general

UN aviation agency investigating reports of possible data breach

The United Nations' aviation agency is investigating reports of a "potential information security incident," the organization said in a brief post to its website. The Canada-based International Civil Aviation Organization said in its statement the potential breach was possibly tied to "a threat actor known for targeting international organizations." sThe ICAO did not elaborate and did not immediately return a message seeking comment.<br/>

Winter storm disrupts thousands of U.S. flights

Thousands of flights were disrupted Monday as a winter storm moved eastward, snarling air travel in the eastern U.S. By 5:45 p.m. ET, more than 6,900 U.S. flights were delayed while more 2,130 were canceled, according to flight tracker FlightAware. The storm, which was moving from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic, was set to dump as much as a foot of snow in the Washington, D.C., area, though cold weather stretched through the southern U.S., according to federal forecasters. More than 300 flights, or 80% of the day’s schedule, were canceled at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, while about a third of the scheduled flights were canceled at each Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Each of the major New York-area airports had about 200 flight delays, FlightAware tallies showed, and there were significant slowdowns at other major airports like Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. United, Southwest, American and other airlines waived change fees and fare differences for travelers affected by the storm. <br/>

Munich, Frankfurt flights canceled amid winter weather

Snow and ice have impacted flight operations at three of Germany's major airports, with some flights having to be canceled. "Due to the predicted weather conditions, flight operations are expected to be restricted and flights canceled on Sunday, January 5, especially in the morning,” Munich Airport said on its website. Frankfurt Airport warned of similar disruptions and cancellations during the morning hours and advised travelers to check on the status of their flights before making their way to the airport. Various flights had to be canceled at Frankfurt, including departures to famous European destinations such as Paris, Venice and Prague. Of the 1,090 take-offs and landings planned during the course of Sunday, 120 were canceled, a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport told German news agency DPA. Stuttgart Airport in southwestern Germany also reported several delays due to the winter weather, although the runway had been cleared and was ready for operations. Some planes have to be de-iced before takeoff, delaying departure times. Berlin Brandenburg Airport cut the number of arrivals on Sunday evening in half due to the threat of sleet, a spokesperson told dpa news agency. <br/>

Flight delays and 'treacherous' roads as snow hits NI

Travel warnings have been issued as snow continues to fall in parts of Northern Ireland. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has warned of "treacherous driving conditions" after some vehicles got stuck in the snow on Monday night. Belfast International Airport said that there may be some delays to flights while snow is cleared from the airfield. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice which is in effect for NI until 11:00 GMT on Tuesday. Overnight temperatures have fallen below freezing in the past week, and are expected to do so again in the coming nights.<br/>

Turkish airports serve over 230m passengers in 2024

urkish airports served over 230m passengers last year, marking an increase of 7.5% compared to a year earlier, according to a top official on Sunday. "While we served 95.3m passengers on domestic lines and 134.7m on international lines in one year, a total of 230.2m passengers, including direct transit passengers, used our airports. There was a 7.5% increase in total passenger traffic compared to the previous year," Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said in a written statement. Evaluating the data from the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI), the minister touched upon figures in domestic and international routes and cargo carried in the past year. Referring to data from December alone, Uraloğlu said the number of passengers reached 7.08m on domestic lines and 8.47m on international lines. "A total of 15.56m were served, including direct transit passengers. Our passenger numbers increased by 8.2% compared to the same month in 2023," he added. “The amount of cargo carried at our airports reached 380,912 tons in December, including 65,111 tons on domestic lines and 315,802 tons on international lines,” he further said. Furthermore, the minister said that the number of landings and takeoffs stood at 902,078 on domestic flights, while international flights accounted for 866,779 throughout the year. Including overflights, total aircraft traffic reached 2.29m, a 5.5% increase from 2023.<br/>

Hong Kong airport operator plans HK dollar and yuan bond deal, sources say

Airport Authority Hong Kong is aiming to raise up to HK$22b ($2.8b) in Hong Kong dollar bonds and up to 4b yuan ($546.3m) in Chinese yuan bonds, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The operator of Hong Kong airport is planning the deal consisting of 3-, 5-, 10- and 30-year Hong Kong dollar bonds and 10- and 30-year Chinese yuan bonds, according to a term sheet reviewed by Reuters on Tuesday. The size of the Hong Kong dollar tranche is expected to be HK$15 to HK$22b and the Chinese yuan tranche is 3 to 4b yuan, the sources said. The sources requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the discussions. Airport Authority Hong Kong did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from Reuters.<br/>

Boeing culture overhaul a ‘work in progress,’ Buttigieg says

Departing US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he’s starting to see progress at Boeing Co., while cautioning it will take time to fully address the issues that led to a door-sized panel blowing off one of its planes last January. “What we really need to see is a pretty profound culture change that will be ultimately proven out by the results, and that’s results over the long term,” Buttigieg said in an interview on Monday. “That is a work in progress for them.” US aviation safety regulators dramatically stepped up scrutiny of the planemaker during Buttigieg’s last year in office in response to the near-catastrophe. US Federal Aviation Administration officials have increased surprise factory audits and met with company personnel weekly as Boeing carries out a broad plan to improve quality controls inside its factories. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker last week said permanent change at the company will be a multi-year effort. Boeing last week provided an update on a series of reforms it’s made in the past year, such as increased inspections that have helped reduce defects in 737 fuselages produced by a key supplier. Oversight of the planemaker will soon pass to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration once he begins his second term in office on Jan. 20. That leaves Boeing in limbo as it awaits key decisions by the agency, such as the long-delayed certification of the 737 Max 7 and Max 10. Trump nominated Fox News contributor and former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy to succeed Buttigieg. Trump has yet to name someone for the FAA’s top job, after Whitaker last month said he would step down when Trump takes office.<br/>