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Delta CEO Ed Bastian calls Trump’s regulatory approach ‘breath of fresh air’

November 20, 2024
Delta CEO Ed Bastian said Wednesday, Nov. 20, he’s looking forward to President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House because his approach to regulation could be “a breath of fresh air.” Bastian spoke with reporters before Delta’s “Investor Day” in Atlanta, saying that under the Biden administration, the airline industry has seen governmental “overreach.”

He credited Trump’s plan “to take a fresh look at the regulatory environment, the bureaucracy that exists in government, the level of overreach that we have seen over the last four years within our industry.”

Over the past four years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a number of rules for the airline industry — aimed at protecting airline passengers — including automatic cash refunds for canceled flights and eliminating surprise junk fees when purchasing a ticket to fly.

It’s unclear which policy or policies Bastian considers “overreach.”

In May of this year, several major U.S. airlines — including Delta — filed suit against the U.S. Department of Transportation over the junk fees rule.

The Transportation Department said consumers are paying more than $543 million in fees every year, and that airlines are receiving additional revenue from those hidden fees.

The Department of Transportation is also investigating Delta’s response to a global technology outage it experienced in July, when thousands of flights were canceled.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at the time the probe was “to ensure the airline is following the law and taking care of its passengers during continued widespread disruptions.”

Consumer advocates worry that the incoming Trump administration will roll back consumer protections put in place by the Biden administration.
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AAA predicts record Thanksgiving week travel, nearly 80 million on the move

November 18, 2024
Americans are gearing up for the Thanksgiving holiday. The busiest holiday for travel is only about a week away and AAA has its latest projections on how the busy travel season might look.

The group predicts 79.9 million Americans will drive, fly or take some other form of transportation 50 miles or farther during the Thanksgiving travel season.

The 2024 projection would be a 2% increase compared to last year or up by roughly 1.7 million travelers from 2023.

This year, AAA expanded its window for Thanksgiving holiday travel. It now goes from next Tuesday, Nov. 26, through Dec. 2, or the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Drivers will see lower gas prices. The national average is on pace to be below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021.

Transportation experts say the best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself when the highways are less congested. The afternoons of Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27 are the worst times, according to AAA.

After the holiday, AAA expects the roads to be busiest Dec. 1, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Experts advise drivers to hit the road early in the morning if they plan on leaving that day.

If you plan on flying, AAA predicts about 5.8 million people will head to airports over the holiday week. That’s up by about 100,000 from last year.

Booking data shows the top destinations are warm places like Orlando and Las Vegas. Major metropolitan areas including Atlanta and Los Angeles are also popular among travelers.

Forecasters believe cooler temperatures, cold rain and snow in the higher elevations will arrive Sunday, Nov. 24, for the East Coast.

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center’s outlook shows California, the Pacific Northwest, Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa and Great Lakes States receiving above-average precipitation. However, meteorologists will know more as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
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Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy after failed merger talks

November 18, 2024
Spirit Airlines, the biggest discount airliner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday, Nov. 18, as it seeks to restructure its debts to bondholders and find ways to sway travelers away from larger airlines. The move comes months after a federal judge blocked a proposed merger between Spirit and fellow budget airliner JetBlue.

Since 2020, Spirit has lost more than $2.5 billion. The airline is also facing debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year.

Spirit said it expects to continue operating business as usual while the bankruptcy process gets underway. This includes guests still being able to book and fly without interruption and team members being paid and given benefits.

In a statement, Spirit said, “The restructuring is expected to reduce Spirit’s debt, provide increased financial flexibility, position Spirit for long-term success and accelerate investments providing Guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value.”

In 2022, Frontier Airlines, another budget airliner, tried merging with Spirit but was outbid by JetBlue. The Justice Department sued, arguing the $3.8 billion deal would hurt Spirit customers looking for low fares. In January, a federal judge sided with the DOJ and merger plans were dropped two months later.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported Frontier and Spirit revived merger talks only for Frontier to decide against it. This left Spirit with few options.
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FAA bans all US flights to Haiti after 2 commercial jets hit by gunfire

November 12, 2024
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a ban on all U.S. flights to Haiti for at least 30 days on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The announcement follows two U.S. commercial airline jets being hit by gunfire on Monday, Nov. 11, from gangs in Port-au-Prince.

In separate incidents, a Spirit Airlines jet and JetBlue flight were struck by bullets at Haiti’s international airport in Port-au-Prince. Both of the flights were diverted, and no passengers were hurt in the incidents. However, a flight attendant did reportedly suffer minor injuries on the Spirit Airlines flight.

In the wake of the violence, JetBlue canceled all flights to Haiti on Monday until Dec. 2, and Spirit Airlines announced it was suspending flights to Haiti pending an “evaluation” of the incident.

Spirit did arrange a return flight to the United States for the crew after the plane landed safely in the Dominican Republic.

Tuesday’s FAA order applies to all operators of aircrafts registered in the United States except when the operator of the flight is a foreign air carrier. Exceptions will only be made for emergencies and flights permitted by the U.S. government or agency and approved by the FAA.

With ongoing gang violence in Haiti, the U.S. State Department has rated the country as a level four “do not travel” destination, calling the security situation in the Haiti “unpredictable and dangerous.”
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New rule requires full cash refunds for flight delays, cancellations

October 30, 2024
The Biden-Harris administration implemented a new rule on Monday, Oct. 28, requiring U.S. airlines to issue full cash refunds to passengers whose flights are significantly delayed or canceled. The policy, aimed at bolstering consumer rights, received positive feedback online, as travelers hailed it as a financial win and a boost for peace of mind.

Passengers wouldn’t need to request the refund. The refund is processed automatically if they declined the airline’s offer for a rebooked flight.

Passengers become eligible for automatic refunds if a domestic flight was delayed by three or more hours, an international flight by six or more hours or if the flight was canceled.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them—without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The rule also applies to major itinerary changes, such as airport switches or additional stops.

Airlines must issue refunds within seven business days for payments made by credit card. It must be within 20 days for payments made by other methods.

Buttigieg noted airlines might oppose the measure. However, airlines are now required to clearly communicate passengers’ refund rights.

The timing of this policy change coincided with the approaching holiday travel season, a period known for high passenger volumes.
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US fines Lufthansa airlines $4 million over accusations of antisemitism

October 15, 2024
The United States announced it fined German airline Lufthansa $4 million on Tuesday, Oct. 15, for allegedly discriminating against Jewish passengers. The fine, which the U.S. Transportation Department says is the largest it has ever leveled against an airline for civil rights violations, stems from an incident in 2022 where more than 120 travelers were not allowed to board a flight.

The travelers were in Frankfurt, Germany, following a flight from New York. The U.S Transportation Department said that most of the people turned away by the airline “wore distinctive garb typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men,” but many did not know each other or travel together. Lufthansa, at the time, apologized for the incident.

The Jewish passengers were among 131 others who were flying to Budapest to attend an annual memorial event to honor an orthodox rabbi. They told investigators that the airline treated them as a group and refused to let any of them board over allegations of misconduct by a few passengers.

Flight attendants reportedly told passengers on the first flight about a mask requirement and not to gather near aisles or emergency exits.

The flight crew did not say which passengers did not obey instructions, arguing that it was because of the high number of violations, and because many switched seats.

The captain of the first flight called security over the alleged violations and it caused 128 Jewish passengers to miss their connecting flight.

The U.S. Department of Transportation asserted it had a right to investigate the incident because the flight originated from the United States and Lufthansa’s foreign air carrier permit requires it to obey U.S. laws.

Lufthansa will only end up paying $2 million of the fine because it has already agreed to compensate most passengers involved in the incident with $2 million, which will reportedly cut the fine from the United States in half.
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Turkish Airlines pilot dies mid-flight, plane makes emergency landing in NY

October 9, 2024
A Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing at JFK Airport in New York on Wednesday, Oct. 9, after its pilot collapsed mid-flight an d later died. In a statement, the airline said flight TK2O4 was on its way from Seattle to Istanbul when the pilot fainted.

Our captain lost his life before landing.
Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Ustun

After efforts to provide him first aid did not help, the cockpit crew, consisting of another pilot and copilot, decided to make an emergency landing. Even with the attempts to save the pilot, the airline later said, “Our captain lost his life before landing.”

The flight’s path, as seen on the tracking site FlightAware, displays a sharp turn toward New York, indicating the change in direction for an emergency landing at JFK around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Turkish Airlines identified the pilot as 59-year-old Ilcehin Pehlivan, who has been working for the company since 2007. Pehlivan had undergone a medical examination earlier this year which showed no health problems that would prevent him from working, according to the airline.

“As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God’s mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones,” spokesperson Yahya Ustun posted to X.

Turkish Airlines said passengers from the original flight would be connected through New York to continue their trip to Istanbul.
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NTSB issues ‘urgent safety recommendation’ over Boeing 737s

September 27, 2024
Another strike against the already embattled jet maker Boeing; the National Transportation Safety Board has issued an “urgent safety recommendation” warning critical flight controls could jam in certain passenger planes. The issue was first seen on a United Airlines flight in February, but the NTSB now says it could happen on other planes.

The warning applies to the 737 Max and 737 Next Generation models, which are the two newest versions of the company’s most popular plane. The NTSB said a piece of the rudder control system can stop functioning in cold weather.

During the incident in February, the rudder pedals got stuck on a flight returning to Newark, New Jersey, forcing the pilot to control the plane using its nosewheel steering system. It landed fine and no one was hurt, but the incident was alarming enough to prompt an investigation, which found components from a certain manufacturer were the issue.

The Federal Aviation Administration said United is the only U.S. airline that has planes with those components and it’s their “understanding that the units are no longer in service.”
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Trash balloons create chaos at South Korean airports

September 26, 2024

North Korea’s provocative balloon launches have prompted repeated airport shutdowns in South Korea, sparking public anxiety and disrupting air travel since late May. The disruptions have been substantial, with runway closures totaling 413 minutes across 20 separate days.

According to South Korean officials, more than 5,500 balloons carrying trash, including paper, plastic, vinyl, and manure, have been launched into South Korean territory. These incidents have resulted in small fires in metropolitan areas and significant disruptions to operations at Incheon and Gimpo airports.

Incheon, the world’s fifth-busiest international airport and a major cargo hub, experienced its worst disruption on June 26, with all runways closed for 166 minutes. On Monday, Sept. 23, takeoffs and landings were suspended twice, causing an additional 90-minute delay.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff warned that if the balloons cause casualties, a military response would be considered.

“North Korea’s gray zone provocations are continuing and are causing inconvenience and anxiety to the public,” said Lee Sung-joon, a spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

However, concerns over releasing harmful materials in mid-air have prevented the military from shooting down the balloons. Instead, surveillance assets are used to track the balloons.

The balloon launches have had a significant financial impact, with estimated costs exceeding $411,000. Officials have condemned North Korea’s actions as “reckless” and “provocative.”

North Korea claims the balloon launches are a response to South Korean activists sending propaganda leaflets across the border. South Korean civic groups have also sent balloons into North Korean territory, carrying items such as rice, essential medicine, and leaflets critical of the regime.

To mitigate potential disruptions, South Korean airlines are carrying extra fuel to prepare for delays or diversions.

The ongoing tensions between the two nations have raised concerns about the potential for further escalation.
GPS spoofing incidents rise by 400% as pilots warn of dangers: Report

September 23, 2024
Pilots are warning about a growing international problem that could have tragic consequences, GPS spoofing, a warfare tactic to throw off the position of the enemy. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, Sept. 23, that commercial flights are now being increasingly impacted by GPS spoofing, with incidents rising by 400% in the past six months.

Spoofing typically uses radio transmitters to disrupt GPS signals and displays fake coordinates on devices.

Spoofing cases have gone from dozens a day in February to more than 1,100 cases per day in August, and the cyberattacks are spreading beyond warzones near Ukraine and the Middle East into places like Cyprus and Estonia, causing glitches in commercial airplanes heavily reliant on GPS technology.

Pilots said spoofing has led to false warnings of incoming collisions and even misdirected flights.

While pilots are trained to deal with these situations by using non-GPS systems as backup, airlines and aircraft manufacturers are scrambling to figure out a solution to the problem, including new equipment standards to harden commercial aircraft defense against spoofing, which industry experts are pleading to be fast-tracked. However, it doesn’t appear those changes are unlikely to come until next year at the earliest.

Experts cited dangerous encounters as reasons to fast track a solution, like a private jet flying into hostile Iranian airspace by mistake because of spoofed GPS signal in 2023, and a Boeing 787 forced to abort two landings after it lost GPS signal.

In the short-term, industry and government officials are in talks about new procedures allowing pilots to reset cockpit circuit breakers when they get “spoofed.”

So far, industry experts note that there are no widespread incidents reported yet in the United States.
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