Oriana Pawlyk

The top dangers facing Americans traveling by air aren’t obvious January's fatal crash in D.C. makes 2025 the deadliest year for airlines in the U.S. in more than two decades. And it has travelers asking a question they once could take for granted.

2/ This piece wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of several colleagues, Sam Ogozalek in particular for his data crunching skills. Grateful for the collab, & the chance to help paint a fuller picture of what’s happening in the skies:

www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

1/ One of my final stories before I take leave — a deep dive into the state of air travel safety today. Flying remains overwhelmingly safe, but as the @politico team found, there are symptoms of strain across the system that deserve attention.

Trump's FAA pick acknowledges he doesn't have a 'commercial' pilot's license

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

Trump’s FAA pick has claimed ‘commercial’ pilot license he doesn’t have Bryan Bedford, the nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration, for years erroneously stated in his Republic Airways bio that he is a pilot with a “commercial” rating.

Trump’s FAA nominee, Bryan Bedford, has long claimed to have a commercial pilot’s license. He does not.

That, however, does not appear to threaten his confirmation, @oriana0214.bsky.social reports.

The aerospace sector has been lobbying the Trump administration not to allow a 10 percent tariff on goods be imposed this weekend as expected, arguing that the terms of a 1979 agreement should be honored instead.

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

Nice score. Absolutely jibes with how Rocheleau has kept a lower profile. From when some of us first heard Bedford’s name pop last week: subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

As I mention here, air travel is still the safest mode of transportation. That doesn’t mean there aren’t fissures in the system that need addressing. A system that doesn’t need to be kneecapped with additional cuts to the jobs that are part of the system’s backbone.

In today’s Politico Playbook:

A series of new employee cuts at the FAA is making an already anxious population even more concerned about air travel. Aviation reporter Oriana Pawlyk joins Playbook's Zack Stanton to discuss the implications.

The latest in today's Daily Briefing: t.co/DDMMgE2ciD

‘Air traffic controllers cannot do their work without us’ The Trump administration has defended its cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration by saying safety-critical employees weren't affected. Experts disagree.

‘Air traffic controllers cannot do their work without us’

www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

Are you an employee at the FAA / support FAA roles who was recently laid off or told to retire? Signal open at the QR link below:

Flying's gotten safer — and less reported on. Washington crash shows how the aviation beat is fading In the days after last week's plane collision in Washington, Pete Muntean was a fixture on the air at CNN. Pete who? Viewers may be forgiven for not knowing.

I covered military aviation for 9 years, and now the intersection of regulation and commercial for four.

Aviation is just the thing I do.

Flying's gotten safer — and less reported on. Washington crash shows how the aviation beat is fading apnews.com/article/avia...

Musk’s cost-cutters to ‘plug in’ to air traffic control system, Trump’s transportation chief says Sean Duffy said that he’d spoken with Musk, calling him a “pretty remarkable guy” who has “access to the best technological people, the best engineers in the world.”

Musk’s cost-cutters target U.S. aviation system
www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

FAA reverses course on meeting prohibition, blaming rogue employee The advisory panels tackle ways to reduce risk across the aviation system, taking guidance from airlines, union groups and even companies that make parts for aircraft.

Update: FAA reverses course on meeting prohibition, blaming rogue employee www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

“It appears that safety is being forced to take a back seat due to fear of retribution, which means we all lose,” the person added.

A former FAA official, granted anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the contents of the email, said that a “healthy aviation system depends on free and open exchange of ideas and expertise.”

Unlike the advisory committee that was disbanded under TSA last month — which primarily deals with airline and airport security — these committees absolutely deal with aviation safety.

The directive comes as the agency and the airline industry are reeling from last week’s collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the first fatal crash of a U.S. airline in nearly two decades.

The Federal Aviation Administration has barred its employees from participating in a host of advisory committees intended to help come up with solutions to issues facing the aviation industry.

Stop attending panels meant to improve air travel, FAA tells employees The advisory panels tackle ways to reduce risk across the aviation system, taking guidance from airlines, union groups and even companies that make parts for aircraft.

Scoop: www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

How Preventable was the DC Air Crash? | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC A look at last week's collision between a passenger jet and Army Blackhawk Helicopter which marks in the worst aviation tragedy in the United States in decades.

ICYMI, @oriana0214.bsky.social & @jeffwise.bsky.social on safety issues around aviation in the wake of recent fatal crashes:
www.wnyc.org/story/how-pr...

'Nothing short of a nightmare': Jet, military helicopter collide near Reagan National "May God bless their souls," President Donald Trump said after a passenger plane carrying 64 people collided with an Army helicopter on a training mission.

I've been way too busy to post a whole lot here lately, but I can't say enough about how proud I am of the @politico.com transportation team (esp @oriana0214.bsky.social, Sam Ogozalek and Chris Marquette) and how they rallied in this moment of national tragedy:

www.politico.com/news/2025/01...

Today:
- @usatoday.com's Francesca Chambers with Monday Morning Politics,
- Elizabeth Glazer on surprising crime trends in NYC,
- @oriana0214.bsky.social & @jeffwise.bsky.social on recent aviation accidents
- @keepitonthehdl.bsky.social on the winter blues

Live at 10 on 93.9 FM, AM820 or @wnyc.org

How years of safety warnings ended in a fiery crash above the Potomac Air traffic controller shortages, soaring travel demand, a surge of airport near-collisions and complaints of congressional dysfunction escalated before the U.S. saw its first fatal domestic airline c...

My latest: How years of safety warnings ended in a fiery crash above the Potomac politi.co/40BXch2 via @politico.com

And a little context: After days of uncertainty, officials suggest NJ drones may be a case of mistaken identity t.co/Ij2V4NFyKP

Trump suggests shooting down aircraft above New Jersey as concerns continue President-elect Donald Trump posted to social media Friday saying the craft seen hovering around parts of New Jersey should be shot down, as lawmakers continue to demand answers.

ICYMI: www.politico.com/news/2024/12...

ICYM yesterday: Boeing and its top lobbyist part ways subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024...

POLITICO Pro: ‘Typical Trumpian thing’: Aviation shrugs at Trump's DEI and ‘golden age of travel’ comments As for Trump’s call to return the country to a “golden age of travel,” one travel industry executive said she saw that statement as Trump “leaning in” on what the travel experience needs to be.

‘Typical Trumpian thing’: Aviation shrugs at Trump's DEI and ‘golden age of travel’ comments

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024...

Sectors of the aviation & travel industry seem eager for continuity, too, according to several people POLITICO interviewed who attended the U.S. Travel Association’s conference Wednesday.

TSA administrator says he hopes to stay on during Trump’s term subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024...

Trump taps former lawmaker and reality TV star for Transportation Sean Duffy served in Congress as a Wisconsin Republican.

www.politico.com/news/2024/11...

Potential Trump picks for DOT: A reality TV star, a rail antagonist — and a former Uber exec In the mix: Former Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisc.), and Emil Michael, a former Uber executive.

Potential Trump picks for DOT: A reality TV star, a rail antagonist — and a former Uber exec www.politico.com/live-updates... via @politico.com