Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for November 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 8.1% compared to November 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 5.7% year-on-year. The November load factor was 83.4% (+1.9 ppt compared to November 2023), an all-time high for November. International demand rose 11.6% compared to November 2023. Capacity was up 8.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.4% (+2.3 ppt compared to November 2023). Strong performance by carriers in Europe and Asia-Pacific drove this double-digit expansion in demand. Domestic demand rose 3.1% compared to November 2023. Capacity was up 1.5% year-on-year and the load factor was 83.5% (+1.2 [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for November 2024 global air cargo markets showing: Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), rose by 8.2% compared to November 2023 levels (9.5% for international operations) for a 16th consecutive month of growth. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 4.6% compared to November 2023 (6.5% for international operations). "It was a good November for air cargo with 8.2% demand growth nearly doubling the 4.6% growth in cargo capacity. Fuel costs tracked at 22% below previous-year levels and tight market conditions supported yield growth at 7.8%. All things considered we are looking to close out 2024 air cargo performance on a profitable note. While this strong performance [...]

Source: FAA The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced more than $332 million for 171 grants across 32 states to modernize airports through the Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG)program. In total, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $25 billion over five years for airport and air traffic control infrastructure improvements. The AIG funds can be used for airport planning, development, sustainability, terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements, and noise compatibility projects. “We are using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make historic investments in our nation’s airports to address a backlog of needs and accommodate growing air travel demand,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments—some already completed and many more still underway—ensure the traveling [...]

Source: Transport Canada Statement The Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, the Honourable Anita Anand, issued the following statement: “I am pleased that the Canadian Transportation Agency’s proposed amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations were published in Part I of the Canada Gazette (earlier this month), for a 75-day public comment period. “The proposed amendments seek to protect passengers when air travel does not go as planned by clarifying, simplifying and strengthening Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations. The goal of these proposed amendments is to make the regulations clearer for both travellers and air carriers. The proposed amendments eliminate grey zones and ambiguity about when passengers are owed compensation, which will ensure quicker resolutions for passengers. “The government welcomes the participation of passengers, airlines, [...]

Source: ACI World Meeting future capacity demand requires collaboration among all aviation stakeholders Airports Council International (ACI) World acknowledges the growing challenge of meeting air traffic demand. Airports worldwide, supported by ACI, are working diligently to both increase the capacity of existing infrastructure and develop new facilities, which are essential components of addressing this challenge. Airports naturally are incentivized to meet market demands by improving efficiency and accommodating growing passenger numbers and have been making significant investments over the last years to do so. However, to accommodate the projected growth in air traffic, all aviation stakeholders must contribute and work collaboratively. Optimizing airport capacity utilization, including through slot policy, is a multifaceted challenge that cannot be solved by airports alone. The [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that the airport capacity crunch is threatening the freedom for people to travel, and constraining economies. With little prospect for airport infrastructure to fully keep pace with growing demand, IATA released a White Paperincluding proposals for how slot regulations must incentivize airports to generate more capacity from existing infrastructure. The number of airports unable to fully meet the demand for air connectivity and requiring slot coordination using the IATA Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines has already grown to nearly 400 worldwide. If current trends prevail, this number could grow by 25% over the next decade. An example of the severe consequences of this growing problem is evident in Europe where Airports Council [...]