Mark Pilling
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Articles by Mark Pilling
India’s AIESL To Gain Financial Strength That Will Unlock Growth, CEO Says
AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), India’s biggest MRO provider, has been shoring up its financial stability and diversifying its revenue base over the past four years, putting it in a position to make “big-ticket” investments in new markets and capabilities, according to its CEO. Sharad Agarwal, who has led AIESL since 2022, tells Aviation Week that investing in engine MRO is of particular interest to the wholly state-owned business.
Podcast: How Is The African MRO Scene Evolving?
James Pozzi Mark Pilling Keith Mwanalushi September 21, 2026 Keith Mwanalushi and Mark Pilling, both specialists in the African aftermarket, join host James Pozzi to break down new developments on the continent. Subscribe Now Don't miss a single episode. Subscribe to Aviation Week's MRO Podcast in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. Discover all of our podcasts at aviationweek.com/podcasts.
Wizz Air Focuses On Being A Reliable Partner For Airports, Travelers
Mark Pilling July 07, 2026 Ian Malin, Wizz Air’s chief commercial officer, speaking in Prague at the ACI Europe conference. Credit: ACI Europe PRAGUE—Wizz Air, with a refocused network strategy and renewed emphasis on on-time performance, is determined to add these attributes to its reputation as one of Europe’s fast-growing airlines, says Ian Malin, chief commercial officer at the ULCC. Over the past 18 months the carrier’s “focus has...
Wizz Air CCO Focuses On Being A Reliable Partner For Airports And Travelers
Mark Pilling July 07, 2026 Ian Malin, Wizz Air’s chief commercial officer, speaking in Prague at the ACI Europe conference. Credit: ACI Europe PRAGUE—Wizz Air has a refocused network strategy and a renewed emphasis on on-time performance and is determined to add these attributes to its reputation as one of Europe’s fast-growing airlines, says Ian Malin, chief commercial officer at the ULCC. Over the past 18 months the carrier’s “focus has...
Oman Air CEO Sees Profits Coming In 2027
Oman Air is determined that its four-year transformation plan aimed at restoring the oneworld global alliance carrier to profitability will remain on track despite the short-term impact of the Gulf crisis, the airline’s CEO Con Korfiatis tells Aviation Week. The Muscat-based carrier recorded an operating profit in 2025, its first for 18 years, notes Korfiatis, who was brought in to lead Oman Air in May 2024.
Europe’s Airports To Come Under Increasing Financial Pressure
Mark Pilling June 24, 2026 Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe director general, speaking in Prague at the association’s annual gathering. Credit: ACI Europe PRAGUE—Europe’s airports are facing a “profound transition” in their business models over the coming years at the same time as they enter an “investment super cycle” that will see them spending €360 billion ($410 billion) in infrastructure upgrades and expansion by 2045, warned Olivier Jankovec, ACI...
Europe’s Airports Hit Out At EES Rollout, While EC Urges States To Do More
Mark Pilling June 23, 2026 Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe, and Magda Kopczyńska of the European Commission speaking on a panel at ACI Europe’s annual meeting in Prague. Credit: ACI Europe PRAGUE—The introduction of a new border control system in the European Union that has caused significant passenger delays at Europe’s airports has been heavily criticized by Stefan Schulte, ACI Europe President and CEO of Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport. Speaking at the ACI Europe Annual Congress...
Europe’s Airports Decry EES Rollout, While EC Urges States To Do More
Mark Pilling June 23, 2026 Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe, and Magda Kopczyńska of the European Commission speaking on a panel at ACI Europe’s annual meeting in Prague. Credit: ACI Europe PRAGUE—The introduction of a new border control system in the European Union that has caused significant passenger delays at Europe’s airports has been heavily criticized by Stefan Schulte, ACI Europe President and CEO of Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport. Speaking June 23 at the ACI Europe Annual...
MEA CEO Looks Past Conflict To Advantage-Powered A321XLR Delivery
Mark Pilling June 16, 2026 MEA has a fleet of 10 A321neos which should be joined by an A321XLR before year-end. Credit: Airbus The head of Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) is working to restore full operations after scheduling services to about 70% of its network in June and is planning to take delivery of new aircraft types. MEA has continued flying throughout the current conflict, which since early March has seen...
Daily Memo: Why Global ATM Reform Is A Long Game, Especially These Days
Mark Pilling June 15, 2026 Credit: Getty Images The aviation industry has set out a strategy and road map for a seamless world air traffic management system capable of dealing with traffic growth that ignores borders. However, a constant message from the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) Leadership Summit in late May was that... Mark Pilling Mark Pilling is Managing Editor of Aviation Week's award-winning Arabian & African Aerospace and Show Business.
Podcast: How Big Is The Crisis Facing Airlines?
Jens Flottau Lori Ranson Mark Pilling Kurt Hofmann June 12, 2026 Airline leaders from around the world converged on Rio last weekend for the IATA AGM at a time when the fallout from the Iran war is hitting the industry hard. Subscribe Now Don't miss a single episode of the award-winning Check 6. Follow us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Azerbaijan Overflights Soar As Airlines Avoid Conflict Zones
Mark Pilling June 10, 2026 LISBON—Azeraeronavigation Air Traffic Department (AZANS) has seen its overflight volumes increase by a factor of four over the past five years as carriers seek alternative routings due to airspace closures caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Iran war.
MEA Presses Ahead With Fly Beirut Launch In 2027
Mark Pilling June 09, 2026 RIO DE JANEIRO—Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) is well advanced to launch its LCC offshoot Fly Beirut with an initial fleet of up to six aircraft in June 2027, Chairman and CEO Mohamad El-Hout told Aviation Week at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. Fly Beirut will operate Airbus A320s in a 180-seat all-economy class configuration. The first of three aircraft sourced from lessors will arrive by mid-June in advance of next year’s launch, El-Hout said.
Etihad To Add Further Widebodies As Full Recovery Beckons
Mark Pilling June 06, 2026 RIO DE JANEIRO—Etihad Airways is demonstrating its confidence in a successful recovery from today’s conflict-impacted period with a top-up order for extra widebodies, Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive of the Abu Dhabi-based carrier told Aviation Week in an interview at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. “We have not changed our plans,” he stated, when asked if the carrier might slow its growth and defer aircraft deliveries. “In fact, just the opposite.
Gulf Air Finalizes Future Strategy Around Premium Product, Connectivity
Jens Flottau Mark Pilling June 06, 2026 RIO DE JANEIRO—Gulf Air is in the final stages of defining its future strategy, now that the airline has fully transitioned operations back to its Bahrain home base. The strategy is to revolve around the keywords “signature,” “premium” and “connector,” Gulf Air CEO Martin Gauss told Aviation Week on the sidelines of the IATA annual general assembly in Rio de Janeiro June 6.
EgyptAir Sets New Target Of 125-Strong Fleet By 2030
Mark Pilling June 06, 2026 RIO DE JANEIRO—EgyptAir in in the market for an additional 28 narrowbody and widebodies for delivery by 2030 as it targets a fleet size of 125 aircraft by the end of the decade, up from last year’s goal of 97, Captain Ahmed Adel, Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company, told Aviation Week in an interview on the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
UAE Shares ‘Best Practice’ On Keeping Airspace Open During Conflict
LISBON, Portugal—The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE has been at the center of intense efforts to keep airspace open and air traffic flowing during the Iran conflict, with air traffic control officials adopting a new approach to civil-military collaboration.
Rising Launch Cadence Spurs Calls For Air Traffic System Coordination
Mark Pilling June 02, 2026 Falling remnants of a SpaceX Starship rocket caused commercial airlines to divert in January 2025. Credit: JamesTemplePhotography The skyrocketing launch activity projected for the coming years is driving calls to coordinate those activities more closely with day-to-day commercial airline operations. Launches have long been treated as largely one-off events, but with their cadence at roughly once a day and only going up...
TAP Privatization Central To Portugal’s Aviation Vision, Minister Says
Mark Pilling May 27, 2026 Credit: Mark Pilling/Aviation Week Network LISBON, Portugal—The privatization of flag carrier TAP Air Portugal is the prime example of the government’s commitment to putting aviation at the center of Portugal’s development priorities, said Miguel Pinto Luz, minister of infrastructure and housing, speaking at the opening of Airspace World... Mark Pilling Mark Pilling is Managing Editor of Aviation Week Network titles Arabian Aerospace, African Aerospace and Show Business.
The Indian CEO merry-go-round: Campbell Wilson announces departure from Air India
The early exit of Air India's CEO Campbell Wilson, which had been flagged in the opening weeks of this year, has been confirmed, with the New Zealander and the carrier announcing today that he has informed the board of his resignation. Campbell's news comes on the back of a tumultuous few weeks for India's senior airlines, which began on 10 March with the announcement that Pieter Elbers was leaving IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) for "personal reasons". That was big.
Stronger African Carriers 'More Attractive' For Aircraft Investors
Raphael Haddad, president of Jetcraft Commercial, says there has been a major change in sentiment toward doing business with African airlines. A growing number of African carriers armed with coherent business plans and stronger balance sheets are attracting interest from financiers, banks, traders and lessors, both from the continent and globally.
The Rise Of Dubai's Significant Other...
As a rule, Dubai is not a subtle place. Its watchwords are big, ostentatious, brash. Flydubai, a local start-up airline launched in 2009, is the opposite of this Dubai characterization in almost every regard, except for its size – its fleet will top 100 aircraft this year. The airline’s leader from...
Evolving Flydubai Aims To Maintain LCC Fundamentals, CEO Says
Over the past few years, flydubai and Emirates have grown increasingly close in a partnership, forged back in 2017, that is shifting flydubai's performance into a higher gear. The former LCC is evolving rapidly into a powerful regional player under the wing of CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith, who is interviewed in the latest issue of Arabian Aerospace.
Beond Expectations: Premium Carrier's CEO Lays Out 2030 Plan
Tero Taskila, Founder and CEO of Beond, said, “Our focus is not only to grow in the Maldives but also expand our product in different parts of the world.” Maldives-based Beond says it has raised $90 million to date and is looking for a further $100 million to accelerate its expansion to 56 aircraft operating across several different Air Operator Certificates (AOC) by 2030. Speaking to media in late 2025, Tero Taskila, founder and CEO of Beond...
Daily Memo: Could Qatar Take An Equity Stake In Kenya Airways?
The prospect of Qatar Airways taking equity in another African airline looks like a distinct possibility in Kenya. Intergovernmental talks were held in early November with aviation one of the focus areas. Meanwhile, the Doha-based carrier and Kenya Airways have moved swiftly to deliver concrete...
TAAG On A Mission For Profitability By 2028
LUANDA, Angola—TAAG Angola is targeting breakeven by 2028 as it leverages its newly opened hub in Luanda, expands its African and overseas network, and upgrades its fleet with new Airbus A220s and Boeing 787s. “There is a positive trend at TAAG in terms of our financials, which have gone from $250 million plus losses [annually] to just about $120 million [annual loss in 2024] in the last three years,” said Miguel Carneiro, chief commercial officer at the state-owned carrier.
Angola’s New Airport Gateway Takes Shape, Prepares For New Operator
LUANDA, Angola—Angola’s government is preparing to announce the winning bidder to manage and operate the capital’s newly opened gateway—Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN)—in the coming months, with consortia from the U.S. and China the main contenders to develop the southern...
ASKY, TAAG Latest African Airlines To Develop Independent MROs
LUANDA, Angola—Togo-based ASKY and Angolan flag-carrier TAAG have revealed plans to establish their own MRO operations, with both independently aiming to develop greater self-sufficiency in servicing and maintaining their expanding fleets.
SAA Accelerates Airline Partnerships, Fleet To Grow In 2026
South African Airways (SAA) is ramping up its codeshare partnerships to bolster its network reach while seeking to grow its widebody fleet next year, said Tebogo Tsimane, SAA’s CCO, speaking to Aviation Week. At the African Airlines Association annual meeting in Luanda, Angola, in early December, SAA signed a codeshare deal with AFRAA host carrier TAAG.
ASKY Eyes Paris Launch, First Widebodies
Privately owned West African carrier ASKY is planning its first service to Europe within a year with a flight to Paris, and intends to add widebodies to its currently all-Boeing 737 fleet to undertake this expansion. The aim is to introduce two widebodies by the end of 2026 with the 787-8 the preferred option to inaugurate the Paris route, Esayas Woldemariam Hailu, CEO of Lomé-based ASKY, told Aviation Week at the African Airlines Association annual meeting in Luanda, Angola, in early December.
Airline Groups Team To Combat Africa’s High Charges, Safety Levels
Faced with taxes and charges across Africa that are already “15% higher than the rest of the planet” and continually rising and multiplying, IATA, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the Airlines Association of Africa (AFRAA) resolved to work together to tackle the issue at AFRAA’s Annual General Meeting in Angola in early December.
UAE Prepares To Introduce SAF Mandate For Airlines
DUBAI—The UAE is working toward making the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandatory in the country as a key component of its SAF policy roadmap, says Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary for energy and petroleum affairs at the ministry of energy and infrastructure.
African Airline Liberalization Faces Potential Slowdown Again
Ethiopian Airlines is one of the few profitable carriers in Africa. Africa is a challenging place for the airline business—especially for local carriers. While airline profits have recovered globally, African carriers are not keeping pace. The International Air Transport Association reported that the continent’s airlines collectively generated a net profit of just...
AFCAC Chief: Time To Finish The Job On African Single Market
KIGALI, Rwanda—Work on creating the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) should be accelerated to completion, said Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) as she addressed delegates at the Aviation Africa 2025 Summit here on Sept. 4.
Podcast: Africa’s MRO Takeoff: New Horizons Or False Dawns?
James Pozzi, Keith Mwanalushi and Mark Pilling discuss Africa’s developing MRO market and whether the continent can get the investment into infrastructure and capabilities to foster a competitive aftermarket environment. James Pozzi (00:16): Welcome to the MRO podcast. I'm James Pozzi, MRO editor for the EMEA region.
Etihad CEO: No Return To Equity Investments
The CEO of Etihad Airways is keen to explore new market opportunities in different geographies, but says there will be no return to buying stakes in airlines. “My strategy today doesn't include equity investment, only joint ventures and codeshares,” Antonoaldo Neves tells Aviation Week. To that end...
Etihad Aims To Reduce New Route Risk With Incoming A321LRs
HAMBURG—Etihad Airways is planning to open a slew of routes using its fleet of new Airbus A321LRs over the coming few years, opening services that would not be viable without the aircraft. “This aircraft is going to strengthen Etihad’s network, allow us to experiment and create new destinations that...
Neves Lays Out Etihad’s New-Look Strategy As It Returns To Growth Mode
“Etihad is back in the premium game,” Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said, speaking to media, suppliers and Etihad colleagues on board the airline’s first-ever Airbus A321LR as it taxied out at the manufacturer’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder factory. Moments later, the long-range Airbus, which was scheduled to...
Etihad Takes Delivery Of A321LR With First-Class Suites
Members of the Etihad, Airbus and AerCap teams celebrate the first delivery of an A321LR to the Abu Dhabi-based carrier. HAMBURG—Etihad Airways has taken delivery of the first of 30 Airbus A321LRs, ushering in a new era of “luxury redefining” service that will see its entire growing fleet of wide- and narrowbodies equipped with a first-class onboard product within five years. “We will offer the first true first-class...
Saudia Retains 2025 Growth Target; Happy With Orderbook For Now
Saudia is maintaining its traffic growth forecast at 7-8% in 2025 after reviewing the impact on travel demand following the Iran-Israel missile attacks in mid-June, explained Khaled Tash, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Saudia Group, speaking to media at an event to mark the opening of its new...
Manchester Delights In Winning IndiGo’s New Mumbai Link
The UK’s Manchester Airport fought hard to become IndiGo’s first European long-haul destination, touting the region’s large catchment area, a £1.3 billion ($1.8 billion) investment program that has transformed the airport’s product, and ample capacity as a “golden trio” of attributes that attracted...
IndiGo Kicks Off European Campaign With Manchester Launch
Indian carrier IndiGo has begun services from Mumbai, India, to Manchester, England, marking the carrier’s first foray into long-haul markets as it accelerates its ambitions to become a global airline by 2030. IndiGo’s first Boeing 787-9, operated by damp-lease partner Norse Atlantic Airways...
Starlux Airlines Tops Up Airbus A350-1000 Orderbook
Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines has once again topped up its orderbook for Airbus models committing to a further 10 A350-1000s as it looks to serve routes to the US East Coast and its first destination in Europe. The additional Airbus widebodies take its total commitments for the A350-1000 to 18 with the first aircraft from its earlier order scheduled to be delivered later this year, said Glenn Chai, CEO of Starlux at Le Bourget.
South Africa’s Airlink Upgrades To E2 Through Azorra Lease
LE BOURGET—South African carrier Airlink, the largest Embraer operator in Africa, is set to take delivery of 10 Embraer 195-E2s from lessor Azorra, marking the first time it will take a factory-new aircraft, having up to now operated an exclusively preowned fleet of 68 Embraer types.
Max Aerospace To Establish Helicopter Manufacturing Hub In Nagpur
LE BOURGET—Max Aerospace & Aviation Ltd has signed a partnership agreement with the Government of Maharashtra to establish a helicopter manufacturing operation in Nagpur, a major city in central India.
EgyptAir Exercises Its Six A350-900 Options
LE BOURGET—EgyptAir has exercised its outstanding six options for Airbus A350-900s here at the Paris Air Show. The carrier will begin receiving the first of 10 A350-900s, ordered in 2023, in December this year but decided to upgrade the options into firm orders to ensure it has a strong delivery stream of widebodies into the early 2030s.
IATA Committed To Net Zero 2050 Target Despite SAF Fears
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and its member airlines have not used IATA’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Delhi to discuss delaying the 2050 target date to achieve net zero carbon emissions, despite deep concerns about the availability, cost and lack of government support for...
Ethiopian Airlines Boosts 2025 Growth With Two More A350-900s
DELHI—Ethiopian Airlines has acquired a pair of new Airbus A350-900s—originally destined for Chinese carrier Sichuan Airlines—to help keep its growth strategy on track, CEO Mesfin Tasew told Aviation Week at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Delhi. The first of the A350-900s, which are arriving on...
EgyptAir Extends 777 Leases And Refurbishes Fleet To Sustain Growth
EgyptAir has signed a deal with lessor AerCap to extend the leases on its fleet of five Boeing 777-300ERs and is undertaking the cabin refurbishment of 19 Boeing 737-800s and two Airbus A330-200s to ensure it can serve its network needs and keep its product standards high, Capt. Ahmed Adel, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding, told Aviation Week.
IndiGo Selects Bengaluru For Major MRO Expansion
NEW DELHI—IndiGo has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to build a new maintenance hangar at the airport as the fast-growing Indian carrier seeks to ramp up its in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations markedly. The new facility at Kempegowda will handle IndiGo’s Airbus A320 and A350-900 fleets.
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