Aircell, a leading provider of airborne communications, has announced the appointment of Shoukry Shokralla as the new sales and service representative in Abu Dhabi as part of its regional expansion plans.

In his new role, Shokralla will be responsible for supporting existing Aircell operators in the region and assisting prospective customers with their airborne communications needs, the company said in a statement.

He will also provide Tier 1 support services, supplementing Aircell's existing infrastructure in Europe and elsewhere in the world. He reports to Andrew Geist, Senior Vice President - Business Aviation Solutions.

Shokralla has over 28 years of experience in avionics and communications services and has extensive knowledge in marketing and technical disciplines.

Fluent in Arabic, French and English, he is an experienced, FAA-certified pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings. He holds an Electrical Engineering degree from California State University, Northridge, in the US.

John Wade, senior vice president and general manager, Aircell, said, "Even with the challenges of the current economic climate, business aviation continues to experience growth in the Middle East."

"Aircell is a global company and it's important for us to provide comprehensive support and local representation in such a key region. We're delighted to have Shoukry join the Aircell team. His decades of avionics and communications experience and market knowledge will be invaluable as Aircell expands its activities in the region," he added.

Aircell offers a complete line of airborne communications systems and services. For global connectivity using laptops and smartphones, Aircell's new SwiftBroadband solution is particularly suited to business aircraft operators in the Middle East.

It allows passengers to seamlessly use their personal devices for e-mail and light Internet services in flight. They can also use the system's integrated cabin handsets to make and receive voice calls. Aircell's SwiftBroadband solution is powered by Thrane & Thrane.-TradeArabia News Service