As reports of strange lights in the sky over New Jersey and other parts of the East Coast have grown, government officials have been stating more firmly that, in essence, there is nothing to see here. Officials from the F.B.I., Defense Department and Department of Homeland Security said they were taking the sightings, and the concerns they have stirred, seriously, deploying advanced radar systems to hunt for foreign reconnaissance drones and scouring records for secret U.S. government programs. But of the more than 5,000 tips they had received about drone sightings in recent weeks, only 100 required further examination, John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, said on Monday. Most were fixed-wing, piloted aircraft that were taking off or landing at major airports, officials said. Others were smaller planes, and some were hobbyist drones. “We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and even stars that were mistakenly reported as drones,” Mr. Kirby said. “We have not identified anything anomalous or any national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast.” Many of the most exciting videos posted on social media have shown piloted planes, according to experts.<br/>
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The FAA said on Monday it has finalized rules requiring aviation-repair stations in foreign countries to conduct drug and alcohol testing for employees performing safety-sensitive maintenance functions for U.S. airlines. The rule, which requires compliance by December 2027, will impact about 977 repair stations in 65 countries, the FAA said. The agency said foreign governments or repair stations can obtain a waiver based on existing testing and requirements. "This rule will ensure these employees are held to the equivalent high level of safety standards, regardless of where they are physically located," said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. The rule, which requires repair stations to send their testing data electronically to USDOT, was proposed in December 2023 by the FAA, and Congress required the agency to implement its provisions. The FAA has been considering the issue for decades. Aviation unions for years have called for testing for maintenance functions that are outsourced to repair stations outside the United States. Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen said last year the proposal would close a "big safety gap." "Airline mechanics in China and other lower-wage, lower-standard countries who work on U.S. commercial aircraft will have to undergo drug and alcohol testing - just like mechanics here," he said at the time.<br/>
The US Department of Transportation has issued a new rule requiring airlines to follow more rigorous standards when it comes to airline passengers with disabilities. The new rule will require airlines to meet standards for “safe and dignified” assistance to people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. It also mandates annual training, including hands-on training for employees and contractors who physically assist passengers and handle wheelchairs. That training must be received by June 17, 2026. “Every passenger deserves safe, dignified travel when they fly — and we’ve taken unprecedented actions to hold airlines accountable when they do not provide fair treatment to passengers with disabilities,” said Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in a release. The rule will also require promptness when assisting passengers with disabilities with enplaning, deplaning and connections. For example, assistance should be available when the last passenger who did not request assistance has exited the aircraft. A little over 1% of wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled during the month of September, according to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report from the Department of Transportation. The new rule also requires loaner accommodations for wheelchairs or scooters that are mishandled and provides more protection to passengers in the event of loss or damage. Many airlines already offer pre-boarding or other assistance for travelers with disabilities, but many air travelers have complained to the DOT about delays, poor treatment and mishandled wheelchairs.<br/>
France's civil aviation authorities have ordered flights to be grounded at multiple regional French airports on Tuesday due to strike action. There will be flight cancellations at four French regional airports - Lyon, Montpellier, Perpignan and Nîmes - on Tuesday, due to local strike action by unions representing air traffic controllers, according to the DGAC (Direction générale de l'aviation civile). No flights at all will depart or arrive at Montpellier, Nîmes, and Perpignan airports on Tuesday, December 17, while 60% of flights will be cancelled at Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport. There may also be disruption for flights going through the Ajaccio airport in Corsica. "Delays are to be expected throughout the whole day," the DGAC warned. Travellers are advised to contact their airline to check their flight status before arriving at the airport. The strike is described as a "local action" by air traffic controllers and is not expected to affect any other French airports. At present the SNCTA union has only called a one-day strike, after a breakdown in negotiations over working conditions.<br/>
The boss of Heathrow Airport has said his company needs a "clear steer" from the new government by the end of 2025 over plans to expand the airport and build a third runway. Thomas Woldbye, who has been in charge at the west London airport for 13 months, told BBC London that without a "positive indication" his company would not invest. The project had secured parliamentary approval in June 2018 but was delayed by legal challenges over the environmental impact and by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department for Transport said any expansion proposals "must demonstrate they contribute to economic growth". Woldbye said: "We need to be joined up with both government and our airlines to say this is what we all want and what is it we contribute to make this a success." The former boss of Copenhagen Airport added: "The way I look at it is that Heathrow is uniquely well connected to the rest of the world and all of you get benefits from that. If we are to keep pace with economic growth, we need to expand beyond what we can do with the current runways."<br/>
New technology means passengers at Cardiff Airport will now be able to leave electronics and liquids under 100ml in their hand luggage as they pass through security. The Next Generation Security scanners are now fully operational at the site, the airport confirmed, following cost-related delays which saw it fail to meet the UK government's initial 1 June deadline. Cardiff is one of several airports which applied for an extension to allow it to install the scanners. The Welsh government, as the sole investor in the airport, previously said it would allocate GBP6.6m "to address the cost challenges" of bringing in the new equipment. Its CE, Spencer Birns, said: "This state-of-the-art facility is a significant investment for the growth and future development of our National Airport." He added "safety and security is our number one priority".<br/>
Morocco plans to expand its airport capacity to 80m passengers by 2030 from 38m currently, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said.<br/>The plan is part of Morocco's preparations to co-host the 2030 soccer World Cup, together with Spain and Portugal, and promote tourism, Akhannouch told members of parliament. Casablanca's airport capacity will be expanded to 23.3m passengers, while tourist hubs Marrakech and Agadir will have a capacity of 14m passengers and 6.3m respectively by 2030, he said. Morocco received a record 15.9m tourists in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing the total in the entire previous year thanks to more air routes, according to tourism ministry figures. Morocco is also working to extend its high-speed train network to Marrakech before the World Cup, and further south to Agadir. The rail operator also aims to expand its network to double the number of cities it serves to 43, or 87% of the Moroccan population, by 2040. The prime minister also mentioned the expansion and renovation of 45 stadiums and training sites in the six cities that are planned to host the World Cup, in addition to the construction of a new stadium with 115,000 seats near Casablanca. Investments in stadium construction and expansion would cost Morocco up to 5b dirhams ($500m), the government has said. Morocco is also hosting the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament in 2025.<br/>
Russian carrier Utair, as well as a division of powerplant manufacturer United Engine, are being sanctioned by the European Union in relation to the Ukrainian conflict. The companies feature in a sanctions package which includes 84 additional listings, of which 30 are entities. They primarily affect Russian military companies which manufacture aircraft parts, engines, electronics, drones and other high-tech equipment. While Utair is a civil airline – based in Khanty-Mansiysk – the sanctions documentation states that it also operates as a contractor for the Russian ministry of defence, and has provided logistical support to the country’s armed forces. It adds that this has included transporting military personnel to the conflict zone and operating a special ticket-selling scheme with the defence ministry. The carrier operates various airliner types but also has a large helicopter fleet. “Our sanctions have a clear objective – to weaken Russia’s economy and its ability to pursue its illegal aggression against Ukraine – and they are achieving that objective,” claims European financial services commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque. The UEC-Star division of United Engine has been sanctioned for its role in Russian engine programmes including the development of Aviadvigatel PD-8 – designed for the civil Yakovlev SJ-100 but also intended as a powerplant for the proposed Ilyushin Il-212 military transport.<br/>
China's airlines had transported 700.48m passenger trips as of December 15, marking a historic milestone, with daily trips surpassing 2m, representing an 18.1% increase year-on-year and a 10.7% growth compared with 2019, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This year, China's airlines demonstrated robust growth in the domestic market. As of December 15, domestic routes handled approximately 640m passenger trips, reflecting a 13% year-on-year rise and a notable 14% increase from the same period in 2019. Moreover, China's aviation industry has experienced a rapid rebound in the international market. As of December 15, international routes handled more than 60m passenger trips, marking a year-on-year surge of over 130% and reaching 88% of 2019 levels. During the Spring Festival and summer travel rush, airlines handled an average of 2.1m and 2.29m passenger trips per day, respectively, setting a new single-day record of 2.45m trips, a 9.8% increase over the previous peak in 2023.<br/>
Wellington Airport has announced it has signed on the dotted line on a NZ$20m upgrade for inside the terminal building and at duty free. The big change will see a brand new multi-level cafe and bar facing out to the runway and Lyall Bay. It will sit above the current Blue Lady outlet and will be opened later in 2025. Wellington Airport CE Matt Clarke said he hoped the bar would become a destination in its own right. “This will make Wellington Airport an even better place to eat, drink, shop and explore,” said Clarke. “You can expect to see a fresh look and range of products rolled out from early next year.” Also announced was a new duty-free operator, LagardereAWPL, who the airport already has a long-standing relationship with. It will also transform the Relay site in the main terminal and add new stores. The developments will have a combined floor area of 900 square metres and will add an additional 130 seats for diners.<br/>
Honeywell is exploring separating Honeywell Aerospace Technologies into a standalone business under pressure from minority stakeholder Elliott Investment Management. In a 16 December update from the board of the US conglomerate, Honeywell says that it is undertaking at the direction of CE Vimal Kapur a “comprehensive portfolio evaluation of alternatives for unlocking shareholder value”, including possibly spinning off its aerospace unit. Elliott, which holds a $5b stake in Honeywell, is pushing for such a change as it seeks greater returns. Honywell says the concept has progressed significantly in recent weeks, as it expects to deliver an update alongside its fourth quarter financial report next month. Kapur says the company is considering “transformational changes” as it aligns with the “mega trends” of automation, the energy transition and future flight technologies. ”Since aligning our business this past January… we have been moving swiftly and decisively to optimise the Honeywell portfolio to deliver superior growth and drive incremental shareholder value,” he says. Honeywell has already signalled its intention to spin off its advanced materials unit into a separate business and agreed to divest its personal protective equipment business, with its aerospace unit seemingly next in line. The move would mirror that of GE Aerospace, which in April completed its long-planned divestiture from the once-mighty US conglomerate General Electric. Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace Technologies produces a range of propulsion, flight control and avionics technologies. The manufacturer says that its aerospace portfolio is among the world’s “broadest and most innovative… spanning take-off to landing”, with defence, urban air mobility, air cargo, business jet, helicopter and space segments.<br/>