Aviation News

Seeking Alpha is reporting that Switzerlandis moving forward with acquiring 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs, despite uncertainties about the cost. The deal was initially pegged at roughly 6 billion Swiss francs ($7.5 billion), but now faces possible extra charges between $650 million and $1.3 billion attributed to inflation, rising commodity prices, and newly imposed trade tariffs.

United Airlines is making some big changes at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The airline is picking and moving its whole operation over to a new concourse, meaning a new lounge will be on the way as well.

Wisk Aero, a Boeing subsidiary currently working on an autonomous electric air taxi, and Signature Aviation, a global powerhouse in the business of private aviation terminals, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly develop infrastructure for Wisk's air taxi. This collaboration is a key alliance in shaping the future of safe and efficient eVTOL flights in Signature's network.

A Breeze Airways flight made an unscheduled stop on it way from Norfolk International Airport (ORF) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). On Wednesday, August 13, Flight 704 had to divert to Grand Junction Airport (GJT) after a passenger became violent mid-way to the destination. The Grand Junction Police Department said they responded to the airport after receiving reports.

London Heathrow has introduced a new aircraft separation system that air traffic control provider National Air Traffic Services (NATS) says is already improving punctuality and cutting carbon emissions. The system was deployed in December 2024 as part of Heathrow’s existing Intelligent Approach arrivals spacing tool.

A Canadian appeals court has upheld a ruling that Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) must pay compensation to the families of those killed in the downing of Flight 752 in Iran on January 8, 2020. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was shot down by two Iranian surface-to-air missiles just minutes after takeoff from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. All 176 people on board, including 167 passengers and 9 crew, were killed in the incident.

Air India has kicked off a $400 million retrofit program for its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner fleet, marking a significant step in its ongoing cabin modernization drive. The news comes almost a year after the Indian flag carrier began its narrowbody aircraft retrofit program.

Hawaiian Airlines will cease flying between Honolulu and Boston in November. It follows Delta pulling out in April and will mark the end of the US's current longest domestic service. The development means Hawaiian's frames will now only be seen at one East Coast airport: New York JFK.

Southwest Airlines has come under fire from an American rock and roll musician after one of her guitars was severely damaged while in transit with the blue-clad low-cost carrier. Emily Wolfe, who recently flew with the budget airline toLas Vegas, took to social media to explain the story and express her frustration.

Seeking Alpha is reporting that Archer Aviation has posted a widened second-quarter loss of $206 million, more than double the losses that it reported in the second quarter of 2024, driven by increased operating expenses as well as ongoing development costs. Despite this, the company assured investors of its commitment to producing the Midnight aircraft, confirming on X that six examples are currently in production.

Lufthansa Technik is preparing to certify its shark skin riblet technology for older-generation Airbus A330ceo aircraft. The technology, known as AeroSHARK, will soon be applied to the Airbus A330, making it the first Airbus model to benefit from this fuel-saving riblet surface innovation.

Delta Air Lines is cutting nearly 20% of its New York City capacity in the post-holiday 2025-2026 season. Planned flight schedules show a reduction of 15-20% in operations at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Despite putting out strong numbers in July, with 60 commercial aircraft delivered, Boeing saw deliveries drop by 20% and a total of 48 jets rolling out the door. That is significantly behind the 67 planes that rival planemaker Airbus was able to deliver in July.

Boeing has won a legal battle in Brazil, which clears the way for its local subsidiary to continue hiring engineers. A federal court rejected a lawsuit from two aerospace industry associations that sought to impose limits on the US planemaker’s recruitment practices.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is urging regulators to revoke antitrust immunity for Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico. The two carriers were granted the right in 2016 to run their US-Mexico operations within the framework of a joint venture, allowing them to plan and price flights jointly. Bloomberg reports that in a filing on Monday, the DOJ cited concerns over policies of the Government of Mexico that it says have hindered competition on cross-border routes.

Allegiant Air is expanding its domestic network with the addition of five new routes connecting eight US cities, with a majority of the adds coming from Huntsville, Alabama, a new addition to its network. This continues the carrier's leisure-oriented strategy, as Allegiant aims to link underserved markets to vacation destinations.

Airlines have been steadily upgrading their onboard offerings in recent years. They are not only investing in new seats and cabin layouts but also in onboard WiFi and more varied, higher-quality in-flight entertainment (IFE). Passengers on many carriers now have access to an extensive selection of films, TV series, and other media from the moment they take their seats.

AeroTime is reporting that the US Navyhas officially named its upcoming replacement for the Boeing E-6B Mercury. The next aircraft to fulfill the Take Charge And Move Out (TACAMO) role will be named the E-130J Phoenix II. The announcement was made by the US Navy's Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program (PMA-271) and Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) on August 7.

On August 6, 2025, GE Aerospace and Cathay Pacific announced a contract to procure GE9X turbofan engines as a part of Cathay’s orders for upcomingBoeing 777X widebody jets. The airline is slated to receive 777-9 passenger jets and, although no official order has been announced, is likely to purchase 777-8F cargo freighters in the future as well.

A Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Maui out of Sacramento International Airport (SMF) experienced a mid-flight mechanical issue that forced it to divert for safety concerns. The Airbus A321neo was over the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean at the time and subsequently had no choice but to turn back.