SkyWest Inc. president and CEO Chip Childs warned the US Congress of a “growing pilot shortage” that could become significantly more pronounced over the next three years, leading to the grounding of large numbers of aircraft in US regional airlines’ fleets.

A five-day French air traffic control strike has already triggered more than 830 flight cancellations over the first two days and, separately, Finnair has warned of considerable disruption March 10.

Austria’s air travel tax will be cut in half on Jan. 1, 2018, following a confirmation by the Austrian Council of Ministers, as the country seeks to increase its attractiveness as a business and tourism destination.

Technology provider Sabre Airline Solutions EVP & president Hugh Jones will step down in August.

IT & Distribution-March 6, 2017

Global air freight traffic increased 6.9% year-over year in January, down from December 2016’s 10% growth, but more than doubling the average annual growth rate of 3% over the past five years, according to IATA’s January Air Freight Market analysis.

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has indefinitely suspended comment periods on two late-term Obama administration regulatory actions related to how airlines display airfares and ancillary fees, essentially freezing the regulatory process on the actions.

US President Donald Trump has issued a revised, narrower travel ban than his previous executive order that was blocked by US federal courts, this time temporarily excluding citizens without already-issued visas from six countries from entering the US for 90 days starting March 16.