Opinion Aviation 2023: the year airlines said goodbye to the pandemic The Middle East is one of the regions leading the global aviation recovery September 25, 2023
Transport Qantas warns rising fuel costs may hit fares Australia’s biggest airline Qantas Airways said on Monday it will spend more than previously planned to improve “customer pain points” but warned spiraling fuel costs may force it to raise fares from already-elevated levels. The update sent its shares down as much as 2.5 percent to a one-year low as investors questioned the airline’s ability […] September 25, 2023
Manufacturing Dubai 3D factory muscles in on aviation sector A new 3D printing facility in Dubai, certified to produce airplane components, is anticipated to cut into a portion of traditional global aviation manufacturers and maintenance hubs. Paradigm 3D has invested AED20 million ($5.5 million) to establish a factory using technology from Stratasys, an American-Israeli maker of industrial 3D printers that are used by industry […] September 22, 2023
Aviation Aviation offset rules face shake-up as doubts persist An imminent change to rules governing aviation carbon offsets ahead of the Cop28 climate conference may not be enough to convince airlines and others they have a meaningful effect, it has emerged. Aviation, like steel- and cement-making, is a hard-to-abate industry. It is difficult for companies within the sector to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide […] September 21, 2023
Transport Sharjah airport targets 20m passengers by 2026 Sharjah airport will implement several expansion plans to raise its passenger handling capacity to 20 million by 2026 to become one of the top five regional airports, according to Ali Salim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority. The authority remains dedicated to boosting the airport’s facilities, infrastructure, and services, he said in a statement. The AED2.4 […] September 21, 2023
Aviation Flydubai passenger traffic up 30% despite jet order delays UAE carrier flydubai has reported a 30 percent year-on-year rise in passenger numbers this summer. A senior executive said the airline would have seen an even larger increase if the new aircraft it ordered had been delivered as scheduled. The low-cost airline carried more than four million passengers between June and mid-September 2023, and operated […] September 20, 2023
Aviation Saudi airlines issue $15m refunds to passengers Refunds of SAR58 million ($15.5 million) for flight cancellations, delays and loss of luggage have been issued by Saudi airlines over the past two years, it was revealed on Monday. The figures were announced by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca). Enhanced passenger rights protection regulations, which come into force in November, will result […] September 18, 2023
Transport DAE detects corrosion in leased plane to Indian airline Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Capital has told an Indian court it detected corrosion of some parts and “a greenish deposit” on a plane leased to bankrupt airline Go First, after another lessor complained about “robbed” parts. Foreign lessors have been engaged in a legal tussle to repossess their aircraft after the Indian airline was granted […] September 15, 2023
Aviation Moving from Kidman to Kaif, Etihad looks east Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has appointed Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif as its new brand ambassador, showing the Abu Dhabi carrier’s increased focus on the fast-growing eastern markets. The association was unveiled through a series of videos showcased on social channels. Amina Taher, vice-president of brand, marketing and sponsorship at Etihad Airways, […] September 12, 2023
Aviation Abu Dhabi’s $3bn new airport terminal to open in November The new terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport will become operational in early November, significantly increasing the emirate’s passenger and cargo capacity, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The terminal will also boost the emirate’s bid to position itself as a global hub for trade and business, state-owned operator Abu Dhabi Airports said on […] September 1, 2023
Opinion Aviation Central Asia airline investments: a sprat to catch a mackerel The region is one of the world's fastest growing airline markets August 30, 2023
Transport Qatar Airways upbeat on Latin America expansion Qatar Airways is optimistic about Brazil and the overall Latin American market as part of a global network expansion strategy on the heels of a World Cup-driven surge for its business. The airline reported a record annual revenue of $21 billion in 2022, up 45 percent from the year before, and a $1.21 billion net […] August 29, 2023
Transport PIF unit buys StanChart’s jet leasing business for $3.6bn Aircraft Leasing Company (AviLease) has agreed to buy the aircraft leasing business of UK-based Standard Chartered for $3.6 billion as it aims to become a top 10 global lessor by 2030. Based in Riyadh and backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the jet lessor will acquire a portfolio of 100 narrow-body aircraft and become […] August 29, 2023
Transport Kuwait airport passenger numbers flying higher Passenger traffic through Kuwait International Airport is forecast to grow by 7 percent this year, fuelled by increased activity across the summer months. Total passenger numbers to and from the airport is expected to reach 15.5 million, according to the Gulf state’s Directorate General of Aviation, up from 14.46 million passengers reported in 2022. Abdullah […] August 28, 2023
Transport Nigeria seeks to ‘immediately’ resolve issues with Emirates Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, has ordered an immediate resolution to disagreements with Emirates airline and visa issuance by the UAE, the president’s spokesman said on Thursday. The UAE stopped issuing visas to Nigerians last year after Dubai’s Emirates suspended flights due to an inability to repatriate funds from Africa’s biggest economy. Tinubu’s office said in […] August 25, 2023
Transport Abu Dhabi’s Etihad ramps up cargo capacity for China Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of state-owned Etihad Airways, has ramped up its freight network by adding a weekly service to Guangzhou, China. The new route is in response to higher demand for cargo capacity from China, bringing the total number of freighter services for mainland China to 10 per week, the Abu […] August 23, 2023
Aviation Dubai International raises air passenger target to 85m Dubai International Airport has raised its annual target for passenger traffic to 85 million after surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first six months of the year. The airport reported 41.6 million travellers in the first half of 2023, up 49 percent on the same period last year and marginally ahead of the traffic recorded during […] August 22, 2023
Transport Kuwait Airways cuts losses by 50% as revenue soars Kuwait Airways has trimmed its losses in half from KD107 million ($347 million) in 2021 to KD55 million ($178.4 million) in 2022. “Kuwait Airways has achieved positive results, which were better than expected in 2022,” state-run Kuna news agency reported, citing chairman Ali Aldukhan. Total passenger revenues reached KD289.1 million, up 11 percent year-on-year. Passenger […] August 21, 2023
Transport Dubai Aerospace Enterprise to buy 64 Boeing 737 Max Dubai Aerospace Enterprise said an affiliate has signed an agreement to acquire the rights and interests of a portfolio of 64 Boeing 737 Max aircraft from a subsidiary of China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings. The global aviation services company – which is one of the largest aircraft leasing companies in the world – said the […] August 15, 2023
Transport Air Arabia’s Q2 profit soars 187% on higher turnover Air Arabia reported a 187 percent rise in net profit to AED459 million ($124.97 million) in the second quarter of 2023, compared to AED160 million a year earlier. The higher profit was due to a one-off receivable from one of its suppliers, the airline said in a statement. Turnover for the quarter ending June 30, 2023, […] August 13, 2023
Opinion Aviation Etihad has designs on the US market The big UAE airlines look set to compete over US skies August 11, 2023
Transport Israel’s El Al in ‘serious’ talks to buy Airbus jets El Al Israel Airlines is in “serious” talks with Airbus to buy as many as 30 A321neo jets, El Al’s CEO said, in what would be an historic change of supplier as it looks to replace its short-haul fleet. Israel’s flag carrier is also in talks with traditional supplier Boeing to buy 737 MAX aircraft, […] August 11, 2023
