Air transport plays a critical role in
Infrastructure Capacity:
· Air navigation infrastructure must keep pace with demand and growing
airport capacity. “IATA has worked very successfully with China to open
new entry points to Chinese airspace and create more flexibility in cooperation
with the military. However, the challenge is growing daily as travel demand
increases, leading to frustration and delays for airline passengers. The more
flexibility we have in how we use and share airspace with the military as well
as between domestic and international flights, the better we will be able to
manage growth and meet passenger expectations.”
· Planning for hub capacity in Beijing
continues to be a priority. Tyler praised the
Chinese authorities for already looking for development options when the
current infrastructure at Beijing
Capital International
Airport reaches its
design capacity. It has risen to become the world’s second busiest airport when
measured in passenger numbers. “The best solution would be expansion on the
same geographic site. Consolidating traffic in one airport creates the most
options for connectivity and keeps costs low. But if it is decided that
development at a second location is necessary, then a transparent and clear
system for allocating operations between the two airports will be required, in
consultation with the airlines.”
Global Standards: “Global standards are at the heart of aviation. They enable airlines
to connect our planet safely and efficiently,” said Tyler ,
citing specifically the role of global safety standards in making China one of
the safest places to fly. Tyler noted that IATA
is in a dialogue with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to
align China ’s
charges for infrastructure with global standards. “Our goal is to arrive at a
charges structure that is competitive and in line with global best practices
and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. Today, China ’s air
navigation service charges are among the highest in the world. The price of
fuel is also among the highest–it is estimated that airlines pay a premium of
over $400 million annually to refuel at Chinese airports. Bringing those costs
in line with global levels will benefit Chinese carriers more than any others
and will thereby help to make them more competitive. We also need to eliminate
the differential in charges between Chinese and foreign carriers that is
unacceptable under ICAO policies. This move will also help Chinese carriers
improve their competitiveness by forcing them to compete on a more level
playing field,” said Tyler .
EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
“I have been very clear in my communication with the
Europeans that it’s not a viable bargaining position for the Directorate
General for Climate Action to keep relentlessly saying that Europe
has no option but to implement without compromise. We all want a solution that
is global. ICAO is working on four options. Europe must be a sincere
participant in those negotiations,” said Tyler .
The IATA Annual General Meeting will take place in Beijing from 10-12 June.