Say hello to "Sama" - industry's first-ever MetaHuman cabin crew

In what can be termed a first of its kind, Qatar Airways has entered the metaverse by launching QVerse, a novel virtual reality (VR) experience for visitors to the airline’s website and in doing so, it also becomes the first global airline to introduce a MetaHuman cabin crew offering a digital interactive customer experience.

Travellers with smartphones and Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) are in for a treat as guests can now navigate the Premium Check-in area at Hamad International Airport (HIA), the cabin interior of the airline’s aircraft, including the award-winning Business Class - Qsuite, and the Economy Class cabin, all at the click of a button.

Airline Ratings

With physical boundaries beginning to be challenged by the metaverse on an increasingly larger scale, it is exciting to embrace a technology that enables all travel enthusiasts to enjoy a unique immersive experience of our award-winning products and services. Our status as the first airline to introduce a MetaHuman cabin crew is testament to our unwavering desire to innovate and delight our customers. We are constantly looking forward to adopting and introducing novel technologies that enhance our passengers’ complete journey.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker

Akbar Al Baker

"Sama" - your MetaHuman cabin crew, will walk you through a virtual journey of discovery while presenting the unique features in both the Business and Economy Class cabins through a narrated script. 

Airline Ratings

The innovative experience is a result of the collaboration between Epic Games’ Unreal Engine'- the world’s most advanced real-time 3D creation tool, and MetaHuman Creator, a cloud-based app for creating high-fidelity digital humans.

Airline Ratings

 ‘Sama’ – whose name is of Arabic origin, translates to "sky" and Qatar Airways would be the first global airline to introduce a MetaHuman cabin crew, featuring a digitally-created high-fidelity 3D human model.

https://twitter.com/qatarairways/status/1517489016102395905

Users can now log on to www.qatarairways.com/QVerse website and virtually tour and navigate all the services offered.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Aviation24.be

In wake of the pandemic, the government has altered the process to register for Digi-Yatra (DY) program that will eventually allow paperless air travel for passengers. Under the new process, people can enrol by digitally validating a government-issued I card like Aadhaar or a driving licence.

“Passengers can create a DY credential with identity data, travel data and if needed even health data. All these data points are tagged to the single token face biometric of the passenger,” says a notification on “implementation of e-boarding process (DY)” issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on April 18, 2022.

Manual processes that exist today for check-in shall remain even after the much-delayed DY gets implemented, which has been delayed by the pandemic. DY will be available to both Indian and foreign travellers.

DGCA alters the Digi-Yatra program; enables self-registration for touchless travel

“The DY credentials would be created using self-service mode by the passenger with a government of India identity that is possible to be validated digitally. Right now, Aadhaar and a driving licence are options available. Others like passport e-passport will be subsequently added in the future,” it says.

In case there is an issue with this self-registration, the originally pre-pandemic time envisaged procedure of registering for the first time at airport registration kiosks will remain available.

In such cases “a one-time ID check and face biometric capture will be done at airport registration kiosk by the passenger at a DY-enabled departing airport. In the authentication process, passenger’s ID will be verified and validated by an authorised security officer (of CISF) and activate DY credentials.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has to video Aeronautical Information Circular 9 of 2022 modified the E-Boarding Process (Digi Yatra)

The DY credentials will be encrypted and stored in a secure Walter on the passenger’s smartphone. The data will not be centrally stored to minimise the risk of theft or loss.

“DY credentials are shared only when travel happens and shared with passengers’ consent (by him/her) with… airlines, airports and regulatory agencies if needed,” the DGCA order says.

Such data will be shared 24 hours before flight departure time and retained for 24 hours after the same, following which it will be purged from the system. Airports, airlines and their travel agents will be responsible for complying with these requirements.

It applies to all scheduled airlines and airports in India to enable inter alia, passengers to enrol into the Digi Yatra ecosystem

Airlines will be required to make a provision for creating and receiving DY credentials of passengers when they book tickets through any platform “for domestic travel and in future for international travel… this implementation will be done in a phased manner.”

Airlines will share passenger data with the DY biometric boarding system of airport operators at least six hours before flight departure time on a secure line for ticket and ID validation.

Private airliner Go First, formerly known as GoAir, has become the first airline to receive approval from the Airports Authority of India for night parking at Srinagar as well as Jammu airports, officials said on Friday, April 22.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the night parking facility at the airports on Thursday, April 21. This provision will ensure late night and early morning take-offs from the two airports. This will allow one Airbus A320neo aircraft to be parked at Jammu airport.

Go First gets approval for night parking at Srinagar Airport from AAI

This is a significant development for the union territory as the night parking permission will facilitate better flight operations from the region, a Go First spokesman said.

"We would like to thank the authorities for their kind consideration and will continue our commitment to the development of Jammu and Kashmir.Go First operated the first night flight from Jammu following its successful operations of the first night flight from Srinagar.Go First is the only airline appointed for the cargo movement of horticultural perishable and agricultural produce of the Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Products, a state-owned company."Kaushik Khona, Chief Executive Officer, Go First

Speaking at the launch event, Sinha said the initiative will ease air travelling with a multiplier effect on the hospitality industry.

The new beginning reflects our commitment to strengthening connectivity and fulfilling the mobility needs of the people. The initiative will make travelling effortless for those looking for single-day travel. The Lieutenant Governor said despite COVID-19, the Jammu and Srinagar airports had achieved new records.

ALSO READ - Srinagar airport registers a record number of passengers with 102 flights in 24 hours

This will allow one Airbus A320neo aircraft to be parked at Jammu airport

In March 2021, 1,030 flight operations were recorded at the Jammu airport and more than one lakh passengers travelled. This number soared to 1,346 flights and roughly 1.55 lakh passengers, he said.

Established in 2005 and wholly owned by the Wadia Group, Go First is an ultra-low-cost carrier based at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai with a secondary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

The carrier operates an extensive network of domestic services within India using Airbus A320 family aircraft. GoAir officially rebranded as Go First in May 2021.

Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said a dozen states that have not reduced VAT on jet fuel are being nudged to lower levies and backed bringing the commodity under the GST umbrella.

Indian carriers have been grappling with high aviation turbine fuel as several opposition-ruled states maintain high VAT, ranging between 20% and 30%. Jet fuel accounts for 40% of an airline’s working prices.

Jyotiraditya Scindia working with more states to reduce VAT on ATF and bring it under GST

While laying out the flight path for the Indian aviation sector at the Times Network India Economic Conclave, Scindia candidly admitted the sharp hike in ATF prices has been causing stress to Indian airlines (which have lost USD 2.9 billion during the pandemic).

Scindia stated that whereas jet gas is now 5 instances larger than what it was two years in the past he has been working to ease the tax burden.

“There has been a phenomenal rise in jet fuel prices. They are up by 60-70% in the past few months. They have risen five-fold in the last two years. We hope that the hike in oil prices (caused by the war in Ukraine) is transient. While in the long run, it will be better to have ATF under GST as that gives input tax credit, in the interim, I am requesting states to lower VAT on jet fuel.” Jyotiraditya Scindia, UNion Minister for Civil Aviation

He said several policy decisions have been taken to revive the sector. “We have seen a very healthy bounce-back in recent days in the number of domestic air travellers. Regular international air flights were allowed to resume from March-end,” he said.

Domestic fare caps will remain for now as “there is not a single unified voice” (from airlines about their removal). “We have to balance the interest of passengers from very high spot fares and of airlines from very low (below-cost or predatory) fares. At the right time, a decision will be taken on fare caps.”

India will see an investment of INR 98,000 crore by private airport operators and the state-run Airports Authority of India over the next four years

ALSO READ - Indian aviation sector to see investments worth NR 98,000 crore over next 4 years

He said India will see an investment of INR 98,000 crore by private airport operators and the state-run Airports Authority of India over the next four years, which will take the number of operational airports from 141 to over 200 by 2025-26. Two new airlines, Akasa and Jet-II, should start flying by next March.

Further, he said merging Air India and Indian Airlines in 2007 under the UPA was a “fatal mistake”. “Till 2005-06, as separate entities both AI and IA were profitable. They were culturally very different organisations with different purposes. The (2007) merger was destined for disaster.

The civil aviation sector, which was significantly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, is on the recovery path and domestic passenger traffic is slowly touching the pre-pandemic levels. On April 17, the domestic air passenger traffic crossed the 4 lakh mark for the first time in two years.

The country's airport sector is expected to see investments worth INR 1.65 lakh crore, including from private players, in the coming years, and the government also aims to have 200 airports, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday, April 21.

Indian aviation sector to see investments worth NR 98,000 crore over next 4 years

About capital expenditure plans, Scindia said, "we have a plan of close to INR 98,000 crore over the next four years to be deployed in the area of airports alone".

Out of the total amount, INR 25,000 crore would be from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and INR 22,000 crore would be for the expansion of airports and the building of new terminals.

The non-public sector is predicted to spend INR 67,000 crore on the seven privately run airports aside from greenfield initiatives in Navi Mumbai, Goa and Greater Noida.

The non-public sector is predicted to spend INR 67,000 crore on the seven privately run airports aside from greenfield initiatives in Navi Mumbai, Goa and Greater Noida.

Emphasising that rapid expansion is going to take place, the minister said the plan is to have close to 200 airports in the country. The largest airports in India will add a passenger dealing with capability of 250 million in the following few years, he added.

"We had 74 airports before 2014 in 70 years of India's independence and the last 8 years, we have built 67 airports... it is my intention, by the way, to take it close to 200 airports in India, and therefore you want to see a rapid expansion of airport infrastructure networks," he noted.

Further, Scindia mentioned a new policy for smaller aircraft to encourage regional transport aircraft and helicopters and seaplanes.

INR 25,000 crore would be from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and INR 22,000 crore would be for the expansion of airports and the building of new terminals

"So, I want to connect the last mile, there's enough of connectivity coming in from international metros to metros domestically but I want to connect tier 2 to 3 cities to metros and each other. So, I am looking at a very, very aggressive plan over the next three to four years," he said.

Amid the high growth potential in the country's aviation space, a new airline Akasa is expected to take to the skies in the coming months and the now-shuttered Jet Airways is also anticipated to restart operations.

Akasa and Jet Airways are expected to start operations before the end of this financial year, the minister said. In March, around 1.06 crore domestic passengers travelled by air, as per official data.

Boeing is planning to fly two Super Hornet fighter jets to Goa this summer for operational demonstrations before its potential buyer the Indian Navy, according to a senior company executive.

Making a strong pitch for F/A-18 Super Hornet, vice president of Boeing's India Business Development Alain Garcia said the aircraft has been specifically designed from its inception for carrier operations, can operate from the Indian Navy aircraft carriers and will meet or exceed the STOBAR performance requirements of the Indian Navy.

"This has been proven by our successful ski-jump tests conducted in 2020 and extensive simulation studies. Additionally, we will also prove that further with operational demonstrations in India in May and June," Mr Garcia told Press Trust of India in an interview.

Boeing highlights F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III capabilities to the Indian Navy

As New Delhi plans to strengthen its defence capabilities, Boeing has been in talks with its defence customers in India about F/A-18 Super Hornet, P-8I, F-15EX, KC-46 tanker for aerial refuelling and ISR capabilities, he said.

"I really believe the F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III will be a transformative capability for the Indian Navy, the way the P-8I has been...and also the impact that it will have on the aerospace industry," he argued.

The senior Boeing executive, who is headed to India for his new assignment in the next few weeks, argued that with the Super Hornet, the Indian Navy will get a proven, multi-role and carrier-compatible fighter while benefiting from the investments, upgrades and knowledge that comes from the US Navy's extensive naval aviation ecosystem.

Boeing has been in talks with its defence customers in India about F/A-18 Super Hornet, P-8I, F-15EX, KC-46 tanker for aerial refuelling and ISR capabilities

The US Navy operates more than 800 Super Hornets and EA-18 Growlers, the electronic attack version of the F/A-18. "With the latest Block III configuration, the Super Hornet is suited to protect India's maritime interests, and we anticipate the Super Hornet and P-8I will open up opportunities for greater interoperability between the two navies for a secure Indo-Pacific," he said.

According to Mr Garcia, with a rapid technology insertion plan, the Super Hornet Block III will outpace threats for decades to come.

"The Block III Super Hornet comes with advanced networking and open architecture design that allows it to work jointly with the Indian Navy's P-8I and other US-origin assets and rapidly accept new technology to stay ahead of emerging threats," he said.

The US Navy operates more than 800 Super Hornets and EA-18 Growlers, the electronic attack version of the F/A-18.

"And lastly, the Super Hornet has an affordable acquisition cost and also costs less per flight hour to operate than any other tactical aircraft in the US forces inventory, including single-engine fighters. This is possible because the fighter is designed for ease of maintainability and offers impressive durability," he argued.

On the P-8I, Mr Garcia said there is clearly a need for long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) requirements in the Indian Ocean Region. The P-8Is have demonstrated an excellent record in supporting the Navy's missions and have surpassed 35,000 flight hours since induction in 2013, he said.

"The P-8I programme has resulted in significant industrial benefits and jobs for companies in India that are now part of the Boeing supply chain which are manufacturing complex parts and components for BDS products, including the P-8," he said.

The P-8I programme has resulted in significant industrial benefits and jobs for companies in India

"In addition to supporting the P-8I with sustainment and training, we are also planning a 60,000 sq. ft. Training Support and Data Handling Centre set up at INS Rajali, Arakkonam, with a secondary centre at Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology (NIAT), Kochi. The secondary centre was recently handed over to the Indian Navy," he added.

Maria Laine, vice president of Boeing's International Business Development, said that India is one of Boeing's enduring partners where "we have made strategic investments and will continue to do so in the future". The company has 3,500 employees in India and more than 7,000 people working with its supply chain partners.

"We are proud to support the many missions of the Indian armed forces that operate multiple Boeing aircraft...," she said.

The P-8Is have demonstrated an excellent record in supporting the Navy's missions and have surpassed 35,000 flight hours since induction in 2013

"We've made the latest investment outside of India in Boeing's India Engineering and Technology Center at USD 200 million and have a wholly-owned engineering and technology campus with future avionics manufacturing and assembly capability that is coming up in Bengaluru," Ms Laine told Press Trust of India.

"In support of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Boeing sources over USD 1 billion from India and Boeing's Indian supply chain partners are exporting products made in India for the global aerospace market," he said in response to a question.

"Over 275 Indian suppliers deliver components, parts and complex assemblies for Boeing's commercial and defence aircraft, including the F/A-18, F-15, P-8, Apache, Chinook, C-17 and T-7," she said.

TBAL is manufacturing 737 Vertical Fin structures, a complex structural part, on a new production line that will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), the joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems, has been producing aero-structures for Boeing's AH-64 Apache helicopter and recently delivered its 140th AH-64 Apache fuselage from its 14,000 square metres state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.

TBAL is also manufacturing 737 Vertical Fin structures, a complex structural part, on a new production line that will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation, said the Boeing official.

"On the defence side, we are delivering services that ensure high availability of our customers' fleets at competitive costs. We work with the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy to provide operational capability and readiness for Boeing aircraft," Ms Laine said.