Aviation News

Norse Atlantic has published its latest financial results, with the long-haul low-cost carrier citing strong revenue growth from its now-mixed business model, which includes scheduled and wet leased operations.

Following a recent agreement between the UK government and the European Commission, UK passport holders are set to regain access to automated e-gates at more European airports. The expansion is tied to the rollout of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital border platform set to replace manual passport stamping for eligible non-EU nationals, including British travelers.

Southwest is the US's third-largest carrier by passengers. In the 12 months to February 2025, US Department of Transportation data shows it carried 173.4 million passengers. Only American Airlines (223.1 million) and Delta Air Lines (199.0 million) surpassed it. Southwest's traffic was -1.8% lower compared to the year to February 2024, partly because of lower demand and greater uncertainty.

It has happened again. Newark Liberty International Airport just experienced its fourth air traffic control (ATC) outage in the past month. Controllers at the troubled Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) area, which manages arrivals and departures for Newark, lost radio frequencies for a brief period yesterday, leaving them unable to communicate with aircraft.

On May 19, 2025, RTX, a massive defense conglomerate previously referred to as Raytheon Technologies, was reported to be resuming talks this upcoming Thursday with 3,000 striking employees. Those on strike are workers at Pratt & Whitney, a US-based aircraft engine manufacturer. These employees have been on strike for three weeks, mostly as a result of general unhappiness over the terms of their employment.

Wizz Air has taken delivery of its 1st Airbus A321XLR during an event at Airbus' Hamburg Finkenwerder site in Germany. The aircraft is the first of 47 due to be taken by the airline. While this may not be the first Airbus A321XLR to have been delivered to an airline, it does still tick a number of boxes. Firstly, it is the first of these aircraft to be powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, but also the first one to be delivered with a low-cost carrier cabin.

United Airlines is facing significant onboard catering challenges at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) following a recent switch to a new catering provider. What was expected to be a smooth transition has resulted in service disruptions and frustrations among passengers and crew.

Southwest Airlines has issued the voting results following its annual shareholder meeting, with the airline’s shareholders approving every nominated candidate to its board, including five members that were appointed following the carrier’s truce with Elliott Investment Management (Elliott).

Welcome to my 168th weekly routes article! It includes eight mini-stories about subjectively exciting services that took off between May 12 and 19. Many dozens of routes worldwide started in the examined period. However, as always, only a selection of intriguing additions is covered.

On May 16, American Airlines flight 1884 from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) diverted to Nashville International Airport (BNA), after the crew reported hydraulic problems. Upon the final approach to Nashville, the crew advised that they would stop on the runway, and requesting emergency services to stand by. 40 minutes after the decision to divert, the landed safely.

On May 16, Hawaii News Now reported that Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a new no-show policy from Thursday, May 15. Per the new rules, if a passenger is not present for their ticketed flight at the time of boarding, the airline will cancel their reservation, including layover and return flights. Money or miles spent on the flight will not be refunded, nor available as credit towards future flights. Passengers are advised to contact the airline in advance if they think they may miss their flight.

Houston Hobby Airport suffered a significant power outage on Sunday at the airport's air traffic control (ATC) tower. The FAA reported that the ATC tower was without main grid power for approximately an hour, leading to extensive delays and cancellations at the airport. Southwest Airlines, the largest operator at Houston Hobby, experienced delays to a third of its flights to and from the airport, while American Airlines canceled 80% of its limited number of flights to the airport.

On Saturday, May 17, a DoorDash driver mistakenly entered a restricted area at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, sparking a temporary security concern, CBS News Chicago reported. The driver was moving through the airport's secured perimeter, raising alarms when spotted by air traffic control.

Technological advancements within the aerospace industry have allowed airlines to push the envelope of what’s possible, including route networks. With new-generation engines and airframe improvements, carriers are now able to fly routes that would have been unprofitable with widebody aircraft, as long-haul narrowbodies are now able to traverse oceans, including the Atlantic.

The first Boeing 777 was delivered to launch customer United Airlines on May 15, 1995. That aircraft was the brilliantly registered N777UA, a non-Extended Range variant that remains active today. While N777UA's first test flight was in April 1995, the world's oldest active 777 is N774UA. It is a 30.8-year-old machine and the second Triple 7 built. Its first test flight was in July 1994, but it was delivered later.

An American Airlines flight 2144 bound for Miami turned back to Charleston International Airport (CHS) on Sunday morning, following what the airline described as a potential mechanical issue shortly after departure, as reported by live5news. The aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported.

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A320 operating a flight from Minneapolis to Kalispell on May 17 was forced to divert to Spokane due to an issue with the aircraft’s flaps. The flight landed safely and continued to its destination after a few hours on the ground.

United Airlines and The Cookie Department, a company with several snack brands, including Buy A Bar, Give A Bar, have enhanced their partnership. The pair is building on the success of the latter company’s cookies, which have been a popular offering onboard the airline’s aircraft.

Some 61 airports will have Airbus A380 flights in June, involving 36 countries, including Bahrain. Emirates will operate Dubai-Bahrain on a one-off basis for Eid al-Adha, two months after the last one-off service existed for the country's Grand Prix. With a block time of as little as 1h 15m, it will temporarily be the world's shortest superjumbo flight.

This October, EVA Air will launch a new route to the United States, with the airline connecting Taiwan with Dallas/Fort Worth. The company is the first carrier to do so since at least 2000. This move represents a series of steps the airline has taken to expand in the United States and cater to increasing demand from business passengers.