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China Southern Airlines (CZ) will begin 3x weekly service from Guangzhou (CAN) to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (RUH) on September 2. This route will be flon by Airbus A330-300 equipment.

Norse Atlantic Airways (N0) will add four routes to Thailand later this year:

• Stockolm (ARN) to Phuket (HKT) from October 22

• London Gatwick (LGW) to Bangkok (BKK) from October 26

• Stockholm to Phuket from December 4, weekly Boeing 787-9

• Oslo (OSL) to Phuket from December 8, weekly Boeing 787-9

Croatia Airlines (OU) is adding five summer seasonal routes from Zagreb (ZAG). Each route will be served 3x weekly by Airbus A220-300s: Bucharest (OTP), Hamburg (HAM), Madrid (MAD), Milan (MXP), and Prague (PRG).

Air France (AF) has added a total of nine rotations between Paris deGaulle (CDG) and Las Vegas (LAS) between January 3 and 23. These flights will support the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show and most will be operated by Airbus A350-900 equipment.

American Airlines (AA) has booked a handful of Christmas seasonal routes:

• Boston (BOS) to Palm Beach, Fla. (PBI), Tampa (TPA) - weekly from December 20 until January 3

• Boston to to Orlando (MCO) and New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Jacksonville, Fla.(JAX) - both routes daily from December 18 to January 4

Delta Air Lines (DL) has expanded summer seasonal service on several trans-Atlantic routes. A tip of the Stetson to Ishrion Aviation for reporting these:

• Atlanta (ATL) to Athens (ATH) returns on March 9

• Minneapolis (MSP) to Reome returns on March 29

• New York Kennedy (JFK) to Catania, Italy (CTA) returns on May 7

• New York Kennedy to Naples, Italy (NAP) returns on March 28

LATAM Brazil (JJ) will suspend flights from Fortaleza (FOR) to Miami (MIA) from October 26 through March 28 - basically the winter season.

Norse Atlantic Airways is not returning on three trans-Atlantic routes to the U.S. - Berlin (BER) and Oslo to Miami, as well as London Gatwick to Las Vegas. Now you know where the aircraft for the new Thailand flights are coming from.

TSA screeners processed 81,310,471 passengers across the U.S. in June, down one percent from June 2024. For the first half of 2025, TSA has screened 440,221,534 passengers, which as .07 percent less than the first half of last year.

Alaska Airlines (AS) has officially exercised five additional options for Boeing 787‑9 frames, acquired through its merger with Hawaiian Airlines (HA). This move increases their combined 787 fleet to 17 aircraft and supports the launch of long-haul international service from Seattle (SEA), including the new Seattle to Rome (FCO) route starting May 2026. A new 787 flight crew base is being established in Seattle to support the expansion under the unified Alaska–Hawaiian branding.

Tel Aviv’s (TLV) Terminal 1, used primarily by low-cost and foreign carriers, has been closed again as of this month. The Israel Airports Authority made the decision after several airlines halted service following a missile strike by Yemeni Houthi forces near the airport perimeter in early May and the subsequent conflict with Iran. With most inbound and outbound flights rerouted to the much larger Terminal 3, no reopening date has been set, and authorities have made clear the terminal will remain closed until the security situation stabilizes and airlines are ready to return.

A section of the left trailing-edge wing flap from a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737‑900/ER (N940DU), en route from Atlanta to Raleigh, N.C. (RDU) on July 2, detached mid‑flight and landed in the driveway of a North Carolina homeowner. The aircraft, carrying 109 passengers and 6 crew, landed safely despite the missing component. The FAA has confirmed that the flap piece found belongs to that flight and is now investigating the structural failure, with Delta cooperating fully in the retrieval and safety review.

Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR) reported a record net profit of $137 million in the first quarter of 2025, marking its best quarterly financial performance to date. The state-owned airline attributed the strong results to higher passenger demand, improved operational efficiency, and cost-control measures. The carrier transported 3.2 million passengers during the period, a 10 percent year-over-year increase, and achieved a 78 percent load factor. The airline also reduced its reliance on state subsidies and expects to maintain profitability through continued growth in both domestic and international markets.

The Air France-KLM Group is set to acquire a controlling stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SK) as part of a broader restructuring effort. The Franco-Dutch group will invest alongside the Danish government, U.S.-based Castlelake, and Lind Invest, securing a 53 percent majority ownership. This move comes after SAS filed for U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2022 and sought new investors to support its recovery. As part of the deal, SAS will exit the Star Alliance and eventually join the SkyTeam alliance, aligning itself more closely with Air France-KLM’s global network. The acquisition marks a significant shift in European airline alliances and strengthens Air France-KLM’s position in Northern Europe.

A lightning strike on July 4 caused a power outage at a Detroit (DTW) hangar, triggering the activation of a fire suppression system that filled the hangar with corrosive foam. A pair Spirit Airlines (NK) planes were submerged in the foam, while three others were partly submerged. This could cause significant damage to the aircraft's electrical and mechanical systems. The incident has left Spirit Airlines scrambling to assess the damage and develop a repair plan, with the potential for costly and time-consuming repairs. The airline is working with the FAA and other authorities to determine the extent of the damage and get the planes back in service.

AirAsia (AK) has signed a landmark agreement with Airbus worth $12.25 billion for 50 A321XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft, with options for 20 more. This deal will enable AirAsia to become the world's first low-cost narrow-body network carrier, connecting Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and potentially North America with just one stop. The new aircraft will offer 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat than the A321neo, allowing for more efficient and environmentally friendly operations. Deliveries are set to begin in 2028 and continue through 2032, supporting AirAsia's goal to carry 150 million passengers annually by 2030 and reach a cumulative total of 1.5 billion guests since its inception.

Air Algérie (AH) has signed a firm order for 16 ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft as part of its fleet modernization and domestic expansion strategy. The aircraft, to be placed with a newly created regional subsidiary named (and this is the real name) Domestic Airlines, will help the airline enhance connectivity across Algeria, especially to underserved regional airports. Deliveries are set between 2026 and 2028.

Malaysia Airlines (MH) has doubled its Airbus A330neo order to 40 aircraft, with 20 additional A330-900 planes added to its original 2022 commitment. The new order, announced on Saturday, will see the airline receive the additional planes between 2029 and 2031. This expansion will enable Malaysia Airlines to modernize its fleet, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance passenger experience with the A330neo's advanced features, including an Airspace cabin and Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines. The aircraft will support the airline's growth strategy, sustainability goals, and network expansion across Asia-Pacific and beyond. Four A330neo planes have already been delivered and are operating on routes to Auckland, Melbourne, and Bali, with six more expected by the end of 2025.

American Airlines has agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by flight attendants over toxic uniforms. The lawsuit alleged that uniforms issued in 2016 caused health issues such as rashes, headaches, respiratory problems, and hives, affecting more than 425 employees. The uniforms, manufactured by Twin Hill, were withdrawn after thousands of complaints and multiple scientific studies linked them to adverse reactions. The settlement will compensate affected employees and cover legal fees, marking a resolution to a years-long dispute over airline-issued attire and workplace safety.

🇦🇪 A6-EXF, an Airbus A350-941, was delivered to Emirates (EK) on July 4.

🇨🇦 C-FNPJ, a Boeing 767-316/F, was delivered to CargoJet (W8) on July 2. This frame previously flew for LAN Cargo and others from 2000-2024.

🇨🇦 C-GKYI and C-GKYL, both Embraer E195/E2s, were delivered to Porter Airlines Canada (P3) on July 4.

🇪🇸 EC-OOJ, an Airbus A321-253neo XLR, was delivered to Iberia (IB) on July 2.

🇺🇸 N3258J, an Airbus A220-300, was delivered to JetBlue Airways (B6) on July 2.

🇺🇸 N554DT, an Airbus A321-271neo, was delivered to Delta Air Lines (DL)( on July 3.

🇺🇸 N8963Q, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was delivered to Southwest Airlines (WN) on July 2.

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