Tag: air travel

Biden admin prioritized ‘social engineering’ over air traffic safety, key aviation Republican says

The chairman of the House’s Aviation Safety Caucus is accusing the former Biden administration of helping fuel the current air traffic control (ATC) crisis, by its choice to fund progressive diversity initiatives instead of modernizing the aging system.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital that the former administration’s marquee bill, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, was among several “missed opportunities” to fund a revamp of the ATC system.

“That was before I came to Congress, but, you know, you had just mistaken priorities in that, all this DEI policy, DEI staffing, that all got baked into the cake,” Langworthy said. “They could have taken that money and spent it on real modernization of what is critical infrastructure in this country.”

“We had the longest period of incident-free aviation in this country’s history, where we didn’t have a commercial air crash from the time the crash happened in Buffalo, in my district, back in 2009, to just this year, and what happened at [Ronald Reagan Airport]. And it was avoidable,” he said.

It comes after a blackout at Newark Liberty International Airport reportedly caused a roughly 90-second outage to its air traffic control screens.

And earlier this year, a military helicopter collided with a passenger plane coming from Wichita, Kansas, in a deadly incident just off the shores of the nation’s capital.

Langworthy clarified that he does not believe DEI policies “necessarily” directly hit ATC.

“It’s what they spent the money [on]. I mean, you know, there’s infrastructure projects, ones in my backyard, where they want to bury and tunnel over our main artery in the town because it’s going to reunite a community somehow,” he said.

Keep reading

Socialist Bernie Sanders Doubles Down on Use of Private Jets — Says He Can’t Be Expected to Wait in Line at Airports

Senator Bernie Sanders is making no excuses for his use of private jets.

Lastm onth, it was reported that he had spent over $200,000 on private jets to travel to events during his anti-Trump “FIght Oligarchy” tour.

In an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, Sanders defended his use of these aircraft, saying he can’t be expected to wait in line at airpots.

Here is a transcript of the exchange:

BAIER: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), she said you shouldn’t be using oligarch, it’s over people’s head.

You’ve gotten criticized from other people, the Free Beacon says, Bernie Sanders spent 221,000 on private jets fighting the oligarchy tour paid for by Friends of Bernie Sanders, that you’ve spent millions of dollars in campaign funds on private jet travel over the years.

How do you push back on both of those things?”

SANDERS: When’s the last time you saw Donald Trump during a campaign mode at National Airport?

BAIER: No, no, no. It doesn’t. But he’s also not fighting the oligarchy.

SANDERS: No. You run a campaign and do you three or four or five rallies in a week, the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people, you think I’m going to be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting while 30,000 people are waiting? T

hat’s the only way you can get around. No apologies for that. That’s what campaign travel is about. We’ve done it in the past, we’re going to do it in the future.

Keep reading

Real ID Is Not About Keeping You Safe

Today, after nearly two decades of implementation and delays, the federal government’s new identification requirements for traveling by plane domestically or entering federal buildings technically go into effect. This federally-compliant ID card—known as Real ID—can only be attained with specific records and documents laid out by the federal government. It’s labeled by a black or gold star in the upper right corner.

Even though DHS Secretary Kristi Noem promised that, at least initially, people without a Real ID will only have to face some “extra scrutiny” at security checkpoints, it’s safe to assume that, as the full requirement sets in over the next several weeks and months, some number of people will show up to airports unaware that they no longer have the documents required to board their plane. And, because the process of getting through most domestic airports was grueling enough before the deadline, many expect air travel to be especially arduous during the transition.

Because of the absoluteness of this new requirement and the harsh punishments for non-compliance—just picture what would happen to you if you tried to get into a federal building or onto a plane without the accepted forms of ID—it can be easy to write off the Real ID requirement as some new rule that, while annoying, is probably being implemented for a good reason.

It’s not.

As mentioned above, the Real ID Act was passed twenty years ago in 2005. It was one of the many measures rolled out in the wake of the 9/11 attacks that was presented to the public as being necessary to ensure that similar attacks would never happen again.

The original bill specified that the federal government would refuse to accept any form of ID that did not meet the requirements Congress had passed by May of 2008. But as that date drew closer, few states had implemented the new provisions. Some governors had vocally refused to comply because they opposed what was, in effect, the implementation of a national identification database.

That prompted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to delay the deadline several times—first to 2011, then a complicated range of deadlines from 2013 to 2017 based on age and state of residence, and then to one universal deadline in October 2020.

Then the pandemic hit, and the deadline was extended again to 2021, then 2023, and finally to today, May 7, 2025.

If these new ID requirements were as crucial to the safety of air travelers—and the American public at large—as the federal government has claimed, the sheer time it’s taken to implement would be unacceptable. That alone is a sign that, perhaps, the federal government’s motivations are not what they say.

Keep reading

Federal REAL ID requirement takes effect Wednesday as airport delay worries grow

On Wednesday, Americans will need a REAL ID to board a domestic flight, enter secure federal facilities or access certain military bases, after the deadline has been pushed back multiple times over a 20-year period.

The requirement for REAL IDs comes from legislation passed by Congress in 2005. The legislation was a recommendation from a commission on terrorist attacks created after Sept. 11, 2001, and was intended to make IDs more difficult to fake. The REAL ID Act established minimum security standards for driver’s licenses and other forms of state-issued identification.

REAL IDs have enhanced security features like barcodes, holograms, and other anti-counterfeiting measures, but they also typically require more documentation to obtain than earlier forms of ID.

Most states require an applicant’s date of birth, proof of identity, proof of a Social Security number and two documents showing residency to issue a REAL ID. A valid U.S. passport or birth certificate, a Social Security card or other federally issued documents or tax documents often satisfy the identity and Social Security requirements.

Americans who don’t yet have a REAL ID can use a passport card or passport book, an enhanced driver’s license, a military ID or select other forms of ID to fly domestically. Minors accompanied by adults carrying acceptable forms of ID also aren’t required to have a REAL ID in order to board domestic flights.

REAL IDs aren’t required to enter federally owned or operated museums, obtain federal benefits or for access to health care, law enforcement or constitutionally protected activities.

Keep reading

It Takes A Lot Of Jet Fuel To Throw A Funeral For A Climate Alarmist Pope

In his final act as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Francis, in keeping with his deep commitment to the climate and well-cultivated image of personal humility, could have foregone a papal funeral.

To the thousands of world leaders and dignitaries flying to Rome as required by international protocol, Pope Francis could have extended an invitation to stay home. He could have ordered he not lie in state, preventing the Vatican pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands of faithful to pay their respects. He could have even skipped the motorcade through the streets of Rome. All this, as a memorable gesture to maintain a smaller carbon footprint — one last gift to the planet by not contributing to the climate crisis.

He did not.

In the final moments Francis’ mortal body was on this earth, the Holy Father demonstrated ever more clearly that indeed, there is no climate crisis. There are no personal actions he or the world’s elite would ever, ever, take for the climate. It is all theater.

On climate change, Francis died as he lived: another political hypocrite.

Harsh words coming from me, a Catholic, about the Pope, let alone the recently deceased Pope, but Francis’ climate alarmism, nay his downright climate ignorance, are far, far worse. If Francis’ climate beliefs were ever to become policy prescriptions, most of the world would die, starting with the poor, elderly, and infirm. We can only thank God the Pope no longer has an army.

Francis visited 68 countries during his reign. The jet fuel and the tanks of gas came from somewhere. So too the altars erected in parks and fields so the enormous crowds could gather to his side. For example, at World Youth Day in Manila, the largest ever Mass in history saw 6 million in attendance. Quite a petrochemical-heavy event. Media praised Francis, who braved the pouring rain, driving the gas-powered Popemobile around the grounds wearing a waterproof, plastic poncho.

Thank you, fossil fuels, for making it possible for the Bishop of Rome to be in the Philippines. Thank you, fossil fuel workers, laboring in difficult, even dangerous jobs, for providing him with these resources.

Keep reading

Why Are There So Many Aviation Accidents?

While the latest aviation safety issues and accidents over the last few months scare some, to seasoned professionals the aviation tragedies and near misses do not come as a surprise. The only question is: Why did it take so long?

There’s a long list of safety failures in the airline industry. United Airlines B777 plunged to the Pacific during climb in 2023, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) didn’t investigate it for months. A 265-pound main tire fell off a B777 taking off out of Los Angeles; it fell from over 200 feet — still spinning — into an airport parking lot. The nose tire came off a taxiing B757. Two mechanics were killed when an incorrectly pressurized tire exploded in Atlanta. Most memorable were the Endeavour regional jet that flipped in Toronto, the mid-air collision between a PSA Airlines regional plane and a military helicopter, and an Endeavour regional aircraft that struck a wing during a go-around at La Guardia airport. More such events never made the news or were easily forgotten.

Boeing’s 737-Max was a failure on so many levels. But it wasn’t Boeing’s failure, as people were led to believe. Boeing makes products. Airlines buy these aircraft for technological improvements. It’s solely the airline’s responsibility to properly train their pilots and technicians to operate and maintain the aircraft — not the manufacturer’s.

The Alaska Airlines flight 1282 door plug loss was Boeing’s fault; but Boeing didn’t own it alone. Blame for that failure was shared with the FAA, the contract fuselage producer, Spirit AeroSystems, and the NTSB. All missed the important cues. They permitted breakdowns in quality control; both internal and external quality evaluations were ignored and almost cost a plane full of people their lives. It’s impossible to analyze these multiple facts in so short a space, but Alaska flight 1282 was never recognized for what it was: a symptom.

Keep reading

New FAA Rule Allows Private Jet Owners To Hide Travel Information From Public

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is implementing a data privacy policy that allows people with private jets to hide travel information from the public.

“Private aircraft owners and operators can now electronically request that the FAA withhold their aircraft registration information from public view,” the agency said in a March 28 statement.

“Starting today, they can submit a request through the Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) to withhold this information from public display on all FAA websites.”

In its statement, the FAA said the data protection decision was taken based on a privacy provision included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

The provision allows aircraft owners to request that certain personally identifiable information not be made publicly available via FAA websites.

“The FAA will publish a request for comment in the Federal Register to seek input on this measure, including whether removing the information would affect the ability of stakeholders to perform necessary functions, such as maintenance, safety checks, and regulatory compliance,” said the agency.

“The FAA is also evaluating whether to default to withholding the personally identifiable information of private aircraft owners and operators from the public aircraft registry.”

While some say that such trackers allow people to record carbon emission info, there have been concerns that monitoring aircraft movements puts at risk the people who use that mode of transportation, often high-profile individuals.

The new rule could negatively affect jet trackers that use FAA information as a key source to track and report flight details of famous personalities.

In December 2023, attorneys for Taylor Swift issued a cease-and-desist letter to a university student, blaming his automated tracking of her private jet travel for revealing the celebrity’s whereabouts to stalkers.

Keep reading

DEI in Airlines Having Haunting Effect on Veteran Pilots, Many Afraid to Leave Co-Pilots Alone in the Cockpit

Veteran airline captain Sherry Walker said the infestation of DEI hiring programs has eroded safety standards so much that some pilots are afraid to take a bathroom break for fear their unqualified co-pilot might crash the plane in their absence.

Walker, who has been a commercial airline pilot for nearly 35 years, made the alarming revelation to Tucker Carlson in a podcast that aired Monday.

Carlson said he doesn’t want a person who espouses irrational propaganda — such as gender is a social construct — flying his plane.

“That’s irrational,” Carlson said. “That’s what freaks me out. It’s irrational. So if you believe in something so irrational, I don’t want you flying my airplane. ”

Walker replied, “I don’t want you flying next to me on that airplane because I have to get up on a 10-hour flight and go take a break or go to the bathroom. How are you going to behave when I’m not here?”

She continued: “We got pilots that are asking those questions right now. They’re saying, ‘I’m not comfortable leaving the flight deck.’”

Sherry Walker has been a commercial airline pilot for almost 35 years. She says DEI has so completely undermined safety standards that pilots are sometimes afraid to leave the cockpit for fear of what their co-pilots will do unattended.

(0:00) Why Are All These Planes Crashing?… pic.twitter.com/Fl5SNtRlmB

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 24, 2025

Walker said pilots are required by law to take a nap during an eight-hour flight, but some are afraid to take mandatory breaks because they’re terrified of leaving an unqualified co-pilot alone in the cockpit.

Keep reading

Man Eats Rosary Beads, Attacks Flight Crew in Mid-Air ‘Satanic’ Meltdown

When you’re traveling, whether for work, vacation, or personal reasons, you expect—or at least hope—to have some peace and quiet along your journey. However, this one American Airlines flight passenger had other things in mind.

A recent American Airlines flight from Savannah, Georgia to Miami, Florida was forced to turn around when a passenger experienced what appeared to be a manic episode. 

The passenger, Delange Augustin, 31, apparently claimed that he was being followed by demonic spirits, which prompted him to swallow rosary beads. According to his sister, who was traveling with him, he did so “because [rosary beads] are a weapon of strength in the spiritual warfare.”

Originally on Monday night, the airline crew believed Augustin was experiencing a seizure, as he was reportedly “yelling and shaking” early on in the flight. 

However, his behavior escalated quickly when he started swallowing his rosary beads with the hope to ward off “Satan’s disciple(s),” per The New York Times. He also grew unruly and violent, kicking a flight attendant across an aisle of seats and into a window before eventually storming the front of the plane and swinging at flight attendants.

Ultimately, the American Airlines pilot turned the plane around to land safely back in Savannah. Meanwhile, passengers were able to tackle Augustin and his sister to the floor, detaining them. No one was seriously injured during the flight.

According to Augustin’s sister, the duo was traveling to Haiti to “flee religious attacks of a spiritual nature,” the affidavit reads. During the flight, he allegedly told his sister “to close her eyes and pray because Satan’s disciple(s) had followed them onto the plane and the legion did not want the Augustins to make it to Haiti.”

Following a hospital visit, Augustin was then placed in jail for several charges, including misdemeanor battery and criminal property damage.

Keep reading