Source: US FAA The FAA issued new approvals Thursday that allow an estimated 78 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band. This now includes some regional jets. Airplane models with one of the 13 cleared altimeters include all Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, 787, MD-10/-11; all Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 models; and some Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets. The FAA is working diligently to determine which altimeters are reliable and accurate where 5G is deployed in the United States. We anticipate some altimeters will be too susceptible to 5G interference. To preserve safety, aircraft with those altimeters will be prohibited [...]

Source: A4A Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, have submitted a letter to National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Steve Dickson and Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Rosenworcel urging immediate action to address major disruptions to the traveling and shipping public as a result of the deployment of new 5G service near airports beginning this Wednesday, January 19.

Source: UNWTO UNWTO reports 4% rise in international tourist arrivals in 2021 However, 2021 was another challenging year: arrivals still 72% down on pre-pandemic levels Recovery needs stronger coordination and increased vaccination rates Global tourism experienced a 4% upturn in 2021, compared to 2020 (415 million versus 400 million). However, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) were still 72% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to preliminary estimates by UNWTO. This follows on from 2020, the worst year on record for tourism, when international arrivals decreased by 73%. The first 2022 issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer indicates that rising rates of vaccination, combined with easing of travel restrictions due to increased cross-border coordination and protocols, have all helped [...]

Source: RAA Regional Airline Association (RAA) President and CEO Faye Malarkey Black today issued the following statement in response to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announcement related to the Agency’s clearing of certain narrow and widebody aircraft to perform low-visibility landings at a fraction of the airports expected to be impacted by 5G C-band deployment on January 19. RAA has been a long-time participant and supporter of safe integration of 5G in the United States. Toward that end, we engaged alongside industry peers and government regulators toward the objective of protecting safe and reliable air service for all passengers, no matter which airport they travel to. Unfortunately, this is not what awaits American travelers on January 19. Earlier this month, RAA learned [...]

Source: IATA Key points: The latest financial results confirm that the pressure on the industry’s operating profitability eased in Q3 2021. In the sample of 87 airlines, the operating loss – improved from 13.6% of revenues in Q2 to 2.6% in Q3. The Global airline share price index picked up in January 2022 amid investors’ confidence that Omicron-related disruptions might have a smaller impact on the travel industry than previously expected. Nevertheless, the index remains 30% below pre-crisis levels. Jet fuel prices also rebounded from the Omicron-related dip in December and are currently at the highest level since late-2018. The elevated price is adding extra pressure on airlines’ operating costs just at the time when travel demand is being hit [...]

Source: ICAO Global passenger traffic recovered modestly in 2021, with the latest ICAO economic impact analysis of COVID-19 on civil aviation revealing that the number of passengers worldwide was 2.3 billion or 49 percent below pre-pandemic (2019) levels, up from the 60 percent drop seen in 2020. Global seat capacity offered by airlines improved by 20 percent during the same period, exceeding the growth in passenger demand. The overall passenger load factor in 2021 stood at 68 percent, compared to 82 percent in 2019, and airlines worldwide incurred losses of $324 billion following $372 billion in 2020 (see Fig.1). Continuing efforts by States to implement WHO and ICAO recommendations, including those issued by the ICAO Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force [...]