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

Aviation bodies ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe, and the International Air Transport Association have strongly criticized what they regard as the European Union leaders' failure to harmonize Covid-related travel restrictions between member states. On Tuesday, European Affairs ministers from EU states adopted a European Council&nbsp;recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement. But the industry groups said that the move&nbsp;falls “far short” of what the groups consider its mandate: “encouraging a restart of travel through effective coordination and proportionate, predictable, and non-discriminatory measures.”

 


The three organizations have called for a common pre-departure Covid-19 testing framework to replace quarantines for passengers traveling from high-risk areas. According to a joint statement, the recommendations do not propose to replace quarantines with testing, meaning borders will remain effectively closed.

 


The groups complained that the recommendation allows for member states to refuse entry to citizens traveling from other member states and fails to harmonize rules applying to cross-border and domestic travel. Furthermore, it conflicts with the principle of a European Commission communication issued on May 13 that areas with equivalent (“sufficiently similar”) epidemiological conditions should lift travel restrictions, they said.

 


Finally, they complained that the recommendation does not create “a sufficient window of certainty” for travelers, as member states have committed only to publishing information on new measures 24 hours prior to their entry into force, as opposed to the five days the commission had proposed.

 


“These shortcomings are a political failure,” the groups said in a statement. “The inability of the council to go beyond shallow coordination and establish a truly harmonized and workable framework is now beyond any doubt. Expectations for an effective solution now rest with the European Commission, which has charged EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) and ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) with the development of an EU testing protocol for travel.”

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Aviation Groups Protest EU Failure To Act on Quarantines

ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe, and IATA continue to call for a pre-departure Covid testing protocol to replace quarantines. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

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.

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Howard Hardee

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

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

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News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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