Official: US FAA is not considering lifting the Boeing 737 MAX production limit at this time.

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• US Senate committee considers nomination of Republic Airways CEO as FAA head

  The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced on Wednesday that it will hold an 11th of June hearing to discuss President Donald Trump's nominee for the Federal Aviation Administration, Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways. Bedford, an industry veteran with more than 30 year's experience, was nominated for the position in March. He previously led two other carriers, and oversaw significant expansions of Republic Airways which operates regional flights on behalf of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Republic, based in Indiana, is one of North America's largest regional airlines. It operates a fleet of over 200 Embraer aircraft and 900 flights per day in the United States of America and Canada. Mesa Air Group and Republic agreed to merge in April as part of an all-stock transaction. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asked Congress to provide tens billions of dollars for the modernization of an aging U.S. Air Traffic Control System to alleviate airport congestion, flight delay and a lack of 3,500 certified air traffic controllers. Years of problems have plagued the FAA's air-traffic control network. But a series of high-profile incidents, near-misses, and a January crash involving a PSA Airlines-operated American Airlines regional aircraft and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people prompted new calls to action. The next FAA administrator faces challenges in overseeing Boeing, and determining when to lift a cap on production of 737 MAX planes at 38 per month, imposed following a mid-air emergency that occurred in January 2024. Last month, the FAA convened a task force to address an emergency and take urgent action to prevent further telecom outages in Newark's air traffic control facility. Three incidents had shaken public trust and caused hundreds of flight disruptions. On April 28, controllers who were overseeing planes near Manhattan's busy airport lost contact with them for 90 seconds. This incident was alarming. The FAA reduced the number of flights at Newark to 28 arrivals per hour and 28 departures an hour until runway construction is complete. Duffy wants to see new funding allocated to airport equipment that will prevent near miss incidents, and to create new incentives for air traffic controllers to increase their hiring and retention. At least $31 billion has been requested by airlines and other parties. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation which includes $12,5 billion in initial expenditures on air traffic reform. This includes $2.5 billion to replace air traffic towers and contract-towers. Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Jacqueline Wong & Jamie Freed

• CBS News reports that Trump intends to end the TSA's "Quiet Skies" program.

  A CBS News reporter told X on Wednesday that President Donald Trump intends to end the Transportation Security Administration’s “Quiet Skies” surveillance program. The source was unidentified. CBS reported that the closure of this program could happen as soon as Thursday, as officials have been discussing how to close it without compromising security. The TSA declined comment. The White House and Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to requests for comments. Earlier this year, some Republican legislators had questioned the program when U.S. director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabriel was put on its watchlist. CBS reported on Tuesday that Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s husband had been placed on a list for 2023, but was taken off after she met with the TSA director at the time. CBS reports that the program uses analysts and undercover air marshals who identify and monitor passengers in airports and on flights who may pose a threat to security. CBS stated that it is unclear whether program staffers will be transferred to other departments within the administration, or if air marshals work will continue. (Reporting and editing by Caitlin Freed and Jamie Freed; Christian Martinez)

• US FAA is not considering lifting the Boeing 737 MAX Production Cap

  Acting Federal Aviation Administration head said he was not considering lifting a cap on Boeing 737 MAX production of 38 planes a month imposed in January 2024 after a mid-air accident involving a brand new Alaska Airlines Boeing aircraft missing four bolts. After a hearing in the U.S. House, Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said to reporters: "Not right now." He said he wasn't discussing a change in the FAA's policy to inspect all Boeing 737 MAXs or 787 Dreamliners prior to issuing individual airworthiness certificates. Boeing has not yet commented. FAA extended for three years last week, in a first-reported decision by, a program allowing Boeing to carry out certain tasks on behalf of the agency like inspections. The FAA said that Boeing had improved. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg stated last week that the company is "pretty sure" it can increase its production of best-selling 737 MAX aircraft to 42 per month. He said that after the FAA has approved Boeing's increase in output to 42 aircraft per month, "we have subsequent rate increases" in our plan. These will be typically in increments five aircraft each month and spaced at least six-months apart. Boeing requested five years for the Organization Designation Authorization, but the agency decided to extend it to three instead of the five Boeing asked for in order to make sure the planemaker made "required improvement." Congress adopted sweeping reforms on December 2020 regarding how the FAA certifies aircraft after two deadly 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 and caused the plane to be grounded for 20 months. According to the Office of Inspector General, FAA officials sought in 2023 to allow Boeing’s ODA resume issuing final certificates of airworthiness for 737s and 787s. The Alaska mid-air crisis occurred before senior FAA officials could approve this request. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Marguerita Choy, and David Shepardson)

• Official: US FAA is not considering lifting the Boeing 737 MAX production limit at this time.

  Acting Federal Aviation Administration head said he was not considering lifting a cap on Boeing's 737 MAX production of 38 planes per monthly imposed in January 2024 after a mid-air accident involving a brand new Alaska Airlines Boeing aircraft missing four bolts. After a hearing in the U.S. House, Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said to reporters: "Not right now." He said he wasn't discussing a change in the FAA's policy to inspect all Boeing 737 MAXs or 787 Dreamliners prior to issuing individual airworthiness certificates. FAA extended for three years last week a program that lets Boeing perform certain tasks on behalf of the agency, such as inspections. The FAA said the planemaker made improvements. (Reporting and Editing by Franklin Paul, David Shepardson)

• Financial Times - Friday, June 4,

  These are the most popular stories from the Financial Times. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. Headlines - KKR feared a political risk in the Thames Water Rescue deal UK Serious Fraud Office investigates company who sold solar farms Thurrock Council British Industry Exempted From Trump's Doubling of Steel Tariffs Rachel Reeves, British Finance Minister, will support the Manchester-Liverpool railway link as part of a boost to transport spending Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England defends UK rules on ringfencing for lenders View the full article Thames Water has suffered a major blow in its battle to avoid nationalisation. The U.S. private-equity firm KKR withdrew from a multi-billion-pound rescue plan partly because of concerns over political interference. The Serious Fraud Office in Britain (SFO), has announced that it has launched an investigation against Rockfire Investment Finance. This company sold a bond scheme that was linked to solar farms, which led to a council in England being declared bankrupt by 2022. The U.S. President Donald Trump exempted the UK from doubling steel and aluminum tariffs in the United States, while British bosses urged British Prime Minister Keir starmer to act quickly on a deal that would completely eliminate these levies As part of the Whitehall Spending Review next week, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves approved plans to spend billions of dollars on a new rail line between Manchester and Liverpool as well as other transport schemes. Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, has defended ringfencing regulations that force UK lenders separate their retail activities from other activities. He said that removing these rules would increase mortgages and other loan costs. (Compiled by Bengaluru Newsroom)

• US Airlines seeks 2-year delay in secondary cockpit barrier rule

  The Federal Aviation Administration said that major U.S. carriers want to delay for two years, by August of this year, the requirement to install a secondary barrier in the cockpit to prevent intrusions. Airlines for America, a trade group that represents American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines as well as other major carriers, argued in a petition to the FAA that it should delay the finalization of the 2023 requirement because the FAA has yet to approve a secondary cockpit barricade and there are no approved manuals, training programs or procedures. The FAA announced that it would be accepting public comments on the airline's request until June 23. The FAA adopted security standards for the flight deck after the September 11 hijackings of four U.S. planes. These standards are designed to prevent forcible entry and unauthorized access. In the petition, the airlines said that they expected the FAA would certify the barriers by June or July. The FAA declined to comment immediately. This rule requires aircraft manufactures to install a physical second barrier on all planes that are used for commercial passenger services in the United States. In 2023, the FAA stated that the additional barrier would protect the flight deck from intrusions when the flightdeck door is opened. Air Line Pilots Association president Jason Ambrosi criticised the industry's request. He said: "We urge FAA to reject the latest stalling tactics and implement the secondary barrier requirement, as Congress mandated, without delay." Boeing, Airbus and Airlines for America argued for three years, but unions in 2023 wanted the rule to take effect immediately after publication. According to a federal law passed in 2018, the FAA had to adopt rules by 2019. However, it has stated that it must follow certain procedural rules to be able to impose new rules. The FAA does not require retrofitting of existing aircraft. The FAA set up rules in 2007 to address the security of the flight deck when the cockpit doors were opened. These included requiring that the door must be locked while the aircraft is in operation unless it was necessary to unlock it for authorized personnel. (Reporting and editing by Leslie Adler, Marguerita Choy and David Shepardson)

• Beta Technologies performs the first all-electric aircraft touchdown

  Beta Technologies, the company and port officials announced on Tuesday that it was the first U.S. firm to land an electric aircraft in the New York/New Jersey area. In a press release, the airline said that a flight from New York to John F. Kennedy International Airport took 45 minutes. The pilot was accompanied by four passengers. Airlines and transportation companies are developing services that use electric aircraft powered by batteries, which can land and take off vertically. This allows them to transport travelers on short city trips while avoiding traffic. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized in October comprehensive training and certification rules for air taxi pilots. They called it "the last piece of the puzzle" for safely introducing this aircraft in the near future. Beta also raised $318 in equity capital for production, certification and commercialization of its electric aircraft. This brings the total value raised to over $1 billion. The Vermont-based firm was founded in 2017. Kyle Clark, the CEO and founder, stated in a statement that the aircraft had undergone years of safety testing. (Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

• Seven killed after bridge collapse, train derailment in Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine

  Russian authorities announced early Sunday that at least seven people had died and 30 others were hospitalized after "illegal intervention" caused a collapsed bridge and train derailment in the Bryansk region of Russia, which borders Ukraine. Russian Railways announced on Telegram that the train's locomotive, along with several cars, had derailed due to "the collapse of a span-structure of the road bridge in response to an illegal interference with the operation of transportation." Alexander Bogomaz said that two children, including one in a critical condition, were hospitalized. The state-run Russian news agencies cited medics to report that the driver of the locomotive was among those who died. The Russian ministry for emergency situations announced on Telegram that the main focus of its efforts was to find and rescue victims. Around 180 people were involved in this operation. Baza Telegram, a Russian channel that often publishes news from law enforcement and security sources, claimed, without any evidence, preliminary information had indicated the bridge was destroyed. The Baza report could not be independently verified. Ukraine has not yet commented. Since the beginning of the war, which Russia started more than three year ago, there has been continued cross border shelling, drone attacks, and covert operations from Ukraine in the Bryansk region, Kursk region, and Belgorod region that borders Ukraine. Russian Railways reported that the train was heading from Klimovo towards Moscow. Bogomaz reported that the train collided with a collapsed bridge near a federal highway, in the Vygonichskyi District of the Bryansk Region. The district is located about 100 km (62miles) from the Ukrainian border. U.S. president Donald Trump has urged Moscow to work with Kyiv on an agreement to end the conflict, and Russia proposed a second face-to-face round of talks with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul next week. Ukraine has not yet committed to attend the Monday talks, stating that it must first see Russian proposals. A leading U.S. Senator warned Moscow it will be "hit heavily" by new U.S. Sanctions. (Reporting and editing by Daniel Wallis in Melbourne)

• Washington DC airport suspends flights during Trump's Army Parade

  Washington's Reagan National Airport said on Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration would likely suspend flights during U.S. president Donald Trump's Army Anniversary Parade on June 14. The Federal Aviation Administration will suspend airline operations in DCA to accommodate aircraft flyovers, followed by fireworks displays, according to a notice posted on the airport's website. Washington Post reported that the airport, which is located less than 2 miles from National Mall, may be closed for up to 4 hours. The celebration of the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary will coincide with President Obama's 79th Birthday. In January, sixty-seven people died when an American Airlines regional plane and a helicopter collided. They crashed into the Potomac River. This was the worst U.S. aviation disaster in over 20 years.

• Delta warns that tariffs may force the airline to stop purchasing foreign-made aircraft

  Delta Air Lines has warned that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on imported planes and parts may force it to stop purchasing foreign-made aircraft and cancel flights that serve 10 million passengers a year. The Atlanta-based carrier's comments were made in an unreported filing by the U.S. Commerce Department late Tuesday, in response to an investigation into national security that was recently launched and could result in additional tariffs. Delta said that if potential tariffs are not adjusted in time, they could threaten the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industry and hinder its ability to buy aircraft made domestically or overseas. The airline stated that it will take delivery of 47 Airbus aircraft in 2023-2024, which are manufactured in Canada and France. Delta stated that if tariffs forced Delta to cancel these deliveries, it would have prevented the airline from operating flights for 10 million passengers a year. It said that a "similar impact" could be expected in the future if new tariffs for national security are introduced. Delta Airlines said that it would be forced to cancel contracts already in place and re-evaluate contracts currently under negotiation. After President Donald Trump announced the new duties in April, nearly all planes and aircraft parts imported by the industry will be subject to 10% tariffs. A new national security duty would increase that. Delta announced in April that it would defer orders for aircraft that were subject to tariffs. It was not clear what tariff rate would cause it to cancel its orders. The airlines and manufacturers argue that the sector should not be subject to tariffs. The Commerce Department launched an investigation last month called Section 232 to examine the risks imported goods pose to U.S. security. This could be used to justify higher tariffs for imported parts, engines and planes. Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary, said on Wednesday that the department will complete its review before the end of the month and then discuss the results with Trump. Aerospace and airline industry has said that new tariffs for imported commercial aircraft, engines and parts may put the safety of air travel and supply chains at risk or have other unintended effects. Airlines and manufacturers are lobbying Trump for a return to the tariff-free regime of the Civil Aircraft Agreement from 1979, where the U.S. sector had a $75 billion trade surplus each year. In separate comments, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged Trump to refrain from imposing additional tariffs on aerospace products. They said that they would "weaken U.S. manufacturers." Last year, 135 millions U.S. airline travelers traveled on regional aircraft. The chamber stated that "while the United States does not have domestic assembly of regional planes, imported regional aircraft all feature significant amounts of U.S. Content," Tariffs on this production are not justified by national security or commercial interests. Business Roundtable, an association of U.S. CEOs who are major players in the aerospace industry, warned that tariffs would lead to retaliatory actions, "which could significantly disrupt the U.S. Aerospace Industry, which is heavily dependent on foreign clients, and ultimately undermine the competitiveness U.S. products." (Reporting and editing by Cynthia Osterdy; Cynthia Shepardson).

• Boeing builds trust with airline bosses as they see improved jet quality

  Airlines are tentatively showing greater confidence in Boeing’s ability to produce jets of the highest quality, a move that could help the planemaker repair years of damage to its reputation. The annual airline summit in New Delhi, held this week, struck a more positive tone regarding Boeing's recovery after overlapping safety, industrial and regulatory crises. However, executives also stressed that Boeing had much work to do. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci, who is based in Seattle, told the International Air Transport Association annual meeting that "we've seen an improvement quarter-to-quarter in safety and an improvement in our quality." "Are they there yet? There's still much work to be done. A door that was missing four bolts blew a new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX off at 16,000 feet in January of last year. The incident caused ripple effects throughout the industry, affecting suppliers, carriers, and passengers. At the IATA annual meeting, airline critics are often heard. Last year, IATA chief Willie Walsh urged Boeing to take lessons from mistakes that led to a crisis that began with two fatal crashes of MAX jets between 2018 and 2019. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, Boeing's largest customer, has recently been one of its most vocal critics. Clark's annual press conference at the summit was more positive this year. He spoke of getting "clearer" messages from Boeing's newly appointed leadership. He said he never met Ortberg’s predecessor Dave Calhoun, but praised the change in style. He said, "It was great to meet the CEO of Boeing." Clark, whose carrier has ordered 205 of the 777X, which is still not certified, in private, expressed growing confidence by Boeing. He said, "I haven't seen any of the cautious optimism I was referring to in the past few years." Ortberg, the new CEO, took over in August last year. He has promised to address safety and product quality issues and restore trust among regulators, employees and customers. Boeing customers reported that the measures have shown some results. Boeing has made improvements to the quality of its deliveries and is working hard to increase production. Peter Barrett, CEO at SMBC Aviation - a major Boeing customer and lessor - said that there is still a long way to go, but the story is improving. Airline Inspectors Boeing's recovery is not taken by many as a given. Alaska Airlines sent its own quality inspectors on Boeing's production line and ordered a quarterly audit. Alaska's Minicucci stated that Boeing had undertaken a "very meticulous, deliberate process" in order to reduce the out-of sequence work. This disruption in normal factory flow was blamed for part of the oversight. He said that Ortberg who moved to Seattle in order to be nearer the largest jet plants and Boeing Commercial Airplanes' CEO Stephanie Pope appointed last March regularly tour factories. Minicucci stated, "They are getting out, they are walking the floor and they feel what is going on." "I don't think it is the same as in the past." Other customers have noticed progress despite the brutal strike that halted Boeing's jet production last year. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, who was part of the revolt among U.S. carriers that led to Calhoun's departure after the Alaska incident last week, claimed Boeing had "turned a corner". Work Remains to Complete Recovery Few airline chiefs are still in denial about the magnitude of the turnaround required to restore Boeing factories' status. "When I went there last year... "I thought it was going nowhere with this rate," Clark said. He added that he would be returning this year to check out the progress. Boeing has declined to comment specifically on airline opinions. The airlines are not going to ease off their pressure on each other as they wait for the new jets just because the public is more positive. Boeing's production is slowly stabilising, according to several airline executives who attended the IATA event. Brad McMullen, Boeing's Senior Vice President for Commercial Sales, said: "We still have a lot to do but customers are very positive about our performance during the first five month of the year." The regulators will now be evaluating the higher production after Boeing reached a temporary limit of 38 MAX aircraft per month. It is also seeking certification for models such as the 777X. On Wednesday, the acting director of the Federal Aviation Administration stated that a higher output was not going to happen immediately. Clark, who was originally due to receive the upgraded 777X by 2020, had little hope that the jet would be delivered before the next IATA meeting in June of this year. Boeing says it will now be delivered in 2026. Clark stated that the important thing was that the aircraft would be certified according to the new Boeing's requirements: safety, new building methods and quality control. (Reporting and editing by Elaine Hardcastle; Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh)

• UK Market Exodus - Companies who have moved from London Listing

  Wise, a British money transfer company, became the latest UK-listed firm to announce its intention to move to the U.S. Due to Brexit and investor resistance, a growing number of companies are rethinking or changing their plans to list on the London Stock Exchange. This is due to pressures placed on UK market valuations by Brexit-related issues. They have instead chosen to list in the U.S. or other markets where they perceive a stronger market and higher valuations. Cobalt, the metals investment company backed by Glencore, has scrapped plans to list in London According to one source the lack of demand was responsible for the decline in sales on Wednesday. This would be the largest London market debut since Air Astana listed in February 2024. Indivior: On Monday, the drugmaker announced that it would cancel its secondary listing at the London Stock Exchange with effect from July 25. It cited cost savings and its desire to align itself more closely with operations in the United States. The pharmaceutical company, worth 1.70 billion pounds ($1.25 billion), will continue to list on Nasdaq. BHP, the world's biggest miner in terms of market value (125.10 Billion dollars), made Australia its primary stock exchange when it terminated its dual-listing structures in 2021. When it left London's stock exchange, the company was ranked second by market value. Unilever, the Ben & Jerry’s maker, chose Amsterdam in February as its primary listing. The company, which had a turnover in 2024 of 9.47 billion euros (8.3 billion euro), will also have secondary listings in London, and New York. Glencore: In February, the Swiss miner announced that it was looking at moving its primary listing away from London. New York, which has a market capitalization of 34.5 billion pounds for the company, was the first option that it considered. Three sources familiar with the matter said in May that Shein, the online fast fashion retailer, is working on a Hong Kong listing after its London IPO failed to get the go-ahead from Chinese regulators. Shein, however, had sought a New York listing before attempting to list in London. This was part of Shein's efforts to gain credibility as a global company rather than one that is Chinese, and to have access to large Western investors. Ashtead, the second largest equipment rental company in America, announced in December that it planned to move its listing from London to New York. Ashtead, which has a market cap of 18.3 billion pounds and is listed in London, became a major U.S. company in the early 2000s. Just Eat Takeaway, the Amsterdam-listed food delivery service, delisted from London Stock Exchange last December. The company cited efforts to reduce administrative costs and regulations. The company's market value is 4,05 billion euros. Flutter Entertainment: In 2024, FanDuel's owner moved its primary listing from the US to the New York Stock Exchange. This was just a few short months after adding a secondary listing. CRH - The building materials solution provider with a market value of $61.29 billion switched to the NYSE as its primary listing in 2023. It will continue to maintain a standard listing at the London Stock Exchange. Arm Holdings, a UK-based designer of chip technology, chose Nasdaq to host its largest IPO in 2023. The company was listed in London from 18 years until 2016, when SoftBank acquired it for $32 billion. It is now worth just over $138 Billion.