One air traffic controller went into work drunk this summer and joked about “making big money buzzed.” Another routinely smoked marijuana during breaks. A third employee threatened violence and then “aggressively pushed” a colleague who was directing airplanes. The incidents were extreme examples, but they fit into a pattern that reveals glaring vulnerabilities in one of the most important protective layers of the nation’s vaunted aviation safety system. In the past two years, air traffic controllers and others have submitted hundreds of complaints to a Federal Aviation Administration hotline describing issues like dangerous staffing shortages, mental health problems and deteriorating buildings, some infested by bugs and black mold. There were at least seven reports of controllers sleeping when they were on duty and five about employees working while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The New York Times obtained summaries of the complaints through an open-records request.<br/>Air traffic controllers, who spend hours a day glued to monitors or scanning the skies with the lives of thousands of passengers at stake, are a last line of defense against crashes. The job comes with high stakes and intense pressure, even in the best of conditions. Yet the conditions for many controllers are far from ideal. A nationwide staffing shortage — caused by years of employee turnover and tight budgets, among other factors — has forced many controllers to work six-day weeks and 10-hour days. The result is a fatigued, distracted and demoralized work force that is increasingly prone to making mistakes, according to a Times investigation. The findings are based on interviews with more than 70 current and former air traffic controllers, pilots and federal officials, as well as thousands of pages of federal safety reports and internal FAA records that The Times obtained. While the US airspace is remarkably safe, potentially dangerous close calls have been happening, on average, multiple times a week this year, The Times reported in August. Some controllers say they fear that a deadly crash is inevitable. Story has more.<br/>
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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rebound in travel and rising interest rates is leading some airport owners and operators to sell up after a dearth of dealmaking in the sector. After Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial revealed a near $3b deal to sell its 25% stake in Britain's busiest airport Heathrow on Tuesday, a slew of other airports across Europe could be up for sale in 2024, according to bankers, investors and industry sources. "There are green shoots of airports investments coming back to the market as post-Covid passenger demand recovers and also as a result of a sharp increase in underlying cost of debt", said Andras Kranicz, head of infrastructure finance, EMEA at BNP Paribas. "This has encouraged infrastructure equity investors away from highly regulated asset classes with relatively low achievable equity returns towards those which are more volatile, representing higher demand risk exposure and hence higher achievable returns," he added. Among the largest of the airports that may see a change of ownership as soon as 2024, is Edinburgh whose US-based owner Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is working on the sale of its majority stake in a process that may value the airport at over E2.5b, according to sources close to the situation. GIP declined to comment. AGS Airports, which oversees operations at Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Southampton airports and is owned by Australia's Macquarie and Spain's Ferrovial, may also follow, two people with knowledge of the plans said on Friday. Ferrovial and Macquarie declined to comment. Until recently there has been a dearth of deals in the sector which has faced headwinds such as rising interest rates and environmental concerns that have dampened valuations, investors and industry sources said. Even including the sale of Heathrow, this year is the slowest for airport transactions in the past decade, totalling $5.9b globally to date, according to Dealogic data.<br/>
Dozens of flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol airport were cancelled on Sunday due to snowfall expected to reach the Netherlands in the afternoon. Schiphol's website around midday indicated almost 150 incoming and outgoing flights had been cancelled. Dutch airline KLM, the airport's main user, told Dutch news agency ANP it had scrapped 65 European flights in the afternoon and evening.<br/>
Glasgow Airport on Saturday said its runway was now fully operational and it would resume flights after planes were grounded earlier due to heavy snowfall. "Our runway is now fully operational again and we are working with our airline partners and their handlers to resume flight schedules," Glasgow Airport said. The Scottish airport had earlier said flight operations were suspended because of a combination of heavier than forecast snow and freezing conditions throughout the night and early morning. Britain's Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice across parts of northwest England and southern Scotland, with wintry showers expected to lead to some icy patches and snow cover in places.<br/>
Cold weather conditions could cause further delays and cancellations at London Stansted Airport, bosses have said. The airport has told holidaymakers to check their travel plans amid a weather warning for the East of England. Its runway in Essex remained open but passengers were warned to allow extra travel time. The Met Office said icy patches would be likely to create "difficult travel conditions" on Sunday. A yellow weather warning has been put in place with safety concerns having been raised about iced-over surfaces. In a post on X, Stansted Airport said: "Our runway remains open but please check with your airline for up-to-date flight information and allow extra travel time today." It followed a post yesterday which said cold weather conditions "are impacting some of our airlines, causing some delays or cancellations".<br/>
Russia’s government has ordered a restructuring of the Cypriot-based management company overseeing St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, to bring it under a domestic holding. The changes are detailed in a Russian presidential decree, issued on 30 November, which states that “special economic measures” are being applied to the field of air transport to “protect national interests”, in the wake of international sanctions imposed over the Ukrainian conflict. It alleges that a “threat” to economic security has arisen from “violation” by foreign entities of obligations relating to the management of Northern Capital Gateway”, the operator of Pulkovo airport. The decree does not elaborated on the claim. Northern Capital Gateway is owned by the Cypriot company Thalita Trading which, in turn, is 25%-owned by German airport operator Fraport, and 24.99%-owned by Qatari investment company F3 Holding. German and Qatari investors hold almost 50% of St Petersburg Pulkovo airport. Several other investors share the balance, including Business Finance with nearly 16.8% and VTB Infrastructure with 8.2%. The decree establishes a new entity, VVSS Holding, with an authorised capital of Rb169b ($1.87b). VVSS Holding will take over the entire share capital of Northern Capital Gateway from Thalita Trading, the decree says. It adds that the government will appoint an executive body for the company and approve its charter. This charger will include “temporary” transfer of voting rights from Thalita’s shareholders, which will be allocated to two different entities. One of these entities will hold the rights of both Fraport and F3 Holding. The decree indicates that rights can be restored if agreements on exercising them, in compliance with Russian legislation on competition and national interests, are reached.<br/>
Dien Bien Airport in Vietnam's northwest region is ready to reopen on Dec 2 following expansion works, said Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). The upgrade includes bigger runways, taxiways as well as engine aprons and a new passenger terminal. Currently, airlines have installed check-in systems and auxiliary systems at the airport. These systems apply new technologies such as biometrics to ensure safe operation of the aviation system, the corporation said. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air, the two carriers operating flights to and from Dien Bien Airport, have deployed technical flights to ensure official operation on Dec 2. The Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) also announced that the final equipment of the flight management system was installed on Nov 29, and the air traffic control staff would be mobilised to increase human resources for airport operation. Expanding Dien Bien Airport is one of the key projects to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory in 2024 and create economic growth momentum for the northern mountainous province and the northwest region.<br/>
Long queues at Penang International Airport (PIA) lasting three to four hours on Dec 2 have left some travellers less than sanguine about their time on the island. With fewer than half of the immigration counters open that day, long lines of passengers awaiting clearance spanned the length of the arrival hall. Some who were queueing on a stationary escalator with their hand luggage resorted to sitting on the steps, according to social media posts. The situation was much improved on Dec 3, as all 12 immigration counters were in operation, reported Malaysia’s Sin Chew Daily. One traveller arriving in Penang on an international flight told the Chinese-language newspaper that clearing Customs and collecting his luggage took just 30 minutes. Nine international flights arriving on Dec 2 were affected, as only five out of 12 counters were open between 11.40am and 2.30pm, Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai told Malaysian media. The flights originated from places including Singapore, Jakarta and Taipei. Passengers from eight outbound flights were also affected.<br/>
Australia’s first airport resort will launch on 5 December following the complete reimagination and integration of two existing airport hotels at Darwin Airport. The unveiling of the Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport Resort follows a $30m investment by the Airport Development Group (ADG), which also owns the adjacent Darwin Airport. ADG’s visionary $30m project has produced a remarkable transformation of the hotels, with the progressive refurbishment of existing rooms and the creation of new pool villas, suites and bungalows perfectly capturing Darwin’s tropical environment. Previously, the two hotels had separate receptions, but now a combined reception area has been opened, along with a new 60-metre/one million litre swimming pool (one of the largest city hotel pools in Australia), poolside cabanas, children’s aquatic playground, and new poolside dining. The newly launched resort will position itself as a premium destination venue for leisure visitors, business travellers and conference groups to the Northern Territory’s Top End. The provision of world-class resort accommodation is a key component of ADG’s Darwin International Airport 2023 Master Plan, which focuses on the significant infrastructure required to support growth in passenger numbers to between 3.7 and 5.5m annually by 2043. The Master Plan will guide the development of existing and proposed airport facilities and land use for the next 20 years, as an ‘aertroplis’ evolves in the 80 acres of airport land. The resort is launched at a time of expansion of direct services into Darwin Airport. The latest airline to fly into Darwin Airport is Australian low-cost carrier, Bonza, which has just commenced flights from Australian east coast destinations, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.<br/>