Speakers included Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE GCAA, Henry Hooi, Chairman of Volar Air Mobility Holding, Saif Aldarmaki - chairman of Volar Air Mobility Industries.

The event focused on the development of various green aviation technologies, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), electric and hydrogen propulsion technologies, AI pilot training, green materials and green infrastructure development.

Sustainability expert, Dr. Sharon Lu presented on the advancement of the SAF industry and the alignment of industry initiatives with ICAO’s global decarbonisation goals, highlighting opportunities for cross-border cooperation. Guo Yilin from Liaoning General Avia on Academy shared the development roadmap of the RX-series electric aircraft— the World’s Widest series of Electric Aircraft.

A key highlight was the progress of the Green Avia on Technology (GAT) Hub, an integrated incubation and commercialisation platform ecosystem for sustainable aviation, established an MoU signed last year between the GCAA and Volar in Montreal during the ICAO Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium.

The technology giant said the results are driven by strong performance across its airports, borders, and aircraft businesses, and all four of its geographies.

Announcing SITA’s results at the company’s recent Annual General Assembly, SITA CEO David Lavorel said: “With air traffic set to grow 7% between 2025-2027, infrastructure will continue to be stretched. At the same time, travellers are expecting more convenience than ever, and regulatory pressure is rising. But the opportunities to do things better through transformation are huge. Our role is to deliver the travel tech the industry needs for new levels of efficiency in the flow of passengers, the movement of aircraft, and the fluidity of operations.”

Strategic acquisitions and product innovations fuelled this momentum, allowing customers to transform quickly and operate with greater agility. The newly released SITA Group Impact Report 2024 shows how SITA is helping airports, airlines, and governments respond by delivering smart, data-driven technologies to keep passengers, baggage, and operations flowing smoothly and sustainably.

A key milestone in the year was SITA’s acquisition of Materna IPS, expanding its ability to deliver fast, self-service passenger journeys through the industry’s most powerful passenger processing portfolio. SITA also acquired ASISTIM, adding centralised airline operations control services, and launched SmartSea, bringing the company’s travel tech expertise into cruise and rail. Its most recent acquisition is Italian airport design experts CCM, to create future-ready travel spaces, planning for optimum passenger flow and baggage handling in the early stages of airport and terminal design.

When it comes to sustainability, already more than 40 airlines use SITA OptiFlight, or other products contributing to reduce carbon emissions, collectively saving an estimated 308,000 tons of CO₂ in 2024 – enough to fly a commercial aircraft around the world over 1,000 times. Additionally, the great adoption of solutions like SITA Eco Mission, Total Optimiser, and eWAS supporting compliance, emissions reduction, fuel efficiency, and data-driven decision-making is a testament of an industry taking positive action on critical areas as such. 

On SITA’s own efforts towards sustainable operations, a bold new sustainability strategy, centred on four key areas: reducing climate impact, supporting its people, improving business practices, and providing products that have a positive impact on the air transport industry's journey to net zero carbon by 2050. As part of its strategy, the company has also committed to reducing its own emissions to net zero by 2050, cutting its carbon footprint by 4.2% every year. 

“Our customers tell us they need flexibility, speed, and visibility – all while needing to do more with less,” added Lavorel. “Transforming travel and transport means having the right travel tech to streamline journeys and operations while also reducing carbon emissions. That’s why we’re investing in AI, data, apps, cloud, and digital identities, and co-innovating with customers to build smarter, more sustainable journeys from end to end.” 

SITA’s continued transformation as an organisation has also played a critical role in powering this momentum. In 2024, the company streamlined delivery, digitalised service models, and added new skills and competencies essential to the innovation the industry needs. With AI, cloud, apps, digital ID, and real-time data, SITA has agile building blocks that help airports and airlines adapt quickly, operate efficiently, and deliver seamless journeys. By strengthening its technology engine and investing in high-performance teams and tools, SITA is building the foundation to deliver the next generation of travel technology at scale.

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.