The US Federal Aviation Administration has formed a three-person panel mandated to address air traffic controller fatigue and find ways to reduce it. The panel's investigation will commence in early January. A final report is due to the FAA "about six weeks later", the government agency states. Formation of the panel comes on the heels of a New York Times investigative piece published on 2 December with the headline "Drunk and asleep on the job: air traffic controllers pushed to the brink". Panel members include chair Mark Rosekind, a safety and sleep/fatigue professional and former member of the National Transportation Safety Board; Charles Czeisler, chief and senior physician with the division of sleep and circadian disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; and Erin Flynn-Evans, head of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory. "The three-member panel will examine how the latest science on sleep needs and fatigue considerations could be applied to controller work requirements and scheduling," the FAA says.

Amsterdam's Schiphol airport announced that there is room for 483,000 flights at the airport in 2024, instead of 460,000 flights previously determined in the experimental scheme, provided that peak times are relieved. The airport says it is planning to provide capacity for 293,000 flights in the summer season, from 31 March to 26 October, instead of the previously announced 280,000 flights. It adds that a limited reduction is needed at peak times to allow for safe and stable operations and the airlines have agreed to help with it. The announcement follows suspension of the experimental scheme by the Minister of I&W on 14 November and his request to take Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL), the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and Customs into account during the process to determine the capacity. The independent slot coordinator will discuss with airlines how the number of flights during peak times can be reduced. The consultation for the winter season, from 27 October to 30 March, will follow later in 2024. KLM says it is pleased to hear Schiphol's announcement as it will enable it to continue its recovery post pandemic. It adds that although it now has only three months to make the necessary arrangements instead of the usual six, it will do everything possible to operate the number of allocated flights.

SpiceJet has expressed interest in buying grounded Indian carrier Go First, after its board recently approved fresh capital raising of Rs22.5 billion ($270 million). In a 19 December filing to the Indian Stock Exchange, SpiceJet says it has “expressed interest with the Resolution Professional of Go First and wish to submit an offer post diligence, with a view to creating a strong and viable airline in a possible combination with SpiceJet." The deadline for the submission of expressions of interest was 28 September. Go First has been grounded since May this year, and is embroiled in a legal tussle with lessors that are trying to repossess their aircraft. The troubled carrier has 54 Airbus A320s in its fleet, all of which are leased, data shows. Meanwhile, SpiceJet has also had its fair share of legal troubles, with creditors going to court over missed payments. The carrier has 46 aircraft in service and 21 stored in its fleet, mainly comprising Boeing narrowbodies, 737 NGs and 737 Max 8s, regional turboprops De Havilland Canada DHC-8s and a single A340 widebody jet.