All The Biggest Aviation News From The Show

Happy hump day, aviation enthusiasts. This week, Simple Flying is coming to you straight from the Dubai Air Show at Dubai World Central (DWC).

In between perusing the exhibits for freebies, checking out Emirates’ latest fashion collection, and turning our eyes to the skies for some very exciting displays, you could almost forget the airshow’s importance in cementing new partnerships and brokering eye-wateringly large orders between airlines and manufacturers…

Airbus scores big with Ethiopian Airlines

Africa’s leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has confirmed it will expand its order for Airbus’ A350 widebody, adding a further 11 jets to its future fleet. The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed this afternoon, will see Ethiopian Airlines take on a total of 33 A350s over the next several years.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew celebrated the agreement, noting the airline’s commitments to comfort and innovating the customer experience.

Photo: Sumit Singh | Simple Flying

The order comes hot on the tail of yesterday’s Boeing order, which saw the Addis Ababa-based operator commit to an additional 67 aircraft, including 20 Boeing 737 MAX and 11 Boeing 787-9s. In an interview with Bloomberg, Tasew addressed any potential controversy regarding a renewed MAX order, explaining to journalists that it had ensured Boeing had corrected all defects.

Read More: Ethiopian Shares The Love With Order For Airbus A350-900s At Airshow

¡Viva la superjumbo!

While the Boeing 777X may be set to replace the double-decker 747, Airbus has yet to provide an alternative to its superjumbo Airbus A380.

Although not as popular as initially projected, the jet has found its niche with Dubai-based Emirates, the largest operator of the type, and will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

Photo: David_Harpe | Shutterstock

In a statement shared earlier today, Emirates said it would invest over $1.5 billion in expanding its industry-wide partnerships to bolster its A380 aftermarket and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) options. President of Emirates Sir Tim Clark outlined the aircraft’s importance on Emirates’ operations, confirming that the jet would remain a core part of its fleet for at least the next decade.

According to Aerotime, the airline has bolstered its partnership efforts at the airshow, negotiating a range of agreements from companies, including Collins Aerospace for a full landing gear overhaul, Pratt & Whitney for its PW980 Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) maintenance, and Lufthansa Technik to provide C Checks at its Manila facility over the next three years.

Read More: Emirates Forges Deals At Dubai Airshow To Keep The Airbus A380 Flying For Longer

UAE to invest $190 million in an infrastructure modernization program

With Dubai International Airport (DBX) on track to exceed its pre-pandemic levels this year, the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has launched a $190 million program to update its air navigation services across the next decade at the Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre.

The GCAA will partner with Thales Group and the federal defense agency Tawazun Council on a similar modernization project, opening an Air Traffic Management (ATM) Innovation Lab within the UAE to support research and development programs. Director General Saif Al Suwaidi emphasized the UAE’s need for greater air traffic control (ATC) capacity and capabilities to ensure its place as a major international hub.

Emirates and Condor, sitting in a tree…

Traveling between Dubai and Germany in the near future? Emirates and Condor have officially launched a new interline agreement covering 70 destinations across both airline’s networks.

Under the deal, Condor passengers will be able to fly on Emirates services between Dubai and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) before continuing onto 12 more destinations, including Auckland Airport (AKL), Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), and Velana International Airport (MLE) in Malé.

Emirates, however, is coming out on top, providing its passengers with 57 routes across Condor’s network from its hubs at Frankfurt, Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), Hamburg Airport (HAM), and Munich Airport (MUC). Destinations include European hotspots such as Ibiza Airport (IBZ) and Málaga Airport (AGP) in Spain, Mexico’s Cancún International Airport (CUN), and José Martí International Airport (HAV) in Havana, Cuba.

Photo: Emirates

German leisure carrier Condor has been bulking up its capacity and partnership over the past several months, adding many far-flung destinations, including Asia, the Middle East, and North America. Earlier this month, Condor announced it would strengthen its partnership with US legacy carrier Alaska Airlines, opening up Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage (ANC) as a gateway for European tourists to explore the state.

Read More: Emirates And Condor Activate Interline Agreement At Dubai Airshow

flydubai gets serious about MRO

As flydubai prepares to add up to 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners to its fleet, the Emirati carrier has announced it will construct a $190 million purpose-built MRO facility in Dubai South over the next three years. The dedicated hangar and workshop will break ground in 2024 and are anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026. CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith explained,

“Dubai has emerged as a thriving aviation hub that fosters connectivity, innovation, growth and setting benchmarks for the global aviation industry. The spirit of Dubai is in our DNA and we are proud to announce today the plans for our MRO facility which represents a new chapter in our journey.”

According to COO Mick Hills, the in-house facility will slash its operational costs, allowing for quicker turnarounds and reduced downtime for maintenance, limiting disruption across its network.

Egyptair A350s to feature next-gen IFE

Those long-haul jaunts would be awfully dull without some in-flight entertainment (IFE) to distract you. Following yesterday’s Airbus A350-900 order, Egyptair and Panasonic Avionics have signed an agreement to install its “ground-breaking” Astrova IFE solution across its fleet, becoming the first African airline to do so.

The seat-back IFE system will offer 12-inch monitors in economy class, while business class passengers will be treated to Panasonic’s 19-inch 4K OLED monitor, providing HD content while mile high.

Image: Airbus

Other features include Bluetooth-enabled technology, USB-C and USB-A chargers, and programmable LED lighting for a customizable experience.

Once delivered, the A350 will become Egyptair’s flagship aircraft, allowing the Egyptian flag carrier to expand its current network and offer more efficient air travel.

What is your favorite story from the 2023 Dubai Airshow so far? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: Bloomberg, Aerotime, The National, Emirates News Agency – WAM