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Air BP participated in
the 2017 Dubai Airshow this week, some 85 years since it first set
up operations in the region.
With around 100
commercial aviation, general aviation and military customers in the
Middle East, the company's operations have grown considerably over
recent decades.
One of the Air BP's
latest customers in the region is the Emirates Airline Flight
Training Academy. Air BP recently won a contract to supply the new
Academy with Avgas and fuelled the first two Cirrus SR22 G6 training
aircraft on 31 October 2017. The Academy, which was developed by
Emirates Airline to train beginner pilots, is located near Al
Maktoum International Airport and scheduled to open in November
2017.
The company has also
recently started supplying fuel to Dubai-based Emirates Airline at
São Paulo Guarulhos International and Viracopos Campinas
International airports in Brazil. This is in addition to the
existing operation at Rio de Janeiro International. The first Air BP
fuelled flight, an Airbus A380, departed from São Paulo Guarulhos
International Airport bound for Dubai International on 3 November
2017.
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Air BP at
Dubai International Airport. |
Christian
Tabet, managing director
Air BP, Middle East & Northern Africa, comments: “We are delighted
with our recent successes but also very proud of our heritage in the
region. Over the past 85 years we have shared our knowledge and
expertise, contributing to the development of aviation fuelling
operations here. The Middle East is an important region for Air BP
and the Dubai Airshow offers a great opportunity for us to meet with
new and existing customers. Our success here is based on our
strengths in safe and reliable operations, investments in key
infrastructure projects and a deep commitment to our customers.”
Air BP continues to
support the growth of the Gulf carriers and the region’s airports
and currently serves Dubai-based customers such as Emirates Airline
as well as Fly Dubai and a host of other international carriers. Air
BP markets and sells fuel at 21 locations throughout the region
including eight locations in the UAE. This includes the Air BP
into-plane operation at Dubai International Airport (DXB), where it
has been operating for over 50 years.
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Air BP
refeulling a VC-10 at Dubai Airport in 1959. |
With one of the
largest jet fuel demands in the world, Dubai International Airport
is an important location for Air BP. It is also the busiest airport
in the world for international passenger traffic; this year to date
it has handled over 66 million passengers. Notably, Air BP took over
the operatorship of the Dubai Airport Joint Industry Fuel Farm
(JIFF) on July 1, 2017 and continues to enjoy a mutually strong
collaboration with the airport as a reliable and trusted supplier
with an emphasis on safety. Air BP has been a major contributor to
Dubai Airports’ safety agenda and has championed the airport’s
safety marathon programme to help manage airside risks.
The company continues
to invest in equipment and strategic infrastructure through its
joint ventures in the region where it has a presence in the UAE,
Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, Tunisia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and
Oman. Recent examples include the investment of circa $23m by parent
company BP and its partners to upgrade and augment the storage
facility at Dubai International and an investment to increase
storage at Sharjah Airport. Both investments have improved the
resilience of the locations and underline the company’s continued
commitment to the region. |
