A strange message began appearing in US METAR observations on 2 November, leaving pilots, dispatchers, and officials asking the same question: how could something like this happen?
It began with a routine observation from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport. Among the usual strings of coded weather data appeared something that had no business being there:
“REJECT FASCISM.”
Similar instances were reported at other airports, including Tulsa International (TUL) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD), before word quickly spread across social media.
What the METAR Actually Said
One of the first reported examples read:
METAR KATL 021552Z 18005KT 10SM FEW065 SCT110 BKN250 17/05 A3016 RMK A02 SLP212 ACC DSNT E-SE W-NW T01720050 REJECT FASCISM $
The last two words were what caught everyone’s attention. METARs are standardized weather reports that provide real-time information for pilots and air traffic controllers. They are not meant to include commentary, slogans, or anything beyond meteorological data.
So what was going on here?
A Closer Look: Not From the FAA
At first glance, it appeared that the message had been injected into official FAA or National Weather Service (NWS) data — a serious concern if true. However, that turned out not to be the case.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy quickly responded on X after the post began circulating widely. He clarified that the “Reject Fascism” remark was not part of any official FAA or NWS transmission.
We looked into this and the version you saw was edited after it left our system and went to a third-party app. Someone with access to that app then modified it…the comments were not displayed on any official FAA METAR reports.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy
He also shared a screenshot of the official observation, which contained no such phrase.
In short, the FAA’s original data was clean. The inappropriate remark appeared after the fact, added through an external source.
The Source: A Third-Party App
Early reports point to an Australian-developed mobile app called METAR, created by pilot and developer Luke Cashion-Lozell. The app pulls official weather data but allows for local text injection within its display.
It appears that someone with access to this app modified its data output, appending the politically charged phrase to US airport observations as the data passed through.
Importantly, this does not mean that FAA systems were hacked or compromised. The alteration occurred only within a non-official, third-party display of the information.
The dollar sign ($) at the end of the report, often misunderstood in social media posts, is unrelated. In METAR code, it simply indicates that a maintenance check is due for the observing equipment. It is not some mysterious coded message from the saboteur, as some social media users purported.
Why It Matters: Safety Above All
The politicization of any part of the aviation safety system, even indirectly, is unacceptable. Pilots rely on the accuracy and integrity of weather reports to make time-sensitive, safety-critical decisions. Adding commentary — of any kind — compromises that trust.
Even if this case originated from an external app, the event highlights a more pressing concern: how easily misinformation or altered data can spread in an interconnected world. When unofficial channels mix with official-looking information, it can blur the line between truth and deception.
Aviation depends on precision and reliability. Introducing bias or personal opinion into technical data streams undermines that foundation.
The Bigger Picture: Question Everything
Unfortunately, we live in an era where everything we read, see, and share must be questioned. Aviation included. This incident underscores the importance of pilots and aviation professionals to rely on verified, authorized sources, such as the FAA’s Aviation Weather Center (aviationweather.gov) or certified electronic flight bag (EFB) apps.
The safety of the flying public depends on information that is accurate, traceable, and free from outside influence.
As for the “Reject Fascism” message, it appears to be less of a cyberattack and more of a misguided injection of politics into a space where politics simply don’t belong.
For what it’s worth, when I tested the app in question, no inappropriate messages appeared in my searches, suggesting that the issue may have already been addressed or removed. Admittedly, I couldn’t check every airport, but I checked about 20 (including ATL, TUL, and ORD), and the message did not appear.
Ultimately, someone tried to make a statement in a place where none should exist. Aviation’s safety systems must remain neutral, untouchable, and free from bias. Because when trust in our data falters, so does everything built upon it.
We can’t let this happen again.
