Major Brazilian airports, including Guarulhos and São Paulo, are experiencing significant flight disruptions, with 31 cancellations and 273 delays reported. The instability, affecting key carriers like LATAM Brasil and Azul, follows recent severe weather and ongoing operational challenges across the national aviation network.
Seven key flights operated by Icelandair, Finnair, and Delta Air Lines were cancelled at Keflavik International Airport, impacting routes to Europe and North America. The cancellations, reported on December 18, 2025, affected both passenger and cargo operations, leading to travel disruptions for numerous passengers.
An Egyptian national, identified as AAEA, was apprehended at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia on December 8, 2025, for attempting to smuggle 32 live reptiles, including protected species, destined for Jeddah. The seized animals included Black Tree Monitors, various pythons, leopard geckos, and tegu lizards, highlighting ongoing concerns about illegal wildlife trade.
Storm Byron brought heavy rains, strong winds, and flood warnings to Israel in December 2025, leading the IDF to limit activities and release soldiers early. Concurrently, Ben-Gurion Airport experienced significant baggage system malfunctions, though authorities clarified this was unrelated to the storm, causing widespread delays for travelers.
RIX Riga Airport and South Korea's Incheon International Airport Corporation Aviation Academy signed a cooperation memorandum on December 5, 2025. This partnership aims to significantly enhance global aviation training standards, boost RIX Academy's international visibility, and foster joint development of advanced training programs and instructor exchanges.
The extensive modernization of Terminal 2 at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport is finished, with official government inauguration scheduled for January. The project, led by ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, aims to significantly enhance passenger experience and operational capacity, doubling its pre-pandemic throughput to 8 million passengers annually.
KM Malta Airlines has faced criticism for using expired drug and alcohol test kits for mandatory random screenings of its pilots and cabin crew. This revelation, alongside reports of procedural breaches in previous testing incidents, has raised concerns about aviation safety standards in Malta.
Germany has issued an urgent travel alert for Bulgaria, advising heightened caution due to ongoing political instability, elevated crime rates, and new security protocols. Travelers are urged to monitor local advisories and be vigilant.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, experienced significant travel disruptions recently, with 215 flights delayed and 6 canceled. The chaos, attributed to high passenger traffic and operational challenges, stranded thousands of travelers and impacted major airlines including Saudia, Emirates, and IndiGO.
The Police Professionals Trade Union Association (ASPP/PSP) has strongly criticized 'political pressure' and 'inexplicable interference' regarding persistent delays at Lisbon Airport. The union refutes blame for long waiting times, attributing them instead to inadequate infrastructure, new technology, and commercial priorities over border security, while airport management denies the accusations.
A nationwide technical outage in Australia's electronic passport processing system on Sunday, November 30, 2025, led to significant delays for international travellers at airports. The Australian Border Force resorted to manual processing, causing long queues, particularly at Melbourne and Sydney airports, before the issue was resolved.
Vilnius Airport temporarily suspended flights on November 30, 2025, after suspected balloons entered its airspace. This marks the latest in a series of disruptions attributed by Lithuania to 'hybrid attacks' from Belarus, involving balloons allegedly used for contraband smuggling. Several flights were diverted, causing significant travel delays.
BermudAir is set to launch new nonstop flights to Anguilla's Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) from Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), and Newark (EWR) in December 2025. Operating under the new 'AnguillAir' brand, these seasonal services aim to enhance connectivity and boost tourism to the British Overseas Territory.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an emergency directive requiring airlines to upgrade software on Airbus A320 family aircraft by Sunday morning. This follows a JetBlue incident where intense solar radiation corrupted flight control data, posing a risk of uncommanded elevator movement. The upgrade affects thousands of aircraft globally and is expected to cause travel disruptions.
Argentina's government has created a new National Migration Agency, transferring immigration controls from the Ministry of the Interior to the Ministry of Security. Announced by outgoing Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, the agency aims to bolster border security and combat transnational crime, drawing inspiration from U.S. models.
US Thanksgiving air travel experienced significant declines in bookings and widespread disruptions due to a recent 43-day government shutdown. The shutdown led to FAA-mandated flight cuts at 40 major airports and concerns over TSA and air traffic controller staffing, impacting millions of travelers.
France has enacted stringent new regulations to curb unruly passenger behavior on flights, effective November 8. The measures, under Decree No. 2025-1063, introduce significant fines of up to '€20,000' and boarding bans for up to 'four years' for offenses like refusing crew instructions or using prohibited electronic devices. A new database will track incidents.
Keflavik Airport has significantly enhanced its passenger experience by opening five new food and beverage units in partnership with SSP Group. The new offerings, which began welcoming customers on November 4, 2025, include a large food court, an Italian restaurant, an Icelandic burger brand, a convenience kiosk, and an American-themed diner, aligning with the airport's long-term expansion strategy to accommodate 15 million annual passengers.
Spanish airports, including Majorca, are experiencing substantial delays due to technical difficulties and passenger unfamiliarity with the new EU biometric Entry/Exit System (EES). The system, launched on October 12, 2025, requires non-EU travelers to register biometric data, leading to long queues and missed flights.
The U.S. is set for an unprecedented Thanksgiving travel period, with AAA forecasting 81.8 million Americans traveling over 50 miles. This marks a new record, driven by 73 million road travelers and 6 million air passengers. Airlines for America projects over 31 million flyers, while the TSA anticipates screening more than 17.8 million individuals. Travelers should prepare for potential weather disruptions and crowded conditions from November 25 to December 1.
