Multilateral Statement for
International Air Service Reform Signed -- Canada Not in
Attendance
|
 Countries from around the world
gathered in Montebello, Que. recently to discuss
international air service liberalization.
The
summit resulted in the signing of a Multilateral
Statement of Policy Principles regarding the
Implementation of Bilateral Air Service Agreements by
seven states and the European
Commission.
The signing took place at the
conclusion of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA)-hosted second Agenda for Freedom
Summit. The states that signed the non-binding
document are Chile, Malaysia, Panama, Singapore,
Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the United
States of America; and was endorsed by the European
Commission. In total they represent some 60% of global
aviation.
"This is an historic achievement
that will help set the foundation for a financially
sustainable global aviation industry....One agreement
will not change the world. But this is a strong signal
that this industry's future must be realized in a much
more liberal environment," said Giovanni Bisignani,
IATA's director general and CEO.
The policy
principles address three main areas:
- Freedom to access
capital markets: States agreed on principles
that would open the possibility for airlines to access
global capital markets. This would be achieved with an
agreement not to exercise bilateral rights that could
allow them to block international services from
airlines with non-national ownership structures.
States also agreed to consider the possibility of a
multilateral agreement to waive ownership
restrictions.
- Freedom to do
business: States agreed on principles that seek
to reduce restrictions on market access and to
expedite the further opening of markets in future
bilateral negotiations.
- Freedom to price
services: States agreed on principles that
would allow greater freedom to price airline services
in line with market realities.
"While these
policy principles are non-binding, they are an important
statement of common government intention among the most
active countries driving global aviation policy," said
IATA in its statement.
The document notes
specifically that the signatories "recognize the
importance of promoting compatible regulatory approaches
and reducing the potential for conflicts and the
intention to use the policy principles to guide
implementation of existing air service agreements and
approach to the negotiation of new or amended air
services agreements in the future."
Canada did not participate in the
summit. |
Tourism Officials Meet Transport
Minister
|
Members of
the tourism coalition recently met with Minister of
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities John Baird,
Minister of State for Transport Rob Merrifield and
Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business Diane
Ablonczy. In addition to CAC President and
CEO Jim Facette, the meeting was attended by Chris Jones
of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and George
Petsikas of the National Airlines Council of
Canada. The meeting was held to discuss several
key issues facing Canada's tourism and aviation sectors,
including airport rent and the competitive disadvantage
it imposes on the
sector. |
Third Quarter Traffic Declines
Slow
|
Transport Canada has released
its enplaned/deplaned passenger numbers (top 31
participating airports) for the third quarter of 2009,
still showing declines year over year, but improved over
the declines of the second quarter - particularly in the
domestic segment.
On a month by month basis,
domestic traffic declines have steadily improved since a
peak in the traffic decline rate in May.
Transborder and overseas traffic declines were improved
as well since August, particularly in the overseas
segment where traffic was down just 1.5%.
For the
first nine months of 2009, domestic traffic is down 7%,
trans-border down 8.4% and overseas traffic is down
3.2%. Overseas total traffic continues to outpace
U.S. transborder, which it only recently overtook in
traffic numbers.
With Air Canada's capacity cuts
starting in September 2008, the declines should
improve through the rest of the year, and may even turn
back to growth in some segments. Nevertheless, the
real benchmark is pre-economic decline traffic.
 
In international visit
statistics from Statistics Canada, visits to/from Canada
in September continued to be down across most
segments.
The declines were much less deep
in U.S. resident visits to Canada by air and Canadian
residents overseas versus August. For a second
month in a row, Canadian visits to the U.S. by air were
back in growth mode.
For the first nine
months of the year, all segments remain down over the
first nine months of 2008 except Canadian visits
overseas, which were up about 75,000 visits.
On a
market by market basis, for the first nine months visits
are down across all top 15 overseas foreign tourist
markets except mainland China and Switzerland (both
stagnant at +1%). This was consistent with the
month of September itself, so there is no clear
indication yet that a recovery is on the way. In
fact, September's 15.2% decline in visits across all
foreign tourist source markets is deeper than the
cumulative 9-month decline of 13.2%.
The
declines, for the first nine months, are particularly
pronounced in Mexico (-32%), Japan (-31%), South Korea
(-29%), the UK (-18%), Hong Kong (-17%), Australia
(-16%), Brazil (-14%), Netherlands (-12%) and Italy
(-10%).
   |
November World Airline Capacity
Up
|
Global airline capacity for
November 2009 shows 3% growth over November 2008,
reports OAG in its monthly report on trends in the
supply of airline flights and seats.
The world's
airlines have 285.4 million seats available this month,
a rise of 3% over November 2008 levels. Global
frequencies are up 1% compared to November 2008, with a
total of 2.3 million flights for November 2009, despite
an average North American frequency decline of
2%.
Worldwide, frequencies and capacity in the
low cost sector are both up by 8%, compared to a year
ago, accounting for 424,458 flights (18%) and 62.6
million seats (22%).
The transatlantic market between North America and
western Europe shows an 8% decrease in capacity year on
year, representing 434,467 fewer seats. Frequencies are
down 10%, representing 2,144 fewer transatlantic flights
for the month. Within Africa, Asia, Latin America and
the Middle East there have been a strong increase in
frequencies.
Analysis of all hubs reveals that
frequency and capacity to and from certain hubs reflects
positive growth of more than 30%, with some showing
reduced traffic and a negative growth of more than 20%.
Leading the growth is Rio de Janeiro (SDU) with a 39%
increase in flight activity and 49% increase in seat
capacity. Kiev on the other hand, shows a large
reduction in flights (30% less) and in seats (28%
less).
|
WORLD AIRPORT
TRAFFIC
Airports Report September
Stabilization
|
Airports Council
International's September 2009 PaxFlash airport
worldwide traffic statistics indicate that the
stabilization trend of the past two months has been
maintained and the domestic traffic in certain national
markets is registering real growth. Overall
domestic passenger traffic rose by 4.4% worldwide and
global passenger traffic rose by 1.6% over September
2008.
By September 2008, traffic already
was on a decline. Nevertheless, September domestic
traffic results in China, Brazil and India are leading
the current global upswing, and the Asia Pacific and
Latin America-Caribbean regions dominate September
traffic results with increases in domestic traffic of
12.5 and 16.2% respectively.
A number of major
and emerging economies expanded or returned to Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the third quarter which
is driving the improved results. Economic stimulus
programs, stiff domestic competition and low fares are
contributing to the strong results in Brazil and China.
North America, Europe and Africa remained virtually flat
in terms of domestic traffic change.
All
regions are clearly up from reported lows earlier in the
year for international traffic, however, Europe seems to
lag slightly behind the recovery trend. The significant
5% reduction of traffic in Europe was only partially
offset by a 6% increase in Asia Pacific traffic. North
America has delivered promising results as domestic
traffic increased marginally by 0.5% and international
only shrank by 3%. Worldwide, international traffic was
1% below 2008 results for September.
Global
freight in September 2009 was 3% below traffic in
September 2008. This represents an accelerating upward
trend, again driven by domestic results which rose by 4%
as compared to a 6% decline in international freight.
The year-to-date slump in freight has been much
deeper than the passenger decline, so seeing these
moderate declines comes as a pleasant surprise and may
point to a quicker recovery in the freight sector than
previously thought. Drivers again are Asia-Pacific and
Latin America-Caribbean regions. Asia-Pacific
performance shows a stunning recovery from -28% to an
increase of 1.3% in September.
|
CANADIAN
NEWS
Fort McMurray Appoints New CEO,
Familiar Face
|
 Returning CAC
member Fort McMurray Airport Commission recently
announced the appointment of Scott Clements to be the
CEO of the airport effective October 19.
Mr
Clements has extensive experience in aviation, airport
and aerospace activity, having spent almost 50 years in
the business. After a full career in the Canadian
Armed Forces, he retired in 1995 as the Commander of
Canada's Air Force. He was then CEO of the
Edmonton Regional Airports Authority until 2005.
Since then, based out of Calgary, he has had various
consulting and volunteer appointments, including CEO of
Aviation Alberta and Chair of the Canadian Centre for
Unmanned Vehicles.
"Scott Clements brings a very
strong reputation as a well known leader in the
industry," said Bob Findlay, chairman of the
board. "He will take over the process to
accelerate the evolution of our airport commission to
become an airport authority. We are certain that
he will be an excellent addition to the commission
."
It is anticipated that the Fort McMurray
Airport Commission will become an airport authority
under the Alberta Regional Airports Authorities Act
within a few months. Parallel work is underway to
facilitate an early start to building a new terminal.
As CEO of Edmonton Airport, Mr. Clements also
previously served on the board of the
CAC.
|
| Canadian Tourism Commission, GTAA
Unveils Pearson Welcome Imagery |
 The Canadian Tourism Commission
recently announced the launch of the "Welcome to Canada"
initiative at Canada's busiest airport. More than
26,000 international passengers a day will see images of
Ontario's travel features as well as inspirational
Olympic and Paralympic messaging to support awareness of
the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The
Welcome to Canada program is a partnership between the
Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), the Canada Border
Services Agency (CBSA) and provincial tourism marketing
organizations. The activation at Toronto Pearson
International Airport was completed in partnership with
the Ontario government and the Greater Toronto Airports
Authority (GTAA).
"This innovative partnership is
a creative and compelling way of promoting Canada's
extraordinary tourism experiences to international
visitors," said the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister
of State for Small Business and Tourism. "It will also
help to create awareness of the upcoming 2010 Winter
Games."
Earlier this year, the program was
officially launched at Ottawa International Airport, and
will soon find its way into select other major Canadian
airports and British Columbia's busiest land border
crossings.
|
| First 747 Tech Stop for Prince
George Airport |
 Prince George Airport recently
received its first Boeing 747 freighter, a key milestone
in its campaign to build up a reputation as a technical
stop alternative for trans-Pacific
flights.
The Boeing 747-200f aircraft
operated by Southern Air Inc, enroute to Caracas,
Venezuela from Shanghai, China landed on the 11,450 ft
runway in front of media, dignitaries and community
supporters.
"Moving forward there is still
much work to be completed but we are very happy to have
this take place today," said John Gibson, Prince George
Airport Authority CEO."There are many people and
organizations whose hard work and belief made this
happen. Events such as these do not take place without a
collective and coordinated effort - we demonstrated that
today."
The airport is part of the federal government's
Asia-Pacific Gateway Program, now has Canada's third
longest commercial runway and can accommodate any size
aircraft for refueling. The airport also is
adjacent to a 3,000 acre Global Logistics Park
development.
On hand to celebrate the event were key partners
from federal, provincial and municipal governments,
Northern Development Initiatives and Initiatives Prince
George.
|
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS
ACI Elects New Chair
|
 The
Airports Council International annual assembly of world
airport executives recently elected Max Moore-Wilton as
its new chair, to serve for a two-year term.
Mr. Moore-Wilton succeeds the
current chair, Aéroports de Montréal President and CEO
James Cherry, effective Jan. 1, 2010. Mr Moore-Wilton
knows the ACI association well, having first served as a
regional advisor and then as a member of the ACI
governing board and as vice chair of the board this
year.
In December 2002, Mr.
Moore-Wilton was appointed executive chairman and chief
executive of the privatized Sydney Airport
Corporation. Under his leadership Sydney Airport
achieved a greater commercial focus as Australia's
biggest airport, while delivering sustainable returns to
shareholders in a challenging trading
environment.
Mr. Moore-Wilton was
appointed chairman of Sydney Airport Corporation Limited
in April 2006. He also is chairman of MAp Airports
Limited and chairman of Macquarie Media Group.
The assembly elected as vice chair,
Dr. Yiannis Paraschis of Athens International Airport
SA. He joined Athens Airport in 1996 and was
appointed chief executive officer in April 2007.
ACI also welcomed new board members: Mr. Tonci
Peovic (Dubrovnik International Airport), Dr. Michael
Kerkloh (Munich International Airport), Mr. Stefan
Schulte (Fraport), Mr. Juan Ignacio Lema Devesa (Aena)
and Mr. Ben DeCosta. All of them join the
board Jan. 1, 2010 for a three-year mandate.
ACI
members are the operators of over 1,670 airports that
collectively handle 98% of the worlds air
passengers.
|
ACI-NA Elects New
Directors
|
During its annual general
membership business meeting on October 14, members of
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA)
elected a new slate of officers and four new members to
its board of directors. Their terms are effective
immediately.
Incoming chairman is G. Hardy Acree,
director of Airports, Sacramento County Airport System.
Serving as first vice chairman is Frank Miller, director
of aviation, City of San Antonio Aviation Department.
Thella Bowens, president and CEO of San Diego County
Regional Airport Authority, will serve as second vice
chairman. Secretary treasurer is Thomas Kinton,
executive director of the Massachusetts Port
Authority.
New members of the board of directors,
for a three-year term, include:
Class A/B airports:
- Richard
McConnell, Airport Director, Boise Airport
- Brian
Searles, Director of Aviation, Burlington
International Airport
Class C/D airports:
- Maureen
Riley, Executive Director, Salt Lake City
Department of Airports
- Bradley
Penrod, Director and CEO, Allegheny County
Airport Authority
- Bill
Vanecek, Director of Aviation, Buffalo Niagara
International Airport
Other membership
announcements made by 2009 board chair, John D. Clark,
III, executive director, Indianapolis Airport Authority,
included news of additional board appointments.
Commissioners' committee representatives to
the newly elected Board include Elsie Rast
Stuart,Columbia Metropolitan Airport; and David
G. Jennings, Chairman, Charleston County Aviation
Authority. Associate members' representative to
the board is Robert Hazel, partner, Oliver
Wyman.
Chairman Clark also announced the
reappointment of Louis Miller, Tampa International
Airport; and Frederick Piccolo, Sarasota Manatee Airport
Authority, and the new appointment of Ben DeCosta,
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to
the ACI World Governing Board. Patrick
Graham, Savannah Airport Commission, and Thella Bowens,
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, were
appointed as regional advisors.
The Canadian
Airports Council has two members on the ACI-NA board -
Edmonton Airports President and CEO Reg Milley and
Saskatoon Airport Authority President and CEO (and CAC
vice chair) William Restall. CAC Chair and
Winnipeg Airports Authority President and CEO Barry
Rempel is
ex-officio.
| |
Canada's
Airports:
Working Together, Moving
Forward
The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is
the voice for Canada's airports. Formed in 1991, as the
devolution of airports to local control was beginning,
the CAC has established itself as the reliable and
credible federal representative for airports on a wide
range of significant issues and concerns.
Canada's airports are engines for economic
development in the communities they serve and one of
their most important elements of local infrastructure:
Our communities' vital links to intra-provincial,
national and international trade and commerce. Our 47
members represent more than 200 Canadian airports,
including all of the National Airports System (NAS)
airports and most passenger service airports in every
province and territory.
Together, CAC members
handle virtually all of the nation's air cargo and
international passenger traffic and 95% of domestic
passenger traffic. The economic impact of CAC member
airports is staggering. They create well in excess of
$45 billion in economic activity in the communities they
serve. And more than 200,000 jobs are directly
associated with CAC member airports, generating a
payroll of more than $8 billion annually.
| | |
| Upcoming Events |
|
Jan. 13-15, 2010
ACI-NA Insurance and
Planning Conference
in San Diego
Jan. 24-26, 2010
ACI-NA Air Service &
Data Planning Seminar in Las Vegas
Jan.
27-29, 2010
ACI-NA Media Relations Conference
in Las Vegas
March 9-11, 2010
ACI-NA Air
Cargo Conference in Seattle
April 11-13,
2010
ACI-NA Airport Board Member and
Commissioners Conference in Savannah, Ga.
April 13-14, 2010
CAC Board Meeting and AGM
in Toronto
June 1-2, 2010
CAC CEO Forum
June
6-9, 2010
ACI-NA Marketing Communications
Conference & Jumpstart in San
Diego
Sept. 26-29, 2010
ACI-NA Annual
Conference & EXhibition in
Pittsburgh
Oct. 4-7, 2010
ACI-NA Fall
Public Safety & Security Conference in
Alexandria, Va.
Oct. 26-27, 2010
CAC Board Meeting in
Toronto
Nov. 1-3, 2010
ACI World
Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in
Bermuda
Nov. 8-11, 2010
ACI-NA Airport
Concessions Conference in Phoenix
For more details on ACI-NA events, please visit
the
ACI Web
site
CAC
board and committee meetings are open to all
members
| |
Tourism
Snapshot from the Canadian Tourism Commission
Short-Term
Market Outlook from the Canadian Tourism
Commission
|
| |
