Logistics Pakistan seeks talks with AD Ports on terminal operations The Pakistani government will formally negotiate with Abu Dhabi-owned AD Ports Group to transfer the operation of a Karachi Port Trust-owned container terminal, according to a local media report. A cabinet committee met for the second time in a week and will set up an inter-ministerial committee to negotiate the draft framework agreement between the […] June 20, 2023
Aviation Paris air show takes off with historic plane order Airbus announced a record 500-plane deal with Indian airline IndiGo on day one of the Paris Airshow, as strong demand for jets and air defences vied for attention with the industry’s supply chain problems. The multibillion-dollar deal for single-aisle planes – the largest ever by number of aircraft – confirmed a Reuters report earlier this […] June 20, 2023
Aviation Flydubai ups capacity by 33% as 4.5m expected to travel UAE carrier Flydubai has increased its seat capacity across its network by 33 percent year-on-year between June 1 and September 30, 2023, due to growing travel demand. The airline expects more than 4.5 million passengers to travel during the four months, state-owned Wam news agency reported. An average of 9,400 flights per month are scheduled between June 1 […] June 20, 2023
Transport Airbus to build helicopters in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has signed a $6.7 billion deal with European aviation giant Airbus to manufacture civilian and military helicopters in the kingdom. In its latest step to develop a homegrown defence industry, state-owned military contractor Scopa and Airbus will build a Saudi factory to make the aircraft, Reuters and Bloomberg reported, citing a television interview […] June 19, 2023
Aviation Airlines must go green to survive, says Riyadh Air boss The head of Riyadh Air pledged the Saudi startup would be both commercially and environmentally sustainable and warned that carriers that do not embrace climate concerns will not survive. Riyadh Air is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has more than $620 billion in assets under management. Chief executive Tony Douglas said the […] June 19, 2023
Aviation Boeing raises 20-year outlook for new jetliners US planemaker Boeing slightly raised its annual 20-year forecast for new jetliner deliveries, propelled by the strength of the narrow-body market fuelled by demand from low-cost carriers. Boeing expects airlines will need to buy 42,595 jets from now until 2042, up from 41,170 planes in its previous 20-year forecast last year. The latest projection — […] June 18, 2023
Opinion Aviation Meeting demand of Vision 2030 is far from plane sailing Airbus and Boeing's order books are already filled to the brim June 14, 2023
Transport Qatar’s EV ambitions grow with Vim brand launch Electric vehicle sales could make up 20 percent of the total auto market in Qatar by 2032, experts forecast, as the Gulf state launches its first EV brand. Qatar-based Ecotranzit showcased the first prototypes of its Vim-branded electric vehicle earlier this month. They are manufactured under its exclusive intellectual property rights deal with partners including […] June 14, 2023
Aviation Kuwait to buy drones worth $367m from Turkey Kuwait has concluded a contract worth $367 million with Turkish defence firm Baykar to buy its TB2 drones through direct negotiations between the two governments, the Kuwaiti army said. A statement did not reveal how many drones would be delivered to Kuwait or when. International demand for Baykar’s TB2 drones soared after they featured in […] June 14, 2023
Aviation UAE aviation training firm cashes in on pilot demand A pressing need for airlines to requalify pilots as global air travel recovers has sent business soaring for Etihad Aviation Training, with revenues up 30 percent this year. In addition to training and maintaining aircrews for Etihad Airways, the training business supports 70 other passenger, freight and charter operators, as well as government VIP fleets. […] June 14, 2023
Transport GCC on track to be linked by rail in next 10 years GCC governments are preparing to hand out $167 billion worth of contracts to link the six member countries by railway. “We should expect to see some significant contracts awarded on the railway to link all the GCC states over the next 24 to 26 months,” said Ed James, head of content and analysis at Meed, […] June 13, 2023
Exclusive Aviation Saudi flight bookings above pre-Covid levels International flight bookings to Saudi Arabia this summer are up 8 percent compared with the same time in 2019, indicating a post-pandemic recovery as the kingdom develops its tourism industry. As of May 23, flight bookings to Saudi Arabia in June, July and August were mainly driven by arrivals from Egypt. They were up 204 […] June 12, 2023
Transport Dubai transport assets under review for potential sale Dubai’s metro and leading taxi company are among the most sellable assets owned by the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority, which has asked investment banks to assess its portfolio. The RTA owns Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram, and operates around 3,850 taxis and 1,520 buses. The authority also issues driving licences and permits, builds and […] June 12, 2023
Aviation Wizz Air grows fleet to meet low-cost demand Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has revealed plans to increase its fleet size by over 400 percent before the end of the decade, as budget air travel in the Mena region booms. The carrier may also expand further into Saudi Arabia. The joint venture between Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ, which owns 51 percent, and […] June 9, 2023
Aviation Saudi jet lessor AviLease secures $1.1bn to expand fleet Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund arm for financing of aircraft has secured $1.1 billion in its inaugural funding round. Riyadh-based Aircraft Leasing Company (AviLease) will use the unsecured five-year facility for general corporate purposes, including growing its fleet. “We have successfully closed our debut $1.1 billion unsecured term financing facility, supported by a syndicate of banking […] June 8, 2023
Transport Dubai key to GM’s $50bn driverless car plans General Motors aims to generate $50 billion a year in revenues from driverless cars, with Dubai positioned as a key market in the company’s “robust” global plans. Speaking at a Sanford Bernstein conference in New York, GM chair and CEO Mary Barra said there is a “giant growth opportunity” in the company’s Cruise autonomous vehicle […] June 7, 2023
Aviation Airlines seek cooperation to meet ‘tough’ net-zero targets Global airlines called on Tuesday for broad co-operation to reach “very tough” emission targets and pledged to release interim climate targets next year as the industry aims for a goal of net-zero by 2050. Aviation, which produces around two percent of the world’s emissions, is considered one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise and the […] June 7, 2023
Aviation Emirates explores more long-haul jets amid rising demand Dubai-based Emirates plans to order more Airbus A350, Boeing 777X or 787 jetliners as it seeks to expand its fleet amid soaring demand and growing competition in the region. “We are looking at both more A350s, more 777-9 and possibly the 787 range,” airline president Tim Clark told reporters on the sidelines of the International Air […] June 7, 2023
Aviation Air Arabia to double fleet to support Abu Dhabi tourism Air Arabia intends to double its current fleet capacity within the next 12 months to support Abu Dhabi’s leisure and business tourism market, group CEO Adel Al Ali said. “Tourism is one of the key pillars of the UAE economy. Abu Dhabi is an emirate with solid destination appeal and our enhanced fleet size will […] June 6, 2023
Aviation Profit of Middle East carriers to soar 43% to $2bn in 2023 The net profit of Middle East carriers is expected to rise 42.8 percent to $2 billion in 2023, from $1.4 billion in 2022, on higher passenger revenue and capacity, International Air Transport Association (Iata) said in a new report. Revenue passenger kilometres is forecast to grow by 20.8 percent this year compared to a drop […] June 6, 2023
Aviation Iata’s Willie Walsh hits out at the EU as ‘anti-aviation’ Airlines took aim at Europe over green fuel mandates and its failures to stem France’s air traffic control strikes as they weigh on carrier capacities at a global airlines meeting in Istanbul on Monday. European regulators have introduced a new mandate demanding airlines use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an alternative to jet fuel that produces […] June 6, 2023
Aviation Saudi’s Riyadh Air plans trio of new plane orders Saudi Arabia’s new airline Riyadh Air is in the midst of a three-part inaugural fleet acquisition including ongoing talks with Airbus and Boeing to buy a significant number of narrow-body jets, CEO Tony Douglas said. The creation of a second Saudi national airline, with industry veteran Douglas as its CEO, was announced alongside an order […] June 6, 2023
