Civil Aviation

Civil Aviation

Wings India 2024 curtain raiser held in Delhi

New Delhi, 19th May 2023: The Ministry of Civil Aviation in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) organized a curtain raiser ahead of Wings India 2024 in New Delhi on 18th May, 2023.Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel unveiled the event and promo video and released the Wings India 2024 brochure. Civil Aviation Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that the Government is giving special focus on creating capacity for the country’s fast-growing aviation market, by changing its role from a regulator to a facilitator. Addressing the curtain raiser event for Wings India 2024 in New Delhi on Thursday, Union Civil Aviation and Steel Minister said that the government has adopted a 3-pronged strategy of creating capacities, removing bottlenecks and simplifying processes, that has helped the sector to leap from 74 airports to 148 airports in the past nine years. Setting a target for the industry he said that the number of airports, heliports, and waterdromes will go up to more than 200 in the next three to four years. Sharing his thoughts on the growing potential of the industry to become the world’s leading aviation market by 2047, the Minister added “As India sails on its journey from the Amrit Kaal to Shatabdi Kaal (2047), Indian aviation will also transform from being the third largest domestic market/eighteenth largest international market/seventh largest domestic and international market, to become the largest aviation market globally”. Reiterating the government’s commitment to creating an international aviation hub in the country, he said a large number of air services and open skies agreements inked between India and other countries would facilitate this growth target. Civil Aviation Secretary Shri Rajiv Bansal in his address said that major airports of the country are growing and many of them have already implemented the expansion plans. He said, currently India is connected to less than 100 destinations globally, but there is a huge potential to improve international connectivity. Shri Bansal also added that there has been growth in the small aircraft segment, he said, “Newer airports are getting inaugurated under the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme and it will enable more people from tier-2 and tier-3 cities to come to the domestic aviation map. He said that the large order by Indian aviation companies indicates that this dream of creating international hubs in India will soon be a reality.” Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, Airport Authority of India, Mr. Remi Maillard, MD, Airbus, Shailesh Pathak, Secretary General, FICCI and other officials from MoCA, AAI, representatives from Foreign missions and industry were also present. Scheduled to take place from 18th to 21st January 2024 in Hyderabad, Wings India 2024, is expected to be Asia’s largest event on Civil Aviation on Commercial, General and Business Aviation. Wings India 2024 will bring together various stakeholders and participants from all over the world from the aviation industry to promote collaboration, showcase innovations and explore business opportunities.

Civil Aviation

flydubai and Air Canada announce a codeshare partnership

Dubai,17th May 2023: flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, announced a new partnership with Air Canada to give customers flying between Canada, the Middle East, East Africa, Indian Subcontinent and Southern Asia more convenient travel options.Pending final regulatory approval, Air Canada’s marketing code will be placed on nine routes operated from Dubai by flydubai, giving customers the ability to travel to these markets with the issuance of a single ticket. The nine routes include Bahrain, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina and Muscat in the GCC as well as flights to Colombo and Karachi in the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, through an interline arrangement, customers will be able to seamlessly connect in Dubai to more than 60 destinations that flydubai flies to in the Middle East, East Africa and Southern Asia – including Djibouti, Kathmandu and the Maldives. Of these destinations, more than 30 are unique to flydubai and not flown by other partners of Air Canada. Commenting on the codeshare announcement, Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said, “we are very pleased to be adding Air Canada to our list of partners and to offer their passengers a seamless travel experience on the flydubai network. We look forward to growing this partnership that offers passengers the benefits and the convenience of connecting via the Dubai aviation hub and we look forward to welcoming them on board soon.” Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning at Air Canada, said,“Air Canada is very pleased to partner with flydubai, further expanding our connectivity to the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, a growing source of immigration and travel to Canada. This new partnership is a perfect complement to Air Canada’s nonstop service to Dubai from Toronto and Vancouver, and growing our relationship with Emirates, flydubai’s codeshare partner. Together we look forward to bringing together our networks and building a better experience for our customers.” The airlines also plan on further improving the connection process in Dubai and are working toward introducing expanded features and benefits for one another’s loyalty programme members to be announced later this year.

Civil Aviation

SAUDIA Group allocates over 1.2 Million seats for Hajj pilgrims in 2023

Jeddah,17th May 2023: SAUDIA Group – Saudi Airlines, flyadeal, and Saudi Private Aviation have announced its operational plan for Hajj season 2023, allocating over one million and 200 thousand seats for pilgrims from all over the world. The integrated plan includes optimizing the use of SAUDIA group’s current fleet of 164 aircraft, with the provision of an additional fleet of 12 aircraft. SAUDIA group will be transporting pilgrims from more than 100 scheduled destinations and 14 seasonal destinations to 6 airports in the Kingdom located in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, Taif, and Yanbu. The 8 thousand cockpit and cabin crew can speak a total of 42 different languages and will graciously serve the guests during their trips; reflecting the generous nature of Saudi hospitality. The plan ensures synergy from all SAUDIA Group subsidiaries, especially those concerned with providing services to pilgrims, specifically, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), Saudi Ground Services (SGS), and Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC), all of which will operate at full capacity and around the clock throughout the Hajj season. SAUDIA aims to provide the best air transport and logistic services, as well as other integrated services across all locations through digital platforms and qualified personnel to serve pilgrims upon arrival and departure. Amer Alkhushail, Chief Hajj and Umrah Officer at SAUDIA Group, said, “Through our accumulated experience, capable employees, and our relentless pursuit to offer the best technical services that guarantee a smooth travel experience, SAUDIA Group is ready to implement a new Hajj plan. This operational plan is in line with the directives of the Supreme Hajj Committee, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior; the Central Hajj Committee headed by His Royal Highness Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Region; and in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program.” Al Khushail also highlighted the importance of integrating performance with various government stakeholders at airports like the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) along with all companies involved in organizing Hajj trips inside and outside the Kingdom. Al Khushail revealed that Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina will receive the first flights arriving in the Kingdom on May 21. Recently, SAUDIA Group has concluded a number of agreements with various authorities to serve pilgrims in many countries, as part of its endeavor to increase its operational share and invest in its reputation by providing air transport services in a distinct spiritual atmosphere. In addition, SAUDIA Group aims to achieve operational efficiency while fully complying with safety standards, which are its top priorities. The company has mobilized its human and digital capabilities to provide the best services and implement the plan through various paths, including the performance monitoring team, the terminal operations centre team, as well as the team in charge of the follow-up and pre-coordination with all sectors and relevant authorities. All these teams work around the clock and with direct follow-up from SAUDIA’s senior leadership. SAUDIA Group provides pilgrims with many distinguished services, including issuance of boarding passes for the arrival and return flights from international departure and domestic terminals; staffing King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Madinah Airport) with navigators and employees fluent in the various languages; arranging the dispatch of Zamzam water bottles to various destinations; and providing additional flights for pilgrims wishing to travel to Medina by air. This is offered in addition to securing the operational requirements, including staff, labor and ground equipment, in proportion to the size of the operation. Therefore, SAUDIA Group has been working to train all front-line employees in the areas of Hajj protocol, crowd management, dealing with crises and responding to emergency plans. As part of its endeavor to provide pilgrims with comprehensive services and enrich their travel experience, SAUDIA has updated its in-flight Islamic content including religious programs, especially those dedicated to raising awareness of Hajj. The updates include more than 134 hours of various religious programs and 590 hours of Quran recitations, in addition to many Islamic programs available in several languages such as Arabic, English, Indonesian, Chinese and other languages spoken by pilgrims. Moreover, SAUDIA’s Inflight Entertainment system offers a unique collection of educational e-books on how to perform Hajj and Umrah in more than 14 languages. SAUDIA Group has also expanded its Hajj season plan activities to include sharing awareness messages to pilgrims in their languages through the official means in their countries, Hajj missions, Hajj organisations present in Makkah and Madinah, and across Hajj residences. In these messages, the company clarifies all matters related to the pilgrims’ journey, including details related to baggage, its weights and sizes, as well as mechanisms for accepting it at airports upon departure after the end of the Hajj, in order to facilitate their procedures beyond expectations.

Civil Aviation

Jazeera Airways achieves KD2.3 million net profit in Q1 23

Delhi, 15th May 2023: Jazeera Airways has achieved a net profit of KD2.3 million for the first quarter (Q1) of 2023,compared to KD 3.8 million in the first quarter of 2022, when the strong demand post-pandemic was reflected in higher fares. Total revenue for the quarter reached KD48.3 million, up 35.2%, while operating profit was at KD3.62 million.Passenger traffic rose by 56.6% to 1.1 million in this quarter andload factor reached 82.1% with an increase of 6.9% compared to the Q1 2022. Announcing the results, Marwan Boodai, Chairman, Jazeera Airways said: “2023 has started off on a positive note for Jazeera Airways. Despite fuel prices putting pressure on margins for the first quarter, a continued focus on operating costs enabled us to deliver profits in line with our aggressive growth targets and on the track to be a fantastic year. Load factor in this quarter reached 82.1%, the highest ever for Jazeera in any quarter, especially for Q1 which is typically not the strongest. This demonstrates the strength of our business model and sound validation from our customers.” First Quarter 2023 Review Jazeera Airways launched direct flights in February from Kuwait to Moscow, the first airline to fly the route. In March, the airline also started flying to Samarkand, its third destination in Uzbekistan following Tashkent and Namangan.New destinations have been announced for Q2 including Larnaca, Cyprus, Belgrade, Serbia and Tirana, Albania. In addition, the airline also announced the resumption of its flights to Prague, Czech Republic and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the summer months. The Jazeera T5 terminal, was under refurbishment with three new restaurants opening for travellers – two on landside and one airside, operational since February. 2023 Outlook Over the next few months of this financial year, Jazeera will welcome four additional aircraft into its fleet. Following an “Approved Training Organization” certification from the Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last year, Jazeera Airways placed an order for an Airbus simulator. Expected to be delivered by the end of 2023, this simulator will enable in-house pilot training and monitoring to ensure the highest levels of safety for both crew and passengers. The airline also intends to collaborate with a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved training organization to launch our own Multi-Pilot License (MPL) program.

Civil Aviation

United to fly 100+ int. cities this summer

CHICAGO, April 6, 2023: United Airlines will fly to 114 different international cities this summer and has expanded its flying by 25% versus last year to meet the sharp increase in demand for travel outside of the U.S. The airline is already the largest carrier across both the Atlantic and Pacific and this summer’s schedule includes nearly 25 new routes. According to United booking data, international bookings are already 15% higher than the same period in 2022*. Highlights of the 2023 summer schedule include: • New service to Malaga, Dubai, and Stockholm • Additional flights to Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Shannon, Edinburgh, and Naples • Almost two dozen daily flights to London-Heathrow • Service to unique places like Amman, the Azores, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife • Expanded service to Australia, serving Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane • 10 daily transpacific flights to Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita and Osaka • Twice-daily flights to Seoul, South Korea from San Francisco • Service to Hong Kong from San Francisco “United will give travelers more options than ever before this summer – especially if they want to fly internationally,” said Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances. “With unprecedented demand for travel overseas, we’ll have more service to popular cities while also adding new and unique destinations for customers to explore.” New York/Newark – Dubai, UAE On March 25, United launched daily service between New York/Newark and Dubai, UAE, operated on a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. The flight is part of a historic commercial agreement between the airline and Emirates that will enhance each airline’s network and give their customers easier access to hundreds of destinations within the United States and around the world. United is the only U.S. airline to offer non-stop flights to Dubai from the U.S. and flies to more destinations in the Middle East and India than any other U.S. airline. New York/Newark – Malaga, Spain United is adding a fifth Spanish destination to its global network with new direct flights between New York/Newark and Malaga. Starting May 31, travelers will be able to explore Spain’s Mediterranean coast with three flights per week to Malaga on a Boeing 757-200. United flies to more destinations in Spain than any other U.S. airline and this summer will offer direct flights to three Spanish cities that no other U.S. airline serves: Malaga, Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca. New York/Newark – Stockholm, Sweden On May 27, United will return to Stockholm for the first time since 2019 with service from New York/Newark. United first began serving Stockholm, which locals proudly refer to as the “beauty on water”, in 2005. United will reconnect customers to this culturally rich and dynamic capital city with daily flights on a Boeing 757-200. San Francisco – Rome, Italy United broadens its industry-leading European network from San Francisco with daily flights to Rome launching on May 25 on a Boeing 777-200ER. United is the only U.S. airline to offer direct flights to Europe from its hub in San Francisco, and this summer will offer non-stop flights to seven popular European cities. With flights to Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples, United continues to fly to more cities in Italy from the U.S. than any other airline in the world. Chicago/O’Hare – Shannon, Ireland Beginning May 25, United will add more seasonal flights to Shannon, Ireland with new daily flights from Chicago O’Hare – giving customers more options to explore some of the country’s most scenic destinations including Limerick and Galway. United is the only U.S. carrier to offer direct flights to Shannon with its existing seasonal service from New York/Newark, and also offers direct flights to Dublin from Chicago, New York/Newark and Washington Dulles. United will fly a Boeing 757-200 on this route. Washington Dulles – Berlin, Germany United will begin capital-to-capital service between Washington, D.C. and Berlin, Germany on May 25. United will be the only carrier to offer non-stop flights between these cities with daily flights on a Boeing 767-400ER. United offers more flights to Berlin from the U.S. than any other airline, with existing year-round flights from Newark. Chicago/O’Hare – Barcelona, Spain United continues to expand its best-in-class European network from Chicago this summer with new direct, daily flights to Barcelona on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, starting May 25. This summer, United will fly to 14 destinations in Europe from Chicago, more than any other airline. This new flight builds on United’s existing service to Barcelona from New York/Newark and Washington Dulles. More Flights to Paris and London United will have 23 daily flights to London Heathrow this summer, with the recent addition of a second daily flight between Los Angeles and London Heathrow on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. United offers more flights and more business class seats from New York and the west coast to London than any other U.S. carrier and this summer. This new flight builds upon United’s recent London expansion, with additional flights from Newark, San Francisco, and Denver, as well as new flights from Boston. United is also adding more options for travel between Washington Dulles and Paris Charles de Gaulle with a second daily flight launching June 2, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER. United currently offers year-round flights to Paris from New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago and San Francisco. Resumption of Unique Seasonal Service and Added Flights to Popular Destinations Along with adding new flights, United will fly nine transatlantic routes it added last summer, including direct flights between New York/Newark and Nice; Denver and Munich; Boston and London Heathrow; Chicago/O’Hare and Zurich; and Chicago/O’Hare and Milan, as well as flights to four destinations not served by any other North American airline, including Amman, Jordan; Azores, Portugal; Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Tenerife, Spain. United has also added a second seasonal frequency from New York/Newark to Edinburgh, Scotland from May 25 to October 27 and from New York/Newark to Naples, Italy from June 23 to September 7. Asia Pacific Expansion This summer, United will also be the largest airline across

Civil Aviation

Aviation Soaring Into a Better 2023

A return to profitability will be possible: Profits might be thin, but the opportunities will be there for the taking The aviation industry is looking at its most optimistic economic outlook for some years. For the first time since 2019, the International Air Transport Association forecasts a return to (slim) profits for airlines in 2023. There are some key developments that will shape aviation success, explains Rob Mather, Vice President, Aerospace and Defence Industries, IFS. Here he picks five top areas of opportunity for the industry—from new manufacturing principles to new methods of travel both on earth and beyond, not to mention a few maintenance and sustainment challenges en-route. By Rob Mather International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures for 2023 paint a promising picture of aviation tipping back into profitability. Airlines are expected to post a small net profit of $4.7 billion—a 0.6% net profit margin, the first since 2019.Fitch Ratings corroborates this industry growth across the aviation ecosystem, expecting deliveries of large aircraft to increase 20% versus 2022, with production rates increasing by end of FY 2023. It also expects aftermarket sales and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) servicing to benefit from an expectation of global air traffic returning to near 2019 levels. Although positive, these profit margins are razor thin, so the slightest of marginal gains across multiple touch points in the aviation value chain are essential to exploit. There are five growth opportunities impacting the aviation sector in 2023 where profits are to be made, on a micro to macro level. Prediction 1: One-third of aerospace organisations will diversify their supplier base – supply chain near shoring and Additive Manufacturing will boost value for airline operators One of the biggest ripples still resonating across the aerospace and aviation sectors, is the need to shore up unstable supply chains. In its latest Aerospace & Defence Industry Outlook, Deloitte sees an acceleration in the shift from global to regional sourcing in 2023, including the exchange of raw materials, parts, and finished A&D goods globally. To avoid concentration risk, Deloitte expects aviation organisations to make supply chain diversification a top priority, including local sourcing and near shoring. One of the methods that is tailor-made to aid aviation organisations as they look to minimise, manage, and mitigate supply chain risk is additive manufacturing (AM)—and it’s already showing its potential. The use of AM will have implications for time to manufacturing of new assets, including aircraft deliveries and spare parts/inventory management. In fact, figures show that AM or 3D printed parts deliver 60-90% reductions in cost and lead time compared to other manufacturing processes. There are already examples of airline operators and MRO providers embracing 3D printing for different uses. Looking to protect grounded or stored aircraft, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) could not source off-the-shelf engine covers, exhaust plugs and more due to ongoing supply issues. It took the decision to partner with a local aviation engineering organisation that had the means to 3D print the extremely large exhaust covers. Meanwhile, in June 2022 a metal component for the IAE-V2500 engine’s anti-icing system, developed at Lufthansa Technik’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) Centre, has now received its official aviation certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).There are clearly further regulatory hurdles to overcome, but with a focus on local suppliers as part of improving the resiliency of the aviation industry supply chain, additive manufacturing has a role to play. Prediction 2: The commercial space race is on – increased space travel and satellite infrastructure drive commercial space market growth of over 30% in 2023 In 2023 we’re looking at a new kind of space race, this time commercially, not militarily driven. NASA and SpaceX both have lunar visits in their sights. The widely covered NASA Artemis Moon Mission will eventually include a crewed lunar landing. Meanwhile SpaceX is targeting making lunar orbits more accessible with its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Its dear Moon mission is a weeklong journey containing a crew of artists, content creators, and athletes from all around the world that will travel within 200 km of the lunar surface. Other “space tourism” market entrants include Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, all contributing to the industry exhibiting a huge Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 36.4% from 2022-2028. Beyond space tourism, there are other areas of focus in the increasingly commercialised space sector. As the number of satellites providing critical on-earth infrastructure support increases – for communications connectivity, navigation, weather observation etc. – Space Infrastructure Servicing (SIS) or in-orbit servicing is becoming a growing addressable market. This includes the life extension, phasing, repair and maintenance of critical assets as they orbit the earth. The market is huge. Some research organisations forecast as much $14.3 Billion In-orbit Servicing & Manufacturing revenue through 2030. In 2023 expect to see enabling technology evolve alongside the expanded commercialisation of space. Prediction 3: Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) takes flight in commercial aviation – nearly 25% of top AAM start-ups will go from prototype to Entry into Service (EIS) by 2024 The commercial aviation Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry is still in “start-up” mode. There are some stand-out OEMs manufacturing the next-generation of air transportation, but there is still more progress to be made in terms of aviation authority certification and creating the supporting infrastructure to manage these new methods of travel. Projections from the Advanced Air Mobility Index show that24% of the top AAM start-ups are expected to move from prototype and testing to Entry into Service (EIS) over 2023 and 2024. On the regulatory side, there are also encouraging breakthroughs. At the beginning of November 2022, the FAA proposed its criteria for the Joby Aviation Model JAS4-1 eVTOL air taxi aircraft to be certified—providing an example of how eVTOL certification would work in practice. Over the next few years, as the industry matures, many of these manufacturers will become the operators and maintainers of these new air assets. To get there though, the Advanced Air Vehicle manufacturers will need to shift from

Civil Aviation

Redbird Aviation inaugurates flight academy in Belagavi, Karnataka

Belagavi, 30th March 2023: Redbird Aviation has inaugurated its fifth flying base at Belagavi, Karnataka.The inauguration ceremony was conducted by Dr. (Gen.) V. K. Singh, Minister of State for Civil Aviation. Sharing her thoughts during her address at the official inauguration, Mangal Suresh Angadi,MP, Belagavi (Karnataka), shared, “I am overjoyed to see the first flight training aviation institute inaugurated in Belagavi, which also happens to be my Karnataka parliament constituency. It was a long-held dream of my Belagavi city to open avenues for youth to seek a profession in commercial pilot license under the direction of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Establishing an FTO in Belagavi will assist them in realizing their dreams in the coming days. I want to thank Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Minister of State for Civil Aviation General V.K. Singh for their instrumental belief and support in our aim of achieving future Indian flying cadets.” The new flying academy will equip aspiring and existing pilots with hands-on training. Redbird has a presence in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, Madhya Pradesh & Delhi NCR regions and has expanded to Sri Lanka. With the existing fleet of 40 Aircraft, expanding to 60 aircraft this year, Redbird consists of Modern Technology Glass-Cockpit aircraft, including Tecnam P 2008JC, Tecnam P 2006T, Tecnam P Mentor, and Cessna 172. Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen V.K. Singh said, “I would like to address that the minister of civil aviation has begun utilizing and ensuring the proper ecosystem for the enhancement of civil aviation test base. One of the main initiatives has been to train more flight examiners in India so that people do not have to travel abroad. And in this context, I can now clear nearly thirty-five FDA agents operating from over fifty different locations. There is one that is our own, the Rashtriya Uran Academy, and then we have about eight vichar with the state administration and twenty-six now with the private sector. As a ministry, we are ensuring that more FDAS is established, and if you are looking for extended flying hours, anything from central India to southern India is a better region for the FDA. The cold winds will not slow you down if you use the same. I’d also like to commend Captain Karan Mann for selecting the ideal Aviation Centre in the lovely city of Belagavi, and I look forward to seeing more action there this summer.”

Civil Aviation

Jazeera Airways announces annual profit of KD 20.1 million for 2022

Kuwait,1st March 2023: Jazeera Airways, continuing robust growth, announced record net profits of KD20.1 million for the year 2022, an increase of 183.6% over 2021. Operating revenues for 2022 increased to KD182.116 million, up 126.5%, and operating profit increased by 148.4% to KD26.8 million. With the resumption of operations at the Kuwait International Airport (KIA), the airline built on its quick return to profitability in the second half of 2021. During 2022, Jazeera also exceeded 2019 performance; which was the last comparable full year of unrestricted operations, by 30%. While overall passenger traffic at the airport dropped by 26% compared to 2019, Jazeera’s traffic grew by 19% during the same period. Passenger numbers increased by 247.5% to an unprecedented 3.6 million, compared to the last year. Load factor increased by 10.2% to 77.01,which offset a decline in yield, the average fare paid per passenger, by 35.1% to KD47.96. Marwan Boodai, Jazeera Airways Chairman, commented: “We are extremely proud to report record annual net profits for the year 2022, the highest in the history of Jazeera Airways. In the last year, high fuel prices added approximately KD9 million to our costs. Our financial performance despite this additional cost burden testifies to the aggressive cost focus across the organization. The fact that we carried 3.6 million passengers in 2022, up from 2.4 million passengers in 2019, shows the strong acceptance of our business model and growing service by our customers.With our growing fleet, new upcoming routes and planned enhancements to our operations, 2023 is going to be another exciting year.” In the last quarter of 2022, the airline reported a modest net loss of KD0.7 million, compared to a profit of KD7 million in the same quarter of 2021. Operating revenue increased by 24.7% to KD41.3 million while operating profit decreased to KD0.9 million. In Q4 2022, passenger numbers increased by 88% to 978.1 thousand passengers as load factor increased by 4.5% to 78.7% and average utilization of aircraft increase by 35.3% to 12.4 hours compared to the same quarter last year. The Board of Directors recommended distributing a cash dividend of 50 fils per share for the second half of 2022.This is in addition to the interim cash dividends of 30 fils per share, distributed for the first half of 2022, bringing the total cash dividends distribution for full year 2022 to 80 fils per share. 2022 Operational Review In the last year, addressing an increasing demand from travelers, Jazeera Airways launched 15 new routes to cities in the Middle East, North & South Asia and Europe. These included Vienna (Austria), Prague (Czech Republic), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Turkistan (Kazakhstan), Namangan (Uzbekistan), Bengaluru (India), Thiruvananthapuram (India), Bhairahawa (Nepal), Chattogram (Bangladesh), Xian (China), Salalah (Oman),Qassim (Saudi Arabia), Hail (Saudi Arabia), Taif (Saudi Arabia) andAbha (Saudi Arabia). Following the addition of these routes, the airline now flies to eight cities in India and Saudi Arabia as well as two cities each in Bangladesh and Nepal, serving 58 destinations in total. Marking a key milestone,Jazeera Airways received the “Approved Training Organization” certification from Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), enabling the airline to conduct training programs for pilots and cabin crew at its headquarters in Kuwait. In ongoing efforts to enhance customer experience, Jazeera Airways also introduced several new initiatives including a dedicated customer service centre, early check-in service and a WhatsApp communication service for passengers. Positive Outlook for 2023 In 2022, Jazeera Airways received two additional A320neos, the first to be delivered from a 2021 order for 28 aircraft from Airbus. The airline’s fleet now includes 19 aircraft and is anticipated to grow to 35 by the year 2026, in line with the airline’s expansion plans for the coming years. The Moscow route introduced recently, expanded Jazeera Airways’ growing list of direct flights from Kuwait and is in demand for passengers wanting to travel from Moscow to the Middle East region and connect to other destinations. Several other new destinations are being planned and will be added to the airline’s network in 2023.Other operational enhancements are also scheduled for the coming year, to facilitate a smoother experience for passengers starting from the airport to their individual destinations.

Civil Aviation

Thailand’s Nok Air Commences Flights to Hyderabad

Hyderabad, 25th February 2023: Nok Air, one of Thailand’s most popular airline commenced its operations from Bangkok to Hyderabad from 21st February, 2023, while the first flight from Hyderabad to Bangkok departed on 22nd February, 2023. “Hyderabad is one of the safest and growing city in India. We believe this city has a lot of potential. There lot of segments like pharma, tourism etc. which are growing. So taking this as an opportunity we have welcomed NOK Air here. We are assured that under the leadership of our ministers we are expecting to grow the sectors on a daily basis. I am heartily congratulating the airline. There are great industry policies here so we encourage people from various corners of the world to visit and develop their industries in Hyderabad. There are many employment opportunities as well that we are driving through these.” said V. Srinivas Goud Ji, Hon’ble Minister for Prohibition & Excise, Sports & Youth Services, Tourism & Culture and Archaeology Government of Telangana. “Awaiting a warm welcome in India, our first flight departed from Don Mueang to Hyderabad on 21st February 2023. We are very pleased that the flight was received with so much fondness and the reviews from the passengers have been very encouraging. We wish to be able to continue to offer this promising country, more connections, great service, and many more memorable holidays. We hope Hyderabad might serve as a springboard for more growth in India this year.”Wutthiphum Jurangkool, CEO, Nok Air. The Airline will operate 3 Weekly non-stop flights from its hub Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) in Bangkok to Hyderabad in Winter 2023 schedule, and increase frequency to 4 Weekly non-stop flights in Summer 2023 schedule. The new route will be operated by state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800 with 189 Economy Class seats. Currently Hyderabad is the sole location Nok Air serves in India. The new route easily links Bangkok with over 20 locations in Thailand, including Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai, as well as with international locations like Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Yangon (Myanmar).

Civil Aviation

Air India to acquire 250 Airbus aircraft

New Delhi, 15 February 2023: The Tata Group-owned Air India has announced to order 250 Airbus aircraft to boost its domestic and international operations. The commitment includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets that will mark a new era for the country as the all-new, long-range aircraft celebrates its debut in the Indian market. The order aims to both modernise and expand the airline’s fleet with the objective of creating a larger and premium full-service carrier that will cater to the growing travel demand in the region. Deliveries are set to commence with the first A350-900 arriving by late-2023. “Airbus has been a longstanding partner of Air India, and these new aircraft will play an important part in delivering Vihaan.AI, Air India’s comprehensive transformation and growth strategy,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India. “A core element of this transformation is the significant expansion of our network, both domestically and internationally, coupled with the elevation of our on-ground and onboard product to world-class standards. This order marks the start of a new chapter for both Airbus and Air India.” “This is a historic moment for Airbus and for Air India. India is on the verge of an international air travel revolution and we are honoured that our partnership with the Tatas and our aircraft solutions will write that new chapter for the country’s air-connectivity,” says Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “The A350’s unique capability will unlock the pent-up potential of India’s long-haul market, its technology, long reach and second to none comfort will enable new routes and passenger experience with better economics and enhanced sustainability. Alongside the A350s, the A320 Family fleets will be the efficient, versatile asset to continue democratising and decarbonising air travel in the country – from domestic, regional, up to international levels.” Christian Scherer adds, “We salute Air India for its visionary strategy, picking the two reference aircraft types in each of their categories. We are thrilled and humbled to see these aircraft become the cornerstones of Air India’s renaissance. This fleet will propel the airline globally where it deserves to be – with the best. Over the next decade, India will grow to have the largest population in the world, its economy will expand the fastest among the G20 nations, and a burgeoning middle class will spend more on air travel. As a result, passenger traffic in India will grow fast, including on the long-range markets in the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific that the A350 is well positioned to serve.

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