Capping Global Long-haul Flights Not the Solution, Aircraft Deliveries to Soar in 2023, and More
Aviation news brief today
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Here are the exciting aviation industry updates for today. Let’s get started.
Capping global long-haul flights is not the solution
A new report, "Envisioning Tourism in 2030", from the UK non-profit 'the Travel Foundation,' has stated that the global availability of long-haul flights should be capped to meet climate goals.
In my opinion, capping global long-haul flights is not a practical and reasonable solution to meet climate targets.
Capping long-haul flights would have significant negative implications on an airline's business operations. Limiting flight routes would restrict airlines' ability to serve customers' travel needs and would substantially decrease revenue.
Moreover, air travel is essential to the global economy, connecting people and businesses worldwide. Limiting long-haul flights would negatively impact trade and commerce, a critical aspect of airline operations.
Additionally, air travel is a crucial source of employment, generating jobs not only for the airlines but also for the wider tourism industry and the entire global economy. The aviation industry supports 65.5 million jobs globally (direct and indirect). Limiting long-haul flights would have ripple effects on the entire global economy and result in job losses.
Furthermore, airlines have already taken steps towards reducing their carbon footprint, such as investing in fuel-efficient aircraft and implementing carbon offsetting programs. By capping long-haul flights, the industry's efforts to practically mitigate its environmental impact could be hindered by suggesting or forcing impractical solutions.
While there is no denying that the aviation industry is responsible for reducing its carbon footprint, capping long-haul flights is not a viable solution.
Instead, support the aviation industry to continue its focus on implementing sustainable practices, such as using sustainable aviation fuels, developing new technologies, and investing in research and development to find long-term solutions to reduce emissions.
Flying with kids? Only these three airlines offer free family seating
The US Department of Transportation has released an online dashboard that shows which airlines guarantee that children under 13 can sit next to accompanying adults for free.
The move is part of the agency's attempts to improve airlines' customer service policies. Airlines such as American, Alaska, and Frontier guarantee that parents can sit next to their children without paying extra fees.
Delta, United, and Southwest, among others, have family seating policies that assist customers on a case-by-case basis. Read more
Aircraft deliveries set to soar in 2023: A promising outlook for the aviation industry
As per IATA, aircraft deliveries are expected to make a solid rebound in 2023, with 1,540 aircraft scheduled to be delivered, up 24% from 2022.
This increase is primarily due to orders from North America and Europe, whose deliveries are up by 32% and 33%, respectively. North America is expected to receive a third of the deliveries, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific.
75% of the deliveries are expected to be narrowbody jets, while 14% are widebody jets, with two-thirds of the widebodies scheduled to be delivered to Asia Pacific and Europe. Read more
Pilot shortage threatens to make your next vacation more expensive
The aviation industry is facing a significant pilot shortage crisis that could result in a rise in airfares, warns aviation consultancy OAG.
Currently, more than 60% of airline pilots worldwide are over the age of 40 and retiring earlier than before, while only around 10% of pilots are between 20 and 30 years old.
With airlines unable to recruit enough pilots, OAG predicts a global shortage of around 55,000 pilots within the next decade. The burden could result in reduced schedules and higher airfares for passengers. Read more
Court rules: FAA not required to curb shrinking airline seats
A US appeals court has refused to order the FAA to establish minimum seat standards for airline passengers.
The ruling was made on the interpretation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which required the agency to create minimum seat dimensions necessary for passenger safety within a year of the act's passage.
The court interpreted the word "and" in the law's wording to mean that regulations on seat size were not mandated unless they were "necessary for the safety of passengers." Read more
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Turbulent skies: recent incidents of severe turbulence a concern for airline safety?
Recent weeks have seen a number of incidents of severe turbulence in the news. In addition to the private jet passenger who died (March 3, 2023), a Lufthansa flight from Texas to Germany was forced to make an emergency landing in Virginia after seven passengers were hospitalized due to turbulence (March 1, 2023).
In December 2022, 11 people were severely injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu due to turbulence.
While turbulence is a common phenomenon during flights, injuries are rare. According to FAA data, only 146 severe injuries have been recorded by commercial airlines between 2009 and 2021, out of millions of people who fly every year.
Previous data show that the majority of passengers seriously injured by turbulence weren't wearing their seatbelts. Experts advise passengers to keep their seatbelts buckled, follow carry-on restrictions, and listen to instructions from pilots and flight attendants to avoid injury.
Still, the recent increase in the number of serious turbulence incidents should not be ignored. Airlines should carefully evaluate if they could implement any further measures to reduce such occurrences as well as prevent serious injuries to passengers.
Turbulence can also lead to costly repairs for airlines, with turbulence-related damage, delays, and injuries costing airlines up to $500 million per year.
Lufthansa's Airbus A380 era ends, sets sights on new fleet of long-range airplanes
Lufthansa has announced that it does not see a long-term future for the Airbus A380 at the airline and plans to return up to six of the aircraft by 2024.
The airline's "New Normal" fleet will include the Airbus A350-1000 and -900, A330-300, and the Boeing 747-8, 777-300, 777X-9, and 787-9, with some of the older and less efficient aircraft being phased out.
Lufthansa has ordered 22 additional long-haul aircraft to replace its aging widebody fleet, and plans to add 200 new aircraft to its fleet by 2030, with over half of them being long-range airplanes. Read more
Another close call: US aviation authorities probe runway incursion
The FAA will hold a March 15 safety summit and is forming a team of experts to review airline safety after several recent near-miss incidents.
The FAA and the NTSB are investigating another incident involving two planes that were cleared to use the same runway, renewing safety questions.
On February 16, an air traffic controller cleared an Air Canada Rouge Airbus A321 for takeoff at Florida's Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport after clearing an American Airlines Boeing 737 to land on the same runway.
The FAA said the American Airlines flight crew discontinued the landing after the controller advised that the Air Canada aircraft was departing. Read more
Canadian airlines struggle to keep up with demand in wake of the pandemic and staffing shortages
Airlines in Northern Canada are facing challenges due to the long pandemic, a pilot shortage, and new fatigue regulations.
Northern residents rely heavily on flights for transportation and goods, making airlines essential to their survival.
However, new fatigue rules limit crew members' working hours, requiring more flight crews and delaying new pilots' ability to gain needed experience, making it harder for airlines to keep up with the increasing demand.
Major airlines have reduced flights across Canada, and Air Canada suspended flights connecting Yellowknife to Edmonton and Calgary last year due to staff shortages. Read more
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