Aviation Intelligence Reporter February 2025
Set Sail for Growth
Is the Union’s ASA Competence Exclusive? Asking for a Friend
Let’s Talk About Slots (Again), Baby
Passenger Rights; Passenger Wrongs
Not Drinking to Aviation, the Irish Way
Still More Tourists? Still Move Overtourism
More Information About Data in Aviation and Tourism
Free Route Airspace. Not as Free as You Think
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Set Sail for Growth
It is increasingly clear that regulation is last year’s God. This year, we are spurning regulation and setting sail for growth. Since the dawn of the time of the new Commission – December last year – we have been expected to worship at the shrine of Growth. We are told by the high priestess herself, President Von der Leyen, that the one true path to Growth leads via Competitiveness. Grab your Compass. But what clutters and obscures the true path to Competitiveness? Regulation. Regulation is the new beige. We hate Regulation. We have always been at war with Regulation. This must be true, because it is on the front cover of the Economist. He will no doubt hate to know this, but the new US president is not the motivating force behind the theme of this year, although in a terrible choice of words the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the UK, Rachel Reeves, noted that growth ‘trumps other things’. That includes all those pesky regulations that get in the way. As annoying as this fact will be to both the Chancellor and the President, it is Europe that leads the way in this push to push aside pesky regulations. Although in true European style, we have been much more circumspect in noting that is what we are doing. Former Italian PMs know no other way.
Is the Union’s ASA Competence Exclusive? Asking for a Friend
Something interesting is afoot in Brussels when the diplomats start saying ‘this means war’. That is not diplomatic talk. Members of the Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives – Coreper, made up of heads of mission – are talking about the nuclear option, getting their prime minister or president to write to President Von der Leyen to complain. Already. To be considering that at a first meeting to discuss an issue being tabled means that we are talking about something really, really, interesting. Yet aside from one mention in Politico, there has been no public traction on this. Curious. Yes, it verges on appearing to be an arcane question, but the practical implications are huge, and not just for policy wonks. Is nobody thinking of the airlines’ lobbyists?
Let’s Talk About Slots (Again), Baby
If there was no slot system, we would invent one. But would it look like this one? The slot regime was created by the incumbent airlines, when that was the only sort of airline, in the 1970s. IATA insists on ‘worldwide’, but in fact most of the world does not strictly adhere to its slot rules. The industry struggles on with a patchwork of procedures. It is not used in Brazil, China, India, the US, or (with one exception) Canada. Toronto Island Airport uses the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines, somehow entrenching the incumbent, Porter, rather than require it to face competition. There might be a metaphor there.
Passenger Rights; Passenger Wrongs
As we discussed last month, passenger rights are back on the agenda. If sustainability is being downplayed, watch passenger rights become the avenue where social issues are highlighted. These regulations are not going away. At the end of last year, the Commission, the Parliament and the Council were all set homework, to work out how to make passengers rights work in multimodal journeys. But there are still examples on the battlefield that is passenger rights, and wrongs, in aviation, that light the way to more indecision. It was a busy festive season, so mind your step and walk this way.
Not Drinking to Aviation, the Irish Way
With apologies to James Joyce (and Drew Forsythe)
As told to James Joyce, by Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, when arguing that passengers should be limited to two only drinks at airports prior to boarding.
Still More Tourists? Still Move Overtourism
The travel industry has rebounded so dramatically post-pandemic that any time now, we will have guided tours to observe overtourism in its natural habitat, complete with audio commentary about disgruntled locals and stampeding visitors clutching selfie sticks. Whilst international tourism’s recovery has brought economic relief to many destinations, it has also reignited fierce debate on overcrowding, environmental damage, and the sustainability of Europe’s most beloved landmarks. Meanwhile, policymakers are scrambling to strike a delicate balance between welcoming tourists and ensuring that residents don’t start putting up “CLOSED” signs on entire neighbourhoods.
More Information About Data in Aviation and Tourism
The European travel industry is navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape as new data laws and security policies impose stricter requirements on businesses and travellers. Positioned as they are to enhance border security, prevent fraud, and improve data transparency, it is hard to see them being thrown on the bonfire of the regulation in the name of Competitiveness. They introduce significant compliance burdens and potential disruptions. As Europe expands data collection mandates, so too do the operational challenges. From the Advance Passenger Information regulations to national laws like Spain’s tourist registration policy, businesses are scrambling to adapt to stricter compliance measures while balancing data privacy concerns.
Free Route Airspace. Not as Free as You Think
Free route airspace was introduced in Europe to give airlines better flight routing opportunities rather sticking to the cumbersome fixed route structure. Predictions of savings of up to 2% of flight distances were waved about. FRA was a revolution to the ATM sector, the best thing since RVSM. Over the last 10 years, the old, fixed route structure has been steadily dismantled, and waypoints deleted with abandon. But not everything seems to be working as intended.
