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Since 2017, drones and cyber-outages have exposed aviation weaknesses.
Police announced early Thursday that Denmark's Aalborg Airport, which is used for both commercial and military flights in Denmark, had been closed because drones were present in the airspace. This comes two days after Copenhagen Airport was shut down due to drone sightings, raising European security concerns. Since 2017, airports have been repeatedly affected by a series of drone sightings, digital outages and other disruptions. These incidents bypass core flight safety systems and instead impact choke points like check-in/boarding systems, power infrastructure, and airfield perimeters. This causes ripple effects throughout networks. IT FAILURE at BRITISH AIRWAYS LONDON Hubs on May 27, 2017. British Airways cancelled flights to and from Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest, as well as Gatwick, on the first holiday weekend day due to a power problem in a data centre that affected 75,000 passengers. On the morning of May 27, a power surge hit BA's flight and baggage systems, as well as its communication systems. The surge was so powerful that it rendered the backup systems ineffective. Delays continued into the next Monday while systems were restored. December 19, 2018: DRONE SIGHTINGS REPEATEDLY AT LONDON GATWICK Gatwick Airport in London was shut down for three days by persistent drone reports during the peak travel period leading up to Christmas. Around 140,000 passengers were affected, and around 1,000 flights. This was the largest disruption since Icelandic volcanic ash clouds in 2010. Gatwick was invaded by the British army to deploy "specialist" equipment, as commercial anti-drone capabilities were not yet available. It was the longest disruption ever experienced at an airport of Gatwick's size. Dubai airport was closed several times in 2016 because of unauthorised drone activity. However, the longest closure was less than two hours. The U.S. is experiencing a nationwide stoppage on January 11, 2023 due to a failure of the safety system. After a system failure, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ordered a nationwide stop for about 90 minutes. This caused more than 11,000 U.S. flight disruptions. The FAA's system alerts pilots of a variety of hazards near airports, such as snow, volcanic ash, or birds. The system also informs pilots about closed runways, temporary air restrictions and volcanic ash. August 28, 2023: NATS FLIGHT DATE GLITCH in UK UK air traffic control restricted flows following a processing error in flight plans, forcing manual entry. A total of 1,500 flights were canceled and the disruptions continued into the next day. The global Windows outage will occur on July 19, 2024 due to a faulty crowdstrike update. CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity company, released faulty software that caused widespread Windows crashes. This affected many industries and grounded over 5,000 flights around the world. Delta Air Lines and Ryanair have reported delays and disruptions in the United States, Asia, and Europe. United Airlines, Air India, and United Airlines also confirmed that they were affected. U.S. cancellations exceeded 2,200 on the first day, with almost 7,000 delays. Some airlines took several days to recover their operations. March 21, 2025 - SUBSTATION FIRE CLOSES LONDON HEATHROW Heathrow Airport in Britain, the fifth busiest airport in the world, was closed for 18 hours following a massive fire that knocked out power at an electrical substation nearby. This left over 200,000 passengers stranded and cost airlines millions of dollars. Airport was due to handle up to 1,351 flights, carrying up to 291,000 passengers on Friday. However, planes were diverted from the airport to other airports across Europe and Britain. September 10, 2025 - DRONE INTRUSION INTO POLAND CLOSES SEVERAL AIRPORTS Around 21 suspected Russian drones were detected in Polish airspace, causing the temporary closure of several airports. Airports in Warsaw Chopin, Modlin, Rzeszow, and Lublin, located in the east of Poland, were temporarily closed, before they reopened. Cyber attack on multiple European Hubs September 20, 2025 Cyberattacks on Collins Aerospace (owned by RTX), a provider of check-in and boarding system, have disrupted airport operations in several European cities, including Heathrow Airport, Berlin Airport, and Brussels Airport. Due to persistent problems, Brussels Airport cancelled 25 flights on Saturday and Sunday as well as 50 flights on Monday. September 22, 2025: DRONE INCURSIONS IN DENMARK AND NORWAY Copenhagen was repeatedly overflew by two to three large drones, causing a four-hour shutdown of the airport, delays and diversions, and leaving tens thousands of passengers stranded. The Norwegian authorities also closed the airspace of Oslo Airport for three hours following a sighting of a drone. Denmark has said that the incident at Copenhagen Airport was the most severe attack on its critical infrastructure. It also linked the incident to a number of suspected Russian drone intrusions and other disruptions in Europe. September 24, 2025 - DENMARK CLOSES ANOTHER AIRPORT DURING DRONES Police said that drones were first seen near Denmark's Aalborg Airport at 9:44 pm (1944 GMT), on Wednesday. Police said that the drones had followed a pattern similar to those which had stopped flights at Copenhagen Airport two days before. Police added that the closure of Aalborg Airport also affected Denmark's Armed Forces because it was used as a base for military purposes. (Reporting and editing by Matt Scuffham; Jamie Freed, Michael Perry and Matt Scuffham)
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Hong Kong reopens following the world's strongest cyclone Ragasa
Hong Kong reopened its international airport after a suspension of 36 hours on Thursday, allowing businesses to reopen, as well as transportation services, and schools, after the strongest tropical cyclone in the world this year ravaged the financial hub. Ragasa, which had swept through northern Philippines and Taiwan killing 14 people before hitting Yangjiang in southern China on Wednesday, brought the densely-populated city to a halt from Tuesday afternoon. Hong Kong authorities issued the highest Typhoon Signal 10, which was in effect for most of Wednesday. The observatory kept its second-lowest level of typhoon warning 3 on Thursday. Kindergartens and schools were closed as Ragasa weakened and moved away from the capital. On Wednesday, huge waves smashed over parts of Hong Kong’s southern and eastern shorelines. The flooding was so widespread that it submerged some roads and residential property. The Fullerton Hotel in the south of the island was flooded by seawater, which shattered glass doors and flooded the lobby. The hotel reported that there were no injuries and services are operating as usual. Hong Kong Airport Authority announced that airlines will gradually resume flights beginning at 6 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Wednesday, with all runways running simultaneously. It is expected that over 1,000 flights will continue to operate at normal levels until the late hours of tomorrow night. Authorities have said that they are urgently working to repair roads which have collapsed, to remove more than 1,000 trees that have fallen and to respond to 85 flood cases. Residents in low-lying regions were given sandbags by the authorities on Monday to reinforce their homes. Many people also stocked up on daily necessities which led to empty supermarket shelves and a spike in fresh vegetable prices.
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Collins Aerospace restores software to airlines affected by cyberattack
Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, is working to restore its onsite passenger-processing software for airlines following a cyber-"intrusion" that disrupted operations. The company announced this on Wednesday. Collins Aerospace, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, experienced a problem with its MUSE platform, which supports check-ins, baggage handling and boarding operations for several European airports. The ransomware attacks knocked down check-in systems and caused travel disruptions. British police announced on Wednesday that they had arrested a male as part of the investigation. Berlin Airport, one of those affected, warned of additional delays and cancellations for Wednesday as it struggled to restore its baggage handling and check-in systems. The cyber attack on Collins Aerospace was the latest of a string of cyber incidents that have had significant consequences offline. (Reporting and editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi in Bengaluru, Aishwarya Jain from Bengaluru)
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Air Canada expects a $270 million hit to its operating income due to the labor disruptions
Air Canada said that it expects to lose C$375,000,000 ($269.82,000,000) in operating income due to labor disruptions after its flight attendants engaged in a four-day walkout last August. The company has also revised its outlook for the 2025 results after withdrawing their forecast due to disruptions in operations caused by the strike. Air Canada expects a core adjusted profit of between C$2.9 and C$3.1 in 2025, as opposed to its previous range of C$3.2 to C$3.6. A tentative agreement was reached after the strike ended. 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, refused to return to work despite government attempts to do so. The wage agreement was rejected by the flight attendants of the airline in September. The two parties agreed to no labor disruption and that flights would continue as usual. Arbitration will be used to resolve the dispute. Montreal-based airline Air Canada now expects its available seat mile capacity will rise between 0.5% to 1%, as opposed to the previous forecast of 1% – 3%. ($1 = 1.3898 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
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US Transportation Chief warns Europe against restricting US transatlantic flights
Sean Duffy, U.S. Transportation secretary, warned European governments on Wednesday against unilaterally restricting transatlantic travel. Washington was prepared to enforce agreements made by other countries. This position is echoed in recent actions taken against Mexico for similar reasons. Duffy, who is in Montreal for an international aviation conference, said that he was concerned about Amsterdam, Lisbon, and Dublin. Duffy questioned the validity of the noise data used to justify flight reductions. Duffy ordered Mexican carriers in July to submit U.S. schedules. He could also disapprove any flight requests coming from Mexico, if Mexico's government did not address U.S. concerns. He ordered Delta Air Lines to dissolve a joint venture with Aeromexico by January 1 earlier this month. U.S. Airlines have expressed concern about the noise reduction flight cap at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport as well as the passenger cap at Dublin Airport that is currently on hold due to a legal challenge. Last year, a Dutch court ordered the government do more to reduce noise pollution. JetBlue Airways told USDOT last month that it was "clear that there is a problem with access for U.S. carriers to Lisbon" and that it would take legal action if necessary. Duffy claimed that the actions taken by the administration against Mexico also targeted Europe. Duffy said, "I think Mexico shows that we won't take it." "We are not in a position where we have to put pressure on anyone." Duffy stated that the requirement for Mexico to submit flight schedules is "a sign that we're willing to take further action if they do not comply with our open skies agreements." When asked about Delta's criticism, Duffy said that he understood their position regarding the Mexico JV. However, he added that they will be pleased that "we are standing for the agreements we have worldwide." Reporting by David Shepardson, Washington Editing by Matthew Lewis
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No link yet between Oslo, Copenhagen drone incidents, Norway says
Norway and Denmark have been in contact about separate drone incidents which halted airports at Oslo and Copenhagen. However, their investigations to date have not established a link, said Norway's Foreign Minister on Wednesday. The sightings of up to three large drones in the vicinity of Copenhagen Airport late Monday night halted take-offs, landings, and all other activities for almost four hours. Norway's authorities also closed the airspace around Oslo airport for 3 hours after a drone had been spotted. "We haven't yet established any connection between the two." Espen Barth Eide said on the sidelines the UN General Assembly that we have not connected the investigation to any particular country. "But I think that most people would agree that two things similar happening at the same moment could at least suggest that they had a connection." In recent years, Western security agencies have said that hybrid threats, especially from Russia, are becoming more aggressive. These threats range from the physical destruction of critical infrastructure, to disinformation campaigns and suspected espionage. Barth Eide stated that "we're not confirming or excluding the fact that these two things are connected." He said that these hybrid threats, and possible hybrid warfare are the exact things to watch for in this age of hybrid threats. Norway's government announced on Tuesday that Russia, which shares a small, sparsely-populated border with it in the north, violated Norway's airspace three times in 2025. This occurred in April, July, and August. It was unclear if this was an accident or a deliberate provocation on behalf of the Kremlin. The suspected Russian drone incursions in the airspace of Poland and Romania, along with Estonia reporting Russian fighter jets entering their airspace has raised concerns among NATO Allies that their air defences are lacking. "We've also seen other types in recent times; we've seen some cyberattacks that had material effects. For example, affecting certain dams and systems hydroelectric, which were from abroad. Barth Eide stated that the repertoire of hybrid attacks is growing and being used. (Reporting and editing by John Irish, Alistair Bell).
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US Postal Service won't seek a stamp price increase in January
The U.S. The U.S. USPS, which is losing money, raised prices to 78 cents in July from 73 cents. This increased the price of all mailing services by 7.4%. USPS will review prices by mid-2026. After a series price increases since the beginning of 2019, when stamps were only 50 cents, stamp prices have risen by 46%. The volume of first-class mail is at its lowest since 1968. This is the first announcement made by David Steiner, who became U.S. postmaster general in July 2017 after President Donald Trump removed his predecessor Louis DeJoy. In February, Trump referred to the USPS as a "tremendous loss for this country" and said that he would consider merging it with the U.S. Commerce Department. Democrats said the move would be in violation of federal law. DeJoy was responsible for a dramatic restructure of the USPS. This included reducing forecasted cumulative losses from $160 billion to $80 billion over ten years. USPS, a 635,000-strong agency that lost $9.5billion last year, has reduced its workforce earlier this year by 10,000 employees through a voluntary retiree program. In August, the USPS reported a net loss of $3.1 billion for the three-month period ending June 30. This is up from $2.5 billion reported during the same time last year. USPS has lost over $100 billion since 2007. Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Chris Reese & Aurora Ellis
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Families sue Army, FAA and airlines for fatal DC air crash on January 29,
The family of a victim of the fatal crash between an American Airlines regional plane and a U.S. Army chopper that occurred on January 29, resulting in the deaths of 67 people, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, sued the airline and its subsidiary as well as the U.S. Government on Wednesday. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, Washington, also names PSA Airlines as the airline that operated the flight. It claims the airline "manipulated and abused the arrival rate system" at the Washington Airport "to force more of their arrivals each hour at the Washington airport, despite knowing it severely reduced the margins for security." The accident, which took place just southeast of the Potomac River airport, was the worst U.S. aviation disaster in over 20 years. According to the lawsuit, the airline along with the Army and Federal Aviation Administration did not prevent the "wholly evitable tragedy." The lawsuit claimed that the Army flight crew did not operate the Black Hawk helicopter below the required altitude, and the FAA controllers did not separate aircraft and give safety alerts if aircraft were in an unsafe proximity. In the lawsuit, it was claimed that the airlines and government agencies had "completely failed to fulfill their obligations towards the traveling public." The FAA or Army did not respond immediately to a comment request. American stated that Flight 5342, which was on an approach standard to Reagan at the time of the collision with the Army helicopter (which was above the published altitude for helicopter routes), was flying a standard route. The company stated that "American has an excellent track record in putting safety of customers and employees above all else." It added that it would "defend American Airlines and PSA Airlines from any legal actions claiming they caused or contributed to the accident." The FAA banned the Army in May from helicopter flights near the Pentagon following a close call on May 1, which forced two civilian aircraft to abort their landings. Last week, the FAA confirmed that Army helicopter flights are still on hold. (Reporting and editing by Mark Porter, Aurora Ellis and David Shepardson)
Denmark's Aalborg Airport closed due to drones in the airspace. Police on site
A spokesperson for the airport announced late Wednesday that the Aalborg Airport in Denmark is currently closed because drones are flying over its airspace. This comes two days after Denmark's main airport, Copenhagen, was shut down due to drone sightings which rattled European aviation.
Denmark said Tuesday that drones which halted Copenhagen airport flights for four hours was the most serious attack on its critical infrastructure. They also linked the drones to a number of suspected Russian drone incursions as well as other disruptions in Europe.
The Norwegian authorities also closed the airspace of Oslo Airport for three hours Monday night after a drone had been spotted.
The Norwegian foreign minister stated that the Norwegian and Danish authorities were in close communication over the Copenhagen-Oslo incidents, but that their investigation had not yet established any connection.
Eurocontrol, the European air traffic controller, announced that arrivals and departing flights at Aalborg Airport would be "zero" until Thursday at 0400 GMT due to drone activity near the airport.
In a social media post, the police of the northern Danish city stated that drones were observed near the airport. They are investigating the incident further.
The spokesperson at Aalborg Airport declined to comment on how many drones were involved.
He said that four flights were affected. Two SAS planes, as well as one Norwegian and KLM flight, were all affected. (Reporting from Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru, and Louise Rasmussen at Copenhagen; editing by Leslie Adler, Jamie Freed.)
(source: Reuters)