Flightline 26 - 1 September 2025

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South Korea’s Eastar Jet (ZE) is adding three new routes from Busan (PUS) to Japan on October 26: 12x weekly to Fukuoka (FUK), 11x weekly to Osaka (KIX), and daily to Sapporo (CTS). All three routes will be operated by Boeing 737-800 equipment.

Porter Airlines (PD) will begin 3x weekly flights from Ottawa (YOW) to Fort McMurray, Alberta (YMM) on November 17. This route will see an Embraer E195/E2 rostered.

UPDATE: WestJet (WS) will begin Friday flights from Calgary (YYC) to Puerto Escondido, Mexico (PXM) on December 12. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 is slated for this one.

Frontier Airlines (F9) has announced 20 new routes, with most set to debut in November:

UPDATE: Contour Aviation (LF) will add three stations in late September throughout the Caribbean: Dominica (DOM), San Juan, P.R. (SJU), St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. (STT). 3x weekly flights from St. Thomas to Dominica start on September 24, with the San Juan to Dominica run starting the next day.

Air Caraibes (TX) has upgraded its Paris Orly (ORY) to Sint Maarten (SXM) route to a year-round operation. Twice weekly flights will be operated by Airbus A330-200s all year.

In the first half of 2025, China’s leading carriers Air China (CA) and China Southern Airlines (CZ) reduced their losses but remained unprofitable, underscoring ongoing challenges in the post-pandemic recovery. Air China reported a net loss of about U.S. $252 million, compared with a loss of about U.S. $383 million in the same period last year. China Southern posted a loss of roughly U.S. $210 million, improving from about U.S. $580 million a year earlier. The industry continues to struggle with oversupply, depressed fares, competition from high-speed rail, slow recovery of premium international travel, and geopolitical headwinds. Average domestic ticket prices fell to around U.S. $110, which is lower than both last year and pre-pandemic levels. International capacity has returned to about 93 percent of pre-COVID levels, but yields remain weak. China Eastern Airlines (MU) is also expected to post a first-half loss in the range of U.S. $166 million to U.S. $221 million. Analysts caution that without a meaningful rebound in long-haul premium demand, profitability across the sector will remain under pressure.

American Airlines (AA) is falling further behind Delta Air Lines (DL) and United Airlines (UA) when it comes to financial performance and premium product offerings. While its rivals have invested heavily in seatback entertainment, free high-speed Wi‑Fi, and a more polished onboard experience, American has been discounting fares, cutting back on international routes, and allowing its onboard product to deteriorate. That strategy has triggered alarm since it mirrors the cost‑cutting, low‑yield model of Spirit Airlines (NK) rather than the premium positioning of Delta and United. In response, six unions covering American’s pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, ground crews, passenger service agents, and mechanics have united in a rare display of solidarity. This labor coalition convened a landmark summit to pressure management for strategic changes that would secure a more prosperous future and greater job security. The move reflects deep concern that ongoing underperformance could undermine wages and working conditions across the carrier. EDITOR’S NOTE: Just as an aside, my most recent flight on American Airlines, landing at the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) hub, set a new record, at least for me - it was no less than 70 minutes from stepping out of the terminal into the baggage claim until the luggage arrived.

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) has ordered Nok Air (DD) to suspend its international operations and halt route expansion, just as Thailand prepares for an upcoming ICAO audit. The regulator cited a troubling record of safety incidents—including in‑flight engine shutdowns, runway excursions, hard landings, and tail strikes - many of which remain unresolved. Compounding these concerns are waves of resignations among pilots, instructors, and inspectors, which have put pressure on staffing and training. CAAT has given the carrier just one week to submit corrective actions; international services may resume only after the airline proves it can safely expand again. Meanwhile Nok Air stresses that its domestic network remains operational under close oversight, maintains that it adheres to approved maintenance protocols, and has recently passed IATA’s IOSA audit while working with CAAT and Boeing to address outstanding issues.

A United Airlines (UA) Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight bound for Nuuk, Greenland (GOH) from Newark, N.J. (EWR) turned back midair when officials at Nuuk Airport revealed that international security screening no longer met regulatory requirements. The flight had departed Newark at about 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday and reversed course nearly two hours later upon learning that security staff in Nuuk required additional training. The aircraft returned to Newark, where passengers were informed of the situation. Greenland Airports has suspended all international flights until training issues are resolved. Flights are expected to resume soon, with interim screening arrangements under way at alternate airports like Kangerlussuaq (SFJ) or Narsarsuaq (UAK) to maintain international connectivity.

India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has granted IndiGo (6E) a six-month extension to continue operating two Boeing 777 wide-body jets wet-leased from Turkish Airlines (TK). Flights had been set to end August 31, but the new deadline is February 28, 2026. The aircraft will continue serving key international routes between Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Istanbul (IST) under the wet/damp lease agreement.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, its airspace has become a surprisingly lucrative “cash cow,” raising an estimated $28 million annually from overflight fees. The administration today charges a flat $700 per flight, a uniform rate that applies whether it is a widebody jet or a private aircraft. As of mid-2024, Taliban officials confirmed around 100 to 120 daily overflights, translating to that annual run rate. Yet traffic has ramped back up, generating 2.5 to 3 times that, putting current revenue in line with or exceeding levels seen under the previous regime even though flight volumes remain lower. Previously, under the pre-Taliban government, overflight fees from roughly 400 flights a day yielded about $280,000 per day, a much larger baseline operation. With neighboring airspace increasingly compromised, overflying Afghanistan, despite the geopolitical irony, remains the most cost-effective and direct option for many European and Asian carriers.

Philadelphia (PHL) has completed installation of its first Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) on Runway 8‑26, a safety enhancement funded by an $8.5 million FAA infrastructure grant. This new system uses crushable materials to safely decelerate aircraft overrunning the runway at speeds up to 80 miles per hour, transforming previously unusable space into a reliable safety margin. The project included grading, utility installations, and stormwater management preparations. According to the FAA, EMAS has already safely stopped over 20 overrunning aircraft carrying more than 430 crew and passengers. More than 60 U.S. airports employ this critical safety net for runways lacking expansive surrounding clearance.

Global air travel continued its steady rebound in July 2025, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reporting a four percent year-on-year increase in revenue passenger kilometres and a 4.4 percent rise in capacity, though the global load factor slipped slightly to 85.5 percent. International markets drove the gains, led by Asia-Pacific with demand up 8.7 percent, while Latin America posted the strongest overall growth at 9.3 percent despite a softer load factor. Europe and the Middle East also recorded healthy increases, while North America saw more modest growth at 2.4 percent. Africa stood out for efficiency, with demand rising 2.8 percent and load factor improving to 74.9 percent.

Air Cargo 📦️ 

Global air cargo demand strengthened in July 2025, with IATA reporting a 5.5 percent increase in cargo ton-kilometers and a 3.9 percent rise in capacity, while the cargo load factor improved by .7 percentage points to hit 45.1 percent. Most trade lanes posted gains - Europe-Asia traffic continued its expansion streak with 13.5 percent growth, and Asia-Pacific demand jumped 11.1 percent. Africa also surged with demand up 9.4 percent despite a slight dip in capacity. North America was relatively flat, rising just .7 percent, while Middle East and Latin America showed modest increases. One notable exception was the Asia-North America lane, where demand fell one percent for the third consecutive month. Contributing factors include shifting U.S. e-commerce exemptions prompting frontloading ahead of tariffs, fuel prices around nine percent lower than last year, and lingering global manufacturing and trade uncertainties.

🇭🇷 9A-CAP, an Airbus A220-300, was delivered to Croatia Airlines (OU) on August 29.

🇲🇹 9H-WMJ, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Wizz Air Malta (W4) on August 28.

🇲🇾 9M-MNL, an Airbus A330-941, was delivered to Malaysia Airlines (MH) on August 29.

🇰🇼 9K-AQC, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to Kuwait Airways (KU) on August 28.

🇴🇲 A4O-OXI, an Airbus A321-253neo, was delivered to SalamAir (OV) on August 30.

🇦🇪 A6-LRB, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to Etihad Airways (EY) on August 29.

🇦🇪 A6-XWI, an Airbus A350-1041, was delivered to Etihad Airways on August 30.

🇹🇼 B-17889, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to EVA Air (BR) on August 28.

🇨🇳 B-20DH, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Air China (CA) on August 30.

🇨🇳 B-220G, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to Shanghai Airlines (FM) on August 29.

🇨🇳 B-227L, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to China Southern Airlines (CZ) on August 29.

🇲🇴 B-MBU, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Air Macau (NX) on August 29.

🇨🇱 CC-BHK, an Airbus A320-271neo, was delivered to LATAM Chile (LA) on August 30.

🇲🇦 CN-RHF, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Royal Air Maroc (AT) on August 30.

🇵🇹 CS-TJS, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to TAP Air Portugal (TP) on August 29.

🇩🇪 D-ABPF, a Boeing 787-9, was delivered to Lufthansa (DL) on August 29.

🇫🇷 F-HXST, an Airbus A320-252neo, was delivered to Transavia France (TO) on August 30.

🇺🇸 N849AN, A Boeing 787-9, was delivered to American Airlines (AA) on August 29.

🇺🇸 N8965Q, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Southwest Airlines (WN) on August 28.

🇺🇸 N8966S, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Southwest Airlines on August 29.

🇮🇳 VT-NCU, an Airbus A321-251neo, was delivered to IndiGo (6E) on August 29.

🇦🇿 VP-BAA, a Boeing 777/F, was delivered to Silk Way West Airlines (7L) on August 29.

$AAL ( ▲ 0.91% )  $ALGT ( ▲ 0.58% )  $ALK ( ▼ 0.63% )  $BA ( ▼ 0.63% )  $CPA ( ▼ 0.9% )  $DAL ( ▼ 0.31% )  $FLYY ( ▼ 2.4% )  $JBLU ( ▲ 2.29% )  $LUV ( ▼ 0.24% )  $MESA ( ▲ 1.22% )  $RJET ( 0.0% )  $SNCY ( ▲ 1.53% )  $UAL ( ▼ 0.08% )  $ULCC ( ▲ 4.03% )  

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