PHOTOS: Sarajevo resumes apron overhaul

GLOBAL AVIATION NEWS

Emirates posts first loss in 30 years

Dubai-based Emirates airline has posted a $5.5 billion annual loss, its first in more than three decades, after the coronavirus pandemic devastated the aviation industry. The carrier said it received a capital injection of $3.1 billion from its owner, the government of Dubai, to help it survive the crisis. The Emirates group was "hit hard by the drop in demand for international air travel as countries closed their borders and imposed stringent travel restrictions", said Chairman and Chief Executive, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. "No one knows when the pandemic will be over, but we know recovery will be patchy", he said in a statement. The Middle East's largest carrier said that the fallout triggered a loss of 20.3 billion dirhams ($5.5 billion) over the financial year to March, after last year's 1.1 billion dirhams ($288 million) profit. The airline, which was forced to temporarily suspend scheduled operations last year, saw revenue fall 66% to $8.4 billion. Over the fiscal year Emirates carried 6.6 million passengers, down 88% from the same period in the previous year. "The Covid-19 pandemic continues to take a tremendous toll on human lives, communities, economies, and on the aviation and travel industry", Sheikh Ahmed said. "Economies and companies that entered pandemic times in a strong position, will be better placed to bounce back", he added. The last time the airline reported a loss was in the 1987-88 financial year, when it was starting up its operations. Like other major carriers, Emirates began announcing heavy layoffs when its fleet of A380 superjumbos and Boeing 777s was grounded. The Emirates Group's employee base - which includes ground-handling firm Dnata - was slashed by 30.8% to 75.145 employees. Before the virus hit, Emirates airline alone employed some 60.033 staff, including 4.300 pilots and nearly 22.000 cabin crew. The workforce has now shrunk to 40.801 staff. Emirates is currently flying to 157 destinations, almost its full travel network of 158 destinations in 85 countries before the pandemic.
Source: France 24

PHOTOS: Sarajevo resumes apron overhaul

NEWS FLASH

Sarajevo Airport has commenced work on the final stage of its apron overhaul project ahead of planned upgrades to its runway. The reconstruction of 3.000 square metres of the apron will ensure its durability over the next twenty years. The first phase of the overhaul was completed in 2014, when work was undertaken on an area of 1.600 square metres, while the second phase was concluded last year when an area of 3.500 square metres was repaired. The airport plans to begin work on the multi million euro expansion of its terminal building soon, which is scheduled for completion next year. Furthermore, the upcoming runway reconstruction has been described as an "extremely challenging project", valued at 10.2 million euros. "It will have to be done, since the runway was last upgraded in 1998. We are currently undertaking some studies which will show us in which way, what part and which zones work has to be carried out and whether total reconstruction is necessary. This decision will be influenced by how long the airport will have to be closed for commercial traffic", General Manager, Armin Kajmaković, said last year.

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Anonymous15:10
Hopefully some airlines shift their operations to OMO while the work is carried out
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