Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

The Federal Aviation Administration halted flights into La Guardia Airport in New York on Friday morning due to air traffic control staffing shortages. As of 11 a.m. delays of incoming flights averaged an hour and 26 minutes, according to FlightAware. A ground stop also delayed departing flights by as much as a half hour, while a so-called air traffic management program at nearby Newark Airport in New Jersey has delayed some arrivals by an average of one hour.

 


Air Traffic controllers have worked without pay due to the U.S. government shutdown, which entered its 35th day on Friday.

 


An FAA statement on twitter posted Friday morning confirmed an increase in sick leave at two facilities. “We are mitigating the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic, and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed,” it said.

 


Speaking Thursday during his company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes warned of the government shutdown reaching a “tipping point” as federal employees were about to miss a second paycheck.

 


“Our crewmembers and customers are likely to face extended security lines, flight delays,&nbsp;and even cancellations and the longer this goes on the longer it will take for the air transport infrastructure to rebound,” he said.

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

ATC Staff Shortage Halts Flights at New York La Guardia 

Air traffic management program has delayed outgoing flights by more than an hour at nearby Newark Airport.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Curt Epstein

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Midway Island plays a role in ETOPS flight planning

FAA Ponders Fate of Remote Pacific Island Airfield

Tennessee governor suggests change to airport board

Nashville Mulls Airport Name Change To Honor Dolly Parton

Hanneke Weitering

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Site will support both piloted and pilotless VTOL flight testing

Wisk Begins Building eVTOL Vertiport at Hollister Airport

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

More In Airports

FAA Ponders Fate of Remote Pacific Island Airfield

Midway Island plays a role in ETOPS flight planning

Nashville Mulls Airport Name Change To Honor Dolly Parton

Tennessee governor suggests change to airport board

Wisk Begins Building eVTOL Vertiport at Hollister Airport

Site will support both piloted and pilotless VTOL flight testing

Electra Demos Hybrid-electric Flights in Three States

FAA program tests links between small fields and major hubs

Flexjet Bases European Helicopter Fleet at Blackbushe

S-76s and AW139s will carry passengers to and from London-area airports

FAA’s Bedford, Lawmakers Oppose Burke Lakefront Closure

Neither FAA nor Congress appear open to helping Cleveland expedite airport closure

Haneda Plans Three-strikes Rule To Bench Errant Pilots

Restriction targets individual pilots, not the operator or aircraft

Local Groups Band Together To Support Lakefront Airport

Groups point to $195 million in economic contribution

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