Aviation News

An Air Canada pilot recently voiced his frustrations about air traffic controller (ATC) shortages amid several delays and cancellations at Vancouver International Airport(YVR) and other airports in the country. Vancouver has also faced multiple delays due to construction and equipment upgrades over the last few weeks.

An Alaska Airlines passenger responsible for a bomb threat on board a flight will face nearly two years in prison. The incident occurred on July 5, 2023, when the passenger handed a note to a flight attendant that read, “There is a bomb on the plane. This is not a joke.”

Welcome to my 169th weekly routes article! It includes eight mini-stories about subjectively exciting services that took off between May 20 and26 (unless stated). Many dozens of routes worldwide started in the examined period, including between the US and Europe. However, only a selection of intriguing additions are covered in this article.

Air France resumed its nonstop service between Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Ben Gurion Airport(TLV) in Tel Aviv today. The airline suspended the route in early May, citing the safety of passengers and crew amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the region.

An American Airlines Boeing 737-800 narrowbody aircraft reportedly experienced a bird strike to its nose landing gear while on approach to Havana, Cuba. The aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported. However, it was unable to vacate the runway and had to be towed.

Despite its troubled history, including two fatal crashes, the Boeing 737 MAX family, of which two variants are currently certified, the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9, has become a workhorse for many airlines across the world, including in its home country.

For most travelers, the accumulation of frequent flyer miles, without regular long-haul work trips, can be an arduous task. Of course, it is better to have some than none at all, but it's fair to say that most of us wish we could have more. On that front, Etihad has devised an interesting competition that will see its winner be given a healthy boost to their loyalty balance, in the form of a five-million-mile prize.

In May, four US airports—Chicago O'Hare, Grand Rapids, Long Island, and Portland (Maine)—welcomed their first Avelo service. In O'Hare's case, Avelo switched from Midway, having served that airport for three years. The switch meant O'Hare—among the world's busiest airports—regained HVN flights for the first time in 29 years.

On May 24, a Houston-bound All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-9 operating Flight 114 was diverted to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a passenger attempted to open an exit door mid-flight. The flight landed safely at the airport, where law enforcement met the aircraft.

American Airlines will expand its regional route network by adding twice daily Embraer E175 flights between Chicago and Chattanooga. According to a report by Ishrion Aviation, the service is set to launch on October 6, 2025, entering direct competition with United Airlines on the route.

United Airlines has commenced nonstop flights between Washington Dulles International Airport(IAD) and Dakar Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) in Senegal, marking its first-ever service to the West African country. Dakar is the airline’s sixth African destination, coming just six months after the launch of flights to Marrakech, Morocco.

In June, 16 US airports will have flights on the Airbus A340, A380, or the passenger Boeing 747. Of these, only five—Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, and Washington Dulles—have service aboard all three quadjet types. Of course, the results will be different at other times, especially in winter.

Air New Zealand has flown one of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft back from Australia after the aircraft suffered a collision with a jetbridge, resulting in a small hole just below the cockpit windows earlier in May.

Since 2014, when Airbus launched the A330neo aircraft family, comprised of the smaller A330-800 and the larger A330-900, the number of operators flying either of the aircraft has steadily increased. While the A330-900 is by far the more popular member of the family compared to the A330-800, the plane maker has steadily added new orders for the A330neo.

An Antonov An-24 has suffered a landing gear collapse at the conclusion of a domestic flight in Russia. The plane, operated by Angara Airlines, experienced the abnormality after touching down in Kirensk, resulting in dramatic imagery as the stricken turboprop passenger aircraft came to a stop on the grass. Luckily, there have not been any reported injuries among the plane's more than 50 occupants.

Lufthansa will not operate the Boeing 747-400 between Frankfurt and New York JFK in winter 2025/2026. While the German giant had scheduled flights on the variant, they were removed in the latest schedule update. This is unsurprising, as it did not use the 371-seater last winter either. Elsewhere, the 747-400 returned to Boston on May 1, while Lufthansa has confirmed the return of the Airbus A380 to San Francisco.

Last week, a TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330flying from Newark to Lisbon had to land with just one engine running after an in-flight shutdown. Compounding matters was the fact that the widebody twinjet, which had left the New Jersey hub almost two hours late, also experienced a hydraulic failure while descending towards the capital city of Portugal. Subsequently, its crew issued a declaration of 'PAN PAN.'

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) experienced more than 300 delays over the Memorial Day weekend, as the unofficial summer air travel season began in full swing. According to flight tracking data, disruptions started as early as Friday, with Saturday seeing the highest number of delays.

On May 24, 2025, a brush fire ignited near a residential area close to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW). Authorities, according to a report by Gulf Coast News Now, believe it may have been sparked by a lightning strike, with dry grass and windy conditions contributing to its rapid spread. The incident comes just a week after a similar fire occurred at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), Florida.

Frontier Airlines received the most customer complaints for the third year in a row, as complaints against US airlines reached a new record in 2024. According to a new report, last year was the fourth time in five years that complaints against US carriers hit an all-time high, with travelers voicing frustrations over issues like canceled flights, lost baggage, and delayed refunds.