The aviation industry doesn’t just provide employment, economic growth, and rapid connectivity across the world, it also plays an essential role in transporting food to remote locations, conducting search and rescue operations, and is even involved in rapid medical repatriation.   

While serious medical emergencies typically require an air ambulance or helicopter, medical repatriation can also take place on a commercial flight.  

But just how easy it is to transport a patient via a scheduled flight? What are the logistical issues? And what are the positives? AeroTime investigates.  

Medical repatriation on scheduled flights – commonplace or a rare occurrence? 

There are many reasons why people need air medical services, including commercial airline repatriation. While severely injured or ill patients are typically taken care of by a private air ambulance, helicopters or executive jets, medical repatriation on a commercial flight can be a viable alternative depending on the patient’s medical state and the flight route.  

Medical repatriation on commercial flights is a common practice in the global healthcare and aero-medical industry, managing director at the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI), Claudia Schmiedhuber told AeroTime.  

“There are several companies within the global industry that are specialized in this sector and provide commercial airline medical escorts to thousands of patients every year. Medical escorts take place every day all over the world,” Schmiedhuber said.  

Generally, all commercial airlines that take patients on board require a pre-travel medical clearance, called Medical Information Form (MEDIF), which must be approved well in advance by the carrier’s medical department. The patient’s medical repatriation can only take place with the clearance.  

Schmiedhuber added: “Usually, most of the commercial airlines allow for commercial medical repatriations to take place on their aircraft. However, there are limits in route network and the patient’s conditions which might cause repatriation to be denied.” 

What are the options for medical repatriation on commercial flights? 

Generally, there are three different ways for patients to fly commercially, according to a Medical Air Service report. These are commercial airline repatriation with a medical escort, commercial airline repatriation on a stretcher, and commercial repatriation in a patient transport compartment (PTC). 

Depending on the needs of the passenger and the approval of the airline, patients can be accompanied by a medical crew. Ordinally, patients with a medical escort must book either business or first-class cabins, meaning that the possibility of traveling with a low-cost carrier is greatly reduced.  

Commercial airline stretcher repatriations can be conducted where patients may not be able to use first or business class seating due to physical limitations from injury or illness. The commercial airline stretcher service is usually accommodated at the back of the airplane with a temporary screen to allow for privacy during the flight. 

Meanwhile, seriously ill passengers who need intensive care have the option to travel lying down in a patient transport compartment (PTC). The medical and technical equipment in a PTC is equivalent to that in an air ambulance. 

However, it is worth noting that there are only a few carriers that allow flights with a stretcher or patient transport compartment services.  

“Not all patients are allowed to travel commercially.” 

“It must be understood that airlines do not accept all patients on their aircraft,” Schmiedhuber told AeroTime. 

“Reasons to deny a patient might be, for example, a serious condition, patients who cannot sit up for departure and landing,” Schmiedhuber explained. 

In addition, being able to fly commercially may be denied if the patient’s health condition endangers other passengers. For example, patients with infectious diseases or, in some cases, mental health conditions must be taken care of by an air ambulance. 

What are the main logistical challenges? 

While commercial airline repatriation is a low-cost alternative to traditional air ambulance or helicopter services, there are several logistical challenges, Schmiedhuber explained.  

Major challenges include receiving medical clearance and assuring that all necessary equipment is being carried. In addition, time management becomes an important factor when an injured or ill passenger has a connecting flight. 

“Traveling with a medical patient normally requires more time when transferring to a different flight,” Schmiedhuber said. “Also, with the recent ever-changing COVID-19 related restrictions it has become complicated to assure smooth journey. Organizing transportation very much depends on the patient’s location, destination as well as the patient’s condition.” 

Not surprisingly, planning for a medical airline repatriation can range from a few hours to multiple days. But despite the challenges linked to transporting patients commercially, Schmiedhuber said that there are many advantages to medical repatriation on a scheduled flight.  

“Patients can travel quite comfortably with sufficient space for medical care, shorter connections and flight times as well as cost-effectiveness,” Schmiedhuber explained.  

For instance, the cost of commercial airline repatriation can start from roughly $10,000, while the cost of air ambulance services can start at $30,000. 

Will medical airline repatriation become even more prevalent? 

While medical airline repatriation cannot entirely replace air ambulance or helicopter services, the transportation of injured or seriously ill passengers on scheduled operations will likely begin to rise.  

“I believe that we will see an increase in travel activity over the next few years which will increase the demand for medical repatriations on both air ambulance and commercial carriers,” Schmiedhuber explained. “One aspect in favor of commercial carriers is that we see more and more routes being developed which will help to transfer patients with less connections necessary.” 

Schmiedhuber added: “I think that we will see more commercial medical repatriations being performed in the future and more carriers adapting their fleet and service offerings.” 

Source: Aerotime Hub

The A380 super jumbo has many supporters around the world, but none quite as vocal and powerful as Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, by far the largest operator of the aircraft.

The Dubai-based airline purchased nearly half of all A380s ever produced and now has 118 in its fleet, about 80 of which are currently flying.

The entire fleet will be back in the air by spring of next year, as part of a resurgence that has seen the super jumbo reintroduced into service with many of its operators, after the pandemic led many to believe it was ready for retirement.

“The notion that the A380 was a spent force was always a little bit of a difficult one for us to swallow,” Clark told CNN Travel in an exclusive interview.

“I was chuckling to myself, thinking ‘Wait and see.’ We started flying the A380 into Heathrow six times a day in October of last year, and we haven’t had a [free] seat on any of them since.”

The airline will start refreshing the interiors of almost 70 of its A380s later this year, adding a new premium economy class that will slightly reduce passenger capacity from 519 to 484.

The most distinctive feature of Emirates’ super jumbo, however, will remain the legendary shower spa, which offers first class passengers the luxury of a full-fledged shower at 35,000 feet.

There are two such suites, at the front of the upper deck, and Emirates is the only airline to offer them, after Clark explicitly requested them during the final design phase of the plane, in the early 2000s.

“Airbus had come up with a fairly sad possibility of putting benches and having little lounges there, but the notion that you would have bathrooms with showers and all the other bits and pieces was an interesting one,” he says.

“It was a bit of a risk for us, but these were dead spaces which we couldn’t generate income from. I realized that actually they would be hugely popular.”

Convincing Airbus to install them, however, wasn’t easy.

“We designed the showers and then went to Airbus, who were very much arms folded at that time,” Clark adds.

“But prior to the A380’s launch, the marketing program showed double page spreads with avenues of shops, lounges and cafes, so naturally I said, ‘that shouldn’t be a problem for you.’

“Clearly it was, but because we were such a big buyer, they complied. And it’s no mean feat trying to get water up two decks, keep the pressure up, the heating and all that.

“But we succeeded, they worked with us, and the rest is history. People talked about these showers for years and they still do.”

Clark has long lamented the fact that neither Airbus or Boeing plan to build a new plane the size of the A380.

Currently, the largest planes offered by the two leading manufacturers are the Airbus A350-1000 and the upcoming 777-9, which both seat just over 400 people in a standard configuration.

However, deliveries of these planes have been delayed and Clark believes they are too small to replace the A380 in Emirates’ fleet.

“The math tells you that you need a big unit, much bigger than we’re getting at the moment,” he says.

“The biggest one will be the 777-9, whenever that comes to market, which in our configuration [will seat] 364 people against 484 on the A380s with our new premium economy. And it was 519 before, so you get where I’m coming from.”

The “math” Clark refers to comes from demand for air travel, which he says was growing by about 4.5% per year before the pandemic.

Assuming that curve is recaptured, it would take just 10 to 15 years to see demand increase by half.

“Even with multiple 787s and A350s all busy flying around the world, I still don’t get how you will pick up that growth curve,” says Clark.

“Supply will be suppressed, demand will continue to grow, and when that happens prices rise, it’s inevitable.

“If you take the A380s out of the frame by the mid-2030s, how are you going to make it work? Do we see massive upgrades of airfields or new airfields?

“At Heathrow, they can’t even agree on the third runway. [Amsterdam’s] Schiphol has just reduced the number of landings and takeoffs that they will allow. So, one wonders, how would this demand be accommodated?”

‘Open fan’ engine

Clark’s answer is a new plane as big as the A380, if not bigger, with modern features such as lightweight composite materials and more efficient engines.

“Is it possible to redesign a new A380? Yes. Is it possible to lighten the aircraft? Yes. When they brought this aircraft to market, composites weren’t really [widespread],” says Clark.

“Imagine a composite wing and a predominantly composite fuselage. Imagine engines that are giving you a 20 to 25% improvement compared to what you get today.

“So you get a lighter aircraft, far more fuel-efficient, which ticks all the boxes as far as the environmentalists are concerned.”

One of the A380’s biggest drawbacks are its four engines, which are inefficient to today’s standards and fuel prices. A new version would require an entirely new engine technology.

Clark says there are “very interesting studies” going on in this field, but he adds that most of the research over the last 20 years has been focused on narrow-body aircraft.

An “open fan” engine, which appears to be a propeller but is actually a larger, unducted version of the fan found inside every modern jet engine, is one of the most promising new types of engines and could cut fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 20%.

It will be trialed on an A380 test plane.

However, it’s not meant for the aircraft: Brand new planes will need to be designed to fit these engines, and at least in the beginning, they will most likely be single aisle aircraft, similar to the 737 and A320.

“We’re trying to get everybody working on the big fans for the bigger aircraft as well,” he says.

“If you can get them to do what I think they could do in terms of fuel efficiency and power, then you have the makings of an airplane that would match or beat the economics of the [twin-engine aircraft] that we see today, by quite a long way.”

The problem with this plan is that just like the A380 wasn’t popular with airlines, a similarly sized successor likely wouldn’t be.

“Do I think that airlines will step up and sign up to this project? Doubtful at this stage,” says Clark.

“On the one hand I’m very keen to take a good hard look at this, on the other I’m not optimistic that the stakeholders in the ecosystem are up for it.

Looking to the future

“The airline industry is, rightly so, populated with people who are conservative in nature, because they’ve lost their shirts — this has been a seriously bad time for air travel.

“But now, things are starting to look a lot better, demand is back. So they have the ability to think hard about the future.

“Whether they’ve got the appetite for it, I don’t know. I know we have it.”

Geoff Van Klaveren, an aviation analyst and managing director of advisory at independent aviation consultancy IBA, agrees with Clark that there’s a need for a larger plane, but also that it won’t be easy to get one.

“There’s definitely room for a Boeing 747 replacement, but I don’t believe there’s enough demand to start a program for an aircraft larger than the A380.

“A very large plane is key to Emirates’ business model, because 70% of their passengers connect to other flights, but I don’t think Airbus or Boeing will build one just for them,” he says, adding that the most likely outcome is that even larger, higher capacity variants of the A350 and the 777 will be made instead.

However, Clark will not be moved.

“I’ve spoken to Airbus more than once,” he says. “I think they’re beginning to take it a little bit more seriously, but at the moment they are concentrating on their single aisle planes and the A350 line.

“I suspect people like [Airbus CEO] Guillaume Faury really would like to see something like this and recognizes what I could call the commercial imperative for it.

“But he is very much a technologist and will only do what his engineers and the technology will allow him to do.”

Looking at the post-pandemic travel chaos that is causing canceled flights, endless security lines and heaps of lost luggage, Clark isn’t very optimistic.

“I think you’ll see a continuation of this until the summer of next year,” he says.

“We are not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination. And as more markets like China, Japan and Korea open up, they will exacerbate the problem, unless the likes of Heathrow, Frankfurt and Amsterdam get their act together and start getting people into place.”

The Emirates boss says he’s amazed at the resilience of the traveling public for putting up with all of this, but they’ll have to be patient for a while longer.

“I see strong demand for the next year,” he adds. “It’s a patchy one, but my instinct is telling me the airline industry will be okay in a year’s time and things will gradually become good when we get back into equilibrium — middle of next year, or end of next year.”

Source: CNN

Everywhere around the world, reports indicate, the cost of flying cargo continues to rise and negatively impact on an industry that is yet to fully recover from Covid-19 pandemic.

The Africa Airlines Association (AFRAA), a trade association of airlines on the continent, indicates that expensive jet fuel, or aviation turbine fuel, and other expenses are weighing down on profits.

According to AFRAA, full-year revenue loss for African airlines for 2022 is estimated at $4.1 billion, equivalent to 23.4 percent of the 2019 revenues.

To stay in business, reports indicate, airlines adjusted their fares upward because of a sharp rise in the cost of jet fuel. The cost of jet fuel, it is reported, has increased 36 percent in the last six months, prompting airlines to add a special levy to protect their margins.

John Bosco Kalisa, the CEO of the East African Business Council (EABC), stressed that “this is terrible” as it will increase the cost of doing business in the region.

“Already the airlines are struggling to recover from devastating impact of Covid-19. Any additional charges will derail the recovery of both the cargo and passenger flights,” he told Doing Business.

The cost of jet fuel – which accounts for a significant portion of expenses involved in running an aircraft – hit a high of $1.25 a litre from $0.85 in January, piling pressure on airlines at a time when the demand for flying remained low as the industry still recovered from effects of Covid-19.

In Rwanda, high freight rates are already casting a shadow over, among others, Rwanda’s horticulture export prospects.

According to Robert Rukundo, chairperson of the Horticulture Exporters Association of Rwanda (HEAR), prices of airline charges increased from Rwf1.8 million to Rwf2.2 million, the latest being Rwf2.5 million because of the rise in fuel costs and taxes. As noted, the cost is $2.67 per kilo in terms of gross weight.

Horticulture exporters especially worried that national carrier RwandAir planned to increase the airfreight fee on a kilogramme of fresh produce from $1.8 to $2, effective August 1.

“Freight charges have gone up because jet fuel prices have doubled in the last few months. All airlines have increased the rates,” Yvonne Makolo, Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir, told Doing Business on Monday, August 1.

Asked what they are advocating for, Theoneste Ntagengerwa, the Private Sector Federation (PSF) Spokesperson, told Doing Business that: “The solution on our side should focus on finding a Rwandan owned cargo airplane, which can allow us to export big quantities but also lowering the cost for export.”

“The second aspect to consider should also be proper policies that support increase of our export to avoid the cargo [plane] being underutilized.”

But Makolo noted that even when RwandAir eventually secures a cargo plane, high freight charges could stay.

She said: “The freighter is in the process of being acquired but that’s not the answer. It will provide additional capacity but unless fuel prices come down, the rates will still be high.”

Besides the pandemic, the war in Ukraine also affected earnings by airlines that had to endure rising costs of jet fuel.

Source: The New Times

Airports need to address their unpopularity as a workplace if they’re to resolve a labor crunch that’s spawned a summer of travel chaos, the world’s biggest ground-handling firm said.

While pay hikes may narrow the staffing gap, they won’t resolve deep-seated issues in attracting new recruits, Tarek Sultan, vice chairman of Agility Public Warehousing Co., said Friday after the Gulf firm completed the purchase of John Menzies Plc, which provides handling at hubs including London Heathrow.

“It’s really hard to hire people in this day and age after Covid and we’re really trying to figure out why,” Sultan said on Bloomberg Television. “Nobody has a 100% clear answer. We have to be competitive with our wages, but we also have to look at other ways to improve retention and make this industry a more attractive place to work.”

Heathrow last week blamed airlines and their ground handlers for the turmoil that’s been afflicting European travel for months as demand rebounds from the pandemic. Chief Executive Officer John Holland-Kaye said they’ve been too slow to recruit and that handlers including Menzies are in some cases not paying enough to compete with firms like Amazon.com Inc. as they seek staff.

Sultan said that while Kuwait-based Agility understands that it must invest to beef up the workforce, costs would need to be passed on and the airline industry right now is “not the ideal place to be looking to increase prices to customers.” Expenses would have to be offset “in a very measured way.”

He said the travel situation should improve over the next couple of quarters, and that in future the aviation industry as a whole needs to do better in anticipating demand and coordinating step changes in operations.

Edinburgh-based Menzies said Friday that its London Stock Exchange listing was canceled as of 7 a.m. after Agility completed the 571 million-pound ($694 million) takeover.

Agility’s National Aviation Services will take on the name and identity of the Scottish firm, which traces its origins back almost 190 years and provides ground handling, aircraft fueling and cargo services at more than 200 locations in about 40 countries.

NAS operates at about 55 airports across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Source: Bloomberg

Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific have expanded their cargo partnership to include Swiss WorldCargo, which they say will provide customers with more choice.  

The freight arm of Germany’s Lufthansa Group and the Hong Kong-based airline first set up their cargo joint business agreement in 2016, allowing them to coordinate sales, pricing, contracts, and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.  

Adding Swiss WorldCargo to the agreement will see the airlines initially cooperate on traffic from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt. Traffic to and from Hong Kong and the rest of Europe will be included in the expansion with Swiss WorldCargo later this year, the carriers said.  

The expanded partnership comes amidst a busy time for the air freight industry, with supply chain problems resulting from COVID-19 restrictions having boosted the importance of air freight as a method of transporting goods. Lufthansa Cargo has posted record financial results and says an end to the air cargo boom is not in sight.  

Swiss World Cargo is the air freight arm of Swiss International Air Lines, itself a part of the Lufthansa Group.  

“The addition of Swiss WorldCargo’s flights to the already large combined network of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA) will further bring Hong Kong, the world’s busiest air cargo hub, closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world’s great trade lanes,” commented Cathay Pacific Director Cargo Tom Owen in a statement on May 31, 2022.  

Lufthansa Cargo CEO Dorothea von Boxberg said cargo customers should gain quicker and easier shipping. “The expanded joint venture will generate numerous benefits for our customers because our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other effectively.” 

The carriers said the joint activities will be carried out in compliance with all relevant laws, including those in Hong Kong and the European Union. 

Source: Aerotime Hub

Delays in completion of international departure terminals at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are taking a toll on airlines due to occasional congestions at the facility, which has seen passengers miss connecting flights.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) started refurbishment of terminals 1B and C at the JKIA in January last year with the agency giving a commitment of completing the exercise in 12 months’ time.

Kenya Airways is one of the airlines that has raised concern over the delays occasioned by the long closure of these terminals, saying it has inconvenienced its departure time at the facility due to the slow processing of passengers.

“The delayed completion of terminals 1B and C is causing a lot of congestion at terminal 1A and long queues during peak time,” said Allan Kilavuka, the chief executive of KQ as the national carrier is known by its international code.

The delays have seen a number of passengers with connecting flights in other airports miss their trips as they arrive late at their next point of departure.

Currently, departing international passengers who would previously use the affected terminals go to Terminal A, creating congestion at the facility given the high number of airlines that have now been combined at the gate.

KAA managing director Alex Gitari did not respond to the Business Daily enquiries by the time of going to press.

KAA said last week that the number of passengers using the facility had grown significantly as the aviation sector returns to normalcy after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 menace in 2020.

An increase in traffic at the airport means that it is taking longer to process passengers before they get to board.

JKIA remains a major regional hub where transit passengers use the facility to connect flights to either US, Britain, or the Middle East.

The Sh936 million renovation programme by KAA on these terminals is meant to enhance security screening at the facility.

The refurbishment of the departure halls at the two terminals is also aimed at improving the check-in activity and enhancing the passenger lounge experience for the customers using the airport.

Its completion will also ease passenger flow and increase efficiency due to the centralisation of security screening procedures and the reallocation of available floor spaces to international departure gates.

KAA has in recent years cancelled a number of projects including the construction of a second runway and the Green Field terminal.

JKIA, Kenya’s main airport, is a major hub for passengers connecting to Europe and America among other destinations.

Kenya’s delay with the expansion of JKIA comes at a time when regional countries are revamping their airport infrastructure as they position themselves to attract global airlines.

Expansion of Tanzania’s main airport is currently on course, a project likely to reduce Dar es Salaam’s reliance on Nairobi for transit flights by some of the European airlines.

Kigali in Rwanda and Bole Airport in Addis Ababa have also been undergoing a facelift as they seek to become a major regional hub.

Source: Business Daily

As SAA and Kenya Airways make plans for a new pan-African airline, AviaDev Africa plays host to the discussions of opportunity and inspiration.

One of the biggest stories of African aviation this year is the tie-up between leading international carrier Kenya Airways and the rebirthed flagship airline South African Airways. Signed in November, the Strategic Partnership Framework anticipates improving profitability and bolstering financial strength for both airlines.

While details on the exact shape and size of this partnership remain to be seen, the venture is intended to provide strength in scale. Both carriers have lost traffic to African juggernaut Ethiopian Airlines, with Kenya posting a loss of $130.5 million in 2021. The story of SAA is well known, but with private investors now holding a majority stake, there is much hope for a better future.

Since the partnership agreement was firmed up, the two airlines have struck out in search of investors to support the new venture. They have also launched a headhunt for more airlines to join the cause, specifically seeking a third partner in the West Africa region, most likely from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana or Senegal.

This new airline group intends to unveil itself in 2023. But what will it look like, what will it be called, and will it work? Speaking at today’s AviaDev Africa conference, Simon Newton-Smith, Chief Operating Office for South African Airways, shed some more light on the plans for this new pan-African airline, and might have just found himself a new airline partner.

The Lufthansa model is applicable for Africa

Simon, although new to South African Airways, is an old hand in the aviation world. Among his previous appointments, he was a Vice President at Virgin Atlantic for a decade and a half, during which time the airline launched its joint venture with Delta. Harking back to those days, he provided us with some color on what we can expect from the new KQ/SAA venture.

“This is a model that exists around the world. And the most successful models that I’ve seen leverage the local brands, and the distribution of those brands in the home markets. I was fortunate enough to work within the Virgin Atlantic/Delta Air Lines joint venture, Virgin didn’t become Delta and Delta didn’t become Virgin. They both got unique strengths, and the goal is to leverage that.”

With this in mind, Simon anticipates both SAA and Kenya Airways retaining their own branding, Both have strong images and customers who are emotionally attached to those brands, so why would they want to change that? Any other airlines joining the venture would also retain their own identity. This is something that has not been tried in Africa in quite such a way in the past, but something we’re pretty familiar with in Europe.

“If you look at what the Lufthansa Group has achieved in Europe – these are airlines that, 20 years ago, figured out that they had to come together to be effective and efficient. They’ve done that really well. The Lufthansa Group is collective of multiple European brands, and there is absolutely a foundation for that model in Africa.”

The other thing Lufthansa does well is its segmentation, catering to all traveler markets. While SWISS, Brussels, Austrian and Lufthansa offer full-service options and business travel perks, Eurowings is one of the few low-cost offshoots from a full-service airline that has actually been a success. And now, long-haul low-cost is being tackled through the new Eurowings Discover brand.

How can this be replicated in Africa? Kenya Airways and SAA are both full-service airlines, offering valuable connectivity in long-haul leisure and business markets. But when it comes to that shorter haul, lower-cost travel, there’s a gap to be filled.

Is Air Botswana Africa’s answer to Eurowings?

Also, on the panel at AviaDev Africa was Getaneh WoldeMichael, Commercial Director of Air Botswana, who noted,

“Air Botswana is an airline that has been here for over 33 years. It has remained with the route network it is serving today, more or less, for all of those years.”

An airline that is not growing is not in a strong position, and WoldeMichael firmly believes that the route network should be grown. But justifying the need to go to further away destinations and launch new routes can be difficult.

Air Botswana has struggled to get into the black, running at a loss for more than a decade. It is 100% government-owned, despite efforts to privatize it several times in the past. It is around a year into a three-year strategic recovery plan, and privatization is on the table once more. But something else is on the table too, and that’s deeper partnership working, as WoldeMichael noted,

“Alliance partnerships are required to fill that gap [in the route network]. As you all know, Lufthansa came up with a new arm called Eurowings, which targets tourist destinations. There is no answer from Africa for that – Air Botswana would be very happy to be part of such a response.”

Before the panel closed, Simon Newtown-Smith beautifully illustrated the situation facing African airlines,

“Frankly, a lot of loss-making Airlines on this continent need to come together in some shape or form to have a sensible conversation with institutional investors … you can have a very different conversation with a good plan about connecting a continent that has got a runway of 10, 20, 30 years … that is the conversation need to have not a conversation about two aeroplanes for next year. That’s not going to work.”

Turning to WoldeMichael, Newton-Smith added, “We need to start talking soon.” Could Air Botswana become the next addition to the KQ/SAA pan-African alliance? While that remains to be seen, right there is a demonstration of the power of getting back together in person and the positive outcomes it can bring.

Source: Simple Flying

The Airports Council International (ACI) says global passenger traffic in 2022 will be significantly higher than during the previous two years due to the relaxation of travel restrictions and returning confidence in air travel. 

Global passenger traffic is expected to reach 77% of COVID-19 pandemic levels, with 7.1 billion passengers travelling through airports in 2022. The positive trends in 2022 will be driven by global domestic passenger traffic.  

However, ACI warned that much uncertainty still surrounds the air travel recovery, “especially in the medium to long term” due to geopolitical conflicts, higher inflation, the risk of economic downturn, supply chain bottlenecks, labor shortages and potential new outbreaks.  

According to the organization, global domestic passenger traffic is forecasted to reach pre-pandemic levels in late 2023, while global international passenger traffic is expected to reach pre-COVID levels in the second half of 2024. This is hampered by a sluggish recovery in Asia-Pacific and a slower recovery in global international travel. 

“With the combination of ‘vacation deprivation’ and an upsurge in confidence in air travel provided by increased vaccination rates and safety measures, the relaxation of travel restrictions will help boost the propensity for air travel and fuel the industry’s recovery,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. 

“With many countries taking steps towards the return to a certain normality, lifting almost all the health measures and travel restrictions, we expect a jump in air travel demand in the second half of 2022,” de Oliveira added. 

Source:  Aerotime Hub

Book a flight and you’ll usually get the option to pay to offset your carbon emissions. In essence, your contribution funds tree planting and other projects intended to counterbalance the carbon you emit.

It’s a clever marketing ploy. But carbon offsets are a dangerous distraction from the need to reduce emissions.

While global aviation emissions almost halved during the pandemic, they are predicted to reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year. In fact, they’re on track to rise a further 25 per cent by 2030 – with disastrous consequences for nature and climate vulnerable communities.

Carbon offset schemes perpetuate the idea that the climate crisis shouldn’t stop aviation from increasing. They assuage climate guilt, while passing the problem onto someone else.

Experts also agree they don’t work. In 2017, a European Commission report found that 85 per cent of offset schemes established under the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism failed to reduce emissions. And last year, the EU stopped counting offset schemes in emissions reductions targets.

There are better ways to cut your holiday emissions. So, what should travellers do instead?

Fly less and stay longer

Limiting the number of flights, you take is the simplest and most effective way to reduce your holiday carbon.

Data from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) calculates that a return economy flight from London to New York emits an estimated 0.62 tonnes of CO2 per passenger. That’s 11 per cent per of the average Briton’s annual carbon footprint, and equivalent to the average Ghanaian’s total emissions a year. The more you fly, the heavier your footprint will weigh.

So, fly less, and instead stay longer. You’ll enjoy a more relaxing holiday and an opportunity to explore your destination in more depth too.

Swap planes for trains

Making the journey part of your holiday is a feasible option across much of Europe. Good connections link a multitude of popular holiday destinations. Taking the train from London to Madrid, for example, emits an estimated 174 per cent less CO2 than flying according to the Ecopassenger calculator.

Responsible Travel now offers over 160 flight-free holidays to Europe, while other tour operators such as Byway Travel, Exodus, and Cycling For Softies offer train travel as part of their tour packages too. Alternatively, The Man in Seat 61 is an excellent resource for independent travellers wanting to travel by train.

If an international flight is unavoidable, cut out other domestic flights if you can and explore your destination at a slower pace overland.

Explore destinations actively, or with emissions-free transport

Human powered exploration is not only emission-free but often wonderfully unexpected and eventful. Walking, cycling, or kayaking gives a more intimate perspective to your holiday and can lead to memorable chance encounters with local people. Electric bikes can take the strain when lungs or legs can’t.

On the electric front, some safari lodges in places like Kruger National Park, South Africa or Ol Pejeta Reserve, Kenya, now have lower-emission electric safari vehicles available. These have the added benefit of being quieter and less disturbing for wildlife.

Watch your ‘foodprint’ on holiday

With 37 per cent of global greenhouse gases coming from food production, what you eat on holiday can significantly impact your total carbon footprint too.

Choosing to eat local limits how far your food travels before it hits your plate. Farmers markets and restaurants serving fresh, locally sourced produce are a good place to start. As a bonus, this usually gives you the chance to try local delicacies and discover the dishes that make your destination sing.

If you want to go one step further, a plant-based diet can reduce your personal footprint by up to 73 per cent.

New alternatives to carbon offsets

Major airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa and KLM have recently launched schemes which allow passengers to fund the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Mixed in a 50 per cent ratio with standard aviation fuel, SAFs have the potential to lower flight emissions by up to 80 per cent.

However, their long-term effectiveness in decarbonising travel is still unknown and these schemes are still voluntary and expensive. What impact they will have remains to be seen.

When you do fly, make it count

The pandemic has thrown into sharp relief what can happen when tourism stops.

According to non-profit Conservation International, COVID lockdowns drove an increase in illegal mining and deforestation in Colombia and Brazil. In Africa, the charity says, the collapse of the tourism industry has driven an “alarming increase” in poaching and wildlife trafficking.

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that tourism accounts for 319 million jobs globally. As well as protecting forests from more extractive industries, it funds crucial anti-poaching patrols, and has helped establish marine and terrestrial reserves that preserve global biodiversity.

Saving the planet will need both reductions in carbon emissions, plus extensive rewilding. If you do choose to fly, look for nature-positive holidays which actively benefit wildlife and habitats, and pick trips that ensure the money you spend ends up in local hands.

Carbon offsets aren’t even a sticking-plaster solution to our climate crisis.

Want to be a greener traveller? The truth is you’ll need to fly less and do more in your destination to reduce your carbon footprint. And when you do fly, make it count. You might find it makes for a more memorable holiday for you too.

Source: Euronews

Impact from the conflict in Ukraine on air travel has been limited, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

It further said effects of the Corona virus Omicron variant continued to be largely confined to Asian domestic markets.

The latest IATA industry report shows total traffic in March as measured in revenue passenger kilometers was up 76 per cent compared to March last year.

Although that was lower than the 115.9 per cent rise in February year-over-year demand, volumes in March were the closest to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, at 41 per cent below.

Domestic traffic was up 11.7 per cent compared to the year-ago, far below the 60.7 per cent year-over-year improvement recorded in February.

This largely was a result of the Omicron-related lock downs in China. March domestic revenue per customer was down 23.2 per cent versus March 2019.

International revenue per passenger rose 285.3 per cent compared to same period last year, exceeding the 259.2 per cent gain experienced in February versus the year-earlier period.

Most regions boosted their performance compared to the prior month, led by carriers in Europe.

“With barriers to travel coming down in most places, we are seeing the long-expected surge in pent-up demand finally being realised,” IATA’s director general Willie Walsh said.

He added that unfortunately, there are long delays at many airports with insufficient resources to handle the growing numbers.

”This must be addressed urgently to avoid frustrating consumer enthusiasm for air travel,” he said. 

African airlines had a 91.8 per cent rise in March compared to a year ago, improved compared to the 70.8 per cent year-over-year increase recorded in February.

 Air travel demand is challenged by low vaccination rates on the continent as well as impacts from rising inflation.

Capacity in March was up 49.9 per cent and load factor climbed 14.1 percentage points to 64.5 per cent.

European carriers continued to lead the recovery, with March traffic rising 425.4 per cent compared to same period last year. It improved 384.6 per cent the previous month.

 The impact of the war in Ukraine has been relatively limited outside of traffic to and from Russia and countries neighbouring the conflict.

Capacity rose 224.5 per cent, and load factor climbed 27.8 percentage points to 72.7 per cent.

Europe was followed by Middle Eastern airlines’ whose traffic rose 245.8 per cent during the month under review compared to similar period last year.

March capacity rose 96.6 per cent versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 31.1 percentage points to 72.1 per cent.

Latin American airlines ‘March traffic rose 239.9 per cent compared to the same month last year, a little change from the 241.9 per cent increase in February.

 The region benefited from the end of bankruptcy procedures for some of the main carriers based there.

March capacity rose 173.2 per cent and load factor increased 15.8 percentage points to 80.3 per cent, which was the highest load factor among the regions for the 18th consecutive month.

North American carriers experienced a 227.8 per cent traffic rise in March, slightly down on the 237.3 per cent rise in February.

Capacity rose 91.9 per cent, and load factor climbed 31.2 percentage points to 75.4 per cent.

Source: The Star