JEDDAH:Dr. Khaled Ben-Bakr, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, formally launched the national carrier’s automatic boarding pass system at King Abdul Aziz Airport this week.  “Now all passengers traveling on domestic flights can get their boarding passes without waiting at counters or approaching staff,” Ben-Bakr said. Some 8,000 passengers already used the system during its trial phase in the last 10 days. The facility will be available in Riyadh next month.

BAHRAIN: Gulf Air is to open a first class lounge at Heathrow Airport in London and will introduce more direct flights to the city from various Gulf points.  Gulf Air's programme to position its brand competitively is meeting with tremendous success, said president and chief executive James Hogan. "The first-class lounge opened at Bahrain International Airport last month is one of the best of its kind in the world," he revealed. "We are now opening a second such world-class lounge at Heathrow Airport in July this year.”

DOHA:Leading airport and aviation suppliers across the globe will participate in the Airport Build and Supply Exhibition being held in Dubai in June with a view to capitalise on major airport development programmes in the Middle East, including the $5billion Doha International Airport project. Decision makers for airport projects worth an estimated $5.72 billion across the Middle East and North Africa alone have already confirmed their participation at the show being held from June 7 to 9, according to a statement.

MANAMA: Gulf Air says it is setting new standards in travel comfort with the opening of its new lounge at the Bahrain International Airport. With the airport experience around the world now more stressful than ever, Gulf Air has taken a major step towards reducing traveller tension, said president and chief executive James Hogan. The state-of-the-art dedicated lounge for First and Business Class passengers has set a new standard in terms of contemporary design and product features, he said.

TEHRAN: Iran has opened a new international airport serving the capital, Tehran, some three decades and more than $475 million after the project began. The Imam Khomenini International Airport, 45 kilometres south of Tehran, was opened to mark the 25^th anniversary of the return from exile in France of the late founding father of the Islamic Republic Ayatolah Ruhollah Khomeini. The airport complex, only the first phase of which has been completed, will have a capacity to handle 40 million passengers a year.

DOHA: US engineering giant Bechtel has signed a contract to build the first phase of a $5 billion dollar airport for the Qatari capital, Doha, the head of the Gulf emirate's civil aviation authority announced. The first of three stages in the construction of the New Doha International Airport would begin this year and completed by late 2008 at a cost of $2.5 billion, Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi told a press conference. "The airport will be one of the biggest in the world with an (annual) capacity of 50 million pasengers in Qatar" when it is finished around 2015, he said.

TEHRAN: Iran’s Minister of Road and Transportation Ahmad Khorram has said that the Imam Khomeini International Airport will handle all international flights once it becomes operational in February. He added that Mehrabad International Airport will continue to serve passengers on domestic routes as well as those going on pilgrimage to Syria and Saudi Arabia. The minister further told reporters that Mehrabad Airport will provide better facilities for the pilgrims.

MANAMA: Bahrain and Lebanon have agreed to provide all rights for the operation of any number of flights between the two countries. The agreement was reached at a meeting between the delegations of the Civil Aviation Affairs and the Lebanese General Directorate of Civil Aviation. The meeting also agreed to allow the operation of any number of cargo and tourism flights to boost the tourism sector in the two countries.

MANAMA: THE Civil Aviation Affairs has launched its bilingual website, www.bahrainairport.com, which provides information on facilities and incentives offered to companies wishing to use Bahrain International Airport. The site, which had been tested for over a year, has already been visited more than 100,000 times before its official inauguration. "The Civil Aviation and Bahrain International Airport website has been developed following instructions from Transportation Minister Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa," Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Abdulrahman Al Gaoud said

MANAMA: Lebanon has changed its entry procedure for visitors of certain nationalities - meaning they can no longer acquire a visa at the airport or border. Instead they will have to apply for a visa through the Lebanese Embassy in Bahrain before they travel. Since the change, there have been a number of cases of people being turned away from Bahrain Airport because they did not apply for a visa in advance, according to diplomatic sources. Countries whose citizens now need to apply for a visa through the embassy are: the UK, Jordan, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, India, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 

DOHA: Qatar has announced it will soon invite tenders for more than $2.5 billion in contracts to start building a new Doha airport which it envisions as a major travel hub. "Construction companies will soon be able to bid for more than 2.5 billion worth of tenders for the first phase of Qatar's new signature airport," the chief executive of Qatar's Airways, Akbar Al Baker, told a press conference on the opening day of the Dubai air show. He said phase one with a capacity of 12 million passengers a year would be completed in 2008.

MUSCUT: The National Bank of Oman (NBO) has opened its new airport booth, near Shell petrol station, opposite Seeb International Airport for the convenience of its customers. The booth is easily accessible from all directions. The chief guest Sayyid Mohammad Bin Ahmed Bin Nasr Al Busaidi, deputy wali of Seeb, inaugurated the new booth, at a function held recently. “We aspire to be a customer centred, progressive bank and will continue our efforts to make banking easy and convenient for our valued customers,” said the wali. 

MANAMA: Bahrain Duty Free has completed a BD150,000 refurbishment and expansion of its arrivals shop at the airport. The new shop, situated on the arrivals concourse immediately after the immigration counters, measures 170 square metres. This is double the area of the previous shop, said managing director Abdulla Buhindi. "We hope it will help us to double the sales in the arrival area," he said. "The new facility will allow us to increase the range of products on display,” he noted.

TEHRAN: Airways New Zealand has won a consulting project to assist with the expansion of the airport on Qeshm Island. Airways International - Airways New Zealand's international arm, together with Malaysian based Leading Edge Aviation Planning Professional, have prepared an Airport Master Plan for the airport for the Qeshm Investment Development Organisation, proposing a range of opportunities for commercial development for the airport and areas for improvement to ensure that it met international civil aviation requirements.

DOHA: Qatar has unveiled plans to invest two billion dollars in the first phase of a new airport in Doha. The emirate on the eastern coast of the Arabian Gulf will start construction of the new state-of-the-art Doha International Airport next year. Chief Executive Officer of Doha International Airport and Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker unveiled the new airport's master plan at the recent World Travel Market in London, England. The new facility will have two parallel runways and an estimated capacity to handle and process nearly 12 million passengers annually. The terminal would have 24 contact gates in the first phase and would be able to accommodate up to six A380-800 Super Jumbos when fully developed.

JEDDAH: There are no plans for an airport in Makkah, said Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defence and aviation, denying press reports. “There is no truth in the report,” Prince Sultan told reporters in Makkah after chairing a meeting of Sultan Charitable Foundation. He said the expansion work on King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, the main gateway for Haj and Umrah pilgrims, will start soon, while the expansion of Taif airport was progressing as planned. The KAIA expansion project, which includes construction of two new terminals and establishment of 25 air bridges, is designed to accommodate 21 million passengers.

RIYADH: Three contracts valued at SR 638 million ($170 million) with five Saudi companies for the operation and maintenance of local and regional airports were signed by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defence and aviation, Arab News has reported. There are 27 airports in Saudi Arabia, including three international airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will privatise its international and local airports but keep security duties at the facilities in state hands, civil aviation chief Abdullah Rahimi has said in remarks published this week. “The civil aviation authority will seek to achieve broad private sector participation in running local and international airports by privatising them, except for security operations,” he told the daily Al Madinah. Rahimi said his authority was already privatising some airport services, but he did not give a timeframe for completion of the process.

TEHRAN: Iran has again been forced to delay the opening of a new airport designed to better serve its sprawling capital and compete as a regional transport hub, Transport Minister Ahmad Khoram has said. Quoted by state media, Khoram said the first phase of the airport — which is named after revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini — is expected to become operational by March 2004. Officials had hoped the airport, situated on a new site some 35 kilometres south of Tehran, would be inaugurated as part of a series of 25th anniversary celebrations marking the 1979 Islamic revolution in February. Tehran’s present airport, Mehrabad, is situated close to the city centre and is used for both civilian and military flights. According to official figures, it handled over nine million passengers last year.  

TEHRAN: Iran has again been forced to delay the opening of a new airport designed to better serve its sprawling capital and compete as a regional transport hub, Transport Minister Ahmad Khoram has said. Quoted by state media, Khoram said the first phase of the airport — which is named after revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini — is expected to become operational by March 2004. Officials had hoped the airport, situated on a new site some 35 kilometres south of Tehran, would be inaugurated as part of a series of 25th anniversary celebrations marking the 1979 Islamic revolution in February. Tehran’s present airport, Mehrabad, is situated close to the city centre and is used for both civilian and military flights. According to official figures, it handled over nine million passengers last year.  

CAIRO: The Aviation Information Technology at the Cairo International Airport Company and the Egyptian Airports Company (EAC) have selected SITA to integrate applications across its IT infrastructure and manage its systems as well as those of six other airports in Egypt. The contract marks the start of the second phase of a five-year, $35 million Airport Systems Integration project to streamline the passenger journey and support Egypt’s growing tourism industry. Phase I of the project began in December 2001, by linking the airports of six major tourist destinations to one main Control Center at the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Cairo. The six airports covered by Phase I were Sharm Al Sheikh, Hurgada, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria, which jointly handle some 12 million passengers per year.

JEDDAH: Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defence and aviation,
will open a number of development projects in Qasim, including expansion of the regional airport. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Ruhaimy, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, said "He will also look into prospects for further expanding the Qasim airport," he added. There are 27 domestic and three international airports in the Kingdom which were constructed at a total cost of more than SR50 billion. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam is the largest, scheduled to handle 16 million passengers by 2005.  

MANAMA: New food courts and other outlets will be opened at Bahrain International Airport soon, revealed a top aviation official. The move is in line with expansion work taking place in the region's aviation sector, said Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud. He also called upon international catering establishments to explore the tremendous investment opportunities, which are now available in Bahrain and the rest of the region. Gaoud was speaking at the opening of the Middle East Catering Conference that opened at the Gulf Hotel. The event, organised by inflight catering industry magazine Pax International and Bahrain Airport Services (BAS), is being sponsored by Gulf Air, Bahrain International Airport,Information Ministry's Tourism Affairs, Kasco, Aerocater, Fine Foods, DHL,Trafco and Gulf Hotel.  

BAGHDAD:The opening of Basra International Airport has been pushed back by another month in order to give airlines more time to market their new routes to Iraq and finalise fares, reported a spokesman for UK forces in the country. The airport is "set up and ready to go, but it needs more time for the supporting infrastructure," such as bus services and hotels, which need to prepare for prospective guests, said Captain Hisham Halawi. Following the announcement that the US-led coalition authorities are delaying the introduction of commercial services to the southern Iraqi city, Qatar Airways reported that it has postponed its plans to start commercial services to Basra from August 30

BAGHDAD:The opening of Basra International Airport has been pushed back by another month in order to give airlines more time to market their new routes to Iraq and finalise fares, reported a spokesman for UK forces in the country. The airport is "set up and ready to go, but it needs more time for the supporting infrastructure," such as bus services and hotels, which need to prepare for prospective guests, said Captain Hisham Halawi. Following the announcement that the US-led coalition authorities are delaying the introduction of commercial services to the southern Iraqi city, Qatar Airways reported that it has postponed its plans to start commercial services to Basra from August 30

MANAMA: BAHRAIN is to be one of the first destinations for a new government-owned, low-cost airline from Sharjah, Air Arabia. Bahraini aviation veteran Adel Ali has joined as chief executive of the airline, which will operate daily flights between Sharjah and Bahrain, starting October 28. The new airline will be the third national carrier from the UAE, said Mr Ali, former vice-president of Gulf Air. While Gulf Air is the national carrier of Abu Dhabi, and Emirates that of Dubai, Air Arabia will be the national carrier of Sharjah. "This will be the first low-cost airline owned by a Gulf country and our prime aim is to make air travel affordable to the public," said Mr Ali.

Major investment is being committed to make Bahrain International Airport (BIA) one of the best in the world. A range of important developments is currently being planned and implemented which during the coming years; will change the face of the airport dramatically.
The recent opening of the new First Class Check-in Lounge was a clear indication of the Government’s intention to provide facilities of the highest standard. 

First-class passengers traveling through BIA can now complete their travel in an exclusive area before heading towards the departure lounge without being required to queue in the main check-in area. There are six check-in desks, three dedicated to Gulf Air as the national carrier and three for other airlines. The Lounge is equipped with all the facilities required to make the check-in process as relaxed as possible.

The check-in area has the capacity to process peak hour volumes. Passengers are checked and all formalities completed in a matter of minutes. There is a separate kerb-side entrance to the First Class Check-in at the Departures level and all immigration and security checks are conveniently performed within the Lounge.

MUSCAT: Statistics issued by the Seeb International Airport showed a remarkable growth in outgoing passengers, cargo and aircraft traffic during June this year, whereas incoming cargo traffic witnessed a slight drop. The passenger traffic rose by 16.1 per cent to 240,200 passengers compared to 206,800 passengers during June 2002. A total of 1,288,100 passengers used the airport during the first six month of 2003, compared to 1,223,500 during the corresponding period in 2002, constituting a 5.3 per cent rise. Cargo traffic at the airport fell by 2.1 per cent during June 2003 to 2.521 million kilogrammes, against 2.576 million kilogrammes during June 2002. Civil aircraft traffic rose by 7.3 per cent to 3,354 flights. The Seeb International Airport is expected to witness a further rise in traffic, as some of the airline companies have doubled their flights and others launched new flights to the airport  

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s Governing Council has said it has authorised six international airlines to operate flights from Basra airport when it becomes the first Iraqi airport to reopen to commercial traffic at the end of August or early September. The council’s chairman Ibrahim Jafari told reporters that two European passenger airlines — Poland’s LOT and the Scandinavian SAS — and four regional carriers — Emirates, Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways — would each be allowed operate two flights a week. Jafari also said the appointment of cabinet ministers had been postponed for three weeks and committee had been set up to examine the establishment of a constitutional assembly  

MANAMA: Millions of dinars are being spent to make Bahrain International Airport one of the best in the world.An emergency runway and a new airport control tower, together costing more that BD10 million, will help it cope with more than 4m passengers a year. Transportation Minister and acting Interior Minister Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said the service provided by the airport was on a par with the best in the world. "The facilities are now being upgraded further, thanks to a multi-million dinar expansion programme," he said. Shaikh Ali was speaking after opening an exclusive check-in area for First Class passengers at the airport yesterday. The foundation stone for the new BD2.43m air traffic control tower will be laid next week, he revealed. Work costing BD7.8m to build an emergency runway and upgrade the existing parallel taxiway is already underway. A BD3m facelift was carried out earlier which included a new duty free area, and an increase in the number of immigration counters and baggage conveyors  

MANAMA: BAHRAIN'S new public transport network is to be extended to the airport soon, it was revealed yesterday. The Cars Transport Corporation (CTC), which is running the service, has applied to the Civil Aviation Affairs to allocate a bus stop at the airport complex. "The response has been positive and we hope to start the service within three months," said commercial manager Shafeeq Ahmed. "We decided to launch the service following public demand. It will be initially offered from the Muharraq terminal to the airport and back. "Once we get new buses, which will have space to keep the passengers' baggage, the service will be extended to Manama  

MUSCAT:Dubai Cargo Village (DCV) reports having handled a total of 83,372.94 tonnes of cargo for the month of June 2003 as compared to handling 64,642.20 tonnes in June 2002 showing a growth of 28.98 percent.  This is the highest ever volume handled in a single month at DCV.

Import increased by 17.56 % to 42,208.23 tonnes in June 2003 from 35,902.12 tonnes in June 2002.Export increased by 45.05 % to 39,142.21 tonnes in June 2003 from 26,985.50 tonnes in June 2002 while transshipments increased by 45.05 % to 23,411.55 tonnes in June 2003 from 16,139.86 tonnes in June 2002. Sea/Air movement increased by 30.56 % to 12,158.936 tonnes in June 2003 from 9,313.184 tonnes in June 2002..”  

MANAMA: GULF Air has become the first Middle East airline to introduce self-service e-check-in kiosks at airports in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Oman. The new product has been designed to make check-ins faster and easier for passengers, said Gulf Air vice-president - information technology Tariq Sultan. "Four kiosks have been installed initially, two in Bahrain and one each in Abu Dhabi and Muscat, at a cost of $500,000 (BD89,000)," he told a news conference at the Gulf Air headquarters in Muharraq. "In the first phase of roll-out, the distinctive kiosk will be located in the check-in area at each airport and will operate alongside traditional check-in desks. It will speed up check-ins for passengers travelling only with hand luggage in all classes.  
 

BAGHDAD: TWO Singapore companies have joined forces to provide ground-handling services at Iraq's Baghdad International Airport (BGW). Keppel Integrated Engineering (KIE) and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (Sats) have signed a joint-venture agreement to set up Mid-East Airport Services, which will be equally owned. The joint venture will have an authorised capital of $2 million and an issued and paid-up capital of $500,000. A joint statement said the move paves the way for KIE, the wholly owned infrastructure subsidiary of Keppel Corp, to offer its core expertise of maintenance and operations services  
 

MUSCAT:Travelex, the world’s largest foreign exchange specialist, has begun retail operations in the Middle East with the opening of four bureaus at Seeb International Airport in Oman, a press release said. Travelex, in partnership with Ajit Khimji Group of companies, opened with bureaus located in the check-in hall, the duty free area, immigration hall and the baggage reclaim hall. Matt Richardson, head of business development-Europe, Middle East and Africa for Travelex said: “We are absolutely delighted to have made this first step in the region, and hope that our operations in Oman will prove to be the foundation stone of more extensive expansion in the Middle East.” .  
 

MUSCAT: The final agreement on regulating air transport between the Sultanate of Oman and Vietnam was signed recently at the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and Meteorology at Seeb International Airport. Sultan Bin Ya’rub Al Saifi, acting director-general of civil aviation and meteorology, and the deputy director of civil aviation in Vietnam signed the agreement. As per the agreement, each side will increase the number of its flights to the other country to six. Oman Air and Gulf Air will be appointed as national carriers for the Sultanate. The two sides also agreed on adopting the common operation codes of aviation companies and on liberalising passenger and cargo irregular flights.  
 

MANAMA :  Ahli United Bank (AUB) officially opened its latest branch at the Bahrain International Airport in Bahrain. This is the 15th outlet in the bank's growing branch network. "We are very proud and dedicated to offer an exceptional level of services to all our clients," said bank deputy chief executive officer Abdulla Al Raeesi. "This has been made possible by the opening of the new airport branch. We will continue to deliver the outstanding quality that our clients have come to expect." The new office will provide customers with greater conveniences while they travel to and from Bahrain. It is equipped to provide the full services of Ahli United Banks, which include opening accounts, loans, foreign currency, withdrawals, deposits and traveller's cheques.  
 

AJMAN : The tender for the $800 million Ajman Airport may be issued this year, and construction is expected to begin next March, said officials of the London-based Wiggins Group. The airport will have a 4,000-metre runway and two taxiways, and will be built to cater initially to about two million passengers per year. It will have provision for hangers for maintenance, general aviation and a royal lounge. A rough masterplan has been submitted to the Ajman government. The plan calls for about eight kilometres of land and involves 20 to 30 boutique hotels, resorts, residential and tourism facilities. It will also have a commercial and light industrial zone that will feature 20,000 habitable units and attract investment as well as tourists, to keep the airport busy. Construction of the first phase of the airport is expected to take about 18 months. Commercial flights are expected to begin by 2006.
 

DOHA: Qatar Airways, which operates 43 flights from the UAE, will operate commercial air services into Iraq. It begins twice weekly flights into the southern Iraqi city of Basra from June 10.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Mr Akbar Al Baker will fly on the inaugural flight from Qatar Airways’ hub in Doha Qatar, to Basra on Tuesday. Flight QR476 will also carry much needed human and medicine aid — a present from the people of Qatar to the people of Iraq.

"Qatar Airways will be the first airline in 12 years to operate commercial airline services into Iraq when it lands its A320 in Basra on Tuesday," said Mr Al Baker. The services to Basra will operate twice a week, every Tuesday and Fridays, leaving Doha at 7.10 am and arriving Basra at 9.30 am, while flight QA477 will leave Basra at 10.45 am arriving Doha International at 11.10 am.

"We initially expect the flights to Basra will serve the international aid community. In time we plan to establish services for the people of Basra and Baghdad with our premium product, which has made Qatar Airways one of the fastest growing airlines in the world," said Mr Al Baker.  

MANAMA: Air Bangladesh is to operate freighter flights through Bahrain International Airport. They will initially be weekly technical (refuelling) stops for B747-400 aircraft flying from Bangladesh to Hahn, Germany. But the airline hopes to explore the regional market and intends to look at ways of linking Bahrain with new destinations. It comes as a result of an aggressive marketing strategy adopted by Civil Aviation Affairs to attract new airlines to Bahrain. "Bahrain International Airport is poised to take up its natural position as the key gateway for cargo in the region," said airport director Nabeel Taqi.  

DOHA: Qatar Airways, which recently added Manchester as its 40th destination, has launched a Fly & Drive package for England's North-West. Passengers flying to Britain's third largest airport will receive a complimentary car for 24 hours upon arrival. Travellers have the option of renting the car for seven days. The promotion is valid until June 30. Qatar Airways uses a twin-engined, wide-bodied Airbus A300-600R aircraft on its Doha-Manchester route, with 224 seats in a three-class configuration. The service has 12 seats in First Class, 18 in Business Class and 194 in Economy.
 

DUBAI: A 32-member Swedish Business Council delegation visited Dubai International Airport on a familiarisation trip. Directors from the Department of Civil Aviation and other senior management staff received the delegation. The members from the delegation were representing 23 Swedish organisations involved in various activities such as telecom, construction, pharmaceutical and technological companies etc.
The Swedish Business Council has shown keen interest in the facilities offered at Dubai International Airport to the business community. Lars Bergstrom, heading the delegation, commented: “This trip is a means for creating awareness and business opportunities, and in the long run improve relationship between UAE and Sweden.”  There are 79 Sweden-affiliated companies in UAE.
This familiarisation trip is fourth of its kind, the earlier ones being for the German, Dutch and Australian Business Group. This initiative to promote facilities at Dubai International Airport has been developed by the Marketing & Corporate Communications division of the Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai.  
 

TEHRAN: The Persian-language daily Siassat-e Rouz has  reported that Iran's national flag carrier Iran Air (HOMA) has refused to ship a large cargo of banknote paper from London to Iran. Siassat-e Rouz quoted reports that the cargo of 350 tonnes of paper, belonging to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), is waiting at London's Heathrow Airport to be shipped to Iran, stressing that the issue had concerned the airport and Iranian officials. The daily further recalled the recent economic problems of IranAir arising from a 35 per cent rise in its ticket prices which might have prompted the airliner's reluctance to ship the cargo.  
 

JEDDAH: King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) in Dammam, which is the largest airport in the Kingdom with a capacity to handle 16 million passengers a year, is facing a passenger-drain problem. A number of international airline companies, some of which have halted operations from Dammam because of high operational costs, are now transporting passengers to Bahrain from the Eastern Province cities via King Fahd Causeway so that they can catch their flights from Manama Airport. As a result, the number of passengers traveling from King Fahd airport has decreased considerably. According to a report carried by Al Watan Arabic daily quoting the Presidency of Civil Aviation (PCA), the number of passengers decreased from 1,037,000 in 2000 to 1,015,000 in 2002.  
 

DUBAI: Department of Civil Aviation strategy – Cycle of Excellence – helps win the Special Recognition for Customer Satisfaction at the Dubai Awards for Government Excellence (DAGE) for the second time. The recognition comes as a result of the Mystery Shopper survey conducted by Dubai Government Excellence programme.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, commented: “I thank HH General Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence UAE and the DAGE committee for this award. The credit for this award goes to the entire staff at DCA.  This award holds special significance since the surveys are conducted by an independent body. This also signifies that we at the Department of Civil Aviation are achieving what we set out to – providing the highest standards of service and facility to our customers. Our strategy is aimed at maintaining a continuous programme of improvement.”

The Mystery Shopper is an independent ‘customer’ appointed by the Dubai Government Excellence Programme committee, who in turn conducts business with the department in question. The ‘business’ could be as simple as a telephone call, which would evaluate response time to the call, politeness, attitude, flexibility, friendliness and service provided by the recipient. Or, it could be a ‘passenger’ using the airport or even a ‘supplier’ wanting to do business.

The Department of Civil Aviation has put in every effort into continuously improving services and facilities and the Special Recognition for Customer Satisfaction highlights the effort.  
 

MANAMA: The world's largest aircraft, cargo carrier Antonov 225, landed at Bahrain International Airport  with a huge consignment of goods for Kuwait. The plane, which was carrying 250,000 kilogrammes of transhipment goods, including medical supplies and food, was offloaded in Bahrain. This is the first time the Antonov 225 has landed anywhere in the Middle East, said Bahrain airport director Nabeel Taqi. DHL, which chartered the airline, then supervised the transit of the goods to Kuwait in 45 trucks. It took 13 hours to load the cargo onto the Ukrainian-built aircraft at Stuttgart, Germany.  
 

DOHA: Qatar has imposed a temporary ban on the entry of people from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-affected China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam. The Ministry of Public Health took this decision as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease, which has killed over 100 people worldwide. The country has put Canada and Thailand on the watch list. At present, people from these countries have to register with the airport clinic on their arrival in Doha.  
 

DUBAI: The Department of Civil Aviation, in an effort to provide yet another service to passengers, has introduced five ‘the airport guide’ leaflets at Dubai International Airport. These leaflets – dining guide, lounges guide, arrivals guide, duty free shopping guide and departures guide – provide an insight into the facilities available for passengers and location map. The leaflets are in English and in Arabic and are specially designed in bright, attractive colours. They are placed all around the airport for passengers to pick up. Two more guides – hotel and transit – will also be available soon.
 

DUBAI: For the tenth consecutive year, Dubai Cargo Village has won the Asian Freight and Supply Chain Award, AFSCA (formerly known as the Asian Freight Industry Awards, AFIA) for Dubai International Airport – it has been voted as the Best Airport Middle East for its cargo facilities and services. Ali Al Jallaf, Director, Dubai Cargo Village received the award in Singapore.
    H.H Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates, commented: “This achievement has come as a result of the supporting environment provided by the Government of Dubai to the Department of Civil Aviation. Standing at the crossroads between the east and the west, Dubai offers vast opportunity for trade and business. We aim to offer the best possible service and facility to the industry.”
    Now in its 17th year, AFSCA is firmly established as the highlight of the Asian freight industry. Ali Al Jallaf, Director Dubai Cargo Village, stated, “The Cargo Village takes pride in the standard of services and facilities provided. This award has been given on the basis of customer preference and hence is a reconfirmation of our efforts in providing the best for our customers.  We aim to continuously upgrade our standards and provide even better service.”
    Dubai Cargo Village has till date won 15 international awards. Dubai Cargo Village has been undertaking a number of marketing efforts such as attending international and national exhibitions, organizing events highlighting the facilities and expansion programme underway, which include the Mega Cargo Terminal and the Dubai Flower Centre project.
Pic: Ali Al Jallaf, Director Dubai Cargo Village pictured with the AFSCA Award
 

ISTANBUL: SITA has been awarded contracts to upgrade the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) check-in service and expand the Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS) at the International Terminal of Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST). The project, valued at $810,000 was awarded by the Tepe-Akfen-VIE (TAV) consortium, to manage the modernization of the existing International Terminal, which includes the installation of 77 additional check-in desks, five new gates and three new baggage carousels. 
 

JEDDAH: Prince Sultan, the second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense and Aviation, will inaugurate the new Dawadmi Airport next week. The airport is designed to handle one million passengers a year. Saudi Arabian Airlines operated its first flight to Dawadmi recently, carrying 67 passengers to this Central Province city from Jeddah. Saud Ibn Muhammad Al Hilal, Governor of Dawadmi, said the opening of the new airport would speed up the overall development of the city and its surrounding areas. Dawadmi, located west of Riyadh, becomes the airline's 26th domestic destination. Saudia, the largest airline in the Middle East, links various parts of the Kingdom with its fleet of aircraft. 
 

DUBAI: The Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai, has announced that Dubai International Airport continues to operate as normal.  There has been no unusual activity. It will remain open to all airlines round the clock.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates, commented: “We regret the onset of the conflict, however, we are very far away from it and are completely safe. Dubai International Airport will continue to remain open and provide all support to airlines and passengers. We have contingency plans in place to facilitate airline requests if required. It is up to the airline to take whatever decision is good for them. For us it is business as usual.”
Dubai International Airport contingency plans include 24 hours operations, providing round the clock information on safe routing for airlines, aircraft parking positions for up to 100 hundred aircraft and additional operations manpower as and when required. 

According to a statement released by IATA (International Air Transport Authority), “Aircraft are being re-routed around the conflict zone in accordance with air route contingency plans that were developed and agreed by IATA, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) and national governments in advance. These plans have been coordinated with the national authorities concerned. For flights to and from Gulf destinations, pre-determined temporary routes will divert flights well away from any military activity. The approximately 150 flights between Europe and Southeast Asia will most likely not experience any noticeable change as they are normally routed well north of the conflict zone. Travelers in the Gulf area, however, could experience up to one hour or more added flight time when re-routed.”
A number of airlines have rescheduled their flights. Currently the following airlines have temporarily suspended complete operations – Condor, which operates four charter flights a week from Germany; Tunis Air, which has two weekly flights, AfricaOne, two flights weekly, Hemus Air (Bulgaria), one flight weekly and Korean Air, which has four weekly flights. 
 

SHARJAH: The international tourism industry faces up to the challenges - Interest in travel remains as keen as ever
"Here at our ITB Berlin the industry's message was clear: despite a weak bookings situation we will not bury our heads in the sand but intend to utilise this crisis as an opportunity for restructuring. In this way the ITB fulfils its role even more emphatically, providing the industry with a fresh impetus, and it has strengthened its position as a worldwide leader in its field." This was how Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin summed at the fair. During this five-day event there were many positive indicators for the tour operators, airlines, hotels and 181 destination countries. Interest in travel remains as keen as ever and while in Berlin the international tourism industry was already preparing its strategies for the period following the current crisis.
As emphasised during the ITB 2003 by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Madrid, contrary to expectations, travel over the past year was successful in many respects. Forecasts for the coming years are also positive despite difficult economic conditions in several regions of the world and the generally tense geopolitical situation. According to the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Francesco Frangialli: "In these uncertain times the ITB Berlin provides just what the international tourism community needs: direct contacts between supply and demand at a high professional level, an exchange of expertise in order to face the future in tourism, accompanied by the exchange of ideas, experience and projects.”  
 

MANAMA: Bahrain International Airport (BIA) reached a milestone when it introduced a new, state-of-the-art push-back tractor for towing aircraft. It is the latest of its kind and the first in Bahrain. The tractor, manufactured in the UK, was introduced by Bahrain Airport Services. It no longer uses the traditional towbar, but is designed to enclose the nosewheels of aircraft and lift them slightly off the ground. It can tow all aircraft up to Boeing 777 and Airbus 340 sizes.  

MANAMA: Construction of a new air traffic control tower at Bahrain Internat-ional Airport is to start within four weeks, it has been revealed. The project, expected to cost about BD2.5 million, will be completed in a year. A contractor will be appointed soon, said Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrah-Man Al Gaoud. The tower has been designed by local consultants Ahmed Abubaker Janahi Architects. "The tower and another project for the redevelopment of the taxiway form part of the initial phase in the planned upgrade of the airport's infrastructure," Capt Al Gaoud said.  

DUBAI: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Airports Council International (ACI jointly held, with the support of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and the General Civil Aviation Authority of the United Arab Emirates, a two-days workshop on the Certification of Aerodromes in Dubai, UAE, from 22nd February 2003 at Sheraton Creek Hotel & Towers. The Dubai workshop  preceded the SAFEPORT Conference also organized by ACI, from 24 - 25 February 2003 at the same venue. 
Mohammad Ahli, Director Operations, DCA, commented at the opening of the workshop: “It is common knowledge that Certification of Aerodrome is a mandatory requirement for all airports. Dubai International Airport is on schedule in this regard. The application for the certification has been made to the General Civil Aviation Authority, practical sessions are being conducted regarding the documentation and operational procedures, and a process of internal auditing prior to formal audit by the authority is underway. Once the aerodrome is certified, we as operators are expected to meet the obligations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the certificate. We have a very high responsibility on our shoulders.
“We have already commenced the process of formulating the manual for Safety Management Systems for Dubai International Airport. I am sure that a workshop of this nature will help us smooth out some of the grey areas with regards to the provisions of the system.”
Present at the workshop were Arun Rao, Chief of Aerodromes and Ground Aids, ICAO and  Zarhouni, Regional Director, ICAO, Middle East region along with representatives from the Department of Civil Aviation Dubai.
Air transport progress has been faster than expected, and the accelerated acceptance of the trend of privatisation of airport operations and management, along with the continuing growth of the aviation industry would suggest the need to ensure safety by the provision of adequate facilities and services at airports and the proper implementation of ICAO Annex 14 regulations. 
Department of Civil Aviation Dubai is well ahead of the ICAO implementation plan with regard to Aerodrome Certification, this includes preparation of an Aerodrome Manual, Safety Management System and Airport Security programme which will be audited and approved by the GCAA.  

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait is to build a new airport exclusive to Kuwait Airways, close to the existing one, said a top official of United Projects Co, which manages passenger handling services, the airport mall and car park at Kuwait International Airport (KIA). "Kuwait is privatising its airport operations in phases. The company is also in advanced negotiations with Kuwait's civil aviation department, to secure the overall management of the airport," said Dr Hussain Jaafar Al Sayegh, managing director of United Projects Co, in Dubai. "Kuwait has plans to build a multi-million dollar airport terminal, concourse and other facilities, next to the current one, that will be dedicated to the country's flag carrier, Kuwait Airways," he said.  

MUSCAT: After evaluating the quality standard for services provided to airlines and passengers at Seeb airport, IATA has awarded AHS1000 certificate to Oman Aviation Services (OAS) as the best handling agent in the Gulf for compliance with the international ground handling practices. As a prerequisite to grant this certificate, programmes are carried out on a monthly basis with a total of 11 airlines participating to measure quality services standard with relation to ground handling, catering, cargo, customer service and  baggage delivery. The number of airlines participating in this survey is subject to increase every month.

OMAN: Oman Aviation Services (OAS) and Omantel have announced the availability of all airfreight information on line through Oman TradaNet's (OTN) iX2 portal. This is a major milestone for Oman in beginning their journey to a fully electronic logistics infrastructure.

Consignees will now be able to track and trace their freight as it moves through Seeb International Airport. Once the consignee has entered his Airway bill number into the system, which is on-line to the OAS' new ground handling system it will then give the latest information such as arrival date/time, whether it has been checked, the data is entered into the system and ready for delivery. Alternatively organizations will also be able to have the information messaged directly to them, if they have subscribed to the automatic freight status system. The availability of the freight information so readily provides huge benefits for all concerned, one example is consignees will be able to judge accurately when to send vehicles to the airport to collect their freight. 

MANAMA: The number of travellers using Bahrain airport rose by 17 per cent from 160,709 in January 2002 to 188,670 last month, the Immigration and Passports Directorate announced. But it said the number of people who crossed King Fahad Causeway in both directions fell by five per cent from 804,139 in January last year to 758,393 last month. The directorate added that 1,959 people entered Bahrain to visit relatives last month, 2,197 arrived on visits and 5,997 arrived on one-week to 72-hour visas.

MUSCAT: The first Turtle's Bookstore in the Sultanate has been launched at Seeb International Airport jointly by Colin Hobbs, CEO of Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC), and Rishi Khimji, group business director of Asha Enterprises, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ajit Khimji group of companies.
Turtle's Bookstore is a three-way partnership between Dubai-based Magrudy's Bookstore, renowned for their wide selection of books at reasonable prices, Asha Enterprises and Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC). Colin Hobbs said: "Opening Turtle's Bookstore at Seeb International Airport propels retailing at the airport into a new dimension. We are particularly pleased that our partners in this venture are Magrudy's and Asha Enterprises."

SHARJAH: The Department of Civil Aviation and Sharjah International Airport Authority have jointly launched Air Arabia, which will be UAE’s national carrier. It will have a share capital of Dh10 million, and an operational capital of Dh50 million, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Thani, chairman of Sharjah Department of Civil Aviation said recently at a press conference. The airline is the UAE's third, after Emirates and Gulf Air, in which Abu Dhabi has a stake. Dr. Ghanem Al Hajri, director-general of both the department and the airport, said the airline's premises would initially be in the terminal complex. The business plan is still under development and the board of directors will be announced shortly. The first flight is expected to take off in October 2003.
He said an outlay of Dh 50 million would be enough to efficiently run passenger and cargo services. He said capital would be split 60:40 between the Department of Civil Aviation and the Sharjah International Airport Authority and shares would have a Dh1,000 face value. "We will be a full-fledged UAE national airline from Sharjah," he said. "Just like any other national airline, we will have bilateral agreements between the UAE and other countries." Sheikh Abdullah said, in line with the country's open sky policy, Air Arabia would not enjoy preferential treatment, nor would airlines flying to Sharjah be disadvantaged by the airline. "We will complement their services."

MUSCAT: The Sultanate and the Republic of Azerbaijan have signed a draft agreement on regulating air transport services between them and identifying the airports for the purpose. The agreement was signed during a session of talks on civil aviation and air transport held between the two sides at Seeb International Airport recently. The Omani side to the talks was headed by Rashid Bin Mohammed Al Kiyoumi, air transport director at the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and Meteorology, while the Azerbaijani side was led by the director of external relations at Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Authority. Kiyoumi said the session discussed the draft agreement which was signed by the two sides and that the final agreement would be signed after completing legal procedures in both the countries.

JEDDAH: The authorities have postponed a decision to fingerprint pilgrims at various entry points, Asharq Al Awsat newspaper reported. The government introduced this procedure at Saudi airports last year on a trial basis as part of efforts to ensure the safety of pilgrims. The Passports Department said the reason for the postponement was lack of trained personnel able to operate the computers and carry out regular maintenance.

SHARJAH: Nearly 400 Haj flights have already been scheduled from January to March through Sharjah International Airport, and the number of Haj flights is expected to increase with the airport receiving favourable feedback on a regular basis from Haj contractors, travel agents and airline companies.
In view of the increase, the airport authority has taken care of Haj pilgrims to proceed smoothly with several airlines submitting their flight schedule to route Haj flights through the airport. The major airlines operating via Sharjah include Air India operating over 180 flights between January and March and Ariana Afghan Airlines with 180 flights between January 4 and February 4.  The third carrier to operate Haj flights via Sharjah is Uzbekistan Airways, while Saudi Arabian Airlines operates eight flights out of Sharjah with a combination of B747 and B777.

CAIRO: Egypt has earmarked around $100-million for expansion of the airports of the ancient city of Luxor and the Red Sea resort of Sharm Al Sheikh, the tourism ministry has announced. A new airport terminal will be built in Luxor, Upper Egypt, at a cost of 310 million Egyptian pounds ($67-million) and works worth 150 million pounds ($33 million) will be undertaken to expand Sharm Al Sheikh airport, it said in a statement. The announcement came despite fears that a US-led war on Iraq could trigger a dramatic drop in tourism to Egypt, the country's main foreign currency earner.

JEDDAH: Unescorted females below the age of 50 coming for Haj are denied entry by the Immigration Department as per rules, Dr. Eissa Rawas, assistant deputy minister in the Ministry of Haj in Saudi Arabia, has said. Likewise, handicapped pilgrims also have to arrive with escorts, Rawas told a meeting of King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s Airlines Operators Committee. “Female pilgrims over 50 years of age do not need escorts to enter the Kingdom,” he clarified. The agenda for the meeting, which is held every Haj season, included a discussion of the new system of immigration landing cards bearing bar codes. The Haj commences on Feb.9.

SHARJAH: Sharjah International Airport recorded substantial increases in its cargo and passenger figures in 2002. Ali Salem Al Midfa, Administrative and Commercial Director, stated.  "As at end-November, freight handled has jumped 21 per cent to 454,138 tonnes, while passenger movements have climbed 17.73 per cent to 924,175," he said. Sea-air cargo throughput has also risen 5.72 per cent to 24,535 tonnes, while aircraft movements edged 1.09 per cent higher to 22,529.
The official attributed the all-round growth to better cooperation between the various departments involved, including police, customs, immigration, and its numerous concessionaires at the airport.

JAPAN: August 2002 results from almost 760 airports show cargo traffic rising 5 percent over August 2001, says an Airports Council International press release. However, passenger and movements were still down 3 and 5 percent, respectively. For the first eight months of 2002, cargo rose 2 percent while passenger traffic was down 6 percent and movements down 5 percent over the same period last year.

In August 2002, passenger traffic rose in Asia/Pacific (+3 percent) and the Middle East (+2 percent). It remained unchanged in Africa and was down in Europe (-1 percent), Latin America/Caribbean (-4 percent) and North America (-8 percent). The two Tokyo airports, Narita (+11 percent) and Haneda (+5 percent), were the fastest growing airports for the month. Other gainers include Beijing (+4 percent), Bangkok (+3 percent), Hong Kong and Amsterdam (+2 percent each).

Double-digit increases in cargo volume handled were registered in the Middle East (+20 percent) and Asia/Pacific (+14 pe rcent). Cargo traffic also rose in Latin America/Caribbean (+2 percent) and Europe (+1 percent). It was flat in North America and contracted in Africa (-9 percent). Cargo volumes in thirteen of the busiest cargo airports worldwide grew sharply. Topping the list are Shanghai Pudong (+79 percent), Kuala Lumpur (+36 percent), Memphis (+31 percent), Tokyo Narita and Anchorage (+28 percent each), Hong Kong (+24 percent) and Taipei (+21 percent).

MANAMA: GCC nationals departing from Bahrain International Airport will no longer have their passports stamped on departure, according to a new regulation issued by Bahrain. The new facility has been implemented from December 1. The Civil Aviation Affairs of Bahrain had reportedly informed all airlines operating into Bahrain of the new regulation issued by the Directorate of Immigration and Passport Affairs, concerning the departure of nationals of the six GCC states from the airport. However, the passports need to be stamped on arrival.

SHARJAH: The Sharjah Airport Authority is awaiting details of the Indian government's airport privatization programme before finalizing plans to put in a bid. New Delhi plans to privatize at least four airports by the end of next year in a bid to bring them up to international standards. Frequent changes in policies and requirements of airports makes it necessary for India to have a transparent policy on privatization, said Ghanem Al Hajri, director general of the Department of Civil Aviation and Sharjah Airport Authority.

"It is a very complex issue. The position of the Indian government on what they want to do and what services they want to hand over (to private investors) will determine the number of interested parties that will come in," Hajri told Indo-Asian News Service. Hajri was speaking on the sidelines of a two-day international conference organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and the Middle East Aviation Journal.  On Sharjah Airport Authority's interest in handling facilities in India, Hajri said: "It is going to be an international group of companies and people that will eventually form a consortium of bankers, businessmen and airport experts."

The profile and size of the consortium will depend on the requirement of the projects. "We will be able to design the consortium when we know all the factors or the requirements by the Indian authorities," said Hajri. As chairman of Airports Council International (ACI), Hajri said he enjoyed a good business relationship with the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Some 1,600 airports worldwide are represented in ACI. ACI has been encouraging privatization, liberal policies and competition among airports in terms of facilities and services to airlines and passengers. 

AMMAN: About 1,100 Eastern European tourists arrived in Jordan's southern Red Sea resort of Aqaba aboard six aircraft last week, in what tour officials said was a record number of sightseers to arrive in one batch. The Hungarian and Romanian tourists were welcomed at Aqaba International Airport with a celebration attended by senior government officials, the state-run Petra news agency has said. The government has been trying to encourage tourists from Eastern Europe.

SHARJAH: Singapore Airlines Cargo operates 26 freighter flights a week via Sharjah International Airport with ground handling done by Lufthansa Cargo. The Airline has recently started operations on a new route. These include four cargo flights from USA to Sharjah - two each from Chicago and New York. These cargo flights are loaded with different commodity types. The cargo, mainly shipped in Boeing 747 – 400 aircraft, is machinery and equipment. 
 ‘Sharjah Airport Authority has helped us improve our loads via the airport thanks to efficient handling times, professional staff and modern equipment. Sharjah Airport also provides personalized quality of service and cost effective facilities,’ says Shokat Nasser, Sales and Operations Manager Gulf, Singapore Airlines Cargo. 
Singapore Airlines Cargo, which had full cargo flights via Sharjah International Airport for the past three months, has started bringing horses nearly every week from September 2002 for the horse racing season.  Singapore Airlines Cargo is currently shipping horses from UK and Ireland, USA and Australia to Sharjah.  Until now it has shipped around 500 horses and more horses are coming every week.  Singapore Airlines Cargo is one of the leading carriers operating direct freighter services from Copenhagen, Dublin, Amsterdam, Sweden, London, Paris, USA, Australia and more destinations.

MANAMA: The contract for the construction of a new air traffic control tower at Bahrain International Airport is to be awarded later this month, the Gulf Daily News has reported. Six companies have submitted their bids, according to Works and Housing Ministry construction projects director Aziz Al Gassab. "We are now in the last stage of evaluation and negotiation. We hope to award the contract by later this month." The project has been designed by local consultants Ahmed Abubaker Janahi Architects. Gassab said the work is expected to be completed in a year.

CAIRO: Construction work on a new terminal for Cairo International Airport is set to begin by June-2003. The long-delayed airport expansion project was recently earmarked $325 million by the Egyptian government. The planned terminal complex, expected to become operational by mid-2006, will include cargo shipping as well as duty-free shopping facilities. Cairo airport’s two existing terminals have the capacity to handle up to 9.5 million passengers a year. The upcoming third terminal is designed to bring the airport’s passenger capacity up to 25 million per annum by decade’s

MUSCAT: Oman Aviation Services (OAS) and its joint venture partner Aer Rianta International (ME) (ARI) WLL have won the contract to operate the Duty and Tax-Free Services at Seeb International Airport in Muscat. The partners will take over the running of the stores from February 1, 2003, for nine-and-a-half years. Aer Rianta is rated as one of the premier airport management companies in the world with strong retailing and operations’ management expertise. OAS is currently managing the duty free services on a temporary basis.

  - Philbert Suresh
  - Aman Sangar
  - Raman Suri
  - Ranjeev Menon