Aviation World 1/2016
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Airport – the Digital Way Headline zweizeilig
Teaser First A320neo einzeilgLands in Frankfurt 18 00
Teaser einzeilig Airline Interview: Air Canada
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Dear Reader, Over the years, passengers’ needs have changed significantly, especially when it comes to travel-related information about their time at the airport as well as their overall journey. For example, passengers want to know: “How can I find my gate; is my flight on schedule; how can I use the waiting time before my departure?” Most passengers now look for answers to these and other questions using personal digital devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops that they take with them when traveling. Consequently, the airport operator Fraport has been responding to the changing need for travel information through various initiatives at Frankfurt Airport. These include free, round-theclock Wi-Fi in the terminals and the FRA App, which we recently updated with new features and functionality. Because individual projects are not enough, we are approaching the need for increased information and services with a targeted digitalization strategy that uses a range of distribution “channels” to serve our passengers as best as possible. We present our digitalization strategy in the cover story of Aviation World (page 4).
Dr. Stefan Schulte, Executive Board Chairman Fraport AG
Digitalization is a key factor for strengthening Frankfurt Airport’s competitive position, now and in the future. Another important step for securing FRA’s long-term competitiveness was taken last October with the ground-breaking ceremony for Terminal 3. The state-of-art Terminal 3 is essential for meeting growing traffic as well as the increasing needs of travelers. This is underscored by the record traffic figure reached in 2015, when FRA exceeded the 60 million mark for the first time, welcoming more than 61 million passengers. To make sure that all of these passengers feel at home at FRA – and come back again – Fraport has implemented many new products and concepts since 2010 under its “Great to have you here!” service quality program. On page 14, you can read more about our service innovations in the area of “Art, Culture & Atmosphere” along with further planned innovations for travelers from around the globe. Sincerely, Dr. Stefan Schulte Executive Board Chairman Fraport AG
04 Airport – the Digital Way
03 Fraport World Will 2016 Be Another Record Year? 14 New Airports Fraport Also Focusing on Sustainability in Procurement Active Noise Abatement Proving Effective Initiative E-PORT AN Receives Award A Sign for Our Customers 14 Wow Effect Instead of Monotony
16 Airline World Tradition Lives On Singapore Airlines Cargo Renews Agreement with FCS Eagerly Anticipated First Flight China Airlines Using New Boeing 777–300 in Frankfurt Vietnam Airlines Using A350 in Frankfurt Emirates Doubles A380 Flights from Frankfurt 20 Airline Interview: Air Canada
23 People World New Senior Manager for Ground Handling Swiss: New Station Manager El Al: New General Manager for Germany & Austria Air India Repositions Itself in Frankfurt
Fraport World
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Will 2016 Be Another Record Year? Last year, the number of passengers traveling through Frankfurt Airport topped 60 million for the first time The old 50-million mark had endured for eleven years, but on December 22 it was finally superseded when 13-year-old Antonia Hein from Fulda became the first 60-millionth passenger at Frankfurt Airport in one year. She was there with her parents and two siblings to take a Condor flight to Cape Town, South Africa, to visit her older sister. While the Hein family got to enjoy a special start to their vacation with a limousine service and a party at the gate, reaching 60 million passengers was a very important milestone for Frankfurt Airport. Fraport Executive Board member Anke Giesen also emphasized that the company was entering new dimensions when the new record was reached. By the end of the year, there had been more than another million passengers (resulting in a total of 61,040,613). Frankfurt therefore welcomed around 2.5 percent more passengers in 2015 than it had in the previous year. Without the strike-related flight cancelations and all other extraordinary cancelations, for example due to extreme weather, the number of passengers could even have risen by an estimated 3.8 percent. Executive Board member Giesen remarked: “This continuous growth is possible only thanks to the outstanding performance of all airport employees and excellent cooperation with the airlines.” Fraport also took the milestone as an opportunity to say thank you. Just a question of time: the 70-million mark Overall, passenger growth at Frankfurt Airport is in line with expectations. Assessments prepared for the construction of Terminal 3 indicate that the 70-million
Antonia Hein, pictured with Dr. Jens Boyd, Director Long Haul & Revenue Management at Condor (left), and Anke Giesen, Executive Director Operations at Fraport AG (right), was delighted at the record.
mark will be reached in the early 2020s. To ensure that the airport will also be fit for these new record figures, an important basis for its future viability was established last year with the ground-breaking ceremony for Terminal 3. The airport has now started 2016 with a record-breaking January: 4.2 million pas-
51,098,271
61,040,613
2004
2015
40,271,919 30,758,852 20,271,197 10,584,667 1971
1985
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The next barrier was broken in each of these years.
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sengers, 2.2 percent more than in the previous year. But it will be a few months still until it is possible to say whether FRA is on track for a new record. Perhaps Antonia Hein will also contribute to this again. To mark the milestone, she received a travel voucher worth €1,000 from Fraport and a flight voucher for all six members of her family from Condor.
A record year The airport also recorded the busiest day in its history in terms of passenger numbers in 2015: August 2 marked a new historic daily record of approximately 217,500 passengers. The number of passengers reached or exceeded 200,000 on 63 days.
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Fraport World – Keynote
Fraport World – Keynote
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The airport as a place for mobile Internet – nowadays, almost all passengers travel with
Airport – the Digital Way
smartphones, tablets or laptops. That is why the airport operator intends to provide them with even better digital information in the future. “Globally, more people now have access to a mobile device than to a toothbrush.” Whether this much-quoted statement is really true or not, there is no doubt that smartphones, tablets and laptops are everywhere. And that is a fact with consequences for many areas of our lives. Mobile devices have altered the way we communicate, the way we obtain information, the way we get around and the way we shop. As a result, the information requirements of passengers and visitors at Frankfurt Airport have changed compared with just a few years ago. Hence why Fraport has launched a new digital campaign. Digital travel services The airport company has increasingly rolled out digital services in recent years, from the www.frankfurt-airport.de website and the FRA app to free Internet access for passengers. “Our digitalization campaign is not about entering uncharted territory, but simply about adopting a more targeted approach,” says Kai Schmidhuber, Senior Vice President of Fraport’s Multichannel department, which was created especially for this purpose. Since mid-2015, Schmidhuber has been supported by a 30-man-strong team largely consisting of e-commerce experts and Frankfurt Airport specialists. Their strategy is focused on assistance and information services and, in particular, retail. “In the future, passengers will benefit from the supplementary services provided by Frankfurt Airport throughout the course of their journey – not just digitally but also in the terminals.” Some changes have already been made (see next page for details). The airport portal at www.frankfurt-airport.de and the FRA app have been comprehensively overhauled, and a trial of an interactive service desk is underway in Terminal 1. The main innovations include the introduction of an online shopping platform,
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Fraport World – Keynote
and the launch of a rewards program for passengers and visitors at Frankfurt Airport. The bigger picture However, the various projects do not exist in isolation. They form part of an integrated concept. “Taken together, they will further improve the quality of stay enjoyed by the passengers,” Schmidhuber explains. The way in which the various services could interact to form a bigger picture is illustrated by this example: A transfer passenger lands in Area A20 of Terminal 1, but his connecting flight is in Terminal 2. Before taking off from his departure airport, he can book an exclusive gate-to-gate service online using the website www.frankfurt-airport.de to pick him up at the arrival gate and guide him to the departure gate. An interactive service desk provides information on whether his connecting flight is on time and where the nearest food and drink options are. Via QR code, he transfers the directions to the restaurant using the FRA app on his smartphone. Before taking off again, the passenger picks up from various airport shops the purchases he made using the shopping portal while waiting for his food. Agenda for 2016 As Head of Multichannel, Schmidhuber reports that the experiences of the first few months have shown that passengers are responding extremely well to these new services. He is particularly satisfied with the first months of the shopping portal: “Orders and registration numbers for the rewards scheme are growing continuously,” says Schmidhuber. The most active target groups include Russian, Chinese and US passengers. Accordingly, the expansion of the rewards scheme and the product range available on the shopping portal will be right at the top of the agenda for the digitalization campaign in 2016.
More and more passengers are using digital channels to find out about the services offered by Frankfurt Airport.
Fraport World – Keynote
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Navigation – the Digital Way The new Interactive Airport Desk – “I-AID” for short – represents a milestone in customer-oriented digitalization at Frankfurt Airport. I-AID is a digital guide, a state-ofthe-art multi-touch table that is operated by tapping, swiping, scrolling and sliding – just like a big tablet. One particular highlight is the interactive map. Passengers can scan their boarding card and are shown the optimal route to the right gate, including the restaurants and shops they will encounter along the way. The route and the walking time can then be easily transferred to the new FRA app on the smartphone. The Interactive Airport Desk is currently in the testing stage. It is located in Departure Area Z on Level 3 in Terminal 1. Up to seventeen of these big touchscreens will be placed throughout the terminals as the project progresses.
Like a giant tablet: the new Interactive Airport Desk, which is currently being tested.
“Our digitalization campaign is not about entering uncharted territory but simply about adopting a more targeted approach.” “Kai Schmidthuber, Senior Vice President Multichannel at Fraport AG
Getting Around More Easily The Frankfurt Airport app has been completely overhauled in
with the App
terms of its design and content.
The app has also been overhauled with a wide range of new functions. For example, today it is possible to photograph the terminal signs and translate them into six different languages. The indoor navigation feature helps users to easily find their way through the terminals while highlighting shopping outlets and services that match their preferences. In addition to German and English versions, a Chinese (Mandarin) version of the app is also available, which has been adapted to the wishes and expectations of the growing number of Chinese passengers.
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Fraport World – Keynote
With the new shopping partnership, you can simply wait for your purchases at the gate.
Online Shopping at the Airport Launching and expanding online shopping is a key element of the digitalization campaign. Fraport’s online shopping platform, Frankfurt Airport Shopping, was launched in late 2015. This blend of online shopping and in-store retail provides attractive added value to passengers. They can look at and compare products in advance on the Internet or using the app, then view their chosen goods and get advice at the
Shop at the airport from the comfort of your home and pick up conveniently in store.
airport. The platform was launched with Duty Free and Travel Value from “Gebr. Heinemann,” high-quality gourmet products from “Caviar House & Prunier,” and PAX Airport Shopping with numerous electronic goods stores. Further shops will follow, thereby gradually mirroring the airport shopping range on a digital platform. More than 15,000 products can already be found on the new portal. The entire product range can be viewed online, reserved conveniently and collected at dedicated in-store pick-up points on the passengers’ way to their gate. In the near future, an online payment system will be introduced, as well as delivery to the passenger’s departure gate or even to their home address. Partnership with Lufthansa Delivering online purchases to the departure gate has already been realized thanks to a partnership between Fraport and Deutsche Lufthansa. The partners intend to work together to establish additional
online shopping and ordering services for Frankfurt Airport. Since the start of the pilot project in February, passengers using selected Lufthansa lounges at Frankfurt Airport have been able to purchase exclusive products from airport shops, using the tablets provided, including delivery to the lounge within half an hour. A corresponding service will soon be available for inbound passengers: in-flight shopping. The online product portfolio of the shopping partnership ranges from gourmet food products and spirits to accessories, travel products and leather goods. The product range will be extended over the next few months. Gourmet service Another additional pilot project of Fraport and Lufthansa was launched with a view to exploiting new digital opportunities. As part of the “Taste & Travel” gourmet service, Lufthansa passengers can use tablets in the check-in area and near security control to order meals of their choice for delivery to their departure gate.
Fraport World – Keynote
Internet Portal Cleaned Up and Expanded The airport’s most important online presence, its website at www.frankfurt-airport. de, dates back to the mid-1990s and has since been revised several times. As well as updating the design, the latest overhaul added new features such as the shopping portal. The website provides all the relevant information about the airport for passengers and visitors in German, English and Chinese – optimized for all devices.
Whether before your trip or at the airport itself, the website offers all kinds of useful information.
4.8
billion mobile users worldwide in 2015, according to Cisco. The telecommunications company estimates that there will be 5.5 billion by 2020.
When Shopping Is Twice as Rewarding With the newly launched “Frankfurt Airport Rewards” scheme, passengers can now enjoy benefits in return for purchases on the new online platform and in store. Participants receive a bonus point for each euro they spend, which they can redeem directly in exchange for attractive benefits and rewards – even on the same day. Rewards include coupons for further purchases, services or parking in the terminal. The rewards scheme is integrated into the FRA app, so passengers can use it conveniently without needing a separate card.
Attractive bonus points are now offered for each purchase.
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Fraport World
14 New Airports By the end of 2016, Fraport will start operating at 14 regional airports in Greece
Despite 2015 being a year of suspense – with two rounds of elections, austerity packages, financial aid and other challenges – Greece had one shining bright spot last year: a booming tourism sector. 2015 was a record year for travel and tourism, with 26 million people visiting Greece to enjoy the country’s renowned Mediterranean climate, hospitality, culture and history. Most of these guests traveled to Greece by plane. In the near future, vacationers will be able to land at an airport operated by Fraport. In December 2015, Fraport and its Greek partner, the Copelouzos Group, signed concession contracts with the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) – Greece’s state-owned privatization fund – for the operation of 14 mainland and island airports. This was the climax of a privatization process launched by HRADF in early 2013. Several procedural steps are still required – ratification of the privatization by the Greek parliament is still outstanding and all contractual partners have to meet
the contract conditions – before the so-called “closing” takes place in the fall of 2016. At this time, the Fraport consortium will pay an upfront concession fee of €1.234 billion for operation of the regional airports over the next four decades. Greece will still retain ownership of the airports. Securing and enhancing the position Fraport AG Executive Board Chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte remarked: “We have been strongly committed to implementing this project and see it as a real win-win situation, both for the company and also for Greece and its population.” During the 40-year concession, the Fraport consortium will be in charge of operations and management of the 14 airports, including maintenance, upgrades and further development. Under the contract, around €330 million will be invested in improving the airports during the period up to 2020. In subsequent years, further investments can be made for maintenance and possible capacity expansions, depending on traffic volumes.
The 14 regional airports at a glance – 3 mainland airports: Thessaloniki, Aktio and Kavala – 11 airports located on Greek islands: Chania on Crete, Kerkyra on Corfu, as well as Cephalonia, Kos, Mykonos, Mytilene, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos – Total passenger volume in 2015: more than 23 million (up 7%) – Around 77% are international passengers
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Fraport World
Fraport Also Focusing on Sustainability in Procurement Procurement of products and services at Fraport will be geared toward sustainability criteria in the future. To this end, the airport operator was one of the first companies in the state of Hesse to sign a target agreement initiated by the Hessian Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Sustainable procurement of products and services means that social and ecological criteria are taken into account in purchasing decisions in addition to economic criteria. The aim is to increase the supply of eco- friendly goods and services and to promote fair working conditions. Alliance for sustainable procurement (from left to right): Michael Müller, Fraport’s Executive Director Labor Re-
At the launch of the “Sustainable Procurement – Sustainable Purchasing” alliance, Gerhard Dernbecher from the “Central Purchasing and Construction Contracts” business unit commented on behalf of Fraport: “Sustainability in procuring products and services is nothing new for us. For years we have been progressively striving to combine economic aspects with social and ecological aspects in a meaningful and efficient way in our procurement activities.” For example, the new corporate headquarters was constructed entirely in line with sustainability principles and was
lations, Priska Hinz, Hessian Minister for the Environment, and Gerhard Dernbecher from Fraport’s “Central Purchasing and Construction Contracts” business unit.
awarded a Gold Certificate by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) in 2013. “The signing of the target agreement represents another clear commitment to this proven approach on the part of Fraport AG. It also means that we have undertaken to critically review on an ongoing basis the measures initiated in the past to optimize and document sustainable pro-
curement,” said Dernbecher. Furthermore, Fraport AG’s involvement in the alliance could also send a positive signal to other companies. Fraport is one of the biggest buyers in the state of Hesse, with an annual procurement volume of approximately €750 million. “This makes Fraport a strong partner of the state government when it comes to achieving the goal of promoting sustainable procurement,” said Dernbecher.
Active Noise Abatement Proving Effective Despite an increase in aircraft movements, the noise footprint for local residents has not risen further. This is the key finding of the current noise abatement report published by Fraport in February. Overall, the
number of aircraft movements in the 2015 summer schedule was 1.4 percent higher than last year. However, the measurements show that the continuous sound level at the measuring stations barely changed, or actually decreased year on year.
Measurement results review the effectiveness of noise abatement measures.
This is due to active noise abatement, which Fraport’s Executive Director Operations Anke Giesen emphasized when the report was presented: “Active noise abatement is having a measurable impact, as is demonstrated by the examples of noise respite periods and vortex generators in this report.” According to Giesen, the effects of active noise abatement are also being felt by people, as the results of a Forsa survey commissioned by Fraport last year confirm: “The introduction of noise respite periods was rated positively by 85 percent of respondents from the areas surrounding the airport. This is yet another incentive for us to reduce the noise footprint
using active and passive noise abatement measures and to provide transparent information on this,” said Giesen. The recent report covers activities in the 2015 summer schedule. It provides detailed insight into developments regarding aircraft noise in the region, as well as information on measures used by Fraport and its partners to reduce noise in 2015. It is based on current measured data and describes individual active noise abatement measures. In addition, the current edition also focuses on the NORAH (NoiseRelated Annoyance, Cognition and Health) study – the most extensive study to date on the health effects of transportation noise. The noise abatement report can be found online (only available in German): www.fraport.de > Nachhaltigkeit > Stakeholder-Dialog > Publikationen > Berichte über Schallschutz
Fraport World
Initiative E-PORT AN Receives Award At the Frankfurt Airport global hub, airport operator Fraport and the Lufthansa Group are working hand-in-hand on the initiative E-PORT AN. Their efforts are now being acknowledged by the renowned U.S. aviation industry magazine Air Transport World (ATW) with the “EcoCompany Partnership of the Year” award. The initiative E-PORT AN is aimed at introducing more electric vehicles into the aircraft handling process. These vehicles are especially suited for use at airports, where the majority of journeys are short. The step-by-step replacement of individual handling processes by electrically driven technologies not only reduces the carbon footprint, but also leads to improved working conditions on the ground. Currently, around 10 percent of Fraport’s 3,000+ motorized vehicles are electrically powered. This includes vehicles used in aircraft handling such as conveyor belt vehicles, pallet loaders, container transporters, minibuses and small baggage tractors. Moreover, electric cars are not just used by ground crew but also in em-
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Three Questions A Sign for Our Customers
ployees’ carpools. On the airline side, there are currently three hybrid aircraft tugs – known as TaxiBots – at Lufthansa LEOS, the Group’s ground support company. In addition, Lufthansa LEOS is carrying out certification tests on an eTug, which is the first vehicle in the world able to maneuver aircraft up to the size of an Airbus A380 entirely using electric power.
Dominik Mißkampf, Project Manager Logistics in the field of Cargo Transportation
Alongside Fraport and the Lufthansa Group, the State of Hesse and the RhineMain Model Electromobility Region are also involved in E-PORT AN. Thus, the award can be seen as an acknowledgement of the efforts of all partners involved in the initiative. The projects are funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). More information: www.e-port-an.de
Fraport’s fleet of electrically powered vehicles has now reached around 300.
(BVD-TR) at Fraport AG
Mr. Mißkampf, why has Fraport recently established a new operations control south center for cargo transportation? In the past, the highest cargo volume was always in the north of the airport. The strong growth of Cargo City South has changed this. We are now responding to this development. The new operations control center is located in Building 540 on the apron, close to the aircraft stands S501–S508. What does it encompass? This is where we arrange the transportation of cargo between the warehouse and the aircraft for the southern part of the airport. There are now 120 employees working at the operations control center, including dispatchers, drivers, mechanics, customer officers and a part of the management.
“We are closer to the action of our customers.” What has changed for the customers? It is a win-win situation: On the one hand, the geographic location enables us to run daily operations more efficiently. On the other hand, we are closer to the action of our customers. This means we can be on the scene quicker, especially when anything unexpected occurs. Moreover, we can now offer an office, which can be used by our customers.
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Fraport World
Almost like a film: Martin Liebscher’s gigantic art installation in a tunnel between Piers A and B.
Wow Effect Instead of Monotony What has the “Great to have you here!” program achieved so far? We take stock of developments in the “Art, Culture & Atmosphere” segment From São Paulo to Tokyo via Rome – where transit passengers traveling along the moving walkways used to glide past gray walls, they can now experience a visual round-the-world trip. In the 270-meter tunnel between Piers A and B in Frankfurt,
Large-scale pictures instead of gray walls.
they now walk or are transported right through the middle of Martin Liebscher’s gigantic art installation “Destinations.” A total of 62 photos flowing into one another show scenes from 40 cities. Looking at them from the moving walkway, the
1.80-meter-tall pictures, which have been distorted slightly using a special photographic technique, are almost film-like. Some 12,000 passengers use the tunnel each day and now they get to enjoy this work by the renowned photographer along the way. The artist himself is enthusiastic about this unusual exhibition venue: “I think it’s great! What better way to spend your free time between the security check and boarding than by experiencing art first-hand.” And that’s exactly what Fraport is aiming to achieve with art in the terminal: “We’re not trying to turn the airport into a museum, but we want passengers to feel at home here in pleasant surroundings and to have a good time,” said Martina Pfeffer, Head of Terminal Management at Fraport. This was the airport operator’s objective when it launched its “Great to have you here!” service program back in 2010. “The program initially focused on the basics, such as cleanliness, assistance and information. Now we’re gradually getting to the stage of wow effects,” explained Pfeffer. Making it memorable The “Art, Culture & Atmosphere” segment, which includes art projects among
tween B and C in Terminal 1, gray areas between the windows have been replaced with translucent forest images. When the sun is shining, the large-scale pictures seem like a forest on a beautiful summer day. other things, is one of five sub-programs of “Great to have you here!” “With this segment, we want to place emphasis on our identity as Frankfurt Airport and make a memorable impression,” said Pfeffer. Guests from all around the world should be able to tell from the terminals that they are in Frankfurt. And art is a part of Frankfurt – as is its impressive skyline. Since August 2015, passengers have been able to see the skyline not just from their airplane but also at the bus station outside Terminal 1. On a wall spanning 360 meters, graffiti artist Helge “Bomber” Steinmann presents 15 Frankfurt motifs, including the city hall, the old town square Römer and the Old Opera House. There is also a good dash of local color in the terminals, with Frankfurt sausages in the restaurants and traditional “Bembel” stoneware jugs for sale in souvenir shops. Presenting Germany But it is not just Frankfurt that plays a role when it comes to making the airport memorable: “We may be in Frankfurt, but we are also Germany’s biggest airport. So we want to introduce our home country to the many different cultures that come to us,” explained Pfeffer. For this reason, there are also regular campaigns presenting other German regions or festivals, such as Oktoberfest or German Unity Day. Germany’s oak forests are also represented at the airport. In the pre-security area be-
More green in the terminals “Of course, we are never going to reach all passengers with every individual project. But with the different approaches, we are aiming to improve the overall atmosphere at the airport,” said Pfeffer. This also includes sprucing up the practical character of the terminal. Monotonous wall panels have been replaced by an unobtrusively designed abstract landscape. Clever use of large-scale lighting concepts conveys brightness and warmth. Passengers can also look forward to more nature. “The large wall panels in Terminal 2 are ideal for vertical greening,” said Pfeffer, announcing another pilot project, “and in Terminal 1 we intend to create a new place to relax in the form of forest-like oases with trees and seats.”
Graffiti art gives impressions of Frankfurt at the bus station.
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Airline World
Tradition Lives On Together with customers, FCS celebrated its new name and logo Last year, FCS began a new chapter in the company’s history with a strategic partnership. The majority shareholder of the cargo handler, which used to be a wholly owned subsidiary of Fraport AG, is now WFS Worldwide Flight Services with a stake of 51 percent. The change is also clearly visible from the outside: Fraport Cargo Services GmbH has been renamed FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services GmbH and the logo has been adapted to the new partner’s design. But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: the popular traditions. That’s why FCS invited customers and business partners to its annual Christmas party in December, which included a presentation of awards
in the form of local apple wine jugs known as “bembels.” The awards are traditionally presented to the airlines with the highest tonnage and the greatest increase in tonnage. FCS Managing Director Hans-Georg Emmert said: “In this way, we – along with our shareholders WFS and Fraport AG – want to show how much we appreciate our airline customers and to thank them for this trust-based and professional partnership.”
and CEO of WFS, and Yves Pinoy, WFS Senior Vice President Europe, as well as other WFS colleagues. In his speech, Bijaoui said that he was very happy to be able to attend the first Christmas party as majority shareholder of the new FCS. He briefly discussed the future of FCS and promised the guests that the coming years would be exciting ones for FCS.
Introduction of the new shareholder The new management of FCS also took this opportunity to introduce the new majority shareholder WFS in the festive pre-Christmas atmosphere at the Oberschweinstiege restaurant. WFS was represented by Olivier Bijaoui, President
Martin Bien (left) from Fraport AG and Olivier Bijaoui (right), President and CEO of WFS Worldwide Flight Services, handed over the bembels to the customers – in this case ABC Airlines, represented by Andrey Andreev (second from left) and Ivan Santoro.
Airline World
Singapore Airlines Cargo Renews Agreement with FCS
And the Bembel Goes to...
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Highest tonnage:
It was a successful start for the new management of Frankfurt Cargo Services GmbH: Singapore Airlines Cargo renewed its handling agreement with the cargo handler, which had entered into a strategic partnership with WFS Worldwide Flight Services at the end of 2015. All existing agreements have since been continued without any changes. The renewal represents the first agreement to be concluded under the new conditions. The trust-based partnership, which has already been ongoing for several years, is therefore set to continue over the coming years, too.
Singapore Airlines Cargo: 21 flights per week from Frankfurt.
1st place to AirBridgeCargo Airlines
2nd place to Air China Cargo
3rd place to Emirates SkyCargo
Greatest increase in tonnage:
Hans-Georg Emmert, Managing Director at FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services, remarked: “We are delighted that Singapore Airlines, one of Asia’s leading airlines, has decided to continue to have its cargo handling performed by FCS. We see the extension of this cooperation as a sign of appreciation and trust in our high standards, namely security, quality and service. We will of course continue to meet these standards in the future.” With 21 flights per week to and from Singapore and New York as well as several truck connections to Frankfurt, SIA Cargo is an important customer for FCS.
1st place to Air Astana
2nd place to AirBridgeCargo Airlines
3rd place to Air China Cargo
Singapore Airlines Cargo was spun off from Singapore Airlines as an independent company in 2001. In the beginning, it rented cargo aircraft and cargo capacity on passenger aircraft from Singapore Airlines. The first round-the-globe service was launched in late October 2001. Since then, the airline has been operating cargo flights to a current total of more than 100 cities in 35 countries.
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Airline World
Eagerly Anticipated First Flight World’s first Airbus A320neo lands in Frankfurt In the end, it turned out to be something of a drawn-out affair: Airbus had actually intended to deliver its first A320neo to the first customer, Deutsche Lufthansa, back in December. But owing to problems with the technical documentation, the airline had to wait until mid-January before it was able to receive its new aircraft. On January 22, it was finally time. The aircraft with the identifier D-AINA landed at Frankfurt, its future home airport, at 2:14 p.m. as flight LH9922. Since the end of January, it has initially been flying from here to two destinations within Germany (Hamburg and Munich) with up to 180 passengers on board in Business and Economy Class.
Quieter and fuel-efficient “We are delighted to be the first airline in the world to have received the Airbus A320neo. With leading technology from Airbus and Pratt & Whitney, the A320neo is by far the quietest and most efficient aircraft on short- and medium-haul flights,” said Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, quoted at the delivery of the aircraft. Thanks to new engines and improved aerodynamics, the A320neo is 15 percent more fuel-efficient than comparable models and considerably quieter, too. The 85-decibel noise contour of an A320neo taking off is only half the size of the com-
Good to know – new engine option
Airbus A320neo
Airbus A320ceo
The suffix “neo” stands for “new engine option.” The
MTOW: 73.5 t
MTOW: 73.5 t
PW1100G engines feature what is known as “geared
parable contour of an A320 from the existing fleet. This is due to the new engine technology as well as vortex generators and newly developed wing tips. Renewal of the fleet The Lufthansa Group has ordered a total of 116 neo-version aircraft for its Lufthansa and Swiss fleets, including 45 in the larger A321neo version, for an investment volume of $13.3 billion according to list price. Airbus intends to hand over another four A320neo aircraft to Lufthansa by the end of the year. These will also be operated using the Lufthansa hub in Frankfurt as their starting point.
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turbofan” technology, which reduces fuel consumption and noise by converting the drive power.
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Noise contours compared
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The noise contour of the Airbus A320neo (new engine option) has been reduced by almost 50 percent (85 dB(A)
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Wing tips
maximum noise level) compared with the Airbus A320ceo (current engine option).
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Source: © Airbus 1.2016
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Vortex generators 1 km
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Airline World
Condor Flying NonStop from Frankfurt to Santa Clara
Efficient use of space means the A320neo has two more rows of seats in Economy Class. However, it is particularly notable for its improved engines.
Since December 2015, Condor has had a new destination in its route network with flights every Friday: Santa Clara in Cuba. This supplements the airline’s existing routes from Frankfurt to Havana, Varadero and Holguin. The flights are operated with a Boeing 767–300. “To satisfy the high demand for Cuba, we have now added a fourth direct connection from Frankfurt to another dream destination on the Caribbean island,” said Dr. Jens Boyd, Director of Long Haul & Revenue Management at Condor. “Our direct flights offer our customers a relaxed journey to all four destinations and, above all, more time at their vacation spot.” In the winter in particular, Cuba is an attractive sunny destination for many passengers – which is why Condor decided to add Santa Clara as a fourth destination on the island. Caribbean flair in Santa Clara, Cuba.
China Airlines Using New Boeing 777–300 in Frankfurt
The traditional cake was a must at the celebration to mark the start of operations with the aircraft type.
Since November, Frankfurt has been the first European destination where China Airlines operates flights with a Boeing 777–300. The Triple Seven now flies non-stop between Frankfurt and Taipei five times a week. Along with the new aircraft type, the airline is also introducing two new classes on this route: Premium Business Class and Premium Economy Class. At a celebration, Martin Bien, Head of Ground Handling Services (right), spoke on behalf of Fraport to wish the airline every success with the new aircraft type. Hsiao-Hsing Tung, Senior Vice President for Passenger Sales at China Airlines, and Agnes Hwa-Yue Chen, representative of the Taipei office in Germany, accepted the good wishes on behalf of the airline.
Vietnam Airlines Using A350 in Frankfurt Vietnam Airlines is currently in the process of gradually commissioning new aircraft for its long-haul flights. During the transitional period, the airline is using an Airbus A350–900XWB in its winter schedule until the end of March for its route to Frankfurt, which is generally flown every Monday. Arriving from Hanoi, the aircraft lands at Frankfurt Airport at 6:20 a.m. and leaves again for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at 1:55 p.m. However, in its long-term fleet planning the airline eventually intends to use a B787–9 for this route.
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Airline World
From a Canadian Airline to a Global Carrier Air Canada can look back on a long history, both at home and in Germany – now the company is reinventing itself
On April 25, Air Canada will celebrate a landmark birthday at Frankfurt Airport, marking 50 years since Canada’s biggest airline first launched a connection between the German hub and its Canadian counterpart, Toronto. The occasion is also a special one for Jean-Christophe Hérault, General Manager Germany. He talks about how he intends to ensure that this success story continues into the future.
Jean-Christophe Hérault has been Air Canada’s General Manager Germany since December 1, 2010. He has been with the airline since 2002, most recently as Sales & Marketing Manager Germany and Cargo Sales Manager Central Europe.
Mr. Hérault, a 50th anniversary is a good opportunity to look back and reflect. But the future is even more exciting. Can you give us a few insights into where Air Canada is headed? Yes, some elements are very much already fixed in place. From July of this year, for example, we will cover six continents for the first time when we include Africa in our network with the launch of a Toronto– Casablanca route. Further destinations will be added over the next five years: Johannesburg and Lagos are under discussion, for example. What else is on the agenda? Air Canada is set to expand significantly. As an example, by 2018 we will have 30 more long-haul aircraft than in 2015, most of them Boeing Dreamliners. For every 787 that we commission, a Boeing 767 will be converted for our leisure carrier Air Canada Rouge and given the corresponding paint job. We grew by around 10 percent in 2014 and 2015 thanks to this strategy. In 2016, we are aiming for capacity growth of 15 percent – the biggest increase in our history. All in all, we are developing from a Canadian airline into a global carrier.
Will there be similarly pronounced growth at Frankfurt? And what position does the destination occupy for Air Canada? Frankfurt is our second-largest international hub with five flights a day – well ahead of the next airport on the list. Things have changed somewhat since 1966, when we offered ten connections a week between Rhine-Main and Canada. This year, our capacity from Frankfurt will increase thanks to the refitting of our fleet. For example, our Boeing 777–300 aircraft will have 400 seats instead of 349. Broadly speaking, these reconfigurations will increase our total traffic from Frankfurt by 15 percent in 2016. This means we will still be the clear international leader in terms of seating capacity while ensuring that we remain competitive. Air Canada is one of the founding members of Star Alliance. What are the benefits for the company? Frankfurt is the main hub of “Star Alliance” and therefore strategically important for us, which we have emphasized by operating our own Airport “Maple Leaf Lounge” since 2013, where our customers have an opportunity to experience Canadian hospitality even before boarding their Air
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At a Glance – Founded in 1937 – At Frankfurt Airport since 1966 – Corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canada – 28,000 employees – 1,500 daily flights to 180 destinations – Passengers: 41 million (2015) – Fleet: 408 aircraft (including Air Canada Express and Air Canada rouge) – Founding member of Star Alliance – Atlantic Joint Venture Partner of Lufthansa and United Airlines – Skytrax: Rated three times as a four-star airline and five times as “Best International Airline in North America”
Canada flight. We have a close partnership with all Star Alliance members, and we are also part of the “Atlantic Joint Venture” with our partners Lufthansa and United Airlines, which allows us to retain our own brand, but support and complement each other wherever possible. Skytrax has given Air Canada a four-star rating on three occasions and has recognized you as the best airline in North America five times. What do you think are the reasons for the latter success in particular, considering you are up against heavyweights from the USA? Our cabin product is undoubtedly the main factor. For example, we introduced lie-flat beds in Business Class in 2007. While they are commonplace today, back then we were ahead of the game on Transatlantic routes. And now Air Canada is making an impact with the next generation of lie-flat beds, which has optimized various details of the beds. This commitment to customer service runs through all our activities, such as our dedicated Airport Team in Frankfurt. In turn, this helps us to achieve top ratings when it comes to punctuality and safety.
A great deal has changed over Air Canada’s history, not least the cabin: images from the 1980s (above), the current Premium Economy Class (below).
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Airline World
Emirates Doubles A380 Flights from Frankfurt New Chairman on Since the beginning of the year, Emirates the AOC Team mand has been so strong that we needed has been operating two of its three daily non-stop connections between Frankfurt and Dubai with an Airbus A380. The airline is thus increasing its capacity on the route. Previously, Emirates had used Boeing 777–300 aircraft in rotation. In September 2014, the airline used an Airbus A380 on this route for the first time. Hubert Frach, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West, commented: “Our daily A380 service to Frankfurt proved to be extremely popular and we’re happy that de-
to increase capacity on the route. Adding a second flight to Frankfurt will further enhance the travel experience on that route and provide more A380-to-A380 connectivity to popular destinations around the world via our ultra-modern hub in Dubai.” Dr. Stefan Schulte, Chairman of the Executive Board of Fraport AG, was likewise delighted, remarking: “We are pleased that Emirates has decided to operate a second daily A380 to Frankfurt. It shows the clear commitment of Emirates and underlines the attractiveness of Frankfurt Airport.”
The new aircraft features 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 429 seats in Economy Class.
Since the beginning of the year, Antonios Goufas has once again found himself in the role of Chairman of the AOC’s (Airline Operators Committee) SubCommittee for Ground Operations and Safety, which he already chaired between 2013 and early 2015. In addition to dealing with ramp security issues in this position, he also intends to place a particular emphasis on good communication between the different parties involved at the airport. Goufas remarked: “My goal is to liaise between my airline colleagues and airport authorities to allow smooth and safe operations, and to help as needed to find a common understanding of each other’s issues in day-to-day business.” He also wants to support station managers who are new to Frankfurt with the large number of unfamiliar interfaces. Goufas himself has been managing the Aegean Airlines station in Frankfurt since 2009. His previous roles have included Ramp Operations Manager at the ground handling service provider Acciona Airport Services. He is also familiar with the airlines’ perspective as he has spent many years working in various positions at Saudi Arabian Airlines (2003 to 2007) and Olympic Airways (1990 to 2002).
About This Publication Publisher: Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Service Worldwide 60547 Frankfurt, Germany www.twitter.com/Airport_FRA www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport
Layout: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Anke Rabbeau
Editor-in-chief: Sigrun von Kienle, Corporate Communications
Production and project management: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Dr. Claudia Klemm
Editors: Anette Schmid, Fraport Ground Services Ricarda Wahl, Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security Content, information and ideas for articles: Susanne Kalbe, Sigrun von Kienle, Nicole Ruschig-Brunck, Anette Schmid, Ricarda Wahl Written by: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Hannah Barthel (Chief Copywriter), Johannes Büchl
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Photo credits: Fraport – p. 1, p. 2 (top), p. 3, p. 7, p. 8 (top), p. 9 (bottom), p. 12, p. 13, p. 14, p. 15, p. 19 (top
right), p. 22 (left), p. 23 (top left); pixeldima.com (CC BYSA 3.0) – p. 4–5, ZedProMedia – p. 8 (bottom); GraphicsFuel – p. 9 (top); Dr.K./Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) – p. 10–11; Profilwerkstatt – p. 10 (map); Initiative E-PORT AN – p. 13 (top); FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services – p. 16; Singapore Airlines – p. 17; Airbus – p. 18 (graphic); Deutsche Lufthansa – p. 18, p. 19 (left); Tupungato/shutterstock.com – p.19 (middle); Vietnam Airlines – p. 19 (bottom right); Air Canada – p. 20, p. 21; Aegan Airlines – p. 22 (right); Swiss – p. 23 (top middle); Air India – p. 23 (right); El Al – p. 23 (middle); Saudia – p. 23 (left bottom).
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People World
New Senior Manager Swiss: New Station for Ground Handling Manager
Air India Repositions Itself in Frankfurt
Since October 2015, Pascal Geber has been in charge of ground handling for the Terminal 1 East area. The 35-year-old business administration graduate began his career at Fraport AG in 2006. After holding various posts in Training and HR, in 2011 he moved into the area of ground handling services organizational development, where he spearheaded several projects. In his new role, he intends to continue ensuring high quality in handling processes and thus act as a reliable partner to the customers of Fraport AG’s ground handling services.
Gagan Chhabra and Divya Singh are the new faces of Air India in Frankfurt.
Nicole Flores is the new station manager for Swiss in Frankfurt. The 53-year-old began her career at the Lufthansa Group back in 1986 as a passenger handling specialist. Since then, she has acquired a wide range of knowledge. She most recently worked as a consultant in the Service unit, including for the common IT platform project (2010 to 2015). In her new position as station manager, she aims to help improve processes within the Lufthansa Group, ensure a good working relationship between passenger handling and ramp handling, and promote an open error culture.
EL AL – Israel Airlines: New General Manager for Germany & Austria Since February, Bettina Hickler has been working as the new EL AL General Manager for Germany & Austria. Before joining the Israeli airline, the 55-year-old had already worked at various forwarding companies since 1979, including as a branch manager in Germany and the USA, and had risen to the level of CEO Assistant. In 2000, Hickler returned to Frankfurt and started her suc-
cessful career at EL AL, where she significantly expanded the cargo division. Her field of responsibility was subsequently extended to include Eastern Europe and temporarily also the USA, and in 2008 she was then appointed EL AL Cargo Manager for Europe. “I manage a successful, innovative national carrier and am delighted to do my utmost to enhance EL AL’s excellent position. In terms of profits, it is important to keep optimizing our capacity utilization,” said Hickler with regard to her new role.
Saudia: New Country Manager Sultan Otaify is Saudia’s new Country Manager Germany. The 31-yearold has been with the airline since 2008. He started as a System Support Analyst for Sales Strategy, where he was involved in projects on sales strategies, IATA affairs and codeshare agreements, among other things. He was also a member of the project management team during the airline’s privatization. In 2014, Otaify completed his master’s degree in Business Administration at UBT University
in Jeddah. The expansion of routes to Germany will be one of Otaify’s main tasks in his new role. From April, the airline will increase its frequency to seven daily flights a week from Frankfurt and will also add Munich to its route network. Otaify also intends to make a contribution to the airline’s strategy for the future, Saudia SV2020. Moreover, the new position is a welcome experience for Otaify personally, as he explains: “Not only am I assimilating to German culture and habits, but by traveling I am also getting to know all of Europe.”
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Chhabra (47) has been the new Country Manager for Germany at Air India since November. He has been working for the airline for 22 years, during which period he has held various positions in sales and marketing in particular, most recently as Assistant General Manager for the company’s loyalty program. Chhabra already gained experience as a Country Manager in Japan between 2008 and 2012. In his new role, he now intends to further improve the quality of service on the ground and on board, and to build on the airline’s successful work in Frankfurt: “We have been rewarded for our punctuality and excellent load factors by Frankfurt airport authorities and we would strive to maintain this for the coming years, too.” He added that his airline was also looking forward to providing more seat capacity between India and Germany in the future. Divya Singh, the new Airport Manager and Customer Relations Manager at Air India in Frankfurt, also agrees, saying: “I set myself a goal to help my airline grow faster in terms of passenger load and possibly adding other routes via Frankfurt.” The airline currently has daily operations from Frankfurt to Delhi with a Boeing Dreamliner. Singh can also look back on a long career. She joined Air India in 1982 and has worked in various areas such as Reservations, Airport Handling, and Sales and Marketing. The 53-year-old came to Frankfurt in October. Singh’s main responsibility will be to ensure the safe and efficient operations of the airport on a daily basis. “At Frankfurt, we have set ourselves a very high benchmark and it is going to be my priority to take this to a higher level in all aspects of customer satisfaction,” explained Singh. “In addition to maintaining high standards of punctuality and quick turnaround times, I am interested in people taking home memories of great flying experiences.”
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