Aviation

Emirates Airlines Launches Ambitious Recruitment Drive: Plans to Hire 5,000 Cabin Crew Members in 2024 Dubai-based Emirates Airlines is embarking on an extensive recruitment campaign, aiming to bring onboard 5,000 new cabin crew members in the year 2024. This initiative aligns with Emirates’ strategic move to introduce its long-anticipated A350s from mid-year and the Boeing 777-Xs, scheduled for delivery starting in 2025. The airline’s order book includes 65 A350s and a combination of 205 Boeing 777-9s and 777-8s. The primary focus of this recruitment drive is on individuals entering or recently entering the workforce. Emirates is particularly interested in candidates with fresh graduate credentials, internship experience, or part-time job exposure, as well as those possessing about a year of hospitality or customer service background. To be eligible for consideration as Emirates cabin crew, candidates must meet the following criteria: Emirates’ recruitment team plans to conduct open days and assessments in over 460 cities across six continents to identify suitable candidates. In 2023, Emirates significantly expanded its cabin crew, hiring 8,000 individuals and organizing recruitment events in 353 cities as part of its post-pandemic service ramp-up. By August 2023, the airline surpassed the 20,000 cabin crew milestone, reaching a strength of 21,500. Cabin crew members at Emirates enjoy a host of benefits, including a competitive tax-free salary, flying pay, profit share eligibility, hotel stays, layover expenses, concessional travel and cargo privileges, annual leave, furnished accommodation, transportation to and from work, comprehensive medical, life, and dental insurance coverage, laundry services, and discounted flight tickets for friends and family. The Emirates cabin crew community represents more than 140 nationalities, speaking a total of 130 languages. Career progression opportunities are available, allowing crew members to advance to higher cabin classes, and pursue roles as cabin supervisors, pursers, or trainers. With 1,180 pursers who climbed the career ladder, Emirates provides internal vacancy opportunities throughout the Emirates Group. New cabin crew recruits undergo an intensive eight weeks of training at Emirates’ state-of-the-art facility in Dubai, acquiring transferable skills in communication, initiative, leadership, effective teamwork, and the ability to thrive under pressure. Access to the latest training programs and LinkedIn courses further supports ongoing development for Emirates cabin crew members.

Dense Fog Continues to Disrupt Northern India: Over 160 Flights Delayed and Cancelled The grip of an intense cold wave, shrouded in dense fog, persists across northern India, causing significant disruptions in air travel for the third consecutive day. More than 160 flights have been affected, with New Delhi, the capital, experiencing delays and cancellations at its international airport. According to Flightradar24, the aviation site, New Delhi’s international airport witnessed 128 delayed flights and 33 cancellations. The repercussions extended to flight schedules nationwide, creating a cascade effect. At 8 am, visibility at the airport was reported to be as low as 50 meters (164 feet), with weather officials anticipating similar conditions throughout the week. The winter chill in New Delhi hit its lowest temperature at 3.3 degrees Celsius on Monday, leading to the delay of around 500 flights and the cancellation of 87. Passengers expressed their frustration through heated arguments with airline staff, captured in images circulated on television and social media. One video even depicted passengers having dinner while waiting on the tarmac for a delayed flight. To address the situation, authorities are expediting efforts to utilize an additional runway equipped with the CAT III navigation system. This system enables aircraft to land safely even in conditions of low visibility, providing a potential solution to alleviate the disruptions caused by the persistent dense fog.

The flight was powered by 100% SAF in one of four engines to test performance Dubai airline Emirates completed an Airbus A380 demonstration flight last week using 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), making it the first airline in the world to do so. WHAT WAS THE FUEL USED? The 100% drop-in SAF used on today’s flight includes renewable aromatics and closely mimics the characteristics of conventional jet fuel. This is the first time that drop-in SAF has been used on an A380 aircraft, with the expectation of full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing systems. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, comprised of HEFA-SPK provided by Neste (hydro processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene). ENOC helped to secure the neat SAF comprised of HEFA-SPK, and blended it with Sustainable Aviation Kerosene (SAK) at its facility in Dubai International Airport ahead of the demonstration, and also carried out into-plane services. According to Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates Airline, the test flight conducted today paves the way for future standardization, qualification and adoption for 100 per cent SAF flying. He said, “Emirates is the first passenger airline in the world to operate an A380 with 100 per cent drop-in SAF (sustainable fuel blended with conventional fuel) powering one of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines.” Al Redha said the test also marks a significant step in validating the use of SAF in one of the engines of the A380, a wide-body aircraft with four engines. This is the first time drop-in SAF (sustainable fuel blended with conventional fuel) has been used on an A380 aircraft, with the expectation of full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing systems. Large-scale manufacturing Al Redha said, “Now that we have completed this test, the next step would be to ensure the availability of the fuel in various airports. We rely on fuel suppliers to start manufacturing and producing such fuel in the required volume, and that will be the challenge.” The growing global demand for lower-emission jet fuel alternatives is there, said Al Redha. “However, the work of producers and suppliers to commercialize SAF and make it available will be critical in the coming years,” he explained. This will help Emirates and the wider industry advance the path to cutting emissions. Earlier this year, Emirates completed the first 100 per cent SAF-powered demonstration flight in the region on a GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ER, and last month, the first Emirates flights operating with SAF provided by Shell Aviation took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Shell supplied 315,000 gallons of blended SAF for use at the airline’s hub in Dubai. The airline recently expanded its partnership with Neste to supply over 3 million gallons of blended SAF in 2024 and 2025 for flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports. Emirates currently uplifts SAF in Norway and France. The test flight also comes against a backdrop of the third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3), where members of the aviation industry, international organisations, regulatory bodies and high-level officials are driving policy-related decisions related to the adoption of SAF.

Dubai has always believed in proactively preparing for the future and setting in place strategies to address forthcoming challenges. Sustainability is one of the dominant themes underpinning every aspect of development in the emirate today, from urban planning to utilities to public transport. It is no surprise then that Dubai has been among the first cities in the world to pilot air taxis and chart their future growth with visionary planning and infrastructure development. Aerial taxis are expected to feature prominently in discussions on sustainable aviation and net zero emission targets at the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow under the theme ‘The Future of the Aerospace Industry’, prominently featured the soaring market for advanced aerial mobility (AAM) and urban air mobility (UAM) solutions. Aerial mobility pioneer While the deployment of aerial taxis is part of Dubai’s agenda for adopting cutting-edge innovation, the emirate also places high priority on the new technology due to its significant potential for advancing sustainable urban transportation. In the broader aviation industry, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could climb sharply to anywhere between 25% to 30% by 2050 in the absence of credible alternatives given the soaring demand for air travel, predicts a report by Frost & Sullivan titled ‘Sustainable Technologies in Aviation’. By taking cars off the road and reducing traffic congestion, aerial taxis can contribute significantly to addressing environmental challenges. According to some estimates, flying taxis have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional cars. The AAM market globally is projected to reach $16.8 billion in 2025, expanding significantly to $110 billion by 2035. This translates into a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 21.7%. The Dubai Airshow seeks to provide regional and international players a platform to explore futuristic technologies that are bound to revolutionize air travel. Dubai, being the trendsetter it is, has been among the first movers in the context of AAM innovation and infrastructure planning. Earlier this year, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced plans to launch air taxis in Dubai in just over three years. The initiative will see vertiports spring up across the city as part of an air mobility infrastructure network designed for the future. Providing the AAM industry still more impetus, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) have joined hands to establish the world’s first AAM integrator world center in Dubai. The development of the world’s first-ever vertiport certification process and strengthening Dubai’s global standing in the AAM sector would also come under the ambit of the project. Early bird As far back as 2017, Dubai conducted a test flight of a driverless flying vehicle that at the time gained instant attention as the world’s first self-flying taxi service set to be introduced by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Spelling out Dubai’s will to make things happen, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid tweeted during the World Government Summit held in Dubai: “We approved today the design of the new air taxi stations in Dubai, which will start operating within three years.” Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has worked on a conceptual design of aerial taxi vertiports. His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, explained that the vertiports will feature designated take-off and landing zones in addition to a passenger waiting area and electric charging stations. There will also be required security protocols to comply with the applicable security policies and laws. “In line with Dubai’s vision for future technologies, the adoption of advanced aerial mobility technologies is a testament to our commitment to transforming urban mobility as well as ushering in a greener future. Under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we are investing in a technology-rich future that is sustainable, efficient and interconnected. This is aligned with our broader vision for Dubai, as outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to transform the city into one of the world’s top three urban economies. The integration of aerial taxis into our urban infrastructure will create a cohesive, multimodal transportation network that demonstrates Dubai’s readiness to embrace new technologies while keeping sustainability and the wellbeing of its residents at the forefront,” His Excellency said. When ready, the new infrastructure will make Dubai the first city in the world with a fully developed network of vertiports. Capable of achieving top speeds of 300 km/hr and a maximum range of 240 km, the aerial taxis would accommodate four passengers in addition to the pilot. Currently we are working with the right investor who is capable of building the infrastructure required for the air mobility industry, Al Tayer added. Initial networkThe initial network of vertiports is expected to connect four main areas of Dubai, namely Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Dubai International Airport and Palm Jumeirah. The task of devising a comprehensive framework for introducing aerial taxis has been left to the RTA, which would also identify take-off and landing sites, besides framing protocols for safe and efficient operations. “The regulatory and safety aspects of aerial taxi operations will be studied at length and a clear framework evolved well in advance to deliver path breaking services while ensuring the highest level of public satisfaction,” Al Tayer added.

include Pakistan with 3.1 million passengers, the US (2.7 million) and Russia (1.8million). The top cities by traffic were London (2.7 million passengers) and Riyadh (1.9million), closely followed by Mumbai (1.8 million) and Jeddah (1.7 million passengers).PerformanceDXB’s baggage handling system processed a total of 57.5 million bags in 2023 with asuccess rate of 99.8% – a rate of 2.5 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers – no meanfeat for the world’s biggest hub for international traffic. In terms of baggage delivery onarrival, 91% of all baggage was delivered within 45 minutes to the guests. The baggagevolume in 2023 represents 106.07% of the 2019 baggage volume at DXB.The average waiting time at passport control queues was less than 11 minutes for96.4% of the arriving passengers and 95.1% of passengers queued for less than sixminutes at departure passport control. The average queue times at security-check ondepartures was less than four minutes for 98.4% of total passengers. Cargo Cargo continued to gain momentum in the third quarter registering a surge of 12.3% year on year, to reach 446,400 tonnes. The strong performance this year has helped level out a double-digit contraction in cargo recorded at the end of last year. The hubrecorded 1.3 million tonnes of cargo in the first nine months of the year, registering aminor decline of under 1%. Flights Flight movements in Q3 surged by 5.1% in the third quarter to reach 106,000. DXB handled 308,000 in total flight movements between January and September, up 25.2%year-on year.