To my fellow passengers on Flight 2015, I wish you the best possible in-flight experience. Now that we’ve taken off feel free to stretch your legs a bit. I certainly will.
It was my goal for 2014 to shed light on some of the mysteries of aviation and aerospace and give FlightChic readers a peek at what goes on behind the scenes. I hope I’ve succeeded, at least partly, but I know I can do more.
My theme for this year’s flight is Open Skies. In part, that reflects my wish to continue making the industry more accessible, opening up a greater dialogue on the key issues of aviation and aerospace. Your participation enhances this dialogue, so please feel free to comment and reach out.
There is the pending dispute over Open Skies agreements which one of our peanuts in the North faces, scheduled to be resolved in 2015. Whatever the final decision, in favor or against, it will not only affect Norwegian–it will set an important precedent. We’ll monitor that and similar developments closely.
But that’s not why I picked Open Skies to mark 2015. In 2015, the skies were open to change, and changes expected in 2015 will define the coming decade in aviation.
There is unprecedented global expansion by certain airlines, not just in the Low-Cost Sector. Industry consolidation also affects infrastructure in ways that could prove problematic in the coming years. The demand for aircraft has been high because of the greater fuel efficiency of new aircraft models, leading to an unprecedented boom in the aircraft interiors market. However, dropping oil prices could affect that demand if they remain low.
Technological improvements to aviation infrastructure promise to revolutionize our airport and in-flight experience. I saw a lot of 2020 deadlines last year. That’s only five years away–practically next week in the aviation timeline. We should see some strong progress in 2015, or we’ll have to expect that 2020 deadline to be pushed out.
It’s too soon to tell how this will all play out, that’s half the fun of watching it, but whatever comes, I’ll report on it here and elsewhere.
You can expect more here on the original FlightChic site; a few surprises are still in store. I plan to be very busy in 2015, which is just how I like it.
May your 2015 be just as productive, entertaining, and enjoyable!
ACI EUROPE President Talks Security, Electronics Ban, Brexit, Open Skies and Airport Charges
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