The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, and the Chief Executive of GKN Aerospace, Hans Büthker recently revealed plans for GKN Aerospace’s new Global Technology Center in the UK.
The new center – funded by a £17m commitment from GKN Aerospace and a £15m commitment from the UK Government, through the Aerospace Technology Institute – is expected to open in 2020. Once open the 10,000 square meter facility will host 300 highly skilled engineers, and will include collaborative space for research and development with universities, the UK’s CATAPULT network and GKN Aerospace’s UK supply chain.
The centre will focus on additive manufacturing (AM), advanced composites, assembly and industry 4.0 processes to enable the high rate production of aircraft structures. The GTC will maintain GKN Aerospace’s position at the forefront of technology development for the next generation of energy efficient aircraft. The facility will serve as a base for GKN Aerospace’s technology partnership in the Airbus’ ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ technology program as well as new additive manufacturing programs.
The Bristol center joins a growing list of GKN Aerospace Centers of Technical Excellence around the world. Each center has a unique technology focus – covering AM, thermoplastics and smart aero-engine systems – and is supported and linked by a clear digital strategy.
Commenting Chief Executive of GKN Aerospace, Hans Büthker said, “GKN Aerospace can trace its engineering heritage back to the 18th century and we are proud of our role as a leading player in the UK’s world leading aerospace sector.
“The GTC will ensure we continue to develop new technologies that deliver for our customers, making aircraft more sustainable and economical. It will also support our 4,000 strong workforces in the UK, ensuring they remain at the cutting edge of the global aerospace industry.
“The GTC is a great example of the UK’s industrial strategy at its best: with industry and the Government coming together to invest in the technology of the future. The GTC will continue to foster such collaboration across the entire UK Aerospace ecosystem and we look forward to working with the British Government in the years to come.’’
Commenting The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark said, “GKN Aerospace’s new Global Technology Centre further strengthens our aerospace heritage and engineering expertise, and will keep the UK at the forefront of the latest technologies and manufacturing processes for the next-generation of aircraft.
“As the sector moves towards a cleaner, greener and more efficient future, we are partnering with industry through our modern Industrial Strategy and new Aerospace Sector Deal to ensure we have the skills, innovation and supply-chain to continue our world leadership in aviation.”
Kenya is set to become the first country in the world to adopt TIACA’s new Cargo Service Quality (CSQ) tool nationwide, in a bid to improve standards at all airports across the country.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is aiming to implement the online tool at all Kenyan cargo hubs by mid-next year, allowing forwarders to rate and review the service quality they receive at airports, which can then in turn use the data to drive up performance.
“When the TIACA system is fully adopted by mid-2019, we will be able to provide visibility and transparency to customers and improve relationships with service providers by creating service quality benchmarks,” said Evans Michoma, Commercial Manager – Cargo, KAA.
“The tool will also allow us to make business decisions based on cost considerations with less emphasis on quality of services letting us improve our products and services across the board.”
The online tool is the brainchild of TIACA Board members who came together last year in an effort to set new global benchmarking standards for the worldwide airfreight industry to adopt, and in turn enhance quality across the chain.
Airports that took part in the pilot scheme over the summer spanned the globe, including India’s Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport and AAICLAS Chennai Cargo Terminal, Indonesia’s PT Jasa Angkasa Semestra, Hong Kong’s Asia Airfreight Terminal, and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) Ltd, amongst others.
“TIACA ran a successful pilot of Cargo Service Quality tool over the summer which involved a total of 179 forwarders and 18 airports, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Sanjiv Edward, Chief Commercial Officer, Delhi International Airport, and TIACA Board member, who is a main driving force behind TIACA’s Cargo Quality Initiative.
“We have now moved towards full global implementation of this project, which will eventually be expanded to incorporate all segments of the air cargo supply chain.”
In order to raise cargo service standards, the tool is made up of four parts: Benchmarking, Assessment, Improvement and Excellence.
The tool allows participating cargo terminals to provide ratings on several factors including process, technology, facilities, regulators and general airport infrastructure, amongst other variables.
The data that CSQ collects provides airports and cargo terminals with the business insight to identify areas of improvement and guide investment decisions.
DHL and SGS signed a letter of intent to expand DHL’s existing global network of Flexitank solutions and create a lean system for such operations worldwide. To embark on the first steps of this cooperation, the companies have launched pilot projects in the Benelux countries, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia. The announcement was made at the DHL Global Chemical Conference in Bonn, Germany, where the company is hosting many of the world’s leading chemical companies.
“DHL Flexitanks offer a safe, cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly way of transporting non-hazardous liquids,” stated Felix Heger, Head of Ocean Freight Europe, DHL Global Forwarding. “With Flexitanks we can increase our customers’ supply chain efficiency and reduce costs by up to 30% percent compared to ISO tanks.”
DHL Global Forwarding is aiming to expand its current Flexitank network to include 60 countries by the year 2020. The partnership with SGS will support both companies in providing customers with a one-stop-shop solution for liquids shipping in Flexitanks, in line with environmentally conscious goals. Flexitanks are capable of safely holding a wide range of liquids, such as food industry oils, juice, fuel and other non-hazardous industrial chemicals and do not require the return loads and expensive cleaning of ISO tanks, as well as using cargo space more optimally than intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Flexitank multi-layer bladders, fitted to standard or reefer containers, hold between 16,000 and 24,000 liters for safe and efficient transport.
Based in Switzerland, SGS has a substantial and quickly expanding Flexitank network in a multitude of countries, providing technical services, emergency response, surveying, and disposal solutions for Flexitanks on a global scale.
UPS has expanded its UPS Worldwide Express service, part of UPS’s international suite of shipping services that guarantees time- and day-definite delivery for urgent shippers, to 14 new countries in the Middle East and Africa.
The expansion also includes later pick-up times, improved time-in-transit and Saturday delivery in seven countries in ISMEA, demonstrating the company’s strategic focus on international high-growth markets.
“We’re excited to announce that customers can now choose UPS to better compete globally with the time-definite services competitive businesses need,” said Nando Cesarone, president, UPS International. “By improving time-in-transit and increasing the number of countries served, our customers have more time-of-day delivery options to better meet their customers’ critical needs.”
The guaranteed time- and day-definite delivery improvements include South and Central America, including Panama where customers can benefit from the Colón Free Trade Zone, plus Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa by GDP and population.
UPS also grew its express services footprint within key markets by adding new postal codes in 26 European countries, as well as in other high-growth markets such as South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore, all of which have exceeded annual per capita GDP growth of 3.5% for the last 50 years.
UPS customers can take advantage of robust customs brokerage services in these newly expanded areas. As one of the world’s largest customs brokers, UPS helps customers navigate changing regulations, maintain compliance and keep shipments moving smoothly through customs and across borders.
“In addition to expanding its service area, UPS improved time in transit to 24 countries, primarily emerging markets, thereby increasing customers’ speed to market,” said Jean-Francois Condamine, UPS president of Growth and Emerging Markets. “This includes India, where UPS recently announced an investment to consolidate and strengthen its position by attaining full ownership in its express services in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.”
UPS also added Saturday delivery in seven ISMEA countries, later pick-up times in 22 European countries, and later cut-off times in five countries in Asia.
Later pick-up times and cut-off times provide businesses benefits such as more time to focus on production and order fulfilment.
For customers with urgent freight needs, UPS Worldwide Express Freight Midday now offers time-definite delivery of international palletized shipments to over 39,000 new postal codes in Europe.
The additional postal code increases the footprint of this guaranteed service by five times, enabling shipments to over 35 countries and territories and the ability to receive packages from over 70 countries and territories.
“UPS wants to give its customers more options to deliver faster, earlier, on the weekend, and with later pick-up and cut-off times,” said Cesarone. “We provide importer and exporters with greater flexibility and guaranteed services to fit their time-sensitive needs around the world.”
Middle Eastern airlines’ freight volumes expanded 5 percent in October 2018, compared to the same period a year earlier, according to figures released by the International Air Transport Association.
The Middle East airlines’ capacity increased by 8.8 percent over the same period. There are signs of a pick-up in seasonally-adjusted international air cargo demand helped by more trade to/from Europe and Asia, said a statement.
Iata released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in freight ton kilometers (FTKs), rose 3.1 percent in October 2018, compared to the same period the year before. This pace of growth was up from a 29-month low of 2.5 percent in September, it said.
Freight capacity, measured in available freight ton kilometers (AFTKs), rose by 5.4 percent year-on-year in October 2018. This was the eighth month in a row that capacity growth outstripped demand.
Growing international e-commerce and an upturn in the global investment cycle are supporting the growth. However, demand continues to be negatively impacted by: a contraction in export order books in all major exporting nations in October; longer supplier delivery times in Asia and Europe; weakened consumer confidence compared to very high levels at the beginning of 2018.
Alexandre de Juniac, director general and chief executive officer, IATA, said, “Cargo is a tough business, but we can be cautiously optimistic as we approach the end of 2018.”
“Slow but steady growth continues despite trade tensions. The growth of e-commerce is more than making up for sluggishness in more traditional markets. And yields are strengthening in the traditionally busy fourth quarter,” he said.
“We must be conscious of the economic headwinds, but the industry looks set to bring the year to a close on a positive note,” he added.
All regions reported year-on-year demand growth in October 2018, except Africa which contracted.
Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air freight grow by 1.9 percent in October 2018, compared to the same period last year. This pace of growth was relatively unchanged from the previous month.
Weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters, and longer supplier delivery times particularly in China and Korea impacted the demand. As the largest freight-flying region, carrying more than one-third of the total, the risks from rising trade tensions are disproportionately high. Capacity increased by 4.2 percent.
North American airlines posted the fastest growth of any region in October 2018, with an increase in demand of 6.6 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.
Capacity increased by 8.2 percent over the same period. The strength of the US economy and consumer spending have helped support the demand for air cargo over the past year, benefiting US carriers.
European airlines experienced a 1.4 percent increase in freight demand in October 2018 compared to the same period a year earlier.
Capacity increased by 1.9 percent year-on-year. Weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters, and longer supplier delivery times particularly in Germany, Europe’s largest freight flying country, impacted demand. Seasonally adjusted international air cargo demand remained deflated in October, which could indicate the start of a broader weakening in demand.
African carriers saw freight demand decrease by 4.2 percent in October 2018, compared to the same month last year. This was the seventh time in eight months that demand shrank. Capacity increased by 5.4 percent year-on-year. Demand conditions on all key markets to and from Africa remain weak. Nonetheless, seasonally adjusted international freight volumes have stopped declining and recovered sharply in recent months, it stated.
Oman Post and Oman Airports issued two new commemorative stamps of the Muscat International Airport. The stamps offer individuals the opportunity to discover the Sultanate’s new gateway in a different manner.
For the first time in Oman, the new stamps offer an augmented reality experience through the Oman Stamp app. By scanning the stamps, enthusiasts get to explore the new international airport in all its splendor.
The event was held under the patronage of Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni, CEO of Oman Airports. To commemorate the occasion, a launch ceremony was organised by Oman Airports with the participation of Abdulmalik Al Balushi, CEO of Oman Post, alongside representatives from organizations, official delegates and the airport stakeholders.
“Following the successful commencement of the Muscat International Airport’s operations earlier this year, the new stamps highlight the airport’s status as a gateway to beauty and opportunity. As one of the Sultanate’s most iconic landmarks, it was recently named the World’s Best Leading New Airport in 2018 and ranked the 20th Best Airport in the World in the 5-15 million passengers category,” said the CEO of Oman Airports.
“The integration of augmented reality in the two new stamps brings Muscat International Airport to life. For the first time in Oman, collectors will enjoy an entirely new dimension to stamps and be able to experience different aspects of the airport, including a video showcasing many of its features and facilities. This innovative approach is part of our transformation journey at Oman Post towards a new age of postal services,” said the CEO of Oman Post.
The two new stamps display photographs of the Muscat International Airport’s state-of-the-art facilities. The first stamp showcases an aerial view of the airport with the sun setting in the distance reflecting Oman’s tranquility and beauty. The second stamp features the airport’s passenger terminal, illustrating a space full of travellers, palm trees, and the airport’s exquisite architecture.
Qatar Airways will expand its operations in Iran with the launch of a new twice-weekly direct service to Isfahan International Airport, starting from 4 February 2019, as well as introducing increased services to Shiraz and Tehran, from early January 2019.
Isfahan will become the airline’s fourth non-stop gateway to Iran, joining Tehran, Shiraz and Mashad, with the service operating from Doha each Monday and Friday by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.
Three extra weekly flights will be introduced to the Shiraz service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, taking the route to daily operation from 2 January 2019.
The airline will also introduce two extra flights on the Tehran route, with the addition of an extra flight on Wednesdays from 2 January 2019 and Fridays from 4 January 2019, taking the route to a triple-daily operation every day except on Tuesdays, when the service runs twice-daily.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said, “Isfahan is a city that is not only steeped in history, but one that has also emerged in recent years to combine its rich cultural heritage with modernity, making it one of Iran’s most fascinating, colourful and lively places for international visitors.
“We are also delighted to announce that we are increasing our weekly services to both Shiraz and Tehran in January.
“These latest launches are further evidence of Qatar Airways’ commitment to Iran, as well as the expansion of our network in this thriving market to provide greater connectivity to both business and leisure passengers alike.”
Air Arabia recently said its 9-month profits fell 17per cent to Dh530 million, hit by high oil prices and currency devaluation in key markets.
Sharjah-based airline said its 9-month turnover grew 8 percent to Dh3 billion compared to Dh2.8 billion for the same period last year. More than 6.6 million passenger flew with the low-cost pioneer during the nine months of 2018 while the average seat load factor – or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats – for the same period stood at an impressive 80 percent.
Net profit in the third quarter of 2018 reached Dh300 million, 20 percent lower than the corresponding 2017 figure. More than 2.4 million passengers were served in the third quarter of 2018, a 5 percent increase on the corresponding period of 2017, while the average seat load factor stood at an impressive 81 percent.
Revenue for the third quarter ending September 30, 2018, stood at Dh1.28 billion, a 10 percent increase compared with Dh1.16 billion in the same period of 2017.
“Supported by strong revenue figures and passenger demand, Air Arabia’s net profit for the third quarter and year to date remained strong despite profit margins being impacted by the sharp rise in fuel price and the currency devaluation witnessed in several key travel markets,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed Al Thani, chairman, Air Arabia.
He said global economic outlook remains under renewed pressure and airlines worldwide have been challenged by pressured yield margins and increase in cost structure while political and economic tensions continue to drive currency and oil price volatility.
“We believe that such impactful challenges are temporary and the long term outlook for the low cost travel in the region remains fundamentally strong”.
Adel Ali, chief executive officer, Air Arabia, said in an interview last month that the airline aims to place an order for around 100 aircraft next year and is negotiating with different plane manufacturers including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.
“We are just under 60 planes and by 2025 we will be around 100 aircraft, depending on how and what events unfold in the world,” Ali had said during the interview.
The Low cost carrier’s shares also fell in line with overall decline in the equity markets, dropping 1.6 percent to Dh0.925.
Emirates has recently introduced an additional Airbus A380 service to Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo International Airport), effective 1 December, replacing the previous Boeing 777 aircraft on the route. The flagship A380 aircraft now serves EK762 (JNB-DXB) and EK761 (DXB-JNB).
This change in aircraft supports growing demand in South Africa, a 14% increase in seat capacity will be as a direct result of deployment of the second A380 to Johannesburg. The Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft serving the Dubai-Johannesburg route will offer a total of 519 seats in a three-class configuration, with 429 spacious seats in Economy Class, 76 fully flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites.
Upcoming festive season travel between the two global transit hubs is expected to be especially strong, building on over 700,000 customers who flew with the airline before November. With Emirates, customers from Johannesburg can enjoy a seamless A380 experience to their most popular destinations via Dubai, including London, Moscow, New York and Bangkok. All four daily Emirates flights between Johannesburg and Dubai operate as codeshare flights with partner South African Airways.
Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus A380s, with 107 of the aircraft currently in service and 55 pending delivery in this, the tenth year of Emirates’ A380 operations. The deployment of the double-decker aircraft on routes to and from South Africa gives even more regional travellers the chance to experience the aircraft’s industry-leading comforts. These include private suites and Shower Spas in its First Class cabin, while Business Class customers can enjoy the popular onboard lounge and lie-flat beds.
Emirates has a long-standing relationship with South Africa in multiple capacities. The African nation ranks among the top five countries for Emirates pilots, and there are over 500 South Africans working as cabin crew on the airline’s flights, extending the nation’s famous hospitality to customers worldwide.
Etihad Airways has celebrated the launch of its new scheduled service to Barcelona in style by hosting a spectacular evening reception at the historic Capella dels Angels, a sixteenth-century Gothic building which is now part of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). The event was attended by leading figures from the local government, diplomats, media, corporate partners and travel trade.
The inaugural flight, EY49, arrived in Barcelona from Abu Dhabi yesterday carrying a special delegation of dignitaries, media representatives, influencers and senior members of Etihad Airways’ management team.
The evening also featured an elaborate cocktail reception and entertainment including a video-mapping dance show and a hand-pan band performance.
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