Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today released a global progress report on the implementation of baggage tracking. Focused on IATA Resolution 753, which requires tracking baggage at acceptance, loading, transfer and arrival, the survey of 155 airlines and 94 airports reveals that: 44% of airlines have fully implemented Resolution 753 and a further 41% are in progress. Regional variation in airline full adoption rates vary from 88% in China and North Asia, to 60% in the Americas, 40% in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and 27% in Africa. 75% of airports surveyed have the capability for Resolution 753 baggage tracking. Airport preparedness for Resolution 753 varies by size*: 75% of mega airports are capable, 85% of major airports, 82% [...]

Source: USDOT U.S. airlines carried 70.4 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in February 2024, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). When adjusted for seasonality, February enplanements are up 1.3% from January and reached a new all-time high the all-time high reached in February 2024. BTS reported 61 million domestic passengers and 9.4 million international passengers on U.S. airlines flights in February, not adjusting for seasonality. U.S. airline traffic reports are filed monthly with BTS. See the tables that accompany this release on the BTS website for summary data since 2016 (Tables 1-24) and complete data since 2000. Two measures of U.S. airlines passenger enplanements February seasonally adjusted Systemwide enplanements (82.4M) reached a new all-time, seasonally-adjusted, [...]

Source: ACI World Erbacci will succeed Luis Felipe de Oliveira in September ACI World today has announced the appointment of Justin Erbacci as its new Director General and CEO, slated to join the organization in September 2024. Erbacci brings a wealth of experience to ACI World, having previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of NEOM Airports and of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). At LAWA, before assuming the CEO position from 2020 to 2023, he served as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Innovation and Commercial Strategy Officer, and Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to innovation within the aviation industry. His career also includes notable roles at Star Alliance, Credit Suisse, United Airlines, Reese McMahon LLC, Cambridge Management Consultants, and Deloitte [...]

Source: IATA   The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted three priorities for ground handling at the IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) which opened in Reykjavík today hosted by Icelandair: 1. Improving safety through reducing operational risk  2. Implementing global standards 3. Embedding sustainability – people, planet, and prosperity – in all activities. “Ground handling forms the backbone of aviation. It is critical to ensuring the safe and efficient transport of millions of travelers each year. With travel demand for the upcoming peak Northern summer season predicted to surge by 12% over last year, the ground handling sector will need to be ready. Our priorities are clear: improving safety, implementation of global standards and embedding sustainability in all activities," said [...]

Source: ACI-LAC Airports Council International for Latin America and the Caribbean welcomes the news of the investment and installation of a new ILS CAT IIIb instrument landing system at Carrasco International Airport in Uruguay. ACI-LAC congratulates the Uruguayan government for the initiative as it represents a significant step towards greater connectivity and operational efficiency for the country. Dr. Rafael Echevarne, General Director of ACI-LAC, highlights: “The investment to be made by Aeropuertos Uruguay, part of the Corporación América Airports group, reflects the company's firm commitment to Uruguay's airport development. The investment in airport infrastructure will not only improve the airport's operational efficiency, but also boost Uruguay's economic growth and competitiveness in the international arena.” The ILS CAT IIIb instrument landing [...]

By Jose Ricardo Botelho, CEO of ALTA Welcome to a new edition of Flying Over Latin America and the Caribbean. Today we take flight with Niels Olsen, Ecuador's dynamic Minister of Tourism, who shares with us the vision that will further enhance the development of two essential industries for the socioeconomic wellbeing of Ecuador: aviation and tourism. Ecuador rises as a promising destination. This diverse nation is taking key steps to reach new heights, allowing more people from more places to experience its natural and cultural beauties. With the clear vision of a government that understands the vital importance of putting aviation on the state agenda, the articulated and collaborative work is moving the country toward a brighter and more [...]

Source: US DOT The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ March 2024 fuel cost and consumption numbers indicating U.S. scheduled service airlines used 1.602 billion gallons of fuel, 15.1% more fuel than in February 2024 (1.392 billion gallons) and 4.9% more than in pre-pandemic March 2019. The cost per gallon of fuel in March 2024 ($2.77) was down 6 cents (2.2%) from February 2024 ($2.83) and up $0.74 (36.7%) from March 2019. Total March 2024 fuel expenditure ($4.43B) was up 12.5% from February 2024 ($3.94B) and up 43.5% from pre-pandemic March 2019. Year-over-year changes in fuel consumption and cost for March 2024 include a 0.6% increase in domestic fuel consumption, a 4.6% decrease in [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for urgent action to deepen the understanding on the formation and climate impact of aviation contrails to develop effective mitigation measures. The newly released IATA report Aviation Contrails Climate Effect: Tackling Uncertainties & Enabling Solutions (pdf) calls for a strengthening of collaboration between research and technological innovation, coupled with policy frameworks to address aviation’s non-CO2 emissions through more atmospheric data. The report highlights the complexity of contrail science, noting gaps in the understanding of how contrails form, or when they could persist, and how they impact the climate. The lack of high-resolution, real-time data on atmospheric conditions (particularly humidity and temperature at cruising altitudes) hinders precise contrail forecasting. “The industry and [...]