Source: ALTA In January 2026, total air passenger traffic to, from, and within Latin America and the Caribbean reached 45.1 million passengers, representing a 6.2% year-on-year increase compared to 2025, equivalent to 2.63 million additional passengers. 82% of net growth was concentrated in intra-regional traffic (domestic + intra-regional international). The number of flights increased 5.2% year-on-year, while capacity measured in seats rose 3.9%. In the international air cargo segment, 307,410 tonnes were transported across the region in January, representing a 1.9% year-on-year increase. Volumes remained concentrated in the region’s largest markets, with Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico accounting for approximately 60% of the total. Key indicators Passenger Market: Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased 5.7% year-on-year Demand, measured in [...]

Source: ICAO Updates to international standards aim to prevent accident investigations from being halted or compromised by conflicts of interest New global standards will ensure aircraft accident investigations are not halted or compromised by conflicts of interest, following today's landmark decision by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The changes concern Annex 13 – Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, and they will reinforce the independence, transparency and credibility of aviation safety findings worldwide. Recent accidents linked to suspected acts of unlawful interference have raised concerns about whether safety investigations were able to proceed independently and comprehensively, or  to completion. It is in response to these concerns that ICAO has [...]

Source: FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is supporting American commercial space innovation by streamlining the launch and reentry licensing process. All licensing will now occur under the Part 450 rule, which consolidates four old rules into one. It provides more flexibility and more methods of compliance, reducing the administrative and cost burdens on industry and the FAA. “We’re pleased to have flight-ready operators and vehicles successfully transition to a performance-based rule that unlocks flexibility while maintaining safety for the public,” said Dr. Minh A. Nguyen, Deputy Associate Administrator for the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. The FAA issued the Part 450 rule during the first Trump administration as commercial space operations started to rapidly grow. For five years, [...]

Source: A4A “We congratulate Markwayne Mullin on his confirmation to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). His leadership will provide stability for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and U.S. Customs clearance officers at airports. Both groups of federal employees are critical to the frontlines of aviation security, including our passengers, crewmembers and cargo shipments. “Unfortunately, Congress has yet to fund DHS, and TSA officers have been working without paychecks for weeks. Last fall, they had to survive 43 days without pay. A month ago, they received a partial paycheck. Two weeks ago, TSA employees received $0 paychecks, and another one is coming this Friday. It’s getting increasingly difficult to put food on the table, put gas [...]

Source: TSA Under Secretary Mullin's leadership, TSA will continue to usher in the new Golden Age of Travel The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extends our warmest congratulations to the Honorable Markwayne Mullin on his confirmation by the Senate as our new Secretary of Homeland Security. The American people have been promised a new Golden Age of Travel, and under Secretary Mullin's direction, TSA will continue to deliver on that promise. Despite the enormous challenges our workforce has faced over the past six months, the men and women of TSA still work every day to ensure travelers reach their destinations with all the security and efficiency we can provide. Around 61,000 TSA employees, including every frontline TSA officer, have been working [...]