The company, which has operated in the UAE since 2009, is constructing a 14,000 square meter hangar and a VVIP FBO (Fixed-Base Operator) terminal in Sharjah. This expansion comes as business aviation traffic in the UAE has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, with new aircraft owners entering the market.

Middle East private jet market boom

Tom Murphy, Head of Gama Aviation’s FBO division, told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview, “If it’s just been a snapshot of pre-pandemic volumes that we’ve seen in the Middle East, the market is now 100 percent in terms of flights in and out of the UAE. That’s comparing the volumes last year to 2019, pre-pandemic volumes.”

Murphy added that growth has maintained a steady pace over the last couple of years, creating significant opportunities for expansion in the region.

Sharjah: The new hub for business aviation in the UAE?

Gama Aviation’s decision to invest heavily in Sharjah, rather than the more well-known Dubai or Abu Dhabi airports, is strategic.

Murphy explained the unique advantages, he said, “Sharjah is unique in the sense that the airspace is not as congested as the other major airports in the UAE. Clients can arrive and depart anytime they want. It’s not so restricted. In other airports, you could ask for a 10 o’clock departure. It might be issued at 12:00 or 13:00 departure.”

This flexibility, combined with reduced taxi times and proximity to Dubai and the northern emirates, positions Sharjah as an attractive alternative for business jet travellers.

New facility to cater to growing demand for luxury air travel

The new Gama Aviation facility in Sharjah will significantly increase the company’s capacity to handle larger aircraft and provide high-end services to discerning clients.

“Until now, we’ve got an established client base, we’ve got a certain amount of aircraft that are based in Sharjah full time,” Murphy said. “What this project will enable us to do is increase our hangar capacity. We can accept aircraft that we have not been able to accommodate previously.”

The air-conditioned hangar space is particularly valuable in the UAE’s “harsh weather conditions”, where aircraft owners seek to protect their valuable assets.

While Gama Aviation’s initial client base in Sharjah consisted primarily of UAE nationals, the company has diversified its customer profile.

“With a lot of work into our marketing, a lot of work into increasing the relationships we have with business jet operators to give them education on the operational benefits of Sharjah, we’ve increased our market share,” Murphy stated. “It has captured some leisure traffic, it has captured expats that live here, but also passengers that are travelling to the UAE for leisure as well.”

The Sharjah project is just the beginning of Gama Aviation’s ambitious plans for the region. Murphy revealed, “We’ve got ambitions to open an FBO network in the GCC. Obviously, we’re heavily invested in the UAE, and we can make it to the GCC.”

This expansion strategy aligns with the company’s global growth plans, which include the recent announcement of its intention to acquire Tyrolean Jet Services, an established business jet operator with two European AOCs (Air Operator Certificates).

The investment in Sharjah comes at a time when the business aviation sector is experiencing a renaissance following the COVID-19 pandemic. Murphy noted, “We saw a lot of new aircraft owners off the back of COVID. A lot of them remained as aircraft owners or were chartering aircraft for the first time and decided that that’s the way that they like to travel.”

As Gama Aviation expands its presence in the Middle East, it faces the challenge of maintaining its personalised service while growing its operations. Murphy emphasised the company’s commitment to tailored customer experiences.

“If we treated everybody the same, it’s not the way to retain customers. That’s sort of the heartbeat of our business and has remained that way considering the ownership has been the same for over 40 years.”

The airline’s newest dedicated lounge will accommodate customers flying on its triple daily A380 services.

The USD$5.4 million investment, 900-square-metre lounge located in the airport’s newest Terminal 1 will cater to the airline’s First and Business class passengers, as well as Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members, with the capacity to accommodate over 190 guests at any one time, in a variety of seating options.

Mohammed Mattar said: “Jeddah was our first gateway into the Kingdom 35 years ago, so it’s fitting that the King Abdulaziz International Airport, a world-class facility is the first airport in the region outside of Dubai to feature an Emirates dedicated lounge. The lounge, comfortably situated at the centre of Terminal 1, is beautifully designed to deliver an industry-leading experience and Emirates’ signature hospitality for our customers from the moment they step inside. We thank the airport authorities for their support in helping us open our doors to officially welcome customers and provide them with a memorable travel experience on the ground.”

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.”

Bhogapuram Airport is a new greenfield airport project by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport (GVIAL) in the Andhra Pradesh region.

In partnership with Larsen & Toubro, ADB Safegate will deploy its latest Airside 4.0 technology for the project, including advanced LED AGL systems. Bhogapuram Airport, being a new greenfield airport built by GVIAL, demands innovative solutions such as ADB Safegate’s AXON lights and LINC 360 Integrated Light Control and Monitoring System (ILCMS).

Bhartendu Mohan, country director for India at ADB Safegate, said: “Bhogapuram marks another new landmark project with L&T and GMR. We are thrilled to bring our latest Airside 4.0 technology to the Bhogapuram Airport project. This innovative solution will not only enhance the airport’s operational efficiency but also set new standards for safety and sustainability in the aviation industry. We look forward to delivering exceptional results for this project.”

The RoSPA Awards scheme, the longest running of its kind in the UK, receives entries from organisations worldwide, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety globally.

BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said: “This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our HSE team. The award reflects the airport community commitment to safety and the diligent work our team members contributions to adhere to the best industry health and safety practices. At BAC, the safety of passengers and staff is a top priority, and we strive to work with our partners to maintain the highest standards at the airport.”

Starting from 1 September 2024, this route will mark the long-haul international debut of Air India’s flagship product.

The A350-900 will replace the currently deployed Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of 17 weekly flights. As a result, an additional 336 seats will be available on the Delhi-London Heathrow route each week. 

Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer & managing director, Air India, said: “The deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet.”

“With our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travellers,” Wilson added.

The region is at the forefront of integrating digitalisation, artificial intelligence and sustainability, making it a hub for modern travel and aviation. The blend of tradition and cutting-edge technology is setting the stage for a new era of travel, promising seamless and enriched experiences for every traveler.

Driving this transformation are initiatives like ForsaTEK, which showcase the MENA region's commitment to innovation. The event brings together industry leaders, startups and visionaries to merge the latest technology with tourism and aviation. ForsaTEK 2024 highlighted advances in robotics and new partnerships, demonstrating how technology can improve every aspect of travel, from operations to the guest experience. These efforts are positioning the MENA region as a global leader in tourism and aviation innovation.

As a key player in aviation technology, SITA enhances operations at more than 1,000 airports and connects 17,000 aircraft worldwide. SITA's participation in events such as ForsaTEK demonstrates its commitment to a forward-looking vision for aviation. With a vast communications network that supports 45% of the air transport community's data exchange, SITA is instrumental in shaping the future of aviation and providing insights into the next generation of air travel.

Revolutionising Passenger Experience with SITA FlexBox

ForsaTEK spotlighted SITA's innovative SITA FlexBox, a next-generation passenger processing device powered by SITA cloud solutions and Microsoft Azure. This system eliminates the need for complex infrastructure and uses smart mobile devices to streamline passenger services across multiple locations. SITA FlexBox improves operational efficiency for airports and transforms the passenger experience with features such as self-service options for passport scanning and document printing via smartphones. It also enables airline agents to assist passengers using tablets, maximising flexibility and reducing reliance on fixed stations. SITA FlexBox aims to create a smoother, faster and more enjoyable travel experience for everyone.

Unlocking a New Era of Mobility and Scalability

Beyond its core functionality, SITA FlexBox ushers in a new era of mobility and scalability in aviation. This compact device is easy to deploy, allowing airports to expand services or alleviate congestion by placing FlexBox units in previously underutilised areas. The system supports a bring your own device (BYOD) approach and connects to airline applications through open APIs. This flexibility helps airports and airlines tailor the passenger experience and optimise resources, reducing the need for expensive fixed infrastructure.

The multi-use nature of SITA FlexBox allows both agents and passengers to use the system simultaneously for tasks such as printing bag tags and boarding passes, streamlining operations and minimising hardware requirements. By adopting a mobile-first approach, SITA FlexBox sets the stage for a future-proof air travel experience.

The convergence of innovation and technology is redefining the tourism and aviation industries, particularly in the MENA region. Events like ForsaTEK highlight the remarkable progress being made, showcasing groundbreaking solutions like SITA FlexBox that are revolutionising passenger processing and enhancing the travel experience.

As a leader in aviation technology, SITA's commitment to operational efficiency and seamless connectivity is setting new industry standards. Through continuous innovation and strategic collaboration, the MENA region is not only embracing the future, but actively shaping it to ensure that every journey is efficient, connected and enjoyable.