Hospitality

Cirium Leads Aviation’s Digital Transformation

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2024

Integrator Media had an exclusive interview with Jez Bowen, CEO, Cirium

With Cirium positioned as the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, could you share the vision of the company?

Our vision at Cirium is to drive the digital transformation of the aviation industry. We are dedicated to ensuring that vital data is accessible precisely when, where, and how it’s needed, empowering the industry to make smart, informed decisions. By doing so, we aim to strengthen the industry, enhance profitability, and secure its long-term success. Ultimately, we aspire to power every decision connected to aviation, making it more efficient and innovative.

Cirium handles enormous volumes of data, from tracking over 35 million flights per year to managing $300 billion worth of ticket pricing data. How do you ensure the accuracy and reliability of such vast data?

First and foremost, our data sources are excellent — the best in the world — and so is our team’s ability to ingest massive volumes of data. We have more than 600 data sources, ranging from government databases to tracking individual aircraft movements second by second during the day. There’s no single better font of data than Cirium. Nothing goes into our systems without highly sophisticated verification and standardization processes developed over the years. We are the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, so we have to be at the top of our game, and fortunately, our teams worldwide are focused on that work every day.

Could you discuss any recent technological innovations within Cirium that you find particularly exciting?

We are pleased with our newest innovation, called Emerald Sky. Emerald Sky represents a ground-breaking integration of data, analytics, and innovative methodology, delivering unparalleled precision in measuring aircraft and flight CO2 emissions. It offers a precise and comprehensive perspective on aircraft and flight CO2 emissions and fuel consumption for every flight and aircraft. The tools consider essential factors such as aircraft model, engine types, age, flight duration, passenger count, and even cargo capacity, ensuring a comprehensive emissions assessment. By harnessing Emerald Sky, corporate travel buyers, for example, can secure a competitive advantage and contribute to a greener and cleaner future for the industry and their operations.

How do Cirium’s analytics tools help improve the customer experience for airlines and travel companies?

Airline on-time performance — and by extension, for airports — is the number one driver of customer satisfaction. Cirium is the gold standard for measuring on-time performance. We hold the stopwatch. Every year, our rankings are closely watched in the airline industry. It’s so closely watched because airlines need to balance their high-cost assets of fuel, crew, and equipment with their daily schedule. Any airline can be on time if they “pad” their schedule —but that’s not what airlines do. They’ve got it down to an art form, ensuring they depart on time. Getting the aircraft out on time makes for happy customers and sets a simple benchmark to assess against — did the plane leave within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure time? — but very, very difficult to achieve in practice.

The aviation and travel industries face constant changes and challenges. How has Cirium ensures that it provides valuable insights during such emergency situations?

We have some experience. Consider the COVID pandemic, which impacted every single one of our valued clients somehow. It turned out that they needed our insight more than ever to analyze — from the data itself — how to address key questions related to fleets, schedules, financing and fares. Data-driven companies tend to be able to pick and choose the data they need to inform decisions at that moment. With data, you can dive deep into it or zoom out to see the whole story. Most of our clients appreciated that no matter the crisis, the data is accessible to help decision-making.

What are some of the emerging trends that you believe will significantly influence the aviation and travel sectors in the coming years?

The biggest trend I see over the coming years is the race to attempt to replace our petrochemicals for aircraft. Be it battery power and lithium, or sustainable aviation fuel, it is a race albeit proceeding relatively slowly. Battery power is not sufficiently energy-dense compared to its weight, and sustainable aviation fuel has major critics in the industry related to the supply and costs of such fuel. Nevertheless, that is the biggest emerging trend in the industry. At the same time, there is a tight supply of aircraft and pilots, coupled with an almost insatiable demand for travel by the flying public. Airlines will extend the life of their aircraft assets. At the same time, they wait patiently — and sometimes impatiently — for equipment manufacturers to deliver aircraft as quickly as they can, meeting all regulatory and safety requirements. All the while, passenger demand will increase.

What has been your most rewarding experience as a CEO at Cirium?

Airline on-time performance — and by extension, for airports — is the number one driver of customer satisfaction. Cirium is the gold standard for measuring on-time performance. We hold the stopwatch, and every year, our rankings are closely watched in the airline industry. We divide our rankings by region and have a global winner. Shortly after the new year, I present an award to the winning airlines globally. This past year, Avianca, based in Colombia, won globally. We also present an award — the Platinum Award — to an airline that goes above and beyond on operational performance. For the past three years, that has been Delta Air Lines. In each case, I was pleased to present the awards to the CEOs and their teams in person. Airlines now compete to have the Cirium logo on their aircraft; it’s a real honor for us that they consider Cirium a seal of approval. The award ceremonies are a big event for the airlines and their teams, and I’m pleased that Cirium plays such an essential part of it. It’s a moment of pride for me, for Cirium, the airlines, and their employees. That’s top in my book.

Hospitality

ANA Restaurant Brings the Contemporary Emirati Melting Pot to Abu Dhabi

Published

1 day ago

July 27, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

ANA, the contemporary Emirati dining destination celebrated for reimagining the flavours of the Emirates, opens its doors this July at Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi. The opening follows the success of ANA’s flagship at The Dubai Mall. There, the brand has become known for its hand-brushed “ANA” signature, sun-drenched food styling, and a dining room overlooking the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain. ANA in Abu Dhabi brings that same spirit indoors, offering a warmer, more intimate setting suited to the capital.

ANA was born from a simple question: where does one cuisine end, and another begin? The answer lies in the Emirates itself, a nation shaped by trade, travel and generosity, where cultures have long met and mingled. At ANA, every dish is a small act of storytelling. Every ingredient carries a memory. Every sitting is a ritual. Rather than treating Emirati cuisine as something to preserve behind glass, ANA reimagines it in motion. Traditional recipes meet contemporary technique. Local ingredients meet global influence. The result feels rooted, yet entirely of today.

Guests are invited to discover ANA’s signature menu, where cross-cultural influences meet the flavours of the region. Standout dishes include the Mubahar Chicken, served with ANA’s signature sauce, saffron rice, toasted nuts, and crisp shallots, alongside the Machbous, featuring slow-cooked lamb layered over fragrant hessa rice. From leisurely mornings to relaxed lunches and memorable evenings, ANA offers an all-day dining experience, welcoming guests seven days a week from 10:00 am to midnight. Each dish tells a story of heritage and tradition, thoughtfully reimagined through a contemporary culinary lens.

ANA is a concept by Mohamed Hilal, Founder and CEO of Mohamed Hilal Group, the Emirati lifestyle company. Under Hilal’s vision, ANA was created to introduce the richness of Emirati culture to the world through contemporary dining experiences that celebrate heritage, creativity and genuine hospitality.

“ANA is a space for convening, where ideas of the past, present and future can be tapped into, explored and given shape,” said Founder and CEO Mohamed Hilal of ANA. “The opening of Ana Dalma Mall allows us to bring that same spirit of Emirati hospitality to Abu Dhabi, inviting a new community of guests to discover cross-cultural Emirati cuisine that is as rooted in heritage as it is contemporary in expression.”

True to ANA’s brand identity, which is built on the concept of infinite iterations of the ANA “supergraphic” – a distinctive, hand-brushed rendering of the word “ANA” in both Arabic and Latin script. More than a restaurant, ANA is a place where culture is experienced and every guest is welcomed like family. ANA. Emirati for everyone.

Hospitality

Bondz Launches Executive Work Hours in DIFC to Redefine Client Meetings

Published

4 days ago

July 24, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

If your client meetings usually involve hunting for a quiet corner in a crowded café, Bondz has a new alternative. The DIFC executive lounge has launched Executive Work Hours, a weekday concept that transforms its speakeasy-inspired venue into a stylish daytime destination for entrepreneurs, founders, executives and professionals.

Available Monday to Friday from 12pm to 4pm, the new offering is designed for everything from coffee catch-ups and brainstorming sessions to business lunches and back-to-back meetings.

The idea was inspired by founder & ex-banking professional, Ashish Agrawal’s own corporate experience. After years of hosting meetings in cafés, hotel lobbies and boardrooms, he recognised the need for a space that combines the comfort of hospitality with the privacy and sophistication professionals are looking for during the workday.

“Some of the most important business conversations happen outside the office,” says Agrawal. “But cafés can be crowded, hotel lobbies lack intimacy and most lounges only come alive after work. We wanted to create a space where professionals could meet, collaborate and build relationships in an environment that feels relaxed yet refined. While everyone celebrates Happy Hours, we thought it was time to celebrate Work Hours.”

Executive Work Hours includes three packages:

The Espresso Stop (AED 45): Buy one coffee, get one free.
The Desk (AED 95): Unlimited coffee for up to two guests, one starter and a complimentary house beverage.
The Ritual (AED 195): Unlimited coffee for up to three guests, one starter, one main course and a complimentary signature beverage.

Each package is valid for up to four hours, making it suitable for everything from a single client meeting to a full afternoon of back-to-back appointments.

Located in Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, Bondz has earned a reputation as one of the district’s stylish executive lounges. With the introduction of Executive Work Hours, the venue is extending that experience beyond evenings, offering professionals a more elevated place to work, meet and connect during the day.

Bondz’s menu thoughtfully pairs world-class cocktails with globally inspired cuisine. Beyond the Executive Work Hours offers, guests can elevate their meetings with signature cocktails and international dishes designed for leisurely business lunches and post-meeting conversations. Some of the best cocktails to try at Bondz are CoCotton, Dragon Breath, Monkey Boulevard, Rum Resolution, Secret Orchard and more.

Hospitality

SIGNOR SASSI MARE IS NOW OPEN IN PORTO CERVO FOR AN EXCLUSIVE SUMMER RESIDENCY

Published

4 days ago

July 24, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

For more than four decades, Signor Sassi has been synonymous with exceptional Italian dining, warm hospitality and effortless glamour. Founded in London’s Knightsbridge in 1984 and acquired by the renowned Italian family-owned San Carlo Group, led by the Distefano family, the restaurant has grown from a beloved London institution into an internationally celebrated luxury hospitality brand with locations spanning Dubai, Riyadh, Doha and Miami. Signor Sassi is recognised worldwide for attracting royalty, celebrities, international tastemakers and discerning guests who return time and again for its authentic Italian hospitality and vibrant social atmosphere.

Now, for the first time in its history, Signor Sassi returns home to Italy with the launch of Signor Sassi Mare in Porto Cervo, bringing its iconic dining experience to the heart of Sardinia’s glamorous Costa Smeralda for an exclusive summer residency.

Located at You Marina Restaurant and Lounge Bar in Piazza Azzurra, overlooking Porto Cervo’s iconic marina, Signor Sassi Mare combines the timeless elegance and celebrated cuisine of Signor Sassi with one of the Mediterranean’s most prestigious summer destinations. Set against the backdrop of Porto Cervo’s luxury yachts, crystal-clear waters and vibrant social scene, the residency offers a sophisticated yet relaxed celebration of Italian summer living.

Designed to capture the essence of long Mediterranean days by the sea, Signor Sassi Mare presents an elegant alfresco dining experience centred around exceptional seafood, premium seasonal ingredients and refined Italian classics. The menu pays tribute to the region’s rich culinary heritage while embracing the glamour and energy that have made Porto Cervo a favourite destination for international travellers, yacht owners and luxury seekers from around the world.

At the heart of the experience is a dedicated Pescheria, From The Sea selection, allowing guests to choose from the finest whole market fish and shellfish, prepared to their preference. Whether grilled, baked in salt crust, served acqua pazza style or paired with freshly made pasta, the menu showcases the freshest catch of the day in true Italian coastal fashion.

Alongside the Pescheria offering, guests can enjoy an array of signature crudo dishes, oysters, seafood towers, caviar and raw bar specialities. Much-loved Signor Sassi favourites also feature prominently throughout the menu, including lobster linguine, black squid ink spaghetti, seafood risotto and Milanese-style veal, celebrating the timeless flavours and culinary traditions for which the brand is renowned.

Reflecting Porto Cervo’s international summer crowd, Signor Sassi Mare will also introduce Yacht Sushi, an exclusive sushi menu featuring sashimi, nigiri, uramaki and signature rolls, designed to complement leisurely lunches, sunset aperitivos and elegant evenings by the water.

To conclude the experience, guests can indulge in desserts inspired by Italy’s southern coastline, from pistachio cake and lemon delizia to homemade gelato and classic tiramisu.

Marcello Distefano, CEO of San Carlo Group, said: “We are delighted to bring Signor Sassi Mare to Porto Cervo, one of the Mediterranean’s most iconic coastal destinations. As an Italian family business, it is particularly meaningful for us to bring the Signor Sassi brand to Italy for the very first time. Following the success of our expansion to locations such as Dubai and Miami, this opening marks another exciting chapter in the brand’s evolution. We look forward to welcoming guests to a truly vibrant celebration of Italian summer living on the Sardinian coast.”

Lorenzo Marras, President of Dining, Sunset Hospitality Group, said: “My connection with Signor Sassi runs deep; we first brought the brand to Dubai, and watching it become part of the city’s dining fabric was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. This partnership with San Carlo Group feels like a story still very much in the making. Porto Cervo is a destination that demands the very best, and together, that is precisely what we intend to deliver. We look forward to welcoming guests to a summer they will not forget, and to many more ventures with San Carlo Group to come.”