Dubai Airport Expo Reported : Boeing 787 to Make Middle East Debut at the Dubai Airshow

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner will make its Middle East debut at the Dubai Airshow, which is being held from November 13 to November 17 at Dubai’s Airport Expo.

Among the other Boeing aircraft in display at the Dubai Airshow will be the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

The Boeing 787 will remain on static display during the show. Boeing has a backlog of 131 Dreamliners on order from customers in the region.

“The Middle East has demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of the global economic slowdown, and this is reflected in the significant growth experienced in both the commercial aviation and defense sectors,” says Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East. “As we look to the future, we see a high level of potential to further grow our regional capabilities, and we remain committed to working closely with our customers and partners here to help them achieve their goals.”

Boeing commercial aircraft on display at the Dubai show will include a Boeing 777-200LR operated by Qatar Airways. This aircraft will be on static display.

Local low-cost carrier Flydubai will showcase a 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior, and a privately owned Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) also will be present.

On the defense side, the range of Boeing aircraft in service with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces and displayed at the show will include a UAE Land Forces AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, a UAE Air Force C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft, and a UAE Special Operations Command CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopter.

The V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a fixed-wing aircraft, will make demonstration flights to showcase its capabilities, as will the AH-6i light attack/reconnaissance helicopter. A Turkish Air Force Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Peace Eagle, an F-15 Strike Eagle, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet will be on static display during the show.

Qatar Airways to Launch New International Flight From Doha to Benghazi

Qatar Airways announced new international flight to Benghazi, the newest route will take the number of destination launches by the airline to 15 during 2011, the airline said in a statement.

It said Benghazi was a destination which is underserved and will benefit from new international flights.

Benghazi, Libya’s north eastern Mediterranean port city and major economic centre, is a key destination for trade and exports.

Many industries including oil refining, food processing, cement production and tuna fishing, reside in the surrounding region of Cyrenaica, of which Benghazi is the capital, the carrier said.

Qatar Airways initially operated services to the capital Tripoli eight years ago. Flights are currently suspended due to the political situation, but are expected to resume soon, it added.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “Almost a year ago in Nice, I spoke about the possibility of expanding our Libyan operations, and I am delighted that we are now, within this short of a period, set to start flights to Benghazi, another key city in the country.

“We identified Benghazi as an underserved, primarily business destination, and now have the opportunity to bring this city into our fold.”

Benghazi will be the airline’s 13th route of the year, and precedes two other new route launches – Entebbe and Chongqing – starting on November 2 and November 28, respectively.

Etihad Airways announced last week that it would soon begin flights to Tripoli once it has been given security clearance.

The Libyan capital will become the fifth North African destination for the carrier, the Abu Dhabi carrier said in a statement.

James Hogan, CEO, said the airline was planning three flights a week to Tripoli as soon as the NATO no-fly zone is lifted and the airport is declared safe.

Qatar Airways Announce Flight Services to Entebbe

An Asian airline that stopped flying to Entebbe eight years ago has returned, weeks after Qatar Airways announced its entry in the country.

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the kingdom of Bahrain, and one of the largest network operators in the Middle East, will re-launch direct flights between Bahrain and Entebbe on December 5, 2011, a month before Qatar flags off its daily flights between Doha and Entebbe. This sets the road for tight competition as the number of Asian airlines climbs to four after Turkish Airways joined last year.

The other is Emirates, owned by the United Arab Emirates government; it has been flying Entebbe since the late 90s. Speaking during a media conference at Sheraton Kampala hotel, Karim Makhlouf, Gulf Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, noted that the airline has come in with new products to ensure they re-establish their market niche.

Operating an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 16 executive seats and 120 economy seats, the airline has what it calls “full connectivity” which allows phoning and smsing on the aircraft, provides broadband internet and allows watching live television with exclusive channels where passengers can watch live football Premiership games.

The airline also has what it calls ’sky nannies’, a unique and dedicated service where trained flight attendants are on board to care for children -letting you relax with your children under safe hands.

“Although there is competition, we are confident that with our services, we can convince a customer to fly with us,” Makhlouf said.

He added: “Gulf Air has made considerable changes to its service portfolio and I believe this new route will be a success to both our passengers and cargo operations.”

The airline has also set its fares so low compared to other airlines. The introductory fares are $200 to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Indian sub-continent, and $350 to the Middle East, Asia and Europe. This comes with a baggage allowance of 40kg. Qatar airways has put its fares at $434 to Dubai, $449 to Bengalore and $680 to London, while Emirates charges $870 to Dubai, $960 to Mumbai (Bombay), and $1,023 to Bangkok, Copenhagen and Geneva.

This leaves Gulf Air as the cheapest airline in terms of fees. Founded in 1950 as an air taxi service to Doha and Dhahran from Bahrain by a British pilot, Freddie Bosworth, Gulf has over the years grown its portfolio. This year alone, Entebbe becomes the ninth destination to be added to its list. The airline already flies to Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Geneva, and Copenhagen, among others.

Given its success in Nairobi where it started early this year with three flights a week which have now grown to nine flights a week, Makhlouf is optimistic the airline will give the other competitors a ride for their money. Gulf Air kicks off with four flights a week connecting Entebbe to Bahrain.

According to Makhlouf, the comeback of Gulf Air is because of the growing business at Entebbe airport which has seen its passenger numbers grow from 400,000 annually eight years ago to more than 1.2 million today. Makhlouf is optimistic that once they fly off, the carrier will grow Entebbe’s passenger numbers by 60,000 in the first year.

The entry of more airlines from the Middle East is an indication of the growing trade between East Africa and the far East. Dubai, Instanbul are already seen as a good gateway to places such as China, India and Singapore. Currently, Uganda alone is estimated to have over 45,000 people living in United Arab Emirates.

Air France Displace 1000 Flight Schedule Due as Cabin Crew Strike

Air France aims to operate at least 90 percent of flights today after support for a five-day cabin crew strike was hurt by labor deals that left the action backed by only four of the seven unions representing the 15,000 crew.

The CFTC and CFDT labor groups reached an agreement with Air France yesterday, when the carrier scrapped fewer than 10 percent of its more than 1,000 scheduled flights, joining the largest flight-attendant union, UNAC, in spurning the walkout.

Cabin crew aiming to overturn cuts to staffing levels on single-aisle jets are in the fourth day of an action spanning the All Saints Day holiday that’s one of France’s busiest. Air France is seeking to reduce costs after an earnings slump forced the exit of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon as chief executive officer.

“It’s extremely important for the carrier to get to grips with headwinds coming from the unions,” said Frank Skodzik, an analyst at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt with a “hold” rating on Air France-KLM stock. “Obviously, it has come at a very bad time with the public holiday, but in the longer term the damage to the brand and the share price is usually quite limited.”

Air France has tried to restrict terminations to high-frequency European routes where it’s easier to rebook seats. Today’s long-haul cancellations are confined to Paris flights to Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Montreal and New York John F. Kennedy.

U.S. services have been halted because passengers can usually be accommodated with partner Delta Air Lines Ltd.

Shares Extend Fall

Air France-KLM Group, Europe’s biggest carrier, fell as much as 4.6 percent to 52.69 euros in Paris, where it is based, and was trading at that price as of 10 a.m. local time, valuing the business at 1.58 billion euros ($2.17 billion).

The stock declined 6.9 percent yesterday and has tumbled 60 percent this year, the worst performance on the six-member Bloomberg EMEA Airlines Index, which is down 35 percent.

The Paris airports of Orly and Charles de Gaulle, Europe’s second busiest, and the terminal in Marseille are among those affected by the strike, which was prompted by Air France’s plans to cut a flight attendant from each of its Airbus SAS A319 jets, leaving three. The carrier says it has agreed to keep the number at four for trips over three hours and has also given ground on an issue regarding performance assessment.

Air France-KLM reported operating losses in two of the past three fiscal years following 11 years of profitability and is targeting nothing more than breakeven for 2011. Its reputation also took a hit after safety experts said pilot training was a factor in a 2009 crash that killed 228 people, a factor that spurred the reinstatement of Jean-Cyril Spinetta as CEO.

International Air Transport Association figures published yesterday show that global passenger traffic grew 5.6 percent last month, accelerating from a 4.6 percent gain in August, in what CEO Tony Tyler said was “a pleasant surprise.”

IATA said it’s still expecting a “general weakening” in coming months, with a continuing slump in freight traffic, which deepened to 2.7 percent in September from 2.4 percent in August, indicating the likely future trend for the passenger sector.

Emirate Airlines to become Largest Operator Wide-body Aircraft by 2015

Emirates Airlines, Dubai’s flagship carrier, is on track to become the world’s largest operator of wide-body aircraft by 2015, Boston Consulting Group said Thursday.

The largest carrier by international traffic is forecast to grow its capacity by 9 to 12 percent annually through to 2015, the research group said in its report ‘Middle Eastern Megacarriers: Gaining Altitude’.

Emirates has “nearly tripled capacity and passenger revenues over the past five years, adding 32 new destinations while improving aircraft utilisation, load factors, and yields,” analysts wrote.

“The specific growth rates will depend on how quickly the airline retires some of its older aircraft — to become the world’s largest operator of wide-body aircraft.”

With a fleet of 157 aircraft and the largest A380 operator in the world, Emirates currently flies to 114 destinations in 67 countries.

Despite Emirates’ cash margins decreasing from 28 percent to 23 percent during the past five years, BCG believes that the performance compares better than other international airlines.

Emirates is not the only carrier in the Middle East that is expected to see strong growth over the next five years. Airlines in the region are expected to triple their passenger capacity over the next 20 years, according to BCG.

Passenger flows to and from the Middle East are expected to increase by another 45 million passengers over the next five-year period, from 2010 through 2015.

“Because the Middle Eastern megacarriers have been early developers of the region as an important hub for long-haul routes—and because they enjoy significant cost advantages—they are well positioned to compete aggressively with more financially constrained carriers,” said Rend Stephan, Partner & Managing Director in BCG, Middle East.

Middle East airlines saw a 9.7 percent increase in demand in July, outstripping the 8.9 percent capacity increase, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said earlier this month.

Find Cheap Flights to Kolkata : Qatar Airways Launched New Route Flights to Kolkata

Travellers may be able to find cheap flights to Kolkata provided by Qatar Airways after the carrier launched a new route connecting the Indian city with Doha.

The daily, non-stop service began on Thursday July 28th and carried a plane-load of passengers to Netaj Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, taking five hours to complete the journey.

Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, highlighted how the destination is the airline’s 12th Indian gateway and shows the company’s commitment to one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

“Qatar Airways has strategically positioned itself as a global connector flying passengers seamlessly across continents, from East to West in comfort and style, with an award-winning service onboard,” he added.

The firm operates 95 flights a week in India and has also launched a twice-weekly freighter service connecting Doha and Kolkata.

Qatar Airways had the honour of transporting some of the finest cyclists in the world last month, taking them from Grenoble to Paris for the final stage of the Tour de France.

Qatar Airways Adds Three Flights on Doha-Dubai Route

Qatar Airways is stepping up frequency on its Doha to Dubai route with three additional daily flights from August 25, the airline said on Monday.

The extra flights will take total capacity up to 11 services a day. A mix of morning, afternoon and late night flights to Dubai will give more travel options, the carrier said in a statement.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “Additional capacity on our most popular route demonstrates the level of confidence and commitment we have to a key neighbouring market.”

Al Baker added: “It is also indicative that as we develop our international network with the introduction of new routes, we want to provide the travelling public greater travel options between Doha and our feeder markets such as Dubai.”

Qatar Airways currently operates flights to over 100 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.

Recently named Airline of the Year 2011 in the prestigious annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, Qatar Airways has added 10 new routes to its global network so far this year.

The airline will add further routes from Doha over the next few months, including the Bulgarian capital Sofia on September 14; Norwegian capital Oslo from October 5; Entebbe in Uganda from November 2; Azerbaijan capital, Baku on November 30; and the Georgian capital Tbilisi, also on November 30.

Dubai Airports Reported Passenger Traffic First Half Rise on New Flight Routes

Dubai Airports on Monday said first-half passenger traffic rose 8.9 per cent to 24.6 million, marking its busiest six-month period in its 50-year history.

Dubai International, the world’s fourth busiest airport for international passenger traffic, handled a total of 4.07 million passengers in June, up 10.4 per cent from the 3.68 million in same month last year. The average monthly passenger traffic recorded in the first half of 2011 stands at 4.09 million as compared to 3.76 million during the corresponding period in 2010.

“As the numbers clearly suggest, robust passenger traffic growth continues despite high fuel prices and growing economic uncertainty in Europe and the US,” said Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said in an e-mailed statement to Khaleej Times.

The increased number od passengers meant more planes at the airport. The number of takeoffs and landings rose 6.2 per cent in the first half. The year-to-date daily average passenger throughput at Dubai International reached 135,700, compared with 124,600 recorded during the first six months of 2010.

During the first half of 2011, cargo volumes remained steady with 1.058 million tonnes of freight being processed through the facility compared with 1.055 million tonnes during the same period in 2010. In June, Dubai International handled a total of 183,365 tonnes of cargo an increase of 3.4 per cent compared to 177,285 tonnes in June 2010.

“This is being driven by the addition of new routes and frequencies, more wide-bodied aircraft as well as by the attractiveness of Dubai as a business and tourist destination and an efficient transit point,” he added.

Griffiths said that in the first half of 2011 over 200 new weekly flights were launched to 19 new destinations across Asia, Europe and Africa by different passenger carriers, including Emirates and flydubai. Dubai International currently serves 150 airlines flying to over 220 destinations across six continents.

“First half traffic figures for Dubai Airport clearly demonstrate that, alongside ever-growing demand to fly Emirates, airport passenger figures are continuing their upward trajectory with strong year-on-year performance,” Saj Ahmad, Chief Analyst at FBE Aerospace London, told Khaleej Times.

“A quick glance at Emirates profitability, expanding route network and the fact that flydubai has now become the second biggest operator at the airport, Dubai Airport is not just securing vast swathes of international transfer traffic, but it is also demonstrating that there is ample demand, traffic and increasing intra-GCC travel supporting the low cost airline traffic growth,” Ahmad said.

Earlier this month Griffiths said Dubai will spend $7.8 billion on expanding its existing Dubai International Airport to handle rapidly-rising passenger traffic, while at the same time moving ahead with separate plans to complete its mega Al Maktoum International airport. The new programme will boost the airport’s capacity from 60 million to 90 million passengers per year by 2018.

“Our planned $7.8 billion expansion of Dubai International is well-timed to accommodate the expected average annual growth of 7.2 per cent over the next 10 years,” Griffiths said.

Ahmad of FBE Aerospace said there’s a high probability that Dubai Airport could top 50 million passengers in 2011. “Dubai Airport is focussed more on building and sustaining the demand growth it is experiencing and this is complemented by the recent several billion dollar investment by the Dubai Government. Keeping infrastructure ahead of the demand curve is critical — without this, the airport could suffer saturation and operational constraints like other busy two-runway airports like London Heathrow.”

“Dubai Airport has leveraged its geographic location to give it a hug competitive advantage in capturing business from virtually all four corners of the Earth, thanks in large part to the expansion of Emirates. Even taking Emirates out of the equation, the added competition into the airport from airlines in the GCC and also big expanding markets like India means that growth for the future is looking solid and promises to push passenger numbers even higher.”

Ahmad said Dubai Airport can already be counted as one of the busiest international airports. “It doesn’t need to aim for a particular slot — the eventual added capacity coming on-stream thanks to Al Maktoum International Airport will catapult the city’s two airports into the top five and will dominate traffic demand for a long while,” he concluded.

Indian Airline IndiGo Adds Flight Option Between Dubai, New Delhi and Mumbai

A low-cost Indian airline will soon give passengers more travel options between the Emirates and the subcontinent.

The no-frills carrier IndiGo promises “significantly cheaper” daily travel between Dubai and New Delhi, and Dubai and Mumbai.

The flights between Dubai and New Delhi will begin in September and those connecting Mumbai a month later. Initial fares will be about Dh810.

“This is our first foray in the Middle East,” Aditya Ghosh, the president of IndiGo, said yesterday in Dubai.” For a lot of people who travel from this part to India, every dirham counts. People work very hard here and should not be paying exorbitant prices for a three-hour leg.”

IndiGo is the second no-frills Indian airline and the fourth low-cost carrier between the two countries. Air India Express, fly Dubai and Air Arabia fly between the UAE and different Indian cities.

Customers, who will be allowed up to 30kg in luggage and up to 8kg in hand baggage, will pay for in-flight food.

Mr Ghosh called for more low-cost airlines between the Emirates and India.

“There should be always more choices,” he said.

IndiGo officials did not rule out connecting other emirates, including Ras al Khaimah, with India in the future. Indian expatriates from RAK recently requested flights home from the emirate, rather than having to travel to Sharjah or Dubai.

“We would love to fly from Ras al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi,” said Mr Ghosh, but he stressed that increasing operations between Dubai and other Indian cities was the five-year-old airline’s priority.

The 42-plane airline, which calls itself India’s youngest and second-largest, will also start operations to Trivandrum and Kochi in the south, and Kolkata in the east of India by the end of this year.

Officials assured customers that fares will remain cheap.

The carrier will also connect Muscat with the subcontinent from October.

Singapore and Bangkok are IndiGo’s other international routes.

European Aircraft Manufacture: Airbus and Boeing Compete to Win American Airlines Plane Order

European aircraft builder Airbus aims to win a large plane order from AMR Corp’s American Airlines by offering $6 billion in preferential financing to woo the American carrier away from rival Boeing , according to the Wall Street Journal.

Airbus wants to break Boeing’s monopoly at American Airlines and has assembled a team of lenders and leasing firms to help the European company win the deal, people familiar with the proposal told the newspaper.

Airbus’s offer has a catalog value of almost $23 billion, but that is being heavily discounted, the people told the paper.

The European plane maker is offering American, a unit of AMR Corp , 130 of the current-generation A320s and 130 of the more fuel-efficient A320neo, the new engine option slated to enter service in 2015, the newspaper said.

American Airlines, which currently operates an all Boeing fleet, might make a decision about its airplane order as soon as next Wednesday, the people familiar with the matter said.

Meanwhile, Boeing is offering 737-800s and 737-900 Extended Range planes, people familiar with the matter said. However, the price and financing terms were unclear, the paper said.

Boeing is also racing to develop a product strategy for its best-selling 737 model to compete with redesigns of the A320.

“Boeing does not discuss our ongoing talks or sales campaigns with our airline customers,” Boeing spokesman Jim Condelles told Reuters.

Official at American Airlines and Airbus could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.