Flightline June 5, 2025

Flight 1 // JUNE 5, 2025

Welcome to the first edition of Flightline. This twice-weekly newsletter aims to become the most comprehensive newsletter in the commercial aviation industry. Some of you may recall a previous publication I wrote for over a decade - this will be essentially the same content, and more of it, in email form. That covers:

• New, Seasonal, Suspended, and Dropped Routes

• Aviation Security News

• Aviation Industry News

• The latest aircraft deliveries and retirements

• Monthly Airport Passenger Traffic totals at around 400 worldwide airports

• A huge array of various industry stats, graphics, and other random information

Typically, Flightline won’t break much news. There are plenty of outlets online that can handle that. Rather, we aggregate as much news and information as possible into one place and share it with you. Our goal is to make this newsletter your top source for the latest goings on in the industry. We consistently scour the web for the latest information.

Thank you for all of your support. Feel free to share this far and wide, and anyone who is interested, please subscribe.

Delta Air Lines (DL) will resume a route last seen before the pandemic when daily flights from Raleigh, N.C. (RDU) to Indianapolis (IND) start on August 11. This route will be operated by a regional partner airline’s Canadair CRJ-900 equipment under the Delta Connection banner.

DL4780 RDU 1730 1915 IND

DL4780 IND 1955 2150 RDU

Air Serbia (JU), which presently serves Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and New York Kennedy (JFK) from Belgrade (BEG), has stated that its “next logical” U.S. destination is Miami (MIA). An official route announcement has not been made, nor any timeframe for when this route may come to fruition, but keep this one on the radar. 

Frontier Airlines (F9) will begin 2x weekly service from Trenton, N.J. (TTN) to Myrtle Beach, S.C. (MYR) on July 10.

Alaska Airlines (AS) officially announced its first European destination this week, with 4x weekly Boeing 787-9 service from Seattle (SEA) to Rome (FCO) set to begin in May 2026. The outbound will depart Seattle at 1800 and land in Rome the next day at 1345. Return flights depart Rome at 1545 and land in Seattle at 1800.

Alaska Airlines will suspend flights from Portland, Ore. (PDX) to Vancouver, B.C. (YVR) this winter, with the route going dark from late October until mid-March 2026.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG) will end 2x weekly Boeing 787-8 service from Dhaka (DAC) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) at the end of this month.

Delta Air Lines will drop daily flights from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Dayton, Ohio (DAY) in early September. As American has already announced its exit on the same route in the same time frame, the route will no longer be flown at all.

El Al Israel Airlines (LY) will conclude service from Tel Aviv (TLV) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) on April 13, as the carrier consolidates South Florida service at Miami (MIA).

TSA screeners processed 79,204,590 passengers in May, which was a 1.7 percent drop from May 2024. For the first five months of 2025, 358,911,063 passengers have been screened by TSA. This is essentially the same over the first five months of last year, with 2025 being a tenth of one percent lower in traffic.

TSA screeners have caught 49 firearms in passengers’ carry-on bags at San Antonio (SAT) so far in 2025.

In Canada, CATSA screened 5,331,909 passengers in May at the country’s 17 largest airports, a modest 1.6 percent bump from May 2024. For the first five months of the year, CATSA has seen a 1.8 percent increase in traffic to 25,094,069 passengers.

DRUG BUST: On May 24, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Pittsburgh, Pa. (PIT) arrested 30-year-old Jetta Monet Corbett of Brockton, Mass., after discovering over 54 pounds of marijuana in her luggage bound for London, England. During routine baggage inspections, officers found 49 vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana concealed in two hard-sided suitcases. The seized drugs had an estimated street value of $240,000 in the U.S., with potential for significantly higher profits in Europe due to increased demand and potency.

Corbett was detained at the departure gate and subsequently handed over to Allegheny County Police. She faces charges including one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. CBP officials noted that while such large-scale marijuana seizures at Pittsburgh are rare, there is a growing trend of transnational criminal organizations attempting to smuggle marijuana to Europe and Africa via passenger baggage and express air delivery.

TSA UNION RETURNS: On June 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate the collective bargaining agreement between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). The administration, through Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, had sought to rescind the seven-year contract signed in 2024, which provided approximately 50,000 TSA officers with enhanced labor protections, including paid leave, shift flexibility, and grievance procedures. Judge Pechman ruled that the administration’s action likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the constitutional rights of the union and its members, characterizing the move as retaliatory against AFGE’s legal challenges to federal labor policies. She noted that the justification for ending the agreement was insufficient and appeared to be an attempt to punish the union for its opposition to the administration’s workforce policies. Yesterday, TSA reinstated the collective bargaining agreement and will resume honoring its provisions, ensuring that TSA screeners retain their negotiated workplace rights while the legal proceedings continue.

President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal includes no pay raise for civilian federal employees, marking the first such freeze since 2013. While the budget suggests a 3.8 percent raise for military personnel, it omits any increase for federal workers, prompting concerns about pay parity. The final decision on the 2026 pay raise will likely be detailed in the President’s alternative pay plan letter, expected in August.

TAKE A WALK: As of Tuesday, Nashville, Tenn. (BNA) has implemented a new policy redirecting all rideshare drop-offs to the Ground Transportation Center (GTC), eliminating curbside drop-offs at the terminal. This change, part of the airport’s Terminal Access Roadway Improvement (TARI) program under the broader New Horizon expansion plan, aims to alleviate curbside congestion and enhance overall traffic flow. Passengers using services like Uber and Lyft should anticipate a short walk—estimated at under 10 minutes—from the GTC to the terminal’s grand lobby. While the airport assures that all areas are ADA-compliant, some travelers have expressed concerns about the added inconvenience, particularly for those with mobility challenges or traveling with young children.

Porter Airlines (P3) CEO Michael Deluce is currently in a legal dispute with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) over a substantial tax bill stemming from significant losses nearing CAD$6 million incurred during high-risk day trading activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Deluce, who ventured into aggressive trading strategies during the market volatility of the pandemic, suffered considerable financial setbacks. The CRA is challenging the classification of these losses, which affects how they can be applied against other income for tax purposes.

STRICT CURFEW: On Monday Condor (DE) Fl. 1513 from Palma de Mallorca, Spain (PMI) to Munich (MUC) narrowly missed Munich Airport’s extended curfew by approximately 10 seconds, despite having secured a 30-minute extension to land by 12:30 a.m. The Airbus A321 was on final approach, with landing gear deployed, when air traffic control denied landing clearance due to the slight delay. Consequently, the flight was diverted to Hahn Airport (HHN), located 233 miles away, where it landed at 1:13 a.m. Passengers disembarked and retrieved their luggage before being transported by bus to Frankfurt (FRA), arriving around 4:30 a.m. They then boarded another Condor flight to Munich, finally reaching their destination at approximately 8:00 a.m. — over nine hours later than scheduled. This incident has sparked debate over the rigidity of airport curfews and whether exceptions should be made in such close-call situations.

A British Airways (BA) flight attendant was arrested after being found naked and dancing in a business class lavatory during a trans-Atlantic flight from San Francisco (SFO) to London Heathrow (LHR) late last month. The incident occurred mid-flight when the crew member, who was supposed to be serving meals, went missing. Colleagues discovered him behaving erratically in the Club World cabin bathroom, allegedly under the influence of drugs. They dressed him in First Class pajamas and secured him in a First Class seat for the remainder of the ten-and-a-half-hour journey. Upon landing, he was met by police, arrested on suspicion of being unfit for duty, and provided medical attention. He has since been suspended pending an investigation.

The British government has announced its most significant airspace overhaul since the 1950s to address the challenges of modern aviation demands. With annual flights increasing from 200,000 in the 1950s to over 2.7 million in 2024, the reform aims to introduce more direct routes, reduce delays, and lower carbon emissions. Central to this initiative is the establishment of the U.K. Airspace Design Service (UKADS), set to be fully operational by the end of 2025 under the management of NATS (En Route) plc. The initial focus will be on redesigning London’s congested airspace, facilitating the expansion of Heathrow Airport (LHR) and potentially creating over 100,000 new jobs. Modernized flight paths will enable aircraft to ascend and descend more efficiently, minimizing noise and air pollution for communities beneath flight paths. Additionally, the redesign will accommodate emerging technologies such as drones and flying taxis, positioning the U.K. at the forefront of aviation innovation. The Department for Transport, in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority, aims to implement the main elements of the redesign by the end of the decade, enhancing the resilience and efficiency of U.K. air travel.

On May 26, 2025, an incident occurred aboard Allegiant Air (G4) Flight 2884 from Orlando Sanford, Fla. (SFB) to Hagerstown, Md. (HGR). Kristy Lee Crampton, a 46-year-old woman from Hagerstown, was seated next to a 12-year-old boy who reportedly taunted her by calling her “fat” and “Miss Piggy,” and claimed she couldn’t fit in her seat. The situation escalated when the boy pushed Crampton’s arm off the shared armrest, prompting her to physically assault him. Witnesses stated that she struck the boy with her fist, hit him with a plastic water bottle, and slammed his head against the airplane window. The pilot returned the aircraft to the gate, and Crampton, along with her companions, deplaned voluntarily. She was arrested by airport police and charged with felony child abuse without great bodily harm. Crampton was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment on July 1, 2025.

Allegiant Air flew 1,526,823 passengers in April, a healthy 15 percent year-on-year increase. Allegiant filled 80.3 percent of its available revenue seats on 11,010 flights during the month. Those flights averaged 934 miles each.

Hungarian discounter Wizz Air (W6) notched 5,657,051 May passengers, a 10 percent bump over the fifth month of 2024. Wizz Air enjoyed a 91.2 percent system-wide load factor in May.

American Airlines (AA) is intensifying its efforts to curb the unauthorized sale of flight assignments by senior flight attendants to junior colleagues. This practice undermines the airline’s seniority-based scheduling system, which is designed to allocate desirable routes fairly based on tenure. Investigations revealed that some senior crew members were securing premium international flights—such as those to Paris, Rome, and London—not to operate them, but to sell these assignments to less senior attendants for monetary compensation, often around $200 per trip. To facilitate these illicit trades discreetly, participants used coded language like “cookies,” “hugs,” and “kisses” in internal communications.

In response, American Airlines has issued stern warnings emphasizing that flight assignments are company property and cannot be bought, sold, or brokered. The airline is employing monitoring software to detect suspicious trading patterns and has outlined consequences for violations, including revocation of bidding privileges or termination . The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the union representing the crew, has agreed to collaborate with the airline in enforcing these rules, as stipulated in the latest labor agreement. This joint effort aims to preserve the integrity of the scheduling system and ensure equitable treatment for all flight attendants.

A NEW PARTNERSHIP: On June 1, 2025, IndiGo (6E), Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic (VS) announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity between India, Europe, and North America. This alliance leverages IndiGo’s extensive domestic network of over 90 Indian cities, linking with Delta’s transatlantic routes, Air France-KLM’s European and North American services, and Virgin Atlantic’s UK and transatlantic presence. The collaboration, unveiled during the International Air Transport Association’s annual meeting in Delhi, is set to offer passengers coordinated schedules, expanded route options, and a consistent travel experience across the combined networks. 

As part of this agreement, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) plans to commence services from Amsterdam (AMS) to Hyderabad, India (HYD) in September 2025, marking its fourth destination in India. Additionally, Air France-KLM will begin selling IndiGo-operated flights from Hyderabad to 24 other Indian cities. Pending regulatory approval, IndiGo will start selling partner-operated international flights under its own 6E marketing code, providing customers with seamless access to a broader range of destinations. Delta Air Lines, which has not operated flights to India since the pandemic, intends to resume direct US-India flights, including nonstop services between Atlanta (ATL) and Delhi (DEL), subject to government approval.

This partnership reflects the growing significance of India’s aviation market, projected to become the third-largest globally by 2026, with air passenger traffic expected to reach 442 million by 2035. By combining their strengths, the four airlines aim to meet the increasing demand for international travel and provide enhanced connectivity for passengers across these key regions.

Separately, IndiGo has expanded its wide-body aircraft order by confirming an additional 30 Airbus A350-900s, bringing its total firm commitment to 60 aircraft. This move follows the airline’s initial order of 30 A350-900s in April 2024, which included purchase options for 70 more. The newly confirmed aircraft are part of those options. Deliveries are expected to commence in 2027 and will continue into the next decade. The A350-900s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, offering a range of approximately 15,000 kilometers, enabling non-stop flights from India to destinations in North America, Europe, and Australia.

This significant order aligns with IndiGo’s strategic shift towards long-haul international operations. Traditionally a low-cost carrier focusing on domestic and short-haul routes, IndiGo is now preparing to enter the long-haul market. In the interim, the airline plans to operate six wet-leased Boeing 787s from Norse Atlantic Airways (N0) to destinations like Manchester (MAN) and Amsterdam (AMS).

SPANISH AIRPORT PASSENGER TRAFFIC, APRIL 2025

NO KOMODO DRAGONS? On June 1, 2025, customs officials at Mumbai, India (BOM) arrested an Indian national arriving from Bangkok (BKK) for attempting to smuggle 52 exotic reptiles concealed in his checked luggage. The seizure included 44 Indonesian pit vipers, three spider-tailed horned vipers, and five Asian leaf turtles. These species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and India’s Wildlife Protection Act. The passenger was apprehended after exhibiting signs of nervousness, prompting a thorough baggage inspection. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings under the Customs Act, and the reptiles are currently being held at Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo pending further action. This incident underscores the persistent challenges faced by Indian customs in combating illegal wildlife trafficking.

The Norwegian government is considering selling its remaining 6.26 percent stake in Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY), equivalent to approximately 65.6 million shares. This potential divestment follows the government’s earlier decision in May 2025 to convert half of a $115 million pandemic-era rescue loan into equity, resulting in a 6.37 percent ownership stake in the airline. The remaining half of the loan was repaid by Norwegian Air, reflecting the company’s improved financial position post-restructuring. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries is exploring the sale through an accelerated bookbuilding process, with the stake valued at around $91 million based on the recent share price of 14.06 Norwegian crowns. The decision to proceed with the sale will depend on market demand and pricing considerations.

TINFOIL HATS: In late May 2025, the Louisiana House of Representatives passed SB46, a bill aiming to ban so-called “chemtrails”—a term rooted in conspiracy theories suggesting that aircraft release chemicals to manipulate weather patterns. Introduced by State Representative Kimberly Landry Coates, the bill alleges that federal agencies are involved in dispersing substances like aluminum and barium into the atmosphere to affect the climate. Despite these claims, scientific consensus maintains that the visible trails behind airplanes are contrails—harmless condensation formed when hot aircraft exhaust meets cold air at high altitudes. Agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have consistently refuted the existence of any covert weather modification programs. The bill, which passed the House with a 58–32 vote, includes provisions for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to document reported chemtrail sightings. Critics argue that such legislation legitimizes unfounded conspiracy theories and could inadvertently impact legitimate practices like cloud seeding, a technique used to induce rainfall in drought-prone areas, though its effectiveness remains debated.

Transport Canada reports that traffic to the U.S. was 1.1 million passengers in April 2025, 5.8 percent lower than in April 2024 and the third consecutive month of year-over-year decreases. Moreover, in April 2025, transborder passenger counts were significantly lower (-12.5 percent) than the pre-pandemic level recorded in April 2019.

UNITED FAs NEW CONTRACT: United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) have reached a tentative five-year agreement covering 28,000 flight attendants, promising substantial economic and quality-of-life enhancements. The contract proposes an immediate average base pay increase of 26.9%, with cumulative raises reaching up to 45.6 percent over the term. First-year flight attendants would see hourly wages rise from $28.88 to $36.92, while those with 13 or more years of service could see rates increase from $67.11 to $84.78, eventually reaching $96.58 by year five . The agreement also includes a $595 million retroactive bonus, compensating for the years without raises during contract negotiations.

Additional benefits encompass the introduction of boarding pay at 50 percent of the hourly flight rate, improved layover accommodations in verified downtown hotels, enhanced crew meals matching Polaris Business Class standards, increased per diem allowances, and the addition of Halloween as a recognized holiday. The contract also maintains existing healthcare benefits and excludes the implementation of a preferential bidding system (PBS), preserving current scheduling practices . Union leaders have endorsed the agreement, with member roadshows scheduled through July 10, followed by a ratification vote concluding on July 29.

FREEZE, DON’T MOVE! A flight attendant, reportedly from United Airlines, has been suspended after attempting a citizen’s arrest on a colleague over a missing in-flight snack box. Believing a fellow crew member had taken the snack box, the attendant blocked the cabin exit with a service cart to prevent disembarkation and called for a supervisor. No snack box was found, and the airline suspended the attendant for assault and unlawful detention. The incident, shared on Reddit, sparked widespread criticism for the alleged overreaction to a minor issue.

N17405, Boeing 737 MAX 9. Delivered to United Airlines on May 31.

N17599, Boeing 737 MAX 9. Delivered to United Airlines on May 30.

N253BZ, Airbus A220-300. Delivered to Breeze Airways on June 4.

N308UK, Boeing 737 MAX 8. Delivered to American Airlines on May 30.

N435DX, Airbus A330-941. Delivered to Delta Air Lines on May 30.

N812AK, Boeing 737 MAX 8. Delivered to Alaska Airlines on May 30.

N813AK, Boeing 737 MAX 8. Delivered to Alaska Airlines on June 4.

N863RW, Embraer ERJ-175. Delivered to Republic Airlines on June 1. Wears American Eagle livery.

N8954Q, Boeing 737 MAX 8. Delivered to Southwest Airlines on May 30.

Additionally, SU-GFB, an Airbus A220-300 previously with EgyptAir (MS), was ferried on Orlando (MCO) on May 31. This frame will soon be taken up by Breeze Airways (MX).

D-ABOL, a Boeing 757-330 with Condor (DE), was withdrawn from use (wfu) and ferried on May 29 to Glamorgan, Wales (DGX) for part-out and scrap.

Qatar Airways (QR) has painted A7-BED, a Boeing 777-3DZ/ER in a special UEFA Champions League livery. The aircraft returned to Doha (DOH) on May 28 after being painted in Haikou, China (HAK). Qatar Airways has a sponsorship deal with the Champions League through 2030.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE: $1USD EQUALS:

AUD 1.54 CAD 1.37 CNY 7.19 EURO .87 GBP .74 JPY 142.65 MXN 19.20

$AAL ( ▲ 4.31% )  $ALGT ( ▲ 4.75% )  $ALK ( ▲ 3.83% )  $BA ( ▼ 0.18% )  $DAL ( ▲ 2.72% )  $FLYY ( 0.0% )  $JBLU ( ▲ 4.15% )  $LUV ( ▼ 0.06% )  $MESA ( ▲ 2.84% )  $SKYW ( ▲ 2.54% )  $SNCY ( ▲ 5.7% )  $UAL ( ▲ 2.66% )  $ULCC ( ▲ 7.56% )

© 2025. Flightline is compiled by from open source material gathered across the internet.