SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabian Airlines And Flyadeal To Get Private By 2020

Saudi Arabian Airlines’ along with new low cost subsidiary Flyadeal are due to be privatised by 2020.

One significant part of the group’s privatisation plan is to incorporate SAAC,Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation to become the group’s parent company.

There are no explicit decisions for this yet, but the estimated timeline is by 2020, the report quoted a Saudi official to say.

The group privatisation strategy covers all strategic business units excluding the Royal Fleet.

The plan is to privatise Saudia and Flyadeal together under the group parent company.

Saudi Arabia is also working to privatise all of its airports.

The airport privatisation process was also being pushed to be completed by 2020.

Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines is the national carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah.

The airline's main operational base is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam are secondary hubs. The new Dammam airport was opened for commercial use on 28 November 1999.

Dhahran International Airport in use until then, has reverted to being used as a military base. The airline is the third largest in the Middle East in terms of revenue, behind Emirates and Qatar Airways.

It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 120 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

Domestic and international charter flights are operated, mostly during the Ramadan and the Hajj season. Saudia is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization and joined the SkyTeam airline alliance on 29 May 2012.

On 8 October 2000, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi Minister of Defense and Aviation, signed a contract to conduct studies for the privatization of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

In preparation for this, the airline was restructured to allow non-core units—including Saudia catering, ground handling services and maintenance as well as the Prince Sultan Flight Academy in Jeddah—to be transformed into commercial units and profit centers.

In April 2005, the Saudi government indicated that the airline may also lose its monopoly on domestic services.

Saudi Arabian Airlines achieved operational profits in 2002, which doubled in 2003, but the profits were primarily due to over one billion riyals on deferred income amortised annually in the income statement, courtesy of the 70 aircraft gifted to the airline by the Saudi government.

In 2004, the airline carried over 15 million passengers and recorded a 14% rise in profits. In April the following year the airline ordered 15 Embraer E-170LR aircraft in a deal worth $400 million.

In 2006, Saudia began the process of dividing itself into Strategic Business Units (SBU); the catering unit was the first to be privatized.In August 2007, Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers approved the conversion of strategic units into companies.

It is planned that ground services, technical services, air cargo and the Prince Sultan Aviation Academy, medical division, as well as the catering unit, will become subsidiaries of a holding company.

The airline reverted to its abbreviated English brand name Saudia used from 1972 to 1996 from Saudi Arabian Airlines,historic name in use until 1971 and reintroduced in 1997 on 29 May 2012; the name was changed to celebrate the company's entry into the SkyTeam airline alliance on that day, and it was a part of a larger rebranding initiative.

Saudia received 64 new jets by the end of 2012,6 from Boeing and 58 from Airbus. Another 8 Boeing 787-9 aircraft started to join the fleet in 2015.

In April 2016, Saudia announced the creation of a low-cost subsidiary, Flyadeal.

The airline was launched as part of Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, which intends to transform the group's units into world-class organisations by 2020.

Flyadeal will serve domestic and regional destinations, beginning flights in mid-2017.

Saudia has codeshare agreements with SkyTeam partners and with the following airlines:

- Oman Air

- Royal Air Maroc

The inflight magazine of Saudia is called Ahlan Wasahlan.

No alcoholic beverages or pork are served on board in accordance with Islamic dietary laws.

Its selected Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are equipped with Wi-Fi and mobile network portability on board. Some aircraft also offer onboard specialized prayer areas.

On 25 September 1959, a Saudia Douglas DC-4/C-54A-5-DO (registration HZ-AAF), performed a belly landing shortly after take-off from the old Jeddah Airport.

The cause of the accident was gust locks not deactivated by the mechanic, followed by a stall. All 67 passengers and 5 crew survived.

On 9 February 1968, a Douglas C-47 (Registration HZ-AAE) was damaged beyond economic repair at an unknown location.

On 10 November 1970, a Douglas DC-3 on a flight from Amman Civil Airport, Jordan to King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was hijacked and diverted to Damascus Airport, Syria.

On 11 July 1972, a Douglas C-47B (Registration HZ-AAK) was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Tabuk Airport.

On 19 August 1980, Saudia Flight 163, a Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar, operating Karachi-Riyadh-Jeddah, was completely destroyed by fire at Riyadh airport with the loss of all 301 people on board due to delays in evacuating the aircraft.

This was the deadliest accident experienced by Saudia until 312 were killed in the loss of Flight 763 over 16 years later.

On 22 December 1980, Saudia Flight 162, a Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar, operating Dhahran to Karachi, experienced an explosive decompression, penetrating the passenger cabin. The hole sucked out two passengers and depressurized the cabin.

On 5 April 1984, a Saudia Lockheed L-1011 TriStar on final approach to Damascus from Jeddah was hijacked by a Syrian national. The hijacker demanded to be taken to Istanbul, Turkey but changed his mind and requested to go to Stockholm, Sweden.

After landing in Istanbul to refuel, the hijacker was arrested after the pilot pushed him out of the emergency exit.

On 12 November 1996, a Saudia Boeing 747-100B, operating flight 763, was involved in the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision.The aircraft was on its way from New Delhi, India, to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia when a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 collided with it over the village of Charkhi Dadri, some miles west of New Delhi.

Flight 763 was carrying 312 people, all of whom, along with 37 more on the Kazakh aircraft, died, for a grand total of 349 fatalities.

The loss of Flight 763 alone remains Saudia's worst accident in terms of fatalities. The accident overall also remains the world's deadliest mid-air collision and the third-deadliest aviation disaster in history, as well as the deadliest one with no survivors.

On 14, October 2000, Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 115,flying from Jeddah to London was hijacked en route by two men who claimed they were armed with explosives.

The hijackers commandeered the Boeing 777-200 to Baghdad, Iraq, where all 90 passengers and 15 crew members were safely released.

The two hijackers, identified as Lieutenant Faisal Naji Hamoud Al-Bilawi and First Lieutenant Ayesh Ali Hussein Al-Fareedi, both Saudi citizens, were arrested and later extradited to Saudi Arabia in 2003.

On 23 August 2001, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, a Boeing 747-300 (Registration HZ-AIO) suffered nose damage as it entered a monsoon drainage ditch while it was being taxied by Maintenance staff from the hangar to the gate before a return flight to Saudi Arabia.

None of the six crew members on board at the time were injured.

On 8 September 2005, a Boeing 747 traveling from Colombo to Jeddah, carrying mostly Sri Lankan nationals to take up employment in the Kingdom, received a false alarm claiming that a bomb had been planted on board.

The aircraft returned to Colombo. During the evacuation, there was a passenger stampede in the wake of which one Sri Lankan woman died, 62 were injured, and 17 were hospitalized.

The aircraft had taken on a load of 420 passengers in Colombo.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, the probable cause was a Breakdown of timely and effective communication amongst Aerodrome Controller and Ground Handling (SriLankan Airlines) personnel had prevented a timely dispatch of the stepladders to the aircraft to deplane the passengers in a timely manner.

This resulted in the Pilot-In-Command to order an emergency evacuation of the passengers through slides after being alarmed by the bomb threat.

On 25 May 2008, a leased aircraft operating under Saudi Arabian Airlines as Flight SV-806 from Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport, Madinah made an unscheduled landing at Zia International Airport (now Shahjalal International Airport), Dhaka.

During the roll the tower controller reported that he saw a fire on the right hand wing. Upon vacating the runway, the crew received a fire indication for engine number three.

The fire extinguisher was activated and all engines were shut down. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-357, which was damaged beyond repair, was successfully evacuated.

Only minor injuries were incurred.Investigations revealed a fuel leak where the fuel enters the front spar for engine number three.

On 5 January 2014, a leased Boeing 767 operating under Saudia was forced to make an emergency landing at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina after landing gear failed to deploy. 29 people were injured in the incident.

On 5 August 2014, a Boeing 747-400 (reg. HZ-AIX) operating as flight 871 from Manila to Riyadh veered off the runway 24 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila while positioning for takeoff. No one on the plane or on ground were injured.



Tourism Observer

OMAN: Oman Air Wins ‘Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East’At Skytrax World Airline Awards

Oman Air has been named as the winner of the ’Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East’ award at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017 - voted for by air travellers based on their own experiences.

The award was presented at a ceremony held at the recent Paris Air Show.

It recognises the commitment of Oman Air’s staff to providing their guests with quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience.

This year’s award of ‘Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East’ follows wins in the same category in 2011, 2014 and 2015 and comes during a time of great growth for the airline.

Paul Gregorowitsch, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air, commented: “We are delighted that Oman Air has been recognised by the World Airline Awards for our outstanding staff service.

The awards are the most prestigious accolades available within the air travel industry and offer an unparalleled benchmark of quality for the services airlines offer.

To have won this award four times is a testament to the extraordinarily high standards of hospitality that our colleagues provide to all our guests.

That hospitality is an extension of Omani culture, so this award is recognition not only of Oman Air’s service, but also of the warm welcome offered to every visitor to Oman.

Oman Air is currently engaged in a well considered and sustainable expansion programme which will see the carrier operate 70 aircraft to around 75 destinations by 2023.

In recent months, the airline has increased the size of its fleet, launched new services to Guangzhou, Nairobi and Manchester and increased frequency on a number of its established routes.

Oman Air has continued to receive awards from industry bodies, consumer groups and publications around the world. Notably, the airline was awarded ‘Best Business Class Airline – Middle East’ and ‘Best Economy Class Airline – Middle East’ at the World Travel Awards 2016.

This follows Oman Air’s success in the same awards two years’ earlier when the airline was named ‘World’s Leading Economy Class Airline’. The carrier has also claimed ‘Best Luxury Airline, Middle East’ at this year’s Business Destinations Awards, following success in the same category in 2011, 2012 and 2013.



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USA: Travel From Middle East To USA drops

President Trump’s suspended travel ban has had a direct effect on travel to the United States from the Middle East.

The Airlines Reporting Corporation reports planned travel to the United States from the region is down 5.77 percent since Trump began efforts to temporarily ban visitors from half a dozen Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Given the back-and-forth on the executive orders and the court challenges we’re not sure yet where that’s going to shake out — I think that uncertainty for travelers that have discretion is leading them to say, “Well, maybe this year, we’ll go to a different destination,” said Chuck Thackston, managing director of enterprise information, ARC.

Customers purchased 383,154 fares from the Middle East to the United States during the first quarter of 2017 compared to 406,611 fares in the same period in 2016.

Surprisingly, average fares from the Middle East to the United States increased considerably this year.

While the United States hosts fewer travelers from the Middle East, visitors pay an average airfare of $1,026.28 — up nearly $200 from $857.48 last year.

Data shows the number of trips to the United States continues to climb, but the rate of growth has fallen, dropping to 5 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 85 percent during the same period in 2016.

A recent poll conducted by Brand USA, a tourism marketing agency, shows travelers of 11 countries not included in Trump’s executive order are less likely to visit the United States due to the changing political climate compared to last year.

Another recent study conducted by Virtuoso, a luxury travel network, noted a similar finding that 42 percent of affiliated travel advisors outside the United States said their clients are avoiding travel because of multiple factors, including opposition to U.S. foreign policy and concerns over obtaining visas.

Low-Cost Airlines Boosted Global Air Traffic In 2016

Worldwide passenger air traffic grew again last year, albeit at a slightly slower pace, led by the dynamic growth of low-cost air carriers, the International Civil Aviation Organisation reported.

A total of 3.7 billion passengers were transported by the world’s airlines last year, a 6 per cent increase from 2015. That was just under the previous year’s 7.1 per cent rise, the United Nations agency said.

Growth was most pronounced in the Middle East (11.2 per cent), Asia (8 per cent), Latin America (6.5 per cent) and Africa (5.7 per cent), while it was slower in Europe (4.3 per cent) and North America (3.5 per cent).

Over half of the world’s tourists who travel across international borders each year were transported by air, the Montreal-based agency noted in a statement.

Low-cost carriers accounted for 28 per cent of all passenger air traffic. Passing a milestone, they transported more than 1 billion passengers for the first time. In Europe, low-cost carriers transported nearly a third of all passengers, slightly more than the 31 per cent in Asia or North America’s 25 per cent.

The increasing presence of low-cost carriers notably in emerging economies contributed to the overall growth of passenger traffic,the ICAO said.

As for scheduled domestic flights, North America accounted for 43 per cent of the total, up 4.3 per cent from the previous year, while domestic traffic in Asia was up 10 per cent, largely due to growth in India and China.

Increased traffic and significantly lower fuel costs helped boost airlines’ operating profits, which the ICAO put at US$60 billion for last year, some US$2 billion more than in 2015.

More than a third of the profits are expected to come from the carriers of North America, whose domestic market represents 66 per cent of their total operations, the agency reported.

UAE: Air Arabia Confirms Options For Five Airbus A320s

Sharjah-headquartered Air Arabia PJSC (AIRARABI:DFM), the largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa, has confirmed options for five additional Airbus A320 aircraft. The delivery of original contract covering 44 firm orders and 5 options will be completed in 2017.

The five new Airbus A320 aircraft will be put into service starting second quarter 2017 backlog and have a book value of US$485 million. These new aircraft will join Air Arabia’s expanding fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft currently serving over 120 routes from five operational hubs.

Air Arabia has been constantly rewarded over the past years with the A320 Family Operational Excellence Award by Airbus for achieving the highest level of A320 family aircraft utilisation in the world with 99.8 percent operational reliability. In 2010, the carrier set a new world record achieving 30,000 flight hours in just six years with one of its CFM56-5B-powered A320 aircraft.

Founded in Sharjah, Air Arabia began operations in 2003 and currently operates a fleet of 46 Airbus A320 aircraft offering flights to over 120 destinations in 33 countries from five hubs across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family in the world.

JORDAN: Undiscovered Treasure

”My favourite time of day in Amman, no matter what season, is sunset,” Wendy Guyot says.
The Portland-native has been living in Jordan since autumn last year, so she's witnessed quite a few of them.

”The city is built upon hills, and as the sun drops down below them the buildings all change colour for a while, reflecting orange and red. Then you see the lights starting to come on in the houses, the warm glow of them inside – and a half hour later it's pitch black. It's a clear, crisp darkness, and you can see the stars shining across the hills.”

Wendy lives on the fifth floor of a building – high enough to enjoy the Amman sunset each night.

”There are a lot of bars and restaurants with rooftop bars too, though, where you can really feel the city change from day to night,” she says.

Wendy moved to Amman to work with humanitarian aid in Syria. But she says life in Jordan is nothing like what many Americans would expect of the Middle East.

”When I arrived in Jordan for the first time, my first impression was how modern everything was,” she remarks. ”People don't necessarily associate the Middle East with modernity.”

But for the most part, life in Jordan is like life well, anywhere else.

”The stop lights, the electricity, the water, the freeways it's all perfectly normal. A day in my life here is like a day anywhere,” she says. ”I walk to work, spend my day in the office, go out for dinner and drinks with friends, and walk home alone.”

But there are a few key differences – like how easy it is to meet people.

”When I moved to New York it took me a year to feel like I had a close group of friends,” Wendy explains. ”In Amman it was much quicker. It's very easy to talk to people."

And the social circles are more mixed, she says, than in many other cities. While many places develop separate ”expat communities”, Amman is a true melting pot.

”I was pleasantly surprised at how mixed the groups are,” she says. ”There are lots of aid workers from the US and Europe, but they hang out with locals who have grown up here, and people from Turkey and Lebanon who have ended up here. It's not segregated.”

In fact, she's never felt more welcomed in a city.

”Every single person, every shop keeper, says 'Welcome to Jordan!' when they meet a new foreigner,” Wendy informs The Local. ”And it feels very genuine. Jordanians are very hospitable and happy to have people living here.”

Even the local police go out of their way to make newcomers feel welcome.

”Once I was pulled over at a routine traffic stop,” Wendy recalls. ”And the policeman just looked at me and my car full of friends and exclaimed, 'Oh, welcome to Jordan!' and let us go.”

Put simply, it's easy to live there, she says.

”All of the things we're used to in the west are right here. The electricy always works; we have street lights and good internet. There's no sacrifice, no compromise in the quality of life, and yet it's unique and interesting.”

As an aid worker who has travelled around quite a bit, Wendy says that Jordan is one of the only places she has lived where she feels she can have her friends and family come visit – not just because of how safe it is, but how much there is to do.

”There's this fascinating vibe to Amman like it's still evolving,” she says. ”There are galleries, an emerging music and art scene, and a new skate park. Recently there was a little hiphop rap festival, and there's a hip vegan brunch and popup restaurants. And now the royal family is hosting a free film festival.”

Cultural life in Amman is subtle, she says. You might not see everything that's there at a glance – you have to scratch underneath the surface.

”It's not obvious like in Beirut or Istanbul. It's not in your face. But when you seek out these Jordanian-led events, they're really cool.”

One of the higlights of her day is when the dozens of mosques throughout the city sing the call to prayer.

”I love it,” she remarks. ”Five times a day there is this great cacophany of the call to prayer, and it feels like everything slows down a bit. That's something you don't get in places like New York or somewhere else.”

There's a certain pride in Jordan, she adds – but it's humble, not arrogant.

”I really love working with Jordanians and living here,” she says. ”It's an undiscovered treasure, and when they say 'Welcome to Jordan', they mean it.”

ZIMBABWE: African Airlines Association Meeting In November, Host Zimbabwe

Air Zimbabwe’s turnaround strategy is set to receive a major boost this year after the national airline won the right to host the 48th African Airlines Association (AFRAA) annual general assembly (AGA) in Victoria Falls later this year.

The event, which will take place from November 20 to November 22, is expected to attract 400 high profile delegates from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.

AFRAA secretary-general Dr Elijah Chingosho, who was in the country on an advance visit and also witnessed the unveiling of the logo for the general assembly, yesterday said the general assembly was a unique opportunity for Air Zimbabwe to spread its wings as it is expected to play a major role in bringing delegates to the general assembly and taking them back to their countries.

“As the host airline, Air Zimbabwe is expected to play a pivotal role in the transportation of delegates to and from the country.

“The hosting of this event in Zimbabwe and the Victoria Falls in particular also presents an excellent opportunity to strengthen aviation in the country and the tourism sector because we are encouraging all the delegates to travel with their spouses so that they can sample what Zimbabwe has to offer.

“This is also a chance to show the visitors the business opportunities that exist in the country and to state clearly that Zimbabwe is open for business,” he said.

AFRAA president and Air Zimbabwe’s acting chief executive Mr Edmund Makona said Air Zimbabwe was geared for the challenge.

“The secretary general said the purpose of hosting the general assembly in a specific country and being hosted by a specific airline is meant to maximise benefits for that airline. As Air Zimbabwe we have taken note of that. Within Air Zimbabwe we have also said it cannot be a strategy without the attendant issue of growth and sustainability. So growth and sustainability are at the heart of what we are doing.

“So we really are geared to grow that route network. I do not want to pre-empt other than just to confess that it cannot be an airline without the attendant issues of growth otherwise there is no need for the management at Air Zimbabwe to preside over a still birth airline.

“We will be the host airline and carrier of choice during the general assembly and we cannot do that if we have not spread our wings. We want to assure you that by the time the AGA takes place we would have spread our wings beyond the thin route network that we are currently operating. We have started some initiatives but we would want to under promise and over perform,” he said.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said hosting the AFRAA general assembly will be the best opportunity to look for partners to boost our Air Zimbabwe.

“We are busy talking to several airlines who want to partner with us to revitalise Air Zimbabwe so that we can come up with one because the shopping list of partners is long since many companies are approaching us from the Middle East, China and from Europe.

“We are expecting that in the next three to four years Air Zimbabwe will be back as a leading airline in the continent,” he said.

He added that the ministry is looking at bigger airplanes and small to complement the airline’s fleet so that it can resuscitate its old routes.

“I am looking at possibly engaging with partners before the end of the year and it’s a process, when you bring somebody to partner in such an industry which a number of countries are struggling to boost.

“We are we are aiming at bringing in new airlines and experts to revitalise Air Zimbabwe,” he said.

Meanwhile the general assembly would see delegates discussing issues on the development of air transport in Africa and development opportunities for African airlines in particular. AFRAA has a membership of 35 airlines that include all major intercontinental African operators.

The members also represent over 85 percent of total international traffic carried by African airlines. This is the third time that the annual general assembly is being held in the country.

Arab Countries Eye China To Grow Tourism

Arab nations are looking to Chinese visitors to revive their tourism sectors, battered by security fears, and also need to develop homegrown tourism as a lifeline, ministers from the region say.

Bookings to nations in North Africa and the Middle East, which had been recovering after the Arab spring unrest, fell last year following deadly attacks claimed by Islamic extremists in Tunisia and Egypt that caused foreigners to shun beaches and historic sites across the region.

But visitor numbers from China to Egypt soared last year despite a series of security blows to the country's key tourism sector in 2015 because the government began to allow charter flights from the Asian country, Egyptian Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said.

The number of Chinese visitors to Egypt more than doubled from 60,000 in 2014 to 135,000 in 2015, "in a year in which we suffered a lot", he said at a conference on tourism policies in Arab nations at the Madrid international tourism fair Fitur, which wraps up Sunday.

In September 2015, eight Mexican tourists were mistakenly killed by Egyptian security forces in the vast Western Desert.

The following month a Russian airliner crashed in the Sinai desert shortly after taking off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board.

The Islamic State jihadist group said it downed the aircraft and tens of thousands of foreign tourists, including some 80,000 Russians and 20,000 Britons, were stranded in the resort after flights were cancelled for security reasons.

Egypt has also boosted promotion efforts in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations, leading to a sharp increase in the number of visitors from those nations and is doing more to promote domestic tourism, Zaazou said.

Tourists come back

The country is banking on the short memory of global travellers who have been scared off and returned to the country before, most vividly after the Luxor massacre in 1997 in which over 60 people were killed, mostly Swiss and Japanese, he added.

"I believe 2016 will be the year tourists come back to Egypt and our part of the world," the minister said.

Like Egypt, Morocco has stepped up its efforts to develop its domestic tourism market to help offset fluctuations in the arrival of foreigners, Morocco's Tourism Minister Lahcen Haddad said.

The domestic market now accounts for 33 percent of the nation's total tourism activity, up from 25 percent in 2012.

"The more domestic tourism you have the more mature your destination (becomes), the more your industry is used, and also the more resilient your destination becomes because people domestically will travel no matter what," he said.

"That has also encouraged a lot of investors to stay in Morocco to invest more. We have been able to draw more investment despite the crisis that started in mid-2014. We have also seen more creation of jobs and seen more hotel brands interested in Morocco."

Swiss group Movenpick opened its third hotel in Morocco in Marrakech at the end of last year, one of several major hotel investments in recent years.

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia Has Biggest Fleet Of Business Aircraft In Mideast

There are 188 private jets registered in Saudi Arabia – the largest fleet of any country in the Middle East
74.5% of these are medium, heavy or business jet airliners
Saudi Arabia has 23.7% of the region’s private jet fleet
48 of the 188 private jets registered in Saudi Arabia were delivered between 2010 and 2014

JEDDAH — New research from Gama Aviation plc, the global aviation services company, revealed that there are now 792 business aircraft in the Middle East, and between 2010 and 2014, 176 of these were delivered to the region.
The new report is issued as the five-day Dubai Air Show kicked off Sunday (Nov. 8).

Gama Aviation’s analysis showed that when compared to the rest of the world, the Middle East has a much bigger focus on mid to larger sized business aircraft. Some 59% of its fleet is classified as medium to heavy, and 11% as business jet airliners. The corresponding figures for the global fleet are 29.8% and 1%.

Saudi Arabia has the biggest fleet of business aircraft in the Middle East, with 188 (23.7% of the region’s total), followed by Turkey (157 and 18.5%) and the UAE (135 and 17%). These three countries also accounted for 71% of all business aircraft deliveries between 2010 and 2014.

Gama Aviation plc has been operating in the Middle East since 2006 and it sees strong growth potential for its business in the region. Last August 1, it announced that it will be expanding its operations at Sharjah International Airport in the UAE.

With the support of Sharjah Airport Authority, it has acquired additional aircraft parking space to meet the growing demand it is experiencing for business aviation (particularly BBJs) at the airport, and from across the region. As part of the agreement, Gama Aviation’s fixed base operation (FBO) and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) teams will also be personally supervising the business aircraft left in their care, ensuring clients receive the highest possible levels of service.

Martin Ringrose, Gama Aviation’s managing director for the Middle East region, said: “The Middle East business aviation market is rapidly developing and is one of our major focus areas, which is why we are expanding our operations at the Sharjah International Airport. We expect to see the number of business aircraft in the region – especially the larger ones, which we focus on – to increase and with our experience, global footprint and economies of scale, we believe we are well positioned to capitalize on this growth.”

To help further strengthen its proposition in the region, Gama Aviation has also conducted a review of the Sharjah FBO handling rates and, as a result, the basic handling prices were reduced by 20% in August. This ensures that the Sharjah FBO, just 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai is extremely competitive when compared to similar offerings in the region notably Dubai South (60+ minutes away from Downtown Dubai).

This reduction in costs is just one part of a global review of Gama Aviation’s contracts across all areas of its operations. Due to its increased size following its merger with Hangar8 plc in January this year, the company is able to make considerable costs savings and pass these on to the benefit of its customers.

Gama Aviation is exhibiting at the Dubai Air Show after its listing on the London Stock Exchange.

UNITED KINGDOM: Middle East Private Jets Worth $646.9M Up For Sale

According to Global Jet Capital, Saudi Arabia has the largest fleet of private jets in the Middle East, with 144 planes.

Three of 17 private jets owned by Lebanese businessmen are up for sale, London-based company Global Jet Capital has said.

Global Jet Capital, a provider of financing solutions for large-cabin, long-range private jets, reveals there are around 62 aircraft of this size for sale in the Middle East, with a combined value of around $646.9 million.

The report did not disclose the names of the Lebanese who own the private jets or those whose aircraft are up for sale.

“Some 19 of these [62] aircraft are registered in Saudi Arabia, and 18 are in the United Arab Emirates. The remainder is spread out across the Middle East,” Global Jet revealed in a statement.

The findings show that in total, there are around 559 mid- to large-sized private jets in the region, meaning that around 11 percent of the fleet is currently for sale.

It added that the aviation finance specialist, which recently agreed to purchase the aircraft lease and loan portfolio of GE Capital Corporate Aircraft in the Americas representing approximately $2.5 billion of net assets, has around $1 billion to lend to clients to purchase relevant business aircraft in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world.

“The aircraft Global Jet Capital funds typically cost between $25 million and $75 million each, and it says up to 80 percent of the funding used to purchase these is sourced through external financing,” the statement said.

Shawn Vick, executive director of Global Jet Capital said: “Over the long term we expect to see growth in the sale of mid- to large-sized business jets in the region, and we are well positioned to meet the finance demand to help facilitate this.”

“Many potential clients will be looking to upgrade to a more modern aircraft, but as the region’s wealth increases, we expect to see more first-time buyers,” he added.

According to the table provided by Global Jet Capital, Saudi Arabia has the largest fleet of private jets in the Middle East with 144, followed by Turkey’s 108, UAE’s 97, Kuwait’s 27, Iran’s 26, Qatar’s 24, Jordan’s 21, Lebanon’s 17, Oman’s 15 and Bahrain’s 12.

ISRAEL: Run Wild At Givot Olam in Samaria

Wild-haired shepherds, horse-riders - a sight straight out of the Hebrew Prophets. If you're visiting Samaria, don't miss this out.

Givaot Olam (Avri’s farm) agricultural farm, Itamar

“And of Joseph he said: Blessed of the Lord be his land; For the precious things of Heaven, for the dew, And for the precious things fruits of the sun, And for the precious things of the yield of the moons, And for the tops of the ancient mountains, And for the precious things of the everlasting hills, And for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof, And the good will of Him that dealt in the bush..." (Deuteronomy 33:13)

Imagine a farm: Straight out of the movies, with all the magic that is possible. Let your imagination lead you to infinity. Wild-haired shepherds, horse-riders galloping in the field, sheep in the pasture, free-range chickens. You have reached Givaot Olam.

In 1996 Avri Ran established his farm. Shortly thereafter his story turned into a success story. As opposed to the other outposts with a “hamlet” look (three dogs and a bachelor, broken bike, rusty wind-chimes, rocky soil, and lots of ideology) Avri’s farm is tip-top, spick and span – one can see that here there is a guiding hand.

This is “a father of this genre” site. Most people visiting the villages reach this farm, in order to see up close the hill-people in their natural habitat (by the way, it is forbidden to feed them). Avri, the founder of the place, is amongst the first of the founders of such thriving hills. If you had to choose one place to tour in Judea and Samaria, this farm has to be included in your trip.

The farm which is based and run on ecologically sound organic principles, grows eggs which are marketed by Tnuva as free-range eggs. They also have a wheatgrinding station for organic grains, and outstanding cheese products and yogurt from goats milk. The goats eat at the endless unsprayed green pastures. According to the Dairy Board these cheeses are among the finest products available in the Middle East.

Rumor has it that there is a grand piano in the goat-shed and this is played during the milking session. We checked, and the rumor is in fact true. Children can enjoy the grass and the animals and can play in the playground. Don’t miss the date yogurt!

In the farm grounds one can also see the creations of Asaf Kadron, a unique artist. He believes that the stones of the land of Israel have seen history and one can use them in order to connect us to our source. And so he creates. His amazing works combine stones, wood, water and glass and are truly inspirational. As opposed to museum art, here you can easily understand what the artist wanted to say. In fact, meaning hits you with all your senses.

East of Givaot Olam you can find “The Three Seas Lookout”. From here, you can see the Mediterranean Sea, the Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee. Amazing.

Givaot Olam

Where: Just outside Itamar. After driving into Itamar turn left at the roundabout in the direction of the hills, go out of the gate of the village and drive east along the valley. 5 kilometers later turn right and follow the sign on the rock to this “givat olam”.

When: 8.00 – 17.00. If you book in advance you can come later.

Why: Don't miss the piano in the Goat-Shed. This is something you have never seen before.

How much: Organic fruit yogurt 250 ml 8.50 NIS, 1 dozen eggs 23 NIS 1 kg whole-wheat flour 11 NIS

Kashrut: Badatz and under the organic supervision of Agrior

Disability access: Friendly Partially

UAE: Emirates Introduces Two Routes In One Day

On the same day, but 11,767 kilometres away in Mashhad in Iran, the airline also marked the start of operations to its second Iranian destination. The five times weekly service is complimentary to flydubai’s existing daily service.

Emirates launched its 10th US destination with the start of daily non-stop passenger service between Dubai (DXB) and Orlando (MCO) on 1 September. A VIP delegation and a contingent of international media were on board the inaugural flight, which carried passengers from 29 different countries to Orlando.

“Our new daily service will enable Emirates to grow alongside Orlando, one of the world’s premier leisure destinations and a dynamic business centre,” said HRH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and CEO. “The launch of this non-stop route will bring Emirates’ unique product and award-winning service to passengers flying from Central Florida to our home in Dubai and beyond to more than 140 global destinations. Since 2004, Emirates has carried more than 11 million passengers on its US flights.” On the special occasion of its Orlando launch, Emirates dispatched its flagship A380 to celebrate the milestone and meet demand for the first flight, however regular scheduled service on the route will be offered on its 266-seat, 777-200LR aircraft.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Emirates CEO HRH Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and GOAA Chairman Frank Kruppenbacher answered questions from the media before moving onto the more important matter of cutting the new route cake celebrating the beginning of Emirates’ tenth US destination to Orlando on 1 September.

“Emirates is a premier airline and this is a significant new air service route for Orlando International as it opens the gateway to the Middle East, Asia, Africa and beyond,” said Frank Kruppenbacher, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “The benefits of this new daily service will be measured both financially and culturally.

The $100 million annual economic impact to Central Florida will be coupled with the potential to connect to diverse cultures of the world.” On the same day, Emirates extended its reach into Iran by linking Dubai with Mashhad (MHD), the country’s second largest city, adding a second passenger gateway into the country after Tehran.

The airline will fly five weekly flights, operated by a combination of three- and two-class configured A330-200s. Emirates commenced services to Iran in 1990 with twice-weekly flights to Tehran. It now operates four daily flights to the capital city. Since then, Emirates has carried 7 million passengers in and out of Iran.

While the route to the US faces no direct competition, its in-house LCC flydubai already operates to Mashhad on a daily basis.