiple new destinations throughout Asia, Africa and Australia for their passengers flying between Colombo and Mahé. Connecting people and places across continents, the collaboration empowers SriLankan Airlines to amplify its position and reach in Africa and passengers of the airline to travel conveniently between Colombo and Mahé twice a week. For Air Seychelles, over 20 destinations are included in the partnership, which includes much requested destinations such as Sydney and Melbourne in Australia as well as other popular stops in India, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. This new codeshare agreement will allow SriLankan Airlines and Air Seychelles to place their codes on each other’s flights and enable passengers to continue their journey conveniently using a single booking and with their luggage checked in all the way to the final destination. It also means passengers can book their travels with both airlines, through online travel agencies, as well as with local travel agents.   Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines stated, “We are pleased to boost our codeshare network and presence in the African region through this new partnership. We look forward to working with Air Seychelles to provide our customers more African destination options in the coming years.” Charles Johnson, Air Seychelles’ Chief Commercial Officer shares “Now that we have been flying to Colombo for over 9 months, the twice-weekly flights have proven successful. The next step to solidifying our relationship is with this code-share, allowing even more passengers the convenience of a single ticket to more points served by our partner in Asia and Australia.” Flights under the codeshare agreement are available to book now and will begin operating in May 2024.

Delhi,25th April, 2024: IndiGo is further defining its long-term future by strengthening its fleet with the introduction of wide-body aircraft to its fleet. The LCC has agreed to place an order for 30 Firm A350-900 aircraft, which will enable IndiGo to spread its wings further and expand its network. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls Royce’s Trent XWB engine. The mission capability of this aircraft coupled with the efficiency of the Trent XWB engine will offer IndiGo unprecedented optionality as it embarks on the next stage of its wonderful journey of addressing the rapidly evolving needs of the Indiancustomer and our nation. Currently, IndiGo operates over 350 aircraft. Last year, in June 2023, IndiGo placed the largest ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 aircraft with Airbus. With that, the outstanding orderbook of A320 Family aircraft stands at almost 1,000 aircraft which are yet to be delivered well into the next decade. This IndiGo order-book comprises a mix of A320NEO, A321NEO and A321XLR aircraft. This new order will bring the strategic relationship between IndiGo and Airbus to an unprecedented level in terms of depth, breadth, and size. For the relationship between IndiGo and Rolls Royce, this marks the beginning of a new, long and fruitful relationship. The exact configuration of the aircraft will be decided at a later stage, and the deliveries are expected to start from 2027. In addition to the 30 Firm A350-900 order, IndiGo has Purchase Rights for an additional 70 Airbus A350 Family aircraft, at its discretion, for possible future needs under certain conditions. In calendar year 2023, IndiGo welcomed 100 million customers onboard its flights and as such, the airline is, quite literally, giving wings to our nation. IndiGo is amongst the fastest growing airlines in the world, and this order will allow it to strengthen its growth trajectory. Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said, “Today’s historic moment marks a new chapter for IndiGo and will further shape the future of the airline and for Indian aviation at the same time. For IndiGo, after successfully pioneering the Indian skies with an unprecedented journey, its fleet of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft will allow IndiGo to embark on its next phase of becoming one of the leading global aviation players.”

Abu Dhabi, 24th April 2024: Etihad Airways has announced that it will start flying its A380 to Paris, CDG from 1 November, 2024. The French capital becomes the third major city to enjoy the Etihad A380 experience after London and New York. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said, “As a city celebrated for its style and ambiance, Paris is the perfect destination for our iconic A380 aircraft. This enhancement reflects our commitment to delivering award-winning comfort and service across all cabin classes. The introduction of the A380 on the Abu Dhabi – Paris route enriches both leisure and corporate travel. It underscores Etihad’s commitment to facilitating business connections and travel to Abu Dhabi and beyond. Our state-of-the-art cabins and bespoke amenities ensure that business travellers can work, relax, and arrive refreshed. Features like The Lobby lounge and Business Studios create an ideal environment for productivity and comfort. By enhancing the travel experience with greater connectivity and luxury, we make business trips more accessible and enjoyable, connecting travelers to Abu Dhabi’s dynamic economy and rich cultural landscape with the premium service Etihad is known for.” The A380 brings a special touch to air travel. Economy passengers enjoy a warm welcome with comfortable seating arrangements, including 68 seats offering four inches more legroom and 337 Smart seats featuring Etihad’s innovative fixed-wing headrests and large pillows. On the upper deck, Business Studios™ feature 70 private spots, complemented by The Lobby lounge area. Each Business Studio is equipped with premium amenities designed with Armani/Casa and WiFi connectivity, ensuring a productive and luxurious travel experience. First Apartments are luxurious with nine private spaces, designer tableware, leather chairs, and a big ottoman-bed. First-class guests also receive personal amenities and can enjoy an exclusive shower room. The Residence At the pinnacle of comfort is The Residence, the world’s only three-room suite in the sky. Accommodating up to two guests, The Residence features a private living room, bedroom, and ensuite bathroom, complete with a shower at 40,000 feet. A dedicated team of Etihad cabin crew ensures unparalleled service. Guests in The Residence can indulge in a culinary journey with an à la carte menu, served on designer tableware in the private living room, or even opt for breakfast in bed. From gourmet cuisine to champagne and caviar, The Residence Signature High Tea offers a range of lavish options.

Delhi, 18th April 2024: Air India has announced that it will deploy its brand-new A350 aircraft on the busy Delhi-Dubai route this summer, marking the aircraft’s debut on short-haul international flights. Starting 1 May 2024, Air India guests flying between Delhi and Dubai can experience the A350 in its bold new livery. Operating as AI995/996, the aircraft is scheduled to depart Delhi daily at 20:45hrs, arriving at 22:45hrs in Dubai. The return flight departs Dubai next day at 00:15hrs and arrives in Delhi at 04:55hrs. All timings local.With this, Air India becomes the only carrier to operate the A350 between India and Dubai. Air India’s A350vaircraft feature 28 private suites with full-flat beds in Business, 24 seats in a dedicated Premium Economy cabin offering extra legroom and other enhancements, and 264 spacious seats in Economy. All seats on the A350come with the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and HD screens that offer more than 2,200 hours of entertainment content from around the world. Air India started inducting the A350s earlier this year, which have since operated flights within India for crew familiarisation and regulatory compliance purposes.Air India currently operates a total of 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities, of which 32 flights are from Delhi.

Gurugram, 12th April 2024: Air India has deployed five new contact centres, offering round-the-clock assistance to its customers worldwide. It has partnered with Concentrix, a California-headquartered customer engagement firm, to manage premium services from centres in Mumbai, Cairo, and Kuala Lumpur. The airline has also signed up iEnergizer, to operate contact centres in Noida and Bengaluru, focusing on domestic inquiries. Air India has recently introduced a premium desk exclusively tailored for its premium Frequent Flyer members, as well as business and first-class guests. The dedicated service offers personalised assistance, further enhancing the overall travel experience for these esteemed segments of passengers. Investing in developing best-in-class technology infrastructure, including a new tech stack, the airline aims to streamline customer support operations and enhance efficiency. “Our customers are at the core of our operations. The enhancement and expansion of the contact centres is a testimony to Air India’s commitment to providing comprehensive support to our customers and is a step towards building Air India into a world-class global airline,”Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India, said during the launch of the Mumbai centre. Air India has implemented a comprehensive back-office insourcing strategy to manage emails, social media, and chat support internally to effectively assist our valued customers. A 24/7 grievance management desk promptly addresses all customer queries, escalations and provides round-the-clock support. A robust quality and training governance framework has also been established to ensure that the employees adhere to best-in-class standards and enhance their skills. Recently Air India launched its redesigned website and airline industry’s first Generative AI chatbot- AI.g. The chatbot provides seamless accessibility on the website as well as on WhatsApp opening a new guest support channel, helping travellers to ask questions across 1300+ travel-related topics.

12th March 2024, New Delhi: Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Steel, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia today inaugurated Fly91, a regional airline and flagged off its maidan flight between Manohar International Airport (MOPA), Goa and Agatti Islands, Lakshadweep. Jyotiraditya M Scindia said that earlier in our country, airlines’ closure and bankruptcy used to be the news. In the past 10 years, the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi brought a new dawn to this industry which resulted in the birth of six new regional airlines. Shri Scindia also highlighted the multidimensional growth of civil aviation in the country. He reiterated the government’s commitment to connect tier 2 and tier 3 cities through the UDAN scheme and said that the aviation industry is expecting to raise its domestic traffic to 30 crores by 2030 which was just 6 crores in 2014. The airlines informed that Schedule flights will commence effective from 18 March 2024, between Manohar International Airport, Goa and Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jalgaon, Agatti, Pune, Nanded and from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune to Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Nanded and Goa, in a phased manner. These new connections will fulfil the demand for enhanced connectivity across the nation and increase accessibility of different regions. This will not only enhance tourism but also promote trade and commerce and give strength to the government’s commitment to offering an affordable, on-time, safe, and hassle-free travel experience to the passengers. Fly91 Chairman Harsha Raghavan, Asangba Chuba Ao, Jt. Secretary MoCA and other officials from AAI and the Ministry of Civil Aviation were also present at the launch.