Qatar, Kenya Airways Expand Partnership With Codeshare Flights

The carriers' new agreement covers 19 destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Lorne Philipot

Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Kenya Airways Boeing 787 landing in London. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways are building on their partnership with the launch of codeshare flights to 19 destinations, with more to be added in the near future.

The agreement enables the Qatari flag carrier to continue expanding its footprint in Africa and provides passengers from over 170 destinations with easier access to key leisure and business destinations served by Kenya Airways.

“We are pleased with the significant progress made in just a few months since the partnership initiated with Kenya Airways, and this enhancement is a testament of the collaborative efforts which further strengthens our presence in Kenya and the African continent,” Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori said in a statement.

A Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Qatar Airways passengers now have access to eight destinations in the Kenya Airways network, connecting through three daily services between Doha and Nairobi. The destinations are Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Lilongwe, Malawi; Livingstone, Zambia; Juba, South Sudan; Nampula, Mozambique; and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Connecting Africa and Beyond

Kenya Airways passengers will be able to connect to 10 destinations across Asia and the Middle East through Doha. The destinations are Bahrain; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Malé, Maldives; Muscat, Oman; Singapore; and Tokyo Narita.

Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.

Alaska Adds 13 Routes, New City

The carrier’s latest network update expands service from San Diego, Portland, and Seattle to several new destinations.

Ryan Ewing

Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 07:16 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Alaska 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Alaska Airlines is preparing a broad network expansion for 2026, adding over a dozen new routes across the U.S.

The new flights — spotted in published Cirium Diio schedules and confirmed by multiple airports — bolster the airline’s presence along the West Coast while adding new midcontinent and East Coast links.

From its growing San Diego focus city, Alaska is introducing flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, Raleigh-Durham, Tulsa, Santa Barbara, and Oakland.

Service between San Diego and Tulsa will begin March 18, operating daily with Horizon Air Embraer E175s, while flights to Raleigh-Durham are set to start April 22 with Boeing 737 aircraft.

The same day, Alaska will launch twice-daily, year-round service between San Diego and Santa Barbara, alongside a new four-times-daily route to Oakland and twice-daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth.

New Destination

Tulsa International Airport has confirmed that Alaska will also begin daily nonstop flights from Seattle and San Diego on March 18, marking the airline’s first-ever debut at the Oklahoma airport.

In Northern California, Alaska will open daily service between Ontario and Santa Rosa beginning March 18, as well as daily flights between Seattle and Arcata/Eureka starting April 8, according to airport announcements. Both routes will be operated with E175 aircraft.

Horizon Air E175 — An Alaska E175 operated by Horizon Air. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Alaska last served Arcata/Eureka in 2011. United currently serves the airport from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver, while Breeze is slated to launch service in March.

Portland Growth

Portland International Airport will gain several new routes. Alaska is adding seasonal daily flights to Baltimore/Washington and Philadelphia, both starting May 13. The airline will also begin year-round daily service between Portland and Idaho Falls, along with St. Louis, on the same date.

The airline last linked Portland and St. Louis in 2018.

Rounding out the expansion, Hollywood Burbank Airport confirmed that Alaska will add new daily flights to Honolulu starting May 13, restoring a nonstop connection between the Southern California airport and Hawaii. Flights will be operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Qatar Airways Launches New Red Sea Service

Red Sea International Airport is Qatar Airways’ 12th destination in Saudi Arabia.

Lorne Philipot

Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Qatar Airways Airbus A320 (Photo: Shutterstock)

Qatar Airways has started service to Red Sea International Airport in Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural flight arrived at Red Sea International Airport on Oct. 21. The airline will offer three weekly rotations on the route, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The service operates with an Airbus A320 aircraft.

Qatar marked the occasion with a reception attended by Abdullah Al Malki, senior vice president of business control and financial support; Karthik Viswanathan, vice president of sales for the Middle East, Caucasus, Pakistan, and ISC; and Sheikh Jassim bin Fahad Al-Thani, head of aeropolitical and regulatory affairs.

“We at Qatar Airways are proud to expand our global network of more than 170 destinations with the inauguration of service to the Red Sea. The importance of the Saudi market, and our commitment to it, is proven by the growing reach of our services in the Kingdom,” Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement.

Extensive Saudi Network

Red Sea International Airport is Qatar Airways’ 12th destination in Saudi Arabia. The airline flies from Doha to destinations including Abha, Al Ula, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Neom, Qassim, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif, and Yanbu.

The Red Sea is an emerging tourist destination on Saudi Arabia’s western coast between Umluj and Al Wajh. Tourists can visit 90 islands and coral reefs, desert landscapes, and volcanic mountains.

Lorne Philipot

Avelo Leaving Airport, Axes Three Routes

Service will end in January 2026.

Zach Vasile

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 04:23 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Avelo Boeing 737 aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | photojohn830)

Ultra-low-cost carrier Avelo is reportedly planning to end service at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut next year.

The Connecticut Airport Authority, which operates Bradley and the state’s general aviation airports, announced Avelo’s planned withdrawal on Thursday, according to a report from WFSB-TV in Hartford. The carrier’s three nonstop routes from Bradley – to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Cancún, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – will terminate in January 2026.

“The CAA is disappointed and surprised to learn of Avelo’s decision to pull out of Bradley International Airport, particularly its decision to cancel the state’s only nonstop service to Montego Bay,” the CAA said in a statement.

Avelo 737-800 — An Avelo Boeing 737-800 (Photo: Shutterstock | Edgardo M Moya)

Avelo said it opted to leave the airport due to “multiple business factors,” including lack of demand, but the CAA was openly critical of that reasoning. The agency called Avelo’s decision to abandon the Montego Bay route “inexplicable” and suggested the airline wanted to take advantage of state-provided incentives while dodging its “obligations” as an operator at Bradley.

Revenue Guarantee

According to the Hartford Business Journal, the state provided Avelo with a revenue guarantee, assistance with marketing, and waivers of airport landing fees and terminal rent for its first year of operations.

“Like all business decisions we make, this exit was made based on facts – the revenues on the market did not cover the costs,” Avelo said in a statement to WFSB. “Any other insinuation to the contrary is unfortunate, false, and uninformed.”

Avelo’s tenure at Bradley was notably short-lived, with its first flights to Montego Bay and Cancún taking off in November 2024. The CAA said it will work to restore nonstop service between Connecticut and Jamaica by bringing another airline to Bradley.

Avelo will maintain a presence in Connecticut through its base at Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport.

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.

American Sets Date for Israel Return

The carrier has not flown to Tel Aviv since 2023.

Zach Vasile

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 03:24 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American Boeing 777-200 in Dallas/Fort Worth. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

After a yearslong absence, American Airlines is returning to Israel.

In a statement provided to AirlineGeeks, the carrier said flights between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv will restart on March 28, 2026. The service will operate with a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.

Tickets for New York-Tel Aviv flights will go on sale by Monday.

American has not operated in Israel since the Hamas-led cross-border attack on the country in October 2023. It is the last of the “big three” U.S. airlines to return to Tel Aviv, following United’s resumption of service in July and Delta’s return in early September.

U.S.-based carriers have temporarily suspended service to Israel a number of times over the last two years in connection with the war in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, and missile fire between Israel and Iran.

Zach Vasile

FAA Officially Drops Hawaiian Code, Callsign

The Honolulu-based carrier is in the process of merging with Alaska Airlines.

Zach Vasile

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 02:17 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Hawaiian Airlines aircraft in Honolulu (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

The FAA moved Friday to officially cancel Hawaiian Airlines’ three-letter designator and callsign, another step forward in the carrier’s integration with Alaska Airlines.

As of Oct. 30, use of the International Civil Aviation Organization-recognized designator “HAL” and the callsign “HAWAIIAN” will end, the agency said. From then on, all Hawaiian aircraft will fly with the ICAO designator “ASA” and the callsign “ALASKA.”

Alaska 737 MAX — An Alaska Boeing 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

An airline’s designator code is used mainly for commercial purposes, such as ticketing, while a callsign is used in radio communications.

Alaska acquired Hawaiian in a $1.9 billion deal in September 2024. The two carriers are now in the process of integrating operations and securing a single operating certificate from the FAA. Alaska has said it will maintain the Hawaiian brand even after the two become a single airline.

Zach Vasile

NTSB: Flight Attendant Hurt in Southwest Evacuation

Investigators say a crew member was injured after the 737 returned to Houston following reports of a burning odor.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest Boeing 737-700. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says a Southwest flight attendant suffered a serious injury during an emergency evacuation in Houston earlier this year, following engine trouble on a Boeing 737 bound for Mexico.

The April 17 flight, operating as Southwest 3006 from Houston Hobby to Los Cabos, Mexico, turned back shortly after takeoff when the crew noticed abnormal readings from the right engine and heard a loud “popping” sound. The pilots declared an emergency and returned to Hobby.

According to the report, flight attendants later noticed a burning odor in the cabin. After landing and stopping on a taxiway, the captain ordered an evacuation when the smell persisted. Passengers exited using the aircraft’s slides and overwing exits. One flight attendant fractured an ankle during the process while helping passengers off the plane.

The report notes that the aircraft’s captain and first officer followed all appropriate checklists before landing. After the evacuation began, the first officer exited the aircraft to assist on the ground while the captain remained on board until all passengers and crew had left.

Some passengers were seen re-entering through the overwing exits after firefighters on the scene directed them back onto the aircraft over concerns about slide-related injuries.

The 2009-built Boeing 737-700, registered as N7724A, was undamaged and later inspected by maintenance crews.

Ryan Ewing

Livery of the Week: Qatar’s New Formula 1 Livery

The carrier recently unveiled a new Formula 1 livery.

Vanni Gibertini

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Rendering of the "Creative 100" Formula 1 livery for Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (Photo: Qatar Airways)

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.

Earlier this month, Qatar Airways unveiled the first global creative platform at the Art Basel Paris 2025, one of the cornerstones of the global art market, bringing together leading galleries, collectors, curators, and artists.

“Qatar Airways Creative 100” is a platform that will spotlight 100 visionaries excelling in music, sports, fashion, business, and the arts. During the launch, as the first expression of creativity for the platform, a special edition livery celebrating the partnership between Qatar Airways and Formula 1 was unveiled. Later in the year, a further special livery commemorating The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be revealed.

Rendering of the “Creative 100” Formula 1 livery for Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (Photo: Instagram | @qatarairways)

Sleek Design

This special Qatar Airways livery features a striking split-color design, with a clean white front fuselage that transitions to a deep maroon and to black in the top section of the aircraft and near the tail fin. The aircraft is branded as a “Global Partner of Formula 1®, with the Formula 1 logo occupying the rear part of the fuselage, seamlessly connecting to the tail fin displaying a stylized, dynamic all-white version of the traditional oryx logo.

The aircraft earmarked to be repainted in this new livery is a Boeing 777-300ER, registered as A7-BEG, configured with 42 Business Class seats and 316 Economy Class seats. The aircraft was delivered new to Qatar Airways in December 2015.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

Vanni Gibertini

Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.

South Korea’s Parata Air Applies to Serve U.S.

The carrier plans to launch flights to two markets next year.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 10:20 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Parata Air A330-200 (Photo: Parata Air)

South Korean low-cost airline Parata Air has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking permission to begin scheduled and charter service to the United States.

According to the Thursday filing, Parata Air intends to start operations for the Summer 2026 season using Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The airline’s initial U.S. network would include scheduled routes from Seoul Incheon to Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with additional destinations under consideration.

“[The carrier] plans to commence operations on March 29, 2026, for the S26 season, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft,” the filing stated, noting that Parata Air “may further develop additional routes in the future.”

Post-Restructuring

The airline, headquartered in Yangyang, Gangwon-do, emerged from a 2024 restructuring of the defunct Fly Gangwon. Parata Air is now wholly owned by Winix Inc., a Korean company that acquired the bankrupt carrier and re-registered it under its current name.

It recently resumed domestic operations, including flights between Gimpo and Jeju, after regaining its Air Operator Certificate from the South Korean government.

Parata Air’s U.S. filing states it seeks authority to operate scheduled and charter flights carrying passengers, mail, and cargo between Korea and the United States, consistent with the U.S.–Korea Open Skies agreement.

The carrier’s application also confirms that its fleet will initially consist of two leased A330-200s registered in Korea (HL8709 and HL8714) and that Lufthansa Technik Philippines and other approved facilities will perform heavy maintenance.

Ryan Ewing

Alaska Restores Service After IT Outage

The carrier said over 229 flights were canceled.

Zach Vasile

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 09:56 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Alaska Air 737 aircraft (Photo: Shutterstock | oasisamuel)

Alaska Airlines has restored service after a technology outage forced it to ground flights across the country Thursday night.

In a statement released early Friday morning, the carrier said the ground stop it requested from the FAA was lifted around 11:30 p.m. Pacific time.

“We are working to get our operations back on track as quickly and safely as possible,” the airline said.

Over 229 flights were canceled, Alaska acknowledged, and continued disruptions are “likely” as the carrier repositions its aircraft and crews.

“We appreciate the patience of our guests whose travel plans have been disrupted,” the statement continued. “We’re working to get them to their destinations as quickly as we can. Before heading to the airport, we encourage flyers to check their flight status. A flexible travel policy is in place to support guests as operations return to normal.”

Alaska requested a ground stop for mainline and Horizon Air flights after a “failure” at its primary data center around 3:30 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday. Airline leaders said the outage interfered with systems “that enable us to run various operations” but did not compromise the safety of its flights.

Hawaiian Airlines flights were not affected.

Alaska emphasized that the outage was “not a cybersecurity event” and was “not related to any other events.”

Alaska experienced a similar IT-related outage in July that grounded flights across its system for about three hours.

Zach Vasile