A Frontier A320 in Phoenix (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Frontier is adding two more crew bases as it pivots to a more ‘out-and-back’ network strategy. After announcing a new Cleveland (CLE) base, the Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) is planning to add a new crew base at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) along with re-establishing the carrier’s Chicago pilot base.
New Cincinnati Base
Expected to employ approximately 80 pilots and 160 flight attendants within its first year of operation, Frontier expects to open its new Cincinnati crew base in May 2024. The airline says the new crew base could generate upwards of $27 million annually in local wages.
Frontier has 12 nonstop routes from Cincinnati, including several domestic destinations and a single international service to Cancun. In a press release, Frontier’s CEO Barry Biffle said, “Opening a crew base is also a win for customers who are able to take advantage of our ultra-low fares as we continue to grow at CVG and add new service over time.”
Reopening Chicago Pilot Base
Having previously maintained a Chicago base until April 2022, Frontier is now planning to reopen it. Also opening in May 2024, Frontier’s Chicago pilot base will serve both O’Hare and Midway airports. Within its first year of operation, the carrier expects to employ 110 pilots in Chicago.
Frontier currently maintains a flight attendant base in Chicago, which currently has 190 positions. The new combined base will have 300 crew members.
The airline has 13 nonstop routes from Midway and five nonstop routes from O’Hare, according to a press release.
After shaky Q3 earnings for some ULCCs, Frontier is rethinking its operating strategy. According to Travel Weekly, the airline’s CEO said that Frontier is hoping to improve operational reliability and reduce costs with an ‘out-and-back’ strategy. In theory, this reduces the number of complex point-to-point routings for aircraft and crew. Instead, the carrier’s aircraft and crew will start from a base, complete a turn in an out-station, and return back to the base, typically on the same day.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
French Air Traffic Controllers Walk Out Of Work Again
France's air traffic control system is not catching a break. Along with being slated for an early 2024 technology overhaul, its controllers are now on strike.
In response to the new rules passed on Nov. 15 in France, France’s air traffic controllers launched an industrial action on Nov. 20. Under the new law, the air traffic controllers need to sound the alarm to their employers before starting a strike at least 48 hours in advance. Ironically, the laws have paved the way for the walkout. The controllers worried the new rules could threaten the right to strike.
The walkout has resulted in 25% of flights to and from Paris’ Orly Airport and Toulouse’s Blagnac being canceled, along with about 20% of Bordeaux’s Merignac and Marseille Provence being axed as well. Passengers have experienced an estimated one-hour delay as a result.
“Despite our preventative measures, passengers should still expect delays,” the DGAC, France’s Civil Aviation Authority, said.
“Industrial action by French Air Traffic Control staff means we’ve had to make some adjustments to our short-haul schedule,” British Airways said in a statement.
Jet2 and easyJet have warned their passengers could face the potential disruptions. Ryanair has issued a statement to its passengers that it could cancel several flights. The affected passengers could change their flights or apply for a full refund.
Ryanair has called upon the European Union Commission to take immediate action to protect overflights during the strike. The low-cost airline hasn’t shied away from venting its anger.
“It is completely unacceptable that there have been 65 days of ATC strikes this year – 13 times more than in all of 2022,” a spokesperson for Ryanair said.
The latest industrial action was undertaken by three unions, UNSA-ICNA, the USAC-CGT, and the CFDT. SNCTA, the air traffic controllers’ largest union, is in favor of the new law and said the walkout will suspend during the Summer Olympics.
According to French media, the new laws allowed the government to minimize disruptions during a strike and not limit the right to strike.
In the meantime, passengers could face a potential disruption in 2024. The air traffic control system in France will be upgraded. Airlines have been advised to scale down flights at Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and other airports. Thousands of flights are expected to be canceled between Jan. 9 and Feb. 14. Air France confirmed 4,200 flights have been canceled. The upgrade cost an estimated one billion euros ($1.1 billion); airports are still using the same systems from the 1970s.
Money-Losing Aerolíneas Argentinas Could Soon Be Employee-Owned
With Javier Milei elected in Argentina, the loss-making national carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas could become privatized and employees will take control.
An Aerolineas Argentinas A330-200 departs from JFK (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Zero Profit Since Nationalization
Aerolíneas Argentinas has not had a single profitable year since it was nationalized in 2008. Its best financial result was posted this year, with a loss amounting to $48 million for the first half of 2023. For 2023, it is expected to lose over $100 million, which will be a significant improvement from 2022, which saw the carrier losing $246 million. 2022, in turn, was considerably better than 2021 and 2020 in terms of financial performance, largely due to COVID-19.
The airline also receives large sums of budgets from the government to support its recovery and cover its losses. According to Clarín, over $8 billion has gone to the airline to cover its operating losses since its nationalization in 2008.
Before nationalization, the airline was private from 1990 to 2008 with multiple owners, among them Iberia and American Airlines. The years as a private airline saw several crises and the business was hardly profitable. With the airline on the brink of going out of business, the government decided to nationalize it in 2008.
Competing on Equal Footing
The President-elect, Milei, said he wants to hand over management and essentially let Aerolíneas Argentinas compete on equal footing with other carriers including FlyBondi and JetSmart Argentina. Milei believes that employee unions and associations will have the ability to turn a profit and compete with domestic and international carriers.
The privatization could impact air services in Argentina negatively. Aerolíneas Argentinas is the only airline in Argentina to operate widebody aircraft and it provides essential links to destinations in Europe, North America, and many domestic communities. It is also a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, having a series of partnerships with airlines across the world.
Milei’s Argentina
Milei has been described as an advocate for economic liberalism. He opposes state intervention and plans to cut government expenditure significantly. Many state-owned businesses will see privatization, including Aerolíneas Argentinas, and we can expect to see deregulation across some industries. For aviation, this could mean scraping protectionist policies benefiting the national carrier and reducing barriers to entry for new players.
Anthony is an aviation enthusiast who grew up around the world from St. Louis to Singapore, and now lives in Amsterdam. He loves long-haul flying and finds peace in the sound of engine cruising. He aspires to share his passion for the sky though writing and providing another angle on the stories.
United Doubles Down on Pilot Hiring, Sets New Record
The airline just had one of its highest ever months of hiring for new pilots with additional classes already being planned for 2024.
A United 777-200 in San Francisco. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Amid a recent flurry of headlines around slowdowns in hiring among some airlines, United is keeping its foot on the gas. The Chicago-based carrier just hired a record number of pilots in October.
According to data from FAPA – a pilot career advisory group that’s been tracking hiring trends across 13 major U.S. airlines for over 30 years – United hired 270 pilots in October 2023, the carrier’s highest amount of new hires in a single month. This boils down to nearly 70 new hires each week.
Last year, the airline hired 2,500 pilots, making 2022 a record-setting year for new aviators on United’s property. The 270 new hires in October bring United’s total to 2,296 new pilots so far this year.
In a statement, United told AirlineGeeks that October 2023 was one of the biggest months for pilot hiring in its history.
“In support of our United Next plan, we set out to hire 2,300 pilots this year alone and are on track to exceed that total. We hired over 260 new pilots in October, which is one of [our] highest months ever, and are already working on filling new hire pilot classes in early 2024,” a spokesperson for the airline said.
United pilot hiring trends since January 2019. (Data: FAPA.aero)
So far in 2023, United has been hiring an average of 227 new pilots each month, the highest of any airline in FAPA’s data. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is a close second at 224 new hires.
With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on pilot training throughput, airlines have been forced to think a bit outside the box to attract and retain new aviators. United has been trying to weather this storm with its Aviate Academy in Arizona.
United CEO Scott Kirby acknowledged the issues surrounding captain hiring in the company’s Q2 2023 earnings call according to Reuters. “It’s the first time that I’ve ever known it to happen in the airline industry,” he said. “It is going to impact capacity in the fourth quarter.”
Regional carriers can hire so-called ‘direct entry captains’ with the right number of hours. Mainline airlines are restricted to hiring only first officers, but upgrade times to the left seat have become increasingly shorter in recent years. A January 2023 report in Aero Crew News showed that some Delta first officers could move to the left seat in as little as 4.5 months.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
An American A319 landing in Miami. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
In a significant move to address staffing shortages and expedite the recruitment of air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that graduates of accredited college and university air traffic control programs will no longer be required to attend the FAA’s academy in Oklahoma City. Instead, these graduates will proceed directly to on-the-job training at various ATC facilities across the country, according to AvWeb.
This decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance ATC recruitment and increase staffing levels, which have been a persistent concern in recent years. The FAA’s actions are in response to a string of runway incursions and losses of separation that have raised concerns about the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS).
Under the new policy, graduates from the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) will bypass the seven-week foundation course at the FAA academy and immediately begin their one-to-three-year on-the-job training at operational ATC units. The FAA says it will collaborate with AT-CTI programs to ensure that their graduates possess the necessary skills and knowledge to seamlessly transition into on-the-job training.
A Broader Strategy
“The FAA will work with AT-CTI programs to ensure that graduates from these programs have the necessary skills to begin on-the-job training at a facility,” the agency said in an announcement. “These graduates still must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and meet medical and security requirements.”
This move is expected to free up capacity at the FAA Academy, allowing it to accommodate more prospective controllers who have not completed an AT-CTI program. The FAA will continue to accept applicants from non-traditional backgrounds, provided they meet the agency’s stringent eligibility criteria.
In addition to bypassing the academy for college ATC graduates, the FAA is taking a series of other steps to bolster ATC recruitment, including expanding the ATC academy to ensure that every available seat is filled, offering year-round acceptance of already-trained military and private-sector controllers, establishing four advanced training facilities across the country by next spring, and acquiring ATC simulators and deploying them to 95 facilities by the end of 2025.
AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.
The airline made a noticeable change to one of its well-known special liveries on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which was recently rolled out of the paint shop.
Amsterdam-based KLM first unveiled its “Orange Pride” livery back in 2016 on a single Boeing 777-300ER to promote its home country, the Netherlands. The livery featured its classic KLM blue hue with a transition to orange and also had the country’s flag.
According to the carrier’s website, the livery was created with 335 liters of paint and would be deployed on routine flights within the network and, whenever possible, during events that offer opportunities to promote the Netherlands. Fast forward to now, this aircraft has been gracing the skies for just over seven years catching the eyes of aviation enthusiasts and passengers from around the world.
Refreshing an Iconic Special Livery
This past week, the airline rolled out the special livery with an updated paint job as first revealed by a JetPhotos photographer, after being in a Malta paint shop. The most notable difference between the new and old livery is that they have done away with the blue-to-orange fade on the aircraft, and it now features the Dutch flag between the blue and orange sides of the fuselage.
Although the new orange pride livery update has yet to be formally announced by the airline, the aircraft that carries the registration of PH-BVA, has since been placed back into the carrier’s operation.
Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.
Scandinavian Airlines Bids Farewell to its Boeing 737 Fleet with Special Flight
After over 30 years of flying the Boeing jet, SAS operated its last ever flight with the 737 on Sunday evening. The carrier is moving to newer narrowbody aircraft.
A SAS 737-700 aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) marked the end of an era as it operated its final scheduled Boeing 737 flight on Sunday evening. The special farewell flight – aptly numbered SK737 – departed Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) and landed at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL), with a deviation from the usual flight plan to over-fly the company’s Copenhagen base.
SAS’ last 737 flight (Photo: FlightRadar24)
The Boeing 737 has been a cornerstone of SAS’s fleet since 1989, operating the -400, -500, -600, -700, and -800 variants of the world’s most widely produced aircraft. SAS’s long history with the Boeing jet even included a short stint of flying a 737-700 from Norway to Houston starting in 2014.
SAS’s decision to retire the Boeing 737 is part of its fleet modernization program, which aims to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The airline will transition to more fuel-efficient narrowbody aircraft, including the A320neo series.
A SAS A320 in Oslo. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
The Final Flight
The final Boeing 737 flight was operated by aircraft LN-RRB, affectionately known as “Dag Viking” by SAS employees, which is just over 16 years old.
“It’s time for our last Boeing 737 flight. ‘To move from the old to the new is the only tradition worth keeping.’ These words, written by founder Wallenberg, are as valid today as they were back in 1946 when SAS was founded. The Boeing 737 has served us well, but it’s time to say goodbye to this iconic aircraft, to make way for the next generation, more efficient aircraft, which we have been phasing in for the last few years,” the airline said in a September Instagram post announcing the retirement.
To mark the occasion, SAS offered enthusiasts an opportunity to win a seat on the last flight in early November. The retirement flight was met with fanfare from company employees and aviation enthusiasts alike.
SAS has gradually been phasing out its 737s over the last few years. According to Cirium Diio data, the airline had been operating the 737-700 from Oslo to Brussels and Paris among other routes in early November. In addition to the remaining 737-700, the airline operated a fleet of the 737-800 variant up until late October 2023.
Alongside the 737 retirement, SAS is looking at repositioning the airline within the Air France-KLM Group. As part of this move, the airline will join the SkyTeam Alliance, leaving behind its long-standing roots in the Star Alliance.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
New Emirates Engineering Facility (Photo: Emirates)
At the Dubai Airshow, Emirates announced it would be adding a massive new engineering facility at Dubai World Central Airport, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport.
The carrier is going to invest nearly $1 billion into developing a modern engineering complex that will span just over 1 million square yards. This facility intends to let Emirates become fully self-sufficient when it comes to maintenance, repairs, overhaul, and other various engineering tasks that come from operating a large fleet of aircraft. The facility will be able to handle work like routine aircraft checks, aircraft painting, engine repairs and testing, full cabin interior retrofits, and passenger-to-cargo aircraft conversions.
Construction
The development of the facility is being built across several phases with Phase 1 starting in 2024 and wrapping up in 2027. Phase 1 will include eight maintenance hangars, a paint hangar, an engine run-up facility, 20 support workshops, storage facilities, and administration offices. All hangars that will be built will be large enough to accommodate the massive Emirates fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.
It is also expected that there will be enough capacity to not only service the entire Emirates fleet but also provide services to other airline operators. This would allow the facility to play a key role as a center of excellence in the region becoming a key location across the aviation supply chain.
The facility is being purpose-built for the growth of the airline over the next few decades. Phase 2 of construction will take into consideration forecasted growth for the future with the potential to double capacity.
Existing Emirates Engineering operations at Dubai International Airport will continue for the next few years as the new facility is constructed and operations ramp up. The new facility at Dubai World Central will initially handle spillover work and heavy maintenance programs that generally require longer maintenance times.
An Emirates 777-200LR on the ramp in Dubai (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Hisham Qadri)
Growth at Dubai World Central Airport
More engineering work will shift to the new facility at Dubai World Central as the airport expansion continues. The massive engineering facility is not the only major project underway at Dubai World Central. The airport is undergoing a comprehensive expansion plan that will include six runways and an entire terminal dedicated to Emirates. The airport expansion is expected to be completed in 2030 to make Al Maktoum International the world’s largest airport.
Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.
How a 1926 Law Affects U.S. Airline Workers Today
The implications of the RLA are wide-reaching and many deviations have been made over the years to halt or hamper strike actions and lockouts.
An American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner on approach to Los Angeles.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Considered to be one of the most heavily regulated industries, aviation – and specifically airlines – are subject to a wide variety of both international and domestic legislation and regulations. As commercial aviation took off in the U.S., so did the checks and balances surrounding it, particularly on safety and competition rules.
Often buried among the plethora of aviation laws and regulations are those having to do with labor, specifically the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Arcane to many, the RLA has broad jurisdiction over railroad companies, but also airlines, along with their respective labor unions.
Enacted in 1926, the RLA was initially sculpted around railroads before being expanded to include airlines in 1936. The act is administered by the National Mediation Board (NMB), an independent federal agency. Like many other appointments in U.S. federal agencies, the board – comprised of three members – is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
At its core, the RLA advocates for collective bargaining, empowering both carriers and unions to engage in negotiations aimed at reaching collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
A document from the Department of Transportation states: “The purposes of the RLA are to avoid any interruption of interstate commerce by providing for the prompt disposition of disputes between carriers and their employees and protects the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively. The RLA imposes a duty on carriers and employees to exert every reasonable effort to make and maintain collective bargaining agreements, and to settle all disputes, whether arising out of the application of such agreements or otherwise.”
Inside the economy cabin of United’s 787-9 Dreamliner (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ryan Ewing)
Despite several heated negotiations between airlines and labor unions, there is an extensive process before a strike can take place as outlined in the RLA. Due to this, strikes among U.S. airline workers are rather rare. One of the most notable strikes was in 1993 with American Airlines flight attendants, one week before the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
Following an 11-day strike, President Bill Clinton brokered a deal to get the company and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) to submit to binding arbitration, per the Washington Post.
Roughly 30 years later to the day, 99.47% of APFA-represented flight attendants who submitted ballots in a recent strike authorization vote opted in favor of a strike. The APFA joins an ever-expanding list of U.S. airline unions seeking a strike.
Reading beyond the headlines, though, the bargaining process is strictly governed by Section 6 of the RLA. This section outlines the extensive measures that must be taken in order to remedy a dispute. Here are the key components:
1. Initiation of Negotiations
When either the union or carrier seeks to amend the existing CBA or, in layman’s terms, the contract, the initiating party must serve written notice to the other party at least 30 days before the desired changes are intended to go into effect. Once notice is given, the parties are obligated to engage in good-faith negotiations.
All CBAs that fall under Section 6 have an amendable date; therefore, Section 6 CBAs do not expire but only change through letters of agreement (LOAs) or contract negotiations. A CBA may also have an “early opener” clause that allows either party to initiate negotiations before the amendable date.
2. Mediation
If either party feels direct negotiations have reached an impasse, the party may request a referral of their dispute to the National Mediation Board (NMB). The NMB appoints a mediator to facilitate discussions, encourage compromise, and help the parties find common ground.
If mediation fails to result in an agreement, and if either party requests it or the NMB deems it necessary, the President of the United States (POTUS) may appoint a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB).
The PEB is established within 30 days of the President’s appointment and has 30 days to investigate the dispute and make recommendations. Neither party can exercise self-help measures such as strikes or lockouts during this period.
4. Cooling-Off Period
Following the PEB’s recommendations (or at the end of the mediation process if the NMB released the parties from mediation and did not refer the dispute to the President), there is a mandatory cooling-off period. This period is generally 30 days, during which neither party is allowed to exercise self-help.
5. Additional Mediation
If an agreement is not reached by the end of the cooling-off period, the NMB may offer additional mediation assistance for an indefinite period of time.
If the dispute remains unresolved after additional mediation, the President may appoint a new PEB to investigate the matter. The PEB has 30 days to issue recommendations. This step of additional mediation must be unanimously agreed to by all parties.
6. Congressional Action
In extremely rare cases where all other efforts fail, Congress may pass legislation to address the dispute and impose a settlement. Congressional intervention is a last resort and is used very rarely.
Congress has stepped in a handful of times for railroad strikes, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. However, it has not leveraged any sort of emergency legislation for the airline industry in recent years.
7. Strike or Lockout
If none of the previous steps results in an agreement, and if the cooling-off period expires, the parties have the right to engage in self-help measures. The union can strike and the carrier can lock out employees.
In the case of a flight attendant strike, carriers have historically chosen to continue operating flights by hiring and training replacements or using other qualified personnel to fill in for striking employees. 90% of American Airlines’ flight attendants went on strike in 1993.
Of course, the implications of the RLA are wide-reaching and many deviations have been made over the years to halt or hamper strike actions and lockouts. The RLA can be found within 45 USC Ch. 8.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
U.S. Aviation Initiatives Celebrated at APEC Meeting in San Francisco
Moves toward the broader use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) took center stage at APEC meeting in San Francisco. The target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 was set by ICAO.
A United Boeing 787 over the runway in Amsterdam.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)
The civil aviation industry’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 took another step forward this week at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting in San Francisco. Boeing, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched ‘an initiative to catalyze the development and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) among APEC member countries. Boeing, the DOT and the FAA will sponsor the initiative in APEC’s Transportation Working Group
Chris Raymond, Boeing’s Chief Sustainability Officer said: “Industry studies and data tell us that SAF is essential to meet aviation’s net zero commitment, but we need more of it. This initiative helps deepen the partnerships that we have had for years with several countries to advance SAF. We will foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among APEC economies, all in pursuit of a safe, and more sustainable aviation future.”
According to Boeing, ‘SAF certified for use today can reduce lifecycle CO2 up to 85 percent and holds the greatest potential to reduce aviation’s emissions over the next 30 years.’ The target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 was set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). However, one of the challenges airlines have faced is the cost and access to SAF with the fuel only accounting for 0.1% of current global jet fuel demand.
Touted by the White House
The project was one of a number of initiatives touted by the White House as contributing over $50 billion of investments into APEC economies. With U.S. businesses being the largest source of foreign direct investment in APEC economies the Biden administration cited other aviation initiatives as contributing to the success of the region. These included United Airlines’ network expansion in the South Pacific as the largest in aviation history and Flexport, in partnership with CHOOOSE, launching an aviation decarbonization solution. United Airlines was also celebrated for its transport of humanitarian aid in the APEC region.
United’s network expansion in 2023 resulted in an increase of 40 percent more flights to Australia and New Zealand from the U.S. Last month the airline started flying on one of its Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand’s main routes, Auckland to Los Angeles (LAX). From Nov. 29, Brisbane, Australia will gain a connection to LAX and in December United will become the only carrier to fly from LAX to Christchurch (CHC), the largest city in New Zealand’s South Island, a route that Air New Zealand last flew in 2006. This will bring to 66 the total number of United flights in the Northern Winter schedule from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand.
The carrier also added new non-stop flights to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei, and Manila and resumed services between Beijing and San Francisco (SFO). The White House also announced that due to government engagement with China, United would be able to increase services to Shanghai from SFO.
John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content.
John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John has held the positions of course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and has been a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.
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