2026-09-19 · 13 storiesGenerated 3:01:06 AM
The new 2,820m x 45m concrete runway, inaugurated Sept 18 with President Erdoğan in attendance, brings Istanbul Airport to six total runways (4 main + 2 auxiliary). Transport Minister Uraloğlu said it will cut taxi and turnaround times on domestic and eastbound routes.
Korean Air has finalized a $44.8B deal for 103 Boeing jets including 777-9s, 787-10s, 737-10s, and 777-8F freighters to support post-Asiana merger fleet modernization.
A fault in NATS' flight data processing system on September 8 triggered the UK's third major ATC failure in three years, cancelling over 2,000 flights and stranding an estimated 330,000 passengers.
The FAA is set to roll out its $875M SMART AI platform in fall 2026 to predict flight congestion hours in advance, replacing legacy traffic-flow tools with cloud-based analytics.
Riyadh Air commences its 3x-weekly Boeing 787-9 service between Riyadh and Manchester on September 19, expanding the carrier's network to 14 destinations.
EASA's 2026 annual report confirms that SAF supplied at EU airports reached 2.8% of total aviation fuel in 2025, surpassing the mandatory 2% ReFuelEU minimum for the first time.
Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye revealed that over 40 airlines are seeking slots at the congested hub, warning that three-quarters of proposed new routes cannot be accommodated without third runway expansion.
IATA announced its 2026 World Safety and Operations Conference, themed 'Performance Through People,' will take place October 6–8 in Istanbul, hosted by Turkish Airlines.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced 191 Airport Infrastructure Grants totaling $481M, with major awards including $100M for Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and $32.5M for Louisville Muhammad Ali International.
IATA data shows global SAF production is on track for approximately 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, representing 0.8% of total jet fuel use, with growth expected to slow compared to 2025.
The Cathay Group has selected Thales to provide advanced avionics for 30 A330neo aircraft for Cathay Pacific and 18 A321neo/A320neo jets for its budget carrier, including AVIATOR S satellite comms.
Indonesian volcanic activity caused a temporary shutdown of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in early September 2026, affecting approximately 170,000 passengers as ash spread through regional air corridors.
