Flightline Briefing 67 - February 5, 2026

🇲🇹 9H-WMT, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air Malta (W4) on February 3, 2026.

🇸🇬 9V-OJK, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to Scoot (TR) on February 3, 2026.

🇨🇳 B-228C, a Boeing 777-F, was delivered to China Cargo Airlines (CK) on February 1, 2026.

🇨🇦 C-GMIY, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Air Canada (AC) on February 3, 2026.

🇭🇺 HA-LDM, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air on February 4, 2026.

🇨🇭 HB-IFB, an Airbus A350-941, was delivered to Swiss (LX) on February 4, 2026.

🇰🇷 HL8594, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Jeju Air (7C) on February 4, 2026.

🇺🇸 N17422, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, was delivered to United Airlines on February 3, 2026.

🇺🇸 N17427, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, was delivered to United Airlines on February 1, 2026.

🇺🇸 N54570, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to United Airlines on February 3, 2026.

🇺🇸 N915UP, a Boeing 767-300F, was delivered to United Parcel Service (5X) on February 3, 2026.

🇪🇬 SU-BWB, an Airbus A320-214(WL), was delivered to Air Cairo (SM) on February 3, 2026.

🇬🇧 G-EUOE, an Airbus A319-111 with British Airways (BA), was withdrawn from use (wfu) and ferried on January 28 to Cotswold, England (GBA) for part-out and scrap.

CATSA screeners at the 17 largest airports in Canada saw a 5.8 percent annual increase in passenger traffic in January, screening 5,147,334 passengers.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners cleared 65,860,911 passengers last month, just .2 percent above January 2025’s totals.

United Airlines plans to replace the Boeing 737-800 with Boeing 737 MAX 8s on all Micronesia and intra-Asian flights by early December.

For readers who are interested in knowing which United Express aircraft presently are equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi, someone has created a very nice spreadsheet laying out which aircraft have been upgraded. Click here to review. I read elsewhere online that it typically just takes eight hours or so to get an aircraft equipped with Starlink.

In a significant strategic maneuver at Chicago O'Hare, United Airlines has agreed to pay $30.2 million to acquire Spirit Airlines' (NK) final two preferential gates, G12 and G14. This acquisition, disclosed in bankruptcy court filings on February 4, 2026, follows a similar move by American Airlines, which purchased Spirit’s other two O'Hare gates for $30 million in December 2025. For Spirit, currently navigating its second Chapter 11 restructuring, the sale provides critical liquidity to pay down debtor-in-possession loans as it shifts its remaining Chicago operations to common-use gates. For United, the deal is widely viewed as a defensive play to block American from further expanding its footprint in Terminal 3, effectively "drawing a line in the sand" as the two legacy carriers battle for dominance in the Chicagoland market.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector, Paul Asmus, has filed a $12.75 million lawsuit against United Airlines, alleging that the carrier orchestrated a "character assassination" campaign after he reported a safety violation while flying off-duty. According to the complaint filed in early February 2026, the incident began on a May 2022 flight when Asmus photographed a torn seatback pocket, arguing it impaired access to the mandatory safety briefing card. United allegedly accused him of being combative and disruptive, all of which led to his removal from the aircraft, a lifetime travel ban, and a demand for over $3,000 in restitution for the gate return. The lawsuit further claims that United's reports to the FAA led to Asmus being stripped of his oversight duties (which included United’s Boeing 737 MAX fleet) though a Department of Transportation judge has since dismissed the airline’s claims of interference as "not credible."

Continuing on with United, here is what the airline projects its fleet will look like by the end of the year:

The Lufthansa Group has announced a major partnership with Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi across its entire fleet of more than 850 aircraft, making it the service's largest airline customer in Europe. The rollout is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026 and will eventually include all group carriers, such as Lufthansa (LH), Swiss, Austrian Airlines (OS), Brussels Airlines (SN), and ITA Airways. Unlike some competitors, the Lufthansa Group intends to offer the service free of charge to all passengers across every travel class, positioning itself as a global leader in gate-to-gate connectivity behind only United Airlines in total fleet size.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) has outlined plans to resume long-haul service between Harare (HRE) and London Gatwick (LGW) from around June 2026, marking a potential return to the UK market after more than a decade. While local reporting has suggested the use of two Boeing 777 aircraft previously acquired from Malaysia Airlines, those aircraft have never entered commercial service and are widely expected to be disposed of as part of the carrier’s ongoing restructuring. Instead, current indications point toward Air Zimbabwe leasing a widebody aircraft to support the route, with the Harare–London market viewed as commercially attractive due to sustained diaspora and business demand. As of now, no schedules, frequencies, or aircraft assignments have appeared in global timetable systems, and the June 2026 launch timeline remains aspirational and dependent on fleet, regulatory, and financial milestones being met.

In a significant move to bolster accident investigations, the FAA has issued a final rule requiring cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) on all newly manufactured aircraft to capture at least 25 hours of data. This mandate effectively replaces the previous 2-hour minimum, ensuring that critical audio evidence is preserved even during long-haul flights or in instances where power isn't immediately cut following an incident. By aligning U.S. regulations with international standards, the FAA aims to provide investigators with a more comprehensive look at the flight deck environment, ultimately leading to better safety recommendations and the prevention of future mishaps. This transition is set to begin for aircraft manufactured starting in 2027.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a formal demand for Air India (AI) to explain a recent safety incident involving a Boeing 787-8 that departed London Heathrow (LHR) with a potentially faulty fuel control switch. According to reports from February 4, 2026, the crew of flight AI132 noticed the switch failed to remain locked in the "RUN" position during engine start on February 1, 2026, but elected to proceed to Bengaluru (BLR) after it stabilized on the third attempt. The CAA has warned of possible regulatory action against the airline’s 787 fleet if a "comprehensive root-cause analysis" and preventive action plan are not submitted within one week. This scrutiny is intensified by the memory of a fatal Air India 787 crash in June 2025, where fuel switches were also a central focus of the investigation. While Air India claims a subsequent fleet-wide inspection of its 33 787s found no further issues, the UK regulator is seeking a detailed account of the maintenance actions that allowed the aircraft to be released for service despite the initial defect.

2025 German airport passenger totals are available below.

In a significant development at the Singapore Airshow on Tuesday, Air Cambodia (K6) finalized its first-ever agreement with Boeing for up to 20 737-8 MAX jets. The deal, valued at approximately $2.4 billion at list prices, consists of 10 firm orders and options for an additional 10 aircraft. This capital investment marks the largest narrowbody purchase in the carrier's history and is a cornerstone of its fleet modernization strategy, aimed at reducing operating costs through a 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions. The Phnom Penh-based (PNH) airline will utilize the 737 MAX’s 3,500-nautical-mile range to launch new direct services and bolster high-demand routes across North and Southeast Asia, specifically targeting markets in China, India, and Japan.

Lufthansa is currently painting D-AISZ, an Airbus A321-231, in this retro Starline livery. It differs slightly from an earlier version that appeared on a handful of Airbus A321s. Meanwhile, Air India has painted VT-TNS, an Airbus A320-251neo, in a scheme harking back to the 1970s and 1980s “Palace in the Sky” design. However, this example departs from that look on the tail, instead featuring the historic Maharaja Centaur. We will try and get these into our typical Flightline graphic style in the near future.

LATAM Airlines Group (LA) has reported fiscal year 2025 financial results that significantly exceeded market expectations, consolidating its position following its late 2023 exit from Chapter 11 restructuring. The Santiago-based group posted a net income of $1.46 billion on total revenues of $14.27 billion, representing a nearly 50 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase in profits and an 11 percent rise in top-line revenue. Performance was particularly robust in the fourth quarter (Q4), where EBITDA reached $1.13 billion (a 30.4 percent YoY jump) surpassing analyst forecasts of $1.11 billion. This financial surge was driven by sustained passenger demand across South America and a strengthened balance sheet, allowing the carrier to navigate regional headwinds such as fuel price volatility and currency fluctuations. Moving into 2026 LATAM intends to use its stabilized financial position to balance aggressive regional growth with continued cost discipline across its extensive narrowbody and widebody network.

Cirium has issued a directional warning regarding softening transatlantic demand for the peak summer season, reporting a year-over-year (YoY) decline in advance bookings for July 2026. According to data compiled from GDS and OTA sources between October 2025 and January 2026, bookings from Europe to the U.S. have dropped 14.22 percent, while U.S. to Europe bookings are down 7.27 percent. Significant declines were noted in key hubs such as Frankfurt, which saw a 36 percent decrease in U.S.-bound bookings, as well as Amsterdam (AMS) and Paris (CDG). Despite the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26 taking place across North America, the data suggests a potential shift in traditional summer travel patterns. Only a few outliers showed resilience, including London Heathrow with a marginal one percent increase and Barcelona (BCN) seeing a five percent uptick in U.S.-originating bookings. While these figures represent a statistical sample rather than direct airline totals, they highlight a cooling trend in one of the industry's most lucrative long-haul sectors.

Qantas Airways (QF) has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to divest its entire 33.3 percent minority stake in Jetstar Japan (GK) to a consortium of Japanese investors, including the Development Bank of Japan. While the specific financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed in the February 3, 2026, announcement, Qantas confirmed the sale would have no material impact on its earnings. The move marks a complete strategic exit from the Japanese domestic market, following the closure of the Singapore-based Jetstar Asia (3K) in July 2025. This divestment allows the Qantas Group to refocus capital on its core Australian and New Zealand operations as it undergoes its largest-ever fleet renewal. Jetstar Japan will continue to operate under a full rebrand, set to be unveiled in October 2026, with the transition expected to be finalized by June 2027.

Tigerair Taiwan (IT) has finalized a purchase agreement with Airbus for four A321neo aircraft, marking the low-cost carrier’s first direct order for the larger narrow-body model. Announced at the Singapore Airshow on February 4, 2026, the deal is valued at approximately $576 million based on list prices. These aircraft will feature a high-density configuration of 232 seats, allowing the airline to increase capacity on its high-demand "golden routes.” The acquisition is a central component of Tigerair’s "third-generation" fleet expansion strategy, which aims to grow its total fleet to 30 aircraft by 2033. 2026.

$5 billion worth of air cargo was traded between the United States and its neighbors and largest trading partners, Mexico and Canada, in November. Of that total, $2.6 billion moved between the U.S. and Mexico, while the remaining $2.4 billion was traded between the U.S. and Canada.