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Airlink partners with Lufthansa Systems

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:10:05 +0000

Airlink opted for Lufthansa Systems’ flight operations products Lido Flight 4D, Lido mPilot and Lido Airport Obstacle Data Service (AODS).

With Lido Flight 4D, a highly effective, interactive flight planning solution, Airlink will optimise its routes by taking current flight-related data into account, such as fuel consumption, costs and flying time. Lido Flight 4D enables individual optimisation of flight phases and offers a range of automation options. The solution is equipped with advanced features including real-time data updates, weather data integration, and fuel price updates, providing accurate and up-to-date flight plans.

The pilot solution Lido mPilot will enable Airlink to increase the safety and efficiency of their pilots’ operations. Lido’s all-in-one charting application offers easy access to terminal charts, a dynamically generated enroute map, an Airport Moving Map, as well as all required operational documents. The charts are generated electronically by using a worldwide geographic information database as well as all necessary aeronautical source data, making them precise and of high quality.

With Lufthansa Systems’ data solution Lido AODS, Airlink’s pilots can optimise their take-offs and landings on the electronic flight bag (EFB). Since Lido AODS provides the pilots with all required current information about the runway and airport, they can ensure that the planned runway is suitable for the aircraft type and current load. This is particularly important in the event of an engine failure, when the pilot must decide if it is safe to land. By analysing data from certified resources worldwide, Lido AODS ensures the accuracy of its data.

“We are delighted to partner with Lufthansa Systems,” said Captain Tammy King, executive manager of operations at Airlink.

“The additional features prioritise safety during take-offs and landings whilst focussing on optimising the economic efficiency of every aspect of our flight routings. Lufthansa Systems’ Lido Solutions will provide us with state of art technology to further enhance Airlink’s operational processes and procedures.”

“We are pleased to welcome Airlink as a valued customer of our Lido Solutions. Through this partnership we not only gain a reliable partner, but also enter the South African market – a market with a lot of potential, that will open up great new opportunities for us,” added Marco Cesa, SVP Regional Management EMEA at Lufthansa Systems.

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Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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Lufthansa Systems has entered a new partnership with Airlink and its entry into a new market: Southern Africa.

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Digitalise borders to unlock Africa’s full potential

aPeaford — Tue, 30 May 2023 10:43:53 +0000

Air transport 30 May 2023

Digitalise borders to unlock Africa’s full potential

Africa’s immense potential to become a global powerhouse is undeniable. It has all of the ingredients including a market of 1.2 billion consumers (rising to 1.7bn by 2030) and a combined GDP worth US$2.5 trillion. So what is holding it back? - Jeremy Springall, senior vice-president, SITA at Borders, gives his analysis.

The African Union’s (AU) members have all indicated their support for and recognition of the benefits of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, the Single Africa Air Transport Market and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol. All of them are intended to unlock free trade, tourism, economic opportunities and promote widespread prosperity across the continent.

At the SITA Borders Management Africa Summit in Nairobi this month, speakers and delegates from governments across the continent identified and discussed solutions to resolving the biggest hinderance to these AU flagship programmes realising their full potential, i.e. efficient borders to enable the frictionless flows of people and goods.

In our deliberations we were continually reminded that it is easier and faster to transport mobile phones from China to Africa than to move a few bags of maize across an African border post. At the root of this are inconsistencies in the criteria and processes applied by immigration and customs authorities for issuing visas, travel authorisations, goods import and transit permits, the use of unsuitable and often incompatible equipment and the vulnerability to agile international organised crime and terrorism. All of these have to be tackled with shrinking budgets and diminishing resources.

Therein lies the rub: For economies to grow and a free trade area to work, governments need to balance protecting their countries from trafficking, terrorism, pandemics, and crime while making it easier to move people and goods across their borders and at the same time respecting personal data privacy and its underpinning legislation.

The good news is that proven digital border management technology and emerging digital identities put Africa in pole position to lead the way. A key advantage for Africa is that it faces fewer legacy challenges in the digital space and in many ways, it can move faster. The digital transformation of borders will be inevitable if the continent is to achieve its ambition.

Airlines and airports understand the potential of digitalizing border processes. At the coal face of international travel, the industry has long recognized the need for digital immigration processes. The challenges of COVID accelerated this trend. For example, SITA’s 2022 Air Transport IT Insights showed that 75% of airline executives will invest in passenger biometric identity solutions by 2025. This means passengers will be identified by a simple facial scan, making the identification process fast and secure.

However, it can’t be done by one industry in isolation. It needs government and broader industry support.

SITA, the global air transport industry-owned IT and solutions provider, is leading this push. Over the past 30 years, SITA has helped 70 governments – including South Africa and Egypt – make their border crossings faster and more secure. We pioneered what is now the global standard for Advance Passenger Information processing and we are helping governments digitalise key immigration processes so that they can be completed ahead of travel. This helps governments to effectively extend their borders and assess who enters their country long before they arrive. Travelers, on the other hand, only have to complete a simple check on arrival.

The benefit of this approach has been shown to work time and again, particularly at big sporting events such as the World Cup. We helped South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014, and Qatar in 2022 to manage the vast influx of visitors.

Digital identities will take this to a new level. Driven by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation, which sets global passport standards, the industry is shaping a new digital identity that will replace physical documents such as identity cards or passports. A key driver is that holders will choose what data they would like to share with whom. It is privacy by design. These digital identities can be used at the airport but also at land and sea borders or other touchpoints, such as hotels or major events, as we did in Qatar for the World Cup. All that is needed is a simple scan of your face a biometric touchpoint or on your mobile phone. We see these digital identities being extended to goods and services.

Together these technologies will reshape how borders are managed.

The technology exists today to make an African free trade area a reality. It allows the balancing of protectionist measures to keep national borders safe with a more welcoming face to visitors. It is scalable. And it is inclusive, allowing all elements of public life to be managed from a single identity.

With the right support from governments across Africa, we can pull many levers to unlock free trade and tourism across the continent. Policy and intergovernmental co-operation the two most obvious but digitalisation must surely be essential among them.

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IndiGo appoints Juspay as official payment partner

eNethersole — Tue, 30 May 2023 06:50:07 +0000

This alliance allows IndiGo to offer its customers a secure payment experience for all flight bookings, domestically and internationally, across 26 different currencies.

The airline will offer hassle free customer experiences across all touchpoints, such as in-flight, ground services, and even digital platforms like their website and mobile app. In their pursuit of continuous improvement, they recognised payments as a vital element to further improve the customer experience. The new payment orchestrator will allow IndiGo’s customers to complete their bookings with ease, providing a seamless experience which will make the payment process simpler, faster, and more secure.

"As a customer centric airline, we are committed to provide our customers with the best possible experience at every touchpoint. We are excited to partner with Juspay to enhance our customers' booking experience and offer them a wide range of secure and convenient payment options," said Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital & Information Officer, IndiGo. "Juspay's expertise in the Indian payments ecosystem and cutting-edge technology will help us to provide a seamless and hassle-free payment experience for our customers."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with IndiGo to support their goal of providing a seamless and hassle-free booking experience for their customers," said Sheetal Lalwani, chief operating officer, Juspay. "Our robust payment processing system and analytics solutions will ensure that all transactions are secure and protected."

Juspay's smart routing configuration guarantees that customers consistently have access to a working payment gateway for smooth transaction processing. Additionally, Juspay’s analytics engine consolidates and presents a comprehensive view of payment performance through an easy-to-use dashboard, enabling IndiGo's team to effortlessly manage payment operations, such as adding multiple payment gateways, handling transaction routing rules, and overseeing refunds and reconciliations.

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Tue, 30/05/2023 - 12:00

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Indian carrier IndiGo has appointed Juspay as its official payment partner.

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Qatar Airways and Google Cloud to collaborate on data and AI

eNethersole — Mon, 29 May 2023 09:16:13 +0000

In 2022, Qatar Airways carried 18.5 million passengers across 150 destinations worldwide. This large volume of passengers drives an abundance of structured and unstructured data to the airline’s digital transformation unit. The proposed collaboration with Google Cloud is intended to help bring deeper meaning to Qatar Airways’ customer data through the power of Google’s data analytics, AI and machine learning (ML) solutions, including BigQuery and Vertex AI. This, in turn, will enable the airline to enhance the travel experience for passengers, providing them with offerings personalised to their individual needs, travel trends, and past travel history.

Qatar Airways chief information officer, A.T. Srinivasan, said: “Qatar Airways is a highly respected aviation leader which has always set benchmarks with its globally recognised and award-winning customer service. Google Cloud brings us the opportunity to build elasticity and scalability on demand, as we increasingly look to leverage both structured and unstructured data to personalise customer and employee experience. We will also leverage Google’s highly secure and diverse set of Cloud service offerings for optimising our airline and airport operations particularly in the areas of aircraft inventory, flight operations both on ground and in the air, as well as airport operations. We also look forward to collaborating with Google Cloud to try out some of their cutting-edge technology through this long-term partnership. The presence of a Cloud in Qatar gives us the assurance that our data stays in-country and we can focus on data and AI/ML led innovation without having to worry about data residency.”

Ghassan Kosta, Qatar country manager, Google Cloud added: “Businesses today can make smart decisions in real time and provide personalised experiences to their customers through AI and machine learning tools. Qatar Airways is not only an airline that takes passengers from point A to point B, but also it is a manifestation of Qatari hospitality. Through use of Google Cloud, Qatar Airways can enable passengers to enjoy elevated travel experiences, including personalised travel recommendations and suggestions as if they have a dedicated travel agent who understands their specific needs and requirements.”

Additionally, Qatar Airways and Google Cloud will explore further areas of collaboration, including using cloud tools to drive cost optimisation, increase streamlined operations, and more. Sustainability is also a top priority in the airline’s digital transformation roadmap, and Qatar Airlines will explore using Google Cloud, the cleanest cloud in the industry, to implement new programmes that will support Qatar Airways in fulfilling its sustainability goals by 2030.

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Tue, 30/05/2023 - 12:00

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Google Cloud and Qatar Airways will explore leveraging Google Cloud’s data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.

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Young STEM Ambassadors celebrate successful graduation in UAE

eNethersole — Wed, 24 May 2023 09:50:40 +0000

The programme launched in January 2023, culminated in a graduation ceremony held on May 19, 2023 in Dubai.

The STEM Ambassadors Programme, designed and managed by Amideast/UAE with support from Boeing, aimed to inspire private school students aged 14-18 to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers in the future. Throughout the programme, students participated in hands-on activities with a focus on aviation, space and sustainability, sparking their curiosity and honing their critical thinking skills. The highlight of the programme was a rocket-building challenge and the chance to design and print their own modules using 3D printers in the STEM Lab at Amideast in Dubai.

Fatima Aljasmi, the graduate of the STEM Ambassadors programme in the UAE, said: “Reflecting on my time in the STEM Ambassadors programme, I am grateful and excited. It was not only educational but also ignited my passion to contribute to a sustainable future in aviation and beyond. I am inspired to continue learning and advocate for sustainability in all aspects of life.”

Sara El Dallal, Amideast/UAE Country Director, emphasised: “The success of the STEM Ambassadors program highlights the significance of STEM education and the importance of encouraging and supporting students' pursuit of related careers. It is also a testament to the power of collaboration between industry leaders and educational institutions in inspiring and empowering the youth especially with the UAE’s focus on STEM and sustainability. We are proud of how far the students have come since the start of the programme and the creativity that they have demonstrated.”

Throughout the programme, the students met with speakers from various organisations and universities, including Boeing, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Aspen Aerogel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

"Our partnership with Amideast exemplifies our commitment to empowering young people and promoting innovation and sustainability," said Kuljit Ghata-Aura, Boeing President in the Middle East, Türkiye and Africa. "We are delighted to support the STEM Ambassadors programme, which encourages students to think outside the box and develop valuable skills that they can apply in their future careers."

“The U.S. Mission to the UAE is proud to support strong U.S.-UAE partnerships such as the Amideast/UAE and Boeing STEM Ambassadors programme. It is incredibly inspiring to see so many young talented UAE students and innovators work to build a better future through pursuing careers that link sustainability with STEM research. We were impressed with the STEM Ambassador’s presentations and projects to promote innovations such as sustainable aviation fuel. The graduation of the STEM Ambassadors programme is timely as UAE promotes the Year of Sustainability in preparations for COP28“, added Daleya Uddin, Head of Public Affairs and Outreach at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai.

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Wed, 24/05/2023 - 12:00

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Amideast/UAE, Boeing and the U.S. Mission to the UAE have marked the graduation of 48 students who have completed the STEM Ambassadors programme in the UAE.

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Honeywell develops Honeywell’s Cabin Sentinel

eNethersole — Tue, 23 May 2023 09:17:31 +0000

Cabin Sentinel’s suite of complementary software solutions enhances connectivity, responsiveness of support and overall passenger experience through advanced control and security over the customer’s connection. The suite allows users to extend the monitoring of their aircraft beyond just the ground, to monitor the entire network and receive vulnerability alerts.

Features include:

Enhanced control to reduce the cost of data

Cabin Sentinel provides the ability to control and monitor the data consumed on the aircraft, including content blocking and media prioritization, to improve customer experience and help lower the monthly cost of the data. Utilising this software also allows you to review each flight minute by minute to correlate passenger feedback with performance of the hardware and network while also detailing how the data is being consumed and how to optimise your control settings.

Targeted performance notifications

Cabin Sentinel extends beyond traditional notifications to allows customers to receive in-depth status updates on their aircraft’s connectivity performance without having to log into a dashboard. These enhanced notifications allow customers to proactively set data warning limits, know when an aircraft is going into or out of coverage, and even provide a post-flight connectivity report directly to operators.

Improved customer support communication

Customers using Cabin Sentinel can receive account and aircraft notifications and interact with Honeywell support through Microsoft Teams, providing easier, timely methods to receive Honeywell communications and interact with Honeywell customer support.

Increased security features

Including on-wing intrusion detection through Honeywell’s GoDirect Router. Identifying intrusions on the ground monitors the data only after it is sent over the network. Extending the monitoring to the aircraft will effectively monitor and alert suspicious activities up to 50% earlier, improving overall network security.

“Honeywell has led the industry in producing line fit SATCOM systems and has intimate knowledge of the systems and the network. With Cabin Sentinel we have used advanced technology to develop software that encapsulates that wealth of knowledge. This creates a significantly improved passenger experience, superior customer support and enhanced customer awareness all while improving network vulnerability management,” said Adam Sheppard, director of Aircraft Connectivity, Honeywell Aerospace.

Honeywell’s new Cabin Sentinel will launch with Dassault Aviation, which has signed an agreement to include the solution for new and existing FalconConnect customers.

Powered by Honeywell, FalconConnect is an all-in-one suite of services and applications that enables operators to deliver the best-available connected experience to their passengers, flight crews and ground crews.

Posted date

Tue, 23/05/2023 - 12:00

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Honeywell has developed Honeywell’s Cabin Sentinel, that can be included in Dassault Aviation’s FalconConnect line for new and existing Dassault aircraft.

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Etihad Cargo launches AI-Powered solutions

eNethersole — Tue, 16 May 2023 09:21:48 +0000

Deployment of state-of-the-art AI tools is the latest step in Etihad Cargo's digitalisation journey and will enable the carrier to improve cargo volumes by optimising capacity on every flight across the carrier's network.

In 2021, Etihad Cargo entered into a landmark proof-of-concept agreement with leading logistics technology solutions provider, Speedcargo Technologies, becoming one of only a few global carriers to leverage the Singapore-based provider's AI products to maximise cargo capacity on flights. Following successful trials of Speedcargo's AI solutions, Etihad Cargo has rolled out three AI-powered products — Amplifi, Cargo Eye and Assemble — to boost efficiency, digitise and standardise cargo handling across Etihad Cargo's network, and enhance service levels for the carrier's customers and partners.

Etihad Cargo uses Amplifi to optimise cargo loads on each flight. The technology dynamically calculates free and usable capacity based on booked cargo, aircraft type and cargo offer. Utilising the system-generated ULD level load plans, Etihad Cargo will maximise the cargo carried on its flights and significantly reduce the risk of overbookings. Cargo Eye is a scalable, modular system that captures cargo dimensions and volume data. Powered by Microsoft's IOT Edge solutions and Speedcargo's proprietary algorithms, Cargo Eye allows Etihad Cargo to digitise cargo as it enters the carrier's ground handling stations, enabling the real-time sharing of cargo information for load planning, build-up planning and forward operations. Etihad Cargo will deploy Assemble across the carrier's network of ground handling stations to facilitate the digital planning and build-up of ULDs using the load plans generated by Amplifi. Offering a user-friendly solution, Amplifi provides ground handling partners with build-up plans that provide step-by-step instructions for optimally built ULDs that conform to safety regulations.

Martin Drew, Senior Vice President – Global Sales & Cargo, said, "Since embarking on its digitalisation strategy in 2018, Etihad Cargo has developed, trialled and launched new technologies and solutions to provide customers and partners with an improved service offering. The recently completed trials of Speedcargo's AI-powered solutions have demonstrated it is possible to improve cargo capacity utilisation across Etihad Cargo's fleet and standardise cargo acceptance and build-up processes to improve the consistency and quality of cargo handling at stations within Etihad Cargo's network.

"Etihad Cargo, with the launch of these AI solutions, is creating an information-rich network that connects airline operations and ground handling for better planning and decision-making. Creating digital audit trails of how cargo is received and handled will benefit Etihad Cargo's customers by providing a more seamless end-to-end experience and improving the productivity and efficiency of planners and ground handling partners, with the ability to handle multiple flights simultaneously," Drew concluded.

Trials of the AI-powered, end-to-end cargo handling solutions were carried out in Singapore, where this technology has been deployed and is already utilised by Etihad Cargo's ground handling partners. The carrier has also launched a pilot programme to implement these solutions in Frankfurt and is actively collaborating with ground handling partners across Etihad Cargos' expansive global network, with a view to rolling this cargo-maximising technology out to more stations in the coming months.

Posted date

Tue, 16/05/2023 - 12:00

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Etihad Cargo has launched an AI-powered solution to transform airfreight operations and boost cargo capacity on flights.

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SITA: Air Transport industry turns to digitalisation

eNethersole — Tue, 16 May 2023 09:13:28 +0000

Mishandled bags almost doubled from 2021 to 2022 to 7.6 bags per thousand passengers.

The shortage of skilled staff, resumption of international travel, and congestion at airports has made it challenging to manage bags and ensure their smooth handling at airports – particularly during peak travel periods. The overall increase in mishandling is forcing the industry to focus on digitalisation and automation, with technology investments that deliver greater automation and self-service being a top priority.

Delayed bags accounted for 80% of all mishandled bags in 2022, lost and stolen bags increased to 7%, and damaged and pilfered bags decreased to 13%.

The surge in the mishandling rate comes after more than a decade of reduction in mishandled baggage. Significant process improvements helped the mishandling rate per thousand passengers fall by 59.7% between 2007 and 2021. However, given the pressure of staff shortages on operations post-COVID, the 2022 mishandling rate of 7.6 bags per thousand passengers represents a 75% increase from 2021.

Transfer bags have historically accounted for the majority of mishandled bags. This was no different in 2022, with a one-percentage point increase from 2021, pushing the proportion of bags delayed at transfer to 42%. This increase is attributed to the resurgence of international and long-haul travel, leading to loading errors and greater transfer mishandling rates. The failure to load bags accounted for 18% of all mishandled bags in 2022, representing a 3% decrease from the previous year. Loading errors more than doubled compared to the previous year, accounting for 9% of all delayed bags in 2022, stemming from operational strains on baggage systems.

David Lavorel, CEO, SITA said: “After a decade where the mishandling rate more than halved between 2007 and 2021, it is disheartening to see this rate climbing again. As an industry, we need to work hard to ensure passengers are once again confident to check in their bags. We at SITA are working directly with airlines and airports to help solve key pain points in the baggage journey through smart automation, tracking, and digital platforms.”

Investing in real-time baggage status information has become a key priority for airlines, with 57% of airlines providing their staff with mobile access to real-time baggage status information. This figure is expected to increase significantly to 84% by 2025, and 67% of airlines plan to offer real-time baggage status information directly to passengers, marking a substantial improvement from 25% today.

SITA has developed the WorldTracer Auto Reflight system in direct response to the high mishandling rates observed at transfer. This solution automatically identifies bags what are not likely to make their planned connecting flight and rebooks them on the next possible flight using the existing bag tag – all while keeping the passenger informed.

SITA estimates that automation of reflight operations could save the industry up to $30 million per year. Lufthansa and SITA’s recent partnership using the technology aims to digitalize the manual reflight process, and the results of their Proof of Concept suggest that they can automatically reflight as much as 70% of Lufthansa’s mishandled bags at Munich Airport.

Posted date

Tue, 16/05/2023 - 12:00

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SITA’s 2023 Baggage IT Insights report shows that airlines and airports are facing a surge in baggage mishandling rates amidst the growing number of passengers.

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Emirates goes digital, phases out paper boarding passes for flights departing Dubai

eNethersole — Fri, 12 May 2023 12:38:33 +0000

Passengers checking in at Terminal 3 will receive their mobile boarding pass via email or SMS. Passengers who check in online can load their boarding pass into their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, or retrieve their boarding pass on the user-friendly Emirates App. The checked-in baggage receipt is also emailed directly to passengers, or available in the Emirates App.

This initiative will significantly reduce paper waste while simultaneously offering a convenient and speedy digitised check in experience for passengers departing Dubai. It reduces the risk of lost or misplaced boarding passes, giving passengers peace of mind when travelling.

The mobile boarding pass can be used throughout the travel journey – in Dubai Duty Free, at security and for boarding, simply by showing the boarding pass on the phone. Emirates agents and airport staff will simply scan the QR code on the mobile boarding pass as passengers move through the airport and onto the aircraft.

Some passengers may still require a physical boarding pass to be printed – for instance when travelling with infants, unaccompanied minors, passengers requiring special assistance, passengers with onwards flights on other airlines, and all passengers travelling on flights to the US.

The option to print a boarding pass is available by request to Emirates agents at check-in counters, if passengers do not have a mobile device, or if they are unable to access the information on their devices for reasons such as: running out of battery power, a system breakdown or glitch, message delivery delay, or inability to access WIFI, network or a data package.

Millions of Emirates passengers have already been enjoying the convenience of digitally enabled journeys. In addition to convenient check-in and itinerary management, those who use the Emirates app can also access digital menus in advance, and spend time curating a playlist of favourite movies, TV shows and music playlists available on ice, which they can synchronise from their app the moment they board to save time.

Posted date

Fri, 12/05/2023 - 12:00

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Passengers departing Dubai can now use a mobile boarding pass instead of a printed paper version, from 15 May onwards.

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