Warning issued to Birmingham travellers flying to America

Despite there being no direct flight routes, America has always been a popular destination for Birmingham holiday-goers, so much so that there has been recent discussion about Birmingham Airport looking to reinstate direct flights to New York.

Although there has been no direct flight from Birmingham to New York since 2017, it's been reported that 1.88 million passengers from the wider Birmingham area travelled to the U.S. in 2024.

While a direct route to New York would be a significant development for the West Midlands, new data is issuing a warning to Birmingham travellers looking to fly to America.

Thousands of flights across America have been cancelled in recent days due to severe winter storms, however, a new study warns that this isn't the only factor causing widespread travel disruption in the U.S.

In recent months, there has been a growing phenomenon of drones creating widespread disruption across U.S. airports. Reports have described near-misses between drones and passenger jets, sparking global concern over this growing phenomenon.

The research team at the rugged computing solutions provider Getac analysed data from the Federal Aviation Administration to determine which airports are facing the most disruptions due to drones.

The data found that there were 749 flight delays caused by drone activity in airports between January and September 2025. This shocking figure demonstrates how the rising risk of illegal drone activity across U.S. airports is becoming a prominent concern.

In particular, flights to and from New York City were identified as being a hotspot for drone-related disruption, which is why Birmingham travellers should be wary when flying to New York.

Between January and September 2025, 76 drone sightings around the city’s airports led to flight delays.

The New York Stewart International Airport was even forced to close its runways for an hour last December due to a high number of illegal drones operating within the area. Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, recently called for an active investigation to address the high number of illegal drone sightings across the city.

Other cities at high risk of drone-related flight delays include Boston, LA, and Philadelphia.

The spokesperson for Getac commented on the study ,

“Ultimately, this data presents the rising threat that unauthorised drones are having on airports across the U.S. 'Near misses’ are becoming increasingly common, and it’s safe to say that if an aircraft ended up colliding with a drone, the result would be catastrophic.

“This is why it’s so important for strict legislation surrounding the use of drones in airports to be implemented in every state. As seen by recent near misses, some drones can reach dangerous altitudes, posing devastating risks for nearby passenger planes.

“Thanks to the expansion of drone ownership across the country, some owners may be unaware of the strict legislation that prohibits the use of drones in the proximity of airports. This results in a drone accidentally causing disruption by creating hours of flight delays.

“However, in some cases, drones may operate within the proximity of airports due to military operations or for research purposes. It’s crucial for drone operators to obtain permission before flying near an airport in order to mitigate the risk of safety hazards.

“While there have been certain calls for drones to be ‘shot down’ while in airports, it’s important to flag that this is realistically a safety hazard. This is why there’s evidently a need for greater technology to be installed across airports to quickly identify the threat of illegal drones.

“Military technology can also be used when it comes to spotting drones. Instead of relying on public reports, it’s clear that certain airports need more sophisticated technology in place to detect the presence of an unauthorised drone.

“As AI systems continue to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly common for military operations to incorporate AI in data analysis, gathering intelligence, and system creation. Thanks to their durability, rugged tablets also overlap with the military’s increased use of AI, demonstrating how technology is becoming essential to recent military operations.

“Based on this ever-evolving technology, it’s possible for the U.S. military to create AI-based detection mechanisms to quickly identify illegal drones.

“Regardless of how this is achieved, this data demonstrates the immediate need for greater security and safety measures across U.S. airports to mitigate the rising risk of drone sightings.”