Airports News

Wall Street Journal

Airlines Push Back as ICE Uses Airport Flight Manifests to Arrest Travelers With Lapsed Visas

Federal agents are using airline flight manifests to identify and arrest travelers with expired visas at airports, prompting airlines to object over operational safety, enforcement protocols and the role of carriers in immigration actions. The dispute raises questions about coordination between federal authorities and airport operators.

ch-aviation

Ethiopian Airlines delays contractor selection for $12.5 billion Bishoftu airport to January 2027

Ethiopian Airlines has pushed back contractor selection for its planned Bishoftu International Airport from August 2026 to early January 2027. Bidders requested additional time to prepare proposals and arrange financing for the multibillion-dollar project, valued at approximately $12.5 billion.

Associated Press

High activity

Explosive-laden drone found at Leipzig/Halle as DHL freighter strikes unidentified object

Leipzig/Halle Airport temporarily suspended flights after authorities found a drone carrying explosives near a Ukrainian An-124 and removed its detonator. The disruption followed a DHL cargo aircraft’s apparent midair collision with an unidentified object, prompting a major security investigation at the German cargo hub.

Aviation Source

Wizz Air to open new Kosovo base at Prishtina in November 2026

Wizz Air will establish a new base at Prishtina International Airport from November 2026, extending its regional footprint and supporting the airline’s long-term growth strategy in Kosovo. The move is expected to strengthen connectivity from the country as the base becomes operational.

Reuters

High activity

FAA investigates Marine One loss of separation near Reagan National

Marine One came within less than a mile of an Envoy Air passenger flight departing Reagan Washington National Airport after air traffic control failed to halt commercial traffic. The FAA cited “broken and unreadable” communications with the helicopter; the incident follows January’s crash that killed 67 people.

Wall Street Journal

High activity

FAA investigates Marine One departure near Reagan National Airport amid commercial traffic

The FAA is investigating an air-traffic safety incident involving President Donald Trump’s Marine One helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The helicopter departed the White House while commercial flights were operating at the airport, apparently without the required halt to traffic, prompting an aviation-authority review.

Flying Magazine

High activity

Unauthorized Drones Disrupt Spokane-Area Wildfire Response, Trigger Fairchild AFB Evacuations

Unauthorized drone flights in the Spokane, Washington, area disrupted aerial firefighting operations as wildfires spread, while evacuations began at Fairchild Air Force Base. The incident highlights the operational and safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft near emergency-response activity and active airports.

Flying Magazine

High activity

FAA awards $870 million for airport infrastructure, safety and passenger upgrades

The FAA is awarding $870 million for airport improvements, with funding directed toward infrastructure upgrades, safety enhancements and more family-friendly features. The grants underscore continued federal investment in airport facilities and passenger-facing infrastructure, though the announcement provides no further breakdown of recipients or individual project amounts.