Joint Work

AACO Aeropolitical Watch Group (AWG) gathers aeropolitical experts from AACO member airlines. The mission of this group is to follow up on the various regulatory affairs affecting the Arab airlines, advocate in favor of the joint interests of AACO members, provide awareness through AACO to the members on Aeropolitical affairs, and suggest solutions wherever applicable.

AACO AVSEC Advisory Group gathers the heads of aviation security of AACO member airlines. The mission of the group is to contribute to enhancing members' operational safety through formulating a mechanism to share information related to risk assessments of air routes that members conduct. In addition, the group is a platform to exchange expertise and best practices among members.

Membership in AACO AVSEC Advisory Group is open to all member airlines.

Air Algerie, Air Arabia, Air Cairo, Egyptair, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flyadeal, flydubai, flynas, Gulf Air, Jordan Aviation, Kuwait Airways, Middle East Airlines, Nile Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia and Yemen Airways.

The objective of the project is to maintain and enhance the quality of services delivered to member airlines at outstations, as well as improving the contractual terms with various service providers. The project is managed by the Ground Handling Steering Board which gathers annually in order to share experiences and best practices, follow up on issues that might affect the operations of the airlines as well as the importance of ensuring high quality of handling services at outstations.

The current Ground Handling Agreements is in Istanbul and 20 other Turkish airports. The Board is constantly working on expanding the project to cover more outstations as well.  

Afriqiyah Airways, Air Algerie, Air Cairo, Berniq Airways, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, flyadeal, Gulf Air, Global Aviation LTD, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Nile Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Sudan Airways, Syrian  Airlines, Tunisair and Yemen Airways.

• Develop, maintain and be the custodian of “AACO Emergency Response Mutual Assistance Agreement”; a multilateral agreement for emergency response support amongst the project carriers.
• Assess, plan, develop and implement a roadmap aiming at enhancing crisis management preparedness in the region.
• Be a platform to exchange information, developments, experience and best practices among members.

Digital transformation is a strategic priority for AACO. The Executive Committee established the Digital Transformation Task Force (DTTF) to help member airlines improve the passenger experience, strengthen their commercial capabilities and identify solutions that meet their operational needs. The Task Force brings together airline specialists to assess technologies, define common requirements and help members plan adoption according to their own priorities and readiness.

Scope of Work

• Sustainability Management Solution — Help member airlines manage sustainability requirements and give passengers clear visibility into the associated compliance costs. This includes enabling airlines to use their own operational data and applicable regulations to calculate compliance costs for each itinerary and show how those costs are reflected in the ticket price.
• Digital Identity — Help member airlines simplify passenger identity and travel document verification across their networks. The Task Force assesses how solutions integrate with airline and airport systems, where they can be deployed, and what requirements apply to acceptance by authorities, liability and commercial terms.
• AI and Airline Retailing — Help member airlines identify practical uses of artificial intelligence in customer engagement, pricing, revenue management and passenger servicing. The Task Force also supports airlines in defining their own roadmaps for Offer & Order Management.
• Payment and Settlement — Help member airlines identify solutions that broaden the payment options available to customers, improve settlement efficiency and manage transaction costs.
• Baggage Management — Help member airlines trace and recover delayed baggage and keep passengers informed. Under a framework agreement signed at AACO’s 59th AGM, interested member airlines can access preferential terms through bilateral agreements.

• Shared assessments and pilot opportunities to help airlines make informed technology and investment decisions.
• Practical support for planning airline-specific transitions to modern retailing and Offer & Order Management.
• Solutions that can simplify payment, travel document verification and baggage recovery.
• Clearer information for passengers on sustainability compliance costs.
• Access to preferential commercial terms under AACO framework agreements.

The Task Force brings together information technology, commercial and sales specialists from 27 AACO member airlines: Afriqiyah Airways, Air Algerie, Air Arabia, Air Cairo, Badr Airlines, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, flyadeal, flydubai, flynas, Gulf Air, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Mauritania Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Nile Air, Nouvelair, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Riyadh Air, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Syrian Airlines, Tarco Aviation, Tunisair, and Yemen Airways.

Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines also participate as AACO Partner Airlines.

Since the 1990s, AACO has helped member airlines extend their sales reach through global distribution systems. In 2018, AACO established a framework with Amadeus that enabled participating airlines to build on its presence in their home markets and reach travel agencies worldwide.

Launched in 2019, the AACO–Amadeus Steering Board (AASB) supports participating airlines under the current Distribution Agreement with Amadeus. The Board coordinates airline priorities, follows up on implementation and helps members make effective use of the distribution capabilities available under the agreement.

Scope of Work

• Distribution Agreement — Follow up on implementation of the current agreement, raise shared airline priorities with Amadeus and identify ways to improve how airline content is made available to travel agencies and other sellers.
• Distribution Technology — Assess developments in airline distribution, including New Distribution Capability (NDC), and follow enhancements that help airlines present their fares, products and ancillary services through travel sellers.
• Future Distribution and AI — Work with AACO’s Digital Transformation Task Force to assess how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging sales channels could change how airline offers are found, presented and sold. This work supports efforts to preserve and enhance the benefits of member airlines’ distribution arrangements beyond 2028 and informs discussions on the future AACO–Amadeus relationship, including direct and indirect sales, Offer & Order Management, NDC, market information and analytics, and AI.
  
  

• Wider access to travel agencies and other travel sellers in home and international markets.
  Greater visibility for airline products and services across distribution channels.
• A forum for participating airlines to share implementation experience and raise common priorities with Amadeus.
• A shared understanding of how AI and other developments in distribution technology may affect airlines’ sales reach and relationships with travel sellers.
  Members

Afriqiyah Airways, Air Algérie, Air Cairo, Badr Airlines, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines, Mauritania Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Nile Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Saudia and Tunisair.

AACO MRO Collaboration project gathers thirteen member airlines. The feasibility of the project was assessed using the services of a consultancy firm which concluded that such collaboration would result in significant benefits in cost saving and resource optimization through nine initiatives: Line maintenance, procurement, inventory sharing/pooling, spare engines and APUs, work exchange/shared shops, GE90 engine shipping, loans and exchanges, training and vendor audits.

• Quantitative benefits: reducing cost through leveraging economies of scale and negotiating better contractual terms. 
• Qualitative benefits: optimizing resources such as budgets (training, vendor audits) and staff productivity, harmonization of standards. 

Established in 2008, AACO’s Environmental Policy Group (EPG) brings together environmental directors and specialists from member airlines. The Group monitors global, regional and national developments affecting aviation and the environment, advocates for the interests of Arab airlines, and provides members with practical solutions to help them manage environmental obligations and compliance costs.

Scope of Work:

• CORSIA implementation and compliance support — Monitor developments under ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Help member airlines understand their compliance obligations and provide information on suppliers they can contact directly to purchase CORSIA-eligible emissions units.
• Environmental policy and advocacy — Advance the positions adopted in AACO’s annual AGM resolutions on environmental sustainability. Support CORSIA as the sole global market-based measure for international aviation, assess the impact of regional and national measures such as the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and advocate for recognition of verified emissions reductions across mandatory schemes to prevent double payment.
• Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — Help members navigate SAF mandates, including ReFuelEU Aviation, and share information on fuel eligibility and availability. Support the development of SAF production and supply in the Arab region and advocate for recognition of verified SAF emissions reductions across regulatory frameworks.
• Coordination and information exchange — Work with the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), Arab civil aviation authorities, ICAO, IATA and other stakeholders to advance coordinated positions. Facilitate the exchange of regulatory updates, airline experience and practical compliance solutions among members.
  
  

• Timely information on environmental requirements and their implications for airline operations and costs.
• Practical support in assessing compliance options and identifying suppliers of CORSIA-eligible emissions units.
• Access to peer experience on emissions reporting, SAF requirements and other environmental obligations.
• A coordinated voice for member airlines in regional and international policy discussions.
  
  

Afriqiyah Airways, Air Cairo, Air Algérie, Air Arabia, Badr Airlines, Berniq Airways, EgyptAir, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flyadeal, flydubai, flynas, Gulf Air, Iraqi Airways, Jordan Aviation, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Nile Air, Nouvelair, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Riyadh Air, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Syrian Airlines, Sudan Airways, Tassili Airlines, Tarco Aviation, Tunisair and Yemen Airways.

Turkish Airlines also participates in the EPG as an AACO Partner Airline.

AACO has established the Fuel Project which comprises the Fuel Steering Board (FSB) and the Aviation Fuel Advisory Group (AFAG). The FSB gathers 30 member airlines. Moreover, a large number of fuel companies work within AFAG to spread awareness and ensure a safe and sustainable aviation fuel industry in the world in general and in the Arab world in particular.

The Fuel Project consists of AACO member airlines in the Fuel Steering Board; and AACO member airlines and fuel companies in the Aviation Fuel Advisory Group.

AACO established its regional training center in Amman in 1996 to provide management training for AACO members, the mission statement is "to offer cost effective quality training", and this today still stands true.

AACO Regional Training Center has its branch in Cairo inside EGYPTAIR Training Center hosted by EGYPTAIR.

In 2005 our scope was broadened to include other types of training from the basic training and soft skills, and in 2007 further broadened to include academic educational programs to provide quality training of higher value to educate airline staff on aviation related post graduate programs.

To provide the training needed by AACO member Airlines by focusing on management training, and offering some basic training courses especially those related to international auditing programs as IOSA and ISAGO. Providing the soft skills needed to raise the capability of the airlines employees, and to offer academic programs related to aviation.

One of AACO RTC main focus is to contribute in developing human resources for member Airlines by organizing training programs for preparing and developing trainers in different aviation topics.

The AACO Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Task Force was established following a decision by AACO Executive Committee on 29 July 2021.

The deployment of sustainable aviation fuel is one the four pillars for achieving aviation’s decarbonization goals. Governments of the world are placing a high priority on dealing with the effects of Climate Change. Aviation stakeholders are requested through various measures to mitigate their carbon footprint. Particular focus is being placed on SAF with more governments considering SAF blending mandates. The rapid regulatory and technological developments regarding SAF resulted in forming the dedicated task force under AACO umbrella.

The Task Force conducts its work within the following framework:
•    Conduct on regular basis webinars, seminars, workshops, conference calls, or other events that raise awareness on all SAF-related issues.
•    Coordinate with AACO’s Environmental Policy Group and Aeropolitical Watch Group on policy issues related to SAF.
•    Engage in industry advocacy campaigns that protect the interests of member airlines.
•    Develop action plans as agreed by the Task Force.