Under the signed MoU, the parties have agreed to carry out joint business development activities and collaborate operationally on projects in the fields of defence and information technologies.

Şevket Ünal, Vice President of International Business Development and Marketing at Havelsan, said: “The ongoing business opportunities and bilateral meetings in the Romanian market could soon lead to the realisation of new projects. In this regard, we continue to engage with companies based in Romania. The Memorandum of Understanding we signed with Karel Europe, one of these companies, will also open doors to potential new military or civilian business opportunities in Romania.”

Yavuz Bayız, Head of Karel’s Defence Technologies Group, added: “The Memorandum of Understanding we signed with Havelsans is a significant step towards expanding the presence of our defence industry in Europe through high-tech transformation projects. As Karel Europe, by combining Karel’s engineering strength in military communications and electronic systems with Havelsan’s software-intensive solutions, we aim to deliver integrated and high value-added solutions for the Romanian defence industry. We hope that such collaborations, which create synergy in the defence industry, will continue to grow in number.”

Under the signed agreement, Havelsan will develop simulators and integrated training solutions that will constitute the core of the B-250 training infrastructure.

This agreement builds upon the initial protocol signed during SAHA EXPO in October 2023 and was formalised following the successful technical and commercial negotiations.

As part of the agreement, HAVELSAN will deliver the following systems to Calidus:

•           B-250 Flight Training Device (FTD)

•           B-250 Part Task Trainers (PTT)

•           Briefing and Debriefing Station (DBR)

•           Cockpit Entry/Exit Simulator (CIES)

•           A Computer-Based Training System (CBT)

Havelsan general manager Dr. Mehmet Akif Nacar said: "Through our international partnerships, we aim to sustainably expand the global footprint of Turkish defence technology exports. This contract with Calidus reaffirms Havelsan’s proven expertise in training and simulation technologies on a global scale. By leveraging fully indigenous capabilities, we are proud to offer modern, integrated, and reliable solutions to meet the B-250 platform's training requirements."

PayCargo offers an online payment solution that connects carriers with freight forwarders and vendors on a single platform. The launch in the UAE marks a shift in the cargo industry, which still relies on traditional and often inefficient payment systems, including cash transactions. Through the integration with PayCargo, Emirates SkyCargo customers in the UAE can now make instant payments via credit card or direct debit, ensuring same-day or next-business-day cargo release, underscoring the airline’s commitment to implementing digital solutions that improve operational efficiency and enhance customer service.

Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president, Emirates SkyCargo, said: “The next era of logistics, and of Emirates SkyCargo, will be defined by smart technology and digital solutions. This partnership with PayCargo ensures we are at the forefront of that evolution, providing faster and more secure transactions for our customers, streamlining processes for our internal teams, and solving industry-wide challenges of accessing air freight capacity.” 

Eduardo Del Riego, President and CEO of PayCargo, added: “We’re thrilled to launch in the UAE with Emirates SkyCargo as our first regional partner. This solution will help streamline the cargo payment process and save customers valuable time. By eliminating manual payment systems, we can provide a more efficient and reliable solution. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Emirates SkyCargo as they lead the way in digital solutions for the logistics industry.”

Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, Air India’s low-cost subsidiary. With this, the two airlines have complied with the directives of the DGCA issued on July 14, 2025.

Air India said in a statement: “In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA. The same has been communicated to the regulator.”

Speakers on the infrastructure panel, titled: What are the challenges for India to achieve the right airport, ATM and ground services to support and deliver growth? include:

 Shri Vipin Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India

 Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO, Delhi International Airport Ltd

 Radha Bhatia, Chair, The Bird Group

 Hari Marar, MD & CEO, Bangalore International Airport

The infrastructure session will be moderated by Chloe Greenbank, Airports Editor for Aviation India. “It is incredibly exciting to bring these organisations together to examine India’s hugely ambitious airport development plan as it seeks to bring connectivity to its citizens across the country,” she said.

“Over the last decade the number of airports in India has grown from 74 to 160 with plans to add another 50 by 2029, according to AAI,” added Greenbank.

“Equally significant is the creation of dual-airport systems in Mumbai and Delhi with the opening of Navi Mumbai International Airport and Noida International Airport bringing much-needed extra capacity to these cities.

“India is on a steep upward trajectory in air transport and all players from airports to ground service providers have a critical role to ensure they meet the demands of airline customers and travellers,” Greenbank concluded.

The 2nd edition of Aviation India & South Asia Summit & Exhibition 2025 is organised by Times Aerospace Events alongside joint venture partner, the MRO Association of India.

Under the event headline: “Shaping the pathway for Indian aviation”, the Summit promises to be one of the most significant gatherings of the commercial air transport community and ecosystem this year in India and builds upon the success of the launch summit in 2024 which attracted 582 delegates.

It is expected the 2025 edition will attract over 800 delegates and some 70 exhibitors.

Aviation India summit 2025 builds on the formula of the successful Times Aerospace Aviation Africa events, which began in Dubai in 2015 and have been held in Rwanda, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.

An Order is a single, dynamic record of everything the traveller has purchased for their journey. It provides a real-time, consolidated view of all services, enabling the airline to better serve the traveler at every touchpoint – from booking and payment to fulfilment and servicing.

By adopting Order capabilities, Saudia is fast-tracking its ability to deliver more flexible offers, tailor-made pricing, and fully digital servicing. This transformation marks a foundational step in the airline’s broader ambition to redefine guest experience and operational agility through data-driven retailing. The milestone was achieved using Amadeus’ smart bridging capabilities, which translate traditional records from Saudia’s existing Amadeus Altéa Passenger Service System (PSS) into single order records in its new Amadeus Nevio environment.

Performing Smart bridging means Saudia can begin to operate with orders, accelerating the benefits of the airline retailing transformation in the new Amadeus Nevio environment for its guests while ensuring business continuity with existing traditional infrastructure.

Arved von zur Muehlen, chief commercial officer, Saudia said: “Saudia is committed to delivering the highest standard of guest experience and technology innovation is crucial to this objective. Moving to single Orders means we can gain a better understanding of our guests, what they’ve purchased from us, and our partners across the entire journey. Orders are the foundation for a more connected travel experience.”

Maher Koubaa, executive vice president, EMEA Travel unit, Amadeus added: “Saudia is one of the airlines leading the industry with its ambitious transformation program. Moving to Orders with smart bridging is an important milestone that lays the foundation for a whole host of new traveller-centric capabilities. We’re delighted to support Saudia’s continued innovation in airline retailing.”

The collaboration brings together solutions from flydocs to create value out of aircraft maintenance data for Air Astana in the form of digital records management, ensuring smooth integration with their maintenance and engineering systems. Air Astana will experience first-hand benefits of flydocs’ software package, including the integration with their M&E system-TRAX.

Andy Smith, chief commercial officer, flydocs said: “We are pleased to partner with Air Astana, as this collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in establishing our global footprint in Central Asia. With our core records management platform, we will fully support them in their digital transformation journey. Being selected as Air Astana’s preferred partner reinforces the tangible benefits of the flydocs DRM solution, which maximises asset value and enhances efficiency, compliance and operational excellence. We look forward to working closely with them to deliver innovative solutions and accelerate digital transformation.”

Pratap Shetty, director IT operations and engineering systems at Air Astana, added: “In our digital transformation journey of aligning technology with our business strategy, we’re excited to build on our existing commitment to excellence and customer-centric service with flydocs, a global leader in digital records and asset management. With their support of streamlined DRM software and holistic solutions, we look forward to digitising our aircraft maintenance records with improved data accuracy, real-time Information, and compliance management. As we continuously explore evolving technologies, this partnership is a testament to our ongoing commitment to enhancing passenger experience with improved operational efficiency and sustainable growth.”

The collaboration will see Eight Wings Aerospace deliver a comprehensive suite of services to SolitAir, including Technical Procurement, Repair Management, Logistics and Asset Management and Power-by-the-Hour (PBH) Operations Management. 

These critical technical and logistical functions from Eight Wings Aerospace will allow SolitAir to streamline its supply chain, enhance aircraft availability while focusing on its core mission of seamless cargo transportation. In addition, the cargo airline will strengthen its maintenance and operations infrastructure while optimising the lifecycle management of its growing Boeing 737-800 freighter fleet.

“At SolitAir, operational excellence is at the core of our mission to become the Global South’s preferred express cargo airline,” said Hamdi Osman, Founder & CEO of SolitAir. “Partnering with Eight Wings Aerospace gives us access to world-class technical and logistics expertise, which will be critical as we scale our operations. Their capabilities in PBH and asset management are aligned with our goals of maximising uptime, controlling costs and maintaining the highest service reliability.”

Luliia Zhuravel, managing director at Eight Wings Aerospace, said: “We are excited to join forces with SolitAir, a dynamic and forward-thinking cargo airline on a strong growth trajectory. At Eight Wings Aerospace, our support model is designed to deliver agility, real-time responsiveness, and dependable operational execution. This partnership is grounded in a shared vision of delivering high-performance, cost-effective solutions that enhance reliability and scalability. As SolitAir accelerates its expansion across the Global South and beyond, we are proud to stand alongside them as a trusted partner—supporting their operational and strategic ambitions every step of the way.”

SolitAir’s current fleet includes five Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters. These aircraft operate out of its 220,000-square-foot cutting-edge logistics facility at DWC. Two additional Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters will join the SolitAir fleet by end of August 2025. The cargo airline aims to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by 2027, facilitating its goal of connecting over 50 cities within a six-hour flight radius from Dubai.

dnata now operates six electric tractors – the EZTow model developed by TractEasy – at DWC. Traditionally, baggage is transported between the terminal and aircraft by human drivers, each operating under tight time constraints. The new autonomous vehicles streamline this process by towing up to four baggage containers (ULDs) at a time at speeds of up to 15 km/h, following pre-defined routes.

With these new vehicles now in service, and as they become integrated into operations, staff who previously drove baggage tractors can be reassigned to more complex, value-added tasks, supporting faster turnarounds. At the same time, autonomous driving reduces the risk of human error, making airside operations safer for everyone on the ramp. 

From controlled trials to live airport operations

The US$ 1.6 million project deployment begins with Level 3 autonomy, which involves minimal human oversight. This will upgrade to Level 4 autonomy, defined by full self-driving capabilities in controlled environments, in early 2026. 

The rollout follows over a year of collaboration between dnata, TractEasy, Dubai Airports and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The parties have been working together to create a new regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle operations in airside environments, which remain largely undefined at a global level. 

Beyond its day-to-day role, dnata will use this deployment as a testbed to trial and refine different operating models for autonomous ground handling. The aim is to identify the most effective approach for wider rollout – especially as DWC expands into what is set to become the world’s largest airport, with capacity for up to 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo annually. The insights gained will help shape how automation is built into the core of future airport operations at DWC.

A game-changer for mobility 

“This is an important step forward for both dnata and the wider aviation industry,” said Jaffar Dawood, Divisional Senior Vice President for UAE Airport Operations at dnata.

“While autonomous vehicles have largely been limited to trials, this deployment brings the technology into regular, day-to-day operations. As global travel continues to rebound and operational demands increase, automation could be key to building smarter, safer and more resilient infrastructure.”

“Autonomous GSE adoption is taking off,” said Rich Reno, TractEasy’s CEO. “TractEasy is proud and excited to partner with an industry leader like dnata and blaze a safe and efficient autonomous trail for others to follow.”

Designed for guests arriving in Dubai with pre-booked hotel, limousine, or tour operator services, this new solution replaces traditional guest paging with a technology-enabled experience.

With DXB Greet & Go, guests arriving at Terminal 3 can simply scan a unique QR code at the designated kiosk to view details of their assigned driver and vehicle, including parking location and car registration number. They are then guided by multilingual employees directly to their assigned driver and vehicle, ensuring a smooth and stress-free pickup.

Located in the Arrivals area of Terminal 3, DXB Greet & Go offers a secure, organised meeting point aligned with DXB’s service and security standards. The new process reduces congestion, improves the flow of guests, and creates a more professional welcome experience.

Essa Al Shamsi, senior vice president of terminal operations at Dubai Airports, said, "DXB Greet & Go is part of our continued efforts to make every step of the journey at DXB more efficient and enjoyable. By modernising the way guests are received in the Arrivals area, we are helping our partners deliver a smarter and more personalised welcome, while easing footfall and improving operational flow within the terminal."

The service is available to licensed hotels, limousine service providers, and tour operators in Dubai. Businesses can register their drivers and vehicles on the DXB Greet & Go portal and send guests a personalised QR code before their arrival. Upon scanning the code at DXB, guests are verified and assisted by on-ground staff to reach their designated pickup.