The World's Top 100 Airlines in 2014 - 3 GCC Arab airlines in the top 10

[Saif al-Arab]

Here are the 20 best airlines in the world​

BENJAMIN ZHANG
JUN. 17, 2015, 11:07 PM

REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
Qatar Airways has been named the Best Airline in the World for 2015 by leading aviation consumer websiteSkytrax.

The Gulf-based carrier was presented with the honor at an award ceremony on Tuesday at the 2015 Paris Air Show.

"I am honored to lead a company that has paved such an accomplished path to excellence, and innovation, demonstrating the team's unwavering pride in their work and the experience provided to each of our passengers," Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.

"Becoming an award-winning airline takes dedication and passion— and retaining such a ranking takes commitment, which I thank each and every team member at Qatar Airways for."

The Skytrax rankings are based on the impression of 18.9 million travelers from 105 different countries. The survey, which covered more than 245 airlines, measured 41 different parameters ranging from boarding procedures to seat comfort to the quality of service.

Here are the 20 best airlines in the world according to the result of the Skytrax survey.

Read more: The 20 best airlines in the world according to Skytrax - Business Insider

The entire top 20 ranking:

20: British Airways
19: Thai Airways
18: Dragonair
17: Air New Zealand
16: Virgin Australia
15: Air France
14: Swiss International Airlines
13: Australian Airlines
12: Lufthansa
11: Asiana
10: Qantas
9: EVA Air
8: Garuda Indonesia
7: All Nippon Airways
6: Etihad Airways
5: Emirates
4: Turkish Airlines
3: Cathay Pacific Airways
2: Singapore Airlines
1: Qatar Airways

Each slide of each airline can be found here below and their ranking last year.

The 20 best airlines in the world according to Skytrax - Business Insider

Excellent to see 3 GCC Arab airlines in the top 6. Correspondents well with the great role that the GCC has had in the aviation sector for the past many years.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

PIA is number one in number of unqualified employees on its payroll. The average is 200 employees per plan but mighty PIA needs 600 employees per plane. Three PIA employees do the work of one employee in another airline. They need lot of breaks for lunch, dinner, tea and cigarette breaks. Even if they do one hour of productive work in a day its an event for celebration.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

GCC boosts global hub status​

26-07-2015

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah ... under way.​

The Gulf is cementing its status as a major force in commercial aviation, with state-of-the-art facilities being developed the region, writes Abdulaziz Khattak.

The GCC’s aviation sector has witnessed phenomenal growth over the past two decades, thanks to the region’s booming economy and increasing industrialisation, the influx of business and leisure travellers as well as of workers, and its growing population.

In addition, Middle East carriers, particularly those based in the GCC, have transformed the region into a global aviation hub, offering attractive deals as transit points between the East and the West.
To meet the demands of travellers and expanding airlines, the GCC is pumping billions of dollars into building new airports and expanding existing facilities.

The UAE leads the way in terms of investment in airport infrastructure with massive developments both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as the other emirates which are also launching expansion plans of their own. Next in line is Saudi Arabia which is eyeing a combined future capacity of 140 million passengers per year by expanding its major airports, notably in Riyadh and Jeddah.

With the region gearing up for two major global events in the next 10 years – Expo 2020 in Dubai and Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar – and Saudi Arabia already hosting millions of pilgrims every year, the number of passengers is expected to grow substantially and will put pressure on the existing facilities.

“As Gulf’s airlines grow, so does the congestion in the region,” said Tony Tyler, the International Air transport Association’s (Iata) director-general and CEO, on the sidelines of the organisation’s annual general meeting and the World Air Transport Summit held in Miami, US, last month (June 7-9).

While the Middle East carriers, especially those based in the GCC, have grown phenomenally, Tyler said, “one of the challenges faced by the GCC countries is the mounting air traffic congestion in their airports. In whatever ways possible, we (Iata) will help find a solution to the problem”.

Also, the region’s airlines are investing in larger jets such as the giant Airbus A380, which has increased the need for facilities with larger handling capacities.

UAE
Dubai World Central’s Al Maktoum International Airport expansion – budgeted at $32 billion and billed as the biggest airport in the world – is the region’s most ambitious aviation project. Spread over 56 sq km, the airport will have the capacity to handle 12 million tonnes per year (tpy) of cargo and 160 million passengers once completed.
Following the completion of the first phase – which is now fully operational – work is currently under way on Phase Two of Al Maktoum airport. Phase One has the capacity to handle 600,000 tpy of cargo and operates 24 hours a day on an A380-compatible, 4.5-km runway.
Phase Two of the airport, which includes the construction of an additional two cargo terminals, is expected to increase the total cargo capacity of the airport to 1.4 million tpy. The airport will also be able to accommodate one hundred A380 aircraft at any one time.
Meanwhile, Dubai Airports has embarked on a $7.8-billion airport expansion plan that will boost the capacity at Dubai International Airport from 60 to 90 million passengers per year by 2018. The plan involves the construction of additional terminal space and concourse areas spanning an extra 675,000 sq m of floor space. It also expects cargo handling capacity to reach 4.1 million tonnes by 2020, up from 2.2 million tonnes in 2010.
The work includes the $517-million extension of Terminal One to introduce Concourse D, which will be home to nearly 100 airlines that currently occupy Concourse C. A further $490-million is currently being invested on a phased refurbishment of Terminal One.
A further $163 million is being spent on upgrades to Terminal Two including a more spacious check-in area, an expanded transfer area and more immigration counters.
In the UAE capital, the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal is being built over 700,000 sq m area at an estimated cost of $2.9 billion. A joint venture of Arabtec, CCC and TAV is constructing the striking ‘X’-shaped facility, which will double the airport’s handling capacity to 30 million passengers annually.

Saudi Arabia
Home to Islam’s holiest cities, Makkah and Madinah, Saudi Arabia hosts millions of pilgrims every year. The kingdom is currently working on a number of airports to meet rising demand and ease pressure on existing facilities.
In Jeddah, the $7.2-billion expansion of King Abdul Aziz International Airport will include the world’s tallest air traffic control tower once complete, standing at a height of 136 m. The expansion includes the construction of a new 690,000-sq-m terminal, which will increase the airport’s capacity to handle up to 32 million passengers a year. The airport is expected to begin operations by early 2016.
Meanwhile, the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah is the first airport in the region to be fully built on the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project has been designed mainly to cater for the influx of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims every year with a capacity to accommodate up to eight million passengers.
Among the smaller airport projects, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has given the go-ahead for the expansion of Prince Naif Regional Airport in Al Qassim (see Saudi Focus).
Work is also under way on the Abha Airport project, which will include a new passenger terminal with an area 86,000 sq m that has been designed to accommodate five million passengers annually.

Oman
After a series of delays, the expansion and modernisation of Muscat International Airport is now at an advanced stage. At an estimated $5.2 billion in project costs, the new airport development is billed as the single biggest civil construction undertaking in Oman’s modern history. It has included the construction of a state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, a 100-m-tall air traffic control tower, two runways, more than 7,000 parking spaces, a civil aviation headquarters and an air cargo terminal.
Phase One of the development is in an advanced stage of completion. Over the next three phases, the airport’s handling capacity will be progressively ramped up to 24 million, 36 million and 48 million. This represents a quantum leap over the airport’s present capacity of three million passengers per year, which in reality handles 7.5 million passengers and 40 airlines.
The Public Authority for Civil Aviation (Paca), which is overseeing the execution of the project, has its sights on an end-2016/early-2017 timeframe to bring the ambitious scheme into operation.
Meanwhile, the new Salalah Airport began operations last month (June). The passenger terminal is spread over 65,000 sq m and will serve over two million travellers per year in the first stage. The main runway is 4 km long and 75 m wide and can receive the largest airplanes including the A380.
The airport has been designed to allow for further expansions to cater for future demand growth to six million passengers.
Work is also expected to start on Sohar Airport. When operational, the airport will also serve as an alternative to Muscat International Airport. The airport is expected to handle 250,000 passengers per year and up to 50,000 tpy of cargo.

Bahrain
Bahrain International Airport has embarked on its $1-billion airport modernisation programme that will boost its capacity to 13.5 million passengers. Tenders for the main construction contract are expected this month (see separate article).
Aéroports de Paris Ingénierie (ADPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Aéroports de Paris, is overseeing the project which includes the construction of a new passenger terminal.

Kuwait
Kuwait is expected to retender the contract for the construction of its new $3-billion terminal, after the lowest bid exceeded the estimated cost of the project. At the end of last year, Kharafi National submitted the lowest bid of $4.8 billion for the contract. The expansion of Kuwait International Airport is expected to boost its capacity from six million passengers a year to 25 million.

Gulf Construction Online - GCC boosts global hub status

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Saudia boosts fleet with addition of Boeing 777 300ER​

ARAB NEWS

Published — Monday 10 August 2015

Last update 10 August 2015 1:45 am

The new Boeing 777 300ER. (SPA)​

JEDDAH -- Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) recently received a new aircraft, Boeing 777 300ER, a family of long-range wide-body jet airliner.

The aircraft, piloted by two Saudis, landed at King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) and was received with a warm welcome attended by Saudia Director General Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser and a number of officials.

The direct flight from the United States to the Kingdom took about 14 hours and 5 minutes. Once the airplane landed, Al-Jasser and a number of his aides boarded the plane and welcomed the captains and crew, congratulating them for reaching home safely. Al-Jasser was briefed about the specifications of the aircraft on board the plane.

He said the plane represents state-of-the-art equipment for Boeing commercial airplanes. It is equipped to provide the best levels of comfort and luxury for passengers in terms of appropriate seats or the comfortable spaces between the seats, in addition to the entertainment and other services provided in the plane.

"The Business Class with its seating capacity of 30 seats was carefully designed. The seat can be turned into a comfortable 180 degree sleeping bed. Wi-Fi is made available on plane in addition to other communication services.

The luxurious class with its 383 seating capacity earned Saudia the best seat accolade from the World Airline Awards.

Audio and visual tools are provided also on the plane with more spaces available on the upper shelves and luggage compartments.

Al-Jasser said the plane as it joins the fleet of the airliner and enters its operating performance system will directly support the company's operational and marketing capabilities, and will enhance and promote its competitive position on the regional and international levels.

The Saudi airliner has signed contracts with Boeing to buy 20 planes of the same model. It has so far received 18 aircraft with the remaining two due to be delivered in February.

The company will also acquire 50 new planes of the latest Airbus group. The first of the aircraft will be received during May next year. The new planes will enhance Saudia's capabilities, support its plans in the internal network of domestic flights and provide more seating capacity as well as access to new international destinations, thus doubling its share in global traffic movement.

Saudia boosts fleet with addition of Boeing 777 300ER | Arab News

Saudia launches first direct Riyadh-LA flight

By Courtney Trenwith

Thursday, 6 August 2015 11:42 AM
​

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)​

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has announced the first nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Riyadh – one of the longest in commercial aviation history.

A B777-300ER is scheduled to make the flight on Friday, taking more than 16 hours.

It will have 24 seats in First Class, 36 seats in Business Class and 245 seats in its Guest Class.

The Saudi flag carrier last year launched its Los Angeles-Jeddah service, almost two hours shorter.

The Riyadh flight will be operated only during August but the airline said it hoped to add it to the permanent schedule in the future, to help facilitate travel for the thousands of Saudi students who study in the US, as well as diplomats and businessmen.

Saudia already flies direct to cities on the east coast of America.

Saudia launches first direct Riyadh-LA flight - ArabianBusiness.com

Good news. A lot of Arab-Americans live in California and a lot of Saudi Arabian students are studying in California as are many other students from the GCC and Arab world.
​

New Saudia airliner offers ‘best seat in the world’​

An ultra-modern Saudia Boeing B777-300ER made a historic flight taking more than 16 hours, one of the longest flights in commercial aviation today (Al Arabiya News)
​

By Staff Writer | Al Arabiya News
Saturday, 8 August 2015

Saudi’s flagship carrier Saudia achieved a rare feat on Friday when its first non-stop flight from Los Angeles touched down at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

An official said “An ultra-modern Saudia Boeing B777-300ER will be making this historic flight taking more than 16 hours, one of the longest flights in commercial aviation today.”

Saudia’s director general Saleh al-Jasser was quoted by the kingdom’s Alriyadh newspaper as saying that the business class on the Saudia Boeing B777-300ER has just 30 lie-flat seats to ensure maximum comfort for its passengers.

Saudia has been lauded by offering economy class seats with the above-industry standard 34 inches of pitch and headrests with adjustable padded wings that mean the passenger won’t find themselves dozing off on a neighbor’s shoulder.

The real treat, though, is airline’s much vaunted articulated movement system, which adjust passengers’ seats automatically depending on their posture and body movements.

Last Update: Saturday, 8 August 2015 KSA 18:40 - GMT 15:40

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/bus...dia-plane-offers-best-seat-in-the-world-.html

Saudia has a lot of potential but must improve to reach the level of other leading GCC airlines.​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

New US airline coalition sides with Gulf carriers in ‘subsidy’ dispute​

By: SHABINA S. KHATRI | August 11, 2015

Qatar Airways/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

In a sign of support for Qatar Airways and its Gulf competitors, a newly formed group of American carriers has sent a letter to the US government extolling global competition.

Saying the big three American airlines “don’t speak for us,” the new US Airlines for Open Skies argued that limiting Gulf carriers’ access to domestic trade routes would actually damage the local economy and possibly lead to retaliation.

For the past several months, Delta, American and United Airlines have been petitioning their government to renegotiate an Open Skies agreement with Qatar’s national carrier, as well as Emirates and Etihad.

Mike Mozart/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The trade deal currently allows airlines, rather than government regulators, to determine the frequency and capacity of flights.

The group, called Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, claims that Gulf carriers have benefited from $42 billion in subsidies from their respective governments.

The three GCC airlines have all formally denied accusations of unfair competition, and the US government has said it will investigate the claims. Last Monday was the deadline to submit comments to the US Department of Transportation on the matter.

Opposing views
The new coalition speaking against the big three American carriers consists of four US passenger and cargo carriers – Atlas Air Worldwide, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, and JetBlue Airways (a codeshare partner with Qatar Airways).

Ryan McFarland/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The group “collectively transports approximately 42 million passengers annually, ships nearly 8 million tons of cargo, and employs approximately 350,000 people, 40 percent more people than the Big 3 combined,” it said in a statement.

However, Dallas News cited government figures that showed 162,849 full-time equivalent employees working for the four as of May 2015.

That compares to 269,992 for American, United and Delta and airline subsidiaries identified by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the newspaper reported.

After filing its letter with the US government last week, Hawaiian CEO and President Mark Dunkerley said:

“The Big 3 do not speak for all, or even most, U.S. airlines. Our coalition believes that the United States should honor its Open Skies commitments, which opens markets for U.S. carriers, promotes competition on international and domestic routes, and facilitates U.S. exports.”

The group also argued that the trade deal helps national security by facilitating the rapid movement of US military supplies around the world, including to the Middle East.

New US airline coalition sides with Gulf carriers in 'subsidy' dispute - Doha News

Thoughts?

@gambit @XenoEnsi-14 @James Jaevid @Peter C @Oldman1 etc.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

New US airline coalition sides with Gulf carriers in ‘subsidy’ dispute​

By: SHABINA S. KHATRI | August 11, 2015

Qatar Airways/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

In a sign of support for Qatar Airways and its Gulf competitors, a newly formed group of American carriers has sent a letter to the US government extolling global competition.

Saying the big three American airlines “don’t speak for us,” the new US Airlines for Open Skies argued that limiting Gulf carriers’ access to domestic trade routes would actually damage the local economy and possibly lead to retaliation.

For the past several months, Delta, American and United Airlines have been petitioning their government to renegotiate an Open Skies agreement with Qatar’s national carrier, as well as Emirates and Etihad.

Mike Mozart/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The trade deal currently allows airlines, rather than government regulators, to determine the frequency and capacity of flights.

The group, called Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, claims that Gulf carriers have benefited from $42 billion in subsidies from their respective governments.

The three GCC airlines have all formally denied accusations of unfair competition, and the US government has said it will investigate the claims. Last Monday was the deadline to submit comments to the US Department of Transportation on the matter.

Opposing views
The new coalition speaking against the big three American carriers consists of four US passenger and cargo carriers – Atlas Air Worldwide, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, and JetBlue Airways (a codeshare partner with Qatar Airways).

Ryan McFarland/Flickr. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The group “collectively transports approximately 42 million passengers annually, ships nearly 8 million tons of cargo, and employs approximately 350,000 people, 40 percent more people than the Big 3 combined,” it said in a statement.

However, Dallas News cited government figures that showed 162,849 full-time equivalent employees working for the four as of May 2015.

That compares to 269,992 for American, United and Delta and airline subsidiaries identified by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the newspaper reported.

After filing its letter with the US government last week, Hawaiian CEO and President Mark Dunkerley said:

“The Big 3 do not speak for all, or even most, U.S. airlines. Our coalition believes that the United States should honor its Open Skies commitments, which opens markets for U.S. carriers, promotes competition on international and domestic routes, and facilitates U.S. exports.”

The group also argued that the trade deal helps national security by facilitating the rapid movement of US military supplies around the world, including to the Middle East.

New US airline coalition sides with Gulf carriers in 'subsidy' dispute - Doha News

Thoughts?

@gambit @XenoEnsi-14 @James Jaevid @Peter C @Oldman1 etc.

FedEx doesn't have passengers and could care less about travel routes. Atlas and Hawaiian must be real small since I never heard of them. JetBlue is well known.

Whether governments are subsidizing routes I don't know. Certainly the big carriers will suffer if they do. Currently profit margins are rather small as the competition is fierce.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

2 million pass through Abu Dhabi airport in August​

Highest number of passengers recorded in airport's history

Published: 12:13 September 27, 2015
Staff Report

Dubai: August 2015 was another record breaking month for Abu Dhabi International when more than 2 million passengers passed through the airport in a single month for only the second time ever.

A total of 2,254,809 passengers were seen through Abu Dhabi International in August, up 17.4 per cent compared to the 1,920,934 passengers in August 2014, operator Abu Dhabi Airports said in an emailed statement on Sunday.

It is the highest number of passengers to have used the airport in its history. A month earlier in June, passenger numbers exceed 2 million for the first time in a single month when 2,100,929 were seen through the airport.

Ahmad Al Haddabi, Chief Operations Officer at Abu Dhabi Airport, stated passenger numbers are upto 70,000 a day in the peak travel season. He said the August increase was largely due to UAE residents returning home ahead of the start of the academic school and a growing number of business and leisure visitors to Abu Dhab.

The top five destinations in August were London, Bangkok, Doha, Manila and Mumbai – accounting for 15 per cent of all traffic, Abu Dhabi Airports said.

August figures continue an upwards trend at Abu Dhabi International where home carrier Etihad Airways is rapidly expanding. The airline is increasing capacity on existing routes this year as it take delivery of new Airbus A380s and Boeing Dreamliner 787s and has launched flights to new destinations Kolkata, Madrid, Entebbe, Edinburgh, Hong Kong and Algiers.

The number of aircraft landings and take offs in August were 15,277, increasing 14.1 per cent compared to a year ago. The amount of cargo handled at the airport was 70,857 metric tonnes, up 7 per cent. This bucked the global trend in July when demand was down 0.6 per cent but up with regional growth where demand expanded by 10.8 per cent, according to the International Air Transport Association.

This year, passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi International are up 18 per cent to 15,467,315 as of August 31, 2015 from 13,106,673. a year ago.

2 million pass through Abu Dhabi airport in August | GulfNews.com

Middle East air travel growing despite non-oil slump​

Air travel to and from the Middle East is expected to continue its upwards trend in the second half, according to IATA

Image Credit: Gulf News Archives
Saudi Arabian airlines parked at Dubai International Airport Terminal 1​

Published: 16:12 September 24, 2015
Staff Report

Dubai: Middle East air travel is increasing this year despite a first-half non-oil sector slump in major regional economies, including in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the region’s two biggest economies.

In June, Saudi Arabia’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), an indicator of growth in the non-oil sector, fell to its lowest level in six years and the UAE recorded its weakest PMI in 22 months.

But Middle East travel is increasing, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a release on Wednesday. Total passenger traffic on Africa — Middle East routes was up 8.2 per cent in the seven months to July 30, 2015 compared to the same 2014 period, European — Middle East routes increased 8.5 per cent and Middle East — Far East routes has risen 6.3 per cent, the airline representative body said.

Air travel to and from the Middle East is expected to continue its upwards trend in the second half, according to IATA, citing a “robust” outlook in the second half for the major regional economies to sustain “robust growth.”

Saudi Arabian gross domestic profit (GDP) is forecast to grow by 3.5 per cent this year and UAE GDP by 3.2 per cent, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). And in a sign of an expanding non-oil sector, Saudi Arabia and the UAE regained some of their losses in July with the two major regional economies posting an improved PMI when compared to June.

Three big carriers

The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions for international air travel, growing annually between 8 and 9 per cent. The rate of growth is driven by the region’s three largest carriers; Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, but also by growth by Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) and the region’s low cost carriers.

And in July, the Middle East passenger traffic recorded double-digit growth, partially due to the timing of the holy month of Ramadan this year, IATA said.

First and business class Africa — Middle East travel grew by 23.5 per cent in July 2015 compared to the same month last year, according to IATA. Premium European — Middle East air travel and Middle East — Far East increased 26 per cent and 16.9 per cent, respectively. Economy class travel, which is more price sensitive, also increased in July. The Africa — Middle East routes grew 15.3 per cent, Europe — Middle East up 22.1 per cent and Middle East — Far East up 13.1 per cent.

Last week, Boeing dismissed concerns falling oil prices and jittery Middle East economies could impact orders from regional buyers, who are some of its largest customers. The US aerospace giant said there had been no cancellations or deferments for aircraft deliveries from the region despite economic concerns.

Middle East air travel growing despite non-oil slump | GulfNews.com

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Total Bastard Airlines

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Total Bastard Airlines

Why does that clip remind me of Seinfeld?

Bahrain to host the fifth annual Arab Aviation and Media Summit

The 2015 Arab Aviation and Media Summit (AAMS) will be held in Bahrain, it was announced today. The event, which is a joint industry initiative by world-leading organizations, will take place on the 7th & 8th of December 2015 in the Kingdom of Bahrain’s capital, Manama.

Running in its fifth edition this year, the Arab Aviation & Media Summit is an industry initiative committed to improving the state of Arab Aviation & Tourism. The initiative is braced by many leading organizations such as Airbus Middle East, Air Arabia Group, CFM, CNBC TV and The Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism in addition to many supporting partners; and this year’s edition is held in partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and Bahrain Airport Company.

The 2015 edition will discuss the status of Arab aviation and tourism under the current political and economic climate, and will see industry pioneers from across the region come together to discuss the growing significance of the partnerships between tourism and aviation.

Described as the ‘voice of the industry’, the Arab Aviation and Media Summit is the largest assembly of Arab media together with top executives from the aviation & tourism industry. AAMS takes place in a different Arab city every year drawing attention to the host city travel and tourism experience as well as facilitating for a large audience of Governments, decision makers and media to share, learn and exchange.

Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, CEO of Bahrain Airport Company said: “We are delighted that Bahrain has been chosen to host the 5th annual Arab Aviation and Media Summit, which holds great significance to us on both aviation and tourism scales. This step reflects Bahrain’s legacy and status as a leader in Aviation and Tourism and will showcase the Kingdom’s experience in developing its travel and tourism sector. We look forward to working with the many partners over the coming months to facilitate this year’s summit that will further foster the correlation between Arab Aviation & Tourism.”

This year’s Summit will bring together an array of international and regional industry experts, as well as media representatives from across the entire Arab World to exchange ideas and strategies to address the challenges faced by the sector.

Adel A. Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia said: “The aviation industry continues to be the key contributor to Arab economy and the link between aviation and tourism is becoming increasingly significant. We are glad to be part of this growing industry forum that this year’s edition promise to bring together industry experts to explore the mutual benefits of fostering partnerships between the aviation and tourism industries for sustainable economic growth, with the aim of developing and encouraging tourism within the Arab states.”

The summit concludes every year with a white paper draft submitted to regulators and decision makers from both public and private sector followed up by a course of action. The report provides the latest insights on the current trends and challenges faced by the aviation-tourism sector in the Arab world and its impact on social and economic growth.

Fouad Attar, Managing Director of Airbus Middle East said: “The Arab Aviation and Media Summit with its fifth edition will once again bring in-depth analysis and insights to an audience of experts and senior journalists from 15 Arab countries. We are proud of our continued partnership with Air Arabia on this summit look forward to participate actively in showcasing Airbus latest market forecast and innovations”.

Last year, the event took place in Ras Al Khaimah under the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah and drew more than 170 participants from 15 countries.

The summit is open for industry peers and Media. To learn more and to register, visit:www.arabaviationsummit.com or call +971.4.3688219.

Stay tuned for live updates about the summit on: Web: www.arabaviationsummit.com | TwitterAAMSummit

Bahrain to host the fifth annual Arab Aviation and Media Summit | Air Arabia

 

[Saif al-Arab]

For GCC economy, ATC Global raises some key questions​

Posted 5 October 2015

​

John Swift, Director, NATS Middle East looks at the key issues that will be raised at today's ATC Global event in Dubai.​

The emergence of the Gulf, over the past decade, as the dominant hub in global aviation has been astounding. The natural geographic advantage of the region has been matched by unprecedented levels of investment in airport infrastructure, and the world’s newest fleet of aircraft. The dividend has been substantial economic diversification away from oil and towards the sustainable growth of services, finance and tourism.

So it is fitting that the 25th anniversary of ATC Global – one of the world’s leading conferences on air traffic management – is being held in Dubai. What might seem to the casual observer like an event for aviation geeks is, in actual fact, more like the control centre of the modern Gulf economy. Underpinning the trade flow that supports 2 million jobs and $116 billion in GDP for the region are the air traffic control systems that ensure that millions can travel safely, quickly and cost effectively from one place to the next.

As an industry, air traffic management is at the cutting edge of technology, but continued investment is required if the Gulf is to retain its position as the global aviation hub, and sustain the economic benefits that that position brings. A recent report released by Oxford Economics identified that Middle East airlines and passengers stand to benefit by $16 billion over the next ten years – if investments are made in upgrading air traffic control systems.

As in other sectors, much of the most modern technology is focused on interpreting and acting on the vast quantities of data that are increasingly available on every conceivable aspect of human activity. For example, the intriguingly named ‘X-Man’ project is helping to reduce carbon emissions through cross-border collaboration to slow aircraft down, rather than holding them in circling patterns over airports.

Or consider Intelligent Approach, which optimises runway capacity by separating approaching aircraft by time rather than distance. At Heathrow, NATS’ implementation of Intelligent Approach has reduced wind-based delays by more than 50%. For an airport that already operates at 99% capacity, that 50% reduction represents a significant economic benefit to airlines and passengers.

Over the next ten years, aviation in the Middle East is expected to grow at an annual rate of 10%. Currently, around half of Middle Eastern airspace is reserved for military flights and, since the 1950s, control over airspace has split from one regional body into six distinct national authorities. As a result of this increase in traffic, without continued investment in technology, and exploration of the optimal models of service provision, aviation congestion will increase over the next decade. That represents a significant risk to the broader economy.

ATC Global is a forum in which these kinds of issues are raised and discussed, the latest innovations highlighted, and breakthroughs in safety featured. For NATS, with its UK heritage and bases in the Middle East and Asia Pacific, it is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to facilitating and enhancing international transport; sharing knowledge, experience, and lessons learned; and demonstrate some of the innovations we have developed to meet the challenges being faced by the industry.

For the region, however, ATC Global’s presence on its 25th anniversary has a broader significance, and one that needs to be more fully understood. It is recognition of the dominant position that the region now plays in both in the industry and more broadly in the global economy. But it will also highlight the challenges that lie ahead and the investments that need to be made to meet them.

- See more at: Arabian Aerospace - For GCC economy, ATC Global raises some key questions​

 

[bdslph]

Cathay Pacific Airways
2 Qatar Airways
3 Singapore Airlines
4 Emirates
9 Etihad Airways

i have flown the above airlines and they are worth all the money u spend

 

[Arabian Stallion]

Sky’s the limit for GCC’s aviation sector​

22 December 2015

Regional governments have shown no signs of slowing down, with aircraft order remaining robust and infrastructure investments pushing ahead.

The Gulf region’s aviation outlook received a major boost when plane maker Boeing raised the forecast for the number of aeroplanes required in the region over the next 20 years.​

The American aircraft manufacturer believes airlines in the region would need 3,180 new aeroplanes over the next 20 years, compared to 2,950 in its outlook for last year. As much as 70% of the demand will be driven by rapid fleet expansion in the GCC, requiring financing of nearly US$730 billion.

"Traffic growth in the Middle East continues to grow at a healthy rate and is expected to grow 6.2% annually during the next 20 years," said Randy Tinseth, vice president for marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

"About 80% of the world's population lives within an eight-hour flight of the Arabian Gulf. This geographic position, coupled with diverse business strategies and investment in infrastructure is allowing carriers in the Middle East to aggregate traffic at their hubs and offer one-stop service between many city pairs that would not otherwise enjoy such direct itineraries."

The Boeing forecast is more optimistic than rival Airbus’ global market prediction, which anticipates a more measured 2,361 new passenger aircraft deliveries by 2034.

Single-aisle planes would comprise the bulk or 44% of orders by regional players, while medium wide-body aircraft will comprise 28% of orders and large wide-body accounting for 9% over the next 20 years, Boeing forecast shows.

By contrast, large wide-body would comprise a mere 1% of the world’s aeroplane demand over the next two decades – suggesting the importance of the GCC market for planes such as Airbus 380 and Boeing 777. Indeed, the region’s large wide-body fleet would nearly triple to 300 in 2034, compared to its current inventory of 110.The Middle East is the only region in the world where the twin-aisle fleet is bigger than the single aisle.

The aircraft capacity has enabled soaring airline growth in the region in recent years.

Long-haul traffic has been crucial for the development of Middle Eastern carriers. Since 1995 the share of long haul traffic has increased from half to more than two thirds in 2014.

Data shows that the strategic focus on this segment of the market was a resounding success with long-haul traffic growing at 11% over the past 20 years, outperforming short haul by on average of five percentage points.”

Heavy investment

The region’s governments are in the midst of investing heavily in the aviation sector as they look to diversify their economies. Some countries such as Saudi Arabia are also privatising airports to generate revenues and secure foreign investment in the sector. Virtually all the major countries including Egypt, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are expanding their aviation infrastructure.

The Middle East is expected to be among the fastest growing region in terms of passenger traffic, growing at 4.6% per year on average until at least 2034, according to industry body International Air Transport Association, or IATA.

The potential return of Iran into the global market, once Western sanctions are lifted, could generate more demand for aeroplanes as the country looks to replace its ageing fleet.

The recently concluded Dubai Airshow generated deals of nearly US$40 billion, despite the uncertainty surrounding the global economy – a testament to the region’s growth potential.

Middle East carriers have seen robust growth, with demand rising 9.9% in September – well above any other regions in the world.

“Major economies in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have experienced slowdowns in non-oil sectors, however rates of growth remain robust,” according to IATA.

Gulf carriers led by Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are leading the charge, with new destinations planned across the world. They are also expected to add 2,352 seats to the US – their largest growth market this year; 1,954 to the UK, its second largest market; and 1,903 seats to India, their third largest market.

However, there are still regulatory obstacles that have restrained growth, such as the region's decentralised air traffic control systems, leaving operators to contend with a patchwork of rules, agencies and processes.

IATA notes that the region’s aviation growth has brought new challenges for the industry.

“The challenge is to look beyond merely national issues and focus on an even bigger picture – the strategic development of aviation across the entire Middle East,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.

© Zawya

https://globalconnections.hsbc.com/uae/en/articles/skys-limit-gccs-aviation-sector

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

@Arabian Stallion, you should rejoin SkyscraperCity.

 

[Arabian Stallion]

@Arabian Stallion, you should rejoin SkyscraperCity.

Social media (Facebook) is the place to be nowadays. Forums are slowly dying. PDF is the only forum where I am active aside from a few Arab ones. Outside of Reddit that is but I am not sure if that can be called a forum. However less and less spare time (my student life is quickly coming to an end as well), work (the nature of my work and studies have meant that I have had to travel quite a bit) and other obligations will probably mean much less activity in the near future. In fact I should not even be online right now much less so now that Ramadan has begun, lol. However in today's world you are hardly ever "offline" for good and bad.

BTW this link below will probably interest you.

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/d...n/me_construction_gccpoc2016_ publication.pdf

Is this third time lucky for Kuwait's struggling airport? ​

​

By Courtney Trenwith

Saturday, 4 June 2016 2:29 AM

There is a saying that things come in threes. Kuwait may well be hoping that that is the case for its semi-historic airport after the government announced last week for the third time that Turkey’s Limak Holding and local construction firm Kharafi National had won a tender to build a new terminal that would more than double capacity at a cost of $4.34bn.

The expansion has been sorely needed for more than a decade but – as is the problem with the majority of potential infrastructure projects in Kuwait – political bickering has stalled any real action.

The terminal deal was first announced in 2014, before being nullified without any explanation. It was again announced in August 2015, and despite there being no public knowledge that it had again been scrapped, was for a third time announced on May 30.

The delays follow the release of an airport expansion plan in 2011, with new terminals set to increase capacity from 5 million to 25 million, with room to grow to 50 million.

While the political wrangling has continued, the airport – potentially crucial to boosting revenues to help fill a widening budget deficit (again, arguably, worse than it could be due to a lack of political will and cooperation to make quick and necessary reforms that would reduce the deficit) - has been disintegrating. It is already running at more than double its capacity, with 11 million passengers passing through last year, according to the civil aviation authority.

But while other airports have been speeding up their check-in processes and implementing efficiencies, civil aviation authorities in Kuwait last year urged passengers to arrive at Kuwait International three hours early due to the airport’s inability to properly handle the oversupply.

The government also is losing out on potentially $470m because its landing fee is still at 1980-levels of $20 per plane.

A glimmer of hope came through in March when Minister of Commerce and Industry Yousef Al Ali said the government was planning legislation to allow the private sector to manage commercial ports and the international airport, while the state would continue to own the assets.

The privatisation of Kuwait Airways also has been repeatedly announced – including with set deadlines that were never met – since 2008. But the pride attached to a national carrier and its status as one of Kuwait’s largest employers has so far prevented a sell-off.

The airline’s prospects have greatly improved under chairwoman Rasha Al Roumi, who was appointed in December 2013. Parliament agreed to a compromise that converted the airline into an independent corporation, allowing Al Roumi to place its first significant aircraft order in more than 20 years without first gaining approval from state auditors, and she has cut 1,000 jobs.

But if Kuwait’s history is anything to go by, Al Ali’s choice of words – “planning legislation” – indicates that any productive move towards privatisation of infrastructure is years away. Such legislation still needs to be written, let alone debated in parliament and eventually passed and implemented.

The aviation sector is not the only victim. Roads in Kuwait City are perpetually congested because few new lanes have been added while the population has ballooned; there have been no new hospitals this century; and there are reportedly more than 20,000 Kuwaitis on a national housing wait list.

There is some positive movement, however. Last year parliament approved a new five-year development plan for 2015-2020, budgeting about $116bn, and the National Assembly budgets committee said last Wednesday that capital spending would reach $8.9bn in 2016/17, an increase of $1.8m.

There have been a raft of new laws designed to enhance the economy, including the Companies Law, Commercial Licensing Law, the Direct Investment Promotion Law, the Public and Private Partnership Law and a revision of the Capital Markets Law.

The capital markets changes in particular should help provide investors with confidence as the country tip-toes towards privatisation.

But laws are one thing; impressions are another, and investors flying into Kuwait City may well be deterred even before they’ve had time to explore the potential opportunities. Let’s hope it really is a case of third-time lucky.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/is-t...-struggling-airport--633936.html#.V1WjmVdlaLI

I really hope that Kuwait can bounce back and at least come close to its former heights as "back in the good old days". A prosperous Kuwait is a good thing for the entire GCC (just like with any other GCC-country). Not only that the current leaders, future leaders, people in power, private investors, businessmen etc. should have the exact same view not only within the GCC but the Arab world and MENA region as a whole as we are all interconnected. I have long advocated for closer political, social, economic etc. integration within not only the GCC (which I believe should expand in a perfect world and either replace or compliment the Arab League which is not working as intended due to obvious reasons), but the entire region. The European Union here should be a good benchmark especially as we can study its success and failures and draw conclusions from that.

Of course all this won't kickstart before key issues and problems in the region are dealt with so I am talking from a position sometime in the future. Maybe when I become an old man but better late than never.

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

Social media (Facebook) is the place to be nowadays. Forums are slowly dying. PDF is the only forum where I am active aside from a few Arab ones. Outside of Reddit that is but I am not sure if that can be called a forum. However less and less spare time (my student life is quickly coming to an end as well), work (the nature of my work and studies have meant that I have had to travel quite a bit) and other obligations will probably mean much less activity in the near future. In fact I should not even be online right now much less so now that Ramadan has begun, lol. However in today's world you are hardly ever "offline" for good and bad.

I think you're right. I've noticed that myself lately. Social media seems to be gradually replacing internet forums. One good thing about social networking services such as Twitter is that anything goes lol. You can be as rude and as upfront as you like.

BTW this link below will probably interest you.

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/xe/Documents/realestate/construction/gccpowersofconstruction/me_construction_gccpoc2016_ publication.pdf

Is this third time lucky for Kuwait's struggling airport? ​

​

By Courtney Trenwith

Saturday, 4 June 2016 2:29 AM

There is a saying that things come in threes. Kuwait may well be hoping that that is the case for its semi-historic airport after the government announced last week for the third time that Turkey’s Limak Holding and local construction firm Kharafi National had won a tender to build a new terminal that would more than double capacity at a cost of $4.34bn.

The expansion has been sorely needed for more than a decade but – as is the problem with the majority of potential infrastructure projects in Kuwait – political bickering has stalled any real action.

The terminal deal was first announced in 2014, before being nullified without any explanation. It was again announced in August 2015, and despite there being no public knowledge that it had again been scrapped, was for a third time announced on May 30.

The delays follow the release of an airport expansion plan in 2011, with new terminals set to increase capacity from 5 million to 25 million, with room to grow to 50 million.

While the political wrangling has continued, the airport – potentially crucial to boosting revenues to help fill a widening budget deficit (again, arguably, worse than it could be due to a lack of political will and cooperation to make quick and necessary reforms that would reduce the deficit) - has been disintegrating. It is already running at more than double its capacity, with 11 million passengers passing through last year, according to the civil aviation authority.

But while other airports have been speeding up their check-in processes and implementing efficiencies, civil aviation authorities in Kuwait last year urged passengers to arrive at Kuwait International three hours early due to the airport’s inability to properly handle the oversupply.

The government also is losing out on potentially $470m because its landing fee is still at 1980-levels of $20 per plane.

A glimmer of hope came through in March when Minister of Commerce and Industry Yousef Al Ali said the government was planning legislation to allow the private sector to manage commercial ports and the international airport, while the state would continue to own the assets.

The privatisation of Kuwait Airways also has been repeatedly announced – including with set deadlines that were never met – since 2008. But the pride attached to a national carrier and its status as one of Kuwait’s largest employers has so far prevented a sell-off.

The airline’s prospects have greatly improved under chairwoman Rasha Al Roumi, who was appointed in December 2013. Parliament agreed to a compromise that converted the airline into an independent corporation, allowing Al Roumi to place its first significant aircraft order in more than 20 years without first gaining approval from state auditors, and she has cut 1,000 jobs.

But if Kuwait’s history is anything to go by, Al Ali’s choice of words – “planning legislation” – indicates that any productive move towards privatisation of infrastructure is years away. Such legislation still needs to be written, let alone debated in parliament and eventually passed and implemented.

The aviation sector is not the only victim. Roads in Kuwait City are perpetually congested because few new lanes have been added while the population has ballooned; there have been no new hospitals this century; and there are reportedly more than 20,000 Kuwaitis on a national housing wait list.

There is some positive movement, however. Last year parliament approved a new five-year development plan for 2015-2020, budgeting about $116bn, and the National Assembly budgets committee said last Wednesday that capital spending would reach $8.9bn in 2016/17, an increase of $1.8m.

There have been a raft of new laws designed to enhance the economy, including the Companies Law, Commercial Licensing Law, the Direct Investment Promotion Law, the Public and Private Partnership Law and a revision of the Capital Markets Law.

The capital markets changes in particular should help provide investors with confidence as the country tip-toes towards privatisation.

But laws are one thing; impressions are another, and investors flying into Kuwait City may well be deterred even before they’ve had time to explore the potential opportunities. Let’s hope it really is a case of third-time lucky.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/is-t...-struggling-airport--633936.html#.V1WjmVdlaLI

I really hope that Kuwait can bounce back and at least come close to its former heights as "back in the good old days". A prosperous Kuwait is a good thing for the entire GCC (just like with any other GCC-country). Not only that the current leaders, future leaders, people in power, private investors, businessmen etc. should have the exact same view not only within the GCC but the Arab world and MENA region as a whole as we are all interconnected. I have long advocated for closer political, social, economic etc. integration within not only the GCC (which I believe should expand in a perfect world and either replace or compliment the Arab League which is not working as intended due to obvious reasons), but the entire region. The European Union here should be a good benchmark especially as we can study its success and failures and draw conclusions from that.

Of course all this won't kickstart before key issues and problems in the region are dealt with so I am talking from a position sometime in the future. Maybe when I become an old man but better late than never.

I hope so too. Honestly, however, I'm not that optimistic when it comes to the new airport terminal lol. The Al-Kharafis are very corrupt and incompetent. They obviously coerced the pathetic government into approving their bid for constructing the new airport. The Kuwaiti-Turkish consortium that's going to build the new airport was actually disqualified by the ministry of public works more than a year ago. Kuwait has become a real joke, unfortunately.

The project for the new airport terminal should have gone to a Chinese consortium instead.

By the way, what's worse than all of this is the fact that Kuwait airport ranks poorly in security-related issues. Some airlines, such as British Airways, have already threatened to stop flying to Kuwait if the security standards don't improve by next year.