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• Kerry Lynch
Legislation introduced in both chambers would increase federal funding for air traffic control by $30 billion, building on $12.5 billion approved in 2025. The available reporting does not specify how the proposed money would be allocated or the bills’ prospects, but the measures put ATC investment before Congress as a substantial funding question.
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Legislation introduced in both chambers would increase federal funding for air traffic control by $30 billion, building on $12.5 billion approved in 2025. The available reporting does not specify how the proposed money would be allocated or the bills’ prospects, but the measures put ATC investment before Congress as a substantial funding question.
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Heart Aerospace received a $2.9 million award from the FAA’s Phase IV CLEEN program to advance the turbogenerator for its ES-36 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The funding will support ground and flight testing of the system, which is part of the aircraft’s hybrid propulsion development.
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Heathrow says more than 40 airlines are seeking slots at the capacity-constrained airport, while British Airways wants a government stake in the proposed £49bn expansion to contain costs and passenger charges. The airport says expansion could support more than 100,000 jobs; Birmingham separately proposes a £2bn plan to grow annual capacity to about 30 million passengers.
Jin Air has secured approval in Vietnam for a merger involving a South Korean low-cost carrier. The clearance is a regulatory milestone for the transaction, though the available report does not specify the merger’s other parties, terms or remaining approvals.
Ryanair plans to end all flights at Bremen Airport Hans Koschnick from April 2027, blaming what it calls excessive air traffic control, security and airport fees, alongside Germany’s aviation tax. The announcement links the carrier’s withdrawal from the airport to the cost burden of operating in the German market.
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Ryanair has criticized Air France and Lufthansa amid an EU probe into whether the low-cost carrier is meeting the bloc’s requirements for operating there. The dispute puts airline ownership rules and their enforcement under scrutiny, though the available reports do not specify the allegations or the probe’s scope.
Chief executive Keith Butler told the European Regions Airlines Association general assembly in Belfast that operating separate air operator certificates for Emerald Airlines’ Dublin and Belfast bases continues to create challenges. His remarks underscore the regulatory complexity Brexit has left for the carrier’s cross-border operations.
Ryanair expects European jet fuel supplies to remain adequate through summer 2027, but says prices could stay elevated for up to 18 months. Separately, it has threatened to shift a €50 million Shannon investment to Poland and will oppose an industry challenge to its compliance with EU ownership and control rules.
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