2015 in Aviation

2015 brought many changes to aviation as a whole. It had its major highs and unfortunately, in the eyes of many, its major lows.

Notable Aviation Moments in 2015:

US Airways Retires Final 767-200

On February 12, US Airways operated their final 767-200 flight. The flight, aptly numbered US767, flew from Charlotte Douglas Airport to Philadelphia International, two of US Airways’ largest hubs. US Airways first received the 767-200 in May of 1987.

Alaska Airlines Announces Updated Look

In February, an Alaska Airlines employee posted photos of what appeared to be an updated livery on the airlines’ 737s. It was later announced that this livery would be the airlines’ new livery and the airplanes would be repainted whenever the fleet schedule would allow it.

One Year Anniversary of MH370

March 8 marked the one year anniversary of one of the biggest aviation mysteries of our current generation. There is still very little information known about the disappearance of the flight, but as time goes on, more will be found out.

Crash of Germanwings Flight 9525

On March 24, it was reported that Germanwings Flight 9525, from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, crashed over the French Alps. It was later discovered that the crash was intentionally caused by the first officer when the captain left the cockpit for a moment.

US Airways and American Airlines Officially Become One

April 7 was a major day not only for aviation in America, but aviation worldwide. US Airways and American Airlines were officially merged into one airline under the name American Airlines. With the merger, American Airlines became one of the largest airlines in the world, and the largest in terms of number of airplanes in the fleet.

WestJet Announces International Expansion

In June, Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet announced their newest international destination, London-Gatwick International Airport. The destination will be the airline’s first in Europe, and will be served with the airlines’ acquisition of Boeing 767s.

United Airlines Pulls Out of JFK

In June, United Airlines announced it would be ending its Premium Service flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco from New York-JFK. These two flights were the only routes that United flew into JFK, due to the location of their major East Coast hub at Newark.

US Airways Final Flight

On October 17, US Airways flew into the sunset forever after operating their final flight. The flight landed in Philadelphia as US1939 from San Francisco and will be remembered by many as the end of an era.

Transaero Ceases Operations

On October 1, Russian airline Transaero announced they would cease operations on December 15, 2015 after filing for bankruptcy. However, just 24 days later, Russian aviation authorities revoked the airline’s operating certificate, officially causing the airline to terminate operations on October 25, 2015.

First European Airline Orders Sukhoi Superjet

In mid-October, Irish carrier CityJet confirmed an order for 15 Sukhoi Superjets, becoming the first airline in Europe to do so. The airline plans to receive the first four in 2016 and they will replace the airline’s Avro RJ85 fleet.

MetroJet A321 Crash

On October 31, reports surfaced that a Russian airliner disappeared over the Sinai Peninsula shortly after taking off from Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh Airport. It is not yet known what caused the incident, but it is believed that there was some kind of explosive device on the aircraft.

Cathay Pacific Unveil New Branding

On November 1, Cathay Pacific unveiled a new livery that will be seen throughout the fleet in the years to come. The fuselage sees the largest change with the Cathay name being printed above the windows and a grey band that wraps around the length of the body.

Boeing rolls out first 737 Max

On December 8, Boeing rolled out the first 737 MAX, the next generation of the world’s best selling commercial aircraft. A large group of Boeing employees gathered at the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington. The first flight for the 737 MAX is scheduled to occur in early 2016 with the first delivery scheduled for 2017.

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From here at AirlineGeeks, have a wonderful 2016!

Did we miss anything? Let us know.

BONUS: Check out our 2015 quiz

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AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.

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