Yet another set of U.S. airlines has merged, but unless you live on the island state of Hawaii you probably won’t notice a difference. On June 4, 2020, the merger between Mokulele Airlines and Makani Kai Air was announced via Southern Airways Express media platforms. Southern Air acquired Mokulele back in Feb. 2019 and decided to keep the Mokulele brand alive in the state of Hawaii. The operations of the two Hawaii-based airlines will begin to combine on June 15,…
A couple of weeks ago, I was perusing the latest aviation news from around the internet. I was looking specifically at what I could find surrounding the Department of Transportation (DOT). And I stumbled across an article about Avatar Airlines. It's a name that rang a bell but didn't, of…
Amid a global crisis that has practically reduced global travel to a skeleton of what it once was, a small, single-runway airpark smack-dab in the middle of the Arizona desert is an unlikely portrait of productivity. Pinal Airpark, situated along the Interstate 10 corridor between Phoenix and Tucson, in Marana,…
The effects of the coronavirus crisis on air transport demand are well known by now. A sheer drop in demand, combined with a very high number of booking cancellations has brought airline traffic to an all-time low. As a result, countries quickly reacted to ensure the survival of such companies…
In the recent CARES Act, the aviation industry was given a bailout for its recent economic woes stemming from the COVID-19 epidemic. This has led to another round of arguments being brought forward about preferring nationalizing carriers to avoid these issues going forward and potentially creating a more enjoyable airline…
As the saying goes, the best way to become a millionaire is by having a billion dollars and opening an airline. Aviation is a high-risk industry, with high costs and narrow margins. The risk of losing money is amplified in the regional markets. The low capacity brings costs per seat…
There is an old saying that “the greatest journey an airline pilot ever takes is the one to the captain’s chair three feet to the left.” In August of 2013, after years of hard work, Korry Franke made that journey and became a United Airlines captain on the Boeing 737.…
When aircraft reach retirement age, their years of service are often celebrated and aviation enthusiasts nostalgically remember the years they spent dutifully carrying out their respective missions. After the celebrations end and the memories fade, what happens to the airplanes we remember so fondly? Many end up in the boneyard or other…
Since 2006, American Airlines has partnered with the Gary Sinise Foundation to bring families that have lost members in combat together Originally, the company operated charter flights to its Dallas/Fort Worth base where children were transported to the "North Pole," also known as hangar specially decorated for the holidays. Just…
When Lufthansa began flights to San Jose, Calif., the carrier knew it had to do something unique to celebrate the newly established connection to the tech-focused Silicon Valley region. As airline officials began brainstorming how to mark the new service, the team wanted to create something innovative that no one…
