The Federal Aviation Administration reported that a United Airlines flight bound for Tokyo had to'return' to Dulles International Airport, in northern Virginia, on Saturday afternoon due an engine failure. United's spokesperson stated that the flight landed soon after takeoff because of the loss of power in one engine. The spokesperson reported that there were no injuries among the 275 passengers on board and the 15 crew. Social media X posted photos and videos of smoke?billowing near the runway. Dulles is the nearest international airport to Washington, D.C., located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) away. The FAA announced that it would...

Spanish police announced on Saturday that they had busted a criminal group using helicopters to smuggle Moroccan hashish in "a rare operation" against aerial drug trafficking. The Civil 'Guard spokesperson Gonzalo López said that the 'helicopters could carry up to 900 kg (1,100-2,050 pounds) of hashish, and then transport it by road into other parts of Europe. During raids conducted in the provinces Malaga, Almeria, and Murcia, police seized a helicopter, 657 kg hashish and five firearms. They also seized cash and vehicles. Six people were arrested in the operation that also included Moroccan, Belgian, and Swedish law enforcement agencies....

A U.S. bankruptcy court judge approved Azul’s debt restructuring on Friday, allowing it to reduce more than $2 billion of debt and raise capital via a new equity right offering and investment from American Airlines and?United?Airlines. At a hearing in White Plains (New York), U.S. Bankruptcy judge Sean Lane approved Azul’s?bankruptcy plans. Azul filed Chapter '11 bankruptcy in New York, in May. Its goal was to reduce its debts and to make its business more resistant to market challenges such as fluctuations in fuel prices and currency exchange rate. The bankruptcy plan of the company converts much of its existing...

IndiGo, India's largest airline, estimated on Friday that it would pay out more than 55.19 million dollars to customers affected by its massive cancellations of flights last week. After the airline cancelled 4,500 flights due to poor roster planning last week, it left tens and thousands of passengers stranded. The civil aviation regulator then ordered that 10% of their domestic winter schedule be cut. In a message on X, the budget airline stated that it was identifying 'flights in which customers were severely impacted on December 3, 4, and 5. IndiGo said it would compensate passengers whose flights "were cancelled...

Southwest Airlines announced on Friday that it will open a "crew base" at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in March 2026. This move is part of the carrier's efforts to expand into central Texas, which is experiencing rapid growth. The airline said that the majority of the new Austin base's staff would be made up of captains, flight attendants and first officers, supported by administrative and leadership teams. Southwest plans to also add a training facility that will be used for a regular basis by flight attendants as part of its broader business transformation. The carrier expects to open the Austin base...

U.S. Transportation Department threatened on Friday to 'pull $73million in funding from New York State over commercial driver licences improperly issued?to non U.S. citizens. This is the latest of a series Trump administration 'threats?aimed at Democratic run states. After a federal audit, the department warned that New York State must act within 30 days to address concerns regarding immigrant truckers or risk losing federal highway funding. In September, the agency issued an emergency rule to severely restrict commercial drivers licenses for immigrants and non-U.S. Citizens after a fatal crash in Florida. U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio announced in August that the...

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON DEC 12 - U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Friday that he would not allow military helicopters or commercial passenger planes?to come?into close proximity near Reagan Washington National Airport. This is despite a bill before Congress which some critics claim could cause unsafe traffic. The crash of an Army Black Hawk on January 29, near Reagan, between an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk killed 67 people. It also raised concerns about aviation safety. We will not allow fixed-wing or helicopter traffic to cross that airspace. Duffy told a press briefing that...

Nearly a year after President Donald Trump took office, European tourists are flocking to less-heralded and more affordable destinations in the U.S., like Tennessee, Montana, and Idaho. They're skipping popular spots like New York, Washington D.C. While tourism from 'Western Europe' to the United States is down, other destinations are seeing an increase in visitors as they seek out a 'classic Americana experience, and airlines have added flights to smaller cities. As Trump escalated a trade conflict and at times criticized Europe harshly, many travelers cancelled trips to the United States in spring. According to the U.S. National Travel and...

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON DEC 12 - On Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would review Boeing's enhanced flight crew alerting systems for the Boeing 737 MAX 10. These include a synthetic improved angle-of attack?system as well as a way to turn off stall warnings and overspeed alarms. Congress waived a December 2022 deadline for a new standard of safety for modern cockpit alerts on the MAX 7 or MAX 10. However, it required retrofitting the planes with future enhancements in the three years following the MAX 10 certification. Congress adopted the requirements as part of an...

After inconclusive discussions in Berlin, the defence ministers of Germany, France, and Spain pushed discussions about a troubled European Fighter Jets Project to a meeting with government leaders next week. Boris Pistorius, of Germany, Catherine Vautrin of France and Margarita Robles of Spain met on Thursday in Berlin to discuss the fate FCAS Project whose future is in doubt due to industrial disputes. Airbus, a German-and-Spanish-backed company, and Dassault Aviation of France are at odds with each other over issues such as technology and industrial control. These disagreements threaten to sabotage the 100 billion-euro project for renewing air power by...

Hong Kong Police?said Friday that they had 'arrested' a passenger who was on Cathay Pacific CX811 flight between Boston and Hong Kong. The carrier claimed the individual attempted to?open a door in mid-flight, on December 10th. The airline stated that no passengers or crew were injured, and the flight safely landed early on Thursday. The incident is being investigated by the?police force of the city. Cathay Airlines said that the cabin crew acted immediately to resolve the issue, checked the door to make sure it was closed securely, and reported the incident both to the authorities and police. The case...

Cathay Pacific confirmed on Friday that on December 10, a passenger aboard flight CX811 from Boston to Hong Kong tried to open an aircraft's door in mid-flight. The airline stated that no passengers or crew members were injured, and the flight "landed safely" early on Thursday morning. The police are now handling the incident. Hong Kong Police Department did not?respond immediately to a request for comment. Cathay stated that "our cabin crew immediately attended to the problem, checked the door to make sure it was closed securely, and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities and police." The case was...