Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the results of its 2021 Global Passenger Survey (GPS), which delivered two main conclusions: 1. Passengers want to use biometric identification if it expedites travel processes. 2. Passengers want to spend less time queuing. “Passengers have spoken and want technology to work harder, so they spend less time ‘being processed’ or standing in queues. And they are willing to use biometric data if it delivers this result. Before traffic ramps-up, we have a window of opportunity to ensure a smooth return to travel post pandemic and deliver long-term efficiency improvements for passengers, airlines, airports and governments,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security. Biometric Identification 73% [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Marie Owens Thomsen will join the Association as its Chief Economist effective 4 January 2022. Owens Thomsen will come from Banque Lombard Odier, where she has served as Head of Global Trends and Sustainability since 2020. Prior to that she was the long-time Global Head of Investment Intelligence (2011-2020) at Indosuez Wealth Management. Additionally, she has served in Chief Economist and related roles for Merrill Lynch, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and HSBC. Her varied career also includes entrepreneurship and market development activities. “Marie’s work on macro-economic issues with a focus on sustainability will prepare her to address aviation’s top issues—namely recovery from COVID-19 and sustainability. Coming from outside the aviation sector, [...]

Source: ICAO At a meeting of its 224th Session this week, the ICAO Council approved new Sustainability Criteria for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) eligible under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), together with the compliance assessment guidance. By making use of aviation fuels which meet the new Sustainability Criteria for SAF life-cycle CO2 reduction benefits and other environmental and socio-economic themes, aircraft operators engaged in international flights can claim associated reductions in their CORSIA CO2 offsetting requirements. “This approval should incentivize the production of SAF so that they can fulfil their important role in aviation’s green transition, and it also emphasizes the continuing importance of pursuing a globally harmonized approach to mitigating emissions from international aviation [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the commitments towards strengthening climate action made at COP26, and called on the global efforts to decarbonize aviation to be supported with practical, effective government policies. Management of international aviation’s climate commitments sits outside of the COP process and is the responsibility of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Nevertheless, airlines at the 77th IATA AGM in Boston, October, agreed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the stretch Paris agreement target to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees. “Airlines are on the pathway to net-zero carbon emissions, in line with the Paris agreement. We all want the freedom to fly sustainably. Reaching net-zero emissions will be a [...]

Source: US DOT U.S. airlines employed 718,111 workers in September 2021, which is 814 (0.1%) fewer workers than in August 2021 and 24,289 (3.3%) fewer than in pre-pandemic September 2019. The September industry-wide numbers include 615,352 full-time and 103,459 part-time workers, an increase from August of 753 full-time workers and a decrease of 1,567 part-time workers. As of September, the U.S. airline industry is operating with 34,571 fewer employees (4.6%) than at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Total employment (full-time + part-time) by U.S. airlines (passenger + cargo carriers): September 2019: 743,100 February 2020 (COVID-19 onset): 753,382 September 2020: 701,054 August 2021: 719,625 (revised) September 2021: 718,811 Major passenger airlines added 2,448 employees in September, fewer than the 4,320 [...]