CNBC
• Leslie Josephs
A strengthening Atlantic nor’easter is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding to the Northeast, with New England particularly exposed through the weekend. American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways are waiving change fees on some regional flights, while disruptions remained limited as of Friday morning.
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Canada is moving toward full negotiations with Saab for six GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft after selecting the Swedish company as its preferred supplier in May. A nonbinding agreement with Canada’s Defence Investment Agency establishes the framework for the next phase of discussions.
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A strengthening Atlantic nor’easter is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding to the Northeast, with New England particularly exposed through the weekend. American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways are waiving change fees on some regional flights, while disruptions remained limited as of Friday morning.
U.S. and allied forces are expanding operational integration through F-35 participation in Indian multinational drills, an F-35A-E-3 maritime strike exercise with Canada, and Red Flag-Alaska. Separately, the Air Force has begun operational experimentation with FQ-42 Vengeance and FQ-44 Fury as it pursues a 1,000-aircraft uncrewed combat fleet.
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Canada’s first F-35A, identified as AR-1, has completed a roughly 90-minute maiden flight from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant. The milestone comes as Ottawa remains obligated to purchase 16 aircraft but has yet to commit to the full planned fleet of 88 fighters.
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Airports worldwide handled a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, with international traffic up 6.1% and domestic traffic up 1.7%, while U.S. regional airlines accounted for all growth in scheduled passenger departures. ACI says traffic has since slowed markedly, including a 21% Middle East decline in early 2026.
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A communications failure and severed fiber line at Philadelphia TRACON forced the FAA to ground flights at major Northeast airports, with delays and cancellations extending into Tuesday. The disruption renewed scrutiny of outdated telecommunications systems, decades-old Compaq computers and replacement parts sourced through unconventional channels.
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Qantas will begin nonstop flights between Sydney and New York JFK in mid-2028, using Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft under its Project Sunrise program. The roughly 18-hour service will become the first commercial nonstop connection between Australia and New York and the program’s second route.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is planning a new terminal for American Airlines as passenger and airline activity continues to expand across the rapidly growing Phoenix market. The project signals further investment in airport capacity to accommodate sustained demand at one of the U.S. Southwest’s largest gateways.
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