Airlines are finding it hard to clamp down on instances of racism and sexual harassment, with just one in 20 leading to offenders being removed from planes, according to data from the industry’s own trade group. Last year saw 350 reported cases of “inappropriate touching” and racial, homophobic and ageist abuse on flights, the provisional IATA figures show. Police or security officers became involved in only 178 of the incidents, with 141 resulting in nothing more than a warning. And just 17 passengers were taken off the aircraft. Several well-publicised incidents in the past year have led to criticism of airlines, which at times have appeared more concerned with keeping flights on schedule than addressing miscreants. A video showing a white man abusing a black woman sitting close to him on a Ryanair Holdings Plc flight went viral in October, for example, while policies toward harassment have come under increased scrutiny with the rise of the #MeToo campaign. The IATA figures, the first collated on so-called hate crimes on aircraft, come after it has previously focused more on highlighting a jump in drunkenness and violence. The group, which represents close to 300 airlines, says there are some obstacles to the industry improving its record. “There should be zero tolerance to this,” said Tim Colehan, assistant director of external affairs at IATA. “However, it requires people to be willing to report to crew and sometimes for there to be witnesses. And if a country doesn’t have the jurisdiction to intervene the accused will just be released.”<br/>
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IATA is signalling that global cargo revenue is forecast to rise more than 5% year-over-year to $116b in 2019, driven in part by a continued robust (albeit slower) global economic outlook as well as the recent substantial fall in oil prices. According to IATA chief economist Brian Pearce, cargo volumes are forecast to grow 3.7% in 2019, a little slower than 2018 considering trade pressures but still positive. “We expect expansion to continue in 2019,” Pearce said. The cargo business, IATA said, has made a large contribution to airline revenues in the past three years, helping to offset falling base fares. “Next year we estimate that cargo revenues of over $116 billion will represent more than 13% of airline revenues,” Pearce said. In the last year, airlines have added over 1,300 new city pair connections, bringing the total to more than 21,000 connections, an increase of available lanes—along which trade, global supply chains and air cargo flow—that have more than doubled in the past 20 years.<br/>
Flying isn't great for the environment, but some airlines are better than others at keeping their carbon footprint as minimal as possible. Which is the most CO2 efficient? Environmental group atomsfair says its 2018 Airline Index has the answer. The German organisation has ranked the carbon emissions of global airlines per km and per passenger, calculated by examining the types of aircraft the carrier favors, seat and freight capacity and occupancy on the flight -- plus what kind of engines and winglets are used. Ranking highest are airlines that squeeze as many passengers as possible into aircraft and those that favor up-to-date airplanes that use less fuel, chiefly the Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-900 and the A320neo First on the list is British carrier TUI Airways, with a 79.3 efficiency rating. Atmosfair says TUI's near-maximum seating capacities helped propel it to the top. At number two in the overall ranking is Chilean Brazilian carrier LATAM, which is known for using efficient aircraft. Third place goes to China West Air, a regional Chinese airline that serves only short and medium distance routes, but with dense seating and high occupancy levels. Atmosfair says the objective of the report, compiled using data from bodies such as the ICAO and the IATA, is "to make climate efficiency a factor of competition among the airlines."<br/>
Brazil's President Michel Temer Thursday signed a provisional order that would lift limits on foreign ownership of airlines in the country, his chief of staff said. The measure gets rid of a 20% cap on the proportion of an airline that can be in foreign hands, allowing up to 100% foreign ownership. "This resolves one of the principal problems in Brazilian aviation, which is the source of financing for airlines," said chief of staff Eliseu Padilha, who briefly headed the civil aeronautics department in the previous government and previously served as transport minister. Padilha said the order will take effect immediately but required congressional approval in 2019 to be fixed in place. He predicted it would stimulate competition in the Brazilian market by attracting new companies and opening new routes. Temer's government, which steps down at the end of December, is also hoping the measure will boost tourism. Embratur, the Brazilian state tourism promotion agency, hailed the move and said it would help increase air travel connections.<br/>
China’s aviation regulator has put out an action plan targeted at building the country into an aviation powerhouse. These include building competitive airlines with extensive networks, expansive international hubs and domestic airports, a safe and efficient air traffic management system, as well as being able to lead the development of the international civil aviation industry. Up to 2020, the focus will be on meeting the needs of the rapidly developing industry, and meeting shortfalls in areas such as infrastructure and airspace capacity, as well as personnel training. Thereafter, Beijing wants to become a global leader in air transport. The Civil Aviation Administration of China adds that to build internationally competitive airlines, it will encourage the re-organisation of carriers, global mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic co-operation. It will also support the development of low-cost carriers, as well as regional and cargo airlines. By 2035, China is targeting to have 450 airports, almost double the number of Chinese gateways at present. <br/>
Boeing is poised to open its first 737 finishing plant in China, underscoring the company’s commitment to the world’s largest aircraft market amid simmering trade tension. The planemaker will inaugurate its completion and delivery center in Zhoushan, 90 miles southeast of Shanghai, on Saturday, after more than a year of construction. The facility marks a rare industrial foray outside of the US for Boeing and a joint venture with state-owned planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd. While the plant was sent in motion before US President Donald Trump was elected, the ribbon-cutting risks being overshadowed by his tit-for-tat on duties with China on products ranging from cars, machinery to pork and soybeans. A three-month truce announced earlier this month has been under threat since the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.’s CFO in Canada after the US sought her extradition on allegations of violating Iran sanctions. Chinese workers at the new plant will put the finishing touches on US-built planes flown over from a Seattle-area factory, before delivering them to local customers. “It’s difficult to overestimate the importance right now of China as a customer,” said Ken Herbert, analyst with Canaccord Genuity.<br/>
The African Civil Aviation Commission, the body responsible for implementing intra-African Open Skies, has named former Ethiopian CAA DG Tefera Mekonnen as its next secretary general. Mekonnen, who is currently AFCAC air transport director, was named as the body’s next SG during an AFCAC plenary session held in Livingstone, Zambia on Dec. 3. “An official statement will be done soon. The official appointment is on the Jan. 7, 2019,” an AFCAC spokesperson said. He succeeds Iyabo Sosina, whose term ended in January 2018. Since Sosina stepped down, AFCAC has been headed on an interim basis by Papa Atoumane Fall.<br/>