Flightline Briefing 63 - January 22, 2026

A Canadian man has been charged in federal court after allegedly posing as an airline pilot to obtain free flights on multiple carriers, including two ticketed segments on Hawaiian Airlines (HA) in 2024 and at times even requesting cockpit jump-seat access without any valid pilot credentials. Prosecutors say he used fabricated employee identification and false employment claims to exploit internal crew travel systems over several years, leading to his arrest in Honolulu and wire fraud charges that could carry decades in prison. The case highlights potential gaps in how airlines verify crew status across interconnected verification platforms, prompting wider questions about internal security controls. 

Julius Priester, 25, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced Tuesday by a U.S. District Judge to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine for assaulting a crew member on a flight from Hartford, Conn. (BDL) last year.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, Priester was a passenger on an American Airlines (AA) flight that departed from Hartford at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago O’Hare (ORD). Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.” He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground.  Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of another flight attendant, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements. The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Hartford. After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.

Priester was detained in federal custody until July 8, 2025, when he was released on bond. On October 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to interference with flight crew members and attendants.

🇬🇧 🇫🇷 A tip of the Stetson to the now-retired Concorde, which entered revenue service with British Airways (BA) and Air France (AF) 50 years ago yesterday. Only 14 Concordes ever flew in commercial service before the supersonic jet retired in 2003. One interesting tidbit: Concorde’s cabin was about four inches narrower than that of today’s Embraer E175 and E190.

A new 2026 Airline Water Study from the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity analyzed more than 35,000 onboard water samples from 10 major and 11 regional airlines collected over three years to assess compliance with the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule and basic safety metrics. The findings show wide variation in water quality at cruising altitude, with Delta Air Lines (DL) and Frontier Airlines (F9) earning the highest safety scores and carriers like American and JetBlue Airways (B6) scoring poorly. The report warns that tap water used for coffee, tea, and handwashing may not consistently meet health standards on many flights and recommends passengers opt for sealed bottled water and use hand sanitizer instead of lavatory tap water. EDITOR’S NOTE: Another study could be made about tray tables after they are all “cleaned” at night with the same damp rag. Upgrade your subscription to see the report card and more exclusive data throughout the year.

The four largest U.S. airlines - American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines (WN), and United Airlines (UA) - will use 16 billion gallons of fuel this year. That gas bill will come in at $38-40 billion this year.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has placed a firm order for nine Boeing 787-9s, a move announced jointly with Boeing on January 20, 2026, that underscores the carrier’s long-haul expansion plans and rising global travel demand. The deal, finalized alongside an 11-jet 737 MAX commitment in December 2025, adds to Ethiopian’s existing widebody fleet and reinforces its position as Africa’s largest operator of Boeing airplanes. The carrier plans to deploy the new 787-9s across its intercontinental network to Europe, Asia and North America. Officials have not disclosed the purchase price in public filings or the release.

October 2025 airline performance metrics are available below. Upgrade your subscription to see this and more data throughout the year.

Weight loss drugs could deliver a meaningful cost benefit for airlines, with some industry analysts estimating annual fuel savings approaching $600 million if passenger weight trends continue to shift. The growing use of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy is gradually reducing average passenger weights, which in turn lowers aircraft fuel burn, particularly on long-haul and high-frequency routes where small per-flight savings compound quickly. While the impact per flight is marginal, airlines operate tens of millions of sectors each year, making weight reduction a surprisingly material efficiency lever alongside newer aircraft, aerodynamic improvements, and optimized flight planning.

One year after the integration of Apple’s "Find My" Share Item Location technology with SITA WorldTracer, SITA reports a transformative impact on global baggage operations. By allowing passengers to securely share AirTag location data directly with airlines, the partnership has successfully reduced the number of "permanently lost" bags by 90 percent and decreased recovery times for delayed luggage by 26 percent. Currently, 29 airlines have adopted this integration within WorldTracer, which is utilized at more than 2,800 airports worldwide. As the industry faces rising passenger volumes in 2026, this collaboration highlights how connecting consumer-grade tracking technology with aviation infrastructure provides airlines with unprecedented clarity, ultimately building passenger confidence and creating more resilient baggage recovery workflows.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted a Foreign Air Carrier Permit to South Korea’s Parata Air (WE). The carrier was previously known as Fly Gangwon, and is looking to start U.S. flights from Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Las Vegas (LAS) and Los Angeles with its two Airbus A330-200s. No dates or frequencies have yet been announced.

2025 Norwegian airport passenger totals are available below. Upgrade your subscription to see this and more data throughout the year. Monday’s issue will cover Turkish airports.

Air Charter Service (ACS) recently managed a high-stakes animal rescue mission in early 2026, utilizing a Boeing 747 freighter to transport 50 tons of animals from Bangkok (BKK) to a sanctuary in India. Coordinated by ACS Singapore with less than two weeks' notice, the operation required rapid permit approvals and the transport of a diverse group of rescues, including zebras, sloths, wallabies, hawks, pacas, and raccoons. To ensure the safety of the sensitive cargo, the animals were housed in specialized enclosures and accompanied by a team of veterinarians for constant monitoring. An ACS representative oversaw the entire process from loading to arrival in Ahmedabad (AMD), ensuring the successful delivery of the animals to their new conservation home. One zebra, who declined to give his name, stated that he was “more nervous” about possibly encountering a lion on the enclosed plane than he was with taking his first flight. “One can never let their guard down. I’ve lost several friends to those beasts over the years.”

Air cargo on-time performance weakened in 2025, with carriers reporting more frequent delivery delays across key global trade lanes as tariff shifts, capacity imbalances and regulatory changes disrupted traditional schedules and reliability benchmarks. Operators and forwarders linked the drop in punctuality to adjustments in cargo capacity deployment and shifting demand patterns, underscoring broader industry headwinds even as overall freight volumes finished the year with modest growth. Slower e-commerce flows and ongoing supply chain pressures are expected to keep punctuality metrics under strain heading into 2026.

On Sunday, January 18, 2026, a Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) flight traveling from Malaga (AGP) to Oslo (OSL) was the scene of a physical altercation between two male passengers in their twenties. The dispute reportedly began over a disagreement regarding the window seat, despite both men being part of the same travel group. The situation escalated to the point where cabin crew and the aircraft captain were required to physically intervene to separate the individuals. Upon landing at Oslo, the aircraft was met by police on the tarmac. One of the men was subsequently charged with violating aviation laws, including endangering the safety of the flight and resisting authority.

A United Airlines Airbus A321neo (N145092) operating from Chicago O’Hare to Orlando (MCO) on Sunday suffered a dramatic landing event when one of its nose wheels detached upon touchdown at Orlando. Eyewitness video shows the aircraft making a hard, uneven touchdown under gusty conditions, with the nose gear separating and rolling clear of the runway before the aircraft came to a safe stop. All 200 passengers and six crew onboard were unharmed, and they were transported to the terminal by bus after the jet was removed from service for inspection. The FAA and airline teams are reviewing the incident to determine whether weather, landing dynamics, or mechanical stress contributed to the wheel failure.