Flightline 55 - December 22, 2025

Alaska Airlines (AS) is adding a handful of new routes from Anchorage (ANC) next June: 2x weekly on June 10 to Boise, Idaho (BOI) and Spokane, Wash. (GEG); Saturdays to Boston (BOS) from June 13. Additionally, Alaska will add three new routes from Portland, Ore. (PDX) as well: daily to Bellingham, Wash. (BLI) on March 18, as well as daily to Everett, Wash. (PAE), and 2x daily to Pasco, Wash. (PSC) on June 10.

Volotea (V7) is adding a 2x weekly French sector from Bordeaux (BOD) to Montpellier (MPL) on November 6, 2026.

Mexico’s Volaris (Y4) will add 2x weekly service from Guadalajara (GDL) to Raleigh, N.C. (RDU) on June 10. This route will be flown by Airbus A320 equipment.

Spotters in Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) will be pleased to see Lufthansa (LH) add the Boeing 787-9 on its daily run from Frankfurt (FRA) on September 1. This route has been served by Airbus A330s and A340s seemingly forever.

Fiji Airways (FJ) will add a 3x weekly sector from Nadi (NAN) to Coolangatta, Australia (OOL) on June 11. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 is rostered on this one.

🦘 Moving south to Victoria, Finnair (FY) is set to add a daily flight from Helsinki (HEL) to Melbourne (MEL), with a stop in Bangkok (BKK), on October 26. An Airbus A350-900 is scheduled for this route, which makes Finnair the third European carrier flying to Australia after British Airways (BA) and Turkish Airlines (TK).

Air Serbia (JU) is adding three new routes from Belgrade (BEG) next year:

Mexicana (XN) is adding 4x weekly flights from Santa Lucia (NLU) to Los Cabos (SJD) on January 12. This route will be operated by Embraer E195/E2 equipment.

Wizz Air (W6) will add several new routes in 2026:

Hilo, Hawaii (ITO) will gain its only flight to the U.S. mainland when Southwest Airlines (WN) starts 3x weekly service to Las Vegas (LAS) on August 6. You will not be surprised to learn this route will be flown by Boeing 737 equipment.

Spanish discounter Vueling (VY) is adding several new routes next year, including a rare ULCC sector into London Heathrow (LHR):

Alaska Airlines will add a 2x weekly seasonal sector from Portland, Ore. to Jackson Hole, Wyo. (JAC) on June 10, with flights concluding at the end of September.

China Southern Airlines (CZ) will run a 4x weekly sector from Wuhan (WUH) to Bangkok in February. A Boeing 737-800 will handle the workload on this one.

🍺 JetBlue Airways (B6) is adding two more spring break routes, with 5x weekly flights to Destin, Fla. (VPS) from Boston and New York Kennedy (JFK). Service is set to operate from March 5 through April 27 on Airbus A220-300 equipment.

Air Serbia has also added a trio of seasonal flights to its schedule from Belgrade:

American has also added a handful of seasonal routes next summer, with one mainline and the rest under the American Eagle brand:

Jet2 has also added a handful of winter ski routes from London Gatwick to its schedule:

Air Transat (TS) is adding several summer seasonal routes to its schedule next year:

Our seasonal updates continue with Wizz Air as well:

Discover Airlines (4Y) is adding 2x weekly flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to Bodø, Norway (BOO) on May 23, 2026. This addition is another in the carrier’s recent Nordic expansion. While Bodø is a summer addition from Frankfurt, they also recently launched a winter seasonal service to Alta (ALF) to capture the Northern Lights season.

Volotea is beefing up its winter expansion to the Canary Islands, designed to capture "winter sun" demand from regional French airports with weekly flights from November 7:

Air France (AF) will pause flights from Paris deGaulle (CDG) to Manila, Philippines (MNL) from May 4 through October 12.

Air India (AI) will end flights from Bengaluru (BLR) and Mumbai (BOM) to San Francisco (SFO) at the end of February. The move comes as the leases on Air India’s Boeing 777-200/LRs come to a close at that time. The closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines has also made these routes difficult to operate cost effectively.

Avianca (AV) is ending two U.S. routes in January: San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) to New York Kennedy (JKF), and San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) to Washington Dulles (IAD).

LATAM (LA) is ending four routes from Lima, Peru (LIM) at the end of March:

LOT Polish Airlines (LO) will throw in the towel on its Warsaw Chopin (WAW) to Mumbai, India (BOM) service, with the last flights set for March 25.

WestJet (WS) is taking a break on its Edmonton (YEG) to Atlanta (ATL) run, with flights deferred from New Year’s Eve through early April.

🇲🇹 9H-WMQ, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air Malta (W4) on December 19, 2025.

🇲🇾 9M-CAB, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to AirAsia (AK) on December 19, 2025.

🇸🇬 9V-MBT, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Singapore Airlines (SQ) on December 17, 2025.

🇸🇬 9V-NCM, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Scoot (TR) on December 19, 2025.

🇦🇪 A6-EXN, an Airbus A350-941, was delivered to Emirates (EK) on December 19, 2025.

🇦🇪 A6-XWL, an Airbus A350-1041, was delivered to Etihad Airways (EY) on December 20, 2025.

🇶🇦 A7-BDE, an Airbus A320-251neo, was delivered to Qatar Airways (QR) on December 18, 2025.

🇹🇼 B-18123, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to China Airlines (CI) on December 19, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-226H, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to China Southern Airlines on December 20, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-227R, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Donghai Airlines (DZ) on December 19, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-32NR, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Lucky Air (8L) on December 18, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-32PW, an Airbus A320-251neo, was delivered to Loong Air (GJ) on December 18, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-32QC, an Airbus A320-251neo, was delivered to Colorful Guizhou Airlines (GY) on December 19, 2025.

🇹🇼 B-58306, an Airbus A330-941, was delivered to STARLUX Airlines (JX) on December 17, 2025.

🇨🇳 B-KKQ, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to Hong Kong Express (UO) on December 18, 2025.

🇨🇱 CC-DOI, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to JetSMART (JA) on December 18, 2025.

🇲🇦 CN-RHL, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Royal Air Maroc (AT) on December 18, 2025.

🇩🇪 D-ABPP, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to Lufthansa on December 21, 2025.

🇩🇪 D-AMAF, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to TUIfly (X3) on December 17, 2025.

🇩🇪 D-ANCX, an Airbus A320-271neo, was delivered to Condor (DE) on December 20, 2025.

🇮🇹 EI-TEC, an Airbus A220-300, was delivered to ITA Airways (AZ) on December 19, 2025.

🇫🇷 F-HXSV, an Airbus A320-252neo, was delivered to Transavia France (TO) on December 19, 2025.

🇬🇧 G-TUPA, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to TUI Airways (BY) on December 19, 2025.

🇬🇧 G-TUPB, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to TUI Airways on December 19, 2025.

🇭🇺 HA-LDH, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air on December 19, 2025.

🇭🇺 HA-LDK, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air on December 19, 2025.

🇵🇦 HP-9815CMP, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Copa Airlines (CM) on December 19, 2025.

🇹🇭 HS-LWJ, a Boeing 737-9GP/ER(WL), was delivered to Thai Lion Air (SL) on December 18, 2025.

🇹🇭 HS-VZH, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to VietJetAir Thailand (VZ) on December 19, 2025.

🇲🇾 9M-MNO, an Airbus A330-941, was delivered to Malaysia Airlines (MH) on December 20, 2025.

🇺🇸 N17418, a Boeing 737-9 MAX, was delivered to United Airlines (UA) on December 19, 2025.

🇺🇸 N318UX, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to American Airlines on December 17, 2025.

🇺🇸 N3289J, an Airbus A220-300, was delivered to JetBlue (B6) on December 19, 2025.

🇺🇸 N790CK, a Boeing 777-36N/ER(SF), was delivered to Kalitta Air (K4) on December 21, 2025.

🇺🇸 N8987Q, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Southwest Airlines (WN) on December 19, 2025.

🇺🇸 N8988S, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Southwest Airlines on December 18, 2025.

🇺🇸 N8989L, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to Southwest Airlines on December 19, 2025.

🇳🇱 PH-YHR, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to Transavia (HV) on December 20, 2025.

🇵🇭 RP-C3510, an Airbus A350-1041, was delivered to Philippine Airlines (PR) on December 19, 2025. This is the first A350 in the Philippine fleet.

🇵🇭 RP-C4148, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Cebu Pacific (5J) on December 20, 2025.

🇸🇪 SE-RSG, an Airbus A350-941, was delivered to SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) on December 20, 2025.

🇹🇷 TC-SLA, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, was delivered to SunExpress (XQ) on December 20, 2025.

🇺🇿 UK32112, an Airbus A321-253neo XLR, was delivered to Qanot Sharq Airlines (HH) on December 20, 2025.

🇦🇺 VH-4XK, an Airbus A320-300, was delivered to National Jet Systems (NC) on December 22, 2025. Painted in QantasLink livery.

🇮🇳 VT-NHJ, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to IndiGo (6E) on December 19, 2025.

🇮🇳 VT-NHP, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to IndiGo on December 20, 2025.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is preparing to strip collective bargaining rights from its airport screeners effective January 11, 2026, a move that would invalidate the current union contract covering roughly 47,000 screeners (officially called ‘Officers’) and end automatic payroll deductions for union dues. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Secretary Kristi Noem argues that collective bargaining is “incompatible” with TSA’s national security mission, but the effort comes despite a federal judge blocking an earlier attempt this year to dissolve the contract and is being challenged in court by the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents the screeners. AFGE and labor leaders have condemned the renewed push as an illegal act of union busting and are vowing to fight the policy in court and in Congress. This is the second significant attempt by the Trump administration to eliminate union rights at TSA, echoing earlier moves in 2025 to rescind collective bargaining across federal agencies that were blocked by injunctions and legislative action. 

The adult daughter of Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X that TSA is “an unconstitutional agency that isn’t even good at its job. The ‘golden age of transportation’ cannot begin until the TSA is gone.” She later added that if TSA was under DOT and not DHS, her father would “radically limit it and lobby Congress to abolish it.”

A routine security screening at Delhi (DEL) reportedly turned violent after an argument broke out between a passenger traveling with his family and an off-duty Air India Express (IX) pilot over alleged line jumping at a priority security lane. According to the passenger’s account and photos shared online, the dispute escalated from verbal insults to a physical altercation that left him visibly injured in front of his wife and young children. The passenger also alleged he was pressured to sign a statement agreeing not to pursue the incident so his family could proceed with their flight. Air India Express confirmed the pilot, who was seen with a bloody shirt, has been removed from duty pending an internal investigation and said it is cooperating with authorities, while local police and aviation officials are reviewing the incident.

In a major shake-up for Latin American aviation, Mexico’s two dominant low-cost carriers, Volaris (Y4) and Viva (VB), officially announced an agreement on December 18, 2025, to merge into a single powerhouse entity called the Mexican Airline Group. This deal is explicitly modeled after Europe’s International Airlines Group (IAG), meaning that while they will combine ownership at the holding-company level, both Volaris and Viva will retain their individual brands, separate operating certificates, and independent commercial identities. Structured as a "merger of equals," the new group will be split 50/50 between the existing shareholders of both companies, with Viva Aerobus shareholders receiving newly issued shares in the Volaris holding company, which will remain listed on the Mexican and New York stock exchanges.

The formation of this group creates a domestic titan that effectively ends the long-standing three-way rivalry between Volaris, Viva, and the flag carrier AeroMexico (AM). By joining forces, the two airlines aim to leverage massive economies of scale, particularly since both operate exclusive, modern fleets of Airbus A320-family aircraft. The goal is to drive down aircraft ownership and maintenance costs, optimize their combined point-to-point networks, and improve financial resilience against global supply chain issues. While the merger is expected to close in 2026, it still faces significant scrutiny from Mexican antitrust regulators, who will have to determine if this new "duopoly" between the new group and AeroMexico serves the best interests of the traveling public.

Basic Economy class tickets on American Airlines no longer earn AAdvantage members miles or Loyalty Points.

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reported a third-quarter 2025 after-tax net income of $1.6 billion and a pre-tax operating profit of $2.7 billion. One year earlier, in the third quarter of 2024, the airlines reported an after-tax net income of $2.1 billion and a pre-tax operating profit of $3.1 billion.

Air Canada Rouge (RV) is set to begin scheduled service with its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the first quarter of 2026. The introduction of the MAX 8 will modernize the airline’s narrowbody fleet, offering improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared with older aircraft. The move supports Air Canada Rouge’s strategy to enhance its network and operating performance using newer, more cost-effective technology.

Boeing has formally asked the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a waiver of upcoming airplane emissions regulations slated to take effect in 2028 so it can sell an additional 35 Boeing 777F freighter jets that otherwise would not meet the new standards. The company says strong customer demand for large cargo aircraft and a delay in the certification of its next-generation 777-8 Freighter, which is designed to comply with the rules and won’t enter service until after the regulations kick in, justify the exemption request. Boeing argues that the 777F is currently the most fuel-efficient large widebody freighter in production and crucial to global trade, estimating that not selling the extra jets could hinder its ability to meet demand and affect U.S. export value. Boeing is seeking regulatory approval by May 1, 2026. 

Taiwan’s China Airlines (CI) has ordered five additional Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, expanding its total commitment for the type to 15 jets. The follow-on order builds on an earlier deal announced in 2025 and will support the flag carrier’s long-haul fleet renewal strategy, complementing its existing A350-900 fleet while improving fuel efficiency and capacity on key international routes.