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Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt talks about the impacts of COVID-19 and the 737 MAX on air travel. In the news, new CDC test requirements for air passengers entering the US, airlines benefiting from the relief package, booking the middle seat, growth of air cargo, F-35B qualifications for the Italian navy, Australia orders the Apache, and aviation event postponements.
Guest
Henry Harteveldt is a well-known travel industry analyst and founder and president of Atmosphere Research Group. He has an extensive background in marketing, planning, distribution, and strategy, and he was head of Forrester Research’s global travel research practice. Henry launched Atmosphere Research in 2011 which helps travel industry clients understand emerging trends and opportunities in areas such as brand strategy, distribution, product development and retailing, customer experience, loyalty marketing, and digital commerce and technologies. The firm’s worldwide clients include airlines, lodging firms, cruise lines, car rental agencies, travel agencies, GDSs, financial services firms, and technology companies.
Aviation News
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to all air passengers entering the United States. Within 3 days before departure to the United States, air passengers are required to get a viral test and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger. This order was signed by the CDC Director on January 12, 2021, and will become effective on January 26, 2021. Media Statement: CDC Expands Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement to All Air Passengers Entering the United States.
The new Covid-19 relief package provides $15 Billion for airline salaries through the end of March. Southwest Airlines canceled planned furloughs, and United and American say they’ll bring back thousands of furloughed employees.
United Airlines never stopped booking middle seats but other airlines have started booking them. Delta says they’ll keep the middle seats open at least through March.
Passenger traffic is down but air cargo is flourishing. At Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Amazon Air is building a 798,000-square-foot sorting center, complete with a seven-level parking structure. It’s part of Amazon’s commitment to a $1.5 billion, three-million-square-foot air cargo hub at CVG.
FedEx handled an average of 6.2 million air packages a day in 2020, up 48 percent compared to 2016. The company just opened a $290 million, 51-acre project at the Ontario International Airport in Southern California. At Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the second-largest air cargo airport in the United States after Memphis International Airport, the plan is for $500 million in new freight and package handling and sorting facilities.
Atlas Air has agreed to purchase four 747-8 freighters. The aircraft will be delivered by 2022 and would be the last four 747-8s to roll off the production line.
DHL Express ordered 14 B777Fs in 2018 and has taken delivery of the first 10. Now they’ve ordered 8 more with first deliveries are scheduled for 2022. John Pearson, CEO at DHL Express: “Although the current health crisis has pushed pause on several areas of life, global trade did not stand still.”
The Italian Navy STOVL (Short Take Off and Vertical Landing) aircraft carrier is expected to arrive at Naval Station Norfolk in mid-February for F-35B aircraft qualifications with the U.S. Marine Corps. The Italian Navy ordered a total of 15 F-35B fighter jets. The Italian Air Force has the same amount on order (in addition to about 60 F-35A models).
Steve Visscher reports that the Australian Defence Department has announced it will replace the Army’s fleet of Tiger ARH’s with AH-64E Apache Guardians. The new aircraft will come into service in 2025, replacing the Airbus/Eurocopter fleet, which have been in service only since 2003.
The DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase in Florida that was originally planned for November 12 to 14, 2020 and postponed until January 2021 has been delayed again until November 2021.
The Conference originally scheduled for February 25028, 2021 has been postponed to February 24-27, 2022 at the same venue at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Sierra Nevada Corporation announced that the first Dream Chaser civilian space plane mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed to 2022. The uncrewed cargo mission to the ISS will be the first of at least six to be conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract with NASA.
AOPA announced that the 5th annual Bob Hoover Trophy award ceremony will be virtual and live online on February 3, 2021, at 8:00 PM Eastern. The Hoover Trophy will be presented to legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan. The inaugural Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Aviation Inspiration Award will be presented to Gen. McGee himself, and he’ll make the first presentation of this award to a deserving young military aviator and aviation leader, Kenyatta Ruffin.
Aditya Singh, 36, arrived at the airport on a flight from Los Angeles on October 19, 2020. Allegedly, he had been living inside the airport’s security zone ever since. The man was found to have an airport worker’s misplaced credentials. Assistant State’s Attorney Kathleen Hagerty said he survived “largely from other passengers giving him food.” Police took Singh into custody and he’s been charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft.
