The US CDC is set to end on Friday mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China, joining other countries in dropping the requirements, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters. Last week, Japan dropped a requirement that everyone take a test for the virus upon arrival from China. The source told Reuters the United States would continue to monitor cases in China and around the world. The U.S. decision was reported earlier by the Washington Post.The CDC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The United States in early January joined India, Canada, Italy, Japan and other countries in taking new measures after Beijing's decision to lift stringent zero-COVID policies. It required new air passengers 2 and older to get a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macao. China was battered with a surge in COVID-19 cases after it abruptly abandoned its zero-COVID policy in early December, unleashing the virus on its 1.4b population. In February, China's top leaders declared a "major victory" over COVID, claiming the world's lowest fatality rate, although experts have questioned that data. The United States in December expanded its voluntary genomic sequencing program at airports, adding Seattle and Los Angeles. The source told Reuters Tuesday the CDC would keep that program, known as the Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program, which asks travelers to volunteer to help with early detection of new variants. TGS will continue to monitor flights from the China and regional transportation hubs, as well as flights from more than 30 other countries, the source said.<br/>
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Amsterdam Schiphol’s air traffic control service has introduced a time-based spacing tool for arriving aircraft, intended to improve runway efficiency in various weather conditions. Air navigation service LVNL implemented the approach system on 26 January, following a three-year development programme conducted in co-operation with UK counterpart NATS and technology firm Leidos. The tool – known as ‘Intelligent Approach’ – is designed to support sequencing of aircraft in the arrival stream, particularly during weather conditions involving strong headwinds.<br/>Headwinds interfere with normal fixed-distance sequencing, reducing landing rates and leading to delays. The tool employs dynamic calculation of optimum time intervals between arriving aircraft based on the aircraft type and live weather data. Air traffic controllers are able to view this information on their display screens. LVNL director of operations Jose Daenen says the tool will contribute to improving runway capacity utilisation, cutting delays and emissions. “It also enables us to maximise the use of noise-abatement preferential runways,” he adds. The tool has already been introduced at London Heathrow and, last year, Toronto Pearson. NATS says the Heathrow implementation, which took place in 2015, has cut headwind-related delays by more than 60%. It adds that it is working with Leidos UK to develop a version of the tool specifically aimed at increasing the efficiency of mixed-mode airports.<br/>
Australians are still paying significantly more for air travel than before the pandemic, with some routes more than twice as expensive as four years ago, but prices are starting to drop. Lower fuel costs, more available seats on domestic routes and a drop in demand from the Christmas peak contributed to a 13% decline in average prices in January, analysis by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found. But the consumer watchdog says air fares are still 13% above pre-pandemic levels in real terms, with discounted tickets 25% higher than in February 2019. The cheapest fares between Coffs Harbour and Sydney almost tripled over the period to $338, while flights from Adelaide to Melbourne and Adelaide to Brisbane doubled to $298 and $455, respectively. However, economic factors should enable airlines to continue dropping fares in coming months, the ACCC commissioner, Anna Brakey, said. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent oil prices to record highs in mid-2022, the price of jet fuel has declined by 35% and continues to trend downwards. While 5.9m seats were made available in January, the highest in more than six months, only 4.4m passengers flew within Australia, an 11% reduction on pre-pandemic levels. In more good news for travellers, delays and cancellations also fell, with 23.9% of flights arriving late, down from 25.8% in December.<br/>