The International Air Transport Association announced that Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, has assumed his duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors . His one-year term began at the conclusion of the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 3 June. Elbers is the 82nd Chair of the IATA Board of Governors . He served earlier on the Board of Governors between 2016 and 2022 as KLM’s President and CEO and was reappointed to the Board in 2022 shortly after he became IndiGo’s CEO. He succeeds RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo who will continue to serve on the Board of Governors. “It is indeed an honor to assume this role at a time when India is emerging as one of the world’s largest and fastest growing civil aviation markets and evolving into a formidable force in the airline industry. Adhering to IATA’s legacy of aviation as a force for good, we will continue in our focus of highlighting the benefits of aviation in building connections, augmenting trade, tourism and mobility—benefits also so visible in India. At the same time, it is imperative that we persist in our commitment towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive and also more sustainable aviation industry, creating positive change for generations to come. IATA plays a pivotal role in establishing global standards; I am eager to continue collaborating with global industry leaders, regulators, and stakeholders towards our collective goals,” said Elbers. Elbers has over 30 years of broad experience in the aviation industry. He has been CEO of IndiGo since September 2022 and has taken IndiGo on a journey of expansion and internationalization since. Prior to joining IndiGo, he …
Read More »IATA SAF Registry
Dubai – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it will establish the SAF Registry (Registry) to accelerate the uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) by authoritatively accounting and reporting emissions reductions from SAF. Seventeen airlines, one airline group, six national authorities, three Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and one fuel producer are already supporting the effort to develop the Registry. The Registry is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025. SAF is expected to account for up to 65% of the total carbon mitigation needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions in air transportation by 2050. “SAF is key to aviation’s decarbonization. Airlines want more SAF and stand ready to use every drop of it. The SAF Registry will help meet the critical needs of all stakeholders as part of the global effort to ramp-up SAF production. Governments need a trusted system to track the quality and quantities of SAF used. SAF producers need to accurately account for what has been delivered and effectively decarbonized. Corporate customers must be able to transparently account for their Scope 3 emissions. And airlines must have certainty that they can claim the environmental benefits of the SAF they purchased. The Registry will meet all these needs. In doing so, the Registry will help create a global SAF market by ensuring that airlines have access to SAF wherever it is produced, and that SAF producers have access to airlines regardless of their location,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Capabilities Wide Geographic Scope: The Registry will allow airlines to purchase SAF regardless of where it is produced. Each batch’s certified environmental attributes can be tracked and assigned to the purchasing airline. By ensuring …
Read More »Traveler Demand Increased by 13.8% in March
The International Air Transport Association released data for March 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers , was up 13.8% compared to March 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers , was up 12.3% year-on-year. The March load factor was 82.0% (+1.0ppt compared to March 2023). International demand rose 18.9% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 18.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 81.6% (+0.1ppt on March 2023). Domestic demand rose 6.6% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 3.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+2.5ppt compared to March 2023). Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General said, “Demand for travel is strong. And there is every indication that this should continue into the peak Northern Summer travel season. It is critical that we have the capacity to meet this demand and ensure a hassle-free travel experience for passengers. That means making urgent progress to resolve supply chain issues and for airports and air traffic management to be fully staffed and operating at maximum efficiency. While airlines are prepared for customer care and assistance when operational issues arise, they are fed-up of bearing the cost when delays and cancellations are the result of poor preparation in other parts of the value chain.” Air Passenger Market in Detail MARCH 2024 (% YEAR-ON-YEAR) WORLD SHARE1 RPK ASK PLF(%-PT)2 PLF(LEVEL)3 Total Market 100% 13.8% 12.3% 1.0% 82.0% Africa 2.1% 10.0% 12.3% -1.5% 72.1% Asia Pacific 31.7% 24.2% 17.9% 4.3% 83.5% Europe 27.1% 10.6% 10.2% 0.3% 80.9% Latin America 5.5% 10.9% 8.8% 1.5% 83.1% Middle East 9.4% 10.5% 13.6% -2.1% 77.5% North America 24.2% 6.3% 7.6% -1.0% 83.7% 1) % of industry RPKs in 2023 …
Read More »Vietjet acknowledged among the World’s Safest Airline for 2024.
Vietjet, Vietnam’s leading new-age carrier, has once again been listed among the world’s safest airlines for 2024 by Airline Ratings, the renowned airline safety and product rating website. Additionally, Vietjet has consistently held a seven-star rating, the highest level for aviation safety globally, since 2018. In its annual evaluation, Airline Ratings monitored 385 global airlines, considering the airlines’ incident records in recent years, fleet age, results of audits conducted by the governing body of aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and other aviation authorities. Vietjet, along with other notable low-cost peers worldwide such as Ryanair, easyJet, Frontier, etc., has been honoured in the top 10 for many consecutive years, recognizing their excellent performance in flight safety for both flight crews and passengers. Geoffrey Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of AirlineRatings.com, said, “Vietjet’s dedication to maintaining a culture of safety across all aspects of operations is commendable, especially as it actively expands its flight network. The implementation of a robust safety management system and strict compliance with international regulations have contributed to the airline’s excellent technical reliability indicators, ensuring the highest level of safety in its operations for many years.” Vietjet continues to add new aircraft to its modern and fuel-efficient fleet, boasting a technical reliability rate of 99.72% among top operators in the region and the world. The airline invests continuously in training, aircraft engineering, and MRO services to ensure the highest standard in terms of safety and quality. In recent developments, Vietjet Aviation Academy (VJAA) has officially become a training partner of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to ensure a high-quality aviation workforce.
Read More »Airlines expected to register small $4.7 bn profit in 2023 after $6.9 bn loss in 2022
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that in 2023, airlines are expected to post a small net profit of $4.7 billion—a 0.6% net profit margin. It is the first profit since 2019 when industry net profits were $26.4 billion (3.1% net profit margin). In 2022, airline net losses are expected to be $6.9 billion.
Read More »India’s domestic RPKs rose 97.8% in July, exceeding 81% of 2019 levels: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced passenger data for July 2022 showing that the recovery in air travel continues to be strong. India’s domestic RPKs rose 97.8% in July and are now exceeding 81% of 2019 levels.
Read More »Early return to EU slot add to passengers’ woes: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed concern that a premature return to pre-pandemic slot use rules in the EU this winter risks continuing disruption to passengers. The European Commission has announced it intends to return to the longstanding 80-20 slot use rule, which requires airlines to operate at least 80% of every planned slot sequence. Global slot rules are an effective system for managing access to and the use of scarce capacity at airports. The system has stood the test of time and while airlines are keen to restart services, the failure of several key airports to accommodate demand, coupled with increasing air traffic control delays, means a premature return to the 80-20 rule could lead to further passenger disruption. The evidence so far this summer has not been encouraging. Airports had the 2022 summer season schedules and final slot holdings in January and didn’t evaluate how to manage this in time. Airports declaring that full capacity is available and then requiring airlines to make cuts this summer shows the system is not ready for reviving “normal” slot use this winter season (which begins at end of October). “The chaos we have seen at certain airports this summer has occurred with a slot use threshold of 64%. We are worried that airports will not be ready in time to service an 80% threshold by the end of October. It is essential the Member States and Parliament adjust the Commission’s proposal to a realistic level and permit flexibility to the slot use rules. Airports are equal partners in the slot process, let them demonstrate their ability to declare and manage their capacity accurately and competently and then restore the slot …
Read More »Govts & industry to ensure aviation & safety systems co-exist with 5G services: IATA
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that governments must work with the industry to ensure that aviation and incumbent safety systems can safely co-exist with the new 5G services. Many countries have successfully managed to facilitate the requirements of 5G service providers while including necessary mitigations to preserve aviation safety and uninterrupted services.
Read More »IATA urges governments to adopt simple measures to safely ramp-up international travel
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments to adopt simple, predictable and practical measures to safely and efficiently facilitate the ramping-up of international travel as borders re-open. Specifically, IATA urged governments to focus on three key areas, simplified health protocol, digital solutions to process health credentials, and COVID-19 measures proportionate to risk levels with a continuous review process.
Read More »Travellers getting frustrated with COVID-19 restrictions, 67% feel borders shall open now: IATA
A recent survey by International Air Transport Association (IATA), air travellers are increasingly frustrated with the COVID-19 travel restrictions. The survey within 11 markets in September showed confidence that the risks of COVID-19 can be effectively managed and that the freedom to travel should be restored. 67% of respondents felt that most country borders should be opened now, up 12 percentage-points from the June 2021 survey.
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