Todd Frankel
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Writer for The Washington Post. Ex of St. Louis Post-Dispatch. RTs mean I likely read the entire thing. todd.frankel@washpost.com
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Articles by Todd Frankel
FAA was warned for years about repair risks leading to nationwide ground stop
BUSINESS Todd C. Frankel, Ian Duncan and Liam Scott The Washington Post Nov. 14, 2026, 9:30 p.m. ET View Comments Federal aviation officials were repeatedly warned that the push to rapidly modernize the nation’s air traffic control system risked breaking it, with the potential dangers spelled out in government reports in the months and years leading up to Friday’s nationwide ground stop that halted flights for nearly 4½ hours coast to coast.
FAA was warned for years about repair risks leading to nationwide ground stop
Federal aviation officials were repeatedly warned that the push to rapidly modernize the nation's air traffic control system risked breaking it, with the potential dangers spelled out in government reports in the months and years leading up to Friday's nationwide ground stop that halted flights for nearly 4½ hours coast to coast. A government watchdog report in September cautioned that the way the old, legacy systems were being replaced could result in disruptions — including ground stops.
FAA grounds all US flights, citing outage Original
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FAA lifts ground stop at U.S. airports, leaving travel chaos
People line up to try to rent a car at Hancock Internation Airport in Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 after a nationwide ground stop halted all planes. Flights out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and all other airports across the United States, were ordered grounded Friday afternoon by the Federal Aviation Administration. Passengers wait in line at MSP in St. Paul, Minn. on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.
FAA grounds flights at all US airports, citing 'telecommunications outage'
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a rare and unexpected nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon, citing a “temporary telecommunications outage,” though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication of a nefarious attack. Mullin told reporters that the Trump administration is not ruling out a cyberattack but that it doesn't yet have evidence pointing in that direction. He said Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has briefed President Donald Trump on the issue.
FAA grounds flights at all U.S. airports, citing ‘communications outage’
Reagan National Airport near Washington last month. (Craig Hudson/For The Washington Post) The Federal Aviation Administration issued a rare and unexpected nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon, citing a “temporary telecommunications outage,” though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication of a nefarious attack. Mullin told reporters that the Trump administration is not ruling out a cyberattack but that it doesn’t yet have evidence pointing in that direction.
FAA grounds flights at all U.S. airports, citing communications issue
A representative from American Airlines held demonstrations showing how the new baggage conveyer works inside the Watertown International Airport after it repopened earlier this year. Jonathon Wheeler/Watertown Daily Times The Federal Aviation Administration issued an unexpected nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon, citing a communication issue. “FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide updates,” the agency said in a statement.
A distress call, a flight tracker and the rush to explain a Learjet crash
A drone image shows aftermath of deadly Florida plane crash that killed nine in Greenacres, Fla., Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Jeff Guzzetti, a former air safety investigator, had never heard or seen anything quite like it. Just hours after a Learjet crash killed nine people in South Florida last week, the internet was awash in details that once might’ve taken weeks or months to uncover - or never been known at all.
A distress call, a flight tracker and the rush to explain a Learjet crash
A distress call, a flight tracker and the rush to explain a Learjet crash (washingtonpost.com) A distress call, a flight tracker and the rush to explain a Learjet crash By Todd C. Frankel 2026111110012000 Jeff Guzzetti, a former air safety investigator, had never heard or seen anything quite like it. Just hours after a Learjet crash killed nine people in South Florida last week, the internet was awash in details that once might've taken weeks or months to uncover — or never been known at all.
A distress call, a flight tracker and the rush to explain a Learjet crash
8 hours ago DETAILS: Cockpit voice recorder found at Learjet crash site www.youtube.com on YouTube • 8h Fox News senior correspondent Jonathan Serrie joins 'America Reports' to give the latest on the cockpit voice recorder found at the Learjet crash site in Florida.
SS United States will be sunk, becoming the world’s largest artificial reef
SS United States will be sunk, becoming the world’s largest artificial reef (washingtonpost.com) SS United States will be sunk, becoming the world’s largest artificial reef By Todd C. Frankel 2026110810012700 The SS United States — a huge ocean liner that once ferried celebrities — is slated to be sunk to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico this week, to become the world's largest artificial reef.
Stocks surged and oil prices fell as markets responded to the midterm rout
Stocks surged and oil prices fell as markets responded to the midterm rout (washingtonpost.com) Stocks surged and oil prices fell as markets responded to the midterm rout By Federica Cocco; Todd C. Frankel 2026110421410500 U.S. stock markets appeared Wednesday to be smiling upon the electoral "blue wave" — with most major indexes on the rise after Democrats won control of both the House and Senate.
Why headlights seem more blinding than ever
Why headlights seem more blinding than ever (washingtonpost.com) Why headlights seem more blinding than ever By Todd C. Frankel 2026102809011200 Matthew Brumbelow, like anyone else, gets annoyed when he's blinded by oncoming headlights at night. But it also gets him thinking. He's among the nation's top headlight experts, having spent a decade investigating how automakers struggle to illuminate the road without forcing other drivers to squint and wince.
New York first underground train was run privately. It was the start of the Subway.
New York first underground train was run privately. It was the start of the Subway. (washingtonpost.com) New York first underground train was run privately. It was the start of the Subway. By Todd C. Frankel 2026102709010600 They didn't call it the New York City Subway at first. When the city's first underground rapid transit system opened on Oct. 27, 1904, it went by the name Interborough Rapid Transit. The 9.1-mile line spanned 28 stations from City Hall to Broadway and 145th Street.
A push to update airplane medical kits takes a surprise turn
Kim Blumenthal, a Yale-trained immunologist, had no idea that U.S. airlines were required to carry emergency medical kits on most flights. But when she needed to treat a young child suffering a severe allergic reaction on a plane, a flight attendant brought out a kit filled with a strict list of drugs and diagnostic tools. Blumenthal then responded to a medical emergency on another flight. And it happened again.
How airlines could help contain Russian plague using lessons from past outbreaks
How airlines could help contain Russian plague using lessons from past outbreaks (washingtonpost.com) How airlines could help contain Russian plague using lessons from past outbreaks By Todd C. Frankel 2026100710010600 The man sitting on the plane a couple rows from infectious-disease expert David O. Freedman was sweating profusely and clearly looked sick. The flu? Covid-19? Something worse? Freedman couldn't tell.
How airlines could help contain Russian plague using lessons from past outbreaks
2 hours ago Canada’s capital city is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year — the perfect excuse to trace how it’s evolved through history. In 2026, Ottawa is marking its bicentennial — or, more specifically, 200 years since the establishment of Bytown, a lumber camp from which the city later evolved. To …
A push to update airplane medical kits takes a surprise turn
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A push to update airplane medical kits takes a surprise turn
A push to update airplane medical kits takes a surprise turn (washingtonpost.com) A push to update airplane medical kits takes a surprise turn By Todd C. Frankel 2026100410011200 Kim Blumenthal, a Yale-trained immunologist, had no idea that U.S. airlines were required to carry emergency medical kits on most flights.
New NTSB report on Amazon plane crash focuses on late, fast landing
New NTSB report on Amazon plane crash focuses on late, fast landing (washingtonpost.com) New NTSB report on Amazon plane crash focuses on late, fast landing By Todd C. Frankel 2026100120560600 An Amazon-branded cargo plane came in for a fast and late landing before crashing at Miami International Airport last month, killing five people on the ground as it overran the runway and crossed over two roads, according to a new report issued Thursday by federal investigators.
How cockpit doors have changed amid terrorism attacks
How cockpit doors have changed amid terrorism attacks (washingtonpost.com) How cockpit doors have changed amid terrorism attacks By Todd C. Frankel 2026093022160500 Wednesday's Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia could have ended in a much bigger disaster if crew and passengers had failed to get past the cockpit door.
Trump says new fuel economy rules will cut car prices. Analysts are doubtful. Original
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Todd C. Frankel THE WASHINGTON POST The Trump administration unveiled new rules Monday rolling back the nation’s fuel economy standards, touting the move as a money-saving measure for American auto buyers struggling with affordability. The regulations, first proposed in December, also further signal the end of federal support for nudging drivers to switch from gasoline to electric cars and trucks.
Trump says new fuel economy rules will cut car prices. Analysts are doubtful.
Trump says new fuel economy rules will cut car prices. Analysts are doubtful. (washingtonpost.com) Trump says new fuel economy rules will cut car prices. Analysts are doubtful. By Todd C. Frankel 2026092820010500 The Trump administration finalized new rules Monday rolling back the nation's fuel economy standards, touting the move as a money-saving measure for American auto buyers struggling with affordability.
The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices
No one seems happy about record-high diesel prices. Farmers complain about the cost to harvest their crops. Truckers say they’re getting squeezed. Retailers such as Kroger have warned that it’s driving up costs. The pressure has led President Donald Trump to float a diesel export ban, while some in Congress want to suspend fuel taxes. But in a few places, the galloping price of diesel is seen as an opportunity — albeit a tricky one to navigate.
The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices
Show Caption Hide Caption Michigan business owners face crippling costs as diesel prices surge Ezalden Alzokari, a truck driver for Kass Logistics, laments rising diesel prices: "Every week gets worse and worse since the war happened. It went up slowly but since recent events it just spiked. I have no hope in sight it's going to get better." No one seems happy about record-high diesel prices. Farmers complain about the cost to harvest their crops. Truckers say they’re getting squeezed.
The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices
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The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices
The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices (washingtonpost.com) The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices By Todd C. Frankel 2026092510020600 No one seems happy about record-high diesel prices. Farmers complain about the cost to harvest their crops. Truckers say they're getting squeezed. Retailers such as Kroger have warned that it's driving up costs. The pressure has led President Donald Trump to float a diesel export ban, while some in Congress want to suspend fuel taxes.
The surprise winners from record-high diesel prices
Artificial Intelligence 1 hour ago The head of one of the largest US endowments says OpenAI and Anthropic are in big trouble Business Insider - Ben Bergman • 1h Scott Wilson knows what it is like to make a contrarian bet that pays off big. His early investment in SpaceX helped create a multi-billion dollar windfall for Washington University's endowment. Now he's making another one: The trillion-dollar AI labs are in major trouble.
Flights halted at several major airports in Northeast because of tech problems
Flights halted at several major airports in Northeast because of tech problems (washingtonpost.com) Flights halted at several major airports in Northeast because of tech problems By Todd C. Frankel 2026092120440400 Flights in and out of major airports in the Northeast were halted Monday afternoon after the sudden loss of air traffic communications, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
It’s the most common aviation accident. But how to stop it?
It’s the most common aviation accident. But how to stop it? (washingtonpost.com) It’s the most common aviation accident. But how to stop it? By Todd C. Frankel 2026091309010500 On a foggy, rainy day in 1984, a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Oslo overshot the runway while landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The DC-10 skidded 600 feet off the pavement and plunged into a frigid creek, forcing some passengers to swim to safety.
It’s the most common aviation accident. But how to stop it?
1 hour ago Angie Nixon is tough to silence. The first time she protested gerrymandering in Florida, Republican state lawmakers cut the video feed of her sit-in. The second time she showed up with a bullhorn. The third time, she was arrested. “When they go low,” she says, putting a twist on Michelle Obama’s …
Ding! Ding! Ding! The long, strange fight over your car’s seat-belt chime.
David Kidd is an expert in something that some people hate and others tend to just tolerate: seat-belt warning systems — the “ding ding ding” chimes and flashing dashboard lights that serve as reminders to buckle up. He’s spent years testing different systems in cars and trucks as part of his work at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. So he knows very well that the incessant chimes can be annoying. They’re “an irritant,” he admits. But he prefers a different term.
Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say
The plane was carrying more than 32,000 pounds of cargo - mostly contact lenses, the NTSB said. • Officials investigate a Prime Air cargo plane at Miami International Airport after it overran the runway at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, on September 6, 2026. /AFP via Getty Images See more Toronto Sun on Google —save as a Preferred Source Don't have an account?
Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say
The plane was carrying more than 32,000 pounds of cargo - mostly contact lenses, the NTSB said. • Officials investigate a Prime Air cargo plane at Miami International Airport after it overran the runway at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, on September 6, 2026.
Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say
Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say (washingtonpost.com) Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say By Todd C.
Amazon cargo plane appeared to consider aborting landing before Miami crash, investigators say
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Ding! Ding! Ding! The long, strange fight over your car's seat-belt chime.
David Kidd is an expert in something that some people hate and others tend to just tolerate: Seat-belt warning systems - the "ding ding ding" chimes and flashing dashboard lights that serve as reminders to buckle up. He's spent years testing different systems in cars and trucks as part of his work at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. So he knows very well that the incessant chimes can be annoying. They're "an irritant," he admits. But he prefers a different term.
Ding! Ding! Ding! The long, strange fight over your car’s seat-belt chime.
8 hours ago Shanghai is a favored destination, with lower costs than the West and innovation in biotechnology SHANGHAI—Michael Walters, 25, had just begun his first full-time job out of university when he was diagnosed last year with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer. Walters, who hails from New Zealand, …
Diesel hits record $5.85 a gallon as Iran war drags on
The U.S. average price for diesel Friday reached a new all-time high of $5.85 a gallon — up nearly 60 percent from a year ago, according to AAA.
Watch out, Detroit: Chinese automakers are increasingly going global
Watch out, Detroit: Chinese automakers are increasingly going global (washingtonpost.com) Watch out, Detroit: Chinese automakers are increasingly going global By Todd C. Frankel 2026090314020400 Chinese automaker BYD said Tuesday it had exported an all-time high of nearly 190,000 vehicles overseas in August, as the company speeds toward becoming a truly global competitor in a sector once mostly dominated by U.S. companies.
FAA wants to permanently restrict planes over Mar-a-Lago, long a Trump complaint
BUSINESS Todd C. Frankel The Washington Post Sept. 2, 2026, 6:10 p.m. ET View Comments The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday proposed a permanent restriction on flights permitted within a one-mile radius of Mar-a-Lago - a rule that would help address a longtime complaint from President Donald Trump and a more recent worry for the Secret Service.
FAA wants to permanently restrict planes over Mar-a-Lago, long a Trump complaint
FAA wants to permanently restrict planes over Mar-a-Lago, long a Trump complaint (washingtonpost.com) FAA wants to permanently restrict planes over Mar-a-Lago, long a Trump complaint By Todd C. Frankel 2026090221470100 The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday proposed a permanent restriction on flights permitted within a one-mile radius of Mar-a-Lago — a rule that would help address a longtime complaint from President Donald Trump and a more recent worry for the Secret Service.
FAA wants to permanently restrict planes over Mar-a-Lago, long a Trump complaint
Airspace 5 hours ago Ukraine's plan to close Russia's airspace — what we know The Kyiv Independent - by Chris York • 5h Ukraine wants to close Russia's skies and has a plan to do it. In an announcement on Sept.
What’s really driving recalls of cars at risk of bursting into flames? It’s not EVs.
What’s really driving recalls of cars at risk of bursting into flames? It’s not EVs. (washingtonpost.com) What’s really driving recalls of cars at risk of bursting into flames? It’s not EVs. By Todd C. Frankel 2026082810070200 Electric vehicles for years have been dogged by worries about fire. Headlines from the early 2020s were filled with Teslas burning in garages and Chevy Bolts taken off the road due to flammable batteries.
Why one highway exploded this summer — and why many more in the U.S. are at risk
Heat bounces off the asphalt on Altamont Pass Road, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Livermore, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) It was another sizzling summer day in late July, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, when one of the main roads cutting through Greenville, Texas, finally just gave up. The stretch of U.S. Highway 69 kept expanding in the extreme heat until it exploded, creating a sharp, two-foot-tall ramp where it broke at the pavement joint.
Why one highway exploded this summer — and why many more are at risk
It was another sizzling summer day in late July, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, when one of the main roads cutting through Greenville, Texas, finally just gave up. The stretch of U.S. Highway 69 kept expanding in the extreme heat until it exploded, creating a sharp, two-foot-tall ramp where it broke at the pavement joint. Most of the traffic in this Dallas exurb drove around it.
Why one highway exploded this summer — and why many more are at risk
It was another sizzling summer day in late July, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, when one of the main roads cutting through Greenville, Texas, finally just gave up. The stretch of U.S. Highway 69 kept expanding in the extreme heat until it exploded, creating a sharp, two-foot-tall ramp where it broke at the pavement joint. Most of the traffic in this Dallas exurb drove around it.
They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames
AUTOS Todd C. Frankel The Washington Post Aug. 17, 2026, 9:27 a.m. ET View Comments Late last year, when Sarah Lammersen learned her 2022 Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid was being recalled because the high-voltage battery could catch fire at any time — even when the vehicle was parked — she jokingly texted the dealership, “I hope the car doesn’t catch on fire while we wait to schedule an appointment.” Days later, the Jeep burst into flames.
They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames.
Late last year, when Sarah Lammersen learned her 2022 Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid was being recalled because the high-voltage battery could catch fire at any time — even when the vehicle was parked — she jokingly texted the dealership, “I hope the car doesn't catch on fire while we wait to schedule an appointment.” Days later, the Jeep burst into flames.
They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames.
They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames. (washingtonpost.com) They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames. By Todd C.
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