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July passengers up at Abu Dhabi airport
The Abu Dhabi Airports Company has reported a 10.3% increase in passenger numbers for July compare to the same month in 2008. More than 900,000 passengers, with a total of 923,124 people have travelled through the airport in July. London has noted as the busiest destination with 50,900 passengers, followed by Bangkok with 40,465 passengers. Doha took third place with 37,361. In fourth and fifth place came Cairo and Bahrain with 36,108 and 35,773 passengers respectively.
Air Asia X in talks with Gulf buyers
Malyasia-based AirAsia X is in talks with Middle Eastern investors, including sovereign wealth funds, to sell an equity stake in the carrier, Reuters has reported. 'We need a stronger equity base after 2010,' the budget airline's head Azran Osman-Rani said at the launch of a Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi route, which will run five times per week from November. The stake amount will be decided next year, he added.
Sohar airport to be upgraded
Oman's government has invited bids for Sohar Airport's key airfield infrastructure project, the Oman Observer has reported. This phase includes building a 4,000-metre runway with turning loops at the ends, in addition to a full-length taxiway with high speed exits. With a width of 75 metres, the runway will be designed to handle some of the largest aircraft in operation today, including Airbus' Superjumbo A380. Other works envisaged in this package are airside roads, power and water networks, fuel fire fighting systems, and navigation aids. Sohar Airport, which is designed to handle 500,000 passengers and 100,000 tonnes of air cargo per year, will also serve as an emergency alternative to Muscat International Airport.
Air passenger numbers up in Dubai
Dubai Airport saw a 12.6% increase in passenger traffic in July, its highest monthly growth-rate since May 2008. July was the second month in a row that it has seen a double-digit growth in passenger traffic, following a 10% rise in June. The airport handled 3,768,965 passengers in July. Overall traffic for 2009 is currently up 6% over the first seven months of last year. Cargo traffic rose just under 2% in July, with Dubai Airports Cargo handling 160,289 tonnes of freight in July. However, year-to-date cargo volumes are down very slightly by 0.3%
Etihad, American codeshare approved
The codeshare agreement between Etihad and American Airlines has received regulatory approval and is due to come into effect this week. Etihad will place its 'EY' code on a number of the US carrier's flights between Europe and the US, and certain domestic services beyond New York and Chicago.
Iran bans lease of Russian-made planes
Mohammad Ali Ilkhani, head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation has said that Iran has banned its airlines from leasing more Russian-made aircraft or buying such planes second-hand after two fatal incidents last month, Reuters has reported. 'Eastern planes would be able to operate in the air sector only when they are brand new and made according to our order [specification],' he has said.
Emirates denies price fixing charges
Emirates Airline has denied allegations by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that it has fixing air freight prices. The regulator has said it is taking action against the Dubai government-owned carrier in relation to alleged price fixing between 2002 and 2006. 'Emirates denies the allegations and will be defending the proceedings,' the group said in a statement.'
Sama plans fleet expansion
Saudi Arabia's low-cost carrier Sama Airlines is planning to expand its fleet and add more destinations in the near future, the Arab News has reported. 'We are currently reviewing options for adding new aircraft to our fleet and adding new destinations including the subcontinent,' Faisal Al-Duhaim, Sama's director of marketing has said.
Mobile connectivity set up on 40% of Emirates fleet
AeroMobile has said that 40% of Emirates Airline aircraft have been equipped with AeroMobile's mobile connectivity service, according to website FlightGlobal. The service allows passengers to make and receive voice calls and send and receive short messages using their cell phones. Emirates began offering the service in March 2008. Emirates had recently begun gate-marketing the product in Dubai, the company has said. Emirates' AeroMobile traffic as a whole indicates that 35% of usage occurs on routes to Europe, 16% to the Middle East, 15% to North Asia, 4% to South Asia, 21% to Africa and 9% on Australasian routes.
Qatar may buy Indonesian aircraft
Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar, Rozy Munir has said that talks were underway between the countries for the sale of the CN-235 aircraft to Qatar, the Gulf Times has reported. The CN-235 is a medium-range twin-turbo-prop aircraft developed jointly by CASA (Spain) and IPTN (Indonesia) as a regional airliner and military transporter. The aircraft manufactured in Indonesia are used by the Indonesian air force.
Jet Air in lease talks with Gulf, Oman Air
India's private airline Jet Airways has said it has converted the wet lease of its aircraft, where airplanes are given along with the crew and maintenance obligations, to Turkish Airlines into dry lease, which comes without staff and other frills. The airline is also holding talks with Gulf Air and Oman Air for similar conversion. While the lease term with Gulf Air will expire in October this year, the agreement with Oman Air continues until October-November.
Emirates announces Ramadan fares
Emirates Airline has announced an offer for UAE residents to fly to 17 cities for less when visiting relatives and friends during the holy month of Ramadan. The offer features fares starting from Dhs955 for a return economy class ticket inclusive of taxes. Seventeen destinations are included in the special Ramadan offer including Bahrain, Karachi, Amman, Cairo, Mumbai, Damascus, Delhi, Istanbul, Beirut, Kuala Lumpur, Larnaca, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat, Athens, Casablanca and Islamabad. The offer is valid for booking and outbound travel on or before 15th September 2009, the airline has said.
Jeddah airport contracts awarded
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has said it has awarded seven contracts for the expansion of King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Gulf News has reported. The contracts involve site preparation for the airport's expansion which is being implemented in three phases. The expansion includes aircraft hard stands and paved areas, lighting, fuel delivery systems and storm water drainage, in addition to a new support services building, renovation of the existing South and North terminals and upgrades of the existing runway and airfield systems to accommodate aircraft as big as the Airbus A380. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
Egypt orders six Chinook CH-47Ds
The Egyptian government has ordered six CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters for approximately $50m each, according to website Strategy Page. The price includes electronics, weapons, support and training, spare engines and other spare parts. Egypt received 15 older CH-47Cs in the 1980s, and is in the process of upgrading them to CH-47Ds.
Boeing faces more Dreamliner problems
The Boeing Company confirmed on Friday that it instructed an Italian company, Alenia Aeronautica, in June to stop making fuselage sections for the 787 Dreamliner after small wrinkles were discovered in the carbon composite skin that covers them, the New York Times has reported. A Boeing spokeswoman has said the company had created a patch to fix the wrinkling problem on the mid-fuselage section. Boeing had not disclosed the problem in June because it was not expected to affect the plane's overall cost or production schedule, the spokeswoman has said. The Dreamliner is already two years behind schedule.
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