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Nama Goes Digital GPS

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is moving to the satellite-based navigation framework known as WGS84″. IATA has been contracted at a cost of ?360 million. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS is carried out through the World Geodetic System 84 (WGS84) survey. The federal government will bear the cost of 22 airports controlled by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) including two others owned by the Akwa Ibom and Gombe State governments.

So far the project has begun at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja; Port Harcourt Airport, Rivers; and Aminu Kano Airport, Kano.

Pilots using the system will rely on the satellite to navigate to the airport.

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    Press Release: The MENA Challenge: Coping with Growth

    Date: 20 October 2010

    Cairo – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for coordinated efforts to deal with the challenges of growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). “Over the last decade, the carriers of the Middle East and North African region have grown from 5% of global traffic to 11%. Planned aircraft purchases of $200 billion over the next decade will support this growth into the foreseeable future. This expanding global presence brings with it the challenge of playing a larger role in the global aviation community,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    The financial situation of the MENA carriers is improving. For 2010, IATA is forecasting a bottom line improvement of $1 billion on the $600 million that the region’s carriers lost in 2009. “We are expecting the region to make $400 million profits this year. A more cautious approach to capacity is helping to drive this improvement. While demand is in line for a 21% increase over last year, the capacity increase has been limited to 15.9%,” said Bisignani in a keynote address to the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) Annual General Meeting in Cairo, Egypt.

    For 2011, IATA expects a fall in global profitability to $5.3 billion from the $8.9 billion that airlines are expected to make in 2010. IATA expects MENA carriers to follow the trend with a reduced 2011 regional profit of $300 million. The small profit will be partially driven by an expected capacity expansion of 10.6% outstripping demand growth of 10.4%.

    Bisignani highlighted four challenges of growth for the region:

    Safety: The region’s hull loss rate for Western built aircraft slipped from zero accidents in 2006 to 3.32 accidents per million flights in 2009. “At 4.6 times the global average of 0.71, that is a concern. The region’s rapid growth must be accompanied with a strong safety record,” said Bisignani who challenged MENA’s governments to adopt IATA’s two safety audits—the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO)—as part of national requirements. Egypt was the first government in the world to mandate IOSA, joined later by Lebanon, Syria and Bahrain, and soon Jordan. Today, 35 MENA carriers are on the IOSA registry, including all 26 IATA members. MENA has also taken a leadership role on ISAGO. Lebanon will make it mandatory for ground handlers from June 2011 and 13 ground handlers in the region are already on the registry.

    Infrastructure: The MENA region is planning airport construction totaling $100 billion, which includes at least eight new runways in the Gulf region. “The industry and governments are investing in infrastructure to support the economic benefits of aviation’s growth. But what is being built and planned on the ground is not being matched in the air. Military airspace covers 60% of the region, limiting capacity and forcing inefficient routings. We must cooperate to open more of the region’s skies,” said Bisignani. IATA is also working on projects to redesign airspace in the Gulf area, facilitate more traffic for East-West traffic across North Africa, support ultra-long haul operations with more efficient routings, and complete the implementation of reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM) across MENA by bringing Iraq on board.

    Technology for Simplifying the Business: MENA is on target to meet the December deadline for 100% implementation of bar coded boarding passes which promises global savings of $1.5 billion. Airlines are 92% complete while airports are at 90%. The region is home to seven airports that are already operating 100%: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Kuwait and Sharjah. Two countries in MENA are participating in IATA e-freight—the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. The UAE is a global top performer as the originating country for 21% of all e-freight shipments. “Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have all passed the high-level assessment and are expected to launch in 2011. The only hurdle is for governments to adapt their local regulations to facilitate modern business practices. E-freight is a great competitive advantage with the capability to save the industry $4.9 billion,” said Bisignani.

    Government Involvement: Bisignani urged governments in the region to keep costs in check and create the regulatory framework to balance burgeoning long-haul opportunities with short-haul regional liberalization. Bisignani praised Tunisia’s decision, following an IATA intervention, to eliminate its 10% import tax on jet fuel which conflicted with the Chicago Convention. Bisignani urged the region to set correct precedents with privatized infrastructure. “We are now working with Jordan to curb unilateral increases in taxes and charges that followed privatization of its airports. To keep competitive, governments much ensure meaningful consultation and agreed investments plans,” said Bisignani, who also encouraged the region to take a more proactive approach to liberalization. “I see cutting-edge examples of liberalization as key markets such as Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia build open-sky agreements with Europe. The Damascus Convention of 2004 provides a framework for regional liberalization, but the number of countries ratifying it is disappointing.”

    Environment: Bisignani noted the important outcomes of the 37th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that placed aviation ahead of all other industries in dealing with climate change. “Governments confirmed ICAO’s leadership role in managing aviation’s emissions and agreed on a collective aspirational goal to improve fuel efficiency by 2% to 2050, while capping emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth. They also agreed to develop a framework for economic measures that minimize market distortions, treat air transport in line with other sectors, ensure that emissions are accounted for only once and recognize past and future efforts,” said Bisignani.

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    TAP Portugal Plane Diverts to Africa due to Bird Ingestion

    TAPTAP Portugal flight TP-1534 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Amílcar Cabral International Airport, Cape Verde, Africa, on July 28th.

    The Airbus A320-200 flying from Praia to Lisbon, Portugal, had to divert due to bird ingestion by one of its engines.

    The plane landed safely.

    No one was injured.

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    Strengthening the Foundations of Brazilian Aviation

    IATA Press Release
    20 August 2009

    Sao Paulo – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) set out an agenda for the Brazilian civil aviation sector, leveraging positive actions by the Government of Brazil to improve competitiveness and deliver broad economic benefits.

    “The new Civil Aviation National Policy is a great opportunity. Air transport supports 2.6% of Brazil’s economy. Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of business depend on its success. Brazil must use the national policy to build a more competitive industry by overcoming major fiscal and infrastructure handicaps,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. Bisignani made his comments in a speech to industry and government leaders at the British Chamber of Commerce in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    Bisignani held positive meetings with ANAC, the Ministry of Defense and the Minister of Institutional Relations and noted many recent encouraging developments in Brazilian aviation. These include the elimination of the PIS/COFINS tax on jet fuel which collected US$100 million annually, the adoption of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) by the Brazilian government, and the staged liberalization of air fares. “As Brazil prepares to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we look forward to working even more closely with the government to further improve the competitiveness of Brazilian aviation and achieve cost-efficient infrastructure improvements,” said Bisignani.

    Bisignani offered to work with the Brazilian government in two key areas:

    Airport Concessions: Brazil is contemplating airport concessions to help speed infrastructure improvements. “Private investment with the right conditions can help improve infrastructure but concessionaires must be governed by robust economic regulation. Our common goal is to ensure that the airport is run efficiently, serves and consults with its customers and drives economic development. This is a natural role for ANAC. IATA is happy to bring its global expertise to ensure that ANAC has the independence to carry its mission effectively,” said Bisignani.
    Congestion at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport: Bisignani offered support for early implementation of IATA’s Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport. “Congestion pricing is not a solution. IATA’s Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines are helping airports around the world manage congestion. As we evaluate longer term solutions, we look forward to working with INFRAERO to make the most of existing terminals and infrastructure and to a robust consultation process on future developments,” said Bisignani.
    Bisignani also noted the need to improve the competitiveness of the Brazilian aviation sector by working together to addressing two specific issues:

    Petrobras’ import parity pricing policy: “This adds 30 cents to every gallon of jet fuel sold in Brazil. This US$450 million annual competitive disadvantage makes no sense for a country that supplies 80% of its fuel needs domestically. The result is that 32% of the cost structure of Brazil’s airlines goes to fuel, compared to a global average of 23%. We must find a policy that brings prices in line with market realities,” said Bisignani.
    ATAERO Tax: Airport charges paid to INFRAERO, Brazil’s airport operator, do not equally recover costs for each individual airport. Airlines pay a 50% surcharge (US$370 million annually) known as ATAERO to cover the gaps. “INFRAERO must be funded on a cost recovery basis, with charges that are transparent, agreed with users and in line with international standards,” said Bisignani.
    Finally, Bisignani urged Brazil’s government to be a strong voice driving aviation forward on two key priorities: environment and liberalization.

    Environment: IATA is leading industry efforts on aviation and the environment with three sequential targets: a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency to 2020, carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a 50% absolute cut in emissions by 2050 (compared to 2005). “Brazil is critical to these goals. As a leader in biofuels, I hope that the Brazilian government will provide the fiscal and legal framework to encourage investments in sustainable biofuels which can significantly reduce aviation’s carbon footprint. Brazil is a major player in the UNFCCC process and at ICAO which is tasked with handling aviation’s international emissions. It has a leadership responsibility to ensure that ICAO can bring to the UNFCCC a position that supports a global sectoral approach to aviation emissions and reflects the industry’s globally harmonized approach to controlling emissions,” said Bisignani.

    Liberalization: Brazil was one of 15 governments participating in IATA’s Agenda for Freedom. An IATA study showed that market and ownership liberalization in Brazil had the potential to generate up to 400,000 new jobs and up to 24 billion Reais. “CONAC’s proposal to increase foreign ownership possibilities to 49% and a recent liberal bilateral agreement with Chile are steps in the right direction. As the region’s largest economy, I hope that Brazil can take leadership to promote liberalization in Latin America and globally,” said Bisignani.

    View Giovanni Bisignani’s full speech

    Notes for Editors:

    IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.
    For more information, please contact:

    Anthony Concil
    Director Corporate Communications
    Tel: +41 22 770 2967

    PORTUGUESE

    Reforçando os Fundamentos da Aviação Brasileira

    20 de agosto de 2009 (São Paulo) A Associação Internacional de Transporte Aéreo (IATA)
    definiu uma agenda para o setor da aviação civil brasileira, destacando ações positivas do
    governo brasileiro para melhorar a competitividade e proporcionar amplos benefícios
    econômicos.

    “A nova Política Nacional de Aviação Civil é uma grande oportunidade. O transporte aéreo
    sustenta 2,6% da economia brasileira. Milhares de empregos e bilhões de dólares em negócios
    dependem de seu sucesso. O Brasil deve usar a política nacional para construir uma indústria
    mais competitiva, abordando importantes descompassos fiscais e de infraestrutura “, disse
    Giovanni Bisignani, Diretor Geral e CEO da IATA. Bisignani fez seus comentários em um
    discurso para líderes da indústria e do governo na Câmara Britânica de Comércio em São Paulo,
    Brasil.

    Bisignani teve positivas reuniões com a ANAC, o Ministério da Defesa e com o Ministro das
    Relações Institucionais e constatou recentes desenvolvimentos encorajadores para a aviação
    brasileira. Estes incluem a eliminação do PIS/COFINS sobre a querosene de aviação, que
    representam US$100 milhões anualmente, a adoção do IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)
    pelo governo brasileiro e a progressiva liberalização das tarifas aéreas. “Com a preparação do
    Brasil para sediar a Copa do Mundo 2014, estamos dispostos a trabalhar ainda mais
    estreitamente com o governo para aprimorar a competitividade da aviação brasileira e alcançar
    maiores eficiências de custo de infraestrutura”, disse Bisignani.

    Bisignani se ofereceu para trabalhar com o governo brasileiro em duas áreas fundamentais:
    • Concessões de Aeroportos: O Brasil está considerando a concessões de aeroportos
    para acelerar melhorias na infraestrutura. “O investimento privado, nas condições
    adequadas, pode ajudar a melhorar a infraestrutura, mas os concessionários devem ser
    objeto de uma regulação econômica robusta. O nosso objetivo comum é assegurar que
    o aeroporto funcione de forma eficiente, sirva e interaja com seus clientes e impulsione o
    desenvolvimento econômico. Esta é uma função da ANAC. A IATA tem prazer em dividir
    sua experiência global para possibilitar que a ANAC tenha a independência para
    desempenhar sua missão de maneira eficaz”, disse Bisignani.
    • Congestionamento no Aeroporto de Guarulhos/São Paulo: Bisignani ofereceu apoio
    para a pronta implementação dos Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines no aeroporto de
    Guarulhos, em São Paulo. “A tarifa de congestionamento não é uma solução. Os
    Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines estão ajudando aeroportos ao redor do mundo a
    gerenciar congestionamentos. Enquanto avaliamos soluções de longo prazo,
    trabalharemos com a INFRAERO para tirar máximo proveito da infraestrutura e dos
    terminais existentes, além de um processo consistente de planejamento conjunto sobre
    futuros projetos “, disse Bisignani.

    Bisignani observou também a necessidade de melhorar a competitividade do setor de aviação
    brasileiro, trabalhando em conjunto para abordar duas questões específicas:
    Política da paridade de preços de importação da Petrobras: “Isto adiciona 30
    centavos para cada galão de querosene de aviação vendido no Brasil. Essa
    desvantagem competitiva de US$450 milhões anuais não faz sentido para um país que
    produz internamente 80% de seu consumo de combustível. O resultado disto é que a
    participação dos combustíveis nos custos das empresas brasileiras representa 32% do
    total, contra 23% da média global. Precisamos encontrar uma política de preços alinhada
    com as realidades do mercado”, disse Bisignani.

    ATAERO: As tarifas de aeroporto pagas para a INFRAERO, a operadora brasileira de
    aeroportos, não cobrem por completo os custos para cada aeroporto individualmente. As
    empresas aéreas pagam uma sobretaxa de 50% (US$ 370 milhões ao ano) conhecida
    como ATAERO para cobrir necessidades. “A INFRAERO deve ser remunerada em base
    de recuperação de custos, com tarifas que sejam transparentes, acordadas com os
    usuários e alinhadas com padrões internacionais”, disse Bisignani.
    Por fim Bisignani instigou o governo brasileiro a ser um líder no setor de aviação com relação à
    dois temas prioritários: meio ambiente e liberalização.

    Meio ambiente: a IATA está liderando os esforços da aviação civil com relação ao meio
    ambiente, com três metas sequenciais: 1,5% de melhoria anual na eficiência de combustível até
    2020, crescimento neutro de carbono até 2020 e redução absoluta de 50% nas emissões até
    2050 (em comparação à 2005). “O Brasil é chave para estas metas. Com um líder em
    biocombustíveis, espero que o governo brasileiro desenvolva um modelo fiscal e legal para
    encorajar investimentos em biocombustíveis sustentáveis, que podem reduzir significativamente
    nossa pegada de carbono. O Brasil é um ator importante no UNFCCC e na ICAO, que foi
    incumbida de gerenciar as emissões da aviação internacional. O Brasil possui uma
    responsabilidade de liderança para garantir que a ICAO consiga levar para o UNFCCC uma
    posição que represente a abordagem da indústria da aviação e reflita o objetivo de
    harmonização global para o controle das emissões”, disse Bisignani.

    Liberalização: O Brasil foi um dos 15 governos que participou da reunião Agenda for Freedom,
    da IATA. Um estudo da IATA indicou que a liberalização do acesso ao mercado e à propriedade
    tem o potencial de gerar até 400.000 novos empregos e até R$ 24 bilhões de incremento no PIB
    do país. “A proposta do CONAC de aumentar as possibilidades de propriedade estrangeira para
    49% e um recente acordo bilateral liberal com o Chile são passos na direção correta. Como a
    maior economia da região, espero que o Brasil assuma a liderança para promover a liberalização
    na América Latina e globalmente”, disse Bisignani.

    O texto complete do discurso de Bisignani está disponível em www.iata.org

    Contato:
    Anthony Concil
    Diretor de Comunicação Corporativa
    + 41 22 770 2967
    Email: corpcomms@iata.org

    Nota para os editores:

    • IATA (International Air Transport Association) representa 230 empresas aéreas,
    compreendendo 93% do tráfego aéreo internacional regular.

    Spanish
    Se refuerzan los cimientos de la aviación brasileña

    20 de agosto de 2009 (Sao Paulo) – La International Air Transport Association (IATA) ha
    dibujado una agenda para el sector brasileño de aviación civil, aprovechando las acciones
    positivas del Gobierno brasileño para mejorar la competitividad y obtener beneficios económicos
    más amplios.

    “La nueva Política Nacional de Aviación Civil es una gran oportunidad. El transporte aéreo
    supone el 2,6% de la economía brasileña. Miles de puestos de trabajo y miles de millones de
    dólares de penden de su éxito. Brasil debe usar la política nacional para construir una industria
    más competitiva dando respuesta a los principales retos en materia fiscal y de infraestructura”,
    dijo Giovanni Bisignani, Director General y CEO de IATA. Bisignani hizo estos comentarios en un
    discurso ante líderes de la industria y el gobierno en la Cámara de Comercio Británica en Sao
    Paulo, Brasil.

    Bisignani sostuvo encuentros positivos con el ANAC, el Ministerio de Defensa y el Ministerio de
    Relaciones institucionales, y se hizo eco de varios desarrollos positivos recientes en la aviación
    brasileña. Estos incluyen la eliminación del impuesto PIS/COFINS sobre el combustible de
    aviación, que obtenía 100 millones de dólares anualmente, la adopción de la Auditoría de
    Seguridad Operacional de IATA (IOSA), por parte del Gobierno brasileño, y la liberalización
    escalonada de las tarifas aéreas. “A medida que Brasil se prepara para ser la anfitriona de la
    Copa del Mundo de la FIFA en 2014, esperamos trabajar cada vez más estrechamente con el
    Gobierno para mejorar aun más la competitividad de la aviación brasileña y lograr mejoras en la
    eficiencia de los costes de las infraestructuras”, dijo Bisignani.

    Bisignani ofreció trabajar con el Gobierno brasileño en dos áreas clave:

    • Concesiones aeroportuarias: Brasil está estudiando concesiones aeroportuarias para
    ayudar a agilizar las mejoras en infraestructura. “Las inversiones privadas con las
    condiciones adecuadas pueden ayudar a mejorar la infraestructura, pero los
    concesionarios deben ser gobernados por regulaciones económicas sólidas. Nuestro
    objetivo común es asegurar que los aeropuertos funcionan de forma eficiente, dan
    servicio y se comunican con sus clientes y ayudan al desarrollo económico. Esta es una
    tarea natural para ANAC. IATA está muy satisfecha en aportar su experiencia global
    para asegurar que ANAC tiene la independencia para llevar a cabo su misión de forma
    eficiente”, dijo Bisignani.

    • Congestión en el Aeropuerto Guarulhos de Sao Paulo: Bisignani ofreció el apoyo
    para la implementación de la Guía de Programación Mundial de IATA en el Aeropuerto
    Guarulhos de Sao Paulo. “Cobrar para evitar la congestión no es la solución. La Guía de
    Programación Mundial de IATA está ayudando a los aeropuertos de todo el mundo a
    gestionar la congestión. Mientras evaluamos soluciones a largo plazo, esperamos
    trabajar con INFRAERO para conseguir lo máximo de las terminales e infraestructuras
    existentes y llegar a un sólido proceso de consultas sobre los desarrollos futuros”, dijo
    Bisignani.

    Bisignani también hizo notar la necesidad de mejorar la competitividad del sector brasileño de
    aviación trabajando juntos para dar respuesta a dos problemas específicos:

    • La política de paridad de importación en los precios de Petrobras: “Esto añade 30
    centavos a cada galón de combustible de aviación vendido en Brasil. Esta desventaja
    competitiva de 450 millones de dólares anuales, no tiene sentido para un país que
    suministra domésticamente el 80% de sus necesidad de combustible. El resultado es
    que el 32% de la estructura de costes de las líneas aéreas brasileñas es el combustible,
    en comparación con la media mundial del 23 %. Debemos encontrar una política que
    coloque a los precios en línea con la realidad del mercado”, dijo Bisignani.

    • El impuesto ATAERO: Las tasas aeroportuarias que se pagan a INFRAERO, el
    operador brasileño de aeropuertos, no recuperan costes de forma similar en cada
    aeropuerto individual. Las líneas aéreas pagan una sobretasa del 50% (370 millones de
    dólares anuales), conocida como ATAERO para cubrir los agujeros. “ATAERO debe
    financiarse sobre una base de recuperación de costes, con tasas transparentes, de
    acuerdo con los utilizadores, y en línea con las normas internacionales”, dijo Bisignani.
    Finalmente, Bisignani urgió al Gobierno brasileño para que apoyase el futuro de la aviación
    basándose en dos prioridades clave: medio ambiente y liberalización.
    Medio Ambiente: IATA está liderando los esfuerzos de la industria sobre el medio ambiente con
    tres objetivos esenciales: Una media del 1,5% anual de mejora en la eficiencia del consumo de
    combustible hasta 2020, crecimiento neutral en carbono para 2020 y una reducción absoluta del
    50% en las emisiones en 2050 (en comparación con 2005). “Brasil es crítico para lograr estos
    objetivos. Como líder en biocombustibles, espero que el Gobierno brasileño ofrezca el marco
    fiscal y legal para ayudar a las inversiones en biocombustibles sostenibles que pueden reducir de
    forma significativa la huella de carbono de la aviación. Brasil es uno de los principales actores en
    el proceso de UNFCCC y en OACI, que tiene la responsabilidad de gestionar las emisiones
    internacionales de la aviación. Tiene la responsabilidad de líder para asegurar que OACI pueda
    dar a UNFCCC una propuesta que apoye una filosofía sectorial global y refleje la filosofía
    armonizada globalmente del sector para controlar sus emisiones”, dijo Bisignani.

    Liberalización: Brasil fue uno de los 15 países cuyo Gobierno participó en la “Agenda for
    Freedom” de IATA. Un estudio de IATA mostro que la liberalización de mercado y de la
    propiedad en Brasil tenía el potencial de generar hasta 400.000 nuevos empleos y 24.000
    millones de Reais. “La propuesta de CONAC de incrementar la propiedad extranjera hasta el
    49% y un reciente acuerdo bilateral liberal con Chile son pasos en la dirección correcta. Como la
    mayor economía de la región, espero que Brasil tenga el liderazgo para promover la
    liberalización en América Latina y globalmente”, dijo Bisignani.

    El texto complete del discurso de Bsisgnani está disponible en www.iata.org.

    – IATA –
    Contacto:
    Anthony Concil
    Director Corporate Communications
    + 41 22 770 2967
    Email: corpcomms@iata.org
    Nota para los editors:
    • IATA (International Air Transport Association) representa a unas 230 líneas aéreas, que
    suponen el 93% del tráfico aéreo internacional regular.

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    IATA Press Release Talks about African Safety


    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on public and private stakeholders to work together to address critical priorities to enable aviation to do more to drive economic growth in Africa.

    “Aviation supports 6.7 million jobs and some $68 billion of economic activity in Africa. Those numbers are impressive but I am convinced aviation has an even bigger role to play in providing the connectivity that drives economic growth and development,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    Speaking at Aviation Day Africa, Tyler said that, “Africa is poised for rapid development and great changes. Half of the top 20 fastest growing economies over the next five years are expected to be on this continent. Aviation’s part in driving growth and development will become even more prominent.”

    In order for this to occur, however, Africa must address major challenges in safety, infrastructure, and liberalization.

    Safety:
    “Safety is our top priority. And Africa’s performance is well below what we are achieving globally,” said Tyler. In 2012 African airlines had one accident (with a Western-built jet aircraft) for every 270,000 flights. Globally, the industry average was 1 accident for every 5 million flights. However, no IATA member experienced a Western-built jet hull loss accident last year and that includes the 25 member airlines based in Africa. Likewise, none of the 384 airlines on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry had a hull loss with a Western-built jet—also including those carriers based in Africa. “It is clear that IOSA is making a difference—not just in Africa, but in safety globally,” said Tyler.

    The Abuja Declaration, which was endorsed by the African Union Summit this year, sets out a comprehensive approach to reaching world-class safety levels by 2015. Completion of IOSA by all African carriers is a condition of the Declaration and Tyler urged African governments to make IOSA mandatory for airlines. IATA is sponsoring 10 airlines with in-house training to achieve IOSA registration.

    In addition to IOSA participation, the Abuja Declaration calls for:

    • The establishment of independent and sufficiently funded civil aviation authorities
    • Implementation of effective and transparent safety oversight systems by all African states
    • Implementation of accident prevention measures focused on runway safety and loss of control
    • Implementation of flight data analysis
    • And implementation of safety management systems by all service providers

    “Meeting the Abuja Declaration’s commitments will require a major effort across the continent. We have a lot of ground to cover and we cannot lose momentum. IATA is a committed partner and we must work together as a team of stakeholders to deliver world class safety to Africa,” said Tyler.

    Infrastructure

    “Infrastructure is also a major challenge. Some of the challenges are physical—infrastructure in many parts of Africa needs to improve,” said Tyler. Several infrastructure projects are ongoing in the region—upgrades at Lagos Airport, Performance-Based Navigation investments for Nigerian air traffic management and ambitious airport infrastructure re-development in Ghana.

    Nonetheless, there are some infrastructure challenges including the reliability of fuel supply in Lagos. “We must find a sustainable long-term solution. The vandalized pipeline is no longer in use. And trucking fuel from Apapa terminal through dense traffic is inefficient and costly. The same can be said of building extra capacity to store fuel on site. Without minimizing the challenges involved, providing security on a few kilometers of pipeline is not an impossible task. We are working with the oil industry to find a solution. And we will be seeking the government’s political will to help us make it happen. Ensuring fuel reliability is critical to Lagos’s future as a hub for connectivity across South-West Africa.,” said Tyler.

    Infrastructure costs and charging policy are also hindering African connectivity. “Just as with safety, global standards exist to provide guidance on charges, as developed and recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization. These include cost-relatedness, non-discrimination and transparency. It is also recommended that charges be developed in consultation with users. And there should be no pre-financing,“ said Tyler.

    “Governments must also recognize that every dollar counts. If we average the entire industry’s profits for 2012, airlines retained about $2.50 for every passenger. And African airlines have been basically hovering around break-even for a decade or more. Without sustainable income, airlines cannot expand to meet rising demand and in fact, they may have to reduce services,” said Tyler.

    Liberalization
    “Africa’s economic development needs aviation connectivity. And for that to further develop, airlines need to be able to access markets. Ironically, connectivity from Africa to other continents is more developed than connectivity within the continent. From Lagos there are daily flights to Atlanta but not to Dakar or Abidjan—and Lagos is one of the better connected cities in Africa. Africa has a visionary framework for growing connectivity across the continent in the now epic story of the Yamoussoukro Declaration which started in 1988. There has been some progress. But it is far from being transformational. It is interesting to see that African governments find it somehow easier to expand bilateral arrangements with long-haul trading partners than within the region,” said Tyler.

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    IATA Press Release: Global Safety Information Exchange Launched

    Montreal – The International Air Transport Association (IATA), along with three governmental aviation safety organizations, today signed an agreement to launch the Global Safety Information Exchange. Creating a comprehensive global information exchange to improve safety is the most ambitious private/public safety partnership in aviation history.

    IATA, together with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the US Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Commission of the European Union (EC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create the framework and path forward to launch the Global Safety Information Exchange. The MOU signing took place following the opening session of the ICAO Assembly and was signed by IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani, ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin, US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, and EU Vice President Siim Kallas.

    “Air is the safest way to travel. We achieved this level of safety precisely because governments and industry have cooperated transparently to identify risks and implement solutions. Today’s agreement takes the long history of cooperation to a new level by tearing down silos around the data that we have and sharpening our focus on the greatest risks to aviation safety,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    “We have a long history of working together with governments using global standards to lower the accident rate. In 1945, there were 9 million passengers and 247 fatalities. In 2009, 2.3 billion people flew with 685 fatalities. Every fatality is a human tragedy and reminds us that we must do better. Today’s agreement signals a new era of multilateral cooperation between industry and government to make the skies safer,” said Bisignani.

    The four organizations will start their cooperation by selecting the safety information each group currently collects, which would be the most relevant to the goal of improving safety by risk reduction. IATA will make the largest contribution of airline data by providing de-identified information from the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program. This will include de-identified information from the 345 airlines that are on the IOSA registry (230 IATA members and 115 non-members). IOSA sets the standard of safety for airlines and aggregated IOSA audit information will complement audit information from the other partners in developing global safety priorities.

    A steering group will be formed and will have representatives from each of the four organizations. ICAO will act as the coordinator of the information exchange.

    The 2009 global accident rate, measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft, was 0.71. Through the first six months of 2010, the accident rate was 0.64. Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 36% from the 1.11 rate recorded in 2000.

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  • IATA Announces Femke Sickler Winner of 2018 FACE-UP Competition

    IATA

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 280 airlines or 83% of total air traffic. We support many areas of aviation activity and help formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues.

    Winner of 2018 FACE-UP Competition

    Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Femke Sickler a recent graduate of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands was the recipient of the IATA FACE-UP award for 2018. FACE-UP is a competition for recent university graduates whose thesis is on the subject of innovation and transformation in air transport logistics (e.g. air cargo, supply chain management, mobility, IT solutions, etc.).

    Sickler’s thesis addressed improving the air cargo value chain with regard to the acceptance process, trucking schedule and data communication. The award was presented at the 12th World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Dallas.
    “Among many worthy candidates I congratulate Femke Sickler for an outstanding achievement. It is great to see the next generation of air cargo professionals helping to drive the innovation that is needed in the global air cargo industry,” said Glyn Hughes, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

    A senior panel of judges from across the industry selected three finalists who presented at the WCS closing plenary for the audience to nominate the ultimate winner of the FACE-UP competition. The finalists were selected based on showing innovation and also the potential to transform air cargo. Danny Jonker (Maastricht University) and Caroline Larisch (Maastricht University) made up the trio of finalists.

    The biennial IATA FACE-UP competition is the first installment of its kind. The initiative is part of IATA’s Future Air Cargo Executives (FACE) Program which was launched in 2013 with the aim of attracting, retaining and developing a bright and diverse pool of young talent, preparing them to become the next generation of leaders in the cargo industry.

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