European and US regulators are jointly studying how aeronautical communication between aircraft and ground stations should be modernised by 2035. The US Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency have published a white-paper proposal for the “modernisation and harmonisation of the aviation data communication landscape”, based on the work of a task force comprising Airbus and Boeing specialists in addition to staff from the two regulators, EASA states. EASA highlights the study does not cover broadband provision for passengers. It concentrates on data exchanges for air traffic management and to optimise airline operations and aircraft maintenance. Such exchanges are mainly being handled by very high frequency (VHF) radio transmission and first-generation aviation satellite communication – technologies that have been used for decades. “Systems as currently deployed are fragmented and not always interoperable,” EASA observes, adding: "There is a need to look to the future and bring the system up to modern-day standards making use of technologies such as broadband.” The regulator sees a “pressing need for the aviation community to converge on what should be the common solutions of tomorrow due to increasing demand on these systems”. In addition to providing required levels for safety, security, performance and capacity, EASA says future communication systems should make “efficient usage of the bandwidth spectrum already assigned to aviation, without needing to request additional dedicated bandwidth”. The regulators propose a combination of aviation-specific VHF digital link mode 2 and performance class B Satcom transmissions and commercial broadband services to provide “high capacity and efficiency at a manageable cost”. A roadmap included in the white paper – aimed at facilitating a “smooth and safe transition to the new approach” – will take into account “existing or already planned infrastructures to the maximum extent possible, so as to optimise the share of complexity between air and ground”, EASA says. As a next step, EASA and the FAA will support research to enable the proposed transition. “For the first time, we have a common vision from all four organisations in the task force, to establish modern air-ground communications that will meet tomorrow’s requirements,” EASA executive director Patrick Ky states. “This is the first step toward achieving this, and a major one. We look forward now to working with the many other stakeholders to make this vision a reality.” EASA and the FAA cite ICAO, other regulators, standards organisations, additional manufacturers, operators, and air navigation and communication service providers among stakeholders the two authorities want to engage with to realise the new approach. FAA acting associate administrator aviation safety David Boulter says: “Data and connectivity are driving aerospace advances, and they are crucial to safety and efficiency worldwide. We look forward to working together to make the transition to a more modern, harmonized and connected global aviation community.”

Ryanair's attempt to overturn a decision by the EU to award Kn88.5 million ($12.2 million) in state aid to Croatia Airlines as compensation for Covid-19-related losses has been dismissed by a European court. In a 9 November ruling, the European General Court dismissed action taken by Ryanair which sought to annul a decision by the European Commission on 30 November 2020 to approve a direct grant of Kn88.5 million from the Croatian government to Croatia Airlines. In addition to dismissing Ryanair's action, the court ordered the Irish carrier to pay its own legal costs and those of the Commission. It ordered the Croatian government to cover its own costs. "In view of the significance of Croatia Airlines, especially as regards its contribution to the connectivity of Croatia throughout the year, it must be concluded that the grant of the aid measure at issue only to Croatia Airlines was an appropriate measure to achieve the objective of remedying the damage caused by the travel ban and by the other restrictive measures adopted in the context of the Covid‑19 pandemic," says the court in its ruling. Earlier this year Ryanair lost its appeal against state aid provided to Finnair, and the previous year it lost a legal challenge against the provision of financial support to Austrian Airlines on state-aid grounds. Ryanair has brought a number of appeals against state aid granted to EU-based carriers during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to Finnair, Austrian and Croatia Airlines, it has sought to overturn decisions to approve state aid for SAS, Air France and Condor. In May 2021, Ryanair's complaints against state aid approved for TAP Air Portugal and KLM resulted in an annulment by the General Court, although the effects of the annulment – including any recovery of the aid – were suspended.

The US Department of Transportation has fined six international carriers a total of $7.25 million for extreme delays in providing refunds, on top of the more than $600 million they have already refunded to passengers whose flights were cancelled or changed significantly. The DOT says the fines, assessed on 14 November, are part its ongoing effort to ensure that US-based travellers receive refunds owed to them by airlines, adding that during the pandemic it has received "a flood" of complaints about airlines’ failures to provide timely refunds. "When a flight gets cancelled, passengers seeking refunds should be paid back promptly," Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg states. "A flight cancellation is frustrating enough, and you shouldn’t also have to haggle or wait months to get your refund." The DOT has fined US-based Frontier Airlines $2.2 million, related to $222 million in refunds paid; Air India $1.4 million, with $121.5 million in refunds; TAP Portugal $1.1 million, with $126.5 million in refunds; Aeromexico and El Al $900,000 apiece, with $13.6 million and $61.9 million in refunds, respectively; and Colombian carrier Avianca $750,000, on top of $76.8 million in refunds paid. The DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection has so far in 2022 assessed $8.1 million in civil penalties, the most it has ever issued in a single year.