Source: IATA IATA thanks the European Commission for providing confirmation of the slot rules for next summer in good time, resisting calls to fully switch the pre-pandemic slot rules back on. The extended slot alleviation provides certainty of the rules when the demand environment remains unpredictable, allowing airlines to build sustainable schedules that respond to demand. IATA particularly appreciated the Commission’s openness to discuss technical aspects of the proposal, which led to the choice of a slot use threshold that can be practicably implemented by airlines in terms of schedules and slot planning. We hope that as soon as possible, governments restore travel rules that allow for the industry to return to growth again. Until demand growth stabilizes, it is [...]

Source: ACI Despite the pandemic, the most constrained airports are already effectively saturated at peak times, and slots at these airports will remain scarce.An additional complexity is that recovery is likely to be uneven as regions face different conditions from each other. ACI World projects that worldwide passenger traffic by the end of next year will reach 6.6 billion, up from 4.6 billion in 2021. Despite the pandemic, the most constrained airports are already effectively saturated at peak times, and slots at these airports will remain scarce. An additional complexity is that recovery is likely to be uneven as regions face different conditions from each other. Moreover, there is still no uniform and consistent approach to passenger testing, vaccine recognition, [...]

Source: ACI-LAC The pandemic has impacted all our lives to some extent. We are social beings, yet had to face social distancing, “the box” instead of handshakes and hugs, working from home with endless Zoom or Teams meetings, and in some parts of the world, terribly long and painful lockdowns... Let us start with stating the obvious. The pandemic has impacted all our lives to some extent. We are social beings, yet had to face social distancing, “the box” instead of handshakes and hugs, working from home with endless Zoom or Teams meetings, and in some parts of the world, terribly long and painful lockdowns. And although we are soon two years down the pandemic road, it seems we are [...]

Source: A4A As U.S. airlines prepare to reunite families, friends and loved ones over the holiday travel season, we want to applaud the Administration and federal agencies – including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – for their efforts to prioritize a safe, seamless air travel experience for all travelers. We appreciate the initiatives in today’s Executive Order, “Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government,” that will make the passport renewal process more efficient for travelers. In addition, advanced security technologies will help relieve congestion at TSA checkpoints and provide for a smoother journey. We are encouraged that Americans have been returning to the skies at a rapid pace [...]

Source: ICAO ICAO’s 2021 Air Services Negotiation (ICAN) event took place last week in Bogota, Colombia, from 6–10 December, providing both an in-person and virtual platform for countries finalizing new international air transport agreements. The Bogota ICAN was the first to be hosted in South America since the unique global negotiation events were established by ICAO, in 2008. Over 300 in-person and 170 virtual participants, representing 70 countries, took advantage of the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of this year’s hybrid gathering. In his opening remarks to the international negotiators, ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar highlighted that the work they were undertaking was “critical to all aspects of ICAO’s current air transport recovery objectives, as well as to the future sustainable [...]

Source: ACI North America Scholarship Endowment to Support Professional Development Globally Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, announced the creation of the ACI-NA Educational Foundation. “Running a modern, competitive, and resilient airport industry requires continuing education and professional development,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “The ACI-NA Educational Foundation will assist our members by providing additional resources to further promote industry excellence, learning, and networking, particularly among the young professionals soon to lead our industry in the future.” The ACI-NA Educational Foundation will provide scholarships for courses or educational programs beneficial to airport administration to qualified students, including ACI-NA member employees. With the launch [...]

Source: ALTA The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) is pleased to welcome Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) as its new affiliate member, joining the ALTA’s group of over 50 affiliated industry suppliers committed to working together for the recovery of the aviation industry. ASA is a decentralized Federal Government of Mexico organization, created in June 1965 to design, build and operate airport terminals. With over 55 years of experience, Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) operates, manages, builds and preserve airports; markets and provides aviation fuel storage and supply services at Mexico’s main airports; offers technical assistance and consulting, as well as instruction and research in aeronautical and airport matters; participates in technological development and collaborates with the [...]

Source: ALPA In response to the airworthiness directive (AD) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) once again called on the mobile wireless industry to work cooperatively with the aviation community on implementing mitigations that will ensure an equivalent level of safety by protecting against radio altimeter interference. Aviation industry representatives recently proposed a safety risk mitigation strategy for the Federal Communications Commission’s and mobile wireless industry’s consideration, which would reduce power levels in the vicinity of airports and heliports that are seen by aircraft, to reduce the safety risks of interference when the 5G signals are activated. “Maintaining U.S. aviation’s high standard of safety is our primary goal, and aviation experts agree [...]

Source: ACI ACI World joins the call for coordinated travel measures "Travel bans and border closures are not the solution as variants emerge", said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira Airports Council International (ACI) World expresses its frustration that calls to governments for coordination and collaboration for the safe resumption of travel continue to go unheeded. With public health as the priority, ACI World urges governments to greatly improve coordination for travel measures between countries and implement risk- and evidence-based approaches for a safe return of travel. The current patchwork of travel restrictions around the globe continues to affect the global aviation system and the millions of livelihoods that depend on the trade, tourism and investment that air transport [...]