Airservices Australia signs long-term strategic agreement with Emirates

Airservices Australia and Emirates Airline signed a long-term strategic partnership agreement Wednesday to deliver operational efficiencies within Australian airspace and develop a closer international business association.

Airservices Australia announced on the final day of the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition in Dubai that the partnership centres initially on an agreement for the planning, development and implementation of ‘flexible routes’ and related procedures for use by Emirates aircraft flying between Australia and Dubai.

Airservices Australia CEO, Bernie Smith, and Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, sealed the deal on Wednesday at the Emirates head office in Dubai as the three-day exhibition, organised by Streamline Marketing and held at Airport Expo Dubai, drew to a close.

Smith said that navigation specialists at Airservices Australia and Emirates had developed a unique set of operating practices where tailor-made routes across the Indian ocean would be selected for each flight to Australia. “Essentially this means the airline will select the optimum track on a daily basis depending on weather patterns and in particular, on prevailing winds," Smith said. “Emirates benefits through more efficient flights, saving on fuel burn and the environment bonuses from the resulting reduction in exhaust gas emissions.”

Under the previous system of air navigation, all aircraft had to fly a standard set of air traffic corridors which were fixed over the oceanic airspace.

In the past, the relationship between Airservices Australia and Emirates had been based on a traditional ‘supplier’ customer relationship. “We intend to strengthen that relationship through a shared vision of cooperation,” said Bernie Smith. “After all, Emirates is the world’s fastest growing intercontinental airline and is dramatically increasing its presence in the Australia-New Zealand region, nearly doubling flights into Sydney and Melbourne within a year.”

Emirates Airbus A 340-500 direct flights to Melbourne and Christchurch commence next month. These aircraft are equipped with the most modern satellite surveillance and communications technology and air traffic controllers in  Airservices Melbourne centre will monitor and track the progress of every flight once they enter Australian airspace - south-west of Sri Lanka - until touchdown.

Discussions have been held with Emirates executives and other service providers in Dubai on Airservices key projects, including tailored arrival trials into Australia aiming to vastly improve aircraft efficiency by guiding aircraft on a steady descent along the most efficient and environmentally friendly path to a destination airport. The national rollout of ADS-B radar-like technology where aircraft automatically broadcast identity and position at rapid intervals has also been considered.

Bernie Smith said: “We are also keen to point out our record in the provision of aviation rescue and fire fighting services where we have over 50 years experience, providing services at 17 international and regional airports and our expertise in airside technical and business systems ranging from hi-tech ATM processing to communications, navigation, surveillance and environmental systems.”