Lufthansa Group is aiming to become an early adopter of trajectory-based information capability with the delivery of new Airbus A320neo-family aircraft from next year. The group is to receive more than 65 jets equipped with the ‘extended projected profile’ technology which is based on enhanced ADS-C surveillance transmissions between the aircraft’s flight-management system and air traffic control. ADS-C enables an aircraft to downlink flight information to air traffic controllers, but ADS-C EPP provides the capability to include a real-time four-dimensional reference trajectory, based on route and performance data in the flight-management system. This potentially enables accurate projections of the aircraft’s future position which can be used for more efficient airspace management and route optimisation. Lufthansa Group executive board member for fleet and technology Detlef Kayser says the new Airbus aircraft will have the ADS-C capability fitted ahead of a 2028 European mandate. “This will enable our pilots to fly even more efficiently on first flights within Europe as early as next year,” he states. The aircraft will initially be able to use ADS-C EPP within the upper Maastricht airspace which covers a section of northwest Europe.<br/>
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EgyptAir said that it operates a record of 25 flights on Thursday to bring home Egyptian pilgrims. EgyptAir said the flights include nine Jeddah-Cairo flights, 12 Al Madinah Al Munawara-Cairo flights and two Jeddah-Luxor for carrying pilgrimage missions of the ministries of interior, tourism, health and social solidarity and lottery pilgrims. The company also operates two flights from Jeddah to Bamako flight for Malian pilgrims.<br/>
The tepid resumption of business travel and inability of Thailand to become a connectivity hub has led Thai Airways' brand value to grow slower than its competitors, while Centara Grand secured the strongest brand in the country this year. Alex Haigh, managing director for Asia-Pacific at Brand Finance, said the government should work more on promoting the country in terms of objectives for visits, attracting people to live, work and retire here, not limiting itself to leisure tourism, for which the country is already popular. The company's study of Thai brands this year found the brand value of Thai Airways was US$990m, among the top 50 brand values in the country, though its value decreased from the $1.37b recorded in 2019. Haigh said although the airline grew by 3% in terms of brand value from last year, this was a slower pace than regional competitors Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, which grew 8% and 5%, respectively, year-on-year. The findings indicate Thai Airways has yet to return to 2019 capacity levels, he said.<br/>