Aviation net zero roadmaps comparative review

IATA - The International Air Transport Association along with the Air Transportation Systems Laboratory at University College London (UCL), the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), released the Aviation Net Zero CO2 Transition Pathways Comparative Review. 

This is the first publication to compare 14 leading net zero CO2 transition roadmaps for aviation. The report aims to provide a “one-stop shop” for airlines, policymakers and all aviation stakeholders to better understand the key similarities and differences between the various roadmaps, and their visions for achieving net zero carbon emissions for aviation by 2050. Specifically, the report compares the selected roadmaps in terms of their scope, key input assumptions, modelled aviation energy demand, respective CO2 emissions, and the emissions reduction potential of each mitigation lever (new aircraft technologies, zero-carbon fuels, SAF, and operational improvements).

Key findings from this analysis include:

•    Possible pathways to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 differ significantly depending on the key assumptions of the authors regarding how decarbonization technologies and solutions may evolve. Depending on these assumptions, the resulting role of particular levers in aviation’s decarbonization will be more or less important.  

•    All roadmaps assume that Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) will be responsible for the greatest amount of CO2 reductions by 2050. The role of SAF varies from 24%-70% (with a median value of 53%). This wide range reflects the uncertainties regarding potential supportive government action, the level of investments, cost of production, and profit potential, as well as access to feedstocks.  

Single use plastics products report released.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the Reassessing Single Use Plastics Products in the Airline Sector report to assist airlines, regulators, and the airline supply chain to mitigate the environmental impacts of single-use plastic products (SUPP). 

This publication is timely as the United National Environmental Program (UNEP) has convened an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding agreement on SUPP use by the end of 2024. 

SUPP are widely used in aviation due to their strength, lightness, and ability to meet safety and security regulations. However, the airline sector faces challenges associated with improved cabin waste performance and the replacement of SUPP with sustainable alternatives. In addition, airlines face technical and operational obstacles, and the lack of harmonized and risk-based regulations presents a significant barrier to improving recycling and circularity of waste management. The absence of smart regulation continues to constrain airline efforts to improve the sustainability of cabin operations.

Collaboration across the aviation value chain is vital to enable the adoption of circular economy principles and to facilitate the reduction and replacement of SUPP that is necessary for reducing waste and increasing material recovery.

The report advocates for a sectoral approach to managing SUPP in aviation with a clear set of recommendations. Key recommendations include:

For airlines:

•    Reduce waste at source by reviewing standards and procedures through the lens of waste reduction and reuse, and professionally assess the need for SUPP. Set clear targets for the elimination, measurement, and tracking implementation, and disclose progress.

•    Introduce reusable items as a strategy to drive circularity. This requires logistical changes that incorporate a closed-loop service, including the impact of potential added weight of reusables on aircraft on fuel burn and carbon emissions.

•    Improve waste management and recovery by facilitating onboard and ground waste segregation, and undertaking waste composition audits for passenger and cargo operations.

For regulators: 

Passenger Demand Up 21.5% in February

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), was up 21.5% compared to February 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 18.7% year-on-year. The February load factor was 80.6% (+1.9ppt compared to February 2023). 

•    International demand rose 26.3% compared to February 2023; capacity was up 25.5% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 79.3% (+0.5ppt on February 2023). 

•    Domestic demand rose 15.0% compared to February 2023; capacity was up 9.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+4.0ppt compared to February 2023). 

Note that February 2024 was a leap year with one extra day compared to February 2023. This slightly exaggerates growth in both demand and capacity to the positive.

“The strong start to 2024 continued in February with all markets except North America reporting double-digit growth in passenger traffic. There is good reason to be optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2024 as airlines accelerate investments in decarbonization and passenger demand shows resilience in the face of geopolitical and economic uncertainties.  It is critical that politicians resist the temptation of cash grabs with new taxes that could destabilize this positive trajectory and make travel more expensive. In particular, Europe is a worry as it seems determined to lock in its sluggish economic recovery with uncompetitive tax proposals,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air Cargo Demand Maintains Double-Digit Growth in February

                                       The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand. 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.9% compared to February 2023 levels (12.4% for international operations). This is the third consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year demand growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 13.4% compared to February 2023 (16.0% for international operations). This was largely related to the increase in international belly capacity accompanying growth in passenger markets (29.5% year-on-year increase), which far exceeded international capacity on freighters (3.2% year-on-year increase).

"February’s demand growth of 11.9% far outpaced the 0.9% expansion in cross-border trade. This strong start for 2024 could see demand surpass the exceptionally high levels of early 2022. It also shows air cargo’s strong resilience in the face of continuing political and economic uncertainties,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade increased by 0.9% in January. 

•    In February, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) climbed to 51.2, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also rose to 49.4, remaining slightly below the 50 threshold that would indicate growth.

•    February year-on-year inflation dropped to 2.8% in the EU while rising to 2.8% and 3.2% in Japan and the US respectively.  After four months of deflation, China reported a 0.7% increase in inflation year-on-year—a positive development amid concerns over China's economic slowdown.

IATA Announces Winner of 2024 FACE-UP Competition

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Erik Goldenstein was the recipient of the IATA FACE-UP award for 2024. FACE-UP is a competition for recent university graduates who have developed innovation and transformation solutions in air transport logistics.

Goldenstein was voted as the winner for his role in creating the NE:ONE Play app built on the ONE Record Data Standard. The app provides a visualization of ONE Record data giving a very simplified overview of complex air cargo data. This allows organizations to browse through their shipment data as easily as browsing the web, facilitating optimization of their operational processes. The award was presented at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.

FACE-UP is a competition that provides recent graduates from around the globe a unique opportunity to present their solution on addressing the challenges of the air cargo supply chain to industry executives.

 Goldenstein is a research assistant, data scientist and software engineer in the Aviation Logistics department of Fraunhofer IML at Frankfurt Airport, currently working on a variety of topics in the field of aviation digitalization.

IATA Announces First Signatories to Air Cargo Digitalization Leadership Charter

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of the IATA Digitalization Leadership Charter at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong. Cathay Cargo, CHAMP Cargosystems, Global Logistics System (HK) Company Limited, IAG Cargo, IBS Software, LATAM Cargo, and Lufthansa Cargo are the inaugural signatories of the charter.

The Digitalization Leadership Charter aims to accelerate the air cargo industry’s digitalization journey by committing to five key guiding principles. Developed in consultation with IATA’s Cargo Advisory Council Members, airlines and the wider air cargo community, the charter seeks to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and promote a sustainable and harmonized digital transformation. Central to the charter is the importance of data sharing using IATA ONE Record for smooth and efficient data exchange.

“Digitalization is imperative for the air cargo industry. It requires alignment to ensure a unified and effective approach. IATA has introduced the Digitalization Leadership Charter to spearhead this alignment. By adhering to the Charter's principles—adopting industry-wide standards, championing sustainability, ensuring ethical technology use, and upholding digital leadership—the charter sets a benchmark for excellence,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

IATA Announces Winner of ​​​​​​2024 FACE-UP Competition

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Erik Goldenstein was the recipient of the IATA FACE-UP award for 2024. FACE-UP is a competition for recent university graduates who have developed innovation and transformation solutions in air transport logistics.

Goldenstein was voted as the winner for his role in creating the NE:ONE Play app built on the ONE Record Data Standard. The app provides a visualization of ONE Record data giving a very simplified overview of complex air cargo data. This allows organizations to browse through their shipment data as easily as browsing the web, facilitating optimization of their operational processes. The award was presented at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.

FACE-UP is a competition that provides recent graduates from around the globe a unique opportunity to present their solution on addressing the challenges of the air cargo supply chain to industry executives.

IATA and Smart Freight Centre Join Forces on CO2 Emission Calculations

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Smart Freight Centre (SFC) announced a partnership to provide consistent and transparent CO2 emissions calculations for air cargo shipments. This is an important step for the global air transport sector to advance its decarbonization efforts.

The two organizations will focus efforts on developing the cargo component of IATA’s CO2 Connect offering, which successfully launched its passenger version in 2022. The IATA CO2 Connect platform uses primary industry data to power highly accurate carbon calculations. The collaboration with the SFC Clean Air Transport Program will promote a common methodology in CO2 emission calculations and ensure accurate and consistent CO2 calculations are distributed to the industry’s biggest shippers and freight forwarders in air cargo, supporting them with pre-shipment and reporting purposes.

 

“Our partnership with the Smart Freight Center will help us to accelerate the development of CO2 Connect for air cargo as the most authoritative tool for carbon calculations. This is important for airlines, shippers and their customers who all need accurate calculations based on real data to support their contributions to global decarbonization efforts,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Products & Services, at IATA’s World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.   

"A key milestone has been reached and this has been a long time in the making. The need for unified emissions data is stronger than ever and this milestone will enable cargo transport service purchasers to make well-founded, long-term decisions. Transparency is key to drive decarbonization investments and activities, encouraging collaborative and synergetic action throughout the value chain. Our partnership with IATA will enable effective collaboration by building trust and exchanging information across the value chain which, in turn, will help in accelerating our ongoing efforts in decarbonizing the aviation industry," said Andrea Schoen, SFC Director of the Clean Air Transport program.

Emirates and Butterfly Aero Training Win 2024 IATA CBTA Center Innovation Award

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Emirates and Butterfly Aero Training were each recognized with the IATA Competency-Based Training and Assessment Center (CBTA Center) Innovation Awards.  Butterfly Aero Training was recognized for developing an AI ChatBot that serves as a virtual instructor within its training programs. This enhances learning by offering personalized, interactive sessions that adapt to the unique needs of each learner. The AI ChatBot facilitates an efficient and engaging learning experience which includes real-time question-answering capabilities. Emirates was recognized for developing a Mobile App dedicated to the safe carriage of lithium batteries. The Li-Battery Acceptance App complements traditional classroom training by providing immediate and clear guidance on transporting lithium batteries, based on their quantity and power. This solution contributes to the industry’s holistic approach to safely managing the risks associated with the transport of lithium batteries. "The evolution of the air cargo sector and the challenges that brings, including the safe handling of dangerous goods, requires innovative training solutions that are both efficient and accessible. Butterfly Aero Training and Emirates have risen to the challenge with forward-thinking approaches that not only meet the current demands of the industry but also adeptly position them to meet the challenges of tomorrow. We are proud to have them among the growing IATA CBTA Network of 208 centres," said Frederic Leger, IATA SVP of Commercial Products and Services.

Sustainability, digitalization and safety in air cargo

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reviewed progress in digitalization, safety and sustainability at the opening of the IATA World Cargo Symposium with the aim of accelerating progress on these critical priorities.  “Air cargo volumes are now firmly back to pre-pandemic levels. The challenge now is to ensure that air cargo growth is efficient, safe and aligned with achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Through the hard work of the air cargo industry, the building blocks are in place to significantly accelerate progress in all these areas,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS), which opened in Hong Kong, today.  Digitalization  “The biggest opportunity for the air cargo industry is digitalization. This has not happened as fast as any of us would have liked. But progress is real. Inefficient paper-based, manual processes are being replaced with digital solutions in all aspects of cargo operations from tracking to customs clearance. That’s a fact. And it’s making international trade more efficient. Our call to action is clear: Governments must consistently implement global standards, supply chain partners need to collaborate to overcome shared challenges, and the entire industry must align to ensure a unified and effective approach to digitalization,” said Sullivan.  Three areas were highlighted to illustrate progress: •    Seamless sharing of digital information: The adoption of the ONE Record standard is enabling efficient data exchange throughout the supply chain. The aim is for all IATA members to achieve ONE Record capability by January 2026. Cathay Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo have already met this target. And all major airline IT platform providers have pledged to attain ONE Record capability to support this transition.  •    Digitalization of customs and trade facilitation processes: Among countries already implementing, Brazil's use of IATA's digital standards has cut cargo release times from 5 days to just 5 hours, potentially reducing manual processing by up to 90%. And the EU, UAE and Canada recognized the value of accurate data sharing across the air cargo supply chain and will adopt pre-loading advance cargo information systems by the end of 2024. The US was the early-adopter of this in 2019.  •    Shipment tracking: The updated IATA Interactive Cargo Guidance offers a unified framework, enabling tracking devices to ensure the quality and accuracy of conditions for time and temperature-sensitive goods. This is critical to facilitate growing demands for real-time shipment tracking by e-commerce and pharmaceutical trade.

Lufthansa Cargo Extends IATA CargoIS Agreement

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Lufthansa Cargo has renewed and expanded the scope of its agreement to utilize CargoIS for its air cargo data needs, extending a partnership that has spanned over a decade. 

"We are pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with IATA through CargoIS. The market intelligence IT has provided us over the years and has played a key role in shaping our strategic planning and improving our operational efficiency. This extended collaboration not only helps us to refine our shipping strategies but also ensures our position at the forefront of the industry, guided by data-driven decision-making,” said Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo.  

As part of the new agreement Lufthansa Cargo will also join the IATA CargoIS Direct Data (CDD) contribution program. This initiative facilitates the collective sharing and pooling of anonymized data among participating airlines. It empowers stakeholders to benchmark performance, identify industry trends, and make well-informed decisions within the competitive air cargo sector. This program draws on transactions from more than 230 carriers, providing the most comprehensive insights into the commodities transported and the services rendered.

Air passenger demand up 16.6% in January

 

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for January 2024 global passenger demand indicating a strong start for the year. 

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), was up 16.6%; total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 14.1%; and the load factor was 79.9% (+1.7pt)

•    International demand rose 20.8%; capacity was up 20.9% and the load factor remained at 79.7% (+0.0pt)

•    Domestic demand rose 10.4%; capacity was up 4.6% and the load factor was 80.2% (+4.2pt)

“2024 is off to a strong start despite economic and geopolitical uncertainties. As governments look to build prosperity in their economies in the busiest election-year ever, it is critical that they see aviation as a catalyst for growth. Increased taxes and onerous regulation are a counterweight to prosperity. We will be looking to governments for policies that help aviation to reduce costs, improve efficiency and make progress towards net zero CO2 emissions by 2050,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air passenger market in detail - January 2024

January 2024 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt) PLF (level) Total Market 100% 16.6% 14.1% 1.7% 79.9% Africa 2.1% 18.1% 19.9% -1.1% 73.1% Asia Pacific 31.7% 31.8% 26.6% 3.2% 80.8% Europe 27.1% 10.0% 9.6% 0.3% 78.2% Latin America 5.5% 9.9% 5.5% 3.4% 85.0% Middle East 9.4% 16.2% 15.3% 0.6% 79.9% North America 24.2% 6.0% 4.1% 1.5% 79.9%

1% of industry RPKs in 2023

Air Cargo demand up 18.4% in January

 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for January 2024 global air cargo markets indicating a strong start to 2024. 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), increased by 18.4% compared to January 2023 levels (19.8% for international operations). This significant upturn marks the highest annual growth in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs) since the summer season of 2021.

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), was up 14.6% compared to January 2023 (18.2% for international operations). This was largely related to the growth in belly capacity. International belly capacity rose 25.8% year-on-year (YoY) on the strength of passenger markets.

"Air cargo demand was up 18.4% year-on-year in January. This is a strong start to the year. In particular, the booming e-commerce sector is continuing to help air cargo demand to trend above growth in both trade and production since the last quarter of 2023. The counterweight to this good news is uncertainty over how China’s economic slowdown will unfold. This will be on the minds of air cargo executives meeting in Hong Kong next week for the IATA World Cargo Symposium with an agenda focused on digitalization, efficiency and sustainability," said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air cargo growth outpaced trade and production. Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade increased by 1.0% in December compared to the previous month (-0.2% YoY).

•    In January, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) improved to 50.3, surpassing the 50 mark for the first time in eight months, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also saw an increase to 48.8, but remains below the critical 50 threshold, suggesting a continuing yet decelerating decline in global exports.

•    Inflation in major economies continued to ease from its peak in terms of Consumer Price Index (CPI) in January, reaching 3.1% in both the US and in the EU, and 2.1% in Japan. China’s CPI, however, indicated deflation for the fourth consecutive month, raising concerns of an economic slowdown. China’s negative inflation rate of -0.8% was the lowest since the Global Financial Crisis in 2009. 

IATA Welcomes Nominations for 2024 Diversity & Inclusion Awards

 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) opened nominations for the 2024 Diversity and Inclusion Awards. Nominations are welcome from all individuals or organizations in the aviation sector and will close at 23:59 CET on 17 April 2024. This is the fifth edition of these annual awards which focus on recognizing excellence in diversity and inclusion in three categories:

•    The Inspirational Role Model Award recognizes a woman holding a senior position within the air transport industry who has had a significant impact on the aviation agenda through her strong contribution to business delivery, as well as her ongoing support for the diversity and inclusion agenda. Nominees are welcome from across the aviation industry.

•    The High Flyer Award recognizes a female aviation professional under the age of 40 who has demonstrated leadership through concrete action in favor of diversity and inclusion, making a positive impact on the industry. Open to all women professional in the aviation industry.

•    The Diversity & Inclusion Team Award recognizes an airline that has seen measurable positive change in diversity and inclusion as a result of the work it has been doing in this area. Open to all IATA member airlines.

“The aviation industry has proven over and over again that it is capable of reinventing itself. For five years these awards have recognized aviation’s notable progress on diversity and inclusion—in particular on improving aviation’s gender balance. I encourage the many aviation professionals working hard in this area to share with us what they or their colleagues are doing to make a difference. With all the good work going on in this area I am sure that the judging panel will have a challenging task in evaluating the nominations. And we all look forward to celebrating the impact of the winning entries at the upcoming IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai this June,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

2023 Safest Year for Flying By Several Parameters

Photo by Ekky Wicaksono

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its 2023 Annual Safety Report for global aviation. Aviation continues to make progress on safety with several 2023 parameters showing “best-ever” results. 

There were no hull losses or fatal accidents involving passenger jet aircraft in 2023. However, there was a single fatal accident involving a turboprop aircraft, resulting in 72 fatalities. There were 37 million aircraft movements in 2023 (jet and turboprop), an increase of 17% on the previous year.

Report highlights include:

•    The all accident rate was 0.80 per million sectors in 2023 (one accident for every 1.26 million flights), an improvement from 1.30 in 2022 and the lowest rate in over a decade. This rate outperformed the five-year (2019-2023) rolling average of 1.19 (an average one accident for every 880,293 flights).

•    The fatality risk improved to 0.03 in 2023 from 0.11 in 2022 and 0.11 for the five years, 2019-2023. At this level of safety, on average a person would have to travel by air every day for 103,239 years to experience a fatal accident. 

•    IATA member airlines and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registered airlines experienced no fatal accident in 2023. 

•    A single fatal accident occurred in 2023, on a turboprop aircraft, resulting in 72 fatalities. This is reduced from five fatal accidents in 2022 and an improvement on the five-year average (2019-2023) which was five. 

"2023 safety performance continues to demonstrate that flying is the safest mode of transport. Aviation places its highest priority on safety and that shows in the 2023 performance. Jet operations saw no hull losses or fatalities. 2023 also saw the lowest fatality risk and ‘all accident’ rate on record. A single fatal turboprop accident with 72 fatalities, however, reminds us that we can never take safety for granted. And two high profile accidents in the first month of 2024 show that, even if flying is among the safest activities a person can do, there is always room to improve. This is what we have done throughout our history. And we will continue to make flying ever safer,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.  

Regional Safety Performance 

The 2023 all accident rate improved compared to 2022 for all regions with the exceptions of North America and Asia Pacific. No regions experienced a jet hull loss in 2023. Asia-Pacific recorded a fatal turboprop hull loss, a loss-of-control accident in Nepal in January 2023 with 72 fatalities.  As a consequence, all regions except Asia-Pacific recorded a fatality risk of zero in 2023.

•    North America: The all accident rate rose from 0.53 per million sectors in 2022 to 1.14 in 2023, but remained better than its 5-year average for the region of 1.21. The largest proportion of accidents in 2023 were related to landing gear collapses. 

•    Asia-Pacific: The all accident rate increased from 0.56 per million sectors in 2022 to 0.78 in 2023, but was better than the 5-year average for the region of 1.06. The fatality risk rate per million sectors rose for Asia-Pacific operators from 0.00 in 2022 to 0.16, owing to the fatal accident in Nepal in January 2023, which was due to loss of control in flight. 

•    Africa: The all accident rate improved from 10.88 per million sectors in 2022 to 6.38 in 2023, better than the 5-year average of 7.11. In 2023, there were no fatalities. This region has had no jet hull losses or fatal accidents since 2020. Additionally, 2023 marked the fifth occurrence of Africa reporting zero fatal turboprop accidents, with the first instance recorded in 2015. Under the Focus Africa initiative, IATA introduced CASIP to enhance aviation safety in Africa. CASIP efforts are continuing to partner with states to increase implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). The Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) as well as AFI Regional Aviation Safety Plan for Effective Implementation (EI) of ICAO ISARPs have increased the minimum SARPs implementation threshold to 75% or greater (from 60%). Only 12 of Africa’s 54 states meet this new threshold indicating the need for significant improvements. 

IATA World Cargo Symposium agenda released.

The agenda for the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) which will feature specialized tracks on Digitalization, Sustainability and Safety & Security. WCS is taking place in Hong Kong (SAR), China from 12 - 14 March 2024, has been released.

"Air cargo is an unsung hero of the global economy. In normal times, it delivers some 35% of the value of goods traded across borders. In the pandemic, air cargo brought medical supplies and vaccines to where they were needed. And today it is providing a vital transport alternative for some products as Red Sea shipping lanes face geopolitical uncertainty. Air cargo’s success matters. When air cargo’s global leaders gather in Hong Kong for the IATA World Cargo Symposium, ensuring the future reliability and growth of this critical sector will be top of mind with an agenda focused on sustainability, digitalization, safety and security," said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

Speakers & Sessions 

Ronald Lam, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer, Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, and Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist, will join Sullivan in setting the scene for the conference with keynote addresses. They will be followed by key air cargo experts, including: 

•    Tom Owen, Director of Cargo, Cathay Pacific 

•    Michael Steen, Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air 

•    Vivian Lau, Chief Executive, Jardine Aviation Services Group

•    Kirsten de Bruijn, Executive Vice President Cargo, WestJet

•    Marco Bloeman, Managing Director, Accenture and Head of Accenture Cargo

The event’s overall theme of Driving Sustainable and Inclusive Growth will be supported by three tracks: 

•    Sustainability, which will include sessions on tracking progress towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050, ESG reporting, optimizing operations for environmental performance, reducing single use plastics, and circular strategies for Unit Load Device (ULD) components.

•    Digitalization, which will include sessions on data driven strategies to improve performance and reduce costs, achieving the efficiencies of OneRecord, and the potential for generative AI in air cargo.

•    Safety & Security, which will include sessions on Annex 18 Regulatory oversight of freight forwarders/handling agents for dangerous goods shipments, fire containment strategies for lithium battery shipments, ULD airworthiness, latest developments for the safety of live animal shipments, implications of an integrated risk management framework.

 

Air Cargo demand surges 10.8% in December....

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets showing that air cargo demand rebounded in 2023 with a particularly strong fourth quarter performance despite economic uncertainties. Full-year demand reached a level just slightly below 2022 and 2019. 

•    Global full-year demand in 2023, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), was down 1.9% compared to 2022 (-2.2% for international operations). Compared to 2019, it was down 3.6% (-3.8 for international operations).

•    Capacity in 2023, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), was 11.3% above 2022 (+9.6% for international operations). Compared to 2019 (pre-COVID) levels, capacity was up 2.5% (0.0% for international operations).

•    December 2023 saw an exceptionally strong performance: global demand was 10.8% above 2022 levels (+11.5% for international operations). This was the strongest annual growth performance over the past two years. Global capacity was 13.6% above 2022 levels (+14.1% for international operations). 

•    Some indicators to note include: 

   

o    Global cross-border trade recorded growth for the third consecutive month in October, reversing its previous downward trend.

o    December inflation in both the United States and the EU as measured by the corresponding Consumer Price Indices (CPI) stayed below 3.5% year-on-year. China’s CPI, however, indicated deflation for the third consecutive month, raising concerns of an economic slowdown. 

o    Both the manufacturing output and new export order Purchasing Managers Indexes (PMIs) – two leading indicators of global air cargo demand—continued to hover below the 50-mark in December, usual markers for contraction.

“Despite political and economic challenges, 2023 saw air cargo markets regain ground lost in 2022 after the extraordinary COVID peak in 2021. Although full year demand was shy of pre-COVID levels by 3.6%, the significant strengthening in the last quarter is a sign that markets are stabilizing towards more normal demand patterns. That puts the industry on very solid ground for success in 2024. But with continued, and in some cases intensifying, instability in geopolitics and economic forces, little should be taken for granted in the months ahead,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Global Air Travel Demand Continued Its Bounce Back in 2023

Photo by Aldo Garza

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery in air travel continued in December 2023 and total 2023 traffic edged even closer to matching pre-pandemic demand. 

•    Total traffic in 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 36.9% compared to 2022. Globally, full year 2023 traffic was at 94.1% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. December 2023 total traffic rose 25.3% compared to December 2022 and reached 97.5% of the December 2019 level. Fourth quarter traffic was at 98.2% of 2019, reflecting the strong recovery towards the end of the year.

•    International traffic in 2023 climbed 41.6% versus 2022 and reached 88.6% of 2019 levels. December 2023 international traffic climbed 24.2% over December 2022, reaching 94.7% of the level in December 2019. Fourth quarter traffic was at 94.5% of 2019.

•    Domestic traffic for 2023 rose 30.4% compared to the prior year. 2023 domestic traffic was 3.9% above the full year 2019 level. December 2023 domestic traffic was up 27.0% over the year earlier period and was at 2.3% above December 2019 traffic. Fourth quarter traffic was 4.4% higher than the same quarter in 2019.

“The strong post-pandemic rebound continued in 2023. December traffic stood just 2.5% below 2019 levels, with a strong performance in quarter 4, teeing-up airlines for a return to normal growth patterns in 2024. The recovery in travel is good news. The restoration of connectivity is powering the global economy as people travel to do business, further their educations, take hard-earned vacations and much more. But to maximize the benefits of air travel in the post-pandemic world, governments need to take a strategic approach. That means providing cost-efficient infrastructure to meet demand, incentivizing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production to meet our net zero carbon emission goal by 2050, and adopting regulations that deliver a clear cost-benefit. Completing the recovery must not be an excuse for governments to forget the critical role of aviation to increasing the prosperity and well-being of people and businesses the world over,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 

EASA partners with IATA to counter aviation safety threat from GNSS spoofing and jamming

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the conclusions of a workshop jointly hosted at EASA’s headquarters to combat incidents of GNSS spoofing and jamming.

The workshop’s high-level conclusion was that interference with satellite-based services that provide information on the precise position of an aircraft can pose significant challenges to aviation safety. Mitigating these risks requires short-, medium- and long-term measures, beginning with the sharing of incident information and remedies.

“GNSS systems offer tremendous advantages to aviation in increasing the safety of operations in a busy shared airspace,” said EASA Acting Executive Director Luc Tytgat. “But we have seen a sharp rise in attacks on these systems, which poses a safety risk. EASA is tackling the risk specific to these new technologies. We immediately need to ensure that pilots and crews can identify the risks and know how to react and land safely. In the medium term, we will need to adapt the certification requirements of the navigation and landing systems. For the longer term, we need to ensure we are involved in the design of future satellite navigation systems. Countering this risk is a priority for the Agency.” 

“Airlines are seeing a significant rise in incidents of GNSS interference. To counter this, we need coordinated collection and sharing of GNSS safety data; universal procedural GNSS incident guidance from aircraft manufacturers; a commitment from states to retain traditional navigation systems as backup in cases where GNSS are spoofed or jammed. In actioning these items, the support and resources of EASA and other governmental authorities are essential. And airlines will be critical partners. And whatever actions are taken, they must be the focal point of the solution as they are the front line facing the risk,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

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