Source: FAA Get ready for takeoff! The Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Design Challenge will take flight on April 1 with an extended enrollment period. The Challenge helps students design virtual airports using the Microsoft game Minecraft. Students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across the globe will meet aviation professionals and learn about the aerospace industry and STEM concepts and careers. "We need to continue to reach out to youth in their areas of interest," said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen. "The Airport Design Challenges does this by combining gaming and aviation to develop our leaders of tomorrow." During the competition, students collaborate in small teams to learn about their local airports and to complete developmental tasks in Minecraft. They participate [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) will focus on sustainability, safety and digitalization. WCS is taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye from 25 to 27 April 2023. “Air cargo is operating at nearly pre-pandemic levels. But the way it operates has changed dramatically. This is due to a convergence of economic and geo-political forces, continuing priorities on improving sustainability, safety, and reliability, as well as emerging opportunities with new markets, technologies, and digitalization. This year’s WCS will explore how to keep air cargo profitable while addressing these priorities, challenges, and opportunities,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Speakers & Sessions Willie Walsh, and Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo will be speaking at the event along [...]

Source: ALPA The Mesa Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) announced it has elected new officers to lead the nearly 1,000 Mesa pilots. The voting members of the Mesa MEC elected Captain Scott Norton, chair; Captain Alan Godfrey, vice chair; Captain Curtis Hafer, secretary; and Captain Tom Russell, treasurer. These elections filled vacancies and each elected candidate will serve the remainder of the term ending November 2023. “This is a strong, engaged officer group, committed to serving the best interests of our pilot group,” said Capt. Norton was previously served as the MEC vice chair. “We look forward to achieving quality of life improvements in a new contract to complement our industry-leading pay rates.” [...]

Source: ALTA The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) expresses its recognition to the government of Ecuador and, especially, to the Ministry of Tourism and Minister Niels Olsen for the issuance of MINISTERIAL AGREEMENT No. 2023 004 declaring the reduction of the "ECO DELTA" and "ECUADOR POTENCIA TURÍSTICA" fees which since 2016 have taxed air tickets issued for travel from Ecuador to any destination abroad. "This is excellent news that will bring two great immediate benefits to the country: first, it will contribute to further democratize air transport for Ecuadorians and, second, it will allow Ecuador to be more competitive in the international market and attract more passenger and tourist traffic, fostering the activation of a broad value [...]

Source: ALTA Over 150 industry executives specializing in fuels and environment bring together in Costa Rica Addressing the impact of high aviation fuel prices, an input that currently represents 50% of the cost structure of airlines, in addition to encouraging clear, efficient and sustainable regulations for the deployment of SAF is among the topics to be discussed at the ALTA FUEL & ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE 2023, an event to be held in San José, Costa Rica, on March 29 and 30. The headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), a body member of the Organization of American States (OAS), will be the venue for this two-day conference, which will bring together over 150 industry executives specializing in fuels [...]

Source: TSA FY24 Budget Request honors commitments to TSA workforce by compensating employees commensurate with other federal agencies and continuing investment in proven checkpoint technologies During testimony yesterday before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David Pekoske discussed the President's Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request for TSA. As approved in the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Act and signed by the President in December 2022, this budget proposal includes necessary funding for the agency to continue to implement an employee compensation package that is commensurate with other federal agencies and provisions to accommodate increasing passenger travel volumes and maintain wait times standards. This funding provides needed resources to pay TSA employees commensurate with its federal [...]

Source: ALTA Tianguis Turístico takes place in Mexico from March 26 to 29 The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and Amadeus will participate in the 47th edition of the Tianguis Turístico México, to be held in Mexico City from March 26 to 29. During his speech, Juan Camilo Guerrero, ALTA's Head of Economics, will present the Air Transport Competitiveness Index for Latin America and the Caribbean, developed by both organizations. This report, whose second edition was released in the last quarter of 2022, studies a series of factors that determine the competitiveness in the region for air transport and suggests what actions can be taken to generate better conditions to attract more and more investors, develop operations, jobs, connectivity [...]

Source: US DOT The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of January 2023 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. DOT remains committed to ensuring airline passengers are treated fairly and is concerned about recent flight cancellations and flight disruptions and difficulties families are experiencing in sitting together with no fees. The Department is currently investigating several domestic airlines to ensure that they are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights. DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from [...]