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ISTANBUL, June 5 (Reuters) - Global airlines more than doubled their 2023 industry profit forecast to $9.8 billion from $4.7 billion on Monday cheered by strong travel demand as the sector recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. "The pandemic years are behind us and borders are open as normal," Director General Willie Walsh told the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Global airlines have in recent months reported strong results as they prepare for a busy summer season, with travel demand showing no sign of flagging despite peaking inflation. Revenue levels for 2023 are also inching closer to pre-pandemic levels, climbing to an expected $803 billion versus $838 billion in 2019. And they will continue to do so through this year," Walsh told Reuters in an interview separately.

Persons: Willie Walsh, Walsh, " Walsh, Joanna Plucinska, Aditi Shah, Tim Hepher, Jason Neely Organizations: Global, International Air Transport Association, . Global, Reuters, Airlines, Schiphol Airport, Schiphol, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Netherlands, South Africa

[1/2] An Air France aircraft, operated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced by TotalEnergies, is refueled before its first flight from Nice to Paris at Nice airport, France, October 1, 2021. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File PhotoISTANBUL, June 5 (Reuters) - Airlines took aim at Europe over green fuel mandates and its failures to stem France's air traffic control strikes as they weigh on carrier capacities at a global airlines meeting in Istanbul on Monday. In 2021, the body released its strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, including a progressive increase in sustainable aviation fuel use. A global approach to book and claim for SAF credits will help facilitate economies of scale in SAF production," he said. FRAGMENTATIONHowever, IATA said the EU's approach could cause more fragmentation by forcing airlines to buy SAF in Europe, ultimately hampering a harmonized global approach and sowing confusion.

Persons: Eric Gaillard, Willie Walsh, Walsh, Marie Owen Thomsen, Joanna Plucinska, David Evans Organizations: Air France, REUTERS, Airlines, EU, SAF, Air Transport Association, Officials, Chicago Convention, Activists, Thomson Locations: Nice, France, ISTANBUL, Europe, Istanbul, United States, COVID

☆ IATA director general weighs in on Saudi Arabia’s new carrier Riyadh Air
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIATA director general weighs in on Saudi Arabia’s new carrier Riyadh AirIATA Director General Willie Walsh discusses Saudi Arabia’s new carrier Riyadh Air, announced by Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March 2023.

Persons: Willie Walsh, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: Riyadh Air, Saudi Locations: Saudi

☆ IATA: Airline industry expects to make profits of nearly $10 billion this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

IATA on Monday more than doubled its 2023 profit forecast for the global airline industry despite a looming economic downturn. Airlines are expected to make $9.8 billion in net profit in 2023, up from a December forecast of $4.7 billion. The industry’s main lobby group expects 4.35 billion people to travel by air this year, not far off the 4.54 billion passengers who flew in 2019. The figures mark a significant turnaround for the airline industry, which carried just 1.8 billion passengers in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, at a loss of $76 per traveler. From that nadir, air travel has rebounded even as high inflation and rising interest rates weigh on spending by businesses and consumers in other areas.

Persons: Willie Walsh, ” Walsh, Walsh, “, CNN’s Richard Quest, we’re, ” — Gayle Harrington Organizations: London CNN — Global, International Air Transport Association Locations: Istanbul, “

☆ ANA CEO looks to boost fleet with Boeing 787, launch low-cost airline
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Aditi Shah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Air travel is slowly recovering in Japan post pandemic with inbound passenger traffic coming back stronger while outbound leisure demand is "still weak", he added. While the fear of getting infected is still putting off some passengers from travelling overseas, a weaker yen versus the dollar is making it costlier for Japanese travellers and hurting outbound demand, Inoue said. While limited flights between the U.S. and China are resulting in some additional inbound demand for ANA as passengers travel through Tokyo, inflationary trends in the U.S. are expected to further crimp outbound travel, he said. ANA said last year it plans to launch a new international low-cost carrier in late 2023 or early 2024, focused on the Southeast Asian market as tourism revives post pandemic. ANA expects to launch Air Japan by spring 2024, Inoue said.

Persons: Shinichi Inoue, Inoue, Aditi Shah, Jason Neely, David Evans Organizations: All Nippon Airways, ANA, Boeing, Monday, International Air Transport Association, U.S, Japan, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Japan, China, Tokyo, U.S

☆ Aviation recovery is at about 90% compared to 2019, IATA director general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAviation recovery is at about 90% compared to 2019, IATA director general saysIATA Director General Willie Walsh discusses the airline sector’s recovery, three years after the outbreak of the coronvairus pandemic.

Persons: Willie Walsh Organizations: Aviation

☆ Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker: Aviation will miss net zero target
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Tom Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —The CEO of Qatar Airways has described the airline industry’s emissions goals as a “PR exercise,” saying aviation is on track to miss its target to achieve net zero status in 2050. “Let us not fool ourselves,” Al Baker told CNN’s Richard Quest. Currently, SAF production is less than 0.1% of what is needed for aviation to achieve net zero. “We’re openly acknowledging that this is going to be a huge challenge,” Walsh told Quest as the IATA meeting began on Sunday. Despite his skepticism on the industry’s current emissions targets, he still believes that net zero is achievable.

Persons: Akbar Al Baker, ” Al Baker, CNN’s Richard Quest, “, Al Baker, ”, Willie Walsh, Walsh, “ We’re, ” Walsh, Quest, I’m Organizations: London CNN, Qatar Airways, CNN, International Air Transport Association, SAF

☆ Air travel to be disrupted by 'very frustrating' supply chain issues, IATA's Willie Walsh says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Supply chain issues will impact air travel in 2023, IATA director general says. Juliette Michel | Afp | Getty ImagesAir travel will be affected by "very frustrating" supply chain issues this year, according to Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, as he discussed the challenges facing the aviation sector this year. And we're already seeing that," Walsh told CNBC's Dan Murphy. A scarcity of air traffic control staff is also likely to be a problem in 2023, Walsh said. "The challenges we expect to see in the short term are outside of our control, and they principally relate to shortages, in resources in air traffic control," Walsh said.

Persons: Juliette Michel, Willie Walsh, Walsh, CNBC's Dan Murphy, We've Organizations: Afp, Getty, Air, International Air Transport Association, Boeing, Airbus Locations: U.S, United States, Europe

☆ Airlines say ready to avoid repeat of summer travel chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Airline leaders attending IATA's annual meeting in Istanbul this week remain concerned about air traffic control disruption in Europe and the United States, however. "But as far as they are concerned, they have fulfilled their obligation to get their resources in place for this summer. Rising numbers of disputes between travellers and airlines globally have led to calls for passenger compensation. Some passenger groups have accused airlines of skirting compensation by invoking an exemption for exceptional circumstances. Airlines have reported strong bookings for this summer as air traffic returns towards pre-COVID levels.

Persons: Willie Walsh, they've, Walsh, Eurocontrol, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Aditi Shah, David Holmes Organizations: Airlines, International Air Transport Association, Sunday, Airline, Reuters, European, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Europe, United States, North America, Canada, U.S, European Union, Ukraine

ISTANBUL, June 4 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) is closing towards a potentially record deal to sell 500 narrow-body A320-family jets to India's largest carrier IndiGo (INGL.NS), industry sources said on Sunday. Airbus and Boeing (BA.N) are also still competing in separate talks to sell 25 A330neo or Boeing 787 wide-body jets to the same airline, the industry sources said. IndiGo is already one of Airbus's largest customers and has so far ordered a total of 830 Airbus A320-family jets of which nearly 500 are still to be delivered. IndiGo aims to double its capacity by the end of the decade and expand its network, especially in international markets. The airline has a codeshare partnership with seven carriers including Turkish Airlines, American Airlines and KLM.

Persons: Pieter Elbers, Carsten Spohr, Elbers, Tim Hepher, Aditi Shah, Joanna Plucinska, Hugh Lawson, David Holmes, Susan Fenton Organizations: Airbus, Boeing, IndiGo, International Air Transport Association, Reuters, Turkish Airlines, Barclays, Lufthansa Group, American Airlines, KLM, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Istanbul, United States, Europe

But some researchers and environmental groups - supported by companies claiming to be able to help solve the problem - say airlines have done too little to handle the issue. According to such experts, research shows that non-CO2 emissions can actually be more harmful than carbon emissions. New European Union rules on emissions trading that will come into force in 2025 will force airlines to track and report their non-C02 emissions. Airlines have pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, mainly by adopting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), scarce alternative fuels made from renewable sources - like biofuels or synthetic fuels - that are used to power aircraft. Based in Cambridge, England, SATAVIA says that by focusing so heavily on carbon emissions, the industry will be paying more money for a solution that could take years to have an impact.

Persons: Roger Teoh, SATAVIA, Adam Durant, Padraic Halpin, Tim Hepher, Aurora Ellis Organizations: International Air Transport Association, Imperial College London, New, Union, Airlines, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Paris, contrails, Cambridge, England

☆ Private jets get a bad rap. Jetex is trying to make them greener
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Rym Bendimerad | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Because they often travel shorter distances than commercial jets, private jets are generally less efficient, and their emissions per passenger are much higher. According to data from European non-profit Transport and Environment, private jets can be five to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes, and 50 times more polluting than trains. Yet the private aviation sector has seen considerable growth in recent years. EVTOL aircraft have a more limited range than private jets, and would be used for short flights around and between cities – which, in the future, could be an eco-friendlier option for the many celebrities who’ve been criticized for traveling short distances in their private jets. “We are seeing some really exciting innovations coming from private aviation,” said Dr. Kearns.

☆ Global airline capacity constrained until 2025 says IATA's Walsh
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBLIN, April 19 (Reuters) - Global airline capacity will be lower than expected this year and stay constrained until 2025 at the earliest, said IATA head Willie Walsh, blaming delays in new aircraft deliveries and a lack of availability of spare parts, particularly for engines. "I can't see anything really improving or significantly improving probably until 2025 at the earliest and it may even go beyond that," Walsh told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Dublin on Wednesday. Reporting by Conor Humphries, writing by Sarah Young; editing by James DaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Emirates airline says 'substantial' ticket revenue trapped in Nigeria
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ghaida Ghantous | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, March 24 (Reuters) - Emirates Airline has a "substantial" amount of ticket sale revenue trapped in Nigeria and has made only slow progress in repatriating blocked funds out of Africa's biggest economy, it said on Friday. Emirates declined to say how much was trapped in Nigeria, but a spokesperson said about half of the amount in its backlog was overdue for repatriation and that the process "remains beset with constant delays". Nigeria is withholding $743 million in revenue earned by international carriers operating in the country, the highest amount owed by any nation, global airline industry association IATA said last week. Oil is Nigeria's biggest foreign exchange earner, but rampant crude theft in the Niger Delta and years of under-investment have hit output and strained government finances. For a few months last year, Angola overtook Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer and exporter.

NEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Friday it would set up a facility in India to convert 737 passenger planes into dedicated freighters to tap into regional and global demand for the service. The investment, which adds to the U.S. manufacturer's expansion into India on top of a record plane order by flag carrier Air India, comes despite a global economic slowdown that has weakened the global air cargo market. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said global cargo demand in January fell almost 15% year-on-year. He did provide any details about when the facility would be set up or the size of the investment. The planned facility comes amid a push by Boeing to expand in India, including a $24 million investment to set up a logistics centre for aircraft parts.

[1/2] The Boeing logo is seen on the side of a Boeing 737 MAX at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough, Britain, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File PhotoMarch 8 (Reuters) - Japan Airlines Co (JAL) (9201.T) is close to placing an order for more than 20 Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX airplanes as it renews its medium-haul fleet, industry sources said on Wednesday. The order will likely be a combination of 737 MAX 8 jets and some of Boeing's larger 737 MAX 10 planes, the report said, adding the airline was also in talks with Airbus SE (AIR.PA). A deal for JAL to buy Boeing's single-aisle MAX would be the second by one of Japan's top carriers following All Nippon Airways (ANA) (9202.T), in a national market traditionally dominated by Boeing. The future of the MAX in Japan had been uncertain after a recent safety crisis and the pandemic, which delayed ANA's decision to finalize its own order by around two years.

☆ UK regulator tells Heathrow to cut fees in win for airlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sarah Young | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A worker sanitises a barrier at the International arrivals area of Terminal 5 in London's Heathrow Airport, Britain, August 2, 2021. The lower fees will boost airlines such as IAG's (ICAG.L) British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, two of Heathrow's biggest, making the airport cheaper for them. They have long complained that fees at Heathrow, the busiest airport in western Europe, are the highest in the world. The strong bounceback in travel since the lows of the pandemic prompted the CAA to reduce the fees Heathrow can charge in the coming years. Improved forecasts for passenger numbers this year and next year mean Heathrow will be able to generate higher revenue, said the CAA, which uses passenger numbers to calculate the charges.

☆ KLM, airline industry to fight Schiphol Airport flight cap in court
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Tosterling Charlotte Campenhout | Charlotte Campenhout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMSTERDAM, March 3 (Reuters) - KLM and other airlines on Friday said they are suing the Dutch government over plans to cap the number of annual flights allowed at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, saying it would hurt them, the Dutch economy and travellers. Others joining the KLM suit include Delta Airlines, easyJet, TUI and Turkey's Corendon Airlines. But the decision to cap the flights cited noise and air pollution concerns, not traveller's' distress. Schiphol Airport Group, which was also issued a summons in the KLM-led case, said it "regretted" the suit. Last month the airport said it would impose a 66,000 passenger per day cap for the 2023 May vacation period due to still-unresolved labour shortages.

CHICAGO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UAL.O) launched on Tuesday a more than $100 million investment fund to support start-ups focused on the research and production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The Chicago-based carrier along with inaugural partners such as Air Canada (AC.TO), Boeing (BA.N), General Electric (GE.N) JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) and Honeywell (HON.O) have invested in the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, it said. United said the fund was open to investment by companies across industries and would prioritize investment in new technology and "proven" producers. United's Chief Sustainability Officer Lauren Riley said the investment fund was aimed at scaling up the supply of SAF. However, as of last December, the total volume of SAF used in its operations remained less than 0.1% of its total aviation fuel usage.

☆ U.S. 5G airplane upgrade rules may cost industry $637 million -IATA
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Proposed U.S. requirements to retrofit airplane altimeters to ensure they are not susceptible to 5G wireless interference may cost the industry at least $637 million, the world's biggest airline trade body said on Thursday. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in comments filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the costs would be far higher than the $26 million estimated by the agency. The group warned last week many airlines are at risk of not meeting the deadlines and said Thursday "one can expect flight disruptions post the March and July deadlines unless the FAA and the U.S. government take a different approach to this interference issue." Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Exclusive: Many airlines will not meet U.S. 5G upgrade deadline -IATA
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The world's biggest airline trade body warned many airlines will be unable to meet looming U.S. deadlines to retrofit airplane altimeters to ensure they are not susceptible to 5G wireless interference and warned it could impact the summer international travel season. The FAA last month said it was proposing a requirement that passenger and cargo aircraft in the United States have 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters or approved filters by early 2024. The Transportation Department did not comment while the FAA said in response to request for comment on the letter "the FAA has made its position clear." The FAA, Verizon and AT&T are now negotiating to reach a new agreement that seeks to extend some voluntary mitigations beyond July 1, sources told Reuters. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Airbus and Qatar Airways settle bitter A350 jet row
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The "amicable and mutually agreeable settlement" ends a $2 billion row over surface damage on the long-haul jets. The spat led to the withdrawal of billions of dollars' worth of jet deals by Airbus and prompted Qatar to increase purchases from Boeing. The deal heads off what amounted to an unprecedented public divorce trial between heavyweights in the normally tight-knit and secretive $150 billion jet industry. Airbus' decision to revoke that order, separate from the disputed A350 contract, had been criticised by global airlines group IATA. Airbus said it had done its best to avoid pushing Qatar too far back in the queue.

REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski/File PhotoJan 18 (Reuters) - New York excavation contractor Brian Dietz does not view higher air fares as a deal-breaker for flying and airlines are seeing more small and medium size companies like his feeding a 2023 rebound in business travel. Although business travelers often book economy seats, corporate travel is critical for airlines because it means more frequent flyers and appetite for higher-margin premium fares. SME executives were some of the first business travelers back on planes after the pandemic-induced slump. They have since emerged as the fastest-growing segment within corporate travel according to Amex GBT. Spending on business travel globally is expected to recover to 80% of 2019 levels in 2023, up from 65% in 2022, according to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).

☆ Global air traffic may return to pre-Covid levels in June, with China leading the way
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Global air traffic will boom this year, returning to pre-pandemic levels in June, according to a new report. On Monday, international aircraft leasing company Avolon said it expected a full recovery in passenger traffic over the coming months, led by the reopening of markets in Asia, especially China. The news has further brightened the outlook for the aviation sector, which already experienced “a 70% recovery in passenger traffic last year led by recovery in Europe and North America,” Avolon noted. Currently, global air traffic has resumed to approximately 75% of November 2019 levels, IATA said last week. “Demand for travel is no longer the constraint to recovery, but airlines’ capacity to put planes in the air,” Avolon said in its statement.

☆ Industry vs. Regulator - aviation heavyweights spar in Dublin
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Joanna Plucinska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Willie Walsh, outspoken head of the world's biggest airline trade body, IATA, joined the European Union's top permanent transport official Henrik Hololei on stage at the Airline Economics conference in the world's aviation finance capital. But Walsh wanted to know what could be done to lift that closure, which threatens to penalise some Western airlines at the expense of Chinese and other carriers that continue to fly over Russia. He added there would be no "business as usual" if Russian airspace did reopen. Airlines accuse airports of overcharging carriers, while airports say they have to fund huge capital investments. "We allowed those who wanted to find the poster child for environmental damage to pick on aviation," he said.

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