Source: A4A Senior leaders from Airlines for America and U.S. Travel Association had a meeting at the White House where they once again stressed the need for the Administration to end the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated travelers. Airlines for America issued the following statement after the meeting: "A4A appreciated the opportunity to reiterate our call for the Administration to eliminate the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated travelers, which is no longer aligned with the current epidemiological environment. For months, our industry has urged Washington to sunset this pandemic-era policy, which continues to harm our nation’s economy and hinder air travel to the U.S." “Science has shown time and time again that the pre-departure testing requirement is not effective and [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has written to the Canadian Government urging the ministers in charge to take immediate action to reduce the massive delays at immigration and security which are presently occurring at the country’s main international airports. Over the past weeks, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport alone reported that passenger wait times at security screening doubled and, in some instances, even quadrupled. Meanwhile, passengers on nearly every second international arriving flight were subjected to immigration delays, which in some cases included waiting on the airplane for up to three hours before they were allowed to disembark. Over the past four weeks, the travel plans of around 100,000 passengers per week have been disrupted. Barring the option [...]

Source: ALTA Dear readers, I am pleased to share with you an interview with Jim Davidson, CEO of Accelya, ALTA affiliate member since 2015, which allowed me to reflect on how many times we talk about the industry in numerical, statistical, operational terms… we talk about companies and, sometimes, not so much about the people. But it is not possible to separate aviation from people and Jim highlighted it from the beginning of this conversation: “aviation has an important impact on human nature and happiness”. Air transport is an essential service for daily life in a region like ours where there are not as safe and efficient transport alternatives. It is a service that generates opportunities through jobs creation – [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for holistic reforms to manage the long-term need for a stable talent base for the ground handling sector. Thousands of ground handling staff left the aviation industry during the pandemic. Now as aviation ramps up, the severe shortage of skilled ground handlers is shedding light on the need for reform to stabilize the talent pool. In the immediate term, the most pressing issue is the bottleneck for security clearances as the airline industry prepares for the peak northern summer season. Longer-term, IATA urges the ground handling sector to; Adopt a stronger talent acquisition strategy Streamline onboarding processes, and Develop a more compelling retention proposition "The peak northern summer travel season is [...]

Source: ACI New resource will support long-term sustained recovery Airports Council International (ACI) World has today launched a complimentary White Paper on airport retail to help airports adjust their non-aeronautical (commercial) business strategies to reflect the evolution of the sector and support their long-term sustained recovery. The Regulatory Threats and Opportunities in Airport Retail White Paper is the newest addition to the ACI Airports' Non-Aeronautical Revenues and Activities (ANARA) guidance series launched earlier this year. The White Paper describes some of the major legislative and regulatory threats and opportunities to airport retail and duty-free to help airport operators, travel retail operators, and policymakers work together to stimulate an increase in sales, investment, and sustainable job creation. ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: "As COVID-19 [...]

Source: ATAG Aviation industry executives met with government representatives in Montreal to detail industry aspirations for a long-term climate goal to be agreed for the sector at United Nations meetings later this year. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will debate the potential for a goal to decarbonise the air transport sector, with industry supporting a net-zero carbon trajectory. Executive Director of the cross-industry Air Transport Action Group, Haldane Dodd said: “In October last year, the industry – airlines, airports, manufacturers and business aviation – all committed to raise ambition on long-term climate action and pursuing net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This was backed-up by a high-level plan on how it can be achieved including advances in technology and a [...]

Fuente: TIACA The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) announces the kick-off of a number of desktop verification pilots for the BlueSky program, the industry’s first sustainability assessment, validation and verification program.  Following the announcement of the launch of the BlueSky Program at the March Executive Summit, we have kicked off the pilot phase of the desktop verification module with the help of Astral Aviation, CSC India and Swissport. The pilot participants are expected to complete the desktop verification over the next several weeks. Participants have already had a preparatory call with the validator and are currently completing the questionnaire and compiling submission documents. Once the questionnaire and evidence is submitted a formal assessment will begin and participants will have individual [...]

Source: US Department of Transportation The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for June 28-29, 2022 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel – an attorney general who has prioritized protecting consumers and defending civil rights – will act as the state representative and new Chair of the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC). Attorney General Nessel is succeeding Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey as state representative and Chair. "It's never been more important to protect airline passengers' safety, rights, time, and money," said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "I thank Attorney General Healey for her leadership as the state government representative and Chair of the Aviation Consumer Protection [...]

Source: A4A Airlines for America issued the following statement in reaction to the brief filed by the U.S. Solicitor General in Virgin America, Inc., v. Julia Bernstein on petition for a Writ of Certiorari: “The Solicitor General’s brief sends a mixed message.  It recognizes that California’s meal and rest break rules as construed by the Ninth Circuit are incompatible with FAA rules applicable to inflight crews, and agrees that the Ninth Circuit’s analysis of this conflict was ‘misguided,’ yet still recommends against U.S. Supreme Court review. The conflict between federal and state law is a critical issue with nationwide implications, and we hope the Supreme Court will grant review on the merits and reverse the Ninth Circuit’s decision in the Bernstein case, for reasons set [...]