ReportWire

Tag: Transportation

  • With FAA orders lifted, Tampa International traffic resuming regular schedule

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed at 40 major airports during the country’s longest government shutdown.

    Early Monday, traffic is back to normal at Tampa International Airport.

    What You Need To Know

    • FAA lifts restrictions on commercial flights at 40 major airports, including Tampa, Orlando and Miami 
    • Airlines can resume regular flight schedules on Monday at 6 a.m. EST
    • The restrictions were due to staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities during the government shutdown 
    • Traffic flowing smoothly at Tampa International as of Monday morning 
    • TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Flight status

    Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.

    Impacted airports included the major facilities in Florida: Tampa, Orlando and Miami.  

    The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record 43-day shutdown ended.

    The FAA statement said an FAA safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”

    Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. But conditions began to improve throughout the week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.

    Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.

    According to AAA, six million people are expected to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday.

    However, that number could end up being lower because of the recent flight disruptions.

    Florida remains the most popular domestic destination this year, with Tampa being in the top ten.

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    Spectrum News Staff via CNN

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  • FAA lifts order slashing flights, allowing commercial airlines to resume their regular schedules

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    The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday it is lifting all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed at 40 major airports during the country’s longest government shutdown.

    Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency said.

    The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

    Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.

    Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

    The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record 43-day shutdown ended.

    The FAA statement said an FAA safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”

    The statement said the FAA “is aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.” It did not elaborate.

    Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. But conditions began to improve throughout the week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.

    The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said worrisome safety data showed the move was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities as the shutdown entered its second month and flight disruptions began to pile up.

    Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They missed two paychecks during the impasse.

    Duffy hasn’t shared the specific safety data that prompted the cuts, but he cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.

    Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.

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    Rio Yamat, Josh Funk

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  • I-5 North WA traffic blocked by overturned semi-truck filled with juice

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    CASTLE ROCK, Wash. – People driving between Portland and Seattle on Sunday will experience traffic backups due to an overturned semi-truck on Interstate 5 North.

    Deputies arrived on the scene in Castle Rock, Washington, just over 100 miles south of Seattle, on Nov. 16. There, they found a semi-truck hauling a shipment of juice bottles rolled over blocking the entire roadway. 

    Overturned semi-truck hauling “a whole lot” of juice in the Castle Rock, WA area. (Source: WSDOT Southwest)

    The northbound lanes were shut down entirely until crews were able to push the truck into just the right lane, allowing traffic to continue crawling through the left and center lanes just after 10 a.m.

    Traffic delays were expected into at least the early afternoon on Sunday while WSDOT announced crews began the task of cleaning up “a whole lot of juice” from the roadway, and truck itself, before it could be fully towed off the northbound lane. 

    MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news. 

    TrafficNewsTransportation

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    Ramsey.Pfeffinger@fox.com (Ramsey Pfeffinger)

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  • Cities and states are turning to AI to improve road safety

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    As America’s aging roads fall further behind on much-needed repairs, cities and states are turning to artificial intelligence to spot the worst hazards and decide which fixes should come first.

    Hawaii officials, for example, are giving away 1,000 dashboard cameras as they try to reverse a recent spike in traffic fatalities. The cameras will use AI to automate inspections of guardrails, road signs and pavement markings, instantly discerning between minor problems and emergencies that warrant sending a maintenance crew.

    “This is not something where it’s looked at once a month and then they sit down and figure out where they’re going to put their vans,” said Richard Browning, chief commercial officer at Nextbase, which developed the dashcams and imagery platform for Hawaii.

    After San Jose, California, started mounting cameras on street sweepers, city staff confirmed the system correctly identified potholes 97% of the time. Now they’re expanding the effort to parking enforcement vehicles.

    Texas, where there are more roadway lane miles than the next two states combined, is less than a year into a massive AI plan that uses cameras as well as cellphone data from drivers who enroll to improve safety.

    Other states use the technology to inspect street signs or build annual reports about road congestion.

    Every guardrail, every day

    Hawaii drivers over the next few weeks will be able to sign up for a free dashcam valued at $499 under the “Eyes on the Road” campaign, which was piloted on service vehicles in 2021 before being paused due to wildfires.

    Roger Chen, a University of Hawaii associate professor of engineering who is helping facilitate the program, said the state faces unique challenges in maintaining its outdated roadway infrastructure.

    “Equipment has to be shipped to the island,” Chen said. “There’s a space constraint and a topography constraint they have to deal with, so it’s not an easy problem.”

    Although the program also monitors such things as street debris and faded paint on lane lines, the companies behind the technology particularly tout its ability to detect damaged guardrails.

    “They’re analyzing all guardrails in their state, every single day,” said Mark Pittman, CEO of Blyncsy, which combines the dashboard feeds with mapping software to analyze road conditions.

    Hawaii transportation officials are well aware of the risks that can stem from broken guardrails. Last year, the state reached a $3.9 million settlement with the family of a driver who was killed in 2020 after slamming into a guardrail that had been damaged in a crash 18 months earlier but never repaired.

    In October, Hawaii recorded its 106th traffic fatality of 2025 — more than all of 2024. It’s unclear how many of the deaths were related to road problems, but Chen said the grim trend underscores the timeliness of the dashboard program.

    Building a larger AI database

    San Jose has reported strong early success in identifying potholes and road debris just by mounting cameras on a few street sweepers and parking enforcement vehicles.

    But Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat who founded two tech startups before entering politics, said the effort will be much more effective if cities contribute their images to a shared AI database. The system can recognize a road problem that it has seen before — even if it happened somewhere else, Mahan said.

    “It sees, ‘Oh, that actually is a cardboard box wedged between those two parked vehicles, and that counts as debris on a roadway,’” Mahan said. “We could wait five years for that to happen here, or maybe we have it at our fingertips.”

    San Jose officials helped establish the GovAI Coalition, which went public in March 2024 for governments to share best practices and eventually data. Other local governments in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Washington, as well as the state of Colorado, are members.

    Some solutions are simple

    Not all AI approaches to improving road safety require cameras.

    Massachusetts-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics launched a system called StreetVision that uses cellphone data to identify risky driving behavior. The company works with state transportation departments to pinpoint where specific road conditions are fueling those dangers.

    Ryan McMahon, the company’s senior vice president of strategy & corporate development, was attending a conference in Washington, D.C., when he noticed the StreetVision software was showing a massive number of vehicles braking aggressively on a nearby road.

    The reason: a bush was obstructing a stop sign, which drivers weren’t seeing until the last second.

    “What we’re looking at is the accumulation of events,” McMahon said. “That brought me to an infrastructure problem, and the solution to the infrastructure problem was a pair of garden shears.”

    Texas officials have been using StreetVision and various other AI tools to address safety concerns. The approach was particularly helpful recently when they scanned 250,000 lane miles (402,000 kilometers) to identify old street signs long overdue for replacement.

    “If something was installed 10 or 15 years ago and the work order was on paper, God help you trying to find that in the digits somewhere,” said Jim Markham, who deals with crash data for the Texas Department of Transportation. “Having AI that can go through and screen for that is a force multiplier that basically allows us to look wider and further much faster than we could just driving stuff around.”

    Autonomous vehicles are next

    Experts in AI-based road safety techniques say what’s being done now is largely just a stepping stone for a time when a large proportion of vehicles on the road will be driverless.

    Pittman, the Blyncsy CEO who has worked on the Hawaii dashcam program, predicts that within eight years almost every new vehicle — with or without a driver — will come with a camera.

    “How do we see our roadways today from the perspective of grandma in a Buick but also Elon and his Tesla?” Pittman said. “This is really important nuance for departments of transportation and city agencies. They’re now building infrastructure for humans and automated drivers alike, and they need to start bridging that divide.”

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  • Iran Seizes Fuel Tanker in Middle East Waterway

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    Iran seized a Cyprus-registered fuel tanker Friday, its first such interdiction in the Strait of Hormuz in more than a year.

    The seizure of the tanker Talara, which was carrying diesel fuel from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore, comes amid a still unresolved standoff between Tehran and the West over Iran’s nuclear program.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Benoit Faucon

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  • California to revoke 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses issued to immigrants

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    California will cancel 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses that had been issued to immigrants after officials said they extended beyond the date the drivers were allowed to work in the country — a violation of state law.

    California requires driver’s licenses and work permits to have the same expiration dates, officials said. Notices were sent out on Nov. 6 to affected drivers warning their licenses would expire in 60 days.

    The move comes amid an ongoing clash between the Trump administration and Gov. Gavin Newsom over California’s non-domiciled commercial driver’s licensing program. It also follows a nationwide audit of such programs after officials said a truck driver living in the U.S. illegally made a U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people.

    “This is just the tip of the iceberg. My team will continue to force California to prove they have removed every illegal immigrant from behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a written statement.

    State officials, however, said the drivers were not “illegal immigrants” and that they were authorized to work in the country by the federal government.

    “Once again, Sean ‘Road Rules’ Duffy fails to share the truth — spreading easily disproven falsehoods in a sad and desperate attempt to please his dear leader,” said Brandon Richards, a Newsom spokesman.

    California is one of 19 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., that issues driving licenses to immigrants without legal status. Doing so allows people to work and travel safely, immigrant rights advocates argue.

    But California — along with six other states, including Texas — came under scrutiny after an audit conducted by the Department of Transportation’s Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the agency responsible for preventing commercial motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

    That audit found irregularities in the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.

    Duffy said the audit found 25% of the licenses issued in California violated federal rules, including by extending well beyond an individual’s work permit end date.

    In October, following the audit, Duffy withheld more than $40 million in transportation grants and claimed California was not only continuing to issue commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants living in the country illegally, but was also not enforcing new English language requirements for truckers.

    Officials have refuted Duffy’s claims and said the state has complied with federal laws and regulations. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said on its website that it was not issuing or renewing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses as of Sept. 29.

    Proposed new federal rules that would include mandatory federal immigration status checks, limiting the duration of the license and limiting eligibility to certain immigration visas, were temporarily put on hold by a federal appeals court this week.

    The ruling provided relief for thousands of immigrants who were at risk of losing their licenses.

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    Ruben Vives

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  • From guardrails to potholes, AI is becoming the new eyes on America’s roads

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    As America’s aging roads fall further behind on much-needed repairs, cities and states are turning to artificial intelligence to spot the worst hazards and decide which fixes should come first.

    Hawaii officials, for example, are giving away 1,000 dashboard cameras as they try to reverse a recent spike in traffic fatalities. The cameras will use AI to automate inspections of guardrails, road signs and pavement markings, instantly discerning between minor problems and emergencies that warrant sending a maintenance crew.

    “This is not something where it’s looked at once a month and then they sit down and figure out where they’re going to put their vans,” said Richard Browning, chief commercial officer at Nextbase, which developed the dashcams and imagery platform for Hawaii.

    After San Jose, California, started mounting cameras on street sweepers, city staff confirmed the system correctly identified potholes 97% of the time. Now they’re expanding the effort to parking enforcement vehicles.

    Texas, where there are more roadway lane miles than the next two states combined, is less than a year into a massive AI plan that uses cameras as well as cellphone data from drivers who enroll to improve safety.

    Other states use the technology to inspect street signs or build annual reports about road congestion.

    Hawaii drivers over the next few weeks will be able to sign up for a free dashcam valued at $499 under the “Eyes on the Road” campaign, which was piloted on service vehicles in 2021 before being paused due to wildfires.

    Roger Chen, a University of Hawaii associate professor of engineering who is helping facilitate the program, said the state faces unique challenges in maintaining its outdated roadway infrastructure.

    “Equipment has to be shipped to the island,” Chen said. “There’s a space constraint and a topography constraint they have to deal with, so it’s not an easy problem.”

    Although the program also monitors such things as street debris and faded paint on lane lines, the companies behind the technology particularly tout its ability to detect damaged guardrails.

    “They’re analyzing all guardrails in their state, every single day,” said Mark Pittman, CEO of Blyncsy, which combines the dashboard feeds with mapping software to analyze road conditions.

    Hawaii transportation officials are well aware of the risks that can stem from broken guardrails. Last year, the state reached a $3.9 million settlement with the family of a driver who was killed in 2020 after slamming into a guardrail that had been damaged in a crash 18 months earlier but never repaired.

    In October, Hawaii recorded its 106th traffic fatality of 2025 — more than all of 2024. It’s unclear how many of the deaths were related to road problems, but Chen said the grim trend underscores the timeliness of the dashboard program.

    San Jose has reported strong early success in identifying potholes and road debris just by mounting cameras on a few street sweepers and parking enforcement vehicles.

    But Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat who founded two tech startups before entering politics, said the effort will be much more effective if cities contribute their images to a shared AI database. The system can recognize a road problem that it has seen before — even if it happened somewhere else, Mahan said.

    “It sees, ‘Oh, that actually is a cardboard box wedged between those two parked vehicles, and that counts as debris on a roadway,’” Mahan said. “We could wait five years for that to happen here, or maybe we have it at our fingertips.”

    San Jose officials helped establish the GovAI Coalition, which went public in March 2024 for governments to share best practices and eventually data. Other local governments in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Washington, as well as the state of Colorado, are members.

    Not all AI approaches to improving road safety require cameras.

    Massachusetts-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics launched a system called StreetVision that uses cellphone data to identify risky driving behavior. The company works with state transportation departments to pinpoint where specific road conditions are fueling those dangers.

    Ryan McMahon, the company’s senior vice president of strategy & corporate development, was attending a conference in Washington, D.C., when he noticed the StreetVision software was showing a massive number of vehicles braking aggressively on a nearby road.

    The reason: a bush was obstructing a stop sign, which drivers weren’t seeing until the last second.

    “What we’re looking at is the accumulation of events,” McMahon said. “That brought me to an infrastructure problem, and the solution to the infrastructure problem was a pair of garden shears.”

    Texas officials have been using StreetVision and various other AI tools to address safety concerns. The approach was particularly helpful recently when they scanned 250,000 lane miles (402,000 kilometers) to identify old street signs long overdue for replacement.

    “If something was installed 10 or 15 years ago and the work order was on paper, God help you trying to find that in the digits somewhere,” said Jim Markham, who deals with crash data for the Texas Department of Transportation. “Having AI that can go through and screen for that is a force multiplier that basically allows us to look wider and further much faster than we could just driving stuff around.”

    Experts in AI-based road safety techniques say what’s being done now is largely just a stepping stone for a time when a large proportion of vehicles on the road will be driverless.

    Pittman, the Blyncsy CEO who has worked on the Hawaii dashcam program, predicts that within eight years almost every new vehicle — with or without a driver — will come with a camera.

    “How do we see our roadways today from the perspective of grandma in a Buick but also Elon and his Tesla?” Pittman said. “This is really important nuance for departments of transportation and city agencies. They’re now building infrastructure for humans and automated drivers alike, and they need to start bridging that divide.”

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  • Pa. crash deaths were near record lows in 2024, but speeding and drunk driving still account for most of them

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    The number of people killed in car crashes fell to a near-record low in Pennsylvania last year, but speeding and alcohol remain the most common factors in fatal collisions across the state, according to data from PennDOT

    The state’s annual report on vehicle crashes breaks down trends in road behavior and the circumstances that most often result in crashes. Pennsylvania had 110,765 reportable traffic crashes in 2024, resulting in 1,127 deaths. Total crashes increased by 383 compared with 2023 — causing a higher number of injuries — but there were 82 fewer deaths.

    MORE: Behind on your PECO bill? You may be eligible for a $750 credit

    Last year marked the second-lowest number of crash deaths in Pennsylvania since records were first kept in 1928. The record low was 1,059 fatalities in 2019. The state’s peak in traffic fatalities occurred in 1973, when 2,444 people were killed. The state recorded more than 2,000 traffic deaths every year from 1965 to 1981, but has only surpassed that mark once since then in 1987.

    Among all fatal crashes last year, speeding was a factor in the deaths of 357 people — about 32% of all fatalities. Alcohol was involved in crashes that claimed 244 lives, making up about 22% of fatalities last year.

    Alcohol-related deaths declined from 308 in 2023, but PennDOT noted such crashes were nearly 3 1/2 times more likely to result in deadly injuries than those unrelated to drinking.

    About 72% of the fatal crashes involving alcohol last year were attributed to men driving under the influence. Nearly 75% of those who died were people driving drunk, and 90% of the fatalities involving alcohol occurred in vehicles driven by someone under the influence.

    PennDOT said the state has seen an improvement in the number of crash deaths involving underage drinking. Among people between 16 and 20 years old, alcohol-related crashes accounted for 8% of driver deaths last year. That’s down from 10% in 2023 and 23% in 2022 among that age group.

    Heavier traffic on the days surrounding major federal holidays contributed to a total of 13,103 crashes in Pennsylvania last year. There were 152 deaths during those periods, accounting for roughly 13% of total traffic deaths in 2024. The day before Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day accounted for the most crashes, but travel around Labor Day was tied to more deaths than any other holiday last year.

    The report notes that 9% of all holiday crashes involved alcohol use last year, but 30% of traffic deaths during holiday weekends were alcohol-related.

    Behind speeding, the most common causes of crashes in Pennsylvania last year were improper turns, distracted driving and violations of traffic laws at signals and other stops.

    More than 46% of people killed in fatal crashes last year were not wearing seat belts, the report said.

    PennDOT also noted a two-year trend of increasing crashes between cars and bicycles. There were 1,271 crashes last year, up from 810 in 2022 and 1,100 in 2023. The crashes last year resulted in the deaths of 19 cyclists, and 107 bicyclists were killed in crashes statewide from 2020 through 2024. Collisions between cars and pedestrians were down last year, falling to 3,035 from 3,199 in 2023. There were 174 pedestrians killed by cars in 2024 and a total of 872 pedestrians killed in crashes during the five-year period ending last year.

    PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll called the decrease in traffic fatalities last year “good news,” but said the state must continue to invest in education and outreach to improve road safety.

    “We will only get to zero fatalities when everyone works together,” Carroll said in a statement after the report was released earlier this year. “Please pay attention when you are driving, always follow the speed limit, and never drive impaired.”

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Court blocks new rules limiting which immigrants can get commercial drivers’ licenses

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    The Transportation Department’s new restrictions that would severely limit which immigrants can get commercial driver’s licenses to drive a semitrailer truck or bus have been put on hold by a federal appeals court.

    The court in the District of Columbia ruled Thursday that the rules Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced in September a month after a truck driver not authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people can’t be enforced right now.

    The court said the federal government didn’t follow proper procedure in drafting the rule and failed to “articulate a satisfactory explanation for how the rule would promote safety.” The court said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s own data shows that immigrants who hold these licenses account for roughly 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses but only about 0.2% of all fatal crashes, the court said.

    Duffy has been pressing this issue in California because the driver in the Florida crash received a license in California, and an audit of that state’s records showed that many immigrants received licenses in California that were valid long after their work permits expired. Earlier this week, California revoked 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses because of that problem.

    Neither Duffy nor California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded immediately Friday to questions about the ruling. Newsom’s office has said the state followed guidance it received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about issuing these licenses to noncitizens.

    Duffy has said the Florida crash, along with fatal truck crashes in Texas and Alabama earlier this year, highlighted questions about these licenses. A fiery California crash that killed three people last month involved a truck driver in the country illegally, only adding to the concerns.

    The driver in the Florida crash, Harjinder Singh, appeared before a judge in St. Lucie County, Florida, on Thursday, where his attorneys asked to continue his court proceedings into January as they prepare for trial. Singh has pleaded not guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter.

    The new restrictions on these licenses would only allow immigrants who hold three specific classes of visas to be eligible to get the licenses. States would also have to verify an applicant’s immigration status in a federal database. The licenses would be valid for up to one year unless the applicant’s visa expires sooner.

    Under the new rules, only 10,000 of the 200,000 noncitizens who have commercial licenses would qualify for them, which would only be available to drivers who have an H-2a, H-2b or E-2 visa. H-2a is for temporary agricultural workers while H-2b is for temporary nonagricultural workers, and E-2 is for people who make substantial investments in a U.S. business. But the rules won’t be enforced retroactively, so those 190,000 drivers would be allowed to keep their commercial licenses at least until they come up for renewal.

    Trucking trade groups like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association have supported the new rule. There is a bill in Congress that would enshrine the new restrictions on commercial driver’s licenses in law.

    “For too long, loopholes in this program have allowed unqualified drivers onto our highways, putting professional truckers and the motoring public at risk,” said Todd Spencer, the trucking association’s president.

    Duffy has said that California and five other states had improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses to noncitizens, but California is the only state Duffy has taken action against because it was the first one where an audit was completed. The reviews in the other states have been delayed by the government shutdown, but the Transportation Department is urging all of them to tighten their standards.

    Duffy has revoked $40 million in federal funding because he said California isn’t enforcing English language requirements for truckers, and he said earlier this week that he may take another $160 million from the state over these improperly issued licenses if they don’t invalidate every illegal license and address all the concerns.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Kate Payne contributed to this report from Tallahassee, Florida.

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  • FAA says flight cuts will stay at 6% because more air traffic controllers are coming to work

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    Flight reductions at 40 major U.S. airports will remain at 6% instead of rising to 10% by the end of the week because more air traffic controllers are coming to work, officials said Wednesday.

    The announcement was made as Congress took steps to end the longest government shutdown in history. Not long after, President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill to end the closure.

    The flight cuts were implemented last week as more air traffic controllers were calling out of work, citing stress and the need to take on second jobs — leaving more control towers and facilities short-staffed. Air traffic controllers missed two paychecks during the impasse.

    The Department of Transportation said the flight reduction decision was made on recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration’s safety team, after a “rapid decline” in controller callouts.

    The 6% limit will stay in place while officials assess whether the air traffic system can safely return to normal operations, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, although he did not provide a timeline Wednesday.

    “If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations,” Duffy said in a statement.

    Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday that safety remains their top priority and that all decisions will be guided by data.

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    Delta struck an optimistic note about how much longer flight reductions would continue, saying in a statement the airline looked forward to bringing its “operation back to full capacity over the next few days.”

    Since the restrictions took effect last Friday, more than 10,100 flights have been canceled, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. The FAA originally planned to ramp up flight cuts from 4% to 10% at the 40 airports.

    The FAA said that worrisome safety data showed flight reductions were needed to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at its air traffic control facilities as flight disruptions began to pile up.

    Duffy has declined to share the specific safety data that prompted the flight cuts. But at a news conference Tuesday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, he cited reports of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.

    The FAA’s list of 40 airports spans more than two dozen states and includes large hubs such as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago. The order requires all commercial airlines to make cuts at those airports.

    Airlines for America, the trade group of U.S. airlines, posted on social media that it was grateful for the funding bill. It said reopening the government would allow U.S. airlines to restore operations ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday which is in about two weeks.

    How long it will take for the aviation system to stabilize is unclear. The flight restrictions upended airline operations in just a matter of days. Many planes were rerouted and aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Airlines for America said earlier Wednesday that there would be residual effects for days.

    Eric Chaffee, a Case Western Reserve professor who studies risk management, says airlines face complex hurdles, including rebuilding flight schedules that were planned months in advance.

    Airline and hotel trade groups had earlier Wednesday urged the House to act quickly to end the shutdown, warning of potential holiday travel chaos.

    Flight cuts disrupted other flights and crews, leading to more cancelations than the FAA required at first. The impact was worsened by unexpected controller shortages over the weekend and severe weather.

    The CEO of the U.S. Travel Association said essential federal workers like air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers must be paid if “Congress ever goes down this foolish path again” and there is a shutdown.

    “America cannot afford another self-inflicted crisis that threatens the systems millions rely on every day,” Geoff Freeman said in a statement.

    _____

    Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.

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  • Typhoon Fung-Wong Brings Floods to Taiwan, Thousands Evacuated

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    TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan evacuated more than 8,300 people ahead of Wednesday’s arrival of a much weakened Typhoon Fung-wong that brought heavy downpours to the mountainous east coast and unleashed floods that ran neck-high in places.

    Businesses and schools were shut in most southern areas of the island, with 51 people injured.

    Television images showed severe floods in parts of the largely rural eastern county of Yilan, with waters neck-deep as soldiers mounted rescue efforts for those stranded.

    “The water came in so quickly,” said fisherman Hung Chun-yi, who spent the night clearing mud from his home in the eastern harbour town of Suao, after its first floor was engulfed in waters 60-cm (2-ft) deep.

    “It rained so much, and so fast, the drainage couldn’t take it.”

    The fire department said about 8,300 people were moved from their homes to safer areas, mostly in Yilan and nearby Hualien, where a monsoon from the north swelled the rainfall with the unseasonably late typhoon.

    Yilan’s town of Dongshan received 794 mm (31 inches) of rain on Tuesday, weather officials said.

    Fung-wong is forecast to graze the far southern tip of Taiwan later on Wednesday before heading into the Pacific Ocean. It lost considerable strength after swirling through the Philippines to kill 18 people.

    A typhoon in September unleashed floods that killed 18 people in Hualien.

    The typhoon will not directly affect the northern city of Hsinchu, home to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

    (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • Rad Power Bikes faces permanent closure at Seattle site

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    SEATTLE – A Seattle company may soon begin laying off employees. Rad Power Bikes previously made a splash in the pandemic-era electric bike boom in Washington and across the country. Just this year, a WSDOT program gave eligible e-bike buyers instant rebates of either $300 or $1,200 per person.

    By the numbers:

    In a WARN notice sent out this week, the document reveals 64 employees could be laid off due to a permanent closure of their 52nd Street workplace in Seattle in January.

    “The layoff will not be the result of relocation or contracting out the company’s operations or the affected employees’ positions,” read a portion of the statement sent out on Nov. 7.

    Stored e-bikes in a warehouse at Rad Power Bikes in Seattle, Washington, US, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The US Census Bureau is scheduled to release durable goods orders figures on April 24. Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images (David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    The layoffs would include a variety of positions, such as mechanics, customer support specialists, sales representatives, software engineers, writers and additional management roles such as the CEO and CFO.

    Rad Power had previously raised $329 million before sending out a letter to employees that leaders “did not anticipate the sudden drop in consumer demand from Covid-era peaks” as well as challenges “in the form of tariffs and the macroeconomic landscape,” according to a report from GeekWire.

    The announcement comes shortly after other high-profile Seattle businesses like Amazon and Starbucks announced layoffs. Additionally, big tech companies recently announced a downsizing in their Pacific Northwest workforce.

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  • Aerospace tech startup lets you design your own personal aircraft

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    The dream of personal flight has always felt just out of reach, until now. A company called AltoVolo has unveiled something that might make it real: the world’s first eVTOL configurator.

    That might sound technical, but it’s actually simple. “eVTOL” stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing. Think of a small, quiet aircraft that lifts off like a helicopter but flies forward like a plane, all powered by electric or hybrid engines instead of noisy fuel-burning ones. 

    And a configurator? It’s a tool that lets you design your own version online, choosing colors, materials and other personal details. Put the two together, and you’ve got something quite remarkable: the ability to design your own flying vehicle from your laptop.

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    THE WORLD’S FIRST FLYING CAR IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

    With AltoVolo’s world-first online configurator, you can design every detail of your Sigma eVTOL. (AltoVolo)

    A new kind of personal aircraft

    AltoVolo’s aircraft is called the Sigma, and it’s unlike anything on the market. It’s a three-seater hybrid-electric vehicle that combines quiet operation with long range. The Sigma can fly about 500 miles, reach speeds over 220 mph and is more than 80% quieter than a helicopter.

    That quietness isn’t just about comfort; it’s what makes urban air travel possible. Imagine small aircraft quietly taking off from rooftops or open fields, connecting cities and towns without the noise pollution we associate with helicopters today.

    Safety is built in, too. The Sigma can keep flying even if one of its small electric jet engines fails, and it carries a ballistic parachute for emergencies. It’s compact and light, just under 16 feet wide and weighing a little over 2,100 pounds, making it easier to operate and store than you might expect.

    The Sigma combines sleek hybrid-electric power with quiet performance, flying over 500 miles while staying over 80% quieter than a helicopter.

    The Sigma is over 80% quieter than a helicopter combining sleek hybrid-electric power with quiet performance. (AltoVolo)

    From concept to customization

    The idea of customizing your own aircraft might sound futuristic, but AltoVolo’s online configurator makes it surprisingly accessible.

    Like building your own car online, you can choose colors, seat materials, interior details and even the stitching on your seatbelts. Founder and CEO Will Wood says the company’s goal isn’t to compete on price but on experience and technology.

    “Much like you’d expect from a supercar brand, we’re focused on performance and refinement,” he explained.

    The first 100 Sigma models will be limited editions, offering special finishes and materials that won’t appear on later production units.

    NASA’S ‘QUIET’ SUPERSONIC JET COMPLETES FIRST FLIGHT IN POTENTIAL BREAKTHROUGH FOR COMMERCIAL AIR TRAVEL

    Taking flight before you take off

    AltoVolo isn’t stopping at online design. They’ve built a high-fidelity flight simulator that mirrors the Sigma’s cockpit exactly, right down to its carbon fiber and soft leather interior.

    Customers can train in the simulator and even use those hours toward a pilot’s license. The simulator gives them a chance to “fly” their customized Sigma before ever leaving the ground.

    And for everyone else? The company is sharing flight footage from its simulator on YouTube, so people can see how the Sigma handles in the air.

    “For AltoVolo, opening our order book is a major milestone in bringing the Sigma to life,” Wood tells CyberGuy. “Having early customers make an initial financial commitment shows us real demand. In turn, we are able to raise capital to finalise the product, progress certification and prepare for production. Presenting the flight simulator has been a useful catalyst. Allowing customers to fly in a simulated environment really helps them realise how easy this type of aircraft will be to fly.”

    Early Sigma owners join an exclusive community shaping the future of personal air travel and sustainable innovation.

    An exclusive community for early Sigma owners shapes the future of personal air travel and sustainable innovation. (AltoVolo)

    Innovation you can feel

    One of the most interesting details about the Sigma is something you can’t see: the sound inside the cabin. AltoVolo’s engineers are working to reduce vibration and interior noise, creating a calm, smooth flight experience.

    At the same time, they’re experimenting with a synthesized soundscape, a gentle background tone that changes with the aircraft’s power use. It helps pilots sense how the vehicle is performing and adds a cinematic touch to the flying experience.

    It’s part science, part art and a hint at how human-centered this design really is.

    AltoVolo’s high-fidelity simulator lets future pilots train in a realistic Sigma cockpit and even log hours toward a license.

    Future pilots can train in a realistic Sigma cockpit simulator and even log hours toward a license. (AltoVolo)

    The path to certification

    The Sigma will benefit from new U.S. aviation rules called MOSAIC, which simplify the process for certifying small, advanced aircraft. This means the Sigma can be sold as a light sport aircraft, lowering costs for both the company and future pilots. Certification is also underway in Europe and the UK, which could make global operations possible in the next few years.

    Building a community around flight

    Buying a Sigma isn’t just about owning an aircraft; it’s about joining a new kind of community. AltoVolo wants Sigma owners to become collaborators, helping to shape the product and the future of urban flight. The company is also planning a global service and support network, including maintenance and training centers, to make ownership practical for people beyond traditional aviation circles.

    What this means to you

    For most of us, flying still means boarding a big plane at a crowded airport. But companies like AltoVolo are trying to change that. The Sigma represents a future where small, efficient aircraft could handle regional travel, connecting towns, suburbs and cities in new ways. It’s the kind of innovation that could one day make air travel as personal as driving. And while it’s still very early, AltoVolo’s new configurator makes the dream of personal air travel feel a bit more real. 

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    Kurt’s key takeaways

    AltoVolo’s Sigma may not replace your car anytime soon, but it gives us a glimpse of what’s coming: a world where flight is cleaner, quieter and designed around the individual. It’s a preview of how the future of travel might not be on the road at all, but instead in the air.

    If you could design your own aircraft, where would your first flight take you? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

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    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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  • Ignoring This Escalator Etiquette In France Is Bound To Get You Some Irritated Looks

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    Like many big cities, French city culture thrives on a balance of leisure and speed, allowing for the successful cohabitation of casual tourists and busy locals. Nowhere is this more evident than on public transportation, with newcomers trying to figure out where to go while a rushing river of commuters zoom past. In this hectic situation, nothing will get you a side-eye faster than not keeping to the right side if you are standing still on an escalator.

    Parisian public transport operator RATP explains that the rule was first imposed by the London underground transportation system in 1911, and then spread to other major cities. The RATP issues reminders of this point of etiquette all along your travels via loudspeaker announcements, signs, and even with a hint of humor on TikTok, in an effort to keep the 12 million passengers per day flowing smoothly. If you are standing, stay on the right side of the escalators to let those who wish to pass you walk on the left.

    While locals may be more forgiving in other settings, the rule applies just the same all over France, to any escalator, in department stores, offices, or public buildings. By extension to the same principle, never suddenly stop at the end of the escalator. If you’re unsure of which way to go, step off the escalator fully and skitter to the side so you can pause to check directions without blocking the way. Nothing irritates more than a sudden standstill at the end of an escalator. The same applies to flat “trottoirs roulants” (moving walkways). If you hear “pardon” behind you, try to scooch a little tighter to the right — it’s a polite way of signaling that you’re breaking the code.

    Read more: Why Tourists Need To Be Cautious Of The Clothing They Pack On A Trip To Europe

    Other transportation etiquette tips that will spare you irritated looks

    People riding an escalator in a tunnel. – Henry Saint John/Shutterstock

    Several other little gestures that may seem small, if taken together, will show your consideration for social etiquette norms in France, and keep your travel experience smooth. For starters, have your ticket or pass ready before you get to the turnstiles. Fumbling at the last minute while a line builds up behind you is stressful, and is something tourists should never do while visiting. Redditor u/ParisTravelGuide recommends standing to the side of doors before boarding the metro, trams, or buses, so that you let passengers exit first before attempting to step inside. Trying to push your way through while people are still descending is a guaranteed way to annoy locals.

    The Redditor also recommends lifting the fold-down jump seats on trains during rush hour. These temporary seats are convenient when there is enough room for everyone, but when the train gets packed, standing passengers expect them to be tucked away so more people can fit comfortably. If you don’t, it will be seen as inconsiderate and may raise some French eyebrows. Likewise, keeping your phone quiet is appreciated, as French people generally keep their voices down on public transportation. Talking loudly on your phone — or worse, using speaker mode — stands out immediately and can earn you glares from fellow riders.

    Be mindful that you are sharing the space with people with disabilities. On the same subReddit, u/Alixana527 adds, “[if] you see a double set of raised lines, they are not an invitation to park your suitcase, stroller, or self between them!” The lines are an aid for visually-impaired travelers, so be sure not to block them. Finally, watch your bags, especially backpacks. Swing them in front of you on crowded trains. This not only avoids bumping unintentionally into someone, but it also helps protect against pickpockets.

    Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.

    Read the original article on Explore.

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  • Fairfield: I-80 closed at Travis Boulevard

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    By Bay City News

    Traffic on eastbound Interstate Highway 80 in Fairfield was stopped on Saturday morning after the interstate was closed because of police activity on the Travis Boulevard overpass.

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  • Sexual harassment in Mexico drives women to look for rides with other women

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    MEXICO CITY (AP) — When a male driver from a popular rideshare app asked Ninfa Fuentes for her phone number during a ride through Mexico City, she froze. But when he repeatedly pressed her about her Valentine’s Day plans, a rush of terror flooded her body.

    What should have been a quiet ride home at the end of the workday three years ago turned into a nightmare that many women in Mexico experience daily: holding their breath until they know they’ve made it home alive.

    “I felt like I was dying,” Fuentes, 48, said. An international economics researcher and a survivor of sexual violence, she has not used public transportation or ride-hailing services since.

    The conversation around startling levels of sexual harassment and gender-based violence came roaring back this week after Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, was captured in video being groped by a drunk man.

    Following the incident, Sheinbaum said she had pressed charges against the man and unveiled a plan to make sexual harassment a crime across all Mexican states — a bid to make it easier for women to report such assaults in a country where an average of 10 women are killed daily.

    A safe space for women

    After her frightening rideshare app experience, Fuentes turned to AmorrAs, a self-managed feminist network that provides safe transportation — and support — for women in Mexico City and its suburbs.

    AmorrAs seeks to offer a solution to the endemic problem of sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence that women routinely face on Mexico’s rideshare apps and public transit.

    The network was founded by 29-year-old Karina Alba following the 2022 killing of Debanhi Escobar, who was found dead days after getting out of a taxi on a dark highway in the northern city of Monterrey.

    Alba founded AmorrAs with the hope of providing safe rides for women, choosing her mother, taxi driver Ruth Rojas, to be the network’s first driver. The network now has more than 20 women-only “ally” drivers, serving more than 2,000 women per year.

    “My dream was to contribute to society in some way,” said Alba. “I decided to do so by creating a safe space for women, one where they can live with dignity and free from violence.”

    Riding with an ally

    On a recent afternoon, 38-year-old Dian Colmenero received a WhatsApp message from Alba confirming that the woman she was going to drive was waiting at her workplace. On the receiving end, the passenger read a message with the trip details, her “ally” driver’s name and number, and a reassuring pink heart emoji. Her “ally” driver would be with her soon.

    For security reasons, women have to schedule their rides with AmorrAs in advance by filling a form. The price for each ride then varies based on the distance traveled.

    Colmenero, who works in marketing when she is not driving with AmorrAs, stole a kiss from her partner and petted her old Yorkie before heading out to one of the city’s financial districts.

    “Before driving with AmorrAs, I had experienced violence on public transport, on the subway, and even with ride-hailing apps,” she said. “I once had to ride with a driver who told me and my partner that he had beaten up several women.”

    Colmenero greeted her regular passenger, Ninfa Fuentes, with a warm hug. They chatted about their families, the book Fuentes is writing and their shared recent ADHD diagnosis.

    As the noise of the Mexican capital’s traffic rattles the car, Fuentes peers out the window, confident that she will arrive home safe and sound.

    A history of violence against women

    According to the National Public Security System’s Executive Secretariat, Mexico has reported 61,713 sex crimes so far in 2025, including 8,704 reports of sexual harassment.

    The National Citizen Observatory on Femicide says sex crimes in Mexico are the least reported due to the high level of stigma surrounding them and the lack of credibility authorities often extend to women’s reports.

    Lawyer Norma Escobar, 32, collaborates with AmorrAs, offering legal support to women who say they have been harassed or assaulted.

    On more than one occasion, Escobar said she heard a forensic doctor in the gender crimes department of the Mexico state’s Attorney General’s Office dismiss women filing a sexual assault complaint, telling them “Nothing has happened to you, there have been worse cases.”

    Escobar, who handles harassment cases on the street and on public transportation, said that the absence of a forensic doctor has on occasions prevented women from officially filing a report.

    A spokesperson from Mexico state’s Attorney General’s Office, when reached by The Associated Press, said they had no knowledge of the doctor’s alleged comment, but when problems have been discovered the office has taken action against those involved.

    Experts and advocates say the history of violence against women in Mexico is rooted in deep-seated cultural machismo and systemic gender inequality, alongside a justice system riddled with problems.

    “Seeing that the authorities downplay it, women end up often giving up on their cases,” said Escobar, noting that when it comes to ensuring women’s access to justice, “there is a lack of attention, commitment and professionalism from authorities.”

    Riding with a hand on the door

    Like many other women in Mexico, Nejoi Meddeb, 30, always traveled with her hand locked on the door handle so she could escape if needed. That is how 23-year-old Lidia Gabriela Gómez died in 2022 when she jumped out of a moving taxi in Mexico City after the driver took a different route than the one she had requested.

    Maria José Cabrera, a 28-year-old engineer, said she was followed by a man when she got off a minibus on her way to the train. She ran to take refuge in the subway car reserved for women only. On another occasion, in one of the city’s mixed subway cars, she said a man touched her inappropriately and, by the time she reacted, he was gone.

    Cabrera, who now rides with AmorrAs, said she also avoided wearing skirts and never went anywhere without making sure that someone she trusts was monitoring her journey — a common internalized protocol for many women in Mexico.

    “For me, AmorrAs represents being able to do things I couldn’t do before,” said Cabrera. “I really enjoy going to concerts. It shouldn’t be like that but if it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be able to do it.”

    ____

    Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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  • Belgium’s Liege Airport Temporarily Halted Again Due to Drone Sighting, Belga Says

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    BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Belgium’s Liege airport temporarily halted flights due to drone sighting, the second such incident this week, national news agency Belga said on Friday citing the skeyes air traffic control service.

    Drones spotted flying over airports in the capital Brussels and in Liege, in the country’s east, forced on Tuesday the diversion of many incoming planes and the grounding of some due to depart.

    Sightings of drones over airports and military bases have become a constant in Belgium in recent days, and have caused major disruptions across Europe in recent months.

    They have forced temporary closures of airports in several countries including Sweden on Thursday. Some officials have blamed the incidents on “hybrid warfare” by Russia. Moscow has denied any connection with the incidents.

    The Belgian government called an emergency meeting of key government ministers and security chiefs on Thursday to address what the defence minister called a coordinated attack

    (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi, editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

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  • Dramatic videos show the burning UPS cargo plane crash in a massive fireball

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    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Videos from phones, cars and security cameras captured the tragic final moments of a UPS cargo plane as it caught fire and crashed in a massive explosion just outside Louisville’s airport, killing at least 12 people and carving a path of destruction on the ground.

    A large UPS cargo plane with three people aboard crashed Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, igniting an explosion and massive fire.

    Plumes of smoke rise from the area of a UPS cargo plane crash at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

    A fireball erupts near airport property after reports of a plane crash at Louisville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

    A fireball erupts near airport property after reports of a plane crash at Louisville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

    The videos provide investigators and the public with many different angles of the plane going down Tuesday in an area dotted with scrap yards and UPS facilities. No one expects to find survivors.

    The plane had been cleared for takeoff from UPS Worldport, the company’s global aviation hub, when a large fire developed in the left wing and an engine fell off, said Todd Inman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation.

    One video of the crash taken by a vehicle’s dashcam shows flames and smoke trailing from the wing as the jet barely clears a road, clips a building and vanishes behind an eruption of black smoke.

    The grim task of finding and identifying victims from the firestorm that followed a UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, entered a third day Thursday as investigators gathered information to determine why the aircraft caught fire and lost an engine on takeoff.

    Another video from a business security camera captures the deafening sound of the plane’s impact and a wall of fire and black smoke. As the flames grow, a smaller blast ripples through the wreckage as sirens begin to echo in the distance.

    Surveillance video from a truck parts business near the Louisville airport shows large flames and plumes of smoke as the UPS plane crashes. The disaster killed at least 12 people on the plane and on the ground.

    The blaze stretched nearly a city block and destroyed much of the plane’s fuselage, fire officials have said.

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    In yet another recording, the UPS plane can be seen lifting off the runway already on fire, then disappearing seconds later in an orange fireball.

    From a nearby street, a driver filmed the explosion and thick black smoke above nearby buildings. The smoke fills the sky as the vehicle backs away. Other videos from the street show a pillar of black smoke towering over buildings and traffic in the area as sirens echo and lights from emergency vehicles flash.

    A UPS plane crashed on takeoff from the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, igniting a huge fire on ground, officials said Tuesday.

    The recordings of the crash have deepened the shock and grief among other UPS pilots, said Independent Pilots Association President Robert Travis. The union represents 3,500 pilots who fly for UPS.

    “We’re just all heartbroken,” he said. “This is a tragedy that is even highlighted further by the video that’s out there circulating around the world due to the catastrophic, violent nature of the accident itself.”

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  • Alaska Airlines to cancel flights at SEA Airport starting this Friday

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    SEATAC, Wash. – Alaska Airlines is preparing to cancel flights at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport starting this Friday, per new guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

    According to Alaska Airlines, the FAA directed 40 major U.S. airports to reduce flights starting Friday, Nov. 7, due to air traffic control shortages caused by the government shutdown, which has stretched into its 36th day.

    The directive is expected to remain in effect until further notice, most likely until the government shutdown is resolved.

    Dozens of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon Airlines flights to be canceled

    Why you should care:

    Officials warns this will result in dozens of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Airlines flights being canceled at SEA Airport starting this week.

    A tip from Alaska Airlines notes they will try to protect flights to and from smaller communities. Officials anticipate to only pull high-frequency flights from their schedule, meaning they can re-accommodate passengers “with as little disruption as possible.”

    What to do if you have a flight booked

    What you can do:

    Customers are encouraged to monitor their flight status if they have booked any trips in the near future, and your airline will contact you if there are any changes.

    For guests whose flights are canceled, Alaska Airlines says they will be reaccommodated on other flights as available or offered a full refund. Those whose flights are impacted will receive communication directly from Alaska and Hawaiian. 

    Alaska also issued a flexible travel policy that allows guests to adjust their travel during this uncertain time. Customers can check flights on the Alaska or Hawaiian app and can use the websites alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com to utilize self-service rebooking options.

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    The Source: Information in this story comes from a tip from Alaska Airlines, as well as a memorandum from Delta Airlines and previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.

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  • MCO among 40 U.S. airports reducing 10% of flights amid government shutdown

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    The secretary of transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have announced that starting Friday, there will be a 10% reduction in air traffic at 40 U.S. airports as the government shutdown continues.The Orlando International Airport was included among the 40 airports. MCO cutting 10% of its flights a day would impact about 100 flights. This all comes down to safety, federal officials said. The administrator for the FAA said right now, things are running safely, but said they are seeing a level of pressure on certain systems that can’t go unchecked and continue to be safe.The Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration announced an unprecedented step they say will relieve some pressure. particularly on air traffic controllers, a 10% reduction in traffic at 40 airports. That’s something FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he hadn’t seen in his 35-year aviation career. “We’re going to look for a radical reduction across these 40 markets over the next 48 hours,” Bedford said.If the government shutdown continues, the reduction in flights is expected to begin on Friday morning. They referred to them as “high volume traffic markets,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the nation’s 40 busiest airports. It’s places where they said they’re seeing pressure start to build as some air traffic controllers stop showing up to work while they aren’t being paid. “We are starting to see some evidence that fatigue is building in the system in ways that we feel we need to work towards relieving some of that pressure,” Bedford said. MCO airport officials understand the priority is to maintain safety in the national airspace system.”Since the federal government shutdown, MCO’s operations have been minimally impacted, with few exceptions, thanks to the federal airport partners who continue to come to work. We encourage passengers to contact their airlines for the most up-to-date flight information.”The FAA did issue a ground delay at MCO last week due to staffing issues. While the FAA administrator said things are running safely now, after looking at voluntary safety disclosure reports, Bedford said, “We are seeing pressures build in a way that we don’t feel will, if we allow it to go unchecked, will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world.”As the shutdown stretches on, the secretary said data will determine if we see even more restrictions or fewer. He said he’s concerned about disrupting people’s travel. “I’m concerned about that,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said. “But we had to have a gut check of what is our job? Is it to make sure there’s minimal delays or minimal cancellations? Or is, is our job to make sure we make the hard decisions to continue to keep the airspace safe? That is our job, is safety.”It’s not just commercial air travel that will be affected. They also announced Wednesday there will be restrictions on space launches, which Duffy said can “take a lot more attention from controllers.”Full list ANC Anchorage International ATL Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International BOS Boston Logan International BWI Baltimore/Washington International CLT Charlotte Douglas International CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International DAL Dallas Love DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National DEN Denver International DFW Dallas/Fort Worth InternationalDTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County EWR Newark Liberty International FLL Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International HNL Honolulu International HOU Houston Hobby IAD Washington Dulles International IAH George Bush Houston Intercontinental IND Indianapolis International JFK New York John F Kennedy International LAS Las Vegas McCarran InternationalLAX Los Angeles InternationalLGA New York LaGuardia MCO Orlando International MDW Chicago Midway MEM Memphis International MIA Miami International MSP Minneapolis/St Paul International OAK Oakland InternationalONT Ontario International ORD Chicago O`Hare International PDX Portland International PHL Philadelphia International PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International SAN San Diego International SDF Louisville International SEA Seattle/Tacoma International SFO San Francisco International SLC Salt Lake City International TEB Teterboro TPA Tampa International

    The secretary of transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have announced that starting Friday, there will be a 10% reduction in air traffic at 40 U.S. airports as the government shutdown continues.

    The Orlando International Airport was included among the 40 airports. MCO cutting 10% of its flights a day would impact about 100 flights.

    This all comes down to safety, federal officials said. The administrator for the FAA said right now, things are running safely, but said they are seeing a level of pressure on certain systems that can’t go unchecked and continue to be safe.

    The Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration announced an unprecedented step they say will relieve some pressure. particularly on air traffic controllers, a 10% reduction in traffic at 40 airports.

    That’s something FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he hadn’t seen in his 35-year aviation career.

    “We’re going to look for a radical reduction across these 40 markets over the next 48 hours,” Bedford said.

    If the government shutdown continues, the reduction in flights is expected to begin on Friday morning.

    They referred to them as “high volume traffic markets,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the nation’s 40 busiest airports. It’s places where they said they’re seeing pressure start to build as some air traffic controllers stop showing up to work while they aren’t being paid.

    “We are starting to see some evidence that fatigue is building in the system in ways that we feel we need to work towards relieving some of that pressure,” Bedford said.

    MCO airport officials understand the priority is to maintain safety in the national airspace system.

    “Since the federal government shutdown, MCO’s operations have been minimally impacted, with few exceptions, thanks to the federal airport partners who continue to come to work. We encourage passengers to contact their airlines for the most up-to-date flight information.”

    The FAA did issue a ground delay at MCO last week due to staffing issues.

    While the FAA administrator said things are running safely now, after looking at voluntary safety disclosure reports, Bedford said, “We are seeing pressures build in a way that we don’t feel will, if we allow it to go unchecked, will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world.”

    As the shutdown stretches on, the secretary said data will determine if we see even more restrictions or fewer. He said he’s concerned about disrupting people’s travel.

    “I’m concerned about that,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said. “But we had to have a gut check of what is our job? Is it to make sure there’s minimal delays or minimal cancellations? Or is, is our job to make sure we make the hard decisions to continue to keep the airspace safe? That is our job, is safety.”

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    It’s not just commercial air travel that will be affected. They also announced Wednesday there will be restrictions on space launches, which Duffy said can “take a lot more attention from controllers.”

    Full list

    1. ANC Anchorage International
    2. ATL Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
    3. BOS Boston Logan International
    4. BWI Baltimore/Washington International
    5. CLT Charlotte Douglas International
    6. CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
    7. DAL Dallas Love
    8. DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National
    9. DEN Denver International
    10. DFW Dallas/Fort Worth International
    11. DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
    12. EWR Newark Liberty International
    13. FLL Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
    14. HNL Honolulu International
    15. HOU Houston Hobby
    16. IAD Washington Dulles International
    17. IAH George Bush Houston Intercontinental
    18. IND Indianapolis International
    19. JFK New York John F Kennedy International
    20. LAS Las Vegas McCarran International
    21. LAX Los Angeles International
    22. LGA New York LaGuardia
    23. MCO Orlando International
    24. MDW Chicago Midway
    25. MEM Memphis International
    26. MIA Miami International
    27. MSP Minneapolis/St Paul International
    28. OAK Oakland International
    29. ONT Ontario International
    30. ORD Chicago O`Hare International
    31. PDX Portland International
    32. PHL Philadelphia International
    33. PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International
    34. SAN San Diego International
    35. SDF Louisville International
    36. SEA Seattle/Tacoma International
    37. SFO San Francisco International
    38. SLC Salt Lake City International
    39. TEB Teterboro
    40. TPA Tampa International

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