• Southwest Airlines is cutting costs.
• It's pausing corporate hiring, summer internships, and a team-building tradition.
• The move comes after a dispute with the activist firm Elliott Investment Management.

Southwest Airlines is pausing corporate hiring to cut costs, a company spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.

The spokesperson said the airline was "pausing all noncontract internal and external hiring."

It's also pausing summer internships. Southwest said it would honor all internship offers already made but would not make new offers.

CNBC first reported the news, citing a memo from CEO Bob Jordan.

"Every single dollar matters as we continue to fight to return to excellent financial performance," he told staffers in the memo.

Southwest said it was also cutting noncore spending, including its staff rallies.

"We are limiting discretionary costs, including holding on the Southwest Rallies for this year, as we focus on reducing costs," the spokesperson told BI.

Southwest Rallies, where senior leaders lay out plans for the year and celebrate accomplishments with staff, have been a team-building tradition since 1985.

"We'll continue to evaluate hiring needs on an ongoing basis to determine when it makes sense for the business to resume hiring," the spokesperson added.

Southwest continues to face pressure from investors over poor financial performance.

The activist fund Elliott Investment Management has been the most prominent voice; in 2024 it called for the airline to replace its CEO and review its business model.

Last July, Southwest said it would ditch its open-seating model and offer some premium-seating options — a departure from its no-frills offering that inspired the budget-airline model.

In October, Southwest and Elliott reached a deal in which Jordan would remain in the top job while Elliott named six directors to the airline's board.

Southwest's stock is up by 13.7% over the past year but down by 40% over the past five years.

• SpaceX rockets coming back to Earth are disrupting flights over the southern Indian Ocean
• Qantas said flights have been delayed up to six hours, while South African Airways is also impacted.
• Australia's flag carrier wants Elon Musk's company to have more precise plans.

A number of flights over the Indian Ocean have been forced to be delayed due to SpaceX rockets coming back to Earth.

Qantas, the Australian flag carrier, is asking Elon Musk's company to be more precise with the areas and timings for such events.

Some of its flights between Sydney and Johannesburg have faced delays of up to six hours, Qantas said.

The Sydney to Johannesburg route passes over the southern Indian Ocean, where the upper stages of several SpaceX rockets have recently splashed down.

"Over the past few weeks we've had to delay several flights between Johannesburg and Sydney due to advice received from the US Government regarding the re-entry of SpaceX rockets over an extensive area of the Southern Indian Ocean," Ben Holland, the head of Qantas' operations center, said in a statement shared with Business Insider.

The Guardian reported that South African Airways has also been impacted by SpaceX activity. South African did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Disposable rockets are causing issues

While the booster, or first stage, of a Falcon 9 rocket is reusable, the upper stage is disposed of in the ocean.

There have been six Falcon 9 launches so far this year, while in 2024, there were over 100 launches.

Qantas says the timings and location of the re-entries can change last minute, adding to the problem.

"While we try to make any changes to our schedule in advance, the timing of recent launches have moved around at late notice which has meant we've had to delay some flights just prior to departure," Qantas' Ben Holland added.

"Our teams notify customers of changes to their flight as soon as we know it will be impacted."

"Customers generally understand this is outside of airlines' control and that we can't fly in the area when the rocket re-entry is taking place.

Holland added that the airline is in contact with SpaceX in an attempt to find a solution that will minimize disruption for passengers.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Americans visiting the UK now need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization.
• It's also necessary if you have a layover at an airport in the UK.
• Applying costs about $12 and should only take 10 minutes using the app.

The UK has changed its entry requirements, so most visitors need to apply for permission to travel to the country.

This is also necessary if you have a layover at a UK airport.

It encompasses all parts of the UK — England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — as well as British Overseas Territories, which include Anguilla, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.

As of January 8, US and Canadian citizens are among 48 nationalities who will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).

It is similar to systems already used in the US and Canada, as the UK is moving to a digital border system.

You would be exempt if you have a UK visa or legal residency or if you are traveling on an Irish passport.

Otherwise, you must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK.

How to apply for a UK ETA

It shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to apply — although there is a fee of £10, or around $12.

The easiest way to apply is through the government's mobile app called "UK ETA." If you can't download the app, you can also apply through the UK government's website.

You first need to take a picture of your passport's photo page.

If you have a biometric passport, shown by the e-passport symbol on the cover, then the app can scan it.

You then scan your face with your phone's camera and take a photo of yourself.

You will also need to answer questions about your address, job, criminal history, and any other nationalities. If you're under 18, you also need to give contact details for someone with parental responsibility for you.

Afterward, you'll get an email confirming your application. Another will arrive when a decision has been made — usually within three working days.

What you can do with an ETA

The ETA is valid for two years, during which time you can travel to the UK as much as you want.

You can stay in the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, or short-term study. You can also transit through a UK airport.

With an ETA, you can't do paid or unpaid work in the UK unless you're doing a permitted paid engagement or have a Creative Worker visa concession.

You can travel to the UK while awaiting a decision as long as you've already applied.

Being approved for an ETA doesn't guarantee entry to the UK, as you'll still need to pass border control.

• The European Aviation Safety Agency has warned against flying over western Russia.
• It said there was a risk of airliners being misidentified and shot down.
• Many airlines have been avoiding Russia since it invaded Ukraine, but others still fly there.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has warned airlines against flying over western Russia due to the risk of being shot down.

It comes after Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was severely damaged while coming to land at Grozny, the capital of Russia's Chechnya, on Christmas Day.

Of the 67 people on board, 38 died. Azerbaijan's president and a White House official have said the Embraer E190 appeared to have been shot by Russian air defense systems.

"The ongoing conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine poses the risk of civil aircraft being unintentionally targeted in the airspace of the Russian Federation," EASA said in Thursday's bulletin.

The warning applies to Russian airspace west of the 60th meridian east, which includes the cities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg.

EASA said Russia "has not demonstrated full proficiency to address existing airspace risks by implementing an efficient and proactive approach to the airspace deconfliction."

No European Union airlines have flown to or over Russia since the war in Ukraine began.

This has caused complications on flights to eastern Asia, forcing airlines to find longer routes and increasing ticket prices. British Airways stopped flying directly to Beijing last October.

EASA's bulletin also applies to any airline that flies to or from the European Union. For example, Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways fly to Moscow and several European countries.

The agency also noted that its EU Conflict Zone Alerting System was established following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

In 2014, the Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile while passing over eastern Ukraine.

All 298 people on board the plane were killed.

• Airbus said it delivered 766 commercial aircraft last year.
• That was four short of its target, which had been reduced from 800 over supply-chain constraints.
• It's likely that Airbus delivered about twice as many planes as struggling US rival Boeing.

Airbus delivered 766 aircraft last year, or four short of its target, the European planemaker said on Thursday.

Despite facing its own challenges, the total shows its 2024 was much brighter than Boeing's year. The American planemaker is yet to announce full-year figures, but by the end of November it had delivered 318 jets.

That means Airbus is likely to have delivered about twice as many planes as its rival — matching predictions from Deutsche Bank analysts in a report last week.

The Airbus share price was marginally higher on Friday. The stock rose 14% in 2024, while Boeing stock fell 31% — leaving it the biggest loser in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Delivery figures are a useful measurement of a planemaker's financial success given that both companies are facing huge backlogs. Any delays can also reduce airlines' confidence in placing future orders since they would disrupt their fleet planning.

Airbus said it finished the year with a backlog of 8,658 aircraft, while Boeing's was 5,499 as of the end of November.

Airlines order planes years in advance, but recent supply-chain issues have exacerbated the figures.

In June, Airbus cut its 2024 delivery target from 800 planes to 770, citing "persistent specific supply chain issues mainly in engines, aerostructures, and cabin equipment."

It also delayed plans to increase production of the A320neo family. The following day, its stock dropped as much as 11%.

Like in 2023, Airbus managed to reach its delivery target with a big end-of-year push.

It delivered 123 planes in December, compared to an average of 58 in the preceding 11 months.

"Given the complex and fast-changing environment we continue to operate in, we consider 2024 a good year," said Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft division. "It has been a massive team effort to deliver this 2024 result."

Airbus is set to give guidance for 2025 deliveries when it reports earnings next month. In a report last week, Bank of America analysts said they expect the guidance to be between 800 and 810 planes.

They think Airbus' primary focus will be its integration with Spirit AeroSystems, with the objective of stabilizing fuselage production. Boeing is paying $4.7 billion to buy back most of Spirit's assets.

BofA is bullish on Airbus, naming it one of its 25 stocks for 2025.

Despite its woes, Boeing is still worth about $128 billion — almost the same as Airbus' market cap.

• Strong winds and wildfires in Los Angeles are disrupting air travel.
• Several airlines have waived change fees for flights to Los Angeles and Orange County.
• Some flights to Burbank were diverted, and passengers photographed the fires from the skies.

The wildfires devastating Los Angeles and the strong winds intensifying them are disrupting air travel in and around the city.

Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, has remained open throughout the fires and continues to be operational. The airport is advising passengers to check their flight status with their airline.

About 500 flights were delayed and 13 canceled over the weekend as fires continued to rage in the region fueled by the strong Santa Ana winds, according to FlightAware data. Delays and cancellations can arise from things unrelated to the airport or surrounding area, like weather elsewhere or necessary maintenance on an airplane causing cascading delays.

Wednesday, January 8 was the worst day at the city's main airport, according to FlightAware, with one in five departures delayed. Monday morning saw no cancellations as of 9 a.m. local time, with 64 delays, data showed.

LAX typically sees about 700 flights a day. It's more than 10 miles away from the largest blaze, the Palisades Fire.

Other airports in the area have remained open but faced some disruption.

A spokesperson for Hollywood Burbank Airport told Business Insider that on Wednesday, 41 of its scheduled 70 departures were canceled due to winds. It recorded gusts above 80 miles an hour. Officials expect winds to be moderate over the weekend but said they could pick up again early next week.

Several carriers have issued waivers for change fees, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue. The waivers apply to travel to or from LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Ontario International Airport, and Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport.

Santa Monica Airport is the closest to the wildfires, about three miles south of an evacuation zone for the Palisades Fire. It is a general aviation airport, which means commercial flights don't typically operate there.

Aviation is also playing a key role in fighting the wildfires. The Los Angeles Fire Department said 12 helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft were in operation.

The FAA issued several temporary flight restrictions near the fires in Santa Monica and Altadena in order to keep the area clear for firefighting aviation operations.

At least 24 people have died, and over 150,000 have been ordered to evacuate due to the wildfires. Tens of thousands more people have been warned to be ready in case winds pick up again and the fires spread.

• American Airlines flight attendants were sent a union memo about leaving passengers on empty planes.
• The AFPA said cabin crew members should check lavatories and under seats for sleeping passengers.
• A union spokesperson said it "routinely" issued such reminders to members.

The union for American Airlines flight attendants has issued a memo reminding cabin crew not to leave sleeping passengers on board after flights land.

Aviation news site Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported that the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) recently warned members there had been an increase in such incidents.

"This communication serves as a reminder for flight attendants to complete required post-flight security checks to ensure all passengers have deplaned upon arrival," a spokesperson for APFA, which represents more than 28,000 American Airlines cabin crew members, told Business Insider.

They added that the union "routinely releases communications reminding flight attendants of the importance of conducting these checks."

Leaving a passenger on an empty plane is not only a security concern but can also violate safety rules that mandate a minimum number of flight attendants per passenger.

APFA's recent memo reminded cabin crew to "check lavatories, and make sure no passengers are sleeping in or under seats," Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported.

"These procedures are required to ensure that no passenger is ever left onboard," the memo continued. "This is a critical final check to confirm that no one has been overlooked, and this ensures that you and your crew aren't at risk of violating a [federal aviation regulation]."

The lead flight attendant is also supposed to perform a walk-through of the cabin as a final check, the memo reportedly said.

"Leaving passengers on the aircraft unattended is a significant safety and security concern and we appreciate everyone's shared efforts in ensuring this doesn't happen."

In 2019, an Air Canada passenger woke up alone on a cold and dark plane.

Tiffani O'Brien said she fell asleep on the 90-minute flight from Quebec City to Toronto and woke up hours later after the plane had been parked.

• Ryanair is suing a passenger it said had forced a flight to divert, it announced Wednesday.
• The airline said it paid for 160 passengers' accommodation after the diversion meant an overnight delay.
• It said it would take action against "disruptive passengers personally."

Ryanair announced a clampdown on passenger misconduct as it revealed it was suing someone it accused of disrupting a flight and forcing it to divert.

The budget airline said it wants to claim over 15,000 euros, around $15,500, in damages, having filed proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the airline said it would now take action against "disruptive passengers personally" in a "major misconduct clamp down."

It added it would "continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behavior."

In the statement, it said that the incident occurred on April 9, 2024, on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote — a popular vacation destination in Spain's Canary Islands.

The flight, with 160 passengers on board, diverted to Porto, Portugal, and was delayed overnight, the airline said.

The airline accused the passenger of "inexcusable behavior" but did not elaborate on what they had specifically done.

A Ryanair spokesperson said the incident cost the airline 15,000 euros for overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs.

"It is unacceptable that passengers — many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday — are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger's behavior," the spokesperson said.

"This demonstrates just one of the many consequences that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair's zero-tolerance policy, and we hope this action will deter further disruptive behavior on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment," they added.

• A JetBlue passenger opened an emergency exit on a taxiway in Boston, the FAA said.
• One witness said that the man was arguing with his girlfriend before the incident.
• A pilot told air traffic control that the passenger was subdued by an officer on board.

A JetBlue passenger delayed his fellow travelers after opening one of the plane's emergency exit doors.

The incident occurred while Flight 161 was preparing to take off from Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

It added that the Airbus A320, bound for Puerto Rico, was on a taxiway when the passenger opened an emergency exit. This also caused the slide to deploy.

Fred Wynn, a passenger on the plane, told CBS affiliate WBZ-TV that he was sat just in front of the man and his girlfriend.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend were arguing behind in me," Wynn said. "Boyfriend got mad, got up walked down the center aisle, grabbed the emergency door, ripped it off, completely off."

He added that the man was handcuffed by an FBI agent before state police boarded the plane and escorted him away.

In an audio recording archived by LiveATC.net, one of the pilots tells air traffic control a law enforcement officer subdued the passenger.

"I can hear all the passengers screaming. Looks like they tried to grab him before he went out," he added.

A JetBlue spokesperson said the flight was delayed "after a customer, for unknown reasons, opened an overwing exit."

"The flight was eventually swapped to another aircraft and has since landed in San Juan. We greatly appreciate our customers' understanding as we worked to address this situation."

Data from Flightradar24 shows that the flight took off almost three hours later than scheduled and landed in San Juan at 3:17 a.m. local time.

Passengers on other flights told WBZ-TV they were also delayed because the runway was temporarily disabled after the slide was deployed.

According to FlightAware data, 95 flights, or about 17% of the total, were delayed at Logan Airport throughout the day.

Massachusetts State Police told CBS that one person was detained after the incident.

"Shortly before takeoff, a passenger who wanted to deplane opened an aircraft door suddenly and without warning," state police said. "Other passengers restrained the individual until troopers arrived on scene to detain them for further questioning."

Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Boeing should start designing a new plane as soon as possible, a former CEO has said.
• Phil Condit told The Wall Street Journal that working on a new plane could boost morale.
• In recent years, Boeing has only updated past models rather than designed entirely new planes.

A former Boeing CEO has called for the company to start designing a new plane as soon as possible to help change its fortunes.

Phil Condit, who led the planemaker from 1996 to 2003, told The Wall Street Journal, "You've got to get people excited about what they're doing. You don't come to work just for a paycheck. You come to work because you care about what you're doing."

Condit was asked as part of an article that asked several industry leaders how Boeing could turn things around after a difficult year.

Boeing's share price fell 31% in 2024 — the worst performer on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It faced a wave of scrutiny from customers and regulators after a door plug came off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max in midair last January. A seven-week strike, further limiting aircraft production, compounded its problems.

The resolution of the strike included a commitment that Boeing's next commercial airplane would be built in the Seattle area — if a new program is launched during the term of the agreement.

Boeing last announced a new plane model more than 20 years ago — the 787 Dreamliner — which entered commercial service in 2011.

In the years since, the planemaker has instead worked on planes which are updates to previous models — but these have come with problems.

The 737 Max is the fourth-generation descendant of a single-aisle airliner designed in the 1960s.

The 737 Max suffered two crashes in 2018 and 2019, in which 346 people died.

MCAS, a software that played a major role in the crashes, was added because the Max had a tendency to tilt upward in some scenarios — linked to the addition of new, larger engines.

In 2019, The New York Times reported that the 737 Max program was hurried to compete with rival Airbus' A320neo, which broke records at 2011's Paris Air Show.

Boeing's next plane is set to be the 777X — a modernized version of the world's most popular wide-body jet, the 777.

However, it has been beset by certification delays. Initially set to enter service in 2020, Boeing announced last October this has been pushed back to 2026.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Two bodies were discovered in the landing gear of a JetBlue plane on Monday, the airline said.
• The bodies were found during a routine inspection after the plane landed in Florida.
• The plane had flown from New York's JFK Airport to Fort Lauderdale.

Two people were found dead on Monday night in a JetBlue plane during a routine inspection of the aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

In a statement provided to media outlets, JetBlue said the bodies were discovered in the aircraft's landing gear compartment.

The airline said the aircraft had recently operated Flight 1801 from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Fort Lauderdale.

Flight-tracking data from FlightAware shows that the Airbus A320 landed in Florida on Monday at 11:10 p.m.

A Broward County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said homicide and crime scene units responded to a call at 11:30 p.m. on Monday night. Paramedics pronounced both individuals deceased at the scene, the sheriff's office said.

"The circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation," JetBlue said. "This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred."

It's not clear if authorities know the identity of the individuals.

Broward County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Carey Codd told BI the Medical Examiner's Office will perform autopsies to determine the cause of death of both individuals.

Arlene Satchell, a spokesperson for the Broward County Aviation Department, told BI by email there were "no impacts" to the airport's operations due to the incident.

Stowaways sometimes try to hide in an airplane's wheel wells, which house the landing gear.

They risk being crushed when the landing gear is contracted. When the plane reaches cruising altitude, stowaways can lose consciousness because of low oxygen levels or face hypothermia.

The Federal Aviation Administration previously told USA Today that about three-quarters of such attempts were fatal.

Monday's incident comes two weeks after a body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane on Christmas Eve. The Boeing 787 had flown from Chicago to Hawaii.

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shared his thoughts on Boeing.
• "What we really need to see is a pretty profound culture change," he told Bloomberg.
• He also said he hopes the next administration will prioritize Boeing's progress.

Boeing has more work ahead to change its culture, Pete Buttigieg, the outgoing transportation secretary, said in two Monday interviews.

"What we really need to see is a pretty profound culture change that will be ultimately proven out by the results, and that's results over the long term," Buttigieg told Bloomberg.

"That is a work in progress for them," he added.

Buttigieg also told Reuters that "there were real deficiencies" at Boeing and "there is much more to do."

"I think the culture change at Boeing is something that is a real work in progress and the only way to fully assess it will be to see they can consistently improve results," he told the news agency.

The embattled planemaker has a tough task ahead after a challenging 2024.

It ended the year as the biggest loser in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, following a seven-week strike and a crisis sparked by last January's Alaska Airlines blowout. Some airline bosses also spoke about their irritation with delivery and certification delays.

Kelly Ortberg, who took over as Boeing CEO last August, has also spoken about the need to change the company's culture.

In an October earnings call, he said Boeing leaders need to be "closely integrated" with other staff and the business itself — spending time on the factory floors and being held accountable to the firm's values.

"We will be relentless in changing the Boeing culture through action, not just words on a page," Ortberg added.

Buttigieg's comments come two weeks before Donald Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as president. Trump has nominated Sean Duffy, a Fox Business host and former congressman, to take over as transportation secretary.

"I hope that making sure that Boeing makes the progress they need to make will be just as much of a priority for any other administration as it has been for ours," Buttigieg told Bloomberg.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

• A Swiss International Air Lines flight made an emergency landing last month.
• The Airbus A220's cabin was filled with smoke after encountering an engine problem.
• An autopsy said a flight attendant died due to hypoxic brain damage, Blick reported.

A 23-year-old Swiss International Air Lines flight attendant died due to a "severe lack of oxygen to the brain," according to an autopsy reported by Blick, Switzerland's largest newspaper.

It comes after an incident on December 23, when Swiss Flight 1885 encountered engine problems, and the cabin was filled with smoke.

The Airbus A220 was flying from Bucharest, Romania, to Zurich when it made an emergency landing in Graz, Austria.

All 74 passengers and five crew members were evacuated, 17 of whom required medical attention, the airline said.

A week later, Swiss announced that one of the flight's cabin crew members died in the hospital in Graz.

"We are devastated at our dear colleague's death," said CEO Jens Fehlinger. "His loss has left us all in the deepest shock and grief. Our thoughts are with his family, whose pain we cannot imagine."

Blick reported that the public prosecutor's office in Graz has launched an investigation into the flight attendant's death.

A spokesperson told the newspaper that a Friday autopsy found the provisional cause of death to be hypoxic brain damage and cerebral edema, meaning brain swelling.

"The brain was massively damaged by a severe lack of oxygen, and the young flight attendant died of it in the intensive care unit," the spokesperson told Blick.

"We are also looking into the role played by the respiratory mask that the flight attendant was wearing," he added.

The Graz public prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

Swiss said the investigation's initial findings point to a problem in one of the plane's Pratt & Whitney engines.

"We have no indication that the safety of the aircraft type is in question," it added.

• Storm Blair has caused travel disruption in several states.
• More than half of flights were canceled at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Monday.
• 94% of flights were canceled in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday.

More than half of flights were canceled at Washington, DC's Reagan National Airport on Monday, according to data from FlightAware, as Storm Blair brought snow and ice to a large part of the country.

The winter storm has triggered a state of emergency in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia, West Virginia, and parts of New Jersey.

FlightAware data showed 1,339 flights within, into, or out of the US were canceled on Monday as of 6:30 a.m. ET.

Reagan National Airport appeared to be the worst hit with 229 cancellations, equivalent to 58% of all flights scheduled there for Monday.

Nearby Baltimore/Washington International and Washington Dulles airports were also affected, with 38% and 25% of flights canceled respectively on Monday.

The National Weather Service warned that the DC area could face between 5 and 10 inches of snow, with a winter storm warning in effect until 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News that the formal certification of Donald Trump's election as president will still go ahead on Monday.

In Cincinnati, where the National Weather Service predicts up to four inches of snow, one-third of Monday's scheduled flights were canceled, FlightAware data showed.

More than 1,800 flights were canceled on Sunday, per FlightAware.

Heavy snowfall was also recorded in Kansas City, Missouri, where local media reported 10 inches fell on Sunday night. According to FlightAware, 94% of flights were canceled there on Sunday.

Airports in Indianapolis and Kentucky also saw rates of cancellation above 20% on both Sunday and Monday.

• A transatlantic United Airlines flight turned around on New Year's Eve.
• The plane's crew reported a lightning strike, the FAA said.
• Passengers were booked into overnight accommodation in Boston, a United spokesperson said.

United Airlines passengers unexpectedly celebrated the New Year in Boston after their transatlantic flight turned around.

Data from Flightradar24 shows the Boeing 767 was about an hour into its journey from Newark, New Jersey to London when it made a U-turn off the coast of Maine.

Flight UA16's crew had reported a lightning strike, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The passengers were initially set to welcome in 2025 in the air, with the flight scheduled to land in London about 9 a.m. local time.

However, the plane "safely diverted" to Boston shortly before 11 p.m. ET, the FAA said.

A United Airlines spokesperson told Simple Flying the Boeing 767 was inspected by emergency crews upon landing. The Boston Globe reported that there were no injuries.

"We provided accommodation overnight for passengers and rebooked them on another flight to London the next day," the spokesperson said.

United did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The same aircraft departed Boston about 7 p.m. ET on New Year's Day — landing in London 22 hours later than originally scheduled, per data from Flightradar24.

The FAA said it will investigate the incident.

The National Weather Service says airliners are struck by lightning about once or twice a year on average.

It also says jets avoid thunderstorms as much as possible. They can trigger strikes because their presence enhances the electric fields found in storms.

Commercial jets are designed with several protections to mitigate the impact of a lightning, such as a metal mesh that conducts electricity away from passengers and internal electronics.

BI previously reported on other planes struck by lightning, including a Delta Air Lines flight that declared an emergency, and an Air Canada Boeing 777 filmed after takeoff. Both continued to their destinations before being inspected.

• An X post about a Southwest passenger's kitten was viewed more than 20 million times.
• The woman said she was kicked off a flight after cleaning up her cat's poop with paper towels.
• Some replied with messages of support but others were less sympathetic about flying with pets.

An airline passenger's tale about a kitten that pooped in its carrier sparked a debate about bringing pets on flights.

In an X post last Sunday that racked up more than 20 million views, a user named Alex said she was kicked off a flight and left in "a random city for 12 hours."

She said she was on a Southwest Airlines flight when her seven-month-old cat, Oni, got scared during a rough landing and had "an accident."

Alex said she took the carrier to the plane's bathroom and cleaned the mess with paper towels, putting them in the trash before asking a flight attendant for a garbage bag.

Her connecting flight turned out to be on the same plane, she said.

She added that a new crew was on board, and the bathroom was closed off due to the smell.

A "hostile" flight attendant then questioned Alex and made her cry, she said, before a Southwest agent escorted her off the plane.

The agent sorted another route to Los Angeles for her, involving another layover, and gave her a $200 voucher, Alex said.

Southwest Airlines did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Alex's post about the incident resulted in thousands of responses on X both supporting and criticizing her conduct.

"They handled that so poorly, I'm so sorry," one user replied. "I hope you and Oni make it to your destination safely."

Another reply with 7,000 likes said: "Worse things happen in those bathrooms."

Some others were less sympathetic. One repost with more than 1,000 likes said they had "zero sympathy" for people who fly with their pets and "play persecution when something goes awry."

An estimated two million pets are taken on commercial flights annually in the US, according to a 2023 research paper published in the academic journal Animals.

This isn't the first time that a fecal airline incident has made headlines.

Last April, a United Airlines flight was diverted after a dog pooped in the plane's aisle.

And in 2023, a transatlantic Delta Air Lines flight had to turn around after a passenger had "diarrhea all the way through the airplane."

• Travelers encountered bedbugs on three Turkish Airlines flights, The New York Times reported.
• One passenger said they saw bedbugs fall from the ceiling onto another person's lap.
• A science teacher said found 13 bite marks on her body after her flight.

Turkish Airlines passengers told The New York Times they had encountered bedbugs on three flights in recent months.

Two incidents resulted in offers of minor compensation, and the airline told one passenger that "no record of any disruption" existed in relation to another, the outlet reported.

Matthew Myers, 28, told the newspaper he and his girlfriend were flying from Istanbul to San Francisco in October.

He said a passenger next to him drew his attention to bedbugs on the seat and falling from the ceiling, before some landed on the person's lap.

"Multiple passengers were asking to move seats after discovering bugs," Myers told the Times.

He said one passenger moved to a jump seat for flight attendants.

Myers said Turkish Airlines offered him a 10% discount on future travel that was valid through the following two months.

In another incident the same month, Kristin Bourgeois told the Times she found bedbugs on her blanket and pillow during a 10-hour flight from Washington Dulles Airport.

The 37-year-old science teacher said she found 13 bite marks on her body afterward and took photos.

After filing her complaint, Turkish Airlines told Bourgeois it required a doctor's medical report before investigating, per the Times. The report said her flight history was later removed from the airline's app, before she was offered 5,000 frequent flyer miles.

Patience Titcombe also told the newspaper she noticed a bedbug on her seat during a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg.

She posted a picture on X in March with the comment: "@TurkishAirlines bedbugs on our inbound flight to IST is every travelers nightmare!!!"

Titcombe said a flight attendant disposed of the bug and dismissed her concern about it.

The Times reported that Titcombe complained through Facebook Messenger and email, and sent photos, although the carrier said "no record of any disruption" existed.

Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider and did not respond to a request from the Times.

The report comes after heightened concern about bedbugs in 2023.

During an outbreak in Paris, bedbugs were seen on public transportation. South Korea also launched a campaign targeting transportation hubs.

• Several airlines retired the Boeing 747 during the pandemic and Boeing stopped production.
• But the iconic "Queen of the Skies" is still operated by several country's governments and royals.
• That includes China's Xi Jinping and the Saudi King, who boards on a golden escalator.

The Boeing 747 has become one of the most iconic airplanes ever built since it was introduced in 1970. The double-decker aircraft pioneered the use of the term "jumbo jet."

But the "Queen of the Skies" is growing old, and its four engines are thirstier than newer, more fuel-efficient jets.

During the pandemic, airlines like British Airways, KLM, and Qantas retired their 747s, and Boeing decided to end production.

A handful of Boeing 747s are still flying commercially, but you're more likely to see one carrying cargo.

Yet sometimes, reputation outweighs efficiency. The 747 is still the jet of choice for 11 governments and royal families around the world.

Air Force One is the most iconic — although technically, it's not a 747 but a militarized version called the VC-25A. The jumbo jet is most popular among leaders in Asia, primarily the Middle East.

In alphabetical order, here are the countries that have their own Boeing 747s.

Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain, an island country in the Persian Gulf, is one of many oil-rich nations on this list.

Bahrain Royal Flight operates two 747-400s which are both over 20 years old. They are used to fly King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his family.

Brunei

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the flashiest leaders in the world. His palace has over 1,700 rooms, more than 2 million sq ft of space, and a 110-car garage.

One of the few absolute monarchs on this list, he has one Boeing 747-8, which is operated by the airline Sultan's Flight.

Sultan's Flight previously had another two 747s. Its current fleet also includes a Boeing 767 and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that was delivered in 2018.

China

China is the only country whose governmental Boeing 747 is actually operated by its flag carrier.

With the Air China livery, it looks the same as the airline's eight 747s on the outside. However, the one registered B-2479 is said to have been kitted out for the government to use.

During Xi Jinping's visit to South America in November, Air China deployed another 747 for other personnel, as well as a cargo version that carried a luxury Hongqi car, Simple Flying reported.

Morocco

Morocco has the lowest GDP per capita on this list, of $4,204. However, the royal family is one of the richest: Forbes estimated that King Mohammed VI had a net worth of $5.7 billion in 2015.

There are two jumbo jets registered to the country's government: a 747-400 and a larger 747-8. It also owns a Boeing 737.

The 747s have "Kingdom of Morocco" written on the side in Arabic, and stripes in the flag's colors of red and green. It's similar to the former livery of the country's flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc.

Oman

Like Brunei's leader, the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq also heads an absolute monarchy.

Oman Royal Flight operates two Boeing 747s. The older 747-400 was delivered in 2001, while a newer 747-8 was delivered in 2012.

The Sultan also owns a business-jet version of Airbus' A320 and A319 jets.

Qatar

The Boeing 747 pictured above may look like a Qatar Airways plane from the outside, but it is only used to transport the country's ruling Al-Thani family.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his wife, Noora bint Hathal Al Dosari, arrived on one of their two 747-8s when they visited the UK in December.

Qatar Amiri Flight has 13 planes in total — the most of any on this list.

Bloomberg estimated the family's fortune to be $150 billion. The country's sovereign wealth fund has myriad investments around the globe, including a substantial stake in London Heathrow Airport.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has the richest royal family in the world. Including its holdings in state oil company Aramco, some estimates put the figure over $1 trillion.

Among its six active jets is one Boeing 747-400, per ch-aviation data.

88-year-old King Salman travels with a 1,500-person entourage and two Mercedes Benz limousines, The Points Guy reported.

He also has a golden escalator to board and deplane the 747 — which once malfunctioned on a trip to Russia.

South Korea

South Korea's presidential jet is known as Code One — an upgraded 747-8 leased from flag carrier Korean Air.

It's the newest plane on this list, in service since January 2022.

"From decorating the exterior of the plane to remodeling the inside of the plane with customized facilities for the president, such as an office room and sleeping area, the plane needs to reinforce its protection function for the security of the president," an industry inside told The Korea Herald.

Turkey

After opposition politicians expressed concern about using taxpayers' money to buy a jet, Qatar's Al-Thani gifted Turkey a $500 million Boeing 747-8 in 2018, per the BBC.

The two countries grew closer after Turkey supported Qatar during a diplomatic crisis from 2017 to 2021, when other Arab states cut off ties.

The Turkish government also owns four Airbus planes.

United States

Air Force One is perhaps the most iconic governmental plane. However, it stands out from the rest because it isn't technically a 747. Instead, it's a militarized version called the VC-25A, meaning it can do things like refuel in midair.

However, it's over 30 years old, with two new ones in the pipeline. In his first term, Donald Trump renegotiated the contract with Boeing to limit costs below $4 billion. He most likely won't get to fly on the new jets, though, with delivery now expected in 2029.

• OpenAI shared new details about its plan to overhaul its company structure.
• Its current for-profit arm has been governed by a nonprofit board.
• OpenAI said its existing for-profit arm would become a public benefit corporation with ordinary shares of stock.

OpenAI has detailed its plans for a new corporate structure that would separate its business from being controlled by its nonprofit board.

In a blog post shared by the company on social media on Friday, the company said its board was considering "how to best structure OpenAI to advance the mission of ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity have been."

"Our plan is to transform our existing for-profit into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation⁠ (PBC) with ordinary shares of stock and the OpenAI mission as its public benefit interest," OpenAI wrote.

"The PBC is a structure⁠ used⁠ by many others⁠ that requires the company to balance shareholder interests, stakeholder interests, and a public benefit interest in its decisionmaking," the company said. "It will enable us to raise the necessary capital with conventional terms like others in this space."

This structure aims to generate profit while also benefiting the public interest. The nonprofit arm would take shares in the public benefit corporation, it added.

OpenAI said it was planning to make the structural change "in order to best support the mission of ensuring artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity."

"As we enter 2025, we will have to become more than a lab and a startup — we have to become an enduring company," it added.

In September, OpenAI confirmed that it would convert to a for-profit structure.

The move was also widely reported to be key to its $6.6-billion funding round in October: OpenAI has two years to make the switch, or else investors in the round could ask for their money back, multiple reports said.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said last month that a for-profit status makes it easier to attract new funding.

Altman is overseeing the transition just over a year after OpenAI's board temporarily removed him as the company's chief executive, thrusting its nonprofit governance into the spotlight.

While Altman was ousted for a few days, he returned as CEO, and many of the company leaders who pushed him out have since left their roles and new board members were added.

Now, OpenAI said the AI race has proven more costly than anticipated, which requires a structure more amenable to investors.

"The hundreds⁠ of billions of dollars that major companies are now investing into AI show what it will really take for OpenAI to continue pursuing the mission," OpenAI wrote in its latest blog post.

"We once again need to raise more capital than we'd imagined," it said. "Investors want to back us but, at this scale of capital, need conventional equity and less structural bespokeness."

• An unticketed passenger was caught on board a Delta Air Lines plane, the airline said.
• The incident occurred on Christmas Eve at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
• It comes weeks after another person tried to fly from New York to Paris without a boarding pass.

A Delta Air Lines passenger was caught trying to fly to Hawaii without a boarding pass on Christmas Eve, the airline and airport officials said.

The person went through standard security screening before bypassing ID verification and boarding-status stations, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement shared with BI.

Delta flight 487 was taxiing to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when the person was discovered, the airline said.

It added that, per procedures, the Airbus A321neo then returned to the gate.

The suspect then departed the plane before police located them in an airport restroom using video surveillance, the Port of Seattle said in a statement shared with BI.

Investigators determined the unticketed passenger had passed through a security checkpoint the day before, it said.

It added that the person was arrested on charges of criminal trespass.

The flight to Honolulu departed more than two hours later than scheduled. The Port of Seattle said passengers were deplaned to be rescreened by the TSA, and the aircraft was swept by K9 dogs.

"As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended," a Delta spokesperson said in a statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience and cooperation."

After a similar incident last month, 57-year-old Svetlana Dali was charged with being a stowaway on an aircraft after sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines service to Paris. If found guilty, she faces up to five years in prison.

The complaint against Dali, which BI has seen, says she boarded a Delta flight from New York to Paris without a boarding pass or a passport.

It added that she was able to pass through security by entering a special lane for airline staff. Dali is also said to have admitted in an interview with authorities that she intentionally evaded TSA and Delta staff to board the flight.

The incident is said to have occurred in late November, during another busy holiday period when Thanksgiving travel set records.

The TSA said it expected to screen nearly 40 million people at airports from December 19 to January 2, up 6.2% from 2023.

It said the busiest days would be December 20, 27, and 30.