U.S. Federal Aviation Administration sent this bulletin at 02/11/2026 04:29 PM EST
Week of February 9, 2026
Traveling for Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras attracts millions of visitors to the New Orleans area. The FAA sees a spike in air traffic operations at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport during the festivities. For pilots flying into nearby airports, check out our From the Flight Deck videos at both Louis Armstrong and Lakefront airports.
Mardi Gras is also a No Drone Zone. The FAA has established flight restrictions for New Orleans during Mardi Gras and the days leading up to the event. Drone operators who enter restricted airspace without authorization may face fines of up to $75,000, drone confiscation and federal criminal charges.
This week’s guest Weather Squad forecaster is Scot Pilié with WDSU out of New Orleans. Scott is bringing us the rest of the week’s forecast as we approach Mardi Gras. The Big Easy and some areas in Texas can expect a chance of storms over the weekend.
Presidents Day Flight Forecast
The FAA is gearing up for another busy Presidents Day weekend. We’re expecting nearly 51,000 flights on Friday as travelers head out for the long weekend.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford briefed House members this week on the FAA’s progress to build a brand-new air traffic control system. Under President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s leadership we have made immense progress. Building on the successful air traffic controller hiring surge and funding from One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), the FAA is building a safe, reliable and scalable National Airspace System.
