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ISTANBUL, June 5 (Reuters) - The United States is in a "business recession" but the consumer is "strong", Scott Kirby, chief executive of United Airlines (UAL.O), the world's largest carrier, told reporters at an aviation conference in Istanbul on Monday. Business demand hasn't fully recovered yet ... that's taking more time," he said. I think actually, in the U.S., we're in a business recession, and the consumer is just fine, the consumer is strong." The chief of the world's biggest airline also raised concerns over competing carriers flying over Russia. However, newly approved flights for Chinese airlines are avoiding flying over Russian airspace to and from the United States, Reuters reported on June 1.

Persons: Scott Kirby, Kirby, We're, Aditi Shah, Jason Neely Organizations: United Airlines, International Air Transport Association, world's, U.S, Air, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, United States, Istanbul, U.S, Russia, Washington, Moscow, Ukraine, India, Air India

☆ Vaping helps fuel huge rise in bad behavior on planes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —There was the hope that when mask mandates on planes ended and people got used to traveling again, airplane passenger behavior might improve. Unruly passenger incidents were more than a third higher in 2022 than in 2021, a new global analysis by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed. Incidents of physical abuse remain thankfully rare but had a worryingly huge increase of 61% in 2022 over 2021. Zero tolerance“The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying. IATA also wants to increase guidance, training and sharing of best practice when it comes to preventing and de-escalating incidents.

Persons: ”, Conrad Clifford, Said Clifford, “, Clifford Organizations: CNN, International Air Transport Association, US Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Paris, Canada, Montreal

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

☆ 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

☆ 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, “

☆ 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

"There's still discussion in Portugal how that privatisation will take place and it's not supposed to be 100 percent privatisation," Spohr told journalists at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Istanbul. At least three major global carriers, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) and British Airways-owner IAG (ICAG.L), have shown an interest. Lufthansa said last month that it was taking a 41% stake in Italian carrier ITA Airways in the latest major consolidation in the aviation sector in Europe. "Boeing are saying it's delivery in late 24 or early 25 - which means it's early '25," Spohr said. Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Tim Hepher; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Carsten Spohr, Joao Nuno Mendes, it's, Spohr, IAG, Joanna Plucinska, Tim Hepher, Susan Fenton Organizations: TAP, International Air Transport Association, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways, ITA Airways, Boeing, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Portugal, Istanbul, 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

☆ Airlines body urges jetmakers to fix aircraft delivery delays
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Airlines "are not concerned about the macroeconomic environment, they're concerned about the access to spare parts for their existing aircraft and the delivery of new aircraft. "It's frustrating because airlines can see strong demand, but they're not able to match supply with demand in many markets. Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N) have blamed supply chains for delivery delays, while bottlenecks in a network of engine repair shops have also forced airlines to ground dozens of jets. The gathering comes two weeks before the Paris Airshow, where supply pressures are likely to overshadow new orders. Reporting by Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska and Aditi Shah; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Adolfo Suarez, Isabel Infantes, Willie Walsh, it's, they're, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Aditi Shah, David Holmes Organizations: Ryanair Boeing, Airbus, Adolfo Suarez Madrid, Barajas Airport, REUTERS, International Air Transport Association, Reuters, Boeing, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Isabel Infantes ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Airlines, Paris

☆ Airbus seeing more predictable industrial rhythm after delays
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ISTANBUL, June 4 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA) is seeing a more predictable pattern in its industrial activities and what appears to be the start of a more positive trend in deliveries, Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer said. We are seeing a steady increase in our ability to fly planes as they come out of the assembly line," he told Reuters, adding that Airbus was fully focused on operations following recent supply chain disruption. "The industrial rhythm seems to be a little more predictable," he said on the sidelines of an airlines meeting. "The pulse was not the same pulse across the supply chain but there seems to be more harmony now," he added. Airbus and rival Boeing have blamed faltering supply chains for recent delays in jet deliveries, with airlines and leasing companies complaining of erratic changes in schedules.

Persons: Christian Scherer, Scherer, Tim Hepher, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Airbus, Reuters, Boeing, International Air Transport Association, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL

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

PARIS/WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (0293.HK) is close to placing an order worth around $2 billion for Boeing (BA.N) 777-8F freighters as the Hong Kong carrier embarks on the partial renewal of a fleet of dedicated 747 cargo jets, industry sources said on Monday. Industry sources have said the competition involved an initial purchase of around half a dozen aircraft, worth some $2 billion at list prices before traditional airline discounts. Boeing launched the 777-8F freighter with an order from Qatar Airways in January 2022, six months after Airbus launched development of the A350 Freighter in a bid to weaken its U.S. rival's traditional grip on the market for freighters. Cathay Pacific told analysts last November it was looking at more freighter capacity and working "actively" with planemakers to acquire some of the new freighters coming up after 2025. Cathay Pacific is the world's fifth-largest air freight carrier and the third-largest traditional freight airline behind Qatar Airways and Emirates when specialist express parcel carriers FedEx and UPS are excluded, according to latest available data from the International Air Transport Association.

☆ 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.

☆ Biden Wants Airlines to Pay Passengers for Delays. In Europe, they already do
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Bernhard Warner | Sarah Kessler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“Airlines already have financial incentives to get their passengers to their destination as planned,” Willie Walsh, the director general of the International Air Transport Association, a lobbying group, said in a statement criticizing the Biden plan. Europe’s air passenger rights regulation hasn’t been a panacea. Mr. Zenere, for example, is still arguing with Wizz Air, the airline that delayed his trip to Venice last year. — Bernhard WarnerTell us what you think: What changes would you like to see introduced to make the air travel experience smoother? Yaccarino, who was NBCUniversal’s head of advertising, will take over a company that has struggled to expand its ad business.

☆ U.S. will not extend July 1 5G airplane retrofit deadline
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Sam WolfeWASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told airlines on Tuesday the Biden administration does not plan to extend a July 1 deadline for airlines to retrofit airplane altimeters to address potential interference, the department confirmed. Buttigieg told airlines on a call the department does not plan to extend the deadline and urged them to work aggressively to continue retrofitting airplanes. Last year, Verizon (VZ.N) and AT&T (T.N) voluntarily agreed to delay some C-Band 5G usage until July 1 as air carriers worked to retrofit airplane altimeters. Separately, the FAA on Tuesday proposed seven airworthiness directives (ADs) for many Boeing (BA.N) aircraft due to the potential for 5G C-band interference. They require revising aircraft flight manuals by June 30 to prohibit some landings and include specific operating procedures for calculating landing distances and certain approaches when in the presence of 5G C-band interference.

London CNN —Europe’s air traffic control authority says it has been battling an ongoing attack, claimed by pro-Russian hackers, since Wednesday. There hasn’t been any impact on flights, though access to its website has been affected, according to the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, or Eurocontrol. “There has been no impact on European aviation.”The International Air Transport Association also said air traffic was operating normally. “There has been no inconvenience to commercial air traffic, no disruption and no delays because of the cyberattack,” the industry group said. European countries have provided military assistance to Ukraine and imposed a raft of sanctions on Russia aimed at crippling its ability to wage war.

☆ 3 reasons why we hate the process of boarding planes according to an airline satisfaction expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Power, the speed of boarding has only a partial impact on passengers' satisfaction. "Most economy passengers like Southwest boarding process the best, because it seems more egalitarian," Taylor explained. "There's a high correlation between the people skills of an airline and how people like their boarding process," Taylor said. "It's the deadline pressure that reduces satisfaction," Taylor explained. Customer satisfaction, Taylor said, is rarely about how fast you can get something done.

☆ Old planes get stripped for parts while airlines wait on new jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

COOLIDGE, Arizona – From engines to landing gear, the hunt is on for aircraft parts as airlines prepare their jets for swarms of summer travelers, with new planes from Boeing and Airbus still in short supply. The search for parts leads some aircraft owners here, where older, retired planes are stripped for parts that will be prepared to fly on other planes or repurposed altogether. The current demand for aircraft parts is the result of the industry's deep demand swings resulting from the Covid pandemic. With deliveries of new jets behind schedule, airlines are holding onto planes longer, repairing or overhauling them, adding to demand for parts and labor. Airbus A320 landing gear in a repair shop in Marana, Arizona.

☆ Sustainable Aviation Fuel No Quick Fix to Greening Air Travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Oscar the Grouch is United Airlines’ pitchman for a new advertising campaign touting the environmental benefits of jet fuel made from waste. It can cut emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel, depending on the feedstock used. First, the sustainably derived fuel is typically two to four times as expensive as conventional jet fuel. Globally, jet fuel cost can be volatile but was around $2.76 a gallon as of March 3, according to the International Air Transport Association. Hydrogen’s energy density makes it more promising as a jet fuel.

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.

☆ 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.

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