Civil Aviation

Delhi,2nd February 2024: The oneworld alliance completes 25 years of its presence with an exceptional and seamless travel experience to its customers worldwide, with a member airline flight taking off or landing somewhere in the world every six seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since 1999, the alliance has flown nearly nine billion customers on its member airlines, connecting them with friends, loved ones and different cultures around the globe. Launched on 1 February 1999 by its founding members American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas, the alliance was formed to increase connectivity and flexibility for passengers and to reward frequent flyer customers with special benefits and privileges. Since then, oneworld has grown to include 13 of the world’s top airlines – Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan Airlines, 26 affiliate airlines and a oneworld connect partner Fiji Airways. Oman Air is set to join the alliance in 2024, becoming its 14th full member. More than 330,000 airline professionals across oneworld member airlines work tirelessly on the ground and in the air, delivering smooth and memorable travel experiences for customers across the alliance. To celebrate the alliance’s landmark year, uniformed staff across oneworld member airlines will wear unique pin badges which have been specially-designed with a new 25th anniversary logo. Representing rich cultures from more than 170 territories served by oneworld member airlines, the alliance celebrates diversity, uniqueness and inclusivity, making every customer feel welcomed and valued. Today, oneworld member airlines collectively serve more than 900 global destinations, offering customers unparalleled access to more than 600 premium airport lounges, additional baggage allowances, the ability to earn and redeem miles across its network and fast-track security lanes at select airports. oneworld is the only global alliance to provide eligible customers access to First Class lounges, irrespective of the oneworld member airline they fly. It also offers two types of round-the-world fares, providing travellers with flexible options based on continents visited or distance travelled. Robert Isom, American Airlines Chief Executive Officer and oneworld alliance Chairman, said: “We are happy to celebrate the world’s leading airline alliance with more than 200 million loyal customers around the globe. “Together, we now operate more than 12,000 departures every day – equivalent to a oneworld member airline flight taking off or landing every six seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Highlighted by the recent opening of our first fully-branded oneworld lounge in Seoul in South Korea, we continue to expand the oneworld network around the world for the benefit of our customers. We look forward to the next 25 years of setting new standards in customer excellence and innovation.” Ronald Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Pacific, a founding member of the alliance, said: “Celebrating 25 years of oneworld is a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision. Our partnership has enabled us to connect cultures, bridge continents and create lasting memories for travellers around the world.” Vanessa Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of the Qantas Group, a founding member of the alliance, said: “For 25 years our alliance has brought together the best carriers, lounges, frequent flyer programs and networks to benefit our shared customers. As the leading alliance in the sky, we’ll continue working with our partner airlines to ensure oneworld delivers even more value as we help to connect travellers across more than 900 destinations around the globe.” Luis Gallego, Chief Executive Officer of International Airlines Group (IAG), said: “oneworld’s 25th anniversary marks a significant milestone in our journey towards providing exceptional travel experiences. Together, oneworld members have contributed towards shaping the landscape of global aviation, and we remain committed to driving excellence for our customers.” In 2019, oneworld launched Travel Bright, breaking the mould of airline alliance advertising by creating a contemporary, warm and positive brand that reflects millennials’ energy and positivity. In January 2024, the alliance opened its very first oneworld branded lounge experience, at Incheon Airport in Seoul, South Korea, further delivering on its vision of making travel bright. oneworld reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability in January 2024 by becoming the first airline alliance to join IATA CO2 Connect, contributing operational data to the aviation authority’s emissions calculator, which establishes a carrier’s carbon footprint. As oneworld embarks on its next 25 years, it remains steadfast in its commitment to setting new standards in customer experience, continuing its journey of innovation and collaboration, and creating memorable and meaningful travel experiences for millions of customers around the globe.

Delhi,3rd January 2024: Akasa Air recently added two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in its growing fleet. With this, the airline exited the calendar year 2023 with a fleet size of 22 aircraft, including 21 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and one Boeing 737 MAX 8 200, the first of its kind in Asia. Commenting on the development, Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said, “The additions to our fleet will help us bolster the strength of our operations as we expand our footprint and foray into international skies in the coming months. Each addition to our fleet brings us closer to our purpose of connecting people, places, and cultures, and we hope that as we step into the next phase of growth, we will be able to serve millions of satisfied travellers across the globe.” The airline steps into the next chapter of its growth story with plans to expand its domestic presence and commence international operations in the coming months, the fleet expansion will support seamless and reliable connectivity to travellers across the globe. Aligning with the airline’s commitment to sustainability, the 737 MAX family provides greater range and fuel efficiency, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by 20% compared to those it replaces. In addition, the 737 MAX is a quieter airplane with a 50% smaller noise footprint than replacement airplanes. Since its launch in August 2022, Akasa Air has served over 6.3 million passengers and connects with 17 cities across India, namely Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata and Port Blair.

Gurugram 23rd December 2023: Air India welcomed the first of 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, registered VT-JRA, in the airline’s bold new livery, marking a turning point in its ongoing transformation story.The aircraft arrived at New Delhi from the Airbus facility in Toulouse,France. The delivery flight, operated using a special call sign AI350, was welcomed by Air India representatives.Air India’s Senior Commander Capt. Monika Batra Vaidya, who is among the first few Indian pilots to be trained on A350, was on board as an observer. Air India leads the way in catalysing the renaissance of Indian aviation, inducting the first new wide body fleet type in India in more than a decade, and thus, becoming the first Indian airline to fly the A350. Air India was also the first Indian airline to have inducted the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet type in 2012. Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “This moment marks a red-letter day for all of us at Air India. The A350 is not just metal and engines; it’s the flying embodiment of the relentless efforts of all Air India employees towards our airline’s continuing transformation and of our commitment to setting new benchmarks. It is also, in many ways, a declaration of Indian aviation’s resurgence on the world stage.” “As a symbol of the new age of flying, the A350 promises a world-class, long-haul travel experience on our non-stop routes, providing an unparallelled level of comfort. Its excellent flight economics and state-of-the-art technology underscore our dedication to commercially successful operations and to achieving our sustainability goals,” Wilson added. Air India’s A350 will enter commercial service in January 2024, initially operating domestically for crew familiarisation, followed by longer-haul flying to destinations across continents.The schedule of commercial operations with the A350 will be announced in the coming weeks. Air India’s A350-900 aircraft come in a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats designed by Collins Aerospace: 28 private Business Class suites with full-flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats with extra legroom and multiple other differentiating features, and 264 spacious Economy Class seats.All seats on the aircraft feature the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and HD screens to provide superior flying experience. The aircraft is first of Air India’s 20 Airbus A350-900 on order, with five more scheduled for deliveries through March 2024. Air India’s firm orders for 250 new aircraft with Airbus include 20 A350-1000.

New Delhi, 20th December2023: Air India Express announces the commencement of services from Ayodhya International Airport, the airline’s 45th destination and third operational sector in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Starting December 30, the airline will operate direct flights to Delhi, and offer convenient one-stop itineraries to multiple destinations within India and beyond. This marks a new milestone in rapid expansion of Air India Express, supported by a continually growing network and a substantial fleet expansion. The inaugural flight IX 2789 on December 30, 2023, is scheduled to depart from Delhi at 11.00 hrs. and land in Ayodhya at 12.20 Hrs. From Ayodhya, IX 1769 is scheduled to depart for Delhi at 12.50 hrs. and arrive at 14.10 hrs. Commenting on the launch of this new destination, Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, said, “Air India Express is excited to commence operations from Ayodhya right after the airport opens. This underlines our commitment to enhancing connectivity from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country. We’re enthusiastic about Ayodhya’s anticipated growth, attracting pilgrims and travelers from near and far and take pride in being part of this exciting growth story.” Currently, Air India Express operates from Lucknow and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, connecting the cities with Dubai, Sharjah, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune with direct flights.

17th December 2023,Surat: After Surat Airport recives the International airport status by MoCA, Air India Express started the first direct flight between Surat and Dubai. The same day the new international terminal of Surat Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The airline’s inaugural flight from Surat to Dubai, IX 173, took off on Sunday at 11:40 Hrs., carrying 171 guests. This historic moment was marked by Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, presenting the first boarding pass of the flight to the guests at the airport. “Surat holds great importance for Air India Express as we expand our network on the back of a new fleet, and I am delighted that we are part of the moment when Surat International Airport is growing and unveiling its new terminal. Air India Express is committed to fueling the growth story of Surat, as we connect the City of Diamonds to the City of Gold with this historic flight,” Singh said. Currently, Air India Express stands as the exclusive airline facilitating international flights from Surat, with a frequency of five weekly flights to Sharjah. The airline has announced the schedule for the four weekly operations on the Surat-Dubai route, and bookings can be made through the award-winning app and website airindiaexpress.com, as well as other major booking platforms. In addition to Sharjah and Dubai, AIX operates daily flights to Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata. With the introduction of the new service, AIX will be operating 30 flights to and from Surat, solidifying its position as an important destination within the continually expanding Air India Express network.

Istanbul, 15th Nov 2023: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch have welcomed a momentous deal for Airbus to provide 220 aircraft for Turkish Airlines, which will be worth billions of pounds to the UK. The deal includes 150 A321 aircraft and 70 A350 family aircraft, the engines for which will be provided by Rolls-Royce. The agreement announced by the companies in Istanbul will support thousands of high-skilled jobs across the UK, helping to boost exports and grow the economy. A significant portion of the manufacturing process for the new aircraft is expected to take place in the UK. All the wings will be designed in Filton, Bristol, and assembled in North Wales, supporting hundreds of manufacturing jobs in the UK aerospace supply chain. The new A350 aircraft will also be exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, which are assembled and tested in Derby, and will deliver 25 percent lower CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft. In 2022 the UK’s world-class aerospace sector contributed £10.9 billion to the UK economy, exported around 70 percent of its domestic output and directly employed 108,000 high-skilled people, 90 percent of which are outside London and the South East. It is also a leading sector for high value apprenticeships, with 5,200 currently employed in sector. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said,“This landmark deal between Turkish Airlines, Airbus and Rolls-Royce demonstrates that the sky’s the limit for the UK’s thriving aerospace sector.Meeting the growing demand in aviation will create better-paid jobs and new opportunities in manufacturing hubs from Derby to Wales, so we can continue growing the economy – helping to deliver on my five priorities for the country.The UK is already a top investment destination, and by strengthening trade ties with growing economic powers like Turkey we will ensure UK businesses remain at the forefront of global growth and innovation as we build on the record-breaking Global Investment Summit we hosted in London last month.” Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said,“This is a big win for the UK’s world-leading aerospace sector and one that will help secure high-skilled jobs across the country and drive economic growth.This deal is just the latest in a long line of wins for UK manufacturing, following Nissan’s £2 billion investment in electric vehicle production in Sunderland and Tata committing £4 billion in a new UK gigafactory.These successes show our plan for British manufacturing is working, and our recently released Advanced Manufacturing Plan will ensure the wins keep coming.” The Government has and continues to provide financial support to Airbus and Rolls-Royce to develop their civil aircraft and Trent engine families respectively, through the £1.37 billion government-industry Aerospace Technology Institute Programme, keeping the UK at the forefront of global aerospace innovation. Rolls-Royce plc CEO Tufan Erginbilgic said,“Today’s announcement marks an exciting and truly historic day for Rolls-Royce. It is proof that the actions we are taking to transform Rolls-Royce into a high performing and competitive company underpinned by profitable growth are working.The Trent XWB is the perfect engine platform to support Turkish Airlines as it continues to grow. This order will make Turkish Airlines the largest Trent XWB operator in the world, and I would like to thank them for putting their trust in Rolls-Royce. Türkiye is a strategically important market for us, and it is imperative to develop long-term partnerships with the airline and other important Turkish stakeholders. We look forward to working with Turkish Airlines as they continue to connect their passengers across global communities and cultures.”

Gurugram, 15th December 2023: Air India has received the DGCA approval for engineering line maintenance of A350 and A320 aircraft. This is a major step forward in ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of the six A350 aircraft which is set to join the Air India fleet, with the first one expected to land by the month end. Along with this key approval, Air India engineers also received the DGCA certification for attending to any work related to the maintenance of A350 aircraft. Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) 145 provides certification to ensure that the processes, systems, and controls at the MRO have been thoroughly reviewed, evaluated, and tested by the regulatory body i.e. the DGCA and is certified to have the capability to perform maintenance tasks safely and effectively conforming to all the airworthiness requirements. “This approval will further inspire us to ensure smooth operation of our fleet, including, of course, the A350, with the highest technical despatch reliability,” said S.K. Dash, Chief Technical Officer, Air India. Air India is the first Indian airline to induct the technologically advanced A350 into its operations. The Engineering team of Air India has been gearing up to welcome the A350 aircraft and ensure that all necessary checks, maintenance, and repairs is available from the outset in the Air India facilities itself. The Engineering teams comprising Air India, Vistara, and AIX Connect representatives have successfully completed training at the Airbus centre in Toulouse. Specialized courses on Structure Assessment and Engine Run Up have been conducted, enhancing the team’s expertise in handling the A350. Senior executives from the Engineering department have undergone A350 General Familiarization Course to ensure comprehensive domain knowledge and understanding of the aircraft. Besides the engineers, technicians have received extensive training in General Familiarization to ensure smooth servicing and operation of the A350 aircraft. In collaboration with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC), Air India has been ensuring that its aircraft engineers have a hands-on experience of scheduled maintenance activities, turn-around inspections, and other essential orientation to have an immersive experience to handle the requirements of the A350 aircraft before it starts joining the fleet. Besides, the engineers have been participating in workshops on A350 for a comprehensive familiarity with the aircraft.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 8th December 2023: Turkish Airlines (TK) and Riyadh Air (RX) have agreed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding to offer a comprehensive range of benefits for guests traveling between the Kingdom, Türkiye and points beyond their Riyadh and Istanbul hubs, as well as lay the ground for deeper future collaborations. Guest of both airlines will be able to take full advantage of each carrier’s worldwide network through a comprehensive interline and codeshare agreement that will allow customers to seamlessly connect between and combine sectors operated by either Riyadh Air or Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Technology Officer Levent Konukcu and Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas, signed the agreement at a ceremony on the sidelines of the ICAO Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN 2023) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The intention of both carriers is that benefits will be made available to guests as soon as possible after Riyadh Air launches operations in mid-2025 and is subject to regulatory approvals by relevant authorities. The close cooperation will allow members of each carrier’s loyalty program to earn points or credits when traveling on codeshare services operated by the other, with both airlines also exploring opportunities to develop a broader loyalty agreement covering both global networks. In addition to offering a comprehensive range of guest benefits, the MoU also commits Riyadh Air and Turkish Airlines to work together to explore and implement broader synergies and efficiencies across the value chain, touching areas such as aviation related services, cargo and digital development. Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Technology Officer, Levent Konukcu stated: “We are happy to start our relationship with Riyadh Air, a promising new player in the aviation industry. This Memorandum of Understanding is more than a collaboration; it’s a bridge between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, further strengthening our ties. It’s also an opportunity to expand our reach and offer our guests more choices and convenience. We believe this partnership will not only benefit our customers but also contribute significantly to the tourism and business sectors of both countries.” Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas said: “This agreement is another very significant step in the evolution of Riyadh Air as we partner with the world’s largest global airline by destinations served. Our close relationship will open up seamless connectivity via the global-leading hub at Istanbul Airport to some 130 destinations worldwide, especially within Türkiye, Europe and the Americas and accelerate our network footprint through the market-leading, guest-centric, digitally focused and like-minded global airline brand that is Turkish Airlines.” Douglas added, “Bilateral agreements with established network airlines are extremely important to Riyadh Air and there are significant benefits to this partnership, our passengers can enjoy greater connectivity to the world and deeper access to Türkiye, while an increased flow in volumes of tourism, religious and business travel into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is anticipated. Turkish Airlines is a world class aviation brand, and we are proud that they wish to play a part in the Riyadh Air story.” The establishment of Riyadh Air is in line with PIF’s mandate to unlock the capabilities of key sectors locally to drive the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy. The airline will also support the Saudi Aviation Strategy’s broader vision, and enable the National Tourism Strategy, unlocking Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions to international tourists and creating new jobs.

By Andy Kidd Airlines are already retailers. They want to be better, nimbler, more agile retailers. But they’ve got a problem in the form of the passenger service system (PSS), whose decades-old passenger-record and business-process models, while pioneering in their day, no longer keep pace in a digital world. Yet PSS continues to underpin airline reservation management. That’s a problem. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been working on this problem for two decades now and has launched initiatives to address it over the years. Two current ones are noteworthy, with major airlines running pilots and issuing RFPs to build systems incorporating IATA standards and approaches to moving beyond PSS. The two key initiatives are New Distribution Capability (NDC) and ONE Order. NDC focuses on offer management. It’s about picking the right product at the right price to improve customer experience and boosting the likelihood of purchase, whether through Expedia and its ilk, credit card companies, or local tour, travel, and lodging providers. ONE Order then takes offers and turns them into orders, then orchestrates the service delivery and the settling of funds. Enter Offers and Orders Recently, IATA has combined NDC and ONE Order under the banner of what it calls “Offers and Orders.” That makes a lot of sense. Airlines have been able to expand their offerings using NDC for offer management and then use their old PSS systems for handling the reservation management. But PSS systems, designed in a much simpler, more stovepiped travel-and-retail era, struggle to reflect today’s airline-business complexity, much less provide a platform flexible enough to cultivate future business-model innovation. The nature of the market is part of that. You have hundreds of airlines that compete as well as form global alliances and a dizzying array of itinerary options, potential add-ons, ancillary services, product offerings, and so forth. What amounts to a global mesh of potential providers benefits consumers, but the underlying complexity is staggering. It’s understandable that PSS systems have been stretched to their limits. The question is no longer whether the transition from PSS to enable a modern offers-and-orders model is the right thing to do. Now it’s about how to actually do it. The ONE Order/order management side of the equation is the bigger challenge. It’s easier to sell something than to manage the delivery, accounting, and settlement that happens after a sale in a global mesh of providers – even more so when a storm rolls in and flights start getting cancelled.My thoughts as far as conceptual approach can be simply put – and they can also fill a 24-page white paper(“Mapping Your Journey to ONE Order: A Practical Guide for Airline Leaders”). Let’s stick with “simply put.” A long transition ahead Simply put, there’s no one answer as to how airlines should implement ONE Order. The “right” approach will depend on an airline’s systems, its business aims, and its appetite for risk. Unequivocal is that the transition from PSS to approaches that can achieve the Offers and Orders vision must also be able to exchange data and otherwise cooperate with legacy PSS systems for what will be a years-long transition period. That realization drove a major European airline to work with SAP and IATA on a proof-of-concept project that simulated a partner airline running an Offers and Orders system that then interfaced with the airline’s PSS. We showed that the two could inter operate and sell each other’s flights while maintaining full business-process integrity. Others are also doing more than just talking about the transition from PSS. A dozen major carriers have signed on to IATA’s Airline Retail Consortium. These players have committed to spearheading IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing program, which is aimed at speeding the move to Offers and Orders. They are backing a variety of pilot projects, and we are starting to see RFPs for systems that move them toward Offers and Orders. It will take time, and, as Neil Geurin, an American Airlines managing director, told the IATA with considerable understatement, “Completing the transition to 100% Offers and Orders will not be an easy task.” But airlines recognize that, if they want to provide dynamically tailored offerings to customers efficiently and confidently, order management can no longer be straitjacketed by PSS systems designed for an era long gone. (The writer is Industry Principal for Travel and ONE Order Evangelist at SAP.)

India,7th December 2023: Jazeera Airways today announced KD13.27 million in Group Net Profit for the first nine months of 2023. Total revenues for the period were up 12.8% to KD158.9 from KD140.8 million in 2022, while Operating Profit was at KD18.08million. Last year, the company’s profit also included a one-time gain of KD1.73 million resulting from the sale and lease-back of engines. The airline continued to lead the market with a 35.78% share, 17%higher than the same period in 2022. Jazeera’s passenger numbers maintained strong growth, increasing by 35.6% to 3.5 million. For the nine-month period, load factor also grew to 79% compared to 76.4% last year. Retail lease revenue at Jazeera Terminal (T5) was 52%higher compared to the previous year, while duty free revenue was KD 4.02 million, an increase of 22%. Marwan Boodai, Chairman, Jazeera Airways highlighted, “For the nine months period of 2023, despite the tough regulatory, geo-political and regional landscape, we carried a record number of passengers, delivered a strong loadfactor, and built an attractive network of destinations that resulted in Jazeera having the biggest market share in our home base of Kuwait. While depressed yields due to over-capacity remain a challenge, we are well placed to leverage our low cost-base to maintain margins and create value for our shareholders.” Third Quarter2023 Review In the third quarter, Jazeera launched direct flights from Kuwait to Islamabad and Tehran, now flying to a total of 64 destinations. As part of its planned expansion, the airline welcomed two additional aircraft to its fleet in the last quarter. Jazeera Airways now operates a fleet of 22 aircraft across its network in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe. In line with adopting sustainability practices into its operations, Jazeera in the last quarter, became the first low-cost carrier in the Middle East to switch from plastic to eco-friendly food service ware in-flight. By changing from plastic cutlery to 100% biodegradable spoons, forks, knives and napkins, Jazeera reduces 300 kilograms of plastic on its flights each month. This initiative is part of Jazeera’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. 2023 Outlook The outlook for 2023 continues to remains positive with a consistent demand for travel, Jazeera’s stringent cost control and solid balance sheet. However, overcapacity in the market continues to put yields under pressure which could impact margins.New destinations, aircraft and initiatives continue to be on the airline’s radar as it aims to grow further in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Eastern European region. The airline was recently recognized by several organizations including listings in the first Fortune 500 Arabia compilation for its contributions to the regional business landscape, in the Best Workplaces in Asia 2023 by Great Place to Work and an ICT Leadership Award for actively embracing and pioneering digital transformation in its operations.