Reuters
• David Shepardson
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has authorized Heathrow Airport Limited to recover the early-stage costs of its proposed third runway through additional charges to airlines and travelers. The decision establishes a regulatory mechanism for funding the project before construction and broader expansion decisions are finalized.
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