H.H. Sheikh Ahmed: Place strong emphasis on utilizing and adopting smart technologies to ensure seamless passenger experience in airports 

Mohammed Ahli: Aviation is UAE economy’s strategic pillar, without which tourism and trade cannot flourish

Dubai, June 11, 2014: The June edition of Via Dubai, the official bi-lingual newsletter of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has been released with its full content also available in the digital format at www.viadubaionline.com. 

In his message, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum President of DCAA and Chairman of Dubai Airports, said: “Hosting of major conferences and exhibitions like Airport Show, Global Airport Leaders’ Forum, Travel Catering Expo and Global Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) helps in strengthening Dubai’s rising standing as the global hub for the aviation industry which is in the midst of tremendous transformation.”  

He added that topics discussed at these events very interesting and reflected the challenges faced by the industry until 2020, including the security challenges given the big increase being recorded in the number of air passengers. Airports management tends to be concentrating more on passenger security. 

“One of the measures to successfully handle this challenge is to place strong emphasis on the utilizing and adopting smart technologies to ensure seamless passenger facilitation procedures in airports around the world,” he said.

In the first four months of 2014, the Dubai International Airport handled 24.5 million passengers, a performance which will help the airport achieve the goal of 70 million passengers during the current year, he said. The impressive performance could not have been possible without the unwavering confidence that prevails among our strategic partners who are working hard to enhance the performance of the aviation industry, a key strategic economic pillar of Dubai. “Excellence in aviation is at the heart of our vision and our dream is to make Dubai the global aviation hub,” he remarked.

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA, said: “The UAE is continuing its front runner position in the aviation industry development and presents an unrivalled success story worth emulating. The socio-economic role and contribution of civil aviation is going to go up further in the coming years. The aviation sector’s contribution is expected to rise to 15 per cent of the UAE’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2016, up from the current three per cent.”

He said Dubai was enabling the aviation sector towards contributing up to 32 per cent of the emirate’s GDP by 2020.  Dubai’s GDP is expected to reach AED165 billion, which is equivalent to 32 per cent, up from 28 per cent recorded in 2011. According to DCAA’s three-year Strategic Plan themed Shaping Tomorrow’s Aviation,  this vibrant economic sector supports about 259,000 jobs and generated over  $11.7 billion in 2011, both directly and indirectly through support for the tourism, trade and other sectors.  The growth of our airports and airlines is massive with the UAE leading the pack in the Middle East whose airports will collectively handle 450 million passengers by 2020. 

The regional airlines are projected to be investing $450 billion to acquire 2525 new aircraft by 2030 which will increase their fleet by a staggering 160 per cent. The UAE airspace is likely to handle 1.62 million aircraft movements in 2030. The aircraft movements in the Arabian Gulf airspace will be over 2.3 million. 

Managing such a mammoth growth, coupled with operational and regulatory challenges, is by no means an easy task. To remain at the cutting-edge of the highly-competitive business, one is required to remain technological advanced and knowledgeable about current challenges and future trends, he said. He added: “We need to look at broadening cooperation among the stakeholders and adopt latest technologies to improve our efficiency and to accommodate the anticipated growth.”

In an interview, Hanan Al Mazimi, Director of Corporate Communications, DCAA, said Successful hosting of international conferences enhances Dubai’s reputation as the world aviation hub. She said development of employees’ skills tops the DCAA’s priority. She said coordination with strategic partners is part of civil aviation sector’s success story.

The newsletter has extensive coverage about the Airport Show, Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF), Travel Catering Expo (TCE), Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and Global Aeronautical Information Management Conference organized for the first time in Middle East by Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS). These special reports insights into the various crucial segments of the civil aviation industry locally and internationally. 

In the International News, the opening of world’s first and largest airport for budget carriers in Malaysia and London Heathrow airport’s  new-look Terminal 2 have been covered. The findings of a survey that highlights gaps in Canada’s aviation safety has been published.

Also published is a study about China’s commercial aviation manufacturing sector challenged to match Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer in building large passenger jets. There are reports about the growth in the global aircraft dismantling market and ASEAN Open Skies deal which promises economic integration. 

The Middle East in Focus has reports about the opening of  $15.5 billion new Doha airport in Qatar, Embraer’ forecast about $25 billion small plane orders over the next 20 years, Saudi Arabia’s plans new pilgrimage airport at Taif and Amadeus study about future Middle East travel trends. 

In the Cargo and Logistics Section, details about Emirates SkyCargo’s freighter fleet operations from its new cargo terminal at the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) Al Maktoum has been provided along with DWC’s  big freight growth in first quarter 2014. Also covered is the news about Emirates Airlines becoming the region’s first air carrier to successfully complete the validation process for the European Union-initiated ACC3 security regulation.  There is also a report about a market study by Business Monitor International that projected that air freight volumes are due for major growth in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait by 2018. 

The lead story in the Technology Section is about Airbus introducing its all-electric experimental aircraft in a first public flight, paving way for low-emission and quieter aviation. Another interesting news is about Solar Impulse 2 project designed to fly the plane around the world using only the power of the sun. Details about solar jet fuel that has been created from water and CO2 is also provided. 

The June edition has opinion columns by Jeff Poole, Director General, CANSO, By Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Minister for Transport & Tourism, Angela Gittens, Director General of Airports Council International (ACI World), and John Jarrell, Head of Airport IT at Amadeus IT Group.

The vexed problem of unruly passengers faced by airlines across the world and measures by IATA and ICAO to contain has been covered extensively in the In Focus section.  Several important developments in the UAE have been covered in the newsletter. The Flashback section details the history and transformation of Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS).