AviationCircle, Los Angeles, CA (2025)

10/11/2025

Spirit Airlines plans to launch a new daily route between Newark (EWR) and West Palm Beach (PBI) on December 4, 2025, using Airbus A320 aircraft. The filing comes as Spirit fine-tunes its winter schedule amid a broader network reset.

Travelers on this corridor already see heavy nonstop competition from United and JetBlue; typical flight time is roughly 3 hours. Spirit’s entry adds an ultra low cost option alongside those incumbents.

Operationally, Newark has been a focus station for Spirit, the airline opened a pilot crew base at EWR in 2024, so a Florida leisure link from New Jersey aligns with its network strategy.

10/11/2025

A Houston mother and United flight attendant says she lost her job after confronting Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles in a United Club at Bush Intercontinental this spring. Video from the day shows her telling him “go back to Colorado,” a clip first reported by the Houston Chronicle.

She told KPRC she was off duty, not in uniform, and did not identify herself as a United employee. Weeks later she says United terminated her. HISD confirmed the lounge encounter and described the behavior as vulgar and aggressive; United declined to comment. Her union is helping her appeal the firing.

The episode unfolded amid ongoing controversy over the state takeover of Houston ISD and Miles’s leadership, which has drawn strong reactions from families across the district.

10/11/2025

Southwest is asking customers about a new, higher-tier Rapid Rewards credit card that would include airport lounge access and carry an annual fee around $595. Multiple flyers report receiving a detailed survey outlining lounge entry, priority boarding, CLEAR and Global Entry credits, and extra-legroom upgrades as potential perks. These survey items have not been announced as products yet.

The lounge idea fits with Southwest’s broader rethink. In recent months the airline has publicly outlined big changes, assigned seating and premium seating options, revamped fare bundles, and new credit-card benefits with Chase, while also signaling it is evaluating premium lounges as part of a larger strategy shift. None of the official releases to date mention lounges or a $595 card, which underscores that these are still exploratory.

What to watch next: whether Southwest formally commits to lounges (and where), how a premium card would sit alongside its existing $229 Priority card, and if any lounge access would also include partners like Priority Pass. For now, the carrier says more customer-experience upgrades are coming as part of its transformation.

10/11/2025

Delta is preparing a new Delta One suite for its incoming Airbus A350-1000s. Reporting from One Mile at a Time, citing industry leaks, points to the Thompson VantageNOVA platform with an estimated 50 business-class suites per jet; Delta has 20 A350-1000s on order, with first deliveries slated to begin in 2026 and initial service expected around 2027. These suites are not expected to be retrofitted to Delta’s existing A330s, 767s, or earlier A350-900s due to complexity and cost, according to the same reporting.

What that seat means: VantageNOVA is a new twin-aisle business-class suite that supports a 1-2-1 layout, optional doors, and a flexible cabin geometry (reverse-herringbone or mixed layouts) with pitches from 40 inches upward. Thompson has also unveiled a “VantageNOVA First” front-row concept that creates a business-plus experience using extra bulkhead space.

Delta confirms the A350-1000 will be its largest and most capable widebody, featuring Delta One Suites, Premium Select, and free onboard Wi-Fi; the type joins, and eventually grows, Delta’s A350 fleet starting in 2026. Airbus notes Delta’s order for 20 A350-1000s, with the aircraft expected to offer lower fuel burn than retiring jets and more premium seats than current widebodies.

10/11/2025

Delta Air Lines has been ranked No. 2 worldwide on Forbes’ 2025 World’s Best Employers list, up four places from last year. Forbes highlighted how Delta listens and responds to employees through an open-door culture, regular leader visits, and programs shaped by feedback. One example: an Emergency Savings Program launched in 2023 that more than 40,000 employees have used, along with added flexibility in pass travel.

For context, Microsoft took the top spot this year, with Delta at No. 2 among 900 global companies evaluated. The ranking is produced with Statista and draws on surveys of 300,000+ employees in 50+ countries, using a multi-year, weighted methodology that emphasizes current employee views.

Delta also notes recent recognition on Forbes’ state-by-state employer lists, where it ranked No. 1 in Georgia, Michigan, and Utah, part of a broader string of workplace awards for the airline.

10/11/2025

Fiji Airways Flight FJ450 from Christchurch to Nadi returned to Christchurch on Thursday after a bird strike soon after departure. The Boeing 737-800 circled for about two hours to burn fuel and then landed safely; the airline said all guests and crew were safe and engineers would inspect the aircraft. Local outlets reported more than 170 passengers on board.

New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority said the jet likely encountered a “substantial flock of birds.” Images published after landing showed a visible dent on the nose cone; RNZ and Fiji media described an emergency response on standby while the aircraft held over Canterbury.

Operationally, the flight was canceled and passengers were rebooked. Aviation incident reporting noted the aircraft (registration DQ-FJN) returned about two hours after takeoff following the strike. Bird-strike events are a known hazard, and authorities said standard procedures were followed.

10/11/2025

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could impose export controls on Boeing aircraft parts bound for China, responding to Beijing’s new curbs on rare earth materials. The warning came October 10 alongside talk of broader tariffs and a possible reset of U.S.–China talks.

What a ban could mean: Chinese airlines operate about 1,855 Boeing jets with roughly 222 more on order, making regular access to U.S. parts and engine support critical. Any restriction would also touch suppliers like CFM International (GE Aerospace–Safran), which powers many Boeing narrowbodies.

Context: Washington already paused some high-tech exports this year after China tightened critical-minerals shipments. A parts ban would further strain prospects for fresh Boeing sales to China, including a widely reported multi-hundred-jet deal under discussion. Markets and industry groups are watching for formal rules from Commerce before airlines feel operational impacts.

10/11/2025

American Airlines’ 2026 plan includes new long-haul flying from Dallas Fort Worth:

daily Dallas Fort Worth to Athens starts May 21, 2026 on a 787-8;
limited season Dallas Fort Worth to Zurich runs May 21–Aug 4, 2026 on a 777-200;
and Dallas Fort Worth to Buenos Aires extends into the May 21–Aug 3, 2026 summer window on a 787-8.

American also adds year round Miami–Milan from March 29, 2026, and launches Philadelphia–Budapest and Philadelphia–Prague on May 21, 2026 (both 787-8). Tickets are loading for sale, pending approvals.

For New York flyers, American highlights special JFK–San Jose flights for the Feb 2026 Big Game week and continues its New York growth with recent JFK–Tokyo Haneda service and product upgrades on transcon routes. While today’s new-route list doesn’t add a New York long-haul, AA’s event flights and ongoing JFK investments keep the metro in focus.

10/11/2025

The Pan Am name just took its first formal step back toward the skies. AVi8 Air Capital and Pan American Global Holdings say they’ve begun the FAA certification process to re-establish Pan American World Airways as a Part 121 scheduled carrier, with plans for a Miami base and an Airbus fleet (specific models not yet disclosed). The partners say a leadership team is in place and early support from lessors and vendors has been lined up.

The original Pan Am, America’s one-time global flag carrier, ceased operations on December 4, 1991 after 64 years. Two smaller “Pan Am” revivals followed (1996–1998 and 1999–2004), but neither lasted. Today’s effort comes alongside brand activity like a luxury 2025 charter and a refreshed official website, but this FAA filing is the first concrete step toward regular scheduled service under the Pan Am name.

What’s next: certification is multi stage and can take time. Beyond FAA approval, the startup will also need DOT economic authority, manuals, training, proving runs, and route/aircraft specifics before tickets appear. No launch date or network has been announced, just that the goal is a modern Pan Am built around Miami, flying Airbus jets. We’ll track each milestone as it’s confirmed.

10/11/2025

American Airlines ran a month of non-revenue training flights between Philadelphia and Edinburgh so its Airbus A320 family pilots could learn North Atlantic operations. From September 4 to 25, the airline flew 42 A321neo trips with FAA inspectors observing, qualifying its first group of check pilots ahead of the A321XLR’s international debut. “These training flights were a huge success,” said A320 fleet captain Josh Hall.

Why this matters: A321XLRs arrive starting late 2025, with initial flying on JFK to Los Angeles before moving to transatlantic routes. Many A320-series pilots have flown only domestic or short-haul; oceanic work adds new procedures like daily-changing North Atlantic Tracks, non-radar air traffic control with position reports, and long-range communications. The check pilots trained first and will now qualify 45 line pilots, starting from the New York base.

Details from the training: the airline used an A321neo on empty PHL–EDI turns to practice oceanic workflows and diversion planning; industry coverage mirrored the FAA observed setup and timing. The XLR’s 4,700-nm range will let American open thinner U.S.–Europe city pairs that don’t need a widebody. Route specifics are still to come.

10/10/2025

After a weather diversion left American Airlines Flight 2354 (LAX–DFW) stuck overnight in Wichita Falls, Texas, the captain, Jeff Raines, bought 40 pizzas from a local Papa John’s and helped carry the boxes into the terminal for the flight’s 159 passengers. The September 2018 moment was captured on video and shared widely the next day.

Footage shows the captain jogging between the delivery car and the waiting crowd as people say, “What a guy.” Raines later posted that it was a team effort: the first officer worked the phones for crew logistics, flight attendants served drinks from a galley cart, and local staff handled buses and rebooking.

American confirmed the diversion was due to severe thunderstorms, and the flight continued to Dallas–Fort Worth the next morning. Forbes reported the captain paid out of pocket, about $500, for the pizzas he bought.

10/10/2025

American Airlines added two more Boeing 737 MAX 8s this week, including aircraft N313UR spotted at Boeing Field before its ferry to Dallas/Fort Worth. These deliveries continue a steady MAX 8 stream from Seattle to DFW.

American’s mainline fleet topped 1,000 aircraft on August 29 when a new Boeing 787-9 arrived at DFW, a milestone the airline marked in its newsroom update. United reached the 1,000-jet mark earlier in 2025 and still holds the world’s largest mainline fleet, putting American in second place globally by fleet size.

American configures the type with 172 seats (16 First, 24 Main Cabin Extra, 132 Main Cabin) with power at every seat and streaming entertainment to personal devices—matching the “Oasis” narrow-body standard across the 737 fleet.

More MAX 8s help American refresh high-frequency domestic and near-international flying while the long-haul fleet grows with premium 787-9s. Together, the additions support network breadth and give American one of the largest active fleets anywhere, trailing only United at the top of the global rankings.

AviationCircle

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

10/10/2025

10/10/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category