While President Joe Biden’s administration publicly hammered airlines for flight delays and cancellations last summer, behind the scenes FAA officials were well aware that their own agency also bore responsibility for disrupting thousands of flights, according to previously unreported internal FAA records The FAA’s problem, according to records obtained by CNN, was its understaffing at a key air traffic control facility in northern Florida. That FAA facility was overwhelmed by the heavy traffic to Florida and the Caribbean, and it was slowing the flow of flights – causing delays and inconveniencing passengers – even on clear weather days. “I don’t believe we have any excuse other than a straight up shortage of certified controllers in multiple areas,” read an email to Acting Administrator Billy Nolen, who had asked for an explanation about why there were delays on an otherwise blue-sky day. The email was sent by an official who now leads the agency’s air traffic control arm. That previously unreported and blunt internal assessment is among nearly 1,000 pages of FAA internal records obtained by CNN through a public records request. The FAA’s shortfall contributed – by its own estimate – to thousands of flight disruptions, the emails indicate. As a whole, the communications show that while weather and the airlines were partly to blame, the FAA also knew of its own impact. In its defense, the Transportation Department told CNN this week it “was very transparent and public about issues faced in Florida” last summer. The FAA pointed out that data analyzed by the airline industry show that air carriers were at fault for four times as many delays as the FAA. Still, the situation was significant enough that the FAA ultimately replaced management of the facility, located in Jacksonville, Florida. “One of the changes made at Jacksonville was to bring in a new leadership team,” the FAA said in a statement to CNN this week. It did not elaborate on the specific reason nor specify which positions were replaced.<br/>
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Mexico raised its alert level on the Popocatepetl volcano following growing rumblings and explosions of ash that shuttered airports in nearby Mexico City and Puebla. A panel of experts recommended raising the alert level on the volcano, located 70 km southeast of Mexico City, after a gradual increase in rumblings and expulsions of hot rock and ash, the country’s head of civil protection, Laura Velazquez, said in a press conference carried live by Milenio TV. The alert level was raised to “yellow three” from “yellow two,” leaving a “stoplight” one level away from red. Officials were ordered to make checks on evacuation routes and emergency shelters in case of need, Velazquez said. The state capital of Puebla was covered by ash for the first time in around a decade and its airport was closed on Sunday, Milenio TV reported. Mexico City’s main airport stopped flights for almost six hours Saturday. <br/>
As passengers on the first direct flight from Russia to Georgia in more than three years disembarked on Friday, they were met by protesters cursing their arrival. Shouts of “Why did you come here? Your country is an occupier!” echoed through the arrivals hall at Tbilisi International Airport. Outside, a crowd of about 200 demonstrators unfurled a banner saying “You are not welcome.” “I am only here for a vacation,” one passenger replied, running away from a media throng that had gathered to meet the flight. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, and it wields military control over 20% of its territory. Graffiti that says “Russians go home” is commonplace in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. A determination to join NATO is enshrined in the former Soviet republic’s Constitution. But with the arrival of Azimuth Airlines Flight A4851 from Moscow on Friday, the tiny country of Georgia in the Caucasus Mountains took a major step toward building closer ties with Moscow. It follows a decree on May 10 by President Vladimir V. Putin ordering the restoration of direct flights from Russia and abolishing visa requirements for Georgian nationals.<br/>The resumption of flights, and the resulting protests on Friday, underscore the tensions within Georgia over its relationship with Russia, and the wariness that many Georgians feel about moving closer to a country that it was at war with 15 years ago, and that last year invaded Ukraine, another former Soviet republic. The thaw in relations also illustrates Moscow’s need to court other governments, whether through friendly outreach or hardball diplomacy, lining up as many partners as it can as most of the Western world turns against it. Victor Kipiani, chairman of the Geocase think tank in Tbilisi, said the Georgian government is attempting to perform a “balancing act” by trying to keep its overall pro-Western orientation while also exploiting the economic benefits of being next door to Russia. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili of Georgia said the decision to resume flights was made with the “interests of the Georgian people” in mind. He said that Georgia is not at risk of facing Western sanctions since the government would only permit airlines that are not subject to sanctions to operate in the country.<br/>
After three years of pandemic travel restrictions and rocketing energy costs, tourism is back with a vengeance to boost the economies of southern Europe as sun-seekers make up for lost time. Early bookings suggest Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal could receive record tourism revenues this year, helping replenish state coffers depleted by rising debt interest payments and the cost of living crisis. What's more, there appears to be growing demand for the luxury end of the spectrum. "Today in Italy, we have this boom in terms of tourism that is unbelievable," Carlo Messina, CEO of Italy's biggest bank Intesa SanPaolo told investment analysts in a call. "It is impossible to find a place in a 5-star hotel if you want to make a vacation." Tourism is vital to southern Europe's economies. The travel industry was worth E100b ($110.08b) or 6.2% of Italian output in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the sector into its knees. Add the wider income generated by tourist-related business and the figure more than doubles to 13%. In Greece, tourism accounts for no less than one-fifth of gross domestic product. The number of foreign tourists visiting Italy was up 70.5% in the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2022, according to the national statistics agency. It added that if the trend continues, Italy could match or surpass pre-pandemic levels. In April, Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias said summer bookings already pointed to a new record.<br/>
Flights serving the eastern Sicilian city of Catania were halted on Sunday after an eruption from nearby Mount Etna spewed volcanic ash onto its runways, airport authorities said. The 3,330 metre (10,925 ft) high volcano can burst into spectacular action several times a year, firing lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island. The last major eruption was in 1992. Flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination, would be suspended until normal safety conditions could be guaranteed, the airport said on Twitter.<br/>
India plans to mandate the use of 1% of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for domestic airlines by 2025, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday, in a bid to cut emissions from the sector. Unlike the United States and the European Union, India does not have policies governing sustainable aviation fuel yet. The European Commission SAF mandate is expected to start in 2025 with a minimum volume of SAF at 2%. Puri said for jet fuel mixed with 1% SAF, about 140m litres of biofuels are needed. The mandate for SAF could rise to 4-5% if more volumes of biofuels are available, he added. An Indian panel had suggested for the rollout of 1% SAF in the country by 2025. The final mandate would require approval by the cabinet, Puri said at an event to receive the country's first local flight powered by biojet. Private company Praj Industries provided the biofuel, which was mixed with jet fuel by Indian Oil Corp, the country's top refiner. IOC aims to set up a plant by 2026 to produce 87,000 tonnes a year of SAF that will cost over 15b rupees, its director for research and development SSV Ramakumar said.<br/>
Korean airlines will lower their fuel surcharges on international routes in June in line with a fall in jet fuel prices, industry sources said Sunday. The surcharges for one-way tickets on long-haul international routes will be capped at 107,800 won ($81.14) next month, down by one notch from May, according to the sources. If the average jet fuel price on the Singapore spot market rises over $1.50 per gallon, local airlines are allowed to impose fuel surcharges. There are 33 levels of surcharges, depending on how long a route is. Jet fuel prices averaged $218.13 per gallon on the Singapore exchange between April 16 and May 15. Fuel surcharges on domestic routes will come to 9,900 won next month, unchanged from May. Surcharges on domestic routes are levied if the average jet fuel price exceeds $1.20 per gallon.<br/>
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer performed a demonstration flight between Seoul and the southeastern port city of Pohang and then over to Ulleung Island, May 15, to show the capability of the mid-sized E190-E2 passenger plane. On board were around 80 guests, including Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Marcia Donner Abreu, Embraer CCO Martyn Holmes and North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo. Donner wrote about the demo flight which brought them "from Pohang to Ulleung Island, where a new airport will be in operation in 2025," welcoming the new initiative between the two countries on her Twitter. The Brazilian aircraft maker specializes in the development and production of mid-sized aircraft and the E190-E2 showcased its capabilities in Korea, executing a simulated landing on a runway just 1,066 meters in length at Pohang Gyeongju Airport and circling over Ulleung Island. The performance was part of the Embraer's strategy to enter the Korean market, with a particular focus on Ulleung Airport, which is currently under construction. Scheduled for completion by 2025 and operational by 2026, the airport, built on reclaimed land, will feature a 1,200-meter runway, suited for the E190-E2. The inauguration of Ulleung Airport is set to revolutionize transport to and from the island on the East Sea, located 120 kilometers east of the Korean peninsula. Currently, residents and visitors rely exclusively on maritime transportation, a situation that will drastically change once the airport becomes operational. While the initial plan for the airport was to accommodate only turboprop aircraft with a capacity of up to 50 passengers, studies have proposed extending the limit to include 80-seater aircraft, such as the E190-E2 jet plane, which led to the Embraer plane's demonstration flight. Embraer also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the North Gyeongsang provincial government to promote cooperation in the aviation sector. Under the agreement, Embraer and North Gyeongsang Province aim to establish and develop facilities related to aviation industry training and maintenance within the region.<br/>