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Partner Brief
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| Strategic Partnerships Newsletter |
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29th Issue • Quarter 2, 2009 |
The Aviation & Environment Summit |
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From March 31 to April 1, 2009, the fourth Aviation & Environment Summit was held in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference welcomed nearly 400 delegates from over 40 nations representing airports, airlines, air traffic controllers, air navigation service providers, manufacturers, environmental groups and governments—plus, for the first time ever, biofuel suppliers. This participation from all sectors of the industry illustrates aviation’s collaborative approach towards today’s pressing environmental issues.
Strategic Partners also played their part in the event; 20 member organisations of the SP programme were in attendance.
In addition, a number of Strategic Partners were involved as event sponsors, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, CFM International, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and SITA.
The focus of the Summit was to assess the progress of technology, infrastructure, operations and sustainable biofuels since the 2008 Summit, when the Aviation Industry Declaration on Climate Change was signed.
Keynote speakers from every part of the industry shared unique perspectives on a range of environmental topics, culminating in a dynamic Executive Panel moderated by Adrian Finighan of CNN.
Here is just a sample of the Summit highlights.
Two significant announcements made at the Summit demonstrate how cross-industry collaboration can deliver tangible emissions reductions.
First, an agreement to introduce Continuous Descent Approaches (CDA) at 100 airports across Europe by 2013 will cut CO2 emissions by half a million tonnes and save 150,000 tonnes of fuel per year.
Second, a global agreement to introduce satellite-controlled Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) optimises operational procedures to reduce fuel burn, lower emissions, improve navigation and enhance safety.
Based on the recent successful development of alternative aviation fuels, the industry called on governments to invest in further research of sustainable biofuels and to establish environmental sustainability standards by the end of 2009. This set of standards must ensure aviation biofuels do not compete for land and water with food crops.
Leading up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009, Summit participants called for a global sectoral approach to aviation to support the industry’s emission reduction efforts.
To facilitate industry suppliers’ participation in IATA discussions and initiatives addressing air transport’s environmental concerns, the IATA Strategic Partnerships programme has launched the “Environment” area of involvement aligned with IATA’s four-pillar environmental strategy, which includes:
- Investing in new technology and alternative fuels
- Improving operational efficiency
- Implementing efficient infrastructure
- Promoting economic incentives
Strategic Partners participating in this area assist with the monitoring and assessment of environmental initiatives, policies and regulations, and prepare and promote industry positions and strategies among stakeholders and regulators.
For more information, please visit the “Environment” area of involvement or contact partnership@iata.org.
For a complete summary of the outcome of the Summit, please consult the Summit Communiqué. You may also view video footage of Summit events on the Summit website. |
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| The IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) |
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It may seem somewhat untimely to discuss the industry’s future demand for licensed personnel when lay-offs appear to be a sign of the times. However, as Tom Fodor, IATA Assistant Director of Engineering and Maintenance, SO&I Operations, explains, the industry must overhaul its mid- and long-term approach to training to address the requirements of next generation aircraft and to meet resource requirements for the growing global aircraft fleet.
Two main factors, predicted in the long-term market forecasts of aircraft manufacturers, will contribute to a demand for a new generation of licensed personnel over the next five to 15 years—new technology and increased capacity. According to Tom Fodor, “We are talking about two different scenarios: replacing inefficient airplanes utilising old technology, with new, fuel-efficient airplanes, which would mean retraining existing personnel to work on the new aircraft; and increased capacity, which would require more pilots and mechanics.”
The IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) project was initiated in 2007 by the IATA Board of Governors and its Operations Committee (OPC). The objective of the project was twofold: to review the aviation industry’s long-term training needs for licensed professionals in two key areas, Engineering and Maintenance and Flight Operations, and to develop recommendations for meeting these needs while upholding international standards for quality and safety.
Mr. Fodor describes the old, inefficient approach to training: “Mechanics had to sit in a classroom for hours and learn about equipment they might never see. The training guidelines were developed 30 or 40 years ago for aircraft types that are no longer in production.”
New demands have led to the development of a more efficient approach, Competency-Based Training (CBT). “With CBT,” Mr. Fodor explains, “we are defining the skills mechanics need to perform various functions. We are also redefining the assessment criteria to determine whether the person in question actually possesses these skills.”
In fact, global implementation of CBT will assist the industry in maintaining high standards, improving safety and providing mechanics with more mobility by following the same principles now applied to pilots.
To achieve this global vision, the input of industry partnerships has been, and continues to be, integral to the project. Partners include ICAO, aircraft manufacturers and regulators. Through the OPC, industry stakeholders are consulted at every stage to review the materials and assess CBT’s efficiency parameters, both for Flight Operations and for Engineering and Maintenance.
Originally, the Board of Governors recommended an industry survey to document the future need for next generation licensed personnel. When the economic crisis hit in the fall of 2008, “It became important to ascertain the respondents’ perception over a longer period of time,” Mr. Fodor explains.
The ITQI Survey was completed in January 2009. Over 900 respondents from many industry partners—many of whom are Strategic Partners—including airlines, training organisations, aviation schools, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisations, answered questions related to the current crisis.
The strategy for Engineering and Maintenance mirrors that of Flight Operations. To tailor pilot training programmes to meet real risks and develop key pilot skills, one step is the implementation of evidence-based training, drawing on the wealth of accident and incident reports, flight data collection and analysis. Another step is the introduction of the Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL).
At the moment, the Engineering and Maintenance part of the project is still in its development stages. The target is to complete the IATA guidance materials by the end of 2009. ICAO will then incorporate the content into the appropriate ICAO documents. Once major regulators such as the FAA, EASA and Transport Canada have been consulted, the project should be completed by the end of 2010.
For more information, please contact itqi@iata.org or visit the ITQI webpage. |
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ASI: Solution for the audit of e-ticket interline billings |
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Many airlines in the industry are faced with the challenge of auditing e-ticket inward billings. In the paper environment, passenger interline inward billing required a physical coupon as support, with the revenue audit staff examining and managing the physical coupon billings.
Now, in the electronic environment, many airlines rely solely on their revenue systems to audit the inward billings and interline tax billings. As a result, controls over leakages are weaker than in the paper environment, opening the door to overbillings that may cost the airlines significant dollar losses in a year.
In response to these new circumstances, Aviation Services Ireland (ASI) has delivered a solution to assist its client airlines. As a Strategic Partner, ASI approached IATA to develop an interline taxes audit application that uses Revenue Accounting Tax Database (RATD) information to identify overbillings in interline taxes. Then, working in partnership with its extensive client base, ASI developed an electronic audit solution that matches the requirements of the airline client.
Every month, as part of the monthly revenue accounting routine, the client sends ASI a copy of the inward Interline Data Exchange Centre (IDEC) billing and the relevant sales data from the airline’s revenue system in a simple text file (or any format that suits the airline). ASI uses its expertise in interline taxes and proration to check each billing and identify overbillings. In addition, ASI allows its client to see soft copies of each rejection memo online and provides reports allowing the airline to improve the returns from the interline process. The ASI service is commission-based, so the client receives a free health check on its interline processes, which, combined with the revenue accounting function, makes a contribution to profit each month.
ASI’s goal is to protect and optimise the revenue of its airline clients in the current industry environment. Through its partnership with IATA and the airline community, ASI has delivered a successful solution.
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| Descartes: Automated, standardised shipment management processes |
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More complex cargo security issues, growing government and industry regulations/compliance demands, and the need for greater visibility and accountability are driving the air freight industry to automate and standardise the shipment management process.
Descartes, a global on-demand software-as-a-service (SaaS) logistics solutions provider, assists the operational efficiency of carriers, freight forwarders, customs authorities and shippers by standardising and automating processes for global customs filing and electronic bookings, while enhancing customer service.
For example, Descartes’ multimodal network of transport providers and their customers enables leading providers to connect to their trading partners and exchange information to drive delivery performance. This network also helps the air freight industry electronically manage the air shipment cycle; customs filings; shipment rate management; and the transmission of key documents such as air waybills and status messages within the quality management structures of IATA’s Cargo 2000 initiative.
Another industry solution Descartes has developed is an electronic information and reservation system. With this system, air freight carriers can distribute real-time product, routing, capacity and rate information to their forwarders worldwide. Descartes continues to work with its clients and partners to streamline the shipment management process.
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| Honeywell: Next generation navigation solution with Airservices Australia |
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Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) around the world are faced with ever increasing capacity demands, coupled with growing acquisition and maintenance costs for conventional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS).
Industrial supplies manufacturer Honeywell and Airservices Australia, a government-owned corporation providing air traffic control management and related airside services, collaborated to develop a solution for airlines, airports and ANSPs that would enhance airport capacity and flight efficiency in Australia.
The ultimate goal of their joint initiative was to reduce track miles, fuel consumption and emissions by supporting curved-path Required Navigation Performance (RNP) approaches and continuous decent arrivals, which would also enhance noise abatement. Inefficient aircraft holdings would be reduced through the elimination of the protection areas required by the ILS.
In addition, airport capacity would be increased by favouring closely spaced parallel approaches and displaced threshold operations, allowing smaller aircraft to avoid wake turbulence when following larger aircraft.
With precision approaches to all runways, as well as a flexible approach path and guided departures to minimise course deviations, these goals have been achieved and surpassed.
This successful partnership has transformed the efficiency, capacity and environmental performance of Australia’s next generation air navigation infrastructure.
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Lomma GmbH: Introducing the “Scrapping Bonus” programme |
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Based in Saxony, Germany, Lomma GmbH constructs and produces equipment and units for airport technology, plant engineering and conveyors, agricultural machinery and special-purpose containers.
In response to queries from clients, including ground handlers and ground service equipment (GSE) leasing companies, Lomma is currently introducing the option of trading in old equipment to offset the cost of newer models.
Lomma’s “new for old” programme applies to all towed GSE, such as dollies and baggage carts. Subject to a purchase contract, Lomma will buy back older models for either scrap or refurbishment and replace them with new ones. The buyback price, based on the condition of the equipment, is then taken off the new model price. Depending on their financial situation at the time of the contract, clients may be offered a leasing or rent/buy programme through Lomma.
The goal of the programme is gradually to update all handlers with high-quality vehicles and reduce the “scrap piles” that often accumulate in airport vehicle depots. The programme promotes safety as well as a cleaner environment by preventing operators from using defective or dangerous equipment. This programme also has a "knock-on effect," because the shipping company's heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) do not return empty.
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Naverus: RNP procedures guide navigation in a new direction |
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Developed in consultation with aircraft manufacturers, avionics suppliers, aircraft operators, air traffic control managers, airports and aviation authorities around the world, Required Navigation Performance (RNP) is a method of aircraft navigation employing modern flight computers, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and innovative new procedures to enable aircraft to fly predetermined paths with great precision. Over the last 10 years, RNP has been refined for use in airport approach and departure procedures.
In early 2004, Naverus, an international company founded specifically to help others derive the benefits of RNP, contracted with Qantas to design RNP procedures at Queenstown, New Zealand. The Naverus RNP approaches provided decision altitudes (DAs) as low as 250 feet—a huge improvement over the prior procedures, which had minima of 3,000 feet or more. Subsequent to the successful deployment for Qantas 737-800 aircraft, Air New Zealand and Naverus completed approval for their 737-300 and A320 to use the Queenstown procedures with equivalent results.
Based on the Queenstown success and subsequent regional RNP successes, Naverus teamed with the air transport and air traffic management communities in Australia to study the benefits of integrating RNP paths with conventional navigation traffic at a busier airport with mixed-used traffic.
Brisbane was selected as the trial site. In early 2006, working with Qantas, Airservices Australia (a fellow Strategic Partner), the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia and other air transport operators, Naverus designed six RNP arrivals and 12 RNP departures at Brisbane, which were placed in service in January 2007.
In the first year of the Brisbane Trial, Qantas aircraft saved more than 650,000 kg of CO2 emissions—403 kg for each RNP arrival. Track miles were reduced an average of 10.7 nm per arrival and average flight time was reduced 2 minutes and 40 seconds per arrival. Additionally, the noise impact of aircraft using the RNP arrivals was significantly lower than that of non-RNP traffic.
Qantas, Naverus and Airservices Australia continued to expand the deployment of RNP procedures to a total of 16 airports across Australia. Based on the success of Brisbane and these other airports, Airservices Australia has committed to completing a nationally linked RNP network by 2010.
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NCR: Self-service solutions for Alaska Airlines |
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NCR Corporation is a leading provider of kiosk, mobile and online self-service solutions for multiple industries worldwide. Checking in passengers at more than 300 airports around the globe, NCR is helping leading airlines, as well as car rental companies, hotels and other travel businesses, improve the way they interact with their customers throughout all points in the traveller’s journey.
As far back as 1995, Alaska Airlines began looking at self-service as a means to relieve check-in congestion and expedite passenger throughput. At the time, the airline’s business travellers were required to get their boarding passes from the ticket counter, even though they frequently travelled without luggage. With the emergence of e-ticketing, self-service kiosks and internet usage, Alaska saw an opportunity to employ consumer-driven technology as a way to increase efficiency and improve customer satisfaction by diverting traffic away from the counter.
Alaska worked with NCR to develop an initial self-service solution. The kiosk itself was small enough for one person to easily transport and install, while the application was flexible enough for its functionality to be modified.
Once passengers became familiar with the technology, Alaska began to incorporate customer input into the solution’s further development. The feedback helped the airline produce one of the most robust and feature-rich solutions available today.
Supporting both web and kiosk check-in, Alaska’s self-service programme now offers the ability to upgrade, print boarding passes for employee travel, facilitate special service requests, change flights, stand by or change seats—among other things—all without agent intervention.
By offering simple applications with broad functionality, Alaska has been able to address the needs of more of its passengers, resulting in 84% self-service usage.
The self-service programme also improved Alaska’s ability to generate revenue through consistent solicitation of upgrades and fee collections. Ultimately, the check-in programme enabled Alaska to boost customer satisfaction significantly while lowering operating costs.
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NIIT Technologies: Faster check-in for Virgin Atlantic Airways Upper Class passengers |
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NIIT Technologies is an IT solutions organisation with customers in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. It offers services in application development and maintenance, enterprise solutions, including business process management, to organisations in the financial services, travel, retail and distribution, and government sectors.
Virgin Atlantic Airways (VAA), Britain’s second largest carrier, opened its doors to its Upper Class Wing at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 in 2008, enabling Upper Class passengers to be fast-tracked from their limo to the lounge in less than 10 minutes, a process that can normally take up to an hour.
In order to make the Upper Class Wing possible, Virgin needed a system that could support the complex process of managing upper class passengers; from the booking of their chauffeur service to pick-up, arrival at the ramp, check-in—including the generation of a boarding card—and their own private security channel, before reaching the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.
Working with Virgin Atlantic, NIIT Technologies’ goal was to provide a cost-effective solution within a short time frame. The solution had to take into account IT hardware, infrastructure, telecommunications and applications, and required the delivery of software applications able to:
- Provide notification of journey bookings
- Monitor vehicles and expected passengers
- Manage the status of passengers
- Manage the host process
- React to ad-hoc schedule messages for flight schedule changes and renumbered flights
The solution was achieved by integrating the various software applications to process and transmit accurate and up-to-date booking, pick-up, transit and vehicle information to VAA staff, and to enable staff to produce travel documentation for passengers.
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| Simplifying the Business (StB) |
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The global economic recession is evident for the air transport industry. Coupled with a potential health pandemic, the fall in GDP and banking turmoil are causing chaos for airlines, airports and their partners. Due to the current environment and severe pressure on industry travel budgets, the majority of the 2009 StB workshops around the world have been cancelled. In a time of hardship, it is a natural reflex to scale back, retreat, go into hiding and wait until the storm passes. What needs to happen is the opposite. “Out of every crisis comes opportunity,” states Philippe Bruyère, StB Programme Director. “This is the time to work together to achieve the change we need to thrive—and that is why Simplifying the Business, as the industry’s change management programme, is more relevant than ever.”
Simplifying the Business is now more relevant than ever. As alternatives to the workshops, the StB team investigated and focused on identifying cost-effective opportunities to get airport and airline decision-makers the StB information they need. Since IATA does not deliver industry change alone, the role of IATA’s StB Preferred Partners is absolutely critical in providing products and services that make change possible. The StB team ensured not only to preserve, but to increase the opportunities for StB Preferred Partners to get in front of industry decision-makers.
StB is pleased to announce the following activities:
- To be launched in June 2009, StB webinars replace the workshops. Attendance will be limited to 100 participants, ensuring that industry decision-makers are listening.
- This year, two StB Days are scheduled – at the Check-in 2009 conference taking place in September in Orlando, and at the
ACI EUROPE Airport Exchange, in Barcelona in November. At these events, StB Project Managers will be able to facilitate one-on-one meetings between StB Preferred Partners and their airline and airport contacts.
- Based on market need, the programme will investigate organising StB Seminars for country-specific audiences (as currently planned in Saudi Arabia).
- The StB Newsletter is issued every month to an industry audience of 23,000.
Because StB is vital to our industry moving forward, the programme will be more visible and featured at the upcoming AGM in Kuala Lumpur. At the IATA booth on-site at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, there will be a Simplifying the Business demonstration. International journalists and AGM attendees, including industry CEOs, will see first-hand how:
- Passengers check in online and get their boarding passes on their mobile phones
- CUSS kiosks read 2D barcodes and print out baggage tags, allowing self-tagging
- 2D barcode readers activate access to the aircraft, allowing self-boarding
- CUSS kiosks in baggage halls log passenger baggage claims faster and more efficiently
StB will also be highlighted at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. An StB showcase focusing on the customer benefits of a simpler journey will be installed in the departures hall. And where Malaysia Airlines offers StB services at the airport, signage will highlight how to use the service and how passengers can benefit.
The industry is recognising the pressing need to simplify its business.
The first Fast Travel results are now available. In 2008, Fast Travel conducted 18 pilot projects worldwide to test the value of the initiative and identify what the industry was already doing in this area. This report provides an overview of those pilot projects—including accompanying data, case histories and passenger feedback. It also presents a way forward for IATA Fast Travel. To read the report, visit the Fast Travel website: www.iata.org/fast-travel.
The Fast Travel programme is on track to meet its 2009 targets. One target, 75 airports offering document scanning, is already met. In a recent campaign conducted by the global IATA network, 98 airports reported that they were offering document scanning at CUSS kiosks.
For more information on Simplifying the Business, visit the StB website: www.iata.org/stb. |
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IATA Events and Conferences |
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IATA conferences, exhibitions and industry meetings provide outstanding networking opportunities as well as an association with the IATA brand, a world-class global endorsement. These events cover areas as diverse as pricing, ground handling, legal, fuel, security, etc., benefiting airlines, airports, travel and cargo professionals as well as service providers and governments.
IATA Partnering for Success Forum– Beijing - June 04-05, 2009
This forum aims to provide opportunities for high level interaction between air transport leaders, experts and policy makers to stimulate the exchange of ideas. Learn how emerging information and communication technologies can best support your business strategies in the Chinese environment.
IATA Webinar Series:
- Airline Ancillary Revenue
June 02, 2009 - Free Live Webinar 10:00-11:00 AM EDT
This 60-minute webinar intends to explore all aspects of ancillary revenue, and gives you the possibility to interact directly with Airline Ancillary Revenue experts!
- Safety Management Systems for Airports
June 18, 2009 - Free Live Webinar 10:00-11:00 AM EDT
Of interest to airports and airlines, this webinar addresses the fundamentals of SMS and provides practical examples to manage safety in everyday operations. SMS IATA experts and external airport consultants discuss the benefits and challenges that operators face when implementing SMS.
- The Customer Is In Control
June 23, 2009 - Free Live Webinar 10:00-11:00 AM EDT
Passengers are transforming the business model for airlines worldwide. Join airport, airline and IATA executives to discuss how IATA's Fast Travel initiative is providing a win-win solution by boosting customer loyalty and the bottom line.
Other events:
Click here for a list of all upcoming IATA events.
Sponsoring and exhibiting at IATA Conferences and Events provides an ideal opportunity to present your products and services to a focused and targeted audience. For more information, please contact:
Philippe Guertin
Manager, Sales
Tel.: +1 514 874 0202, ext. 3495 |
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| New Strategic Partners |
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Since 1990, IATA Strategic Partners have been contributing to IATA and the air transport industry through their involvement in the Strategic Partnerships programme.
We are happy to introduce the following new Strategic Partners. Please click on the company logos to visit the respective websites.
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JBM Associates, Inc.
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Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
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Lagassé Technologies
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MTU Aero Engines
Holding AG
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NetJets Transportes
Aéreos S.A.
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Power Stow A/S
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Q5 Systems Ltd
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QBE Aviation
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Smets-Technology GmbH
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TheCard Scandinavia AB
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TynTec GmbH
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For a complete list of Strategic Partners, and to learn more about what they offer, please visit our online directory at www.iata.org/sp/partners. |
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