The suspect in a deadly shooting at a Florida airport used a gun that he had stored in his checked luggage, raising questions about airport security and whether safety officials need to change the current rules. Esteban Santiago retrieved his gun from his bag on the carousel, loaded it in a bathroom of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, then emerged shooting in the baggage-claim area Friday, killing 5 people and wounding 8, authorities said. TSA rules prohibit guns in carry-on bags, but they allow passengers to ship guns if they are unloaded, put in a hard-sided, locked container that only the owner has the ability to unlock, and placed in a checked bag. That means gun owners can't get to their weapons during a flight but can easily retrieve and load them after claiming their checked bags. <br/>
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All three of the New York metropolitan area major airports will see multi-billion dollar infrastructure investments under a proposed new plan, but the New York state governor wants to see far more invested in John F. Kennedy International. The board of commissioners for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has announced a US$29.5b 10-year capital plan that would include $2.5b for the redevelopment of JFK, and a new AirTrain system to serve LaGuardia; $2.3b to support the redevelopment of Terminal A at Newark Liberty International; $600m for the redevelopment of LaGuardia’s Terminals C and D; and $1.7b to build a new connection linking PATH trains to Newark Airport’s rail station. The plan, which goes to public review through Feb 15, was announced Jan 6. <br/>
BALPA has voiced concerns over the growing number of close encounters involving commercial aircraft and drones and called for tough penalties for those users of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) who recklessly endanger airliners. With drones again proving to be one of the most popular Christmas gifts in 2016, BALPA fears a continuing sharp rise in the number of potentially dangerous incidents. BALPA said 2016 saw 69 reported incidents of drone near-misses with aircraft, more than double 2015’s figure of 29. In 2013 there were none, giving some indication of how quickly the risk has developed. BALPA flight safety specialist Steve Landells said: “After a significant increase in near-misses last year, it seems not everyone who is flying them either know or care about the rules that are in place for good reason." <br/>