TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jul 15, 2026

The Department of Justice (DOJ) argues in July 13 court filings that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may never weigh in on Metro Nashville's lawsuit demanding the agency settle which board controls Nashville International Airport. The Nashville Business Journal reports that the filings say that Metro is not entitled to an injunction over "hypothetical action" that the FAA has not taken. The lawsuit stems from a new Tennessee law that stripped Metro's exclusive control of the airport authority board on July 1 in favor of a state-majority panel — a shift Metro says triggers federal requirements the FAA is ignoring. The DOJ says the FAA will not recognize any board before July 27, though it is unclear if that timeline will hold. In related news, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is seeking standing in the case. Both the old and new airport boards were set to hold competing meetings today.