Tag Archives: IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has opened an expanded office in Abu Dhabi featuring a new training center. This demonstrates IATA’s commitment to supporting the Middle East’s growing aviation sector and fostering the next generation of industry professionals. Taking advantage of the UAE’s strategic location and excellent connectivity, IATA’s Abu Dhabi office will provide services to airlines, trainees, strategic partners and governments in the Middle East and beyond. His Excellency (H.E.) Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority, officially opened the facility, joined by the first cohort of trainees and IATA representatives. “The expansion of IATA’s presence in the UAE with a new training center reinforces the country’s position as a global aviation hub. Having a key international organization like IATA expand its footprint here also demonstrates the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi and its value proposition as a preferred destination for global organizations,” said H.E. Al Suwaidi. “We are proud to expand our presence in the UAE, with our office in Abu Dhabi. Over the past 18 Months our team in Abu Dhabi has grown by 140%. By expanding our physical presence in this global aviation hub, we will be able to support our airline members, trainees from across the aviation value chain and the industry’s many stakeholders more efficiently. Our aim is to facilitate the further successful growth of the region’s aviation sector, which is a strategic contributor to the region’s social and economic development,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East. As the global aviation sector expands, there is a growing need for highly skilled aviation professionals. IATA’s new training center in Abu …

Despite ongoing global geopolitical tensions, bottlenecks in aircraft production, and engine problems, Turkish Airlines continued its growth uninterruptedly thanks to its agility and extensive flight network, increasing passenger capacity by 5.4% in the third quarter of 2024. In the July-September period of 2024, Turkish Airlines’ total revenues increased by 4.9% year-on-year to 6.6 billion USD, even with the high base effect from the same period in 2023. Passenger revenues, which accounted for 84% of the total, increased to 5.6 billion USD driven by the strong contribution from the Far East region. At the same time, our Incorporation’s third-quarter cargo revenues rose by 47% year-on-year to 911 million USD. Turkish Cargo increased the amount of cargo transported by 16.8% compared to the same period in 2023 and became the world’s third-largest air cargo carrier in September, with a market share of 5.7%, according to data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Due to competitive pressure on passenger unit revenues along with the negative impacts of global inflationary environment and engine problems on costs, Profit from Main Operations recorded as 1.3 billion USD in the third quarter of 2024. Our Incorporation’s EBITDAR amounted to 2.3 billion USD and EBITDAR margin stood at 35.2%, exceeding both its historical average and peers. Financial income generated through Turkish Airlines’ effective and dynamic portfolio management also played a key role in supporting net profit. Aiming to expand its fleet to 800 aircraft by 2033 as part of its 100th Anniversary Strategy, Turkish Airlines increased its number of aircraft by 9% in the first nine months of the year to 467 in spite of bottlenecks in aircraft production. As a part of its diversification strategy …

Middle Eastern carriers saw a 4.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 5.6% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.5% (-0.6ppt compared to August 2023).All regions showed growth for international passenger markets in August 2024 compared to August 2023. Ticket sales in May-July for travel in August-September showed a 6.6% year-on-year increase, which bodes well for further strong growth this year. Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 19.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 18.8% year-on-year and the load factor was 85.2% (+0.8ppt compared to August 2023). Asia-Pacific is still growing robustly and is now just 8 percentage points from full recovery to pre-pandemic volumes. European carriers saw a 9.1% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 8.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.2% (+0.5ppt compared to August 2023). The Europe-Asia route was by far the fastest-growing, but it is still markedly below its 2019 peak.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released updated Policy and Finance Net Zero Roadmaps, containing expanded and deepened analyses, bringing into focus four key conclusions: • The air transport industry’s energy transition is feasible on the 2050 horizon. • The amounts of investments needed to make that possible are comparable to those engaged in previous creations of new renewable energy markets. • Success in the transition depends critically upon policymakers’ unity of purpose. • The time left for joining forces in air transportation’s energy transition is shrinking by the minute. Every action delayed is an opportunity missed. “The updated IATA Policy and Finance Net Zero Roadmaps make it clear that decarbonization by 2050 is possible. They also sound a warning bell that, to achieve this, all stakeholders, particularly policymakers, must collaborate more broadly and act with greater urgency. To be successful, we need clear policy and financial frameworks that will support air transportation’s needs in a way that is realistic and coherent with the massive changes that must take place simultaneously in all economic sectors,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. The Policy Roadmap emphasizes the importance of strategic policy sequencing and addresses the need for global collaboration, including beyond the aviation sector. The recommendations recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and policies must ensure that all countries can participate in the future global Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) market. Highlights include: • Immediate Action is needed to unlock the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs) and prioritizing SAF in the product mix at refineries. • Strategic Policy Sequencing combining technology-push and demand-pull measures will be critical. Moreover, governments must foster global, liquid, …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the theme for the 2024 World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC) is “Embracing Innovation and Technology for Safe and Efficient Operations.” WSOC will take place from 1-3 October 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, hosted by Royal Air Maroc. This year’s event takes place against a backdrop of growing operational challenges, regional conflicts, cyber security threats, and extreme weather events, among others. “Airlines face common challenges with an operating environment that is growing more complex. At the same time, technological advances, including AI, are offering ever greater potential in support of safe and efficient operations. WSOC 2024 is the forum for industry leaders and experts to share knowledge and experience to make the industry even more resilient and robust in the face of emerging challenges,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “Safety is aviation’s highest priority and the cornerstone of every airline’s operation. For Royal Air Maroc, hosting WSOC is an opportunity to contribute to strengthening the industry’s performance while redoubling our own efforts. This is in particularly sharp focus at Royal Air Maroc as we embark on a major expansion to become a 200-aircraft airline by 2037. This growth will bring economic and social benefits across Morocco and Africa and contribute to the region’s preparations for the 2030 FIFA Football World Cup,” said Abdelhamid ADDOU, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Royal Air Maroc, who will give a keynote speech at the event and participate in the opening plenary panel. Speakers & Sessions Willie Walsh, and Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security will be speaking at the event along with: • Mesfin Tasew Bekele, CEO, Ethiopian Airlines • …

The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) second World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) will focus on actions needed to achieve the airline industry’s commitment to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The event will take place in Miami, USA on 24-25 September 2024, hosted by American Airlines. “Sustainability is an existential challenge for humanity as it is for our airline industry. Achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 is a big and complex task. But working together with the broader aviation industry, and with the support of governments, we will get there. WSS is a unique opportunity to bring all stakeholders together to learn, align and take the critical actions needed to galvanize our determination and accelerate progress,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Key elements to help achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 being addressed at the WSS include: Decarbonization: Focusing on aviation’s transition to net-zero CO2 emissions, including how to develop, scale, and deliver the solutions necessary to decarbonize aviation over the 25 years to 2050. Discussions will address how to build the markets for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), carbon removals, and other nascent technologies, and the challenges involved in financing such projects. Innovation and Technology: Exploring new aircraft technologies and operational innovations with a focus on the practical aspects of implementing new technologies rapidly to advance the industry’s net-zero CO2 emissions goal. Policy and Regulation: Examining the global policy landscape aimed at achieving net-zero CO2 emissions, particularly related to SAF, and the complexities of aligning global regulations and harmonizing SAF policies to scale up production and deployment. Finance and Transparency: Looking at investment challenges; what are the difficulties and opportunities in financing renewable energy projects and SAF production, and how to …

Middle Eastern carriers saw a 5.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 5.5% year-on-year and the load factor was 84.1% (+0.3ppt compared to July 2023). according to the latest data shared by IATA. Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 8.0% compared to July 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 7.4% year-on-year. The July load factor was 86.0% (+0.5ppt compared to July 2023). There was no significant negative demand impact from the CrowdStrike IT outage on 19 July. International demand rose 10.1% compared to July 2023. Capacity was up 10.5% year-on-year and the load factor fell to 85.9% (-0.3ppt compared to July 2023). Domestic demand rose 4.8% compared to July 2023. Capacity was up 2.8% year-on-year and the load factor was 86.1% (+1.7ppt compared to July 2023). “July was another positive month. In fact, passenger demand hit an all-time high for the industry and in all regions except Africa, despite significant disruption caused by the CrowdStrike IT outage,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “The winding down of the peak northern summer season is a reminder of how much people depend on flying. As the mix of travelers shift from leisure to business, aviation’s many roles are evident—reuniting families, enabling exploration, and powering commerce. People need and want to fly. And they are doing that in great numbers. Load factors are at the practicable maximum. But persistent supply chain bottlenecks have made deploying the capacity to meet the need to travel more challenging. As much of the world returns from vacation, there is an urgent call for manufacturers and suppliers to resolve their supply chain issues so that air travel remains accessible and …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Emirates, and Airbus have joined forces to deliver a Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) program for the Airbus A350 type rating, as Emirates prepares for the delivery of its fleet of 65 A350s from mid-2024. An initial cohort of 256 pilots will be trained as part of the new course at Emirates’ Training college in Dubai starting from July 2024. The joint work combines the respective expertise of the three organizations. IATA will focus on program design using its published guidance for CBTA. Airbus will contribute knowledge of the aircraft along with its own CBTA experience. Emirates will use its CBTA training and operational experience. This collaboration will create and deliver the first A350 type rating training in full alignment with the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for CBTA training and with the best practices contained in the IATA CBTA Guide for Flight Crew Training. “Combining the expertise of Emirates, Airbus and IATA to design and deliver A350 type rating training is a unique opportunity. Our joint aim is to fully utilize the benefits of CBTA to qualify the pilots on the A350 in the most efficient and effective way possible. And by doing it together all three organizations will also gain valuable experience that can strengthen their other training activities,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s SVP for Operations, Safety and Security. “Emirates uses cutting-edge training programs so our pilots are among the most competent flight crew in the world. The tailored CBTA program for the A350 supports the integration of 65 new A350 aircraft, with 1,000 pilots set to complete the A350 Type Rating course. This commitment enhances passenger safety and comfort, …

According to IATA’s outlook report, the Middle East benefits from the strength of both the region’s economies and its global hubs. The United Arab Emirates continues to benefit from its attractiveness to both leisure and business travellers.  Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s massive investments in infrastructure and tourism are delivering robust growth in passenger and cargo volumes. Although airlines continue to add capacity, yields remain healthy and the demand for travel remains buoyant and looks set to continue apace. Geopolitical risks are the main threat, especially to the Levant carriers. The Gulf carriers are relatively less impacted unless tensions between Iran and Israel escalate.   2023 Net Profit (e) (margin) (per passenger) 2024 Net Profit (f) (margin) (per passenger) 2024 Demand (RPK) 2024 Capacity (ASK) $3.1 billion (4.9%) ($12.70) $3.8 billion (5.3%) ($15.20) +9.3% +10.8%

Emirates has joined the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Turbulence Aware Platform. It will also be the first airline to integrate the IATA platform within the latest version of Lido mPilot, the mobile navigation solution from Lufthansa Systems. Bringing these platforms together offers a wealth of data, combined with new technologies that make up-to-the-minute, highly accurate turbulence information and forecasts available for pilots, equipping them with the means to plot the best paths around affected areas for enhanced safety, efficient navigation, and optimisation of flight plans. In conjunction with the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform, the airline has equipped more than 140 aircraft with the required onboard software to automatically share turbulence reports with all airlines contributing data to the platform. All new aircraft joining the Emirates fleet over the course of the next few years, such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-9, 777-8 and B787, will be enabled to participate in the programme. Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Flight Operations Emirates Airline said: “Actively participating in IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform and equipping our pilots with a complement of the latest industry technologies such as the mobile navigation solution Lido mPilot from Lufthansa Systems are part of our commitment to ensure operational safety, efficiency, and customer comfort on every flight. We’re also proud to contribute data around turbulence through our Middle East network and extensive links across Africa, Asia, Australia, and other regions. It will help build sophisticated industry knowledge to effectively manage turbulence and evolving weather patterns with even more precision. This is only the beginning, and we are progressing with plans to integrate more cutting-edge technologies to elevate the flying experience even further, so our customers can …