Regional jets are despised by many passengers. They’re uncomfortable and cramped, with little space for both carry-on luggage and people. Although their use is on the decline, for many routes, there’s little choice but to fly them. The smaller jets have been getting attention due to two high-profile crashes in recent weeks – the Delta Air Lines-branded flight that flipped over and burst into flames Monday upon landing in Toronto, and the fatal collision of a US Army helicopter with an American Airlines-branded regional jet on approach at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last month. Investigations into the causes of the two crashes are just beginning, so it’ too soon to say what was responsible. The crew in the Delta flight in Toronto got all 76 passengers out of the upside-down plane quickly and safely after the crash amid flames. Even before the crashes, smaller jets were not popular with passengers and airlines already know it. When United Airlines placed a large order of full-sized narrow-body jets from Boeing and Airbus in June 2021, United CEO Scott Kirby said a major reason for the purchase was to try to greatly reduce the use of regional jets, which he said “customers dislike." But that doesn’t mean they’re inherently more dangerous than any other commercial jet. “The seats have less leg room, and there’s less recline. No question about that, it’s not as comfortable an environment,” airline consultant Mike Boyd told CNN on Tuesday. “But they’re going to be as safe as any larger airplane. And while some passengers might not like them, many people don’t notice. They get on them and go.”<br/>
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The family of one of the 67 victims of a plane crash last month near Washington filed two legal claims against the federal government on Tuesday, seeking compensation and signifying the beginning of what is expected to be a long and complex legal fight. The claims, which appear to be the first against the U.S. government over the collision, were filed by the family of Casey Crafton, an airline passenger who died in the crash, according to Robert A. Clifford, the lawyer representing the family. Clifford said he had also asked several companies associated with the crash to preserve evidence. “I don’t know who caused this crash, but I know the passengers sure didn’t, and the families are entitled to answers,” Clifford said. “This was preventable.” The crash occurred on the night of Jan. 29 when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan National Airport, plunging both the plane and the helicopter into the icy Potomac River and killing everyone on both aircraft. It was the worst plane crash in the United States in nearly a quarter-century. The cause has not yet been identified, but the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading a federal investigation, said last week that it was looking into what appeared to be missed instructions sent from an air traffic controller to the helicopter pilots. Aviation experts say the investigation will probably identify multiple safety failures, as is often the case with plane crashes.<br/>
A deadly midair collision involving a commercial airplane and an army helicopter. Multiple crashes in various countries. Planes catching on fire and even flipping upside down. Over the last two months, global commercial air travel has been rocked by more than a half dozen unusual accidents that have raised concerns about the state of aviation safety. And in the United States, this comes amid an alarming number of near-misses and continued concerns about adequate air traffic control staffing. With each incident, video footage circulates near instantaneously and widely online, traumatizing more travelers, who say that the recent spate of airplane incidents has amplified their flight anxieties. Jaimee Rindy, a 28-year-old who lives in Atlanta, said she developed a fear of flying a few years ago. This feeling has grown more intense in recent months, she said. “It’s difficult to feel safe when you’re completely out of control and when you really have no sense of what’s happening while you’re in the aircraft,” Rindy said. “Ultimately, that’s the scariest part of being a passenger. It’s that loss of trust in the industry.” Is flying getting more dangerous? And what, if anything, can passengers actually do to stay safer during an emergency? We consulted several experts to learn more. The recent incidents, which are still being investigated, span different countries and types of airplanes. Over the last two months, deadly crashes have occurred in South Korea, the United States, and Azerbaijan. In the United States, some incidents involved commercial airplanes, while others were on smaller private planes subject to less stringent safety requirements. Of all aircraft, large commercial airplanes are required to meet the strictest safety regulations. Not all incidents were fatal. All 80 people aboard a Delta Air Lines flight that crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon survived, even after the plane flipped upside down on the tarmac, with its right wing and tail shorn off. Story has more.<br/>
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted three employees of a US aircraft parts supplier for allegedly exporting aircraft components to a Russian airline in violation of US sanctions. Flighttime Enterprises, a US subsidiary of a Russia aviation parts company, and the three employees “violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia to ship aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines”, the DOJ said on 13 February. The USA imposed the export restrictions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Flighttime “has continued to ship aviation parts and equipment to Russia and Russian end users, knowingly violating and evading those export restrictions by mislabelling shipments, providing false certifications and using intermediary companies and countries to obfuscate the true end destination and end users,” says the DOJ’s indictment, filed on 12 February with US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Flighttime, which has offices in Miami and Ohio, could not be reached for comment. The company allegedly shipped components including an auxiliary power unit and low-pressure turbines to Russia in violation of US law, doing so by first sending the products through places such as Armenia, Dubai and the Maldives, the indictment alleges. The DOJ has charged the company and three employees with violating the US Export Control Reform Act, and with smuggling. The DOJ does not name the Russian company that owns Flighttime but says the parent, on its website, describes itself as “among three major private suppliers in the market of Russian aviation spares, blocks and units and their maintenance”.<br/>
Boeing and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) have received an extra month to negotiate a possible revised guilty plea by the company to federal fraud charges related to certification the 737 Max. US federal judge Reed O’Connor has delayed to 14 March a deadline by which Boeing and the DOJ must update the court about their efforts to reach a deal that would head off a trial, according to a 17 February court order. The company and DOJ had previously been required to submit an update by 16 February. But both requested an extension, citing the recent administration change in Washington. “The parties have not reached agreement but continue to work in good faith toward that end, to include the briefing of new department leadership,” Boeing and the DOJ had told the judge. Boeing and the DOJ had last year reached an initial proposed guilty plea to the charges. That deal would have required Boeing submit to “compliance” monitoring. But in December, judge O’Connor with US District Court for the Northern District of Texas rejected the plea, citing concern about the monitoring provisions. That forced Boeing and the DOJ back to the negotiating table, as the parties have said they seek a resolution without a trial. Meanwhile, an attorney for relatives of people killed by two 737 Max crashes are urging that the revised plea deal have significant modifications.<br/>
Samarkand International Airport (SKD) has been recognised as the fastest-growing airport in Europe and Central Asia, according to official figures from Airports Council International (ACI). In 2024, the airport saw 1.38m passengers, reflecting a 36.6% growth compared to 2023, twice the rate of the next fastest growing airport, Olbia (+18.4%) in Italy. This growth has positioned SKD as one of the world’s fastest-growing airports, with a 186% increase in passenger traffic over the past five years. Ulugbek Shamsikulov, CEO of Air Marakanda, the airport’s management company, stated: “Our growth is reward for the visionary investment made in our ultra-modern 21st Century SKD terminal during a challenging global epidemic. These figures underline the pent-up demand for air travel in this historic region and SKD’s position as a fast-emerging centre for tourism and commerce in Central Asia.” Bakhityor Fazilov, a leading Uzbek entrepreneur and investor, spearheaded the development of the airport through a major public-private partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan. The new terminal, which opened in early 2022, has been a key factor in the airport’s rapid growth.<br/>
A S$5b top-up to a fund to develop Changi Airport and a S$3b boost to improve productivity are among new measures to grow Singapore's economy. Singapore cannot afford to outbid major economies and will need to set aside sufficient resources to maximise its competitive strengths, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during his Budget 2025 speech in parliament on Tuesday. In the area of connectivity, the completion of Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 will expand the airport’s capacity by more than 50%, and ensure Singapore remains a “critical gateway for global travel and trade”, said Wong. To ensure sufficient resources to develop Singapore's air hub, the Changi Airport Development Fund will be topped up by S$5b. With the President’s concurrence, the government will also provide a guarantee to Changi Airport Group. “This will help to lower the cost of borrowings needed to develop Terminal 5 and supporting infrastructure in Changi East,” said Wong. <br/>