CREATING ECO-FRIENDLY AIRPORT SYSTEMS FOR THE FUTURE

Airports have traditionally been viewed as a prime source of anti-environmental activity. Whether it is the high amount of air pollution from the airplanes, the high energy consumption levels within the airport, or the noise pollution that is generated as a plane takes off or lands, the airport systems have been low on sustainability in almost every major area.

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World Fuel

World Fuel | Colt is a leading provider of fuel services, trip support and aviation insurance. More than 8,200 flight departments trust World Fuel | Colt to deliver high-quality service to over 20,000 aircraft. Through its global service network and offices, World Fuel | Colt reduces operating costs and ensures successful trips from beginning to end. World Fuel | Colt is a division of World Fuel Services.

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Aviation Technology

A Peek into The Future of Piloting Airplanes

Article | July 26, 2022

Flying is changing, and so is the future of piloting. With technological advancements across the aviation industry, one can only anticipate what’s in store for the future of piloting. The battle between automation and learning skills that automation can easily take over is coming to a head. As airplane engineering matures, the aviation industry isn’t far from seeing a day when pilots who have undergone training on electric trainers require a license endorsement to fly a piston-powered aircraft. Goodbye, Manual Flying Airplanes are becoming downright easier to fly. Consider how most pilots today would never be able to fly the aircraft that their seniors trained in. According to experts, piloting skills will put more emphasis on the efficient use of airspace systems instead of directing and maneuvering the aircraft. Decoding Airplane Information Traditionally, a pilot’s primary task was to gather and decode the information he received through the aircraft’s systems. This information was then used to give the pilot an “air picture” which allowed him to get a sense of the air traffic, airspace, and weather. As aircraft technology improves, pilots will no longer need to know how to do this. Instead, the "air picture" will be shown on a screen in front of them. Final Word From augmented reality to 3D spatial audio cues, augmentation is happening to aircraft as well as the pilot’s ability to fly them. The evolution of aviation technology will only help transform the mechanics of airplanes, and pilots will no longer need to handle flight control. As augmented reality takes over, future cockpits might not even need to be at the front of the aircraft or have windows. That would be the true test of the future of piloting.

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Defense and Space

The Outlook of Aviation Industry’s Next Vision Beyond 2021

Article | June 8, 2022

The pandemic has caused a deeper level of disruption, which brought the aviation industry to a standstill for months. After facing long months of hardship, what vision and steps will be for airline recovery? This is a significant concern. This would now require complete planning over some crucial areas that form the pillars of the aviation industry. It is especially airline businesses that require a novel set of advancements to build operational confidence. As the industry is rebooting, technology is benefiting. Be it robotics, IoT, biometrics, seamless integration, automation, and more will aid businesses and their processes. Therefore, the industry’s next vision is being set according to the evolving changes in the airline industry due to covid-19. It will establish resilience and flexibility for businesses to adapt to changing conditions while improving efficiency. Here are the key considerations that will be seen as airline recovery curbing airline challenges to plan new avenues beyond 2021. Collaboration Collaboration in the aviation business landscape has been the most important consideration after the pandemic affected the industry. Keeping the vision of collaborating with stakeholders and the commercial airline industry to focus on business and customer confidence will restart operations safely. Collaboration in the future will have a better grasp and be more efficient because of better coordination of data sources being introduced currently. Collaboration becomes even more crucial in the coming years, where you will need updated and accurate information about your business operations. This vision will enhance chances of the following aspects as well: Customized Experience Leading to the modifications happening in the industry, you will be able to offer customized services to customers. Advanced integration functionalities will allow forming a contactless and personalized experience to curb the challenges prevailing. Providing transparent and reliable information to customers is one of the critical aspects of airline recovery and rebooting happening now. This is why a customized experience will aid airline businesses more safely in the coming years. Personalization Today, airlines, governments, and stakeholders are developing best practices for the immediate future of business with a greater focus on personalization throughout the service journey. It will help attract potential customers and end the general approach, which the industry was practicing before the pandemic. Monitoring To design a post-pandemic business model, you can look at the types of technological solutions and processes that have already been started and would emerge beyond 2021. It has been envisioned that airline industry analysis, coupled with monitoring, would allow businesses to manage resources more efficiently. In this way, deployment of the technology stack will be more accessible according to the need. This will strive to reduce crowds at airports and, therefore, effective management with the help of predicted monitoring will be in action. Digital Solutions The new normal in the aviation industry, using technology, would continue to ensure physical contact is diminished or might be eliminated in the future. Mandatory digital checks, implementation of digital platforms, contactless services, and information collected through mobile devices are some elements of the new business models. The industry's vision in the coming years is to demonstrate how it can use digital technology for transformation at scale. Advanced Processing System The next, the aviation industry foresees, is utilizing technology for automation, security, identity management, and robotics. Using these, you can develop attractive yet safe experiences for staff as well as customers. The advancing data processing system and management offer a seamless module for companies to handle risks, controls, handling, and tracking. The inclusion of the advanced system at the airport, airline companies will make the process function efficiently. And because of optimized coordination through automated touchpoints, chances of an increase in revenue will be higher and faster than before. Remote Processing The continuous advancement of airline activities will significantly support capacity limitations in the coming years. Because of this, you will have safer processing of data and information without any threats or breaches. The pandemic has put greater focus on the need for such a flexible approach with resilience. Also, it brings urgency to the availability of technology to use while going remote so that you can provide flexibility to your employees to work frictionless. The industry's vision in its plan is to unlock the full benefits of technology to access and initiate global coordination remotely. A Changed Way to do Business Today—Sustainability Companies operating in the airline business are still understanding to survive in the times of COVID-19. Being fast and evolving is the only way they realized to fight against the current situation. The new normal is bringing changes in the airline industry post covid. This will help the industry to get back its wings to forecast and set up its next vision in the future. Therefore, industry stakeholders need to quickly put immediate business restart efforts to focus on sustainable implementations. This will make the future actions of the aviation industry monitor and evaluate effectively well in response to the ongoing pandemic. Also, it would help them be ready to face even harsh circumstances if anytime it approaches. Frequently Asked Questions What are the risks to the aviation industry during COVID-19? The level of risk is on the rise in the COVID-19 situation at present in the aviation industry. It may affect the operation, new business models, management, monitoring, and evaluation more as remote work culture is hyped. What are the main sectors of the airline industry that need improvement? There are limited sectors in aviation. However, the main ones that need improvement are commercial aviation and business aviation. What are the crucial areas of operation in the aviation industry? Flight operations are crucial, including operation control, connectivity, network, data handling, integration, maintenance planning, and software. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the risks to the aviation industry during COVID-19?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The level of risk is on the rise in the COVID-19 situation at present in the aviation industry. It may affect the operation, new business models, management, monitoring, and evaluation more as remote work culture is hyped." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the main sectors of the airline industry that need improvement?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "There are limited sectors in aviation. However, the main ones that need improvement are commercial aviation and business aviation." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the crucial areas of operation in the aviation industry?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Flight operations are crucial, including operation control, connectivity, network, data handling, integration, maintenance planning, and software." } }] }

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Business Aviation

Aviation Marketing: Budget Control is a New Survival Metric amid the Pandemic

Article | January 28, 2022

Skift research shows that 90% of airline marketers have dropped their marketing budgets due to the pandemic.The pandemic brought massive changes in marketing. Due to this, CMOs navigated through restricted availability of resources and shifted airline companies’ guidelines for months. CMOs find increasingly difficult to rely on conventional financial and managerial aspects like typical cost setting—the way profitability was being achieved, fuel consumption, accounting decision making, investments, manufacturing and more. Due to these challenges, airline brands are bound to sternly reevaluate their current and future marketing process to maintain a steady flow of income and increase ROI. So, it’s quite possible that your marketing tactics also may have suffered due to the pandemic. Right? And now you must think, “How much should your budget be for marketing?” It’s an important question. It’s because most aviation businesses do not have a considerable aviation marketing budget. The answer to your concern lies here, “spend the least amount that achieves your business objectives.” A lot has transformed since the outbreak of the pandemic. Yet, there are novel opportunities in aviation marketing activities. So, let's take a closer look at some of the opportunities that might help control your aviation marketing budget. Opportunity No.1: Invest in Paid Advertisements; they are cheap! Paid advertisements are becoming cheaper. These are in higher demand when it comes to aviation marketing. It makes sense because the way digital advertisements are making money is going to benefit marketers. First, the paid ads drive the cost per click (CPC), so investing here can increase the ROI. Second, as the pandemic forced companies to focus on all-digital processes, as it prompts the audience to spend more time online. Resultantly, traffic on the web is up, and there are lots of ads. It means ads are cheaper. Even conversion rates are increasing now. It’s because the ads online are evolving at the same rate as it was before the pandemic. Therefore, you must take advantage of paid ads to start with controlling your aviation marketing costs. Opportunity No. 2: Determine your Annual Customer Value The key to having controlled aviation marketing costs is to have an average customer revenue. If you haven’t calculated yet, then you should begin with it. Begin tracking the effectiveness of your sales and marketing efforts. Once you begin with it, you will calculate how much money is spent on every customer or a new customer. The other important aspect to consider is how wisely you spend the dollars in a limited budget. And that’s where a marketing plan comes into action. A well-improvised marketing plan may include proper tactics, tools, and platforms. But to implement all these things effectively requires an adequate budget. However, how to use them requires a thorough analysis and experts’ experience. Usually, marketers make a mistake by spending too much on a single marketing tactic. And this results in a considerable loss. So, to control your budget, be intelligent to concentrate on a selected marketing tool and platform. And then spend dollars on it. Tapping on this approach, you will create a cost-effective marketing plan, which will give better marketing results. Besides, your customers might equally feel satisfied by getting worthwhile results. Well, in reality, it will be easy for you to determine the annual value of money spent on each customer. Opportunity No. 3: Review Investment Plans When looking at the aviation marketing budget, it’s advisable to review investment plans carefully. The investment plan is crucial when you need to control your aviation marketing. Having an in-depth knowledge of it can lead you to save big. Also, it might bring opportunities further for your airline business. For example, in December 2019, JetBlue announced a marketing structural cost program. It aimed at producing $250-$300 million by 2020 through cost savings. According to the company’s 2020 annual report, the program emphasizes these points: Technical marketing operations Planning, automation, and executing efficient activities online .(Like on a website, social media platforms, online campaigns, and more) • Decreasing distribution costs • Tax reformation All these aspects demonstrate opportunities to propel business growth. We are extremely excited about the potential for increased business demand with the costs and tax cut. - Glen Hauenstein, President of Delta Airlines. So, consider if you can reduce, delay and/or eliminate non-essential marketing tasks or not. Then, find opportunities to help you do a transition from costly, inefficient technological aspects to more cost-efficient technology, thus, driving more valuable results. The bottom line is that you must understand where it makes sense to cut costs and where to make the proper investments because it's about bolstering your airline business. With the help of this, you can create value for customers, partners, and investors in no time. Opportunity No. 4: Encourage Innovative Digital Engagement Some of the top airlines like Delta Airlines and its marketing teams use innovative engagement methods through digitalization. Yes! After being hit by the deadly pandemic, Delta lost $60 million in cash each day. Delta CEO Ed Bastian revealed that Delta airlines reduced 80% of its operation. “Delta will weather the storm by sticking to our shared values of honesty, persistence, and service to our customers and our communities. We encourage digitalization to the core. And that has helped our customers easy to connect us.” - Delta CEO Ed Bastian With this approach, Delta further forecasts its revenue to rise by 90% by the end of 2021. So, you can see how investing in digital methods can help revenue rise without going out of budget or crossing the budget line. When you introduce automation, AR, VR in your aviation marketing efforts, it will drive value from existing customers and engage potential customers. For example, you can create innovative videos for social media, visual online campaigns, presentations, and more. Finally, remember to “Have Patience and Carry On” It is critical to managing finance, especially in global disasters like coronavirus. However, today's marketing budget may seem exhausting when aviation businesses compete each day. But it is helpful at the end of the day! Controlling your aviation marketing costs will lead you to increase your ROI. And this way, you will get valuable prospects, which is even more critical in the current scenario. Moving ahead with not-so-hard marketing budget control, you will require powerful leadership, top competency with courage and empathy, and the correct data, of course. So, having all these aspects and proactive measures in place, you will be able to outshine again. So, which one of the opportunities are you going to implement first? Frequently Asked Questions How do airline businesses do marketing? Marketing is the best practice to build trust among airline customers. The marketers offer rewards to customers so that they become loyal to an airline brand. They also run campaign activities, provide rich informational content, produce videos to educate and motivate customers. This is how engagement increases along with loyal numbers of customers. What are the leading airline expenses? The leading airline expenses are as follows: The employment process expenses. These expenses are the most critical operational cost of an airline (33.5%). Fuel expenses (19.6%). Sales and marketing expenses. They are approximately 15.7% on the rise. How do airlines control the marketing budget? There are several ways the airline controls its marketing budget. A few of them are: By conducting fuel-saving strategies Operation procedure simplification Introducing automation Technology implementation { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "How do airline businesses do marketing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Marketing is the best practice to build trust among airline customers. The marketers offer rewards to customers so that they become loyal to an airline brand. They also run campaign activities, provide rich informational content, produce videos to educate and motivate customers. This is how engagement increases along with loyal numbers of customers." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the leading airline expenses?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The leading airline expenses are as follows: The employment process expenses. These expenses are the most critical operational cost of an airline (33.5%). Fuel expenses (19.6%). Sales and marketing expenses. They are approximately 15.7% on the rise." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "How do airlines control the marketing budget?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "There are several ways the airline controls its marketing budget. A few of them are: By conducting fuel-saving strategies Operation procedure simplification Introducing automation Technology implementation" } }] }

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Business Aviation

5 Tech Strategies to Transform Aviation in the New Normal

Article | August 26, 2021

As 2021 is a few months away from its end and is the beginning of a new year, it is hopeful that it will bring more positiveness for airline businesses. But what the industry has ahead? How will the new landscape of technology strategies in airline businesses look? Or say, what will be the platforms for novel technology strategies in the aviation industry in the future? Let’s have a quick read in the next! What Airline Technology Strategies Will Look Like? As you know, the airline industry saw a lot of disruption in 2020. But the circumstance also paved the way for promising and powerful new technologies. Airline businesses are now turning the tech trends to their advantage. In this way, they can get a handful of opportunities to streamline operations. They could do this because the landscape of technologies is reshaping aviation. For example, IATA recently calculated that the airline's revenue worldwidewould be more than half of what it was in 2019. That means the industry will witness a massive change due to emerging tech stacks. Its rising importance is influencing market leaders to make more informed decisions today. This is why it is critical to imply technology strategies in your business. Thus, the focus is on the clients' strategic choices and investments. It will now depend on the implications of technology strategies. How will some of the applied proactive technologies in business processes look like in the new normal? This blog groups some of the newer technologies for the new normal in aviation. Explore them and take inspiration from the potential of technologies to revive your business and drive growth. 5 Tech Strategies to Reshape Airline Industry Machine Learning with AI Before the pandemic, the airline industry displayed an exceptional commitment to the potential of AI. Like, you must have seen the adoption of chatbots to communicate and other ways to improve operations. Now, the usage of AI is soared, and its application is more profitable than before. The platform analyses a faster deployment of millions of operational data. Mechanization Mechanization technology in the airline industry is gaining thrust. Due to the rapid developments and advancements, several airline businesses are implementing it. As tools are becoming smarter, businesses will soon have completely automated operations. Automation will ease all the workloads, reduce manual intervention and errors to a high accuracy rate. Real-Time Information Technology Real-time information technology is a significant technological aviation strategy. It has the potential of improving airlines’ operation efficiency with the help of customized software usage. Your business can drive growth by implementing custom software applications. But, as you know, to deliver customized and personalized solutions, it is essential to understand clients’ expectations and preferences. So, how is this technology going to take you through it? Let’s understand in the following ways: Personalized solution: Custom software applications are developed with the help of the updated information collected by knowing customer’s preferences. In this way, you can create personalized or customized solutions for your clients. Technical Excellence: Having an expert development team across all application stages is a plus in your business. The cutting-edge tools will benefit from fulfilling clients’ demands Higher business value realization: It's critical to properly align real-time information technology with your business processes. This will deliver solutions on time with the right approach to your client. This way, your business can generate higher value and build trust in long-term relationships with clients. Analytics Analytics is the most urgent technological need for airline businesses in the future. Aacquiringe accurate data, predicting losses, and evaluating clients’ needs will be the next transformational scenario in the airline industry. Implementing this technology will allow airlines to streamline their operations ahead of time. It will also help to take realistic measures to bring down losses that occurred due to the pandemic. Analytics are also effective in predicting and preparing for the results of business efforts. Data-backed analytics would provide insights to pinpoint geo-specific interventions to gain higher ROI. Agility The implementation of technology strategies has encouraged airline businesses to become agile. At the same time, some leading industry market players have now shifted their business to operate in agility. So, it's expected that this trend will continue beyond 2021. The aviation industry caters to a vast array of products and services. It works to deliver seamless operations and services. The adaptation of agility requires multiple systems to interact and exchange data. So, with the growing rate of partnerships, agility is the need of the hour. Today, in several airline businesses, teams work in separate locations. Being agile helps them to win adverse circumstances. It also builds the trust of audiences by keeping transparency in work and responding to queries faster. With this, the emerging technology is also expected to help track the progress of smaller efforts and proactively handle the metrics for projects coming in. In addition, the technology ensures that you can constantly inspect functions and deliver quality products or services. Lastly, since the budget is one of the top concerns of airline businesses, the development of agile technology strategies helps to keep a check on expenses. Therefore, by tracking the expenditure, it will be easier to plan future budgets adequately. Frequently Asked Questions What are other critical new technologies that will transform aviation? According to IATA’s report, the aviation industry will witness a drastic transformation. Some important new technologies such as cybersecurity, 3D printing in manufacturing, robotics, and biometrics will enter in the future. How has technology enhanced the aviation industry? Technology has enhanced aviation in manufacturing. New techniques have created new aircraft with improved fuel consumption and reduced environmental impact. In terms of operation, automation and AI are the new takeovers in aviation. Why is technological development important for aviation? Technological development is important to improve the efficiency of airline operations. The need for better connectivity, enhanced travel experience, reduced fuel costs, budget alignment, control over expenses has urged technology to step in. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are other critical new technologies that will transform aviation?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "According to IATA’s report, the aviation industry will witness a drastic transformation. Some important new technologies such as cybersecurity, 3D printing in manufacturing, robotics, and biometrics will enter in the future." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "How has technology enhanced the aviation industry?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Technology has enhanced aviation in manufacturing. New techniques have created new aircraft with improved fuel consumption and reduced environmental impact. In terms of operation, automation and AI are the new takeovers in aviation." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Why is technological development important for aviation?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Technological development is important to improve the efficiency of airline operations. The need for better connectivity, enhanced travel experience, reduced fuel costs, budget alignment, control over expenses has urged technology to step in." } }] }

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Spotlight

World Fuel

World Fuel | Colt is a leading provider of fuel services, trip support and aviation insurance. More than 8,200 flight departments trust World Fuel | Colt to deliver high-quality service to over 20,000 aircraft. Through its global service network and offices, World Fuel | Colt reduces operating costs and ensures successful trips from beginning to end. World Fuel | Colt is a division of World Fuel Services.

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Airport Management

BURRELL AVIATION ANNOUNCES NEW NATIONWIDE MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT TO MODERNIZE INFRASTRUCTURE AT MULTIPLE U.S. AIRPORTS

Burrell Aviation | November 10, 2022

Burrell Aviation has formalized a national design-build master service agreement with Lemartec, a MasTec Company. Together, the companies will work on developing regional municipal airport projects that will increase access to air cargo services and allow smaller airports to expand their economic potential and spur growth in their local communities.MasTec companies have been involved in some of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects across the country. This partnership brings together businesses that have vast experience, can focus on innovation, and provide the best solutions needed for the businesses and communities served by these projects. Manny García-Tuñón, President of Lemartec, commented, "We're thrilled to be partnered with Burrell Aviation to help turn their vision of expanding aviation cargo capabilities across the country into a reality. A program such as this is about economic empowerment because it targets smaller, strategic airports in communities that are critical to meeting the ever-expanding cargo and logistical needs of an ever-growing e-commerce platform. MasTec is all about empowerment and creating opportunities for all in a spirit of diversity and inclusion, so this national program in partnership with The Burrell Group is exactly the type of effort we are proud to be a part of." "The U.S. airport system is in dire need of new investment and focused attention on non-passenger infrastructure. The partnership with Lemartec will allow us to accelerate delivery of next-generation facilities and satisfy the growing desire of airports of all sizes to generate new and meaningful jobs and to help drive the regional economies which they serve." John Carver, Burrell Aviation CEO About Lemartec: Lemartec Corporation is a national design-build construction management firm and serves as MasTec's vertical construction arm with a unique focus in Aviation & Transportation, Mission Critical, Sports & Entertainment, and Commercial market sectors. Forged by a safety-first and relationship-driven mindset, the Lemartec culture fosters trust and creates value for all stakeholders - our clients, employees, business partners, the community, and the environment. About MasTec: MasTec, Inc. a Fortune 500 company, is a leading infrastructure construction company operating mainly throughout North America across a range of industries. The Company's primary activities include the engineering, building, installation, maintenance and upgrade of communications, energy and utility and other infrastructure, such as: power delivery services, including transmission and distribution, wireless, wireline/fiber and customer fulfillment activities; power generation, primarily from clean energy and renewable sources; pipeline infrastructure, including natural gas pipeline and distribution infrastructure; heavy civil; and industrial infrastructure. MasTec's customers are primarily in these industries. About Burrell Aviation: Burrell Aviation, LLC is a division of The Burrell Group. The Burrell Group was founded in 2007 by Founder and Executive Chairman Daniel C. Burrell. It serves as the holding company for a consortium of individual business interests in a wide range of sectors. Burrell Aviation, LLC is a capital investor in next-generation supply chain infrastructure. The company is focused on providing airports and aviation customers with needed infrastructure within an accelerated timeframe. Burrell Aviation works with airports of all sizes, helping reposition regional and municipal airports that have been historically underutilized and operate outside North America's core supply chain. Burrell Aviation is also actively investing in major hub and gateway airports, helping preserve its market position. Burrell Aviation is dedicated to delivering modernized facilities for air cargo operations, MRO, integrated logistics, cold supply chain, corporate hangars, aerospace/defense, and emerging technologies.

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Airport Management

United Applies to Launch Historic, First-Ever Nonstop Service between Washington, D.C. and Cape Town

United | May 21, 2022

United Airlines announced today it has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for three weekly nonstop flights between Washington, D.C. and Cape Town, South Africa. If approved, United's flights will become the first nonstop service ever between Washington D.C. and South Africa's legislative capital, Cape Town. This long-overdue route will benefit important government-to-government connections and increase communication and commerce with a region that has strong cultural ties to South Africa. United's proposed service would begin Nov. 17, 2022, and operate on 787-9 aircraft, maximized to meet consumer demand and benefit both U.S. and South African travelers. If approved, the flights between Dulles and Cape Town will connect 55 cities across the United States to Cape Town, representing more than 90 percent of the entire U.S. travel demand to Cape Town. United's Washington Dulles hub is a gateway to the nation's capital and elsewhere, operating more than 230 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations around the world – including more than 10 world capitals and new service to Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria. From creating new jobs, to supporting key civic and aid organizations, United has taken tremendous pride in growing our family and operations in South Africa, and across the African continent, If awarded by the DOT, this historic nonstop service will significantly enhance travel options for consumers, strengthen ties between our countries legislative and diplomatic epicenters, and benefit thriving travel and tourism industries serving our respective countries." Patrick Quayle, United's Senior Vice President of International Network and Alliances. United has worked diligently to develop an African network to promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service options for U.S. travelers. The service will supplement United's existing flights to four cities in three countries in Africa. It will also allow customers to connect in Cape Town to other points in South Africa, and to other countries in the southern region of the African continent with its South African based partner Airlink and their Cape Town hub. The Washington D.C. to Cape Town route is the largest between the U.S. and South Africa without nonstop service. D.C. is the second largest point in the U.S. for Cape Town demand and holds the fifth largest South-African-born population. United's proposed weekly flights will address this gap and complement United's existing South Africa service between New York/Newark and Cape Town and Johannesburg, providing nearly daily service to Cape Town offered by a single carrier. United also maintains a close relationship with the Mandela Foundation and BPESA (Business Processing Enabling South Africa) a not-for-profit company that serves as the industry body and trade association for Global Business Services in South Africa. United recently announced a collaboration with travel company Certified Africa. Certified Africa's mission is to make travel to African countries easy, immersive, and life changing for millions of the African Diaspora across the United States. About United United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline.

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Airport Management

StratX Delivers Analytics and Strategy Solutions for Tackling Complex Workforce Challenges

StratX | March 14, 2022

Making the firm’s first-ever appearance at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading Americas conference, Strategy X Partners (“StratX”) detailed the accelerating growth trajectory for its workforce analytics and strategy advisory business, which assists aviation clients in transforming their operations and ensuring their employees are productive, innovative, and engaged. “The most important asset across all sizes of organizations is their people,” contended Gil Jones, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, elaborating that “the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled labor to become a front-and-center matter and businesses require creative solutions to their labor-related challenges as the mechanisms used in historical downturns are no longer effective.” As seen across all industries, including in the highly cyclical and competitive aviation sector, the importance of workforce has been elevated to new levels during the pandemic, resulting in labor becoming a partner in solution development. The employment landscape has also changed due to persisting labor shortages, reinforcing the urgent need for constructive labor relations centered around employee attraction and retention as a key measure of success. Moreover, impending technology advancements are poised to further evolve the ways in which companies maximize the value of people and ensure that they are working smarter, not harder. “Embracing this mentality shift is essential to achieving long-term sustainability and flexibility as companies rebuild and remerge from the pandemic, while preparing their organizations for the future. Business leaders require seasoned and experienced partners who are able to engage with all levels of the management team, deliver innovative enhancements, and bring creative thinking to the decision-making process.” Ben Kraszyk, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director Since its launch in late 2020, StratX has been at the forefront of workforce analytics and strategy, delivering highly customized, evidence-based insights to industry-leading organizations, counting among its first customers such aviation businesses as Sun Country Airlines, CommutAir, JSX, and Voyager Aviation Holdings. Combining a data-driven approach with in-depth knowledge and a proven track record in strategy, cost reduction, operations, contract negotiations, organizational effectiveness, and process improvement, the firm has provided advisory services in the areas of: Labor Diagnostic & Insights: Unlocking insights into labor cost and productivity, and benchmarking workforce metrics against industry leading practice and solutions; Negotiation Strategy & Labor Relations: Providing guidance on aligning the entire labor negotiations team – from finance to operations – with the broader strategic goals of the business; Operations Processes & Methods: Enhancing business processes and operations, ensuring efficiency, stability, and safety as market expectations evolve; M&A + Due Diligence Support: Providing the expertise required to gain an in-depth understanding of organizational dynamics, in addition to its cost and productivity, throughout the entire life cycle of a successful transaction; Executive Compensation & Rewards: Delivering strategically designed compensation programs that drive the desired behaviors and outcomes that enhance organizational performance and ensure a strong leadership team; and Organizational Size & Shape: Positioning organizations for long-term sustainability by understanding not only the current state of the business, but the strategic and operational nuances of the business, as well. Gil Jones, Ben Kraszyk, and Rob Kuehne, the founding team behind StratX, are deeply versed in all aspects of maximizing the potential of people, business processes, and workforces, having consulted to Fortune 500 companies and as part of engagement teams at industry-leading firms. Gil Jones has deep roots in organizational design, right-sizing, labor forecasting, executive compensation, and operational improvement. Prior to StratX, Jones was a project leader at Seabury Consulting and worked within United Airlines’ Flight Operations division, providing analysis and support to initiatives targeted at improving flight safety, compliance, efficiency, and reliability. Ben Kraszyk brings expertise in airport operations, labor finance, and strategy, supporting clients through negotiations, restructurings, privatizations, and initiatives targeted at enhancing costs and productivity. Prior to StratX, Kraszyk was a project leader at Seabury Consulting and worked at United Airlines, where he was focused on resource planning, as well as cost and operational enhancement projects in airport operations and cargo. In addition to being a co-founding member of StratX, Rob Kuehne works at a boutique private equity firm, Sentient Partners International, where he supports transactions within the aviation and travel industries. Kuehne also holds securities licenses with Seabury Securities, a leading investment banking and specialty finance firm. Previously, he served as a broker at a leading wealth management and advisory firm. As part of its aggressive growth trajectory, StratX plans to continue the build-out of its team with seasoned consultants and analysts as well as to forge industry alliances and partnerships to expand its core offerings to meet existing and prospective clients’ needs in the rapidly changing market environment. “Business leaders are seeking out work with boutique advisors, who are committed to being a trusted, long-term partner,” asserted Rob Kuehne, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director. “We built StratX with the mindset of being more of an ‘in the room with the customer’ partner in solving challenges, while being pragmatic and courageous enough to recommend dramatically new ways of doing things.” About StratX Strategy X Partners (“StratX”) is a boutique consultancy that balances the right combination of insights & analytics and design & strategy to transform clients’ business operations and ensure their workforces are productive, innovative, and engaged. Operating from offices in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York, the StratX team works with a broad spectrum of companies across the globe, including clients in the cyclical and highly competitive travel industry.

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Airport Management

BURRELL AVIATION ANNOUNCES NEW NATIONWIDE MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT TO MODERNIZE INFRASTRUCTURE AT MULTIPLE U.S. AIRPORTS

Burrell Aviation | November 10, 2022

Burrell Aviation has formalized a national design-build master service agreement with Lemartec, a MasTec Company. Together, the companies will work on developing regional municipal airport projects that will increase access to air cargo services and allow smaller airports to expand their economic potential and spur growth in their local communities.MasTec companies have been involved in some of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects across the country. This partnership brings together businesses that have vast experience, can focus on innovation, and provide the best solutions needed for the businesses and communities served by these projects. Manny García-Tuñón, President of Lemartec, commented, "We're thrilled to be partnered with Burrell Aviation to help turn their vision of expanding aviation cargo capabilities across the country into a reality. A program such as this is about economic empowerment because it targets smaller, strategic airports in communities that are critical to meeting the ever-expanding cargo and logistical needs of an ever-growing e-commerce platform. MasTec is all about empowerment and creating opportunities for all in a spirit of diversity and inclusion, so this national program in partnership with The Burrell Group is exactly the type of effort we are proud to be a part of." "The U.S. airport system is in dire need of new investment and focused attention on non-passenger infrastructure. The partnership with Lemartec will allow us to accelerate delivery of next-generation facilities and satisfy the growing desire of airports of all sizes to generate new and meaningful jobs and to help drive the regional economies which they serve." John Carver, Burrell Aviation CEO About Lemartec: Lemartec Corporation is a national design-build construction management firm and serves as MasTec's vertical construction arm with a unique focus in Aviation & Transportation, Mission Critical, Sports & Entertainment, and Commercial market sectors. Forged by a safety-first and relationship-driven mindset, the Lemartec culture fosters trust and creates value for all stakeholders - our clients, employees, business partners, the community, and the environment. About MasTec: MasTec, Inc. a Fortune 500 company, is a leading infrastructure construction company operating mainly throughout North America across a range of industries. The Company's primary activities include the engineering, building, installation, maintenance and upgrade of communications, energy and utility and other infrastructure, such as: power delivery services, including transmission and distribution, wireless, wireline/fiber and customer fulfillment activities; power generation, primarily from clean energy and renewable sources; pipeline infrastructure, including natural gas pipeline and distribution infrastructure; heavy civil; and industrial infrastructure. MasTec's customers are primarily in these industries. About Burrell Aviation: Burrell Aviation, LLC is a division of The Burrell Group. The Burrell Group was founded in 2007 by Founder and Executive Chairman Daniel C. Burrell. It serves as the holding company for a consortium of individual business interests in a wide range of sectors. Burrell Aviation, LLC is a capital investor in next-generation supply chain infrastructure. The company is focused on providing airports and aviation customers with needed infrastructure within an accelerated timeframe. Burrell Aviation works with airports of all sizes, helping reposition regional and municipal airports that have been historically underutilized and operate outside North America's core supply chain. Burrell Aviation is also actively investing in major hub and gateway airports, helping preserve its market position. Burrell Aviation is dedicated to delivering modernized facilities for air cargo operations, MRO, integrated logistics, cold supply chain, corporate hangars, aerospace/defense, and emerging technologies.

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Airport Management

United Applies to Launch Historic, First-Ever Nonstop Service between Washington, D.C. and Cape Town

United | May 21, 2022

United Airlines announced today it has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for three weekly nonstop flights between Washington, D.C. and Cape Town, South Africa. If approved, United's flights will become the first nonstop service ever between Washington D.C. and South Africa's legislative capital, Cape Town. This long-overdue route will benefit important government-to-government connections and increase communication and commerce with a region that has strong cultural ties to South Africa. United's proposed service would begin Nov. 17, 2022, and operate on 787-9 aircraft, maximized to meet consumer demand and benefit both U.S. and South African travelers. If approved, the flights between Dulles and Cape Town will connect 55 cities across the United States to Cape Town, representing more than 90 percent of the entire U.S. travel demand to Cape Town. United's Washington Dulles hub is a gateway to the nation's capital and elsewhere, operating more than 230 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations around the world – including more than 10 world capitals and new service to Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria. From creating new jobs, to supporting key civic and aid organizations, United has taken tremendous pride in growing our family and operations in South Africa, and across the African continent, If awarded by the DOT, this historic nonstop service will significantly enhance travel options for consumers, strengthen ties between our countries legislative and diplomatic epicenters, and benefit thriving travel and tourism industries serving our respective countries." Patrick Quayle, United's Senior Vice President of International Network and Alliances. United has worked diligently to develop an African network to promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service options for U.S. travelers. The service will supplement United's existing flights to four cities in three countries in Africa. It will also allow customers to connect in Cape Town to other points in South Africa, and to other countries in the southern region of the African continent with its South African based partner Airlink and their Cape Town hub. The Washington D.C. to Cape Town route is the largest between the U.S. and South Africa without nonstop service. D.C. is the second largest point in the U.S. for Cape Town demand and holds the fifth largest South-African-born population. United's proposed weekly flights will address this gap and complement United's existing South Africa service between New York/Newark and Cape Town and Johannesburg, providing nearly daily service to Cape Town offered by a single carrier. United also maintains a close relationship with the Mandela Foundation and BPESA (Business Processing Enabling South Africa) a not-for-profit company that serves as the industry body and trade association for Global Business Services in South Africa. United recently announced a collaboration with travel company Certified Africa. Certified Africa's mission is to make travel to African countries easy, immersive, and life changing for millions of the African Diaspora across the United States. About United United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline.

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Airport Management

StratX Delivers Analytics and Strategy Solutions for Tackling Complex Workforce Challenges

StratX | March 14, 2022

Making the firm’s first-ever appearance at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading Americas conference, Strategy X Partners (“StratX”) detailed the accelerating growth trajectory for its workforce analytics and strategy advisory business, which assists aviation clients in transforming their operations and ensuring their employees are productive, innovative, and engaged. “The most important asset across all sizes of organizations is their people,” contended Gil Jones, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, elaborating that “the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled labor to become a front-and-center matter and businesses require creative solutions to their labor-related challenges as the mechanisms used in historical downturns are no longer effective.” As seen across all industries, including in the highly cyclical and competitive aviation sector, the importance of workforce has been elevated to new levels during the pandemic, resulting in labor becoming a partner in solution development. The employment landscape has also changed due to persisting labor shortages, reinforcing the urgent need for constructive labor relations centered around employee attraction and retention as a key measure of success. Moreover, impending technology advancements are poised to further evolve the ways in which companies maximize the value of people and ensure that they are working smarter, not harder. “Embracing this mentality shift is essential to achieving long-term sustainability and flexibility as companies rebuild and remerge from the pandemic, while preparing their organizations for the future. Business leaders require seasoned and experienced partners who are able to engage with all levels of the management team, deliver innovative enhancements, and bring creative thinking to the decision-making process.” Ben Kraszyk, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director Since its launch in late 2020, StratX has been at the forefront of workforce analytics and strategy, delivering highly customized, evidence-based insights to industry-leading organizations, counting among its first customers such aviation businesses as Sun Country Airlines, CommutAir, JSX, and Voyager Aviation Holdings. Combining a data-driven approach with in-depth knowledge and a proven track record in strategy, cost reduction, operations, contract negotiations, organizational effectiveness, and process improvement, the firm has provided advisory services in the areas of: Labor Diagnostic & Insights: Unlocking insights into labor cost and productivity, and benchmarking workforce metrics against industry leading practice and solutions; Negotiation Strategy & Labor Relations: Providing guidance on aligning the entire labor negotiations team – from finance to operations – with the broader strategic goals of the business; Operations Processes & Methods: Enhancing business processes and operations, ensuring efficiency, stability, and safety as market expectations evolve; M&A + Due Diligence Support: Providing the expertise required to gain an in-depth understanding of organizational dynamics, in addition to its cost and productivity, throughout the entire life cycle of a successful transaction; Executive Compensation & Rewards: Delivering strategically designed compensation programs that drive the desired behaviors and outcomes that enhance organizational performance and ensure a strong leadership team; and Organizational Size & Shape: Positioning organizations for long-term sustainability by understanding not only the current state of the business, but the strategic and operational nuances of the business, as well. Gil Jones, Ben Kraszyk, and Rob Kuehne, the founding team behind StratX, are deeply versed in all aspects of maximizing the potential of people, business processes, and workforces, having consulted to Fortune 500 companies and as part of engagement teams at industry-leading firms. Gil Jones has deep roots in organizational design, right-sizing, labor forecasting, executive compensation, and operational improvement. Prior to StratX, Jones was a project leader at Seabury Consulting and worked within United Airlines’ Flight Operations division, providing analysis and support to initiatives targeted at improving flight safety, compliance, efficiency, and reliability. Ben Kraszyk brings expertise in airport operations, labor finance, and strategy, supporting clients through negotiations, restructurings, privatizations, and initiatives targeted at enhancing costs and productivity. Prior to StratX, Kraszyk was a project leader at Seabury Consulting and worked at United Airlines, where he was focused on resource planning, as well as cost and operational enhancement projects in airport operations and cargo. In addition to being a co-founding member of StratX, Rob Kuehne works at a boutique private equity firm, Sentient Partners International, where he supports transactions within the aviation and travel industries. Kuehne also holds securities licenses with Seabury Securities, a leading investment banking and specialty finance firm. Previously, he served as a broker at a leading wealth management and advisory firm. As part of its aggressive growth trajectory, StratX plans to continue the build-out of its team with seasoned consultants and analysts as well as to forge industry alliances and partnerships to expand its core offerings to meet existing and prospective clients’ needs in the rapidly changing market environment. “Business leaders are seeking out work with boutique advisors, who are committed to being a trusted, long-term partner,” asserted Rob Kuehne, StratX’s Co-Founder and Managing Director. “We built StratX with the mindset of being more of an ‘in the room with the customer’ partner in solving challenges, while being pragmatic and courageous enough to recommend dramatically new ways of doing things.” About StratX Strategy X Partners (“StratX”) is a boutique consultancy that balances the right combination of insights & analytics and design & strategy to transform clients’ business operations and ensure their workforces are productive, innovative, and engaged. Operating from offices in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York, the StratX team works with a broad spectrum of companies across the globe, including clients in the cyclical and highly competitive travel industry.

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