ICAO has issued a new state letter that draws the attention of national governments to new measures aimed at ensuring safe aviation operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to a contingency coordination website that ICAO will establish through 31 March 2021. The letter was issued by ICAO’s Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, and comes as global aviation service providers and personnel are facing challenges in terms of maintaining the validity of their certifications, licenses and other types of official operating approvals. Many of the related challenges are resulting directly from social distancing guidelines, current business closures and other public health measures. Liu noted: “There are approximately 650,000 licensed personnel supporting commercial air transport worldwide. If a fraction of those personnel is affected by the pandemic measures, the potential for the disruption may be significant. In order to facilitate safe operations during these difficult times, I encourage states to be flexible in their approaches while, at the same time, adhering to their obligations under the Convention on International Civil Aviation.”<br/>
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The IATA has announced the release of the 2019 Safety Report showing continuing improvements in airline safety compared to 2018 and to the preceding five years. All major 2019 safety performance indicators improved compared to 2018 and to the average of the 2014-2018 period. Story has data. “The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is aviation’s highest priority. The release of the 2019 Safety Report is a reminder that even as aviation faces its deepest crisis, we are committed to making aviation even safer. Based on the 2019 fatality risk, on average, a passenger could take a flight every day for 535 years before experiencing an accident with one fatality on board. But we know that one accident is one too many. Every fatality is a tragedy and it is vital that we learn the correct lessons to make aviation even safer,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s DG and CEO. In 2019, the all accident rate for airlines on the IOSA registry was nearly two times better than that of non-IOSA airlines (0.92 vs. 1.63) and it was more than two-and-a-half times better over the 2014-18 period (1.03 vs. 2.71). All IATA member airlines are required to maintain their IOSA registration. <br/>
More than 250 trades unions and environment groups have signed an open letter opposing plans for bailing out the aviation industry. The letter to governments demands that any bailouts lead to better labour conditions and a cut in emissions. They say aviation should make changes already evident in other sectors amid the coronavirus lockdown. Thanks to a long-standing treaty, international aviation has largely been able to make its own rules. The campaigners say this must change now that firms are asking for new favours from governments. Their informal group is called “Stay Grounded”. Its spokesperson Magdalena Heuwieser said: “For decades the aviation industry has avoided contributing meaningfully to global climate goals and resisted the merest suggestion of taxes on fuel or tickets... We cannot let the aviation industry get away with privatising profits in the good times, and expect the public to pay for its losses in the bad times.” IATA has conducted what it calls an “aggressive” global campaign aimed at persuading governments to introduce measures softening the effect of the virus emergency. It’s asking for the immediate reduction of all charges and taxes; deferral of any planned increases in charges and taxes for 6-12 months; and the creation of funds to help airlines restart or maintain routes. It says without such measures, many airlines will go bankrupt – leading to the loss of routes and damage to the economy, as well as thousands of job losses. Story has more.<br/>
More than a half-dozen US carriers have applied for federal relief money to help keep them running and their front-line workers on the job amid the unprecedented drop in airline traffic caused by the novel coronavirus. American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and United are among the airlines that filed applications by the Friday deadline guaranteeing them fast consideration for their share of the $2t economic rescue package approved by Congress last month. Carriers will now work with the Treasury Department to negotiate the terms of a possible deal. A spokesman for Southwest confirmed that the carrier had submitted an application but, citing confidentiality around ongoing negotiations, said the airline would provide no additional details. “The applications are not public, and we are not at liberty to discuss the details as the next several days could involve conversations regarding the terms of an agreement,” a spokesman said. “This is a brand-new program and is happening very quickly so it would be difficult to speak to timing or details in process at this time.” In a statement that accompanied its Friday filing, United said the money would help protect the paychecks of more than 93,000 employees. Whether carriers applied for grants, loans or both was not clear. Delta and Alaska Airlines indicated in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that they applied only for grants. Southwest also said it had applied for grant money. The rescue law requires the Treasury Department to disclose any loans within 72 hours.<br/>
US airlines are extending loyalty program benefits and status into 2021 for members homebound because of the new coronavirus. Business and leisure travel have virtually ground to a halt worldwide, forcing airlines to drastically reduce flying schedules and ground their jets. Before the pandemic, carriers had been actively courting business or first-class travelers in particular to boost revenue as competition intensified. United is extending current members’ MileagePlus Premier status through January 2022, reducing thresholds for Premier qualification by 50%, offering more credit card points and making it easier to upgrade seating. Delta is extending its SkyMiles Medallion Members’ status as well as the expiration dates for upgrade certificates and travel vouchers. American Airlines Group Monday had no updates on its elite program, but said it was continuing to assess the situation. Airlines are also offering waivers on change fees, and in some cases refunds, for travel booked in the next month or two. Terms and conditions vary by airline.<br/>
Airlines, airports and regulators have given their backing to a plan to turn large passenger aircraft into intensive care wards during the coronavirus pandemic, a UK-based group working on the idea said Monday. The group, calling themselves Caircraft, believe that big aircraft like A380s and A340s, which are grounded due to coronavirus travel restrictions, could be stripped down and refitted with ICU beds and equipment in seven to ten days. Between 100-150 beds could fit on each aircraft depending on the size of the jet under the group’s design plans, and it is now waiting for government support for funding and coordination. “We’ve had various conversations at various levels. And we absolutely appreciate how busy they are with everything else going on,” aviation economist Chris Tarry said of contact with government. “It’s a question of reaching the right desks at the right time.” The group is also talking to the US government, Canada, Germany and Malaysia about the idea, Dyne said.<br/>
Changi Airport's Terminal 2 will suspend operations for 18 months from May 1, as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact the aviation sector, Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan announced in Parliament on Monday. Airlines currently operating at the 30-year-old terminal will be relocated to the airport's other three terminals,Khaw said. Singapore Airlines will consolidate its operations at Terminal 3. Khaw added that the suspension of operations would allow airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) - together with retailers, airlines and ground handling firms - to save on running costs during this time. "Importantly, it also allows us to speed up the current upgrading works at Terminal 2 and shorten the project time by up to one year," Khaw said. CAG had in January announced upgrading works for T2 that would allow it to handle an additional 5m passengers a year. This was scheduled to be completed by 2024. With the suspension of operations at T2, the completion of expansion works for the terminal could be brought forward by up to a year, said CAG. Meanwhile, operations at Terminal 4 have been "scaled down considerably" in light of the "very small number" of flights there, said CAG.<br/>
Boeing announced Monday it is suspending production of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft "until further notice" due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on workers and suppliers. Shuttering the South Carolina plant on Wednesday halts production at the last of the aviation giant's US commercial aircraft facilities. Boeing, which employs more than 161,000 people, the vast majority in the United States, already suspended activity indefinitely at its factories in Washington state. The company had been struggling with the grounding of its 737 MAX aircraft after two deadly crashes when the COVID-19 outbreak hit, halting most air travel worldwide and leading some airlines to cancel orders for new aircraft. "It is our commitment to focus on the health and safety of our teammates while assessing the spread of the virus across the state, its impact on the reliability of our global supply chain and that ripple effect on the 787 program," said Brad Zaback, VP and general manager of the 787 program. He said employees who cannot work remotely will receive paid leave for 10 working days, which is double the company policy, and will continue to receive all benefits.<br/>
Officials have disinfected Terminal 3 at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport before it opens for passengers after around two months of closure. In January, China shut down all modes of transport to and from Wuhan city, which was the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak. The airport is set to reopen on 8 April after the travel restrictions are lifted in the city. Wuhan Tianhe International Airport is situated 26km north of Wuhan City and operates direct flights to New York, London, San Francisco, Paris, Rome and Moscow. Xinhua quoted terminal management head Ye Tao as saying that the disinfection process for the 570,000m² area in the terminal was carried out by 161 professionals.<br/>