By the end of 2019, aviation had entered what some have dubbed a second golden age. Airlines were making a profit, pilots were in strong demand and flying was faster, cheaper and more comfortable than ever before, leading to a record high in passenger numbers.
A total of 4.5 billion people flew on an aircraft in 2019 – equivalent to almost 60 per cent of the world’s population. In the same period, an average of 12.5 million people boarded one of the 128,000 flights operated every day, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
In the UAE, the trend was magnified. In November 2019, the 16th iteration of the Dubai Airshow closed with $54.5 billion in orders on the books, including aircraft sales to global airlines such as Russia's Aurora, Air Senegal and Kazakhstan's Air Astana.
On home turf and buoyed by a 21 per cent increase in profits in 2019, as compared to 2018, Emirates placed a $16 billion order for 50 Airbus A350 XWBs and an $8.8 billion order for 30 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
Down the road in Abu Dhabi, Etihad was also gaining strength. The national airline of the UAE cut its losses from $1.95 billion in 2018 to $870 million in 2019, and was enjoying a 2 per cent increase in passenger load factor.
Etihad used the 2019 Dubai Airshow to announce a collaboration with Boeing that involved branding one of its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners as the Greenliner. The project, Etihad said, would allow the airline and its partners to experiment with a range of initiatives that would make flying more environmentally sustainable.
Less than six weeks later, the lights began to dim on this chapter of aviation history, as the industry found itself embroiled in the repercussions of an outbreak of a little-known virus, originating in Wuhan, China.
In an effort to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus via air travel, airports around the world introduced additional screening measures for passengers flying from China. When this failed to halt the spread, countries opted to cancel flights to and from China, in what would be the first in a series of events that would hurtle the industry towards the worst crisis in aviation history.
Grinding to a halt
Exactly 99 days after the 2019 Dubai Airshow commenced, the UAE made the decision to ground its first flights. The General Civil Aviation Authority announced on February 25, 2020 that jets bound for Iran, where the coronavirus was spreading rapidly, would be halted for at least one week.
This FlightRadar24 image shows the impact just one day later, on February 26. Slide the bar across to compare air traffic from the same date, one year prior.
One month later, on March 25, UAE authorities announced that all inbound, outbound and transit passenger flights to and from the country would temporarily halt. The skies above one of the world's busiest international passenger hubs fell silent on March 26. The same scenario played out at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
UAE air traffic: month-by-month in 2020
The impact of Covid-19 on air traffic above the UAE can be easily tracked using flight radar maps.
Live air traffic service FlightRadar24 tracks jets in the air across the world every day of the year. The below data shows air traffic over the Emirates starting in March, when passenger flights to and from the country were first grounded, until the end of the year.
The data was tracked at 2pm, UAE time, on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Click through the slides to see how the skies changed in 2020.
The stark difference in air traffic brought on by the pandemic is clear to see. Skies that were once filled with thousands of flights every day witnessed only a fraction of that activity last year.
Throughout the pandemic, airlines continued to operate cargo flights and repatriation flights, so UAE air space was never entirely closed, but pilots flying during this time reported that the experience was slightly unnerving.
"Sometimes, it can look like a terror movie because you can easily fly for an hour and not see another aircraft. In places like India, where normally it's a very high level of traffic, you can fly for miles and not see another aircraft. That is the reality – we do not have many airplanes flying around," Etihad Airways captain Leonardo Magno told The National in an interview in 2020.
The first glimpses of air traffic recovery were visible in June, when stay-at-home orders began to ease and the UAE reopened airspace to some passenger flights. An even bigger rise in June followed Emirates's decision to restart some of its most popular passenger routes.
The Dubai airline announced on May 21 that it was set to resume passenger services to nine of its most popular destinations, including London, Paris, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto and Sydney.
"London Heathrow is one of our best performing routes and demand [on this route] has been typically strong across every class of travel," a representative for Emirates told The National.
The most promising rebound for UAE air travel came in December, which is typically already a busy time for travellers. Emirates confirmed that its peak period for 2020 (post pandemic) in terms of passenger numbers, frequencies, capacity and destinations operating occurred in the last month of the year.
Despite these highlights, the overall pace of the recovery has been slow. Dubai International Airport (DXB), one of the world's busiest hubs, ended the year having welcomed 25.9 million passengers though its terminals, compared to the 86.4 million people that passed through the airport in 2019.
In Abu Dhabi, Etihad reported a 99 per cent drop in passenger numbers in the second quarter of 2020, coinciding with commercial flights being grounded by authorities.
An ongoing 14-day quarantine period for passengers arriving in the capital has kept arrival numbers low. That said, the operation of special repatriation flights and the resumption of a limited network of transfer services via Abu Dhabi in early June helped boost traffic marginally.
The skies in 2021
Between April 1 and September 30 last year, Emirates carried 1.5 million passengers, down 95 per cent from the same period the year before. Since then, the airline has been busy rebuilding its network and is now flying to 90 destinations around the world. That's compared to the 143 cities that it flew to pre-Covid-19.
Etihad, too, is rebuilding. The airline has placed a significant focus on safety and was the first in the world to require 100 per cent of its passengers to produce a negative Covid-19 test report before boarding a flight. The recent introduction of a "Green List" of countries in Abu Dhabi, places where travellers can fly from without needing to quarantine, looks set to help air traffic recovery.
Global impact on air travel
The coronavirus pandemic brought the global aviation industry to a standstill almost overnight. The darkest day for air traffic was April 12, 2020 when there were only 46,294 flights in the air across the world.
The number of scheduled passengers boarded by the global airline industry dropped to only 1.8 billion in 2020. That's a 60 per cent decrease in global air passenger traffic compared to pre-pandemic figures.
While many countries have now eased restrictions and airlines are slowly resuming services, the future of aviation remains uncertain. It is unclear how long travel restrictions will remain in place, whether there will be another wave of the virus to contend with or when passengers will feel confident to travel again.
If there is a glimmer of hope, it comes from the fact that the world needs airlines. Despite the current turbulence, air travel will not disappear.
"I think it will recover, and I think there still will be still a huge demand for aviation and transportation. I think it's such an important part of the world economy," said Alan Joyce, chief executive of Australia's national airline Qantas, during an interview with Eurocontrol in January.
There are brighter days to come for the aviation industry, but at this stage of the global pandemic, the outlook still remains foggy.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
More on Quran memorisation:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match
Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
Friday’s fixture
6.15pm: Al Wahda v Hatta
6.15pm: Al Dhafra v Ajman
9pm: Al Wasl v Baniyas
9pm: Fujairah v Sharjah
.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
3%20Body%20Problem
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
