Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a self-registration portal to make it easier for COVID-19 testing labs to join the IATA Travel Pass Lab Network. IATA’s Lab Network provides a list of eligible lab locations around the globe so that travelers can easily find a location for a COVID-19 test prior to travel.  The newly launched portal provides a one-stop-shop for labs to self-register to be included in the Network. Labs wishing to join the IATA Lab Network should confirm that they meet the eligibility *criteria* and register through the new Self Registration Portal. Before they are included in the IATA Travel Pass, IATA will validate the information and contact labs directly to finalize their registration. [...]

Source: ACI NA Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today welcomed the announcement of a bipartisan infrastructure framework that includes $25 billion in new airport infrastructure investment. “It is great to see bipartisan agreement about the pressing need to upgrade America’s airports,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “For too long U.S. airports have been underfunded and unable to make many of the terminal, runway, and access improvements needed to keep pace with an increasing number of passengers and flights at their facilities.  With airports facing over $115 billion in documented infrastructure needs over the next five years, the $25 billion in new investments [...]

Source: US DOT   The 23 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 0.9% fewer full-time equivalents (FTEs) in April 2021 than in March 2021: April’s total number of FTEs (391,501) was down 3,562 from March (395,063) and down 70,096, a 15.2% drop from the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 (461,597). April 2021 was the lowest FTE total for the month of April since 2014 (384,265). April 2021, scheduled passenger airlines employed 60% of the total airline industry FTEs, down from 63% in March 2020. Total industry includes cargo and charter. Regulations require U.S. airlines to report employment numbers for employees who worked or received pay for any part of the pay period(s) ending nearest the 15th day of the [...]

Source: ALPA The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) applauded Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) today for introducing the Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications Act of 2021, or the RETAIN Act. The proposed bipartisan legislation will ensure that those negatively impacted, both in the public and private sector, can recover costs accrued from GPS and satellite communication interference caused by Ligado Networks’ operations. In April 2020, as the world was focused on how to best navigate through the COVID-19 public health crisis, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took the opportunity to grant Ligado access to the public airwaves adjacent to bands traditionally reserved for satellite navigation [...]

Source: US FAA The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an additional way for its engineers, safety inspectors, systems safety specialists and other aviation safety employees to report safety-related issues and concerns. Information shared and submitted via this new system will be used to validate or verify an aviation safety concern, identify the root cause, and determine the appropriate corrective action. The Voluntary Safety Reporting Program provides those who work in the FAA’s Aviation Safety organization the ability to report confidentially any safety concerns without fear of punitive action. The FAA’s Aviation Safety workforce is composed of about 7,400 professionals who provide oversight of airlines, manufacturers, maintenance providers, aviation medical practitioners and flight crews. “We can [...]

Source: US DOT   U.S. airlines carried 9.5% more scheduled service passengers in April 2021 than in March 2021 (preliminary) but 39% fewer passengers than in pre-pandemic April 2019, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 18 airlines that carry more than 90% of the passengers. The large airlines carried 46.6 million passengers in April 2021 (preliminary), compared to 3 million passengers in April 2020, which was the lowest monthly total in BTS records dating back to 1974.  The previous low was 14.6 million passengers in February 1975. Preliminary April 2021 passenger numbers (18 carriers reporting): Total: 46.6 million passengers, up 9.5% from March 2021 (42.6M) but down 38.7% from April 2019 (76.1M) Domestic: 42.7 [...]

Source: US FAA The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $8 billion in grants to keep U.S. airport workers employed, construction projects going and help U.S. airports recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding for the grants comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 President Biden signed into law on March 11, 2021. “The Airport Rescue Grants keep workers employed and help the aviation sector recover as more Americans get vaccinated and begin traveling again,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These grants are part of the Administration’s commitment to build back a better and safer transportation system throughout our country.” The funding provides economic relief to eligible commercial service, reliever, and general [...]