Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

A piece of what IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac called some good news for the European airline industry came Tuesday with a financial package from Eurocontrol member states allowing operators to defer €1.1 billion of air traffic control fees due to the continent’s air traffic management industry over “the coming months.”

 


The number of flights operating daily in European airspace has declined 90 percent due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and IATA sees little improvement until the continent lifts its lockdown. Europe, in fact, has seen the most severe decline of any part in the world, where regions average about a 70 percent reduction in traffic, according to IATA chief economist Brian Pearce.

 


In a statement issued soon after Eurocontrol announced the measures, the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) commended the member states for the relief. Estimates for 2020 called for European air traffic management fees for en route services to total €8.2 billion, based on forecast traffic and the projected cost of services from air navigation service providers (ANSPs). The bill for February totaled €518 million; the next payment would have come due on April 13, reported ERA. Eurocontrol has agreed to defer that bill until November.

 


“This swift action taken by the Eurocontrol member states will provide airlines with more flexibility as they financially plan for the future,” said ERA director general Montserrat Barriga. “Aviation will be instrumental in Europe’s economic recovery, and financial relief measures are needed urgently to ensure our airlines can continue to operate, providing connectivity, once we move towards recovery. Today’s announcement by Eurocontrol will certainly aid our airlines in this recovery process.”

 


Speaking during a Tuesday teleconference with media, IATA’s de Juniac complimented the world’s governments for their “very supportive and open attitudes” toward financial relief measures in general. However, he also called for them to implement the aid packages immediately.

 


“This is the biggest crisis we have ever had in front of us,” said de Juniac. “Now we desperately need these [rescue] packages to be implemented and the money to flow to our balance sheets because we are clearly running out of cash. Whatever the measure is, we need it now because after three weeks of shutdown for many of our members and two months of cash in hand at the beginning of the year…we urgently need cash injection by any means.”

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

Eurocontrol States Defer Air Traffic Management Fees

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New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

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News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

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News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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