The US government shutdown is reviving a debate over air traffic control privatization, with lawmakers questioning the FAA's dependence on annual congressional funding. Advocates argue that an independent corporation could manage air navigation services more efficiently, but general aviation groups remain strongly opposed.
The Air Line Pilots Association has defended its safety record amid a new mandate from the Trump administration to 'purge DEI from our skies'. The US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a new mandatory 'Operations Specification' requiring all commercial airlines to formally commit to merit-based hiring for pilots.
JetBlue Airways reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $177 million, widening from a $44 million loss last year. The airline cited macroeconomic uncertainty and uneven demand as factors that delayed a return to profitability.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is criticizing the US House's ALERT Act for not mandating ADS-B In technology with a cockpit traffic display for pilots. ALPA argues that this would have saved 67 lives in the January 2025 tragedy near Washington Reagan National Airport.