Last year, Emirates introduced the service for Business Class passengers on its busiest routes including Hamburg, and has since expanded the offer to more points in its global network. Emirates‘ Business Class customers can now pre-order in-flight meals on flights departing from Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Duesseldorf. The service is now available on more than 100 routes worldwide. To date, more than 135,000 pre-orders have already been delivered on over 30,000 flights. Every day, more than 400 meals are pre-ordered by Emirates‘ customers.

From 14 days up to 24 hours before departure, guests can view the menu for their flight online at emirates.de or via the Emirates app and choose from a range of regionally inspired dishes with local ingredients. Special Meals, which cater for dietary, religious or nutritional preferences, can also be pre-ordered.

The technology leaders released a joint statement at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow emphasising the importance of accelerating efforts critical to understanding and reducing aviation’s non-CO2 effects.

The aerospace industry actively works to improve the understanding of non-CO2 emissions in collaboration with research institutions, universities and other stakeholders. Following an event today, the forum called for increased research funding for science needed to underpin technology choices, operational changes and policy decisions.

The leaders jointly call for increased research funding to develop the science needed to underpin technology choices, operational changes and policy decisions. We will continue to engage academia, the global climate and weather modelling community, government research organisations and industry partners to advance seven priorities for research:

1. Improve understanding of contrail formation, persistence, and climate impact. Progressing the science of contrail physics combined with increasing the fidelity of upper tropospheric humidity data in global climate and weather modelling will enable more accurate contrail forecasts and analysis data sets for performing impact assessment.

2. Improve understanding of emissions properties. The properties of fuels such as conventional jet fuel, SAF, and hydrogen as well as the combustion characteristics of engine technologies impact emissions properties that play a role in contrail formation and persistence.

3. Build research on aerosol cloud interactions. Aerosol cloud interactions result from the ability of aerosol particles to cause the formation of droplets or ice particles, affecting the radiative properties of clouds. Research is required to better understand these interactions and their potential impacts.

4. Improve understanding of the radiative impact and modelling uncertainty of NOx emissions. The effect of NOx emissions depends on where and when emissions are released into the atmosphere as well as atmospheric conditions. Further studies are needed to fully characterise these dependencies.

5. Improve understanding of the interdependencies and trade-offs of aviation emissions (NOx, soot, contrails, CO2, and noise). To enable management of aviation emissions for total climate impact reduction, the challenges of comparing impacts across emissions species with different characteristics and interactions need to be addressed.

6. Establish and improve common models for quantifying the effect of aviation on climate. Collaboration across communities working on contrails and cloud physics, atmospheric chemistry, fuels properties and chemistry, and aircraft data collection to support this research is essential and can benefit climate science and weather prediction.

7. Research on airspace network impacts of mitigation should be further investigated. Large scale research projects and operational analysis should be developed to better understand potential impacts to civil airspace operations.

This includes with researching hydrogen fuel system technology and continuing to prove hydrogen could be a zero-carbon aviation fuel of the future.

TCS will provide engineering skills and support to Rolls-Royce as it addresses three key challenges in the journey to enabling hydrogen for use in aviation: fuel combustion, fuel delivery and fuel systems integration with an engine. All elements must be confirmed to operate safely.

Alan Newby, Director, Research and Technology, Rolls-Royce, said, “We welcome TCS to our hydrogen research programme and their engineering skills will play a valuable role in addressing our technology goals. We’ve already made great progress and having TCS with us gives us additional capability as we move forward on our journey to enable the energy transition for the aviation sector.”

This expanded partnership was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow where TCS also showcased its technological prowess in the aviation industry. The partnership builds on a long-standing relationship between Rolls-Royce and the Tata Group, including engines and a strong supply chain commitment. TCS has also been working with Rolls-Royce since 2010 in the areas of design, manufacturing engineering, control systems and software, after-market services as well as IT services. Having supported Rolls-Royce in major civil and business aviation programs, TCS has also supported its end-to-end product development lifecycle.

Anupam Singhal, President - Manufacturing, TCS, said: “The partnership between TCS and Rolls-Royce is an exciting one that represents a powerful alliance in the quest for sustainable aviation solutions. We are aligned with Rolls-Royce’s ambition for a greener future. This partnership is the perfect opportunity to put our technological strengths and passion for the environment to use for advancing innovation and fostering an eco-friendlier aerospace sector.”

According to Microsoft, the outage started with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services. Commenting on X, The US tech giant said it was taking “mitigation actions” after services issues and “working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact.”

Delhi Airport in India reported that due to the global IT issue, some of its services had been temporarily impacted this morning. It also said it was working closely with all stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to its passengers.

Indian low-cost carrier said in a statement: “The airline is closely monitoring the situation and any further decisions regarding flight operations will be made based on updates from its cloud service provider. A dedicated team has been deployed to address these technical challenges and minimize disruptions. IndiGo is committed to ensuring the safety and comfort of its customers and is making every effort to resolve the issue with utmost priority and urgency.”

In a time of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical challenges, the future of combat is in the capability of armed forces to navigate the complexities of multi-domain operations. They must be trained and equipped with integrated technologies and capabilities, that can cross all domains including land, sea, air, space, and cyber space. Modern weapons equipped with advanced data and software demand that forces stay updated to effectively counter emerging threats. The landscape of product testing and evaluation (T&E) is transforming and to cope with modernisation, adoption of new systems and platforms require upgrades to existing range infrastructure and development of new ones.

Traditional domains were previously defined as air, land, and sea although it still varies today. In 2016 at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, the Allied Heads of State and Government recognised cyber space as a domain of operations and in 2019, Foreign Ministers of NATO recognised space domain in Brussels because of its significance for deterrence and defence in the context of navigation, intelligence, and threat detection.

Multi-domain test & evaluation           

T&E is a crucial phase for product development and acquisition. Security forces who will acquire and utilise weapons on the frontlines need to be confident that their equipment and systems are fully functional and operating as they should, and commanders need to know the level of protection and lethality of these systems and equipment. From air, land, sea, space, and cyber space, the maximum interoperability of products and systems across all domains is vital to enhance capability and increase survivability for the success of operations. Lessons from previous and on-going conflicts have underscored the necessity for armed forces to upgrade their systems and boost personnel training for heightened situational awareness and data-driven decision-making. Test ranges must be equipped to accommodate multi-domain training, as well as test and evaluation (TT&E) activities while existing ones have to be modernised.

Advantages of a multi-domain test range

To ensure that weapons, systems, and personnel are adaptable and ready, they must be tested and trained to stay ahead of adversaries. The following are advantages of a multi-domain test range:

Modernisation of facilities for test and evaluation (T&E) are critical for both commercial and defence sectors for interoperability testing to determine the interconnectedness of systems in combat situations. Personnel, systems, and weapons are expected to communicate, coordinate and complement each other to strengthen a force’s capabilities. With today’s advanced technologies, sensors need to connect to shooters, a secure network is vital to connect infrastructure, and cutting-edge applications are essential for data gathering and analysis. Enhanced synchronisation across all domains is crucial and defence forces are obligated to be knowledgeable and agile to function during multi-domain operations at speed and scale.

Multi-domain ranges are also beneficial for training and readiness. They provide real-world simulations of environments to better prepare forces for new technologies, tactics, and skills that they may encounter in the field. Personnel can benefit from training in synthetic environments to experience hyper-realistic sights, sounds, and smells in preparation for real-world combat situations. Together, all these improve combat readiness and effectiveness.

Capability assessment is another vital advantage of testing in a multi-domain T&E range. Strategies and systems in multi-faceted operational scenarios can be tested in a controlled environment to identify their capabilities and limitations. This process helps identify strengths and weaknesses, and studies data for forces to make informed decisions especially in the development and acquisition of new systems.

Lastly, utilising a multi-domain range can reduce risks by testing defence systems and products to help identify potential issues and vulnerabilities. This greatly contributes to risk management and enhances the competency of trained forces, significantly strengthening national security.

Case study

Multi-domain interoperability plays a crucial role to preserve peace and stability in managing geopolitical situations, such as a case in South East Asia, to avoid escalation into a wider conflict.

There is a highly contested territory in the Asian region and several countries are asserting territorial claims over various islands, reefs, and waters. The area is strategic for its rich natural resources, vital shipping lanes and military potential advantage. Tensions are high in the area, which is why one of the countries involved in the dispute strengthened its military capabilities by leveraging its partnership with an ally while managing relations with one of the powerful countries asserting its claim over the territory.

The two allies who are undergoing joint military operations have a long-standing partnership. For the purposes of deterrence and defence, they have been actively collaborating in multi-domain operations initiatives that involve joint military training and exercises, focusing on interoperability across all domains. These include utilising simulated environments in which forces train to enhance coordination, communication and operational effectiveness. The collaboration between the two also includes operations in maritime security and surveillance such as sharing of intelligence, joint patrols, utilisation of cutting-edge surveillance technologies, including radar systems, drones, and maritime patrol aircraft.

In the West, an alliance among nations has also adopted an approach to develop its multi-domain operational capabilities that will strengthen the group to consolidate its efforts to safeguard the freedom and security of its members’ population.

Conclusion

Future combat will no longer take place within a single domain but across land, air, sea, space, and cyber space. Those who do not adapt will face serious consequences of failing to modernise. Greater collaborative efforts among nations is necessary to facilitate knowledge transfer, upskilling, and sharing of experiences, as well as a multi-sectoral approach to fortify national security, face current challenges, and stay ahead of emerging threats.    

The new facility is the first in India dedicated to supporting the development and delivery of IFEC solutions. Over 200 skilled engineers have been employed at the point of launch, with growth plans in place to scale the software engineering talent at the facility to support the increasing demand from airlines for IFEC solutions that will deliver personalised experiences for their passengers.

A range of software will be developed, tested and sustained in state-of-the-art laboratories throughout the facility to deliver passenger experiences for narrowbody and widebody aircraft that meet airlines’ needs. These include the X Series in-flight entertainment system, and digital solutions including airline interactives which enables airlines to create unique seatback passenger experiences, IFEC development support via SDKs (software development kits), and mobile companion apps to name a few.

Ken Sain, chief executive officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said: “Innovative, future-focused and proven software is at the heart of every IFEC solution that Panasonic Avionics develops, creating a digital channel that enables our airline customers to engage with their passengers more effectively than ever before.

“With its huge number of skilled engineers, and fast-growing aviation sector, India is a natural location for us to invest in for the future of our business, and we look forward to accelerating our software innovation and design capabilities from our new Pune facility.” 

Satyen Yadav, chief technology officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said: "Today marks a significant milestone as we embark on a journey to accelerate the delivery of personalised digital experiences for airline passengers. We look forward to delivering cutting-edge software solutions that delight customers both in the region and globally, and to growing our software talent in Pune.”

Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, chief digital and technology officer, Air India, said: “Leveraging real-time baggage tracking information available from its network airports and a scalable cloud applications infrastructure, this capability will keep our guests in touch with their baggage throughout the journey and significantly reduce concern, if any, about their checked-in bags.”

Designed and developed by Air India’s digital technology and design teams, in collaboration with the airline’s airport operations department, the feature offers a convenient option for end-to-end baggage tracking with minimal data entry. Guests can track their checked-in bags simply by scanning the barcode on their baggage receipts. Alternatively, this information becomes automatically available in the ‘My Trips’ section of the mobile app soon after the bags are checked-in, if the trip has been added there. The feature is also available under the Book & Manage section of the Air India website under ‘Track Your Bags’ tab.

“In our sustained efforts to enhance guest experience by embracing innovative digital technology, we can now provide real-time baggage status to our guests. This key-customer centric initiative marks a significant milestone in our transformation journey. Our mobile app serves as the ideal platform for our guests to use this feature as it provides specific information related to baggage as part of ‘My Trips’ segment. Guests can also add baggage tags easily by scanning with the mobile phone’s camera,” said Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, chief digital and technology officer, Air India.

IBS Software’s fully integrated iCargo solution will enable Air India to digitise end-to-end cargo management, allowing integration of numerous cargo operations, from sales to billing within a single, integrated platform.

Air India chief commercial and transformation officer Nipun Aggarwal said: “Air India is on a transformation journey to not only reaffirm its position as a global leader in aviation, but to also establish foundations for future growth.

“Air cargo is one of the key drivers of our roadmap for future growth, and technology will be at the core of it.”

IBS Software CEO Somit Goyal added: “As one of the most iconic airlines in the world, partnering with Air India is a proud moment for IBS Software.

“The Indian aviation market is on a major upswing, and we are excited to be partnered with a company that is dedicated to driving this growth.

“We are proud that our market-leading digital platform for the air cargo industry will support the ambitious transformation goals of Air India’s cargo offering and take it from strength to strength.”

The first end-to-end implementation of iCargo is slated for delivery within nine months from the project’s start, promising immediate business benefits to Air India.

This represents a rise of 7% on the prior year, with all signs so far in 2024 indicating similar positive performance this year. Unveiling the results at SITA’s Annual General Assembly in June, SITA CEO David Lavorel also cited growth in margin and EBITDA, which exceeded plans by 4%.

“Every one of our customers and members benefits from our strong performance and growth,” said Lavorel. “It means we can self-fund our portfolio evolutions and explore further innovation opportunities. This is vital as we address the big trends now facing travel and take on new technologies to shape our industry’s future. Our portfolio developments and innovations are preparing the industry for the years ahead, delivering seamless and touchless journeys, operational efficiency, resilience and agility, sustainability, and more.”

SITA also saw record contracts and partnerships to transform travel at airports and borders, through digital identities, biometric and mobile-enabled self-service, and digital borders. Examples include biometric touchpoints for airline passengers at Frankfurt Airport, a digital travel and sustainability collaboration with the Arab Air Carriers Organization, and continued world-leading trials in Aruba, using ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential (DTC) standard.

In addition, SITA’s agreement with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will see the latest passenger processing solutions and cloud-enablement for 44 airports in India, preparing the country for a future of increasing growth in passenger traffic.

With the return of travel comes the need to make operations efficient. The launch of new services for the SITA Connect Go SD-WAN solution gives the industry the opportunity to achieve this goal, as a platform for industry digitalisation. Qatar Airways and Biman Bangladesh Airlines became early customers, using the solution to help fuel growth.

In another major trend, collaborative IT for aircraft is helping to make flights more efficient and sustainable, using AI and data-driven operational tools. In 2023, airlines eagerly took on SITA OptiFlight to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by better planning fight paths. They include Azul, Singapore Airlines, AIX Connect, Vistara, and many more. AI and flight optimisation services are critical to help aviation’s journey to a carbon net-zero future.

“We’ve significantly over-achieved the first year goals of our business plan to grow SITA. As a result, we entered 2024 with a strong tailwind,” said Lavorel. “With 75 successful years behind us, we’re looking to the future of travel. Our mission is to prepare our customers to deliver the ultimate travel and transport experience, with the most advanced, efficient, and sustainable technologies.”

Continuing the focus on travel industry operational efficiencies and sustainability, 2024 has seen the launch of SITA Total Airport Optimizer. Using an AI-powered platform, it helps airports to manage every aspect of their operations. Through a partnership with Univers, the solution also brings sustainability into the heart of operational decision making. It means airports can monitor and report energy usage, emissions from aircraft and other vehicles, and their carbon footprint.

The momentum in 2024 continued with SITA’s acquisition of Materna IPS, leader in passenger handling for airports and airlines, and Self Bag-Drop market leader. The move will reshape aviation, creating the world’s most powerful passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel.

SITA followed that acquisition with the launch of SmartSea through an agreement with Columbia Shipmanagement, world-class ship manager and maritime service provider. SmartSea will reshape the maritime industry by giving it access to the same advanced technology that is transforming the air transport industry. The launch comes as part of SITA’s expansion into cruise and rail, as well Urban Air Mobility, such as Vertiports.

Soon after, SITA acquired ASISTIM, a company renowned for its managed airline flight operations services. This paves the way for airlines of all sizes to outsource part of their flight operations, through a fully-fledged airline flight Operations Control Center (OCC) managed service.

“This is an exciting time for the travel industry,” added SITA’s Lavorel. “Major trends such as digitalisation and sustainability will uproot the way we work, forever. For 75 years we’ve helped air transport step into the future. Now we’re positioned to help the wider travel and transport industries to create ever more frictionless journey experiences, achieve operational efficiencies and resilience, and address sustainability requirements.”

With a new look and modernised tech architecture, the platforms will offer an intuitive experience to streamline the booking process for IndiGo’s customers. 

Neetan Chopra, chief digital & information officer, said: "As IndiGo remains committed to pioneering customer-centric innovations in aviation, we are delighted to unveil the imminent launch of our redesigned website and mobile app. This enhancement represents a pivotal step in our ongoing efforts to elevate digital experiences for our esteemed patrons. With a refined UI/UX design and advanced technical architecture, our platforms are poised to deliver a seamless and intuitive booking process, ensuring unparalleled convenience, with the official debut this August with anniversary festivities.  IndiGo remains dedicated to delivering affordable, hassle-free, and on-time travel experiences across our extensive network.”