
DGCA under fire over KD200m tender
Sources said the tender is intended to award a specialized firm a comprehensive 10-year contract to manage, operate and provide training for the passenger system, with an estimated project value ranging from KD150 million to KD200 million. Sources revealed that the documents contain technical terminology and product descriptions uniquely associated with one of the bidders. 'In a further indication of bias, the documents also featured direct links to the company's services to clarify certain requirements and definitions, raising red flags among other participants,' sources said.

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Arab Times
6 days ago
- Arab Times
UPAC Reports Q2 2025 Financial Results
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 14: United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC), a commercial real estate and facilities management company, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2025. For the six months ended June 2025, the company reported net profits of KD 497 thousand, down 62% from 2024, or 0.94 fils per share, with revenues of KD 3.29 million down 25.6% from 2024. Eng. Hamad Malallah, Chief Executive Officer at UPAC, said: 'The second quarter presented a transitional period as we successfully concluded the project to manage and operate Terminal 1 at Kuwait International Airport, officially handing it over to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in May 2025. While this shift has naturally impacted the company's revenues, it also paves the way for new avenues of growth and development as we focus on future projects and strategic partnerships. It is important to note that UPAC built the entire project and operated it throughout the contract term before transferring it to the DGCA under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) system. We take great pride in the success of this national project over 26-year and in delivering it to the State.' Malallah continued: 'I'm pleased to share that in July, we welcomed our first operator at Messilah Beach: Villa Shams, Kuwait's first ladies-only beach club. Officially opened on 10 July 2025, Villa Shams offers a premium, private experience designed exclusively for women, in a secure and refined setting. This milestone reflects UPAC's vision to create inclusive recreational environments that cater to all segments of society.' 'Planning for other areas on the Messilah Beach site has also been progressing steadily. Our teams are actively working alongside confirmed operators, both global and local brands, to support their on-ground preparations for upcoming openings with a list of exciting tenants. We are looking forward to be bringing an exceptional, family-friendly beach destination experience to Kuwait through Messilah Beach, which is set to become a vibrant, year-round destination,' added Malallah. Malallah concluded: 'We remain committed to identifying and pursuing strategic business opportunities within our industry that drive growth and create value for the company and its shareholders.' Al Messilah Beach, one of Kuwait's prime family entertainment destinations, was developed by Touristic Enterprises Company as part of its role in spearheading growth of Kuwait's tourism sector. UPAC is managing all aspects of the site including leasing, entertainment activities, facility management, and overall project operations. UPAC is a co-investor in Abu Dhabi's $1.3 billion Reem Mall on Reem Island. Reem Mall is Abu Dhabi's latest signature shopping, dining, and entertainment family destination spanning an impressive 183.4K sqm GLA. Anchored by a hyper-market and various notable entertainment and home furnishing concepts, the mall will be home to around 400 international and local brands. Snow Abu Dhabi, one of the mall's entertainment anchors, is the city's only snow park. The mall also has one of the largest home furnishing offerings in Abu Dhabi as well as one of the largest Carrefour outlets in the city. One of the prominent new openings was Sharaf DG, an expansive 3,334sqm electronics retail space with 34 brand experience zones making it the largest store of its kind in Abu Dhabi. The mall is one of the region's first fully integrated omnichannel retail ecosystems with digital, e-commerce, and logistics capabilities. It brings together all consumer and retail services to ensure a seamless customer experience. As of June 2025, around 66% of GLA is open and trading, with an additional 14% under fit-out, bringing the effective leased GLA to 80%. As of date, Reem Mall has also secured signed proposals covering a further 4% of GLA. Key performance metrics continue to show strong momentum, with footfall and tenant sales increasing by 30% to 40% year-on-year. Notably, the mall achieved two consecutive record-breaking months in May and June 2025, setting new highs for both visitor numbers and sales.


Arab Times
07-08-2025
- Arab Times
Man Pays KD105,000 For Property—Gets Nothing Until Court Steps In
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: The Civil Division in the Court of First Instance has ruled in favor of a citizen in a real estate dispute, ordering the annulment of a preliminary sale contract signed in June 2013 between the plaintiff and the defendant for a residential unit under construction in Hawally. The court ordered the defendant to return the full contract amount of KD105,000 to the plaintiff, along with moral compensation of KD5,001. It also instructed the defendant to pay legal expenses and KD200 in attorney fees. The plaintiff was represented by Attorney Mishari Al-Shammari, who argued that his client honored all contractual obligations by paying the agreed amount in full, with the expectation that the unit would be delivered upon completion of construction. However, the defendant breached the contract by refusing to register the agreement or hand over the property; causing substantial financial loss and psychological distress to the plaintiff. Al-Shammari submitted official documents to the court, including a copy of the preliminary sales contract and receipts proving full payment. The defendant, despite being formally notified, failed to appear at any of the trial sessions. The court referred the case to the Department of Experts at the Ministry of Justice. The report of the department confirmed that the defendant is liable for the full amount of KD105,000. The court further affirmed that the plaintiff met all contractual obligations, while the defendant's refusal to fulfill his responsibilities is a clear breach. Citing established legal principles and jurisprudence, the court ruled to annul the contract and award financial restitution and compensation to the plaintiff; in accordance with the legal provisions governing binding contracts. These provisions entitle the aggrieved party to seek contract cancellation and damages when the other party fails to meet their obligations without justification.

Kuwait Times
24-07-2025
- Kuwait Times
Air India warned by regulator over ‘systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training
NEW DELHI: Air India has been warned by India's aviation regulator that it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, government notices to the airline seen by Reuters showed. The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last month, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad city, killing 260 people. Four government notices, dated July 23, criticized Air India for repeated failures in safety compliance and follow many other warnings in the past. Potential regulatory action could include fines or ordering that executives be removed from their jobs. They cite a combined 29 violations, including pilots not being given mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for a high-altitude airport and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew. 'Despite repeated warning and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved,' said one of the notices. 'The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms,' it said. Air India said in a statement that the notices related to voluntary disclosures made over the past year, and it will respond to the regulator. 'We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers,' it added. The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Investigations and warnings Air India has come under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. A preliminary report found that the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff and there was pilot confusion in the cockpit. One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel and the other responded that he hadn't done so, the report said. Separately, the EU's aviation agency said this month it will investigate Air India Express, the airline's budget service, after Reuters reported the carrier did not change the engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner. India's watchdog also found in May that Air India flew three Airbus planes even though they were overdue for checks on emergency equipment. The crash and the warning notices have increased challenges for Indian conglomerate Tata, which took over the airline from the government in 2022 with the aim of turning it into a world-class airline. This week's government notices were addressed to senior executives, including the airline's director of flight operations, Pankul Mathur, and its director of training, Amar Bhatia. One of the notices said there had been 'weekly rest violations' detected for two pilots in June 2024 and one in June 2025, though it did not say how many extra hours the pilots flew. Another notice said that last year, two pilots took simulator training but did not start flying within the prescribed time limit, a lapse that requires them to undergo training again. In April this year, a pilot flew from Kathmandu without the mandatory special simulator training required for the airport, the notice added. Kathmandu has mountainous terrain and a high-altitude table-top runway. Table-top runways have steep drops at one or both ends. 'This is substantially risky because Kathmandu is an airport which requires prior training ... in case of any emergency (pilots) will not have the time to peruse a manual,' Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The warnings also included concerns that cabin safety teams has 'repeatedly failed to adhere' to rules, as four international flights in April and May this year flew with fewer cabin crew than the 15 required. —Reuters One senior Indian government official with direct knowledge of the notices said the administration was concerned that 'Air India is taking things for granted', adding 'we have given them many warnings.' Air India received nine warning notices in the past six months, the government told parliament this week. Last year, authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations. Eleven instances involved the Air India group. —Reuters