The FA said Wednesday it does not have a specific timetable on when Boeing’s troubled 737 MAX jet would return to service after two fatal crashes led to the airplane’s worldwide grounding in March. FAA spokesman Greg Martin said the agency has “no timetable” for allowing the 737 MAX to resume flying and will act “only when it is safe to return to service”. Bloomberg reported earlier that the troubled 737 MAX aircraft will be back in the air by December, citing a top FAA safety official. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and has not given a timeline on when the planes would be back in service. Boeing is not expected to submit its formal software fix to the FAA this week or conduct a certification test flight that is required before it can submit the fix and training upgrade for approval, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. <br/>
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Hawaii officials say a power outage at Honolulu's international airport has caused travel delays. DoT spokesman Tim Sakahara says the power went out in Terminal 1 at Daniel K. Inouye International around 9:15 a.m. The outage was confined to Terminal 1 and the flight control tower at the airport never lost power. Security checkpoints at the terminal were not operational and there was no electricity at the gates, causing a backup for departing passengers. About an hour after the outage, officials announced that power had been restored. Sakahara said there was no threat of a security breach as areas with electronically locked doors were also being monitored by airport security.<br/>
The US airline industry suffers about one technology outage per month, most of them serious enough to disrupt flights. However, regulators don't oversee airline information-technology systems, and outages aren't covered by consumer protections for passengers. The Government Accountability Office reported Wednesday that it counted 34 outages from 2015 through 2017, and 85% caused delays or cancellations. GAO says airline systems are complicated because they developed over many years and different ones were combined after a wave of mergers. The government doesn't track outages, so researchers had to use other sources, and they don't know how many passengers were affected.<br/>
Authorities at a West Virginia airport say a passenger's carry-on bag ignited as it was going through a security checkpoint. The Yeager Airport in Charleston says two lithium batteries attached to a charger in the bag caused a small explosion Wednesday. Airport police extinguished the flames, and the airport said there were no injuries or flight delays. The passenger continued on to the flight. Airport Director Terry Sayre said passengers should review Transportation Security Administration regulations regarding prohibited and regulated items before flying. The airport says in a news release that lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval but are limited to two spare batteries per passenger. Loose lithium batteries are prohibited in checked bags.<br/>
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered his cabinet to implement plans to transfer general aviation and some domestic flights from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Sangley Point air base in an effort to ease congestion at the airport. Following a surprise visit to NAIA June 10, Duterte vowed to find a solution for the overstressed airport within a month. While the Philippine DoT plans to develop Sangley Point into a business aviation airport by December, Duterte said wants operations to start “right away” and gave a November deadline. The DOT is awaiting the completion of a new terminal building, tower, night flying instruments and a runway extension at Sangley Point, which is currently used by the Philippine Air Force for its turboprop OV-10 Bronco aircraft. Philippines Airlines, AirAsia Philippines and Cebu Pacific back the move. PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista said he would be meeting with the transportation secretary to find ways to fast-track the move to Sangley.<br/>