International air services remain safe amid the current outbreak of Ebola, but governments and aviation stakeholders should "adhere strictly" to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to mitigate any risk, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has said. ICAO, like the WHO, is an agency of the United Nations (UN). ICAO notes that since the Covid-19 pandemic, there are new protocols for "rapid, standardised information sharing" among states, airlines, airports and health agencies. "Digital innovations, such as electronic health declarations and contactless border processes, have been integrated into ICAO's recommendations to track and manage health risks more effectively," it adds. ICAO is co-ordinating with the WHO and its member states to "provide risk-based and evidence-informed mitigation measures to prevent the transmission of the disease through air travel while protecting the health of aviation personnel and passengers, reassure travellers, and maintain essential air connectivity". The WHO's guidance notes that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has been caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which does not spread through casual contact or through the air. Rather, transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person. The Zaire virus has been responsible for the largest outbreaks to date, including the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa and the 2018-2020 epidemic in DRC, according to Dr Charles Whittaker, assistant professor of infectious diseases and vaccinology at UC Berkeley in a 26 May Q&A published on UC Berkeley Public Health's website. The Sudan virus, he adds, has driven several outbreaks around South Sudan, Uganda, and the DRC. Tai Forest is "very rare", with only one known human case, in Cote d'Ivoire in 1994. The Zaire virus kills up to 90% of those it infects when untreated, while the Bundibugyo strain behind the current outbreak has historically killed 25-40%, he says. "The first thing worth saying about this outbreak is that it’s already the third largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded," he says. "And it started that way, which is the worrying part. For an outbreak to be that big the moment we notice it means the virus had been spreading quietly for some time before anyone recognised what was happening." On 17 May 2026, the director-general of the WHO determined that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The WHO considers the risk for transmission at the global level to be low. "In countries where the event is occurring, exit screening can be implemented for persons at international airports with unexplained illness presenting with fever and other symptoms consistent with potential BVD [Bundibugyo virus disease]," ICAO says, citing WHO advice. "Health authorities should ensure that confirmed cases and contacts of BVD are isolated and that such individuals do not undertake international travel unless it is part of an appropriate medical evacuation." Current WHO advice regarding international travel includes that countries should not close borders or impose restrictions on travel and trade, and that national authorities should work with airlines and other transport and tourism industries to ensure that they do not exceed WHO's advice on international traffic. The USA, which withdrew from the WHO in January 2026, on 18 May imposed restrictions on non-US citizens entering the USA who had recently been in Uganda, the DRC or South Sudan. Four days later, it extended those restrictions to US permanent residents. Whittaker says that while the travel bans "might have some scope to initially limit importations, they're a very blunt tool, and the version we have now is both broader than the epidemiology warrants and risks compromising the response". He adds that "treating Kinshasa, on the opposite side of the [DRC] from the outbreak, the same as Bunia, which is at its centre, isn't epidemiologically sound." Reuters reported on 26 May that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked staff to volunteer for urgent deployment in support of Ebola screening at US entry points.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $165,000 civil penalty against Alaska Airlines for "allegedly allowing intoxicated passengers to board flights", the FAA says. FAA regulations prohibit airlines from allowing anyone who appears to be intoxicated to board an aircraft, the agency notes. The alleged incidents occurred on 11 flights between February 2024 and February 2025. Alaska Airlines has 30 days after receiving the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency. "We take seriously our responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for our guests and employees," Alaska Airlines tells Cirium. "We participated fully with the FAA's audit of our policies and practices as it relates to intoxicated guests on board our aircraft. Since the FAA shared these concerns with us over a year ago, we made meaningful changes to ensure compliance with the FAA's expectations – including enhanced training for all flight attendants and customer service agents. "We respect the results of the FAA's audit and are confident in the changes that have been in place for the last year to ensure our shared standards are being met."

Airbus has blamed supply chain issues for a further delay in delivery of the first 'Project Sunrise'-configured A350-1000ULR to Qantas to April 2027. The airframer states that the first aircraft has entered the paint shop in Toulouse and will be progressively painted in Qantas livery over two weeks before progressing to interior and engine installation. It adds however that the aircraft will not join Qantas's fleet until April, around three months later than the late 2026 plan previously disclosed by the carrier. "The adjustment to the schedule is largely due to the impact of supply chain issues," Airbus adds. Despite that, the airframer states that preparations for the first flight of the A350-1000ULR are "at an advanced stage" and is expected to take place within the coming weeks. "This will mark the start of a two-month flight test programme focused primarily on the modified fuel system, which will enable non-stop flights of up to 22 hours," it adds. Cirium fleets data shows that Qantas has 12 of the ultra-long-range variants on order, as well as 12 standard -1000s. The ULR is designed to allow the carrier to operate nonstop flights from Australia's east coast to Europe and the US east coast in a four-class layout with 238 seats. Qantas selected the A350-1000 to meet its Project Sunrise requirement in 2022 after a competition that included the Boeing 777-8X.