2025-07-21 06:00:14.08

US carrier Alaska Airlines grounded all flights on Sunday evening due to a significant IT outage affecting its systems. The airline announced the system-wide ground stop at approximately 8 p.m. Pacific time (3 a.m. GMT on Monday), stating that the outage was impacting operations. While the exact nature of the outage was not specified, Alaska Airlines indicated that there would be lingering effects throughout the evening. The FAA's status page reflected the ground stop for both Alaska's mainline aircraft and Horizon Air. Alaska Air Group operates a fleet of 238 Boeing 737 and 87 Embraer 175 aircraft. This incident comes after a June hack on the Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines, which caused disruptions to some IT systems. The financial impact of that hack is still being assessed.

2025-05-12 18:01:21.17

Delays continue to affect flights at Newark Liberty International Airport, averaging about 19 minutes at 9 a.m. on Monday, according to the FAA. For two weeks, short staffing at an air traffic control facility in Philadelphia, which handles flights to and from Newark, has caused delays. At least five controllers there took 45 days of trauma leave after losing radar and radio communication on April 28. The facility, PHL TRACON Area C, also saw outages of air traffic control systems early Friday morning and again on Sunday. Friday's outage lasted 90 seconds, while Sunday's "telecommunications issue" stopped Newark-bound flights for about 45 minutes. Since November, there have been at least four outages at PHL TRACON Area C. A pilot expressed support for better equipment and staffing on Sunday. Other FAA facilities are also experiencing problems; Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport saw delays due to runway equipment issues, affecting 1,337 flights (55%), and Austin, Texas, saw 145 flights (nearly 20%) delayed due to staffing shortages.

2025-03-11 18:02:49.69

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is releasing its preliminary report today on the mid-air collision between a regional jet and a military helicopter on January 29 over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people on board—64 on the American Airlines plane and three in the Black Hawk helicopter—died in the collision, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001. Investigators are examining data from both aircraft and air traffic control to determine the cause. Today's report will focus on factual information and will not identify a probable cause, which typically takes over a year to determine. The American Eagle flight 5342 was nearing landing when the helicopter struck the jet's right side at approximately 300 feet. Among the victims were three soldiers, four flight crew members, 28 figure skaters and family members, seven friends on a hunting trip, and other passengers. The report includes details about some of the victims, such as the Livingston family (parents and two daughters) and Captain Rebecca Lobach, the Black Hawk pilot. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will hold a news conference after the NTSB releases its report.

2025-03-04 00:01:21.408

A power outage at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) caused significant flight delays and other disruptions Monday morning. The outage, impacting areas of the main terminal and an adjacent parking garage, was reported around 7:40 a.m. and attributed to a downed power line near the airport by Baltimore Gas and Electric Company spokesperson Stephanie Weaver. Over 150 flights were delayed, and dozens canceled, according to flight tracking websites. While power was fully restored around noon, airport officials advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight status updates and anticipate long lines at ticket counters, checkpoints, and concessions. Inbound flights were diverted, and some airlines used air stairs for deplaning passengers during the outage.

2025-03-02 00:00:41.604

A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday after a bird strike caused an engine fire. The incident, which occurred around 8 a.m., resulted in a brief halt of air traffic as a precaution. According to a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, all three crew members escaped without injury, and the fire was contained to the engine. Audio recordings captured the crew's calm response to the emergency, with one person stating the need to "shut down for a possible bird strike" and return to the airport. Another person reported seeing an engine fall off the right wing. The plane, en route to Indianapolis, successfully landed at Newark. FedEx praised the pilots' training and professionalism. The FAA and NTSB will investigate the incident, which comes amid heightened awareness of recent aviation disasters. Bird strikes, while a known aviation hazard, rarely cause such significant damage.

2025-03-01 18:00:35.563

A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday after a bird strike caused an engine fire. The incident, which occurred around 8 a.m., resulted in a brief halt of air traffic as a precaution. According to a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the fire was contained to the engine, and there were no injuries reported among the three crew members. LiveATC audio captured communications indicating the need for an emergency return due to a possible bird strike, with later reports suggesting an engine may have fallen off. The plane, en route to Indianapolis, landed safely. FedEx praised its pilots' training and professionalism. The FAA will investigate the incident, which adds to a recent increase in bird strikes reported at US airports. The incident follows other recent aviation incidents, raising awareness of flight safety.

2025-02-27 06:02:50.869

An American Airlines flight aborted its landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport to avoid a collision with another aircraft. This incident, along with a near-miss at Chicago Midway International Airport involving a Southwest flight and a private jet, and a series of recent crashes, has sparked safety concerns. The American Airlines flight, approaching the runway, was instructed to perform a go-around to maintain separation from a departing plane. While the go-around was a standard maneuver, passengers described the experience as terrifying. The near-miss at Chicago Midway involved a private jet crossing the runway as a Southwest flight was landing. The US Transportation Secretary stated that pilots who fail to follow air traffic control instructions will have their licenses revoked. These incidents follow a deadly midair collision near Reagan National Airport, a Medevac crash in Philadelphia, a regional airline crash in Alaska, and a Delta plane crash in Toronto. Experts and lawmakers have expressed concerns about the crowded airspace above Washington, D.C., citing security measures, military and government flights, and the busy runway at Reagan National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating these incidents, along with the FAA.

2025-02-27 05:18:00.876

An American Airlines flight aborted its landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport to avoid a collision with another aircraft. This incident follows a recent string of safety incidents, including a deadly midair collision near the same airport, a Medevac jet crash in Philadelphia, a regional airline crash in Alaska, and a Delta plane crash in Toronto. The near-miss at Reagan National involved American Airlines Flight 2246, which was instructed to perform a go-around to maintain separation from a departing plane. A passenger described the experience as terrifying. The FAA is investigating, along with the NTSB. Less than 90 minutes later, a Southwest Airlines flight aborted its landing at Chicago Midway International Airport after a private jet crossed the runway. The FAA is investigating that incident as well. Experts and lawmakers have raised concerns about crowded airspace, especially around Washington, D.C. The incidents highlight a concerning pattern of near-misses and crashes, prompting calls for increased safety measures and investigations into the underlying causes.