Recent News

Delhi, 10th March 2025: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region has announced new office bearers for 2025-26 at its AGM held in New Delhi where the y have elected Sunjay Kapur, Chairman, Sona Comstar as the Chairman and Puneet Kaura, Managing Director & CEO, Samtel Avionics as the the Deputy Chairman. Together, they will steer CII Northern Region across seven states—Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and three Union Territories—Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh—focusing on growth, innovation, and industry competitiveness. Puneet Kaura, the newly appointed Deputy Chairman of CII Northern Region, is the Managing Director & CEO of Samtel Avionics, a leading Indian company specializing in avionics, rugged displays, and defense electronics for both domestic and international markets. Under his leadership, Samtel Avionics has played a key role in India’s defense and aerospace industry, contributing to cutting-edge technology solutions for fighter jets, helicopters, and land-based systems. The company has forged global partnerships with major defense OEMs and government agencies, positioning India as a key player in the aerospace sector. Puneet Kaura has been actively involved in CII leadership roles, having served as the Chairman of CII Delhi. His deep understanding of industrial growth strategies, government policies, and technology-driven manufacturing makes him a valuable addition to the CII Northern Region leadership team.

Philadelphia,1st March 2025: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) welcomed almost 30.9 million passengers in 2024 — an increase of almost 10 percent over 2023 and the most guests who have passed through the airport’s terminals since its record year of 2019. Over 3.8 million of those passengers traveled to and from international destinations. “We knew going into 2024 that it would be an exciting year for PHL, with the city hosting events like Wrestle Mania and American Airlines launching new international service to Copenhagen, Naples and Nice. We surpassed our 2023 passenger total by November,” said City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation CEO Atif Saeed. “2025 will be even more eventful. In June, Aeroméxico will join our airline partners and begin year-round daily service to Mexico City. Also this summer, American will introduce seasonal service to Milan and Edinburgh. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches at Lincoln Financial Field and the United States Navy’s and Marine Corps’ Homecoming 250 celebration will bring even more guests to PHL.” More than 9.1 million guests flew to and from PHL in the summer months of June-August, including 3.1 million in July and 3 million in August. This was the first time since 2019 that PHL surpassed 3 million guests in any month. Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) is a general aviation airport, which is also owned and operated by the Department of Aviation. PNE had 122,186 plane movements, a 6.6 percent increase over 2023. As a general aviation airport, PNE has major tenants engaged in private transport, business and corporate flying, the manufacturing or building process of those aircraft, providing flight training and aviation mechanical training. PHL Passenger Volume: Total Plane Movements: 319,938 (+8.6% from 2023) Domestic Passengers: 27,040,339 (+10.3% from 2023) International Passengers: 3,856,233 (+6.5% from 2023) Total Passengers: 30,896,572 (+9.8% from 2023)

Dubai, Feb 21, 2025: HADID International Services (HADID) and Intercontinental Aviation Enterprise (IAE) has announced the establishment of Intercontinental Aviation Academy GCC (IAA GCC), for developing aviation training within the region. Building on their strategic partnership, HADID and IAE are now officially commencing IAA GCC’s operations to serve the increasing demand for world-class aviation training. IAA GCC has chosen Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RKT/OMRK) as its primary training hub in the GCC, reinforcing its commitment to a comprehensive, hands-on training model. The academy will feature a modern fleet of high-performance training aircraft, advanced simulators, and state-of-the-art facilities to equip future aviation professionals with the skills and experience needed for success. The partnership between HADID and IAE was formalised at the Arab Aviation Summit 2025 in Saudi Arabia, where HADID acquired a 50% stake in IAA GCC. The summit, which hosts key aviation leaders from across the GCC and Middle East, served as the ideal platform to highlight IAA GCC’s vision and dedication to the future of aviation education in the region. “For over four decades, HADID has been at the forefront of global flight support, facilitating seamless aviation operations worldwide. We have always believed in fostering aviation talent and developing innovative training solutions. Our investment in IAA GCC, with a 50% acquisition, underscores our commitment to shaping the future of the industry. Through our collaboration with IAE, we aim to set new benchmarks in aviation training and provide aspiring professionals with unparalleled learning opportunities.” said Mohamad Hadid, Chairman of HADID International Services. Wissam Mehyou, Chairman of Intercontinental Aviation Enterprises, stated: “The demand for skilled flight crew, cabin crew, operations services, and aviation management professionals continues to grow extraordinarily across the GCC region. This joint investment for the GCC Countries strengthens our presence in the region, following our successful operations in Lebanon and Cyprus.” “We are proud to partner with HADID in launching this investment in the United Arab Emirates, reinforcing our shared vision of growth and excellence in aviation training. Our collaboration is built on a mutual commitment to delivering world-class education and training standards delivered by Intercontinental Aviation Academy, providing a high-quality, local and advanced training experience for students and operators, ensuring seamless integration into the regional workforce.” IAA GCC’s training programs will be rolled out in phases, with the first phase currently underway. The academy is set to begin student registrations on March 1, 2025, and will welcome its first cohort of students in September 2025. The academy will offer a comprehensive curriculum, including a planned first-of-its-kind corporate training program in international flight support, leveraging HADID’s extensive expertise as a global flight support services provider since its establishment in 1981.

Manila,21st February 2025: Avion Express Philippines, a subsidiary of the world’s largest ACMI provider, Avia Solutions Group, is set to introduce its ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) services to the Philippines. The event, led by Gediminas Ziemelis, Chairman of Avia Solutions Group, brought together top executives from major Philippine carriers, including Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), and Philippine AirAsia. Government officials from key agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), also attended, emphasizing the strategic importance of this development. The new ACMI provider is designed to meet the Philippines’ seasonal aircraftcapacity needs. 2024 tourism revenue in the Philippines has surged past pre-pandemic levels, exceeding the estimated P600.01 billion in 2019 by 26.75%, with tourist arrivals registering 9.15% higher than 2023.However, this growth is tempered by significant challenges. The global supply chain crisis has led to a backlog of over 17,000 new aircraft, creating difficulties for airlines to meet growing demand and maximize potential revenues. Gediminas Ziemelis, Chairman of Avia Solutions Group said,”With the planned expansion of Manila Airport and tourism receipts surpassing pre-pandemic levels last year, there is a clear need for ACMI to address the capacity gaps and service challenges within the local aviation sector. This flexible model helps airlines increase capacity during high-demand seasons, improve profitability by 2-3%, and navigate market fluctuations.Avion Express Philippines will play an important role in providing airlines with seasonal and flexible capacity to meet the country’s booming aviation market.” “The introduction of ACMI services in the Philippines marks an exciting chapter for the aviation industry,” said Rene Banzon, CEO of Avion Express Philippines. “We believe that this service will empower airlines to optimize operations, explore new routes, and ultimately provide better travel experiences for passengers. We look forward to officially launching our operations this year and contributing to the industry’s continued growth.” The event was attended by key figures in the public and private sectors, including Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano; Mr. Junard J Cruz, Consultant for Philippines Department of Transportation. Deputy Executive Director Maria Elben SL. Moro from CAB; Atty. Mark Nester Mendoza from CAAP and various aviation industry leaders.