New York Times
• Andrea Fuller, David A. Fahrenthold, Hamed Aleaziz, Julie Tate, Nicholas Nehamas
The Department of Homeland Security used a no-bid contract to acquire 10 used aircraft, citing an urgent need for deportation flights. The fleet has reportedly remained largely parked for months, raising questions about procurement urgency, utilization and stewardship of public funds.
Policy & Regulation
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The Department of Homeland Security used a no-bid contract to acquire 10 used aircraft, citing an urgent need for deportation flights. The fleet has reportedly remained largely parked for months, raising questions about procurement urgency, utilization and stewardship of public funds.
Dozens of airports have land, runways and remote buffer zones that could be repurposed as spaceports, according to the proposal. The FAA is seeking to speed those conversions by waiving requirements under 13 environmental laws, potentially reducing regulatory barriers to new launch sites.
The European Union’s new electronic entry system has been fully operational for only a few months, but implementation problems at airports are already prompting airlines and airport operators to seek changes. The disruption highlights the operational and passenger-experience risks of deploying biometric border technology at scale.
The rollout of Europe’s new passport-control system is producing frustrating arrival experiences for travelers, even when airport lines initially appear short. Lisbon International Airport illustrates how changes at the border can shift congestion from visible queues to processing delays, complicating passenger flows during the peak summer season.
High activity
The United States is undertaking a broad modernization of its air traffic control system, shifting from legacy rotating radar toward digital surveillance. The transition highlights the infrastructure, technology and operational changes required to improve how aircraft are monitored and managed across the national airspace system.
High activity
The FAA is installing new surface-movement radar at Newark Liberty International Airport as part of a $30 million plan to replace air traffic control systems that are roughly 30 years old. The technology is intended to help controllers monitor airport movements and prevent runway incidents, while transportation officials seek as much as $10 billion for broader upgrades.
Ryanair is facing group litigation in London’s Commercial Court from 262 former pilots who allege the Irish low-cost carrier denied them statutory employment benefits while they worked as contractors. The case could bring renewed scrutiny to the airline’s use of contractor arrangements and associated employment obligations.
Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall says he will sue the Trump administration over the loss of his security clearance. The dispute pits a former senior defense official against the administration and could test how security-clearance decisions affecting former officials are contested.
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