The procedure is used in the event of an engine failure. It has successfully brought troubled aircraft back to the ground (or water) from the Azores to the Hudson River. Now, the "engine off" approach is being used to give passengers more comfort and to reduce noise and air pollution. Just to ease your minds, the engines aren't actually "off."

The European Union maintains a list of airlines that, due to safety concerns, are restricted from flying to EU nations. If you think the list consists of a few, obscure airlines, think again. There are 278 banned airlines and this number changes each time the EU reviews its list.

European and U.S. negotiators have signed the latest version of their open skies agreement. The pact further expands rights for airlines of each region to serve the other and is likely to result in greater cross-ownership among carriers, though that still remains a tough obstacle to overcome.

EasyJet may be a low-cost airline but it's got high costs on its mind. When volcanic ash forced the closure of airspace throughout Europe this spring, EU carriers lost 1 billion euros (US$1.7 billion) almost overnight. This is why EasyJet is spending £1 million ($1.6 million) to make massive cancellations due to ash clouds a thing of the past.

The nearly week-long air traffic jam is showing signs of movement as European airspace is slowly opening. EUROCONTROL reports that nearly half of the 28,000 flights it normally handles will be back in the air as of Tuesday, the 20th. It's a break in the ash cloud that gives stranded passengers hope, however reports out of Iceland indicate that there could be more ash-related disruptions in the days to come.

Airline executives make it a point to stress that business decisions such as add-on fees are made with the passenger's benefit in mind. If you ever had any doubt whether such fees would last, the smiles of some executives at an aviation conference in March seemed to give the answer.

IAPA has long represented the interests of its members around the world. In support of your concerns as airline customers we actively partake in events, forums, industry panels and task forces that deal with commercial aviation issues that matter to you the most.

KLM becomes the first airline to test a flight powered by bio-fuels while carrying passengers. A KLM Boeing 747 has been prepared to operate, with a select group of passengers, with one of its four engines powered by a 50-50 mixture of bio-kerosene and conventional jet fuel. It seems like a small amount but every journey begins with a single step and the aviation industry seems to be willing to take them.

Struggling to earn revenue, many airlines are finding it a challenge to make the necessary purchases to keep business flying smoothly. Fuel is among the largest of these purchases, but that's not stopping one group of airlines from seeking fuel alternatives that could save more in the long run and reduce harmful emissions too. We say bravo to that idea!

It's not unusual for an airline to lobby politicians for favorable legislation or other rulings. In fact, it's one of the many things they do when they're not busy flying you around the world ... for the most part. But when an airline asks its passengers to help in the battle where public opinion meets political will, it's usually over something the airlines feel strongly about – and want you to feel the same way as well.