GCAA, Etihad Airways, Thales Join Forces For Sustainable Flight Solutions

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Etihad Airways, and Thales have joined forces by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together in reducing the climate impact within the Emirates Flight Information Region (FIR).

This agreement will help these three entities to test solutions developed by Thales as part of its "Thales Orchestrator for Eco-Friendly Trajectories" offer that aims to facilitate the implementation of optimized flight trajectories in an efficient, fast, and simple way.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GCAA, said that this "initiative aligns with the UAE's ongoing dedication to sustainability, and the theme of 2024 being the Year of Sustainability," WAM reported.

He said that the MoU highlights the GCAA's commitment to national priorities and the government's methodology while fulfilling the UAE's international obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Al Suwaidi recalled the recent announcement made in Dubai of the Global Framework for Aviation Fuel, which aims at reducing global aviation emissions by five percent by 2030.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer at Etihad Airways, said the airline is honored to be part of this "groundbreaking initiative aligning seamlessly with the UAE's commitment to this venture which epitomizes the essence of the Year of Sustainability in 2024."

He emphasized that this collaboration showcases "a collective commitment to mitigating the climate impact of aviation, aligning perfectly with the UAE's visionary 2031 agenda," adding that the airlines take "immense pride in contributing to this initiative, leveraging innovative avionics and advanced flight operations to propel the aviation industry towards a more sustainable future."

Abdelhafid Mordi, CEO of Thales in the UAE, also shared similar sentiments, noting that the IT company is proud to collaborate with Etihad Airways and GCAA to reduce the impact of climate change and contribute to the UAE 2031 vision.

"Our innovations in terms of avionics and flight operations are very much driven by our desire to make aviation ever more sustainable, reducing the climate impact of civil air transport," he said.

The UAE's aviation industry has experienced significant growth since its establishment and has become a global leader in air connectivity.

Etihad Cargo - an extension of Etihad Airways – last month marked 37% year-over-year growth in 2023 in dedicated cool chain products – PharmaLife and FreshForward.