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FAA: Staffing problems in US air traffic control cause flight delays
As the U.S. Government shutdown entered its 19th day, the Federal Aviation Administration reported late Sunday that staffing problems in air traffic control were causing delays at airports such as Dallas, Chicago Atlanta and Newark. Flights could be delayed due to air traffic controller absences in Las Vegas or Phoenix. FlightAware reported that more than 5,800 flights were delayed on Sunday. Flights were also affected by weather issues and the Formula 1 race held in Austin. FlightAware reports that more than 20% of American Airlines flights and Southwest Airlines flights were late on Sunday. The government shutdown is forcing 13,000 air traffic control officers and approximately 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work without pay. More information about the upcoming month is available. More than 23,000 flights have been delayed Over the past week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said that 53% of all flight delays are due to staffing problems, as opposed to 5% in normal circumstances. However, staffing problems have improved largely. The debate about the shutdown has shifted to air traffic control, with both sides blaming each other. Both unions and Airlines have called for a swift end Standoff at the border The Trump Airports are airing videos about their administration Airports blame Democrats for security checkpoints They have refused to run. The number of controllers and TSA agents absented during the 35-day shutdown in 2019 increased as employees missed paychecks. This led to longer waits at checkpoints. The authorities were forced to reduce air traffic in New York City and Washington to put pressure on legislators to end the standoff. Even before the shutdown, many air traffic controllers were working six-day weekends and mandatory overtime. (Reporting and editing by Kim Coghill, Diane Craft, and David Shepardson)
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Airport operator: Cargo plane slides from runway in Hong Kong
The airport operator of Hong Kong International Airport said that a cargo plane from Dubai skidded into the sea when landing on the runway at the airport. Local media reported the death of two people. Hong Kong International Airport announced that the northern runway was closed following the incident. The south and central runways will continue to be operational. The incident occurred at 3:50 am Hong Kong time, Monday (1950 GMT Sunday). The airport confirmed that the aircraft carried an Emirates flight number. Emirates did not respond immediately to a comment request. In a statement, the airport international said that the four crew members aboard were rescued. Another member of the ground crew was also rescued, but another is still missing. South China Morning Post reported that two men died aboard the vehicle. Flightradar24 is a flight tracking service. According to a post on social media, the aircraft that left the runway in Hong Kong, was a Boeing freighter. FlightRadar24 reported on X that the plane was owned by AirACT, a Turkish carrier which provides extra cargo capacity for major airlines. AirACT did respond to a comment request outside of normal business hours, but it took a few days.
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Fire at airport cargo facility disrupts Bangladeshi garment exports
Industry leaders stated on Sunday that a massive fire at Dhaka Airport's import cargo complex has caused extensive damages to goods and materials belonging major garment exporters. Losses and impacts on trade are likely to be in the millions of dollars. The fire broke out in the cargo village of the airport on Saturday afternoon, forcing the suspension of flights. On Sunday, smoke continued to rise as firefighters and airport officials assessed damage. The fire destroyed storage areas that housed imported raw materials, ready to export apparel, and sample products, all of which are essential for Bangladesh's $47 Billion garment industry. Inamul Haq Khan is the senior vice-president at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. "High-value and urgent air shipments were destroyed, including garments ready for shipment, raw material for production and, most important, product samples." He warned that losing samples could affect future business. These samples are crucial for securing buyers and increasing orders. "Our members could miss future opportunities if they lose these samples," he said. ESSENTIAL SAMPLES BURNED in FIRE BGMEA is now gathering information from exporters affected to assess the extent of losses. Khan said that the BGMEA has asked its members to provide detailed lists of damaged products and launched an online portal to accelerate data collection. The airport cargo village, one of Bangladesh's most important logistics hubs handles more than 600 tons of dry goods daily. This figure doubles in the peak season from October to December. Khan stated that "everyday, between 200 and 250 factories ship their products via air." The financial impact of this scale is substantial. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of this fire. This is the third major fire in Bangladesh reported this week. On Tuesday, a fire at a Dhaka garment factory and adjacent chemical warehouse killed 16 people and injured many others. Another fire destroyed a seven-storey building of a garment factory in Chittagong's export processing zone on Thursday. Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world after China. This sector, which supplies global retailers like Walmart, H&M and Gap, has about 4 million employees and generates $40 billion per year. That's more than 10% of Bangladesh's GDP. Fire, which occurred during peak export season is expected to cause delays in shipments, and make it more difficult for international deliveries to meet deadlines.
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EU Naval Mission says LPG-laden Tanker is on Fire Off Yemen
In a press release, Aspides, the European Union naval force, said that the LPG-laden vessel MV Falcon, was on fire off the coasts of Yemen on Saturday after its crew reported an explosion which forced them to abandon ship. Aspides stated that the cause of explosion was not clear but it most likely an accident based on initial indications. Aspides said that at least 15 percent of the Cameroon flagged vessel was on fire. Aspides warned vessels to maintain a safe distance because the tanker, which was loaded with liquefied gas, could explode. Aspides stated in a press release that "the fire onboard is growing." "MV Falcon is a navigational danger." "Everyone in the area should exercise caution." The 26 crewmembers were being rescued by an operation. Two merchant ships sailing in the area have recovered 24 seafarers so far. Two merchant vessels, one of which was the MV Veda took the seafarers rescued from the ship to Djibouti escorted a Greek frigate. Aspides reported that two crew members have been reported missing. Ambrey, a British security company, said that the MV Falcon was traveling from Oman's Sohar Port towards Djibouti. The explosion happened as the ship was sailing 113 miles south of Aden, Yemen. According to maritime security sources, neither unmanned aerial vehicles nor missiles had been detected. Ambrey stated that the tanker did not match the profile of the Houthi militants in Yemen who are Iran-aligned. According to the Houthi news agency Saba, an official in the Houthi Defence Ministry said that the group has no connection with the incident. Since 2023, Houthi militants claim to have carried out numerous attacks against vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel's Gaza war. The attacks disrupted the flow of trade through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Reporting by Enas Al Alashray and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Jan Harvey, Barbara Lewis and Renee Maltezou
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At least 15 people are killed in a bus crash that occurred in the northeastern region of Brazil
In a statement, the Brazilian Federal Highway Police reported that a bus accident occurred in Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil on Friday evening. The driver of the bus lost control and caused the crash. Accident occurred just before 8 pm. The driver lost control, went into the opposite lane and hit rocks along the side of highway. He then crashed with a sand embankment, overturned, and collided. According to the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Highway Police is investigating the causes of the accident. According to the police list, there were 30 passengers aboard. So far, half have been confirmed as dead, 11 women and 4 men. Total number of injuries has not been revealed. The driver suffered minor injuries. According to the statement, he underwent a test of breathalyzer, and received a normal result. The police said that there were indications some passengers might not have worn seat belts during the accident. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier. (Writing by Luciana Magnalhaes Editing Marguerita Choy.
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Fire at Dhaka Airport cargo terminal causes flight delays and diversions
Officials said that flights out of Bangladesh’s main airport on Saturday were either delayed or diverted after a large fire broke out at the cargo terminal. Talha Bin Zassim, an officer with the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Cell said that 36 firefighting units were working to put out the flames. Airport official Masudul Hasan informed reporters that operations at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport have been suspended. He added that all aircraft were safe. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The problem affects both domestic and international flights. Air Arabia from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, diverted a flight from Delhi bound for Dhaka to Chittagong and IndiGo from Delhi bound for Dhaka to Kolkata. Officials said that a Cathay Pacific plane from Hong Kong circled in the air after it failed to land at Dhaka Airport. The fire service, army, navy and air force all worked together to put out the fire. This is the third fire in Bangladesh reported this week. The fire that broke out at a Bangladeshi garment factory and adjacent chemical storage facility on Tuesday killed four people. At least 16 people Others were injured. Another fire destroyed a building of a Chittagong export processing zone garment factory on Thursday.
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Security firm reports that a tanker with a Cameroon flag issued a distress call to Ahwar in Yemen.
Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said that a tanker flying the flag of Cameroon issued a distress signal on Saturday following an explosion aboard as it passed around 60 nautical miles south-southeast of Ahwar in Yemen. The cause of explosion is unclear. Ambrey confirmed that it had received radio communications from the crew indicating their intention to abandon ship. A search and rescue effort was in progress. Ambrey said that the vessel was traveling from Oman's Sohar Port, to Djibouti. The tanker is not thought to have been linked to the Houthis, Yemen's Iran aligned militia. Since 2023 they have attacked numerous vessels in the Red Sea, targeting vessels they believe are linked to Israel as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel's Gaza war. The attacks disrupted the flow of trade through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Reporting by Enas Al Gebaly and Muhammad Al Gebaly, Editing by Jan Harvey & Barbara Lewis
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Sky News reports that Heathrow is considering WPP boss Jansen to be chairman.
Sky News reported that Philip Jansen, former CEO of BT Group and now chairman of marketing services group WPP is in advanced discussions with Heathrow’s board of directors and shareholders about becoming the chairman of the airport. The report cited sources to say that Jansen was the clear frontrunner of the shortlisted candidates. An announcement could be made within weeks, if discussions are successful. Could not verify the report immediately. Heathrow Airport didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Sky News reported in July that the British aviation hub had been working with headhunter Russell Reynolds Associates on recruiting a successor for Paul Deighton who assumed the position in 2016. Deighton’s term as chairman would have ended on April 30th, 2025 after nine years. Due to recent board changes, and the relatively new appointments of leadership, Deighton was asked to extend his tenure. Deighton stated in the annual report of the company that "I have... accepted to extend my role for a limited time as Chair to ensure continuity and security on the HAHL Board throughout this period transition". Sky News reported that Jansen’s experience as CEO of BT Group – a regulated company – from early 2019 until the end of 2024 was a key factor in his selection as he preferred candidate. According to his WPP profile, the executive began his career with Procter & Gamble and has held leadership positions at Sodexo Group and Telewest. He also worked at MyTravel, Travis Perkins and Sodexo Group. Rhea rose Abraham, Bengaluru reporter; Jan Harvey, editor
US judge inspects Boeing plea deal in fatal crashes
A federal judge on Friday pushed U.S. Justice Department authorities to justify the terms of Boeing's arrangement to plead guilty to fraud in the wake of 2 deadly 737 MAX crashes but stopped short of ruling on whether to accept the deal.
Attorneys for Boeing and federal district attorneys argued to U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas that he must accept the plea deal, while attorneys for relatives of the crash victims advised him to reject it. The U.S. planemaker concurred in July to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud regulators.
Judge O'Connor stated on Friday that he would issue a. ruling as quickly as possible.
The judge has actually fielded numerous pages of legal briefs from. the celebrations over the past numerous weeks. In the courtroom on. Friday, Paul Cassell, one of the lawyers representing the. households of the 346 people who perished in the aircraft crashes,. which took place in 2018 and 2019, said there are 8 reasons. to decline this rotten plea offer. They included his contention. that the arrangement enables a cash-flush corporation to dictate. its punishments before sentencing, and that the offer failed to. go far enough in holding Boeing or its executives accountable. for the deaths of the households' liked ones.
Sean Tonolli, the Justice Department's senior deputy. chief of the criminal division's fraud section, safeguarded the. contract as fair and just, and stated that the federal government. customized its technique to the plea contract to take into consideration. the households' concerns.
Prosecutors came to the plea agreement after an extensive. investigation and a series of conferences with the families,. prosecutors said. Yet in the end, the prosecutors said in an. August court filing, DOJ officials have not found the one thing. that underlies the families' most enthusiastic objections to the. proposed resolution: evidence that might show beyond a. affordable doubt that Boeing's fraud caused the deaths of their. enjoyed ones.
Boeing is sorry for the unspeakable losses suffered by the. households, Mark Filip, an attorney representing Boeing, told the. judge. He argued the judge should accept the plea agreement. The. business previously stated in a court filing that it was prepared. to plead guilty and consequently accept ultimate obligation for. the crime of conspiring to defraud regulators. The planemaker. has actually significantly reinforced, and increased financial investment in, its. safety and compliance practices, Boeing said.
During the hearing, Judge O'Connor pushed Tonolli to. describe why the Justice Department was seeking a binding plea. arrangement that restricts his ability to impose punishments during. sentencing that surpass the offer's current terms and. suggestions.
QUESTIONING THE PLEA OFFER
Boeing in July finalized the contract with prosecutors. needing the planemaker to plead guilty to fraud in connection. with the two fatal airplane crashes.
The planemaker accepted pay up to a $487.2 million fine and. invest at least $455 million on improving safety and compliance. practices over three years of court-supervised probation as part. of the plea deal. The arrangement enables the judge to cut the fine. in half by crediting Boeing for cash it formerly paid in the. case.
Justice Department authorities pressed Boeing to take the plea. offer after finding the business had broken the regards to a 2021. contract that had protected it from prosecution over the. crashes, which effectively resumed the case.
That finding followed a separate January in-flight blowout. that exposed continuous security and quality concerns at Boeing. A. panel blew off a new Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet throughout a Jan. 5 Alaska. Airlines flight, just 2 days before the 2021 contract. protecting Boeing from prosecution over the previous fatal. crashes ended.
In the criminal case over the fatal crashes, prosecutors. compete they have actually extracted an agreement from Boeing to plead. guilty to the most severe charge they could prove, along with. payment of the optimum legally permitted charge.
The two crashes at the center of the criminal case versus. Boeing happened in Indonesia and Ethiopia over a five-month. period.
A guilty plea, must the judge accept it, would brand. Boeing a founded guilty felon for conspiring to defraud the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about bothersome software. affecting the flight-control systems in the airplanes.
On top of the plea deal's monetary ramifications, the. arrangement likewise imposes a display to examine Boeing's safety and. compliance efforts and enables the judge at sentencing to force. the company to pay extra compensation to households whose. relatives passed away in the crashes.
Judge O'Connor, thought about among the most conservative. judges in the country, also questioned federal prosecutors about. a stipulation in the plea arrangement that said the display would be. picked in keeping with the Justice Department's diversity and. addition commitments.
Tonolli responded that the arrangement doesn't mean in. practice that we choose less competent screens.
Victims' family members desire Boeing and its executives charged. with criminal activities holding them accountable for the deaths of their. loved ones and any evidence of misbehavior presented in a public. trial. They have also argued Boeing must have to pay up to. $ 24.78 billion in connection with the crashes.
Polish nationwide airline company LOT likewise opposes the plea deal. and has actually argued it needs to have the exact same rights as the crash. victims' families.
Judge O'Connor has actually formerly expressed strong sympathy for. the families of the 737 MAX crash victims and called the Boeing. case the most dangerous business crime in U.S. history..
(source: Reuters)