Flying Magazine
• Jack Daleo
The FAA recruited 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, exceeding its hiring target and setting an agency record. The milestone strengthens the staffing pipeline, but the agency continues to face a chronic controller shortage that remains an operational constraint.
Airport Infrastructure & Air Traffic Management
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The FAA recruited 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, exceeding its hiring target and setting an agency record. The milestone strengthens the staffing pipeline, but the agency continues to face a chronic controller shortage that remains an operational constraint.
Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance a regional “single sky” framework. The agreement signals closer coordination on airspace management and could shape future approaches to cross-border air traffic operations among the four South American countries.
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Thai Airways has removed chief executive Chai Eamsiri and appointed Samrit Samniang as acting CEO after severe Bangkok flooding triggered major operational disruptions, including thousands of stranded bags at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The board is reviewing the flag carrier’s crisis-management procedures and response to the weather event.
New satellite imagery shows China’s construction of a runway on Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands gathering pace. Analysts estimate the facility could be completed by mid-2027, potentially strengthening Beijing’s military control and operational reach in the South China Sea.
The airline passenger experience association has joined aviation leaders calling on Congress to fund the $30 billion Modern Skies Act. The proposed investment would modernize the U.S. air traffic control system and improve the passenger experience.
Wizz Air will maintain its aircraft base at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport through the 2026/27 winter season after Serbian authorities postponed revised rules governing foreign airlines. The six-month delay removes, for now, a measure that could have effectively prevented the Hungarian low-cost carrier from basing aircraft in Serbia.
The FAA proposed civil penalties of $87,000 against Comfylife for an alleged hazardous-materials violation and $260,868 against ExcelAire for allegedly unauthorized charter operations. Separately, Nigerian ground handlers withdrew services from XEJET over an estimated N300 million ($218,000) debt, disrupting the airline’s ground operations.
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India is discussing access to Chinese airspace over Xinjiang as airlines seek alternatives following Pakistan’s closure of its airspace. An agreement could provide Indian carriers with a routing option around the disruption, though the talks’ outcome and operational scope remain unclear.
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