Total air passenger traffic in June 2023 grew by 31% year-on-year as the post-Covid recovery momentum continued, reaching 94.2% of the pre-pandemic levels, says the IATA. The association said that for the first half of 2023, global revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs) was up 47.2% compared to the year-ago period, although recovery trends varied across regions. “Domestic traffic increased 27.2% y-o-y in June, surpassing pre-pandemic RPKs by 5.1%. This result was driven by the robust performance of major domestic markets,” it said in its latest passenger market analysis report. IATA said total international RPKs grew 33.7% from June 2022 levels, maintaining the strong recovery seen this year. “Notably, Asia-Pacific carriers sustained their growth momentum, buoyed by the region’s resilient air travel demand,” it added. IATA DG Willie Walsh said the northern summer travel season got off to a strong start in June with double-digit demand growth and average load factors topping 84%. “Planes are full, which is good news for airlines, local economies, and travel and tourism-dependent jobs. All benefit from the industry’s ongoing recovery,” he said in a statement.<br/>
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Facing a shortage of air traffic controllers, the FAA said Wednesday that it will let airlines continue to limit flights in the New York City area into October without penalties that they would normally face for such reductions. Airlines that fail to use enough of their takeoff and landing rights or “slots” at those airports risk losing them to competitors. The FAA said, however, it will extend current easing of those rules through Oct. 28 because the staffing shortage is beyond the control of the airlines. The waivers were set to expire Sept. 15, after the peak summer travel season. Airlines including Delta, American, United and JetBlue had agreed to cuts at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. “The relief provided by the FAA during the peak of the summer season has provided stability at the NYC area airports,” the FAA said. The agency said canceled flights at the three big New York City-area airports from May 15 through June 30 fell 40% from the same period last year. The FAA said airlines have reduced their New York flights this summer by 6%, but increased the number of seats by 2% by using larger planes on average. The waiver of penalties also applies to some flights at Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C. United Airlines, which has cut flights at its big hub in Newark, and trade group Airlines for America had asked FAA to extend the penalty waivers.<br/>
Several flights between Vancouver and Maui have been cancelled, according to Canadian airlines, as a wildfire tears across the Hawaiian island. At least six people have been killed as a result of the fire, which has forced residents and tourists alike to flee. Thomson Reuters reports that some people were forced to jump into the ocean to escape the smoke and fire, and winds from a nearby hurricane continued to fan the flames and increase fire behaviour. A WestJet spokesperson confirmed that two flights from YVR International Airport to Kahului, flight numbers WS1852 and WS1853, were cancelled Wednesday, adding that flights are being rescheduled for Friday, Aug. 11. The airline says it's working to notify passengers of these plans. In response to the Maui wildfires, a travel advisory has been posted on flights and vacation packages and flexible change/cancel guidelines have been announced for all guests travelling to Kahului, Maui, between Aug. 9 and 11, 2023. "We continue to monitor the situation closely and will make operational changes in the name of safety as necessary," WestJet said. "All guests currently in the region are advised to follow all response instructions provided by local authorities." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Air Canada told CBC Wednesday that Tuesday's flight from Maui to Vancouver was cancelled because the fire was impeding access to the airport. <br/>
Around 230 workers at London Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport, will take eight days of strike action this month over pay disputes, the Unite trade union said on Wednesday, warning of flight disruptions during the peak summer travel period. Ground handlers, passenger assistance and other airport workers at Gatwick have been negotiating with various employers including Red Handling, Wilson James, Menzies and ASC, in separate pay disputes. Last month some planned strikes were called off after workers received improved pay offers. However on Wednesday Unite said workers from Red Handling and Wilson James would take industrial action. The latest strikes, which will take place in various tranches from Aug. 18-28, ending on the day of a bank holiday for most of Britain, will disrupt or delay over 200 flights during the first four days, Unite said. "Red Handling and Wilson James need to wake up and smell the coffee, other employers at the airport are prepared to pay the going rate and there is no excuse why they shouldn’t do the same," Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. "There is no way our members will accept a real terms pay cut and poverty pay." Hundreds of thousands of workers in Britain have been taking strike action since last year as pay rises fail to keep up with high inflation.<br/>
Two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-16 fighter jets were scrambled on Wednesday afternoon after a Malaysia-registered helicopter flew over the Singapore Strait east of Changi Airport. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said in a joint statement that the warplanes were scrambled at 12.40pm. “After ensuring that our security was not compromised, the F-16s were subsequently stood down,” the statement said. “Preliminary checks indicate that the helicopter is of a civilian type and registered to a foreign company.” Operations at Changi Airport were affected between 12.50pm and 1.28pm as a result, with nine arrival flights and 11 outbound aircraft delayed. Mindef and CAAS were responding to a query from The Straits Times, after social media platform X user @alert5 posted at 1.10pm about Singapore scrambling F-16 planes in response to a Malaysia-registered helicopter entering the airspace near Changi Airport.<br/>
The government’s air navigation agency has conceded its staffing issues have led to flight delays and cancellations, with Australia’s biggest airlines calling on the body to remediate the problem as soon as possible. Airservices Australia CE Jason Harfield said the business was dedicated to rectifying air traffic controller issues, which were responsible for close to 20 per cent of delays at the country’s four biggest airports this financial year. “Regrettably, Airservices has not consistently delivered the service standard we expect of ourselves and relied upon by our customers and stakeholders. While aviation safety performance has been maintained, the efficiency and consistency of the network, at times, has been impacted and constrained, hampering the recovery,” he said. Air traffic controllers manage the flow of aircraft into, out of, and between airports across the country. But since flying resumed after COVID-19, delays and cancellations have markedly increased due to a lack of controllers. Although weather is the main reason Airservices delays an arrival or departure, airlines and airports have become frustrated with the body’s historic reluctance to accept its workforce issues. Airservices now provides data that shows the extent it is responsible for delays and cancellations at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports on any given month. Over the financial year, Airservices said it delivered more than 99 per cent of air traffic service levels nationally, but conceded the number of delays and cancellations caused by a lack of controllers was unsatisfactory. The data shows the bulk of the delays affected Brisbane and Sydney airports over the year, with January and June the most affected months. Smaller airports including Ballina, Albury and Alice Springs also struggle with a lack of controllers but are not monitored in the same way.<br/>
Boeing has for the first time revealed the sales breakdown for its 737 Max family, with the developmental -10 closing in on the 1,000-order mark. Although the baseline 737 Max 8 remains the most popular variant – Boeing has unfilled orders for 2,751 examples and has already delivered 965 jets – the Max 10 is the next most popular family member, with the airframer sitting on an undelivered backlog of 810 aircraft. The largest aircraft in the Max family, capable of carrying up to 230 passengers, the Max 10 is the only aircraft in Boeing’s narrowbody line-up capable of competing with the Airbus A321neo, particularly its long-range LR and XLR variants. Boeing advertises the 737 Max 10 as capable of carrying 188-204 passengers in a two-class layout on routes of up to 3,100nm (5,740km), versus 180-220 for the A321XLR, which has an advertised range of 4,700nm. Both aircraft are currently in development and are expected to enter service next year. Meanwhile, the high-density 737 Max 8-200 has attracted 468 net orders, with 124 aircraft delivered as of 31 July. Irish budget carrier Ryanair accounts for almost 45% of the total, having placed orders for 210 examples. Additionally, thanks to its May 2023 order for 150 737 Max 10s, plus 150 options, Ryanair also accounts for nearly 20% of that model’s backlog. Rounding out the narrowbody line-up are the 737 Max 9 – Boeing has delivered 187 units and holds unfilled orders for 137 aircraft – and the Max 7, with 297 orders. The latter jet is set to enter service next year following a recent schedule adjustment. The total undelivered backlog for the 737 Max family at the end of July stood at 4,339 aircraft.<br/>