The backlog of air passenger complaints at Canada's transport regulator has hit a new high topping 57,000, as dissatisfaction over cancellations and compensation persist three and a half years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers reveal that an average of more than 3,000 complaints per month have piled up at the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) over the past year, with the current tally well over three times the total from September 2022. Vancouver residents Chad Kerychuk and Melissa Oei say they are mulling a complaint after they arrived in Halifax six hours later than planned on a flight from their hometown in August 2021 and found themselves separated on board despite buying pricier tickets to select side-by-side spots in advance. The couple said WestJet has rejected their request for a partial refund. "More than a year has lapsed since the departure date and the claim period has expired. As such, your claim cannot be approved," WestJet told them in an email. Kerychuk said the response "feels like a wrong way to treat loyal customers" after years of opting for that carrier over competitors. "There was no effort made to support us, because we supported them during the pandemic. And I thought that was completely unfair," he said in a phone interview. WestJet notified customers the disruption was caused by "unplanned maintenance," an exclusion from compensation rules that the federal government says will soon be unavailable to carriers. In June, the government passed legislation to overhaul Canada's passenger rights charter, laying out measures to toughen penalties and tighten loopholes around traveller compensation as well as streamline the complaints process. "There will be no more loopholes where airlines can claim a disruption is caused by something outside of their control for a security reason when it's not," then-transport minister Omar Alghabra told reporters in April.<br/>
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Saudi airlines disbursed a substantial SR58m ($15.4m) in compensation to travelers during the 2021-2022 period, the General Authority of Civil Aviation has revealed. In an official statement, GACA emphasized that these reimbursements addressed a range of customer concerns, including delays, loss of luggage, flight cancellations, and disruptions to flight schedules. This initiative aligns with the authority’s commitment to protecting passenger rights. It also serves as a precursor to the upcoming regulations set to take effect on Nov. 20, aimed at advancing operations and supporting the Kingdom’s growth objectives in the aviation sector. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Dahmash, executive vice president for quality and passenger experience at GACA, said the organization "remains steadfast in its commitment to implementing regulations that enhance choice, value, and service quality for passengers.” He further stressed the importance of “robust protections for passenger rights in cultivating a competitive aviation sector that serves both the Kingdom and its travelers.” The announcement serves as a formal reminder to airlines, their representatives, and agents to adhere to the new regulations. This initiative is part of GACA’s broader goal of achieving public interest through the impartial implementation of regulations, ultimately enhancing passenger satisfaction and the overall travel experience within Saudi Arabia. “Beyond safeguarding passenger rights, GACA is devoted to facilitating a transparent and efficient complaint process,” Al-Dahmash explained. “We aim to ensure that passengers are well informed about their rights and can easily navigate the process for obtaining refunds as per the regulations,” he added. In a previous statement made in August, GACA announced that compensations, in some cases, would increase to 150 to 200% of the original ticket value. <br/>
Russian federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia’s veteran head, Alexander Neradko, has been replaced by deputy Dmitry Yadrov. Neradko has arguably been the most senior figure in Russian civil aviation oversight for some 15 years, having led Rosaviatsia since 2009. Prime minister Mikhail Mishustin issued an order on 15 September confirming Neradko had been “relieved of his position”, without elaborating on the reasons. On the previous day, however, Mishustin formally signed a “declaration of gratitude” from the government to Neradko, citing his “many years of conscientious work” and his “great contribution to the development of domestic civil aviation”. Neradko specialised in air safety during the 1990s, having previously worked as an aircraft engineer, and has been appointed to several senior positions since 2000 – among them the head of federal transport supervisor Rostransnadzor and the federal air navigation service. He has steered Rosaviatsia through the pandemic and had remained in charge during the upheaval triggered by the Ukrainian conflict, during which Russian commercial flights to a number of countries have been blocked under international sanctions and Russian airspace, in retaliation, has been closed. The situation also led the Russian government to retain, and re-register, large numbers of Western-built leased aircraft to maintain airline services, despite safety concerns from international organisations and legal action from lessors. Neradko’s successor, Dmitry Yadrov, has previously worked in various positions at the Russian air traffic management corporation and joined Rosaviatsia as a deputy head in 2019, undertaking activities relating to flight operations and airport infrastructure development. Rosaviatsia says Yadrov’s priorities will centre on maintaining airworthiness of the aircraft fleets, certifying new Russian-built types, and development of the unmanned aerial vehicle sector.<br/>
More than 510,000 passengers travelled between Singapore and China in August, making it the first month passenger traffic between the two countries exceeded 500,000 since the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Based on figures released by airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Sunday, passenger traffic to and from China rebounded in August to 72% of pre-pandemic levels. In August 2019, there were 713,000 passenger movements between the two countries. The August passenger traffic figures were also more than seven times that for January, when there were just 69,000 passenger movements between Singapore and China. In August, there were about 2,600 scheduled passenger flights between Singapore and China that departed from or landed at Changi Airport. That represents a 76% recovery from pre-Covid-19 levels. This surge in passenger traffic came after the reopening of China’s borders and the lifting of its quarantine restrictions in January. Changi’s top three markets by traffic for the first eight months of 2023 were Indonesia, Malaysia and China.<br/>
The Thai government should consider developing a low-cost dedicated airport or terminal, especially for the two new airports in Chiang Mai and Phuket, to accelerate tourism growth, according to Tony Fernandes, co-founder of AirAsia. "Most tourists are travelling through low-cost carriers," said Fernandes, who is also CE of Capital A, the owner of AirAsia. "Low-cost carriers will continue to be a big driver for tourism in the long run." Fernandes said low-cost airports could be built more quickly. He said low-cost airlines like AirAsia normally require simpler facilities with fewer operational costs and airport taxes compared to full-service carriers. In comparison, terminals should have more choices such as three-star and five-star hotels that can serve different segments of travellers. The Airport Authority of Thailand is studying the two new airports for major destinations in Chiang Mai and Phuket, in line with the policy announced by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Fernandes said he was happy to see Mr Srettha's determination to drive the tourism sector as it contributes a major part of the country's GDP. He suggested Thailand could secure faster growth if the government adjusted some airport plans, such as transforming the existing Phuket International Airport to accommodate only full-service airlines and dedicate the new airport project in Phangnga to low-cost carriers. "Thailand desperately needs airports," said Fernandes. "I would like to encourage the government to develop tourism beyond Bangkok and Phuket." He said governments in Southeast Asia should also ease the visa application process by using more online services and providing security through the use of technology for seamless travel.<br/>
The Department of Energy said it has taken the first steps towards getting airlines ready for the global adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) starting in 2027. “The use of SAF is intended to reduce the carbon footprint associated with aviation operations. This alternative fuel source, derived from renewable feedstock, holds the potential to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while ensuring the highest safety and performance standard,” Energy Undersecretary Alessandro O. Sales said. “The DoE is working to establish the necessary framework and regulations to support the adoption of SAF,” he added. SAF adoption is an initiative of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which has put forward the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The CORSIA timetable requires member states to start complying with the carbon offset requirements by 2024-2026, followed by the mandatory phasing in of SAF in 2027-2035. According to the DoE, SAF is an “environmentally sustainable and chemically identical alternative to fossil fuel-based aviation fuel.” The Philippines joined CORSIA in December 2018 through the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).<br/>
The same Ohio river valley where the Wright brothers pioneered human flight will soon be manufacturing cutting-edge electric planes that take off and land vertically, under an agreement announced Monday between the state and Joby Aviation Inc. “When you’re talking about air taxis, that’s the future,” Republican Gov. Mike DeWine told The Associated Press. “We find this very, very exciting — not only for the direct jobs and indirect jobs it’s going to create, but like Intel, it’s a signal to people that Ohio is looking to the future. This is a big deal for us.” Around the world, electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL aircraft are entering the mainstream, though questions remain about noise levels and charging demands. Still, developers say the planes are nearing the day when they will provide a wide-scale alternative to shuttle individual people or small groups from rooftops and parking garages to their destinations, while avoiding the congested thoroughfares below. Joby’s decision to locate its first scaled manufacturing facility at a 57-hectare site at Dayton International Airport delivers on two decades of groundwork laid by the state’s leaders, Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. Importantly, the site is near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the headquarters of the US Air Force Research Laboratories. “For a hundred years, the Dayton area has been a leader in aviation innovation,” Husted said. “But capturing a large-scale manufacturer of aircraft has always eluded the local economy there. With this announcement, that aspiration has been realized.” Joby’s production aircraft is designed to transport a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 321.87 km per hour, with a maximum range of 160.93 km. Its quiet noise profile is barely audible against the backdrop of most cities, the company said. The plan is to place them in aerial ridesharing networks beginning in 2025.<br/>
Airbus is to collaborate with hydrogen-electric propulsion specialist ZeroAvia on approaches to certification for power systems which use hydrogen, and co-operate in such technical areas as fuelling operations and fuel-cell testing. ZeroAvia has disclosed the collaboration as Airbus – along with several other entities – participate in a new financing round for the company, which is developing hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains. “For ZeroAvia to now have investors such as Airbus coming on board is the strongest possible validation of the prospects for hydrogen-electric propulsion technology,” says CE Val Miftakhov. The company states that the investment and co-operation will enable it to “accelerate progress” towards certifying its initial engine, the ZA600, which is intended for service entry in 2025. The powerplant is designed for aircraft up to 20 seats and is being tested on a Dornier 228. ZeroAvia is also developing a larger engine, the ZA2000, aiming to test it on a De Havilland Dash 8-400 supplied by Alaska Airlines – one of the companies taking part in the funding round. Airbus is pursuing its own hydrogen-powered aircraft programme, ZEROe, with a view to service entry by 2035. ZEROe vice-president Glenn Llewellyn says ZeroAvia’s technology is “in a strong position” for further development, adding that its support for a wider hydrogen ecosystem – including certification and fuel supply – complements Airbus’s own ambitions. Airbus is co-leading the latest financing with Saudi Arabia’s Neom Investment Fund, which is linked to the kingdom’s ambitious future sustainable city project, as well as Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital. Alaska Airlines is participating alongside such entities as Horizons Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Ecosystem Integrity Fund.<br/>