Flightline Briefing 72 - February 23, 2026

🇲🇦 CN-RHN, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Royal Air Maroc (AT) on February 19.

🇩🇪 D-ABPL, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to Lufthansa (LH) on February 19.

🇹🇭 HS-TOB, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered to Thai Airways (TG) on February 19.

🇺🇸 N17435, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, was delivered to United Airlines (UA) on February 18.

🇺🇸 N17437, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, was delivered to United Airlines on February 20.

🇺🇸 N319VF, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to American Airlines (AA) on February 18.

🇺🇸 N605DN, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered to Delta Air Lines (DL) on February 21.

🇺🇸 N675FR, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered to Frontier Airlines on February 18.

🇺🇸 N8994Q, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Southwest Airlines on February 19.

🇩🇰 OY-JYH, a Boeing 737-8JP(WL), was delivered to Jettime (JO) on February 18.

🇹🇷 TC-OHL, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to AJet (VF) on February 18.

🇹🇷 TC-OHM, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to AJet on February 19.

🇹🇷 TC-OHU, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to AJet on February 18.

🇹🇷 TC-RFV, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered to Pegasus (PC) on February 20.

🇦🇺 VH-OGD, an Airbus A321neo XLR, was delivered to Qantas (QF) on February 21.

🇩🇪 D-AILY, an Airbus A319-114 with Lufthansa, was withdrawn from use (wfu) and ferried on Ferbuary 18 to Teruel, Spain (TEV) for part-out and scrap.

🇮🇳 VT-MLE, an Airbus A320-214 with Air India Express (IX), was wfu and ferried on February 20 to Teesside, England (MME) for part-out and scrap.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sparked widespread travel industry backlash this weekend after a chaotic, short-lived attempt to suspend TSA PreCheck services. Late Saturday, DHS announced it would halt both PreCheck and Global Entry to "refocus personnel on the general population" amid the ongoing funding lapse. However, following a fierce outcry from major carriers and industry groups like Airlines for America, the agency partially reversed course on Sunday morning. TSA PreCheck remains operational for now, though the agency warned that lanes may still close on a "case-by-case basis" if staffing shortages become acute. Conversely, the suspension of Global Entry appears to be holding; Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially paused new enrollments and in-person interviews, and travelers are reporting that dedicated Global Entry lanes at several major hubs have been shuttered to bolster general processing.

TSA employees, including screeners, Inspectors, and other personnel, are now on their 52nd cumulative day working without pay since October 1. As you will recall, the federal government was shut down for 43 days from October 1 through November 12, followed by a four day lapse from January 31 through February 3. The current DHS funding lapse began on February 14 and remains ongoing. Over 1,100 screeners departed TSA during that 43 day shutdown.

Commercial aviation in Western Mexico has ground to a halt following a massive wave of cartel-linked violence triggered by a federal military operation that reportedly killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the CJNG. Both Guadalajara (GDL) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) have officially suspended operations after cartel "narco-blockades"—consisting of burning buses and trucks—rendered airport access roads impassable. The situation reached a breaking point at Guadalajara (GDL), where gunmen reportedly attempted to storm the facility. Viral videos from the terminal show harrowing scenes of passengers and staff hiding under check-in counters and fleeing across the active ramp to escape gunfire. Major carriers including American Airlines , United Airlines, and WestJet (WS) have issued urgent travel waivers and cancelled all flights into the region, as a "Code Red" security alert remains in effect across the state of Jalisco.

A DOT OIG report has slammed the FAA’s oversight of United Airlines maintenance following a string of safety incidents. The audit found that the FAA is severely hampered by staffing shortages and "inadequate resources," leading inspectors to conduct risky virtual inspections instead of onsite visits. Additionally, the FAA has failed to train inspectors on how to access and analyze United’s Safety Management System (SMS) data, leaving critical safety gaps unaddressed and five oversight recommendations open since 2019. The OIG issued six new recommendations to fix these systemic staffing and data failures.

Boeing opened 2026 with a strong delivery performance, handing over 46 commercial aircraft in January, more than double the output of its rival Airbus for the month. The tally was led by narrowbody production, with 37 Boeing 737 MAX jets delivered, while the widebody side included five Boeing 787s alongside several 777s and a 767. The January total represents one of Boeing’s highest delivery counts for that month historically and underscores the company’s ongoing recovery in production and delivery execution amid strong market demand. Boeing also logged 103 net new orders in January, reflecting robust appetite for its aircraft across global airlines and lessors. 

🇨🇳 In 2025, China's aviation landscape reached historic milestones across its major hubs, led by Guangzhou (CAN), which officially became the country's busiest airport with a record 83,587,749 passengers, a feat bolstered by the commissioning of Terminal 3 and its five-runway configuration. The Shanghai Hubs also demonstrated immense scale as Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) combined for over 135 million passengers, with Hongqiao notably surpassing the 50 million mark for the first time. Meanwhile, Beijing Capital (PEK) maintained its position as a premier global gateway, recording 70.76 million passengers and a steady five percent growth rate, while the Chengdu Hub solidified its status as an aviation powerhouse with Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) and Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) handling a combined 90.1 million passengers.

European planemaker Airbus closed 2025 with 793 commercial aircraft delivered globally, up slightly from 766 the year before, including A220, A320 Family, A330 and A350 types. The company secured 1,000 gross orders during the year, translating to 889 net orders after cancellations, keeping its book-to-bill ratio above one and leaving a record backlog of 8,754 aircraft at year-end. Airbus reported €73.4 billion in consolidated revenue and €6.1 billion in adjusted EBIT, reflecting overall financial strength amid ongoing supply-chain and engine-delivery challenges. Demand remained broad, with new customers and repeat business across single-aisle and wide-body segments, although production constraints persist in certain programs. 

In 2025, ATR reported a year of robust commercial performance and strategic stabilization, generating $1.2 billion in total revenues. The manufacturer secured a gross order intake of 60 aircraft from nine customers, resulting in 50 net orders and a backlog exceeding 160 units by year-end. Key commitments included 19 ATR 72-600s for UNI Air (B7) and 16 for Air Algérie (AH). While supply chain disruptions limited deliveries to 32 aircraft, the company successfully reduced part shortages to one-third of their early-2025 levels and welcomed 19 new operators to its global ecosystem. Looking ahead, ATR is targeting a 20% increase in production for 2026, supported by improvements to its Final Assembly Line and the launch of the HERACLES and DEMETRA hybrid-electric research programs.

American Airlines has done up N844NN, a Boeing 737-823, with temporary 2026 World Cup decals.

Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer have exchanged an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) in India for the E175 regional jet, marking a major advancement in India's Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) program. The partnership aims to create a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem including aircraft manufacturing, supply chain development, MRO services, and pilot training. While the Adani Group is currently scouting potential sites, with Dholera in Gujarat emerging as the frontrunner, Embraer indicated that the FAL’s immediate viability depends on securing firm orders for at least 200 aircraft from Indian carriers. EDITOR’S NOTE: Currently, only Star Air (S5) operates the E175 in India as a commercial airline. While the major carriers like IndiGo and Air India dominate the domestic market, they have historically preferred Airbus and Boeing narrow-bodies or ATR turboprops for their regional operations.

WestJet has confirmed a strategic adjustment to its fleet expansion plans, converting six of its Boeing 737-10 orders into two Boeing 787-9s. This move increases the airline's firm widebody order book to nine aircraft, with four additional options remaining, effectively positioning the carrier to operate a total fleet of up to 20 787s. Alongside this fleet swap, WestJet announced that its upcoming 737-10 aircraft will be equipped with four lavatories instead of the originally planned three, a decision made in response to feedback regarding passenger comfort and operational needs. While the final cabin configuration for the 737-10 remains pending certification, the airline has already adjusted the planned seating capacity to 199 to accommodate these interior enhancements.

Kazakhstan’s flag carrier Air Astana (KC) has finalized a major Boeing 787 order, converting its previous commitment into a firm deal for up to 15 Boeing 787-9 aircraft consisting of 5 firm jets, 5 options, and 5 purchase rights as part of its largest single aircraft purchase in history. With three additional 787-9s coming via lease arrangements, the airline’s total 787 fleet could grow to up to 18 787s. Deliveries of the newly ordered jets are expected to begin in the early 2030s, between 2032 and 2035, positioning Air Astana to modernize its widebody fleet and support expansion of long-haul services across Asia, Europe and beyond. The 787s are intended to replace older wide-bodies and underpin new long-haul routes with improved fuel efficiency, range, and passenger experience. 

In a significant move to stabilize the South American aviation market, Azul Brazilian Airlines (AD) has secured over $300 million in new capital to accelerate its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This financial lifeline is anchored by a rare joint investment from American Airlines and United Airlines, with each carrier injecting $100 million to protect their vital feeder network in Brazil. United is finalizing its contribution via an Equity Rights Offering expected to settle on 20 February 2026, while the warrant-based investment from American remains subject to approval by Brazil's antitrust regulator, CADE. An additional $100 million provided by existing creditors brings the total injection to over $300 million, ensuring the operational viability of Azul’s 150-destination network centered at its Viracopos (VCP) hub. This strategic "co-opetition" between the two US majors underscores the importance of Azul Brazilian Airlines in maintaining regional connectivity and supporting international traffic flow to Florida and Europe as the carrier modernizes its fleet of Embraer E2 and Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Air France-KLM (AF/KL) achieved a record operating result of €2.0 billion for the 2025 fiscal year, underpinned by a surge in demand for high-end travel and disciplined cost management. Total revenues for the group reached €33.007 billion, reflecting a 4.9 percent increase year-over-year, while passenger traffic surpassed the 100-million mark for the first time since the market reconfiguration. The group's "premiumization" strategy was central to this success, with premium cabins—including La Première, Business, and Premium—accounting for 36.2 percent of total passenger turnover. Beyond financial gains, the group accelerated its fleet modernization, with next-generation aircraft like the Airbus A350 and A321neo now making up 35 percent of the total fleet and providing up to 25 percent better fuel efficiency. Looking ahead to 2026, Air France-KLM expects a capacity increase of three to five percent and plans to take a 60.5 percent majority stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SK) during the second half of the year, further consolidating its presence in the Northern European market.

The FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have issued initial qualification certificates for the first Boeing 777-9 flight simulator, a critical milestone as Boeing prepares for the type's entry into service. Developed in partnership with CAE and located at Boeing’s Gatwick training campus, the simulator will now be used by regulators to validate training courseware before customer airlines begin pilot instruction. The 777-9 flight deck emphasizes commonality with the 787, featuring touchscreen displays, dual head-up displays, and dedicated controls for the aircraft’s signature folding wingtips. With the first production flight of the 777X expected in April, Boeing remains hopeful for a delivery to launch customer Lufthansa in early 2027.

🏛️ The 2025 Lobbying Audit: Lets take a closer look at how much various U.S. airlines paid for their various lobbying efforts in 2025. All told, the total was over $17 million.

A 40-year-old passenger on a recent Etihad Airways (EY) flight from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Washington Dulles (IAD) faces up to 20 years in federal prison after allegedly assaulting crew members during the 15-hour journey. According to court documents, Sophiyaa Sahu engaged in a 30-minute volatile outburst mid-flight, which included screaming obscenities and kicking a flight attendant in the hip while he was conducting meal service. Although the crew prepared a restraint kit, the situation stabilized for the remainder of the flight; however, the traveler was taken into federal custody by the FBI upon landing on February 13. The defendant now faces charges of assault and interference with flight crew members.