Latest news with #NickCareen
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Airspace can't be used as retaliatory tool, civilian flights not to be targetted
NEW DELHI: Airspace must never be weaponised in conflicts, and civilian aircraft should never become casualties—deliberate or accidental—of military operations, said Nick Careen, Senior Vice President of Operations & Security at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Speaking at the IATA Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, Careen said that governments worldwide are working together to enhance coordination and establish clear global protocols to protect civil aviation in conflict zones. 'Governments must step up, enhance intelligence-sharing, and establish clearer global protocols to prevent such tragedies and safeguard civilian aviation,' Careen said. Citing rising threats to flight safety, Careen said, 'There needs to be a better balance between connectivity and geopolitical issues that always puts national security and international law in the forefront. Instead, we see airspace used as a retaliatory tool.' The fallout from global conflicts is already hitting the aviation sector hard. In 2023, two civilian aircraft were shot down in Kazakhstan and Sudan, claiming 38 lives. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war continues to disrupt European airspace, with up to 2,000 flights being rerouted or cancelled on an average summer day due to closed Ukrainian airspace and sanctions on Russia. That's about 6% of total daily network traffic, Careen noted. Another 1,500 flights are rerouted daily to avoid restricted airspace, causing logistical chaos and increased fuel consumption.
Mid East Info
3 days ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
GOL, TAP Adopt IATA FuelIS to Deliver Long-term Fuel Savings - Middle East Business News and Information
The International Air Transport Association IATA announced that GOL and TAP Air Portugal have become the first airlines to use IATA FuelIS—an advanced analytics solution designed to help airlines optimize fuel consumption. IATA's net-zero carbon emissions roadmap highlights that technology and operational efficiency improvements—which directly lower fuel consumption—are expected to contribute to about 10% of the emissions reduction in 2050*. 'Fuel management is key for airlines. Depending on the prevailing price of jet fuel, it generally accounts for 25-30% of the cost base. On top of that, as airlines decarbonize, tracking and managing carbon costs—which are directly related to fuel consumption—will be a growing priority. Understanding how an airline is performing compared with industry peers using FuelIS can pinpoint potential efficiencies that reduce costs and improve environmental performance. The great support from 220 airlines contributing operational data on fuel consumption combined with continuously improving analytical capabilities makes FuelIS a very compelling tool,' said Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security. Data Accuracy and Reliability: IATA FuelIS helps airlines benchmark the fuel efficiency of their aircraft or engines against industry averages, gaining valuable insights into specific markets, regions, countries, and fleet types based on real operational data. IATA FuelIS uses data from the IATA Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) platform. This data is sourced from the Flight Data eXchange (FDX) program which now comprises fuel data from more than 220 airlines worldwide, covering more than 8 million flights a year. FuelIS integrates seamlessly with IATA's Fuel Efficiency Gap Analysis (FEGA), with the data from FuelIS supporting the development and tracking of fuel strategies. Since 2005, IATA has partnered with airlines worldwide, helping the industry identify potential annual reductions of 4.76 million tonnes in fuel consumption, equating to $3.8 billion in savings annually. 'Fuel is a major cost driver for TAP Air Portugal. Managing consumption is an important priority for its cost implications and its contribution to decarbonization. Every kilogram of fuel saved counts. The insights FuelIS provides help us measure the impact of our fleet modernization and our long-term transition to SAF. It also supports a fuel strategy that is more responsive to market and operational changes,' said TAP Air Portugal CEO Luís Rodrigues. 'Fuel is a significant cost factor for all companies and managing how we use it is always important and can be a significant competitive advantage. With FuelIS, we are equipped with data that helps us make better fuel decisions while benchmarking our progress against the industry. Joining FuelIS is yet another important step in our commitment to continuously improve our operations, ensuring high-level performance and focusing on cost reduction,' said GOL COO, Albert Pérez.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Airlines address surge in in-flight theft as concerns grow
NEW DELHI: The theft of personal belongings aboard aircraft is an increasing concern in several regions, prompting the global airline trade body to convene discussions in the coming weeks on how best to tackle the issue. Nick Careen, senior vice-president for operations, safety, and security at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said reports from member airlines suggest that incidents of in-flight theft have grown more prevalent on certain routes over the past 12 to 18 months. This trend coincides with the resurgence of international air travel following the pandemic, The Straits Times reported. "Our security advisory group is planning to meet in the next week or two to discuss what we could potentially do to better manage this – out of China mostly, where it seems to be very organised," he told the media on June 3. Speaking at IATA's annual general meeting in New Delhi, India, Careen also addressed a range of aviation safety concerns, including turbulence, shortcomings in accident reporting, and GPS jamming and spoofing in proximity to conflict zones. He said: "We're still the safest mode of transportation... However, we never rest on our laurels in aviation. There are headwinds. There are things that we need to keep an eye on." On in-flight theft, Careen said he did not want to point fingers, but the concern is the degree of organisation in recent cases. "How we deal with that, whether it's security on board or cooperation from local governments in terms of the appropriate penalties... those are the types of things that we will see come out of this," he added. Reports of theft on board flights to various Asian cities have been increasing. In the first ten months of 2024, Hong Kong recorded 169 such incidents, involving HK$4.32 million (RM2.34 million) worth of valuables—marking a 75 per cent rise compared to the same period in 2023. Tokyo's Narita International Airport also reported a recent spike in in-flight thefts. In Singapore, four people were charged over in-flight theft between January 2023 and September 2024, CNA reported in January. Most recently, Chinese national Zhang Kun, 51, pleaded guilty in May to stealing a credit card and more than RM658 in cash from a fellow passenger on an overnight Scoot flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in March. Airlines have tightened restrictions on power bank use due to concerns about aircraft fires, following incidents such as the Air Busan blaze in South Korea in January. Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and carriers across South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong banned their use and charging in April, while Southwest Airlines in the US implemented stricter rules in May. While airlines are justified in adjusting safety procedures based on their own risk assessments, IATA cautions against reactionary measures, as there has been no significant increase in onboard fires. Standardised safety protocols should be established through regulatory reviews by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is currently assessing the issue. Turbulence remains the leading cause of accidents aboard aircraft, prompting IATA to enhance real-time data-sharing through its Turbulence Aware platform, now used by 28 airlines. Although turbulence incidents have risen, this is largely due to increased reporting rather than a genuine surge in occurrences. High-profile events such as the severe turbulence experienced by Singapore Airlines' Flight SQ321 in May 2024, which resulted in a passenger fatality, have amplified concerns. However, it is still too early to determine whether climate change is directly influencing turbulence trends. Careen urged governments to improve accident reporting standards, highlighting inconsistencies in investigations. He pointed out that 107 investigations from 2018 to 2023 remain incomplete, with 234 fatalities recorded. He stressed the importance of thorough reporting, as understanding past accidents is critical in preventing future incidents. The politicisation of investigations, as well as labour and technical challenges, continue to hamper progress. While some delays are understandable, a lack of clear reasons for incomplete investigations remains a problem. Despite an overall decline in accident rates, onboard fatalities saw a significant increase in 2024. According to IATA, there were 1.13 accidents per million flights, below the five-year average of 1.25. However, the number of deaths surged to 244 from 72 in 2023. The fatality risk of 0.06 in 2024, although lower than the five-year average of 0.1, underscores the need for ongoing safety improvements. These figures highlight the importance of continuous efforts to enhance aviation safety through data-driven strategies and regulatory oversight.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sharp rise in GPS jamming &spoofing over conflict zones
Airlines reported 4.3 lakh cases of satellite signal jamming or spoofing over conflict zones in the past year—a 62% increase from the 2.6 lakh incidents recorded in 2023. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday released new data on GPS jamming and spoofing, based on reports from its 215 member airlines. The increase in disruptions has outpaced the growth in overall air traffic, indicating a disproportionate escalation in such incidents. GPS jamming disrupts satellite signals received by an aircraft's navigation systems, while spoofing involves transmitting fake satellite signals that mislead onboard receivers, causing the aircraft to calculate a false position and potentially veer off its intended course. The four-year data shows a sharp, consistent rise in GPS disruption incidents. In 2021, while 54,250 flights were affected, by 2024, that number had surged nearly fourfold. Of the 7.7 million flights monitored last year, 56 out of every 1,000 -- amounting to 4.3 lakh flights -- experienced GPS signal loss. Aircraft manufacturers are yet to issue standard operating procedures (SOP) for pilots handling these events, said Nick Careen, senior VP, operations, safety and security, IATA. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo Civil aviation regulators in the US and Europe too haven't issued instructions to aircraft manufacturers to issue these SOPs. If these SOPs were issued, pilots worldwide would follow a documented series of set procedures when faced with GPS jamming or spoofing. Currently, pilots follow the guidelines issued by their respective airlines, which are not standard across the industry, Careen said. Then again, aircraft manufacturers like Airbus, for instance, have published information on GPS interference for pilots. "Aircraft manufacturers must continue to support aircraft operators by providing appropriate guidance," he said. The issue of GPS spoofing drew increased attention in 2023 after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) updated its safety bulletin following an increase in the severity of incidents. The bulletin instructed operators to educate their pilots about possible spoofing and jamming of satellite signals and also include this aspect of navigation in pilots' recurrent ground training. The Indian regulator also issued similar guidelines, laying the onus solely on the airline. In Oct 2023, TOI carried a report about 20 airline and corporate jets overflying Iran that were targeted in the previous weeks with fake GPS signals sent from the ground. These were strong enough to infiltrate aircraft navigation system, override true satellite GPS signals, and steer aircraft off-course. Aircraft navigation system failure was so complete that pilots had to seek guidance from the air traffic controller to know their location at that point in time, according to Ops Group, a flight data intelligence crowdsourcing website. Following the report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) constituted a committee for monitoring GNSS spoofing in Indian airspace. The Indian regulator also issued guidelines similar to EASA, which lay the onus solely on the airline.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Global airline association seeks to address growing problem of in-flight theft
There has been a growing number of theft cases reported on board flights to a number of cities in Asia. PHOTO: ST FILE – The theft of personal belongings on board planes is a growing problem in some parts of the world, and the global trade body for airlines plans to hold discussions on how to deal with this in the coming weeks. Mr Nick Careen, senior vice-president for operations, safety and security at the International Air Transport Association (Iata), said feedback from its members indicate that in-flight theft has become more of an issue on certain routes in the past 12 to 18 months. This is in line with the recovery in international air travel post-pandemic. 'Our security advisory group is planning to meet in the next week or two to discuss what we could potentially do to better manage this – out of China mostly, where it seems to be very organised,' he told the media on June 3. Speaking at Iata's annual general meeting in New Delhi, India, Mr Careen also delved into other aviation safety issues, including turbulence, gaps in accident reporting, and GPS jamming and spoofing near conflict areas. He said: 'We're still the safest mode of transportation... However, we never rest on our laurels in aviation. There are headwinds. There are things that we need to keep an eye on.' On in-flight theft, Mr Careen said he did not want to point fingers, but the concern is the degree of organisation in recent cases. 'How we deal with that, whether it's security on board or cooperation from local governments in terms of the appropriate penalties... those are the types of things that we will see come out of this,' he added. There has been a growing number of theft cases reported on board flights to a number of cities in Asia. In the first 10 months of 2024, Hong Kong recorded 169 such cases, involving HK$4.32 million (S$709,300) worth of valuables – 75 per cent higher than for the same period in 2023. Tokyo's Narita International Airport also reported a recent spike in in-flight thefts. In Singapore, four people were charged over in-flight theft between January 2023 and September 2024, CNA reported in January. Most recently, Chinese national Zhang Kun, 51, pleaded guilty in May to stealing a credit card and more than $200 in cash from a fellow passenger on an overnight Scoot flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in March. Another issue Mr Careen addressed at the Iata meeting was the recent changes made by some airlines to the rules on the use of power banks on flights. This was in the wake of a number of aircraft fires, most notably the blaze in January that destroyed an Air Busan plane in South Korea. In April, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot banned the use and charging of power banks on their flights, as did carriers in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong. In May, Southwest Airlines in the US also tightened its rules on portable battery use. Mr Careen said there is nothing wrong with airlines adjusting their procedures based on their own safety risk assessments. But Iata has not seen a rampant increase in fires on board planes, and he warned against knee-jerk reactions. Airline procedures should ultimately be standardised, Mr Careen added, and any changes should be made via a regulatory review by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is discussing the issue. Mr Careen also addressed concerns over turbulence, which he said is the leading cause of accidents on board aircraft. This is one area where Iata is using data to improve safety, he noted. Today, 28 airlines, including SIA and Scoot, exchange real-time turbulence information using Iata's Turbulence Aware platform, sharing reports from more than 2,700 aircraft. This is up from 25 carriers six months ago, and Taiwanese carrier Eva Air on June 2 said that it will be joining the platform as well. Asked if the data-sharing has led to more flights avoiding choppy air, Mr Careen said Iata has not been tracking this. While the association should do so, this would also be hard to measure, he noted. Mr Careen said there has been a rise in turbulence incidents, but this has primarily been due to increased reporting. Referencing SIA's Flight SQ321, which hit severe turbulence in May 2024 that led to a passenger dying of a suspected heart attack, he said such sensational incidents have exacerbated the focus on this topic. It is too early to draw conclusions about the impact of climate change on turbulence incidents, he added. Mr Careen on June 3 also called on governments to improve their accident reporting. 'The standards are clear. Thirty days after, you're required to provide a preliminary report. And 12 months later, you should have the report completed. That does not happen consistently,' he said. Mr Careen said there are still 107 investigations from the period between 2018 and 2023 that remain incomplete, noting that 234 lives were lost in these accidents. Calling this a 'dereliction of duty', Mr Careen added: 'You can't prevent the next (accident) from happening without understanding what happened in the first place.' The politicisation of investigations is an issue, as are labour and technical snags. 'We're willing to accept the good reasons. When we don't get a reason, that's when there's a problem,' he said. According to Iata, there were 1.13 accidents per million flights in 2024 – lower than the five-year average of 1.25. The number of on-board deaths rose sharply to 244 from 72 in 2023, but the fatality risk in 2024 of 0.06 was still lower than the five-year average of 0.1. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
