Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake in western Colombia prompted Aerocivil to restrict or suspend commercial operations at seven airports while teams inspect airside, structural and navigation infrastructure. Avianca, LATAM and Wingo offered affected passengers free rebooking, rerouting or refunds; Popayán was separately closed because of volcanic ash.
Airport Infrastructure & Air Traffic Management
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A magnitude 7.4 earthquake in western Colombia prompted Aerocivil to restrict or suspend commercial operations at seven airports while teams inspect airside, structural and navigation infrastructure. Avianca, LATAM and Wingo offered affected passengers free rebooking, rerouting or refunds; Popayán was separately closed because of volcanic ash.
United Airlines is participating in a planned makeover of Washington Dulles International Airport valued at more than $20 billion. The initiative underscores the carrier’s stake in the airport’s long-term infrastructure, capacity and passenger-experience strategy.
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Vietjet Air and its Thai subsidiary will become the latest passenger carriers to commit to Western Sydney International Airport, with Ho Chi Minh City flights scheduled to begin in January 2027 and Bangkok service planned for later that year. The airport’s passenger network now includes five carriers.
Air traffic controllers are disputing Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s assertion that high rates of sick calls caused days of delays and disruption across the Northeast. They called the allegation “patently false,” arguing that overworked and understaffed facilities—not widespread absenteeism—are driving the operational strain.
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Two unrelated incidents disrupted U.S. airline operations: Alaska Airlines Flight 305 returned to its Miami gate under cockpit lockdown after a passenger allegedly threatened to take over the aircraft, while a Delta Air Lines 757 returned to Atlanta after cockpit fumes were reported and passengers evacuated via emergency slides.
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An investigation is underway after a Jetstar A320 and Qatar Airways Boeing 777 narrowly avoided colliding on a Sydney Airport taxiway. Reports cite taxiway confusion and weekend air traffic control staffing pressures; the incident also led to an emergency stop and a Jetstar flight cancellation after boarding.
Two drones were spotted above a military base in western Germany, authorities said, two days after an explosive-laden drone was found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The incidents raise immediate security concerns for military installations and airport operations, although authorities have not established a connection between them.
Air carriers are challenging increased costs at Paris Charles de Gaulle, putting airport charges and the economics of operating at one of Europe’s major hubs under scrutiny. The dispute could affect airline cost structures and future network decisions at the airport.
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