Source: ALTA The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) is pleased to announce that the Argentine Flybondi joins the association as a member airline. Flybondi is the first ultra-low-cost carrier in Argentina, operating since 2018 focused on achieving high efficiency in its processes to offer low prices.Since the beginning of its operations, Flybondi has carried over 3.9 million passengers with a 20% rate of first-time passengers. For more than a year and consecutively, it has been the airline with the highest load factor in Argentina and a 13% domestic market share (January 2022). The company, which has more than 700 employees, has recently launched a growth plan to double the number of passengers. Today it has 5 Boeing [...]

Fuente: Departamento de Transportes de EEUU En tanto, el costo por galón alcanza el máximo en 7 años La Oficina de Estadísticas de Transporte (BTS, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Transporte publicó hoy las cifras de consumo y costo de combustible de enero de las aerolíneas estadounidenses, lo que indica que las aerolíneas de servicios programados de EEUU utilizaron 1.210 millones de galones, lo que representa un 10,5% menos que en diciembre del año pasado y una disminución de 17,4% que en enero de 2020 (pre-pandemia). El costo por galón de combustible en enero de 2022 ($2,36) aumentó 22 centavos (10,3%) desde diciembre de 2021 y 38 centavos (19,2 %) desde enero de 2020. El gasto total [...]

Source: US DOT The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ January Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers indicating U.S. scheduled service airlines used 1.21 billion gallons of fuel, 10.5% less fuel than in December 2021 and 17.4% less than in pre-pandemic January 2020. The cost per gallon of fuel in January 2022 ($2.36) was up 22 cents (10.3%) from December 2021 and up 38 cents (19.2%) from January 2020. Total January 2022 fuel expenditure ($2.84B) was down 1.2% from December 2021 and down 1.8% from pre-pandemic January 2020. At $2.36, the cost per gallon of fuel in January was the highest since November 2014’s $2.57. Since January 2004, U.S. airlines’ fuel use in every January [...]

Source: US DOT The U.S. Department of Transportation and its Federal Aviation Administration are issuing orders blocking Russian aircraft and airlines from entering and using all domestic U.S. airspace.  “The United States stands with our allies and partners across the world in responding to Putin’s unprovoked aggression against the people of Ukraine,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.  The Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and regulatory orders will suspend operations of all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered, leased, or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of Russia. This includes passenger and cargo flights, and scheduled as well as charter flights, effectively closing U.S. air space to all Russian commercial air carriers [...]

Source: US FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is continuing to make progress in reforming its aircraft certification processes. This week, the agency expanded the use of independent groups of internal and external safety experts for certification projects such as commercial aircraft, smaller aircraft and drones. These reviews, called Technical Advisory Boards (TAB), help the FAA have a consistent and thorough approach for all aircraft certification projects. The changes go beyond a key requirement of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act. They will also: Promote establishing the TAB early in the certification process Specify different levels of TABs depending on the project scope and the risks the aircraft could pose when it enters into service. During a TAB review, [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects overall traveler numbers to reach 4.0 billion in 2024 (counting multi-sector connecting trips as one passenger), exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels (103% of the 2019 total). Expectations for the shape of the near-term recovery have shifted slightly, reflecting the evolution of government-imposed travel restrictions in some markets. The overall picture presented in the latest update to IATA’s long-term forecast, however, is unchanged from what was expected in November, prior to the Omicron variant. “The trajectory for the recovery in passenger numbers from COVID-19 was not changed by the Omicron variant. People want to travel. And when travel restrictions are lifted, they return to the skies. There is still a long way to go [...]

Source: ACI World Guidance on airport ground access services first in the series Airports Council International (ACI) World has today launched a new series of guidance material dedicated to helping airports strengthen their non-aeronautical (commercial) revenue to improve the traveller experience and contribute to the recovery of the sector as travel begins to increase. The first set of available guidance focuses on airport ground access and includes the Optimal Integration of Airport Ground Access Services Handbook, and the Sustainable Airport Ground Access Policy Paper. Over the years, airports have become multimodal transportation hubs striving to meet the needs of a diverse group of travellers who may have varying preferences when choosing how to get to and from an airport. Significant trends, such [...]

Source: US Department of Transportation Today's action promotes competition, helps consumers by providing them with lower fares and more choices The U.S. Department of Transportation today issued a notice finalizing its procedures to reassign 16 peak afternoon and evening runway times previously operated by Southwest Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The Department is requesting applications from U.S. low-cost carriers or ultra-low-cost carriers to help address competition issues at the airport. "This decision to open up access at Newark means lower fares and more choices for the traveling public," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to promoting competition, lowering costs for Americans and protecting consumer choice, which is exactly what this step will help [...]

Source: ICAO The 36 States composing the ICAO Council discussed today the situation unfolding in Ukraine, during a scheduled meeting of the ICAO Governing Body’s 225th Session. A representative of Ukraine also participated in the Council meeting on the basis of the State’s stake in the situation. The topic was considered by the Council on the basis of an oral statement delivered by the President of the Council, Salvatore Sciacchitano, together with a presentation from ICAO Secretary General, Juan Carlos Salazar, which updated Representatives on the operational aviation context. Council States condemned the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a United Nations Member State, including its airspace, as being inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the [...]