Mysterious flying objects overhead. Concern and confusion. And calls for military intervention. This isn’t the plot of “War of the Worlds,” but rather the result of numerous unidentified possible drone sightings on the East Coast in recent weeks. The possible drones have been spotted over residential neighborhoods, restricted sites and critical infrastructure. The sightings have put intense pressure on federal agencies to provide more information about the aircraft, as officials have urged calm and emphasized there is no evidence suggesting the sightings pose a security threat. “I want to assure the American public that we are on it,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” Reported drone activity prompted at least one airport – New York’s Stewart International Airport – to temporarily close its runways for about an hour on Friday night. “This has gone too far,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday, adding last month she “directed the New York State Intelligence Center to actively investigate drone sightings and coordinate with federal law enforcement to address this issue.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’s asking DHS to deploy special detection systems that use 360-degree technology to detect drones.<br/>
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Two people have been arrested after allegedly conducting a "hazardous drone operation" near the airspace of the US city of Boston's main airport, police said. Robert Duffy, 42, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, were arrested on Long Island, part of the Boston Harbor Islands, on Saturday night. They were charged with trespassing and police said they may face further counts and fines over the drones, which were "dangerously close" to Logan International Airport. Their arrests follow a series of drone sightings across the US north-east in recent weeks. Police have given no indication that the sightings are connected to these arrests. Police said the incident in Boston occurred at 16:30 local time (21:30 GMT) on Saturday when a police officer detected a drone operating "dangerously close" to Logan International Airport. Police said they identified the drone's location and tracked the operators' position to a decommissioned health campus on Long Island. Because of the drone's proximity to an airport, FBI counter-terrorism agents helped the investigation.<br/>
Canadian airline executives in the hot seat over carry-on bag fees say the federal government needs to reform this country’s aviation system if it wants travel to become more affordable. The CEOs of Air Canada and WestJet appeared before a parliamentary committee Friday to answer questions about their recent decisions to introduce carry-on bag fees for travellers. Air Transat and Porter Airlines also testified Friday before the standing committee on transport, infrastructure and communities. The executives faced tough questions from parliamentarians, who summoned them to testify following Air Canada’s announcement earlier this month that customers paying a basic fare can only bring on a personal item and will have to check carry-on bags for a fee. Air Canada’s move follows an earlier decision by WestJet to introduce an “UltraBasic” fare class that allows passengers to carry no more than a laptop bag or small backpack on board. The developments are part of an ongoing trend in the aviation sector, which has seen airlines rely increasingly on ancillary fees for formerly bundled services that range from checked bags to on-board snacks and Wi-Fi access.<br/>
Edinburgh Airport was shut down by an unspecified information technology issue Sunday afternoon, causing headaches for passengers at the start of the busy holiday travel season. All flights into and out of Scotland’s busiest airport were grounded at 4:15 p.m. local time, with some incoming flights diverted to Glasgow Airport about 50 miles away. Edinburgh airport said engineers were working to resolve the issue. “Passengers are asked to check the status of their flight with the airline they are flying with before traveling to the airport," the airport said in a statement.<br/>
Commercial airlines are becoming a hot spot for jet-setting thieves who orchestrate mid-air heists on unsuspecting passengers. Two weeks ago, two Chinese nationals were fined a total of RM5,700 (S$1,730) by the Balik Pulau Magistrates’ Court for stealing over RM5,500 from two Malaysians during a flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. This incident is the latest in a series of thefts that have occurred onboard commercial airlines recently. On Oct 26, The Star reported the arrest of a 49-year-old man from mainland China on suspicion of stealing more than HK$4,300 (S$746) from two passengers during a flight from Malaysia to Hong Kong. Recently, during a flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, a male suspect was caught red-handed, stealing RM3,000 in cash belonging to another passenger. Apprehended onboard, the perpetrator was handed over to the authorities upon landing. Many of these thefts go unreported, as most victims do not realise they have been robbed until long after they have disembarked the aircraft.<br/>
The European Commission has decided to continue its ban on Nepali airlines through an updated “EU Air Safety List,” the list of non-European airlines that do not meet international safety standards and are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union. “Today's [December 13] update to the EU Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of Member State aviation safety experts, who met in Brussels on 19–21 November under the auspices of the EU Air Safety Committee,” according to the EU’s statement published on its website. “Decisions under the EU Air Safety List are based on international safety standards, notably the standards decreed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Ensuring the highest level of air safety for Europeans and all other travelling passengers is at the very heart of the Commission’s aviation safety policy.”<br/>
Two abandoned duffle bags left near the baggage carousels at Auckland International Airport had nearly 30kg of methamphetamine inside, Customs officials says. Customs officers were conducting routine checks in the arrivals area when they found the bags before putting them through the X-ray machine which showed some inconsistencies. A drug detector dog sniffed out a positive for the Class A drug. Customs officers located a total of 14 methamphetamine packages in both bags that had been wrapped in four layers of black film, clear plastic wrapping, tea bag branded packaging, and clear plastic wrapping. The 28.5kg of methamphetamine would have had a street value of up to $10.7m and caused up to $29.9m of social harm. Auckland Airport’s Customs Manager Paul Williams credited the seizure to the vigilance and determination of frontline officers. “This seizure has stopped a significant quantity of harmful drugs from getting into our communities, and will no doubt leave the criminals involved out of pocket for the Christmas season. Investigations are ongoing, so we are not ruling out any arrests.”<br/>
Cheap seats aren’t enough for airline passengers anymore. Since the pandemic, travelers have shown airlines that they’re willing to pay up to sit at the relatively spacious front of the cabin. That means that many of the seats are already full, so it’s harder for frequent flyers to score free upgrades to the front of the airplane. And the ranks of frequent flyers with elite status are swelling all the way from the airport lounge to the packed first boarding group, meaning more competition for those seats. Expect even more crowds during the year-end holiday period, which airlines predict will set another record. Even in the off-season in early 2025, executives have been forecasting strong demand. U.S. airlines’ capacity in the first quarter will be up about 1% from a year earlier, according to aviation data firm Cirium. “We’re seeing probably our best unit revenues on the transatlantic [routes], for example, in the dead of winter,” said Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein at an investor day in November. The price difference between first class and coach varies, of course, based on distance, demand, time of year and even time of day. For example, a round-trip ticket on United Airlines from its hub in Newark, New Jersey, to Los Angeles International Airport during the first week of February was $347 in standard economy and $1,791 in the carrier’s Polaris cabin, which features lie-flat seats, but not access to the international business-class lounge.<br/>