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AI R LI N E SEtihad Airways and SITA test facialBiometric check-in for cabin crewAbu Dhabi, UAE:United Arab Emirates'national carrier, EtihadAirways, has teamedup with informationtechnology companySITA, to try out theuse of facialbiometrics in order tocheck in cabin crew atits Crew BriefingCentre at Abu DhabiInternational Airport.The trial will use facial recognition technology to identify and authenticatecrew members, allowing them to complete check-in procedures andmandatory pre-flight safety and security questions digitally via their ownmobile devices. The new initiative will replace the current kiosk-basedcheck-in process which requires crew to use their staff identity cards as aform of authentication.Captain Sulaiman Yaqoobi, Vice President Flight Operations, EtihadAviation Group said: “Etihad is constantly on the lookout for innovativesolutions and new technologies that will drive improvements in theairline's operations and enhance the experience for guests and employees.Etihad is excited to partner with SITA to explore the potential that facialbiometric services has for the aviation industry. By integrating contactlesstechnology, biometric services will increase efficiency whilesimultaneously cementing our commitment to reducing the spread ofCOVID-19 by limiting physical touch points and maximizing socialdistancing measures.”As part of the airline's digitalization strategy, facial biometric technology isexpected to improve operational efficiency by speeding up the existingcheck-in process and automating crew time and attendance managementand access controls. Cabin crew will also experience a seamless andcontactless check-in experience.Roger Nakouzi, Vice President Sales, SITA added: “We are proud to partnerwith Etihad to design and implement a secure biometric system that offersa smarter and more efficient working environment for crew while solving akey operational challenge of the pandemic by reducing contact points.SITA has extensive experience in both mobile and biometric technologysolutions having developed and implemented SITA Smart Path at airportsglobally, enabling a seamless, low touch passenger experience whileincreasing airport efficiencies.”The trial will continue until February 2021 and will provide the airline withinvaluable data to explore future exploration of biometric technology foruse in guest operations, such as check-in and boarding.Air Arabia ranks 1st onAirfinance Journal's list of top100 global airlinesSHARJAH, UAE: Low-cost carrier Air Arabia,based out of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates,was ranked number one on Airfinance Journal's listof top 100 global airlines.Airfinance, a London-based market leadingfinancial publication of the global aircraft andaviation business, evaluated the performance of100 airlines worldwide, based on a set ofoperational and financial parameters, includingtotal revenue, net income, Ebtidar margins, fixedcharges, liquidity, leverage, fleet size, and averageage of fleet, with Air Arabia coming top, for the firsttime.The top 100 airlines list measuredthe financial and performancemetrics of all 100 airlines' last 12-month figures from 31st March2019 to 31st March 2020.Air Arabia's top overall ranking ahead of 99 otherglobal airline companies came after scoringhighest average across all variable metrics that thereport took into consideration, the Emirates newsagency WAM reported.Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, AirArabia, said, “The Airfinance report is purely basedon financial and performance data and the factthat Air Arabia managed this year to rank first inthe world underlines the strong fundamentals ofour organization, and our commitment tooperational excellence.“The various parameters evaluated demonstratethat, despite the challenging operatingenvironment for the global aviation industry, wehave comprehensive strengths that enable us tocreate long-term value for all our customers andstakeholders.”Airfinance Journal 'The Airline Analyst' isconsidered the most comprehensive and detailedpicture of airlines' financial and operational dataavailable in the market.33AirCargoUpdate