Flightline 17 for July 31, 2025

UPDATE: Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines (JX) will begin 3x weekly flights from Taipei (TPE) to Phoenix (PHX) on January 15. This Airbus A350-900 route will increase t0 a 4x weekly offering in March.

UPDATE: Southwest Airlines (WN) will open its new station at St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. (STT) on February 5 with a daily flight from Orlando (MCO). Flights to Baltimore (BWI) start on February 7.

Breeze Airways (MX) is tipped to open two new stations: Lincoln, Neb. (LNK) and Tri-Cities, Tenn. (TRI). These new stations are part of a new tranche of routes Breeze announced will begin soon, with dates and frequencies yet to be determined:

• Fort Myers, Fla. (RW) to Albany, N.Y. (ALB) and Rochester, N.Y. (ROC)

• Lincoln, Neb. to Orlando.

• Manchester, N.H. (MHT) to Myrtle Beach, S.C. (MYR)

• Raleigh, N.C. (RDU) to Porstmouth, N.H. (PSM)

• Tri-Cities, Tenn. to Orlando and Washington Dulles (IAD)

Allegiant Air (G4) will open a new station in Fort Myers, Fla. as it debuts seven new routes in mid-November:

• Fort Myers to Allentown, Pa. (ABE), Appleton, Wisc. (ATW), and Des Moines, Iowa (DSM)

• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Fort Wayne, Ind. (FWA)

• Gulf Shores, Ala. (GUF) to Nashville (BNA)

• Punta Gorda, Fla. (PGD) to New Orleans (MSY)

• Toledo, Ohio (TOL) to Sarasota, Fla. (SRQ)

UPDATE: Swiss (LX) will roster their new Airbus A350-900 on the Zurich (ZRH) to Boston (BOS) route 4x weekly from January 2.

Flair Airlines (F8) will begin 3x weekly service from Vancouver (YVR) and Toronto Pearson (YZ) to Mexico City (MEX) on October 27 and 28, respectively. Both routes will be flown by Boeing 737 MAX 8 equipment.

Sunrise Airways (S6) has pushed back the start of its weekly run from Cap-Haitien, Haiti (CAP) to Montreal Trudeau (YUL), with the route now set to start on November 1.

American Airlines (AA) will resume two trans-Atlantic routes earlier than originally planned, with Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Barcelona (BCN) returning on January 6 and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Madrid (MAD) on March 7. Both routes were originally set to begin their summer season in late March.

Air Algerie (AH) will run a weekly triangle service to Budapest, Hungary (BUD) from October 29. This route will operate on aN Algiers (ALG) - Budapest - Vienna (VIE) - Algiers sector, and be flown by Boeing 737-700 equipment.

Canada’s Air Transat (TS) will add weekly winter seasonal flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to Medellin (MDE), via Cartagena (CTG) on December 18. This route increase to twice weekly in mid-December. This flight will be operated by Airbus A321neo equipment.

Air India (AI) has suspended service from Amritsar (ATQ) and Goa (GOI) to London Gatwick (LGW) until at least mid-October. Flights from Delhi (DEL) to Nairobi (NBO) will pause from September 1 through October 25.

Saudia (SV) will suspend 3x weekly flights from Jeddah (JED) to Los Angeles (LAX) from September 6 through November 15, and again from January 22 through May 14.

LOT Polish Airlines (LO) has dropped plans for weekly seasonal flights from Warsaw (WAW) to Innsbruck, Austria (INN). This route had been planned to start in December.

LATAM Colombia (LA) will end flights from Cartagena to Medellin on October 25.

Spirit Airlines (NK) will end service from Raleigh, N.C. (RDU) to Baltimore (BWI) on August 10, and has also scrubbed plans to begin flights from “Charm City” to Nashville (BNA).

American Airlines (AA) has introduced its new One Stop Security (OSS) program at Dallas/Fort Worth’s (DFW) Terminal D gate D40 for select international travelers arriving from London Heathrow (LHR). Eligible passengers now clear U.S. customs at the arrival gate via biometric verification, allowing them to bypass baggage claim, TSA screening, and baggage recheck before proceeding directly to their connecting flight. Checked luggage is automatically transferred, and the process is expected to reduce connection times by more than half. This rollout marks the first implementation of OSS in the U.S. following a successful Heathrow pilot, and American plans to expand the program to additional U.S. hubs in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.K. Department for Transport.

An easyJet (U2) flight from London Luton (LTN) to Glasgow (GLA) on Sunday was forced to make an emergency landing after a 41‑year‑old male passenger shouted bomb threats (“I’m going to bomb the plane”), political slogans (“Death to America, Death to Trump”) and repeatedly yelled “Allahu Akbar.” The outburst caused panic mid‑air until fellow passengers subdued him and pinned him to the floor. Upon landing in Glasgow, authorities boarded the aircraft, arrested the man, and confirmed that no explosives were found. No injuries were reported, and investigators believe the incident was isolated. Counterterrorism officials are reviewing video evidence, while easyJet reaffirmed that crew responded swiftly and prioritized safety. 

Spirit Airlines announced on Monday that it will furlough approximately 270 pilots and downgrade an additional 140 captains to first officer roles, as the airline scales back its flight schedule amid continued financial pressure following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. The furloughs are set to begin November 1, with the demotions taking effect October 1. This marks the third round of pilot reductions since September 2024, prompting concern from the Air Line Pilots Association over the erosion of seniority and career progression for affected pilots. The carrier said the actions are necessary to improve efficiency and move toward profitability.

Monday was the busiest day at Brussels (BRU) in over five years, as the airport totaled some 92,000 passengers.

JetBlue Airways (B6) generated $2.4 billion in operating revenue during the second quarter of 2025, down about three percent year‑over‑year, while managing to record a modest operating margin of 0.3 percent (adjusted margin 1.3 percent) thanks to strong cost controls and improved demand. JetBlue reported a net loss of $74 million, or $0.21 per share, while the adjusted net loss narrowed to $58 million, or $0.16 per share, beating analyst forecasts. Unit revenue (RASM) declined 1.5 percent, better than guidance, while cost per available seat mile excluding fuel rose six percent, staying within expected ranges. Demand improved notably late in the quarter, particularly for bookings within 14 days and during peak periods.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) formally approved the Blue Sky collaboration between JetBlue and United, allowing the airlines to begin implementing the partnership in phases starting fall 2025. This collaboration enables reciprocal loyalty benefits: United’s MileagePlus members can now earn and redeem miles on most JetBlue flights, and JetBlue’s TrueBlue members can do the same on United-operated routes. Passengers will also have the flexibility to book flights from either airline via each carrier’s website or app, simplifying combined itineraries. Operationally, the alliance grants United access to up to seven daily round-trip New York Kennedy (JFK) slots from Terminal 6 beginning around 2027, while both airlines will swap eight flight timings at Newark, N.J. (EWR) to optimize schedules. United will transition its ancillary services platform to JetBlue’s Paisly technology, integrating offerings like hotels, car rentals, and travel insurance into its booking experience.

United Airlines has signed a purchase‑leaseback agreement with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) for ten new Boeing 737‑9 MAX aircraft, with deliveries slated between August 2025 and February 2026. Under the arrangement, DAE purchases the jets and leases them back to United under long‑term contracts, allowing the airline to free up capital while continuing to operate modern, fuel‑efficient aircraft. The move underscores DAE’s growing presence in the global leasing market, especially following its $2 billion acquisition of Nordic Aviation Capital, positioning its fleet at around 750 aircraft.

United Airlines’ 28,000 flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants‑CWA, voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative five‑year contract reached in May 2025, with 92 percent of eligible members casting ballots and 71 percent voting no. The agreement, which included immediate pay increases averaging 26.9 percent, retroactive bonuses, improved per diem allowances, boarding pay and layover hotel upgrades, was deemed insufficient by many members who are calling for broader raises, pay for all hours worked, better scheduling and stronger work rule protections. The union will survey members to pinpoint key demands before returning to negotiations. The rejection sends a clear message to management that more substantial terms are needed, especially since flight attendants have not received a wage increase since 2020. 

LATAM Airlines Group posted $3.28 billion in revenue for the second quarter of 2025, reflecting an 8.7 percent year‑over‑year increase. Net income rose 66 percent to approximately $242 million compared to the same period in 2024. EBITDA reached $808.9 million, up 23 percent year‑on‑year. Encouraged by the strong performance, LATAM raised its full-year guidance and now expects adjusted operating income of $2.0 to $2.15 billion, up from previous estimates. The company also projected $14 billion to $14.5 billion in revenue for 2025, along with capacity growth in Brazil of 9.5 to 10.5 percent and an adjusted EBITDAR of $3.65 to $3.85 billion.

For the three months ended June 30, 2025, Singapore Airlines Group earned approximately $145 million in net profit, down 58.8 percent from $351 million a year earlier. Total revenue rose 1.5 percent year‑on‑year to $3.73 billion, while operating profit fell 13.8 percent to $316 million. The sharp decline in net income reflects  $95 million in losses from associated companies, primarily Air India, which was not consolidated in the prior period, combined with lower interest income from reduced cash balances amid falling interest rates. Despite the profit downturn, the Group carried a record 10.3 million passengers (up 6.9 percent), achieving a group passenger load factor of 87.6 percent amid solid summer travel demand.

Spanish airport operator Aena reported a net profit of $974 million in the first half of 2025, representing a 10.5 percent increase from the same period in 2024. Total revenue rose 9.1 percent to $3.27 billion, while EBITDA reached $1.85 billion with a 56.5 percent margin. Passenger traffic grew 4.7 percent to 180.9 million people across the Aena network.

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot (SU) was forced to cancel over 100 flights at Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) and delay dozens more on Monday following a sudden critical failure in its IT systems attributed to a cyberattack. Departure boards turned red and passengers were left stranded as ticketing, rebooking, and refund systems ground to a halt. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was caused by unauthorized access, prompting the Prosecutor General’s Office to open a criminal investigation into the breach.

Claiming responsibility were two pro‑Ukraine hacktivist groups—Silent Crow and the Belarusian Cyber‑Partisans—who say they spent over a year infiltrating Aeroflot’s corporate network. According to their statements, they destroyed around 7,000 physical and virtual servers and exfiltrated up to 20 terabytes of data, including flight history records, email communications, executive audio recordings, and surveillance logs. The groups warned that recovery costs could reach tens of millions of U.S. dollars, calling the damage “strategic” in scale.

Air freight between the U.S. and its two largest trading partners, and neighbors, in Canada and Mexico totaled $4.7 billion in May. Of this, $2.4 billion went back and forth with Canada and $2.3 billion with Mexico. Across all modes, transborder freight dropped five percent from May 2024.

Uzbekistan-based cargo carrier My Freighter (C6) announced it will launch twice‑weekly scheduled flights in the near future from Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) via its main hub in Tashkent (TAS). The move reflects continued expansion of the airline’s freighter network between China and Europe using its fleet of eight Boeing 767 freighters and aligns with the company’s strategy of strengthening supply‑chain connectivity across Central Asia and global markets.

In the second quarter of 2025, the Alaska Air Group reported $139 million in cargo revenue, representing a year-over-year increase of over 90 percent compared to the same period in 2024. This surge was largely driven by integration with Hawaiian Airlines’ (HA) cargo operation following the September 2024 merger, which enabled wider use of Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 and Boeing 787 freighters and expanded service to international markets. The combined cargo network now reaches over 130 destinations and includes contract operations for Amazon, helping position the company for further growth in air freight as part of its broader strategy to diversify revenue beyond passenger travel.

Air Canada (AC) posted operating revenue of US $5.63 billion in the second quarter, up two percent year‑over‑year, supported by strong international and cargo performance. Operating income reached US $418 million, while net income was US $186 million. Cargo revenues rose 10 percent to US $253 million, and other non‑air operations grew 16 percent, bolstered by Air Canada Vacations and Aeroplan. Operating expenses increased three  percent, primarily driven by labor, depreciation, fees and ground packages, though fuel costs fell 14 percent. Free cash flow reached US $183 million, while cash flow from operations hit US $895 million and the airline reaffirmed its full‑year adjusted EBITDA guidance of US $3.2 to 3.6 billion. 

DEVIATE: A Delta Air Lines (DL) pilot, Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, was arrested on Saturday immediately after his flight from Minneapolis (MSP) landed at San Francisco (SFO) at approximately 9:35 p.m. PDT. Around ten armed agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office abruptly entered the plane, stormed the cockpit, and handcuffed Bhagwagar before walking him down the aisle and escorting him off the aircraft. Bhagwagar was booked at the Martinez Detention Facility on five felony counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 10, with bail set at $5 million. Officials have confirmed the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse materials. Delta Air Lines issued a statement emphasizing its zero‑tolerance policy toward unlawful conduct and confirmed that the pilot has been suspended pending investigation.

🇦🇪 A6-FQI, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Flydubai (FZ) on July 28.

🇪🇸 EC-OOL, an Airbus A350-941, was delivered to Iberia (IB) on July 29.

🇯🇵 JA30MC, an Airbus A320-251neo, was delivered to Starflyer (7G) on July 28.

🇺🇸 N3261J, an Airbus A220-300, was delivered to JetBlue Airways (B6) on July 28.

🇺🇸 N824NV, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Allegiant Air (G4) on July 28.

🇸🇪 SE-NAC, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Norwegian Air Sweden (D8) on July 25.

🇸🇪 SE-RTU, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Norwegian Air Sweden on July 28.

🇳🇿 ZK-NNI, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Air New Zealand (NZ) on July 29.

🇳🇱 PH-HZE, a Boeing 737-8K2 with Transavia (HV), was withdrawn from use (wfu) and ferried on July 28 to Glamorgan, Wales (DGX) for part-out and scrap.

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