What’s New

The Executive Committee of the Arab Air Carriers Organization held its seventy-ninth meeting in Cairo on 9 May 2017 with the participation of the Chief Executive Officers of Arab airlines members of the Committee. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Director General of Saudia and Chairman of the Executive Committee, H.E. Eng. Saleh Bin Nasser Al Jasser, and was attended by Mr. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Hout, Chairman and Director General of Middle East Airlines, Captain Suleiman Obaidat, President & CEO of Royal Jordanian, Mr. Safwat Musallam, Chairman & CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company, and H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways. It’s worth highlighting that Mr. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, was elected as a member of the Committee for the seat vacated by the departure of Mr. James Hogan, Former Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, until the close of AACO AGM 2017 which will be held in November.

The Committee discussed administrative and strategic affairs in addition to the developments of the joint projects that gather Arab airlines members of AACO. In particular, the Committee discussed developments of  the Fuel project, Cooperation at Outstations project, the MRO Collaboration project and the updates of the AACO Regional Training Center. With regards to the strategic issues, the Committee discussed strategies related to distribution, Aeropolitical affairs, and the infrastructure of the Arab aerospace.

On the Aeropolitical side, the Committee discussed the latest developments related to passenger rights regulations at the level of Arab states, and the regional and global levels. The Committee stressed the importance of dialogue with governments in order to ensure that any regulations adopted should bring a balance between the rights of passengers and competitiveness of airlines. The Committee also discussed international treaties of air transport and confirmed the importance of urging Arab governments that have not ratified the Montreal Protocol of 2014 to do so, due to its importance in reducing the unruly/disruptive behavior onboard flights as it expands the jurisdiction of the participating countries to prosecute travelers who engage in unruly behavior onboard flights as such disruptive actions may threaten the safety of the flight, passengers and crew onboard. The Committee also agreed to continue urging Arab governments that have not ratified the Montreal Convention of 1999 to do so, because of the benefits that the convention brings to passengers, airlines and governments. The convention brings certainty and standardization to liabilities in cases of death, injury, delay or damage of luggage and facilitates electronic transactions especially in the air cargo area.

The Committee also looked at the latest developments related to ICAO's work on the Global Market Based Measures related to climate change or what is called the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), as well as at developments related to aviation security such as the ban on carrying electronic devices recently imposed by the United States and the United Kingdom on flights originating from a number of Middle Eastern airports/countries. The regional cooperation in the field of aviation security and travel facilities in this field were also discussed, in addition to the latest developments of the Arab aerospace infrastructure and the regional cooperation that is taking place in this field.

As for the upcoming AACO forums, the Committee took note that the Fuel Forum, the Business Technology Forum and the Aeropolitical Forum will be held during the second half of 2017.

The Executive Committee usually holds two meetings annually and a third meeting on the sidelines of AACO AGMs, which is the highest authority in the organization. The AGM will be held this year in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates from 20 to 22 November 2017 under the High Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and by the kind invitation of Mr. Adel A. Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, and Chairman of AACO 50th AGM.

The Executive Committee will hold its next and 80th meeting on 21 September 2017 in Beirut – Lebanon, by the kind invitation of Mr. Mohamad A. El-Hout, Chairman and Director General of Middle East Airlines.