Aviation News

On May 11, United Airlines flight 870 took 28 hours to reach its destination of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on a transpacific flight from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD). Business Insider reported the incident on May 14, describing how the Boeing 777-200 diverted twice on its route, which normally takes around 13 hours. After leaving Australia, it first diverted to Faleolo, Samoa, due to a medical emergency, then flew to Honolulu, switching crews before flying the final leg to San Francisco.

American Airlines is adding more than 22,000 extra seats this fall to help fans attend their favorite professional and college football games across the United States. This marks the airline's largest-ever fall football schedule, offering more football-focused capacity than any other carrier.

Delta Air Lines will appoint Brad Sheehan as the new Senior Vice President of Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance following the retirement of David Garrison, who has held the position for nearly five years. Sheehan is a seasoned aviation safety expert, bringing over 25 years of industry experience.

Delta Air Lines has refreshed the names of its onboard products and introduced a new booking experience. Beginning May 15, 2025, all customers shopping and booking flights originating from the US or Canada on or after October 1, 2025, will see these changes. The updates will be reflected in the Fly Delta app and on Delta’s official website.

Archer Aviation, the company that is developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft called the Midnight, which is supposed to carry up to four passengers and a pilot, unveiled that the organizers of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, in 2028, have chosen it to be the official Air Taxi Provider for the event.

May 2025 has been a busy and exciting month for WestJet. Indeed, following a major investment from Delta Air Lines and Korean Air last week that saw the two SkyTeam members acquire respective stakes of 15% and 10% in the carrier, WestJet has now announced that it will be increasing its European connectivity. This will be done through a boosted codeshare deal with Air France and KLM.

Global Airlines has departed on its inaugural commercial flight across the Atlantic Ocean, with the airline’s Airbus A380 having left Glasgow Airport (GLA) for its trek to New York, the United States.

Singapore Airlines has announced that the 2024/25 financial year was a record-breaking one for the carrier as far as some of the key financial metrics were concerned. Most notably, the wider Singapore Airlines Group's profits and revenues were higher than they've ever been before, underlining a strong 12 months for the Asian giant. The carrier's fortunes were boosted by the Air India-Vistara merger.

The post-inauguration season has been turbulent for everyone, including the travel industry. Inflammatory remarks that have been fired from the White House, coupled with attention-grabbing headlines about travelers being detained upon their arrival, have shaken the international market in the United States.

Any perception of a threat to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants is taken seriously. Something similar happened recently at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, when a safety incident forced authorities to check the aircraft and even issue a brief ground stop.

A Spirit Airlines passenger has vowed to never fly the carrier again after encountering what she described as a roach infestation onboard a recent flight. The traveler, seated in Spirit’s Big Front Seat, captured footage of multiple cockroaches crawling up the bulkhead.

Southwest Airlines will replace skycaps at San Diego International Airport (SAN) with self-service kiosks and contract out the service. Only ten of the airline’s 52 skycap locations were served by Southwest employees, and all will now be contracted out.

Donald Trump has confirmed that Qatar Airways has signed for 160 Boeing widebody aircraft. The deal, announced in Qatar during the US President's ongoing trip to the Middle East, is said to be worth about $96 billion.

Two major European airlines —Iberia and Jet2—have launched new cadet pilot training programs aimed at tackling the anticipated shortage of commercial pilots. Announced on May 12, both initiatives opened applications and offer prospective pilots a funded path into the cockpit.

May 11 brought bad news for Delta 360 Medallion club members, as Yahoo News reported that they will soon no longer be eligible to receive priority boarding on Delta Air Lines flights. Delta rolled out pre-boarding perks for its Delta 360 members in May 2024. However, after a year of saving time at the airport, members will have to board in Zone 2, with Diamond Medallion members, following first class, on May 16.

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) recently received a filing from Southwest asking for authorization to run service to international destinations under the Open Skies agreement. The agreement has been ratified by many nations in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The news of Southwest’s request was first reported by Ishrion Aviation.

It’s no secret that President of the United States, Donald Trump, has been in a rush for a new Air Force One since his first term. In the past few days, the news has been swirling that he found a solution in the form of a gift from the Royals of Qatar. The idea of accepting the $400 million USD jet as a replacement for Air Force One has come under immediate, harsh criticism for legal and political reasons, but also because it isn’t actually a solution in technical terms.

The Boeing 777X test plane WH004 (N779XZ) has returned to the skies for the first time in over three and a half years. This test aircraft first flew in September 2020 but was grounded in late 2021, allowing Boeing to focus on the other three 777X test aircraft. The aircraft is the only 777X test plane to be outfitted with a full passenger interior, allowing the company to perform cabin systems testing. The prototype took off from Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE) for a two-hour flight on May 7.

This weekend, the eyes of the musical world will descend on the Swiss city of Basel for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Hosted in the St Jakobshalle arena, the final of the contest on Saturday night will see artists representing 26 countries go head to head to claim the crown, as well as the honor of hosting next year's edition. As an airline with a huge presence in Basel, easyJet has got in on the festivities.

Ryanair has announced that another passenger was handed a fine for disruptive behavior while flying on its aircraft, with the latest court decision punishing a traveler who forced its flight to divert, disrupting the plans of 191 passengers and six crew members.