general

A stand-off between airlines and energy groups over the production of sustainable air fuel is stalling the transition to net zero flying.  Airlines complain that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is too expensive and not enough is being made. But energy companies are reluctant to invest in more production until there are long-term orders. SAF is a broad term covering jet fuel that is not made from fossil fuels. Almost all the fuel is made from organic material, including crops, animal fat and used cooking oil. Depending on what it is made from, it can reduce the net carbon emissions from flying between 60 and 90%. But it costs at least two to three times more than standard jet fuel. The situation is increasingly critical for airlines, which have few alternatives to cut their emissions. Aviation makes up about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. At the start of this year, rules took effect in the EU and the UK forcing airlines to buy SAF for at least 2% of their total fuel use. In the EU, this rises to 6% in five years’ time and then 70% by 2050. The UK will require 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040. But the uncertainty over SAF’s future has seen many energy companies scale back investment plans. Last July, Shell paused construction of a SAF and renewable diesel plant in Rotterdam, which it had given the green light in 2021, when the market had a more optimistic outlook.<br/>

The U.S. aviation sector on Wednesday called for "robust emergency funding" from Congress for air traffic control technology and staffing after a series of crashes that have raised alarm. Airlines for America, the Aerospace Industries Association, International Air Transport Association and others including major aviation unions urged Congress in a joint letter on Wednesday to take action, noting the FAA faces serious technology needs and is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels. "We must support air traffic controller workforce hiring and training, modernize and deploy state-of-the-art air traffic control facilities and equipment," said the letter seen by Reuters from groups representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Boeing, Airbus and others adding they do not support "pursuing privatization of U.S. air traffic control services and believe it would be a distraction from these needed investments and reforms." USDOT, FAA and key House and Senate committees did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. A persistent shortage of controllers has delayed flights and, at many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks to cover shifts. Earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is reconsidering rules that allowed air traffic control supervisors to reduce staffing at Washington's Reagan National Airport before a fatal Army helicopter-plane collision that killed 67 people in January. The FAA last year cut minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports through October, citing air traffic controller staffing shortages.<br/>

The Trump administration is facing pressure to protect the FAA from further layoffs after hundreds of workers were fired over the weekend. The job cuts were part of a government restructuring under Elon Musk, an adviser to President Trump who is heading a cost-cutting initiative. Musk’s team has helped push through layoffs of thousands of workers across the government, including at the Transportation Department. But at the same time, the department’s secretary, Sean Duffy, has asked Mr. Musk, whose companies span the sectors of technology and transportation, to aid in addressing the agency’s aging air traffic control technology. The firings come at a time when the F.A.A., the nation’s premier aviation safety agency, is dealing with several deadly plane crashes across the country, including a midair collision between an Army helicopter and American Airlines plane that killed 67 people on Jan. 27. About 400 probationary workers — who were “hired less than a year ago” — were cut from the agency, according to Duffy, in a social media post on Monday responding to criticism from his Democratic predecessor, Pete Buttigieg. “Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go,” Duffy wrote. The Transportation Department added in a statement that the agency was continuing to hire and train air traffic controllers and aviation safety workers. However, union representatives say that some of the fired employees served in important support roles. The layoffs included about 300 workers represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union. Afterward, Dave Spero, the union’s national president, and Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, called for the Trump administration to halt additional work force reductions at the agency.<br/>

Personnel from Elon Musk's government downsizing team DOGE will make additional visits to Federal Aviation Administration facilities as they assist in efforts to modernize U.S. national airspace, the acting head of the agency said Wednesday. Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the DOGE team -- which visited the Air Traffic Control command center in Warrenton, Virginia, on Monday -- will be at other FAA facilities, including FAA headquarters. "We are asking for their help to engineer solutions while we keep the airspace open and safe," Rocheleau said in an email to employees seen by Reuters.<br/>

Two people were killed when two small planes collided in midair near a regional airport in southern Arizona on Wednesday morning, officials said. The planes, a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, each had two people on board when they collided just before 8:30 a.m. near Marana Regional Airport in Marana, Ariz., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Afterward, the Lancair crashed near a runway, then caught fire, while the Cessna landed “uneventfully,” the N.T.S.B. said in an emailed statement. The two people aboard the Lancair were killed, while the two in the Cessna were unharmed, officials said. The names of the people who were killed have not been released, but Vic Hathaway, the town’s communications manager, said they were from out of town. Marana Airport is an “uncontrolled field,” meaning it does not have an operating air traffic control tower, but instead relies on pilots to use the common traffic advisory frequency to announce their positions to other pilots. The town of Marana was enrolled in a five year program of the Federal Aviation Administration that was meant to help them build an air traffic control tower by the end of 2024, Ms.Hathaway said. The construction was delayed because of the pandemic, and a new deadline was set for the end of 2029. Hathaway said the town had been petitioning for a tower at the airport because the area was growing rapidly, and the Marana Airport was also used to help relieve traffic from Tucson International Airport, which is about 30 miles southeast of their town. The N.T.S.B. is investigating the collision, which came after a string of aviation accidents. In late January, a U.S. Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet in Washington, killing 67 people. Most recently, a Delta Air Lines jet flipped over on the tarmac while landing at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, though everyone on board survived.<br/>

Americans’ confidence in air travel and the federal agencies tasked with maintaining air safety has slipped a little from last year, following a recent crash in Washington, according to a new poll, but most still believe air transportation is generally safe. The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 64% of U.S. adults say plane travel is “very safe” or “somewhat safe.” That’s down slightly from last year, when 71% said that. About 2 in 10 U.S. adults now say air transportation is very or somewhat unsafe, up from 12% in 2024. Faith in government agencies’ ability to ensure safe air travel dipped as well. Just over half of U.S. adults have “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of confidence in federal government agencies to maintain air safety, down slightly from about 6 in 10 last year.<br/>

Canadian flight attendants and their union, CUPE's airline division, have faced chronic workplace issues for the past four decades. Notably, their union has been pushing the federal government and airlines for equitable pay since 2022. A key development came in June 2024 when Conservative MP Lianne Rood proposed Bill C-409 to the House of Commons , which would compensate attendants for training and ground time, which included tasks like aircraft preparation, boarding, deplaning and safety demonstrations. However, the Conservative Party of Canada did not consult with CUPE's airline division in tabling Bill C-409, and CUPE has expressed their uncertainty regarding the Conservative Party's support. In October 2024, NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo tabled Bill C-415 , which goes further by requiring attendants to be paid for all hours worked at their full rate of pay. CUPE and the NDP Party have collaborated to push for this bill . The issue of unpaid ground time first gained media attention in May 2022 but has been a long-standing concern among flight attendants.<br/>

Australia’s competition watchdog has urged the country’s domestic carriers to “find other ways” to boost operating capacity, as supply chain issues and delivery delays coincide with a spike in travel demand. In its latest analysis of domestic airline competition, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that the growth in passenger volume at the end of 2024 outpaced capacity growth. ACCC data shows that for December, Australian operators flew 5m domestic passengers – about 3.5% higher year on year, and down 3% against pre-pandemic volumes. Leading the increase were Virgin Australia and low-cost operator Jetstar, who recorded a 15.8% and 11% rise respectively. By contrast, capacity – measured by the number of seats flown – only inched up 0.5% year on year. Compared to 2019 levels, the total number of domestic seats flown was down 5%.<br/>

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was not happy with planemaker Boeing and his administration might have to go a different route with Air Force One planes. The comments were the White House's latest attempt to ratchet up pressure on Boeing, which is at least three years behind schedule in delivering two new Air Force One jets. Trump and the White House have recently railed against the jet maker, saying it has failed to deliver a new aircraft on time. "I'm not happy with Boeing," Trump told reporters on Air Force One, airing his frustration once again. "We gave that contract out a long time ago." The fixed-price contract was taking too long, he said, adding, "We may do something else. We may go and buy a plane, or get a plane or something." But he ruled out Boeing's rival Airbus as an alternative. On Tuesday, a White House official said Boeing's Air Force One program could be delayed until 2029, or beyond, citing supply chain issues and changing requirements, after White House remarks over the weekend that it had fallen behind. The delays are frustrating, but little can be done to speed delivery, the official told Reuters, adding that Boeing faced problems after the makers of some components went out of business. Trump has been deeply engaged with the program since his 2016 presidential campaign.<br/>

The United States is unprepared for the burdens placed on its air travel system when the country hosts the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to a report released on Wednesday. The US Travel Association, a non-profit that represents the travel industry, commissioned a report written by former government officials and industry experts. The report raises concerns about visas, creaking infrastructure and poor security technology. The report says that the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, 2025 Ryder Cup and celebrations for the US’s 250th birthday could draw in an estimated 40m visitors to the country. “We’re not ready to host the upcoming mega decade of events that will draw millions of domestic and international travelers. This poses risks to our national security and hampers economic growth,” the report says. While the Trump administration has made significant cuts across the government, the US Travel Association said there needs to be investment in visa processing and airport security. “The president has been outspoken about making this the gold standard of World Cups, the best Olympics that has ever been held,” Geoff Freeman, the US Travel Association’s CEO, told ESPN. “To do those things, to achieve those goals, you’ve got to make some of these investments.” Freeman said he had met with White House officials in the last week. He highlighted visa wait times as a particular problem area, with approval times for some countries that may reach the World Cup – such as Colombia – currently running at nearly two years.<br/>

A new report shows Bombardier retained its position as the world’s second-largest business jet manufacturer by value in 2024, despite falling a few planes short of its projected output. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association study states that last year the Montreal-based maker of luxury planes delivered 146 aircraft valued at US$7b. The figures notched above the 138 jets valued at US$6.8b that it churned out in 2023. But it comes in below the company’s 150-aircraft minimum laid out in its full-year projection for 2024. The report says rival Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recorded US$8.3b in billings, beating Bombardier’s sales figures while delivering 10 fewer planes. Bombardier routinely beats Gulfstream in the number of planes produced, but it has failed to rake in more money than its Savannah, Ga.-based competitor since 2012. The study says overall industry shipments of business jets rose nearly 5% to 764 units, while billings jumped more than 14% to US$26.7b.<br/>

Shareholders in lessor Nordic Aviation Capital have approved the company’s proposed acquisition by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise. The company values the transaction at more than $2b – inclusive of outstanding debt. Nordic Aviation Capital says the shareholder vote was 85% in favour of the agreement, under which DAE will take over its entire share capital. It states that it expects the deal to close in the first half of this year, subject to regulatory clearance. “Our significant reshaping of the fleet plus substantial reduction of debt markedly enhanced our acquisition prospects,” says Nordic Aviation Capital chief Norman Liu. The lessor’s fleet comprised around 233 owned and committed aircraft at the end of last year, and its base features some 60 customers. DAE Capital has a portfolio of 506 aircraft – featuring 223 Boeing models and 216 Airbus jets, plus 67 ATRs – of which 329 are owned, 110 managed and 67 committed.<br/>