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Shutdown Ends, But What Does That Mean For Flights?

The FAA froze mandatory air traffic reductions at 6% on Wednesday.

Two aircraft on the runway in Austin, Texas.
Delta and Southwest aircraft in Austin. (Photo: Shutterstock | lorenzatx)

The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is now over, but it will take several days and possibly even a week for the nation’s air travel system to return to normal.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement Wednesday that the FAA will freeze its mandatory air traffic reductions at 40 major airports at 6% indefinitely. The cuts were set to increase to 8% on Thursday and 10% on Friday before the government reopened.

The reductions were put in place last week to ease the burden on air traffic controllers, who have not received a full paycheck since Oct. 1. It was not immediately clear when controllers will get their next paychecks or owed backpay, but Duffy noted that many who had called out sick are already returning to work.

“The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace,” the secretary said. “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first. If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations.”

Speaking at a press conference, Airlines For America President and CEO Chris Sununu said it could take up to a week for delays and cancellations to drop to normal levels. Still, he was confident that significant disruptions will not linger into the Thanksgiving travel period.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock | John McAdorey)

“I don’t think any flights over the Thanksgiving week have actually been canceled yet,” Sununu said, according to ABC News. “I think the airlines have been pretty tight working with the FAA looking a few days out to be sure. We’re still a good week-plus away from that Thanksgiving week. There’s still plenty of time to make sure that everything over the Thanksgiving week goes off as originally planned.”

Airlines, for the most part predicted a return to business as usual within a matter of days.

In a statement, American said it is “well positioned” to restore canceled flights because of “operation decisions to minimize disruptions.”

“Our approach was to limit inconvenience for our customers,” the carrier said. “We took unprecedented actions to provide flexibility for customers, and we are grateful for their loyalty and patience throughout a challenging period.”

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS Mornings that air travel complications could be resolved in as few as three to four days.

“The system should return to normal by the weekend… and normal for us is an incredibly safe, incredibly reliable, great experience,” he said. “Thanksgiving is going to be a great holiday period of travel.”

Delta aircraft in Atlanta
Delta aircraft in Atlanta. (Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock)

Southwest COO Andrew Watterson said Wednesday that there were already signs of stabilization.

“The good news is – and I want to emphasize this – as of yesterday, we’re seeing real progress, and air travel appears to be returning to normal,” he said in a news release. “Our operation remains strong, and customers can continue to count on Southwest.”

About 1,000 flights into, out of, and within the U.S. had been canceled as of midday Thursday, according to data from tracking website Flight Aware. Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, and Newark, New Jersey – all subject to the FAA’s reduction order – saw the highest number of cancellations.

With the shutdown over, federal departments and agencies will return to normal operations. At agencies dealing with air transport, including the FAA, TSA, NTSB, a large number of employees were deemed essential and continued coming into work despite the lack of pay.

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.

Why BermudAir Is ‘The Little Airline That Could’

The carrier is gearing up for more growth, including long-haul flights, its CEO says.

BermudAir E175
A BermudAir E175 (Photo: Orlando International Airport)

BermudAir is preparing for another phase of expansion as it builds out its U.S. presence and moves forward with new service to Anguilla, CEO Adam Scott said in an interview with AirlineGeeks.

The airline now serves three New York–area airports — Westchester County, LaGuardia, and Newark. Scott said the goal was to address different segments of the region while maintaining complementary schedules.

“I think all three airports serve different, but also overlapping markets,” he said. “We launched Westchester because it’s a great demographic, and there’s a lot of connection between Westchester County, Greenwich, and southern Connecticut with Bermuda.”

LaGuardia provides direct access into Manhattan and offers a morning departure “highly complementary to our late afternoon and early evening service to and from Westchester,” he said. Newark adds “another morning service,” a wider catchment area, and serves as BermudAir’s base for new Anguilla flights.

“We always needed and wanted an airport in New York that also has all of the relevant customs and immigration handling,” Scott said, noting that Anguilla’s lack of U.S. preclearance limits certain airport options. Newark “made all that much more sense for us as well.”

Entering Anguilla

Scott said Anguilla’s appeal is tied to seasonal alignment.

“Unfortunately, and historically, [Bermuda] has been quite a seasonal market,” he said. Demand drops in fall, winter, and early spring. “Anguilla and the Caribbean in general…has a very [different] seasonality. Our peak is our summer. Their peak is our winter.”

The new route allows the airline “to move capacity around so that we can continue our growth mode,” he said, adding that similar strategies may support future market entries.

New Markets in the U.S. and Canada

Scott said BermudAir is evaluating several additional destinations.

“There are at least two markets in Canada that are very attractive,” he said, describing Canadian performance as “exceptionally well.” He added that several large Eastern Seaboard cities and potential central or Midwestern markets are also being considered.

These additions would support year-round travel to Bermuda by helping “reduce the seasonality effect…by promoting and encouraging people to travel there” during slower months.

Fleet Plans and Eastbound Ambitions

The airline recently added two Embraer 190s and is working toward fleet simplification.

“We’re looking to transition to an all-E190 fleet just as soon as practically possible,” Scott said.

BermudAir E190
A BermudAir E190 aircraft (Photo: BermudAir)

He also confirmed that BermudAir is studying longer-range aircraft with an eye toward transatlantic operations.

“We definitely have interest in ultimately expanding our wings and flying east,” he said. Bermuda’s status “as a British Overseas Territory…is a great one for us.”

“Somebody once said we’re the little airline that could, and I’d like to keep surprising people on the upside,” he continued.

Scott said the airline is preparing for a strong year ahead after launching several new markets earlier in 2025.

“For the most part, they’ve worked out really well,” he said. But a few required adjustments: “We didn’t get the scheduling just right.”

He said 2025 has included “doubling our fleet size” and that BermudAir has had “no cancellations in the last five months apart from the weather-related cancellation.”

Upcoming priorities include strengthening existing markets, expanding partnerships, launching a frequent-flyer program, improving distribution channels, and building ground-handling and freight capabilities in Bermuda.

“There’s a whole long list of things that myself and the team are working on,” Scott said. “We’re excited to be able to share these with the market as and when we start ticking them all off.”

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

LOT Polish Airlines Adds New U.S. Route

Service will start in May 2026.

A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

LOT Polish Airlines is expanding its footprint in the U.S.

Starting May 6, 2026, the carrier will connect Warsaw with San Francisco. Flights will operate four times a week, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, during the summer season.

The 11-hour, 30-minute service will use a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“In the past 12 months, 800,000 passengers traveled on all LOT flights between Poland and the United States,” Robert Ludera, director of the network department at LOT, said in a statement. “Not only will the new route connect the heart of Europe with the global hub for technology and innovation, but it will also open up new opportunities for both business travelers and tourists.”

In the U.S., LOT currently serves New York-JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Miami, Los Angeles, and Newark, New Jersey.

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.

Avelo to Consider New Markets After Arrival of Embraer E2

The airline’s director of network planning said the next-generation jet will allow for a return to the West Coast.

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

Avelo will look at expanding to new markets – and could reenter the West Coast – after taking delivery of its new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft in 2027, according to a report from Aviation Week.

Speaking at the recent Routes Takeoff North America conference in Tallahassee, Florida, Avelo’s director of network planning, Mike Corcoran, said the airline’s near-term plan is to consolidate operations and promote awareness of the brand. Once the E2 starts arriving, however, that strategy will shift toward network growth.

“We absolutely plan to expand nationally once again,” Corcoran said. “The E2 is really going to enable us to serve the West Coast in a more efficient way.”

“For a long time, we had dual operations on the West and East coasts,” he continued. “It’s really challenging to run an airline of our size in those two disparate geographies without any connectivity in the middle. The E2 is going to enable us to go back there, probably in a smarter, more effective way.”

Corcoran’s comments were first reported on by Aviation Week.

The ultra-low-cost carrier shuttered its base in Burbank, California, and withdrew entirely from the West Coast this year, citing inadequate financial returns. It is currently building and reworking its network on the East Coast, adding some new airports while dropping others.

The airline has identified around 20 airports where E2 aircraft could be based, Corcoran said, but he did not name them at the conference.

Rendering of Avelo's E195-E2
Rendering of Avelo’s E195-E2 (Photo: Avelo Airlines)

In the meantime, Avelo will build up its presence at airports it already serves, he added.

The carrier has ordered 50 E2s with options for 50 more. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first half of 2027. Avelo will be the first U.S. carrier to operate the type. It plans to keep the 737 for higher-capacity markets.

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.

New Pacific, beOnd Partner on Luxury Airline

The carriers hope to bring beOnd’s all-business class model to the U.S.

A BeOnd aircraft.
A beOnd aircraft. (Photo: beOnd)

Anchorage-based New Pacific Airlines and beOnd, an all-business class carrier from the Maldives, are partnering to launch a new luxury airline in the U.S.

The joint venture, known as beOnd America, will make use of New Pacific’s fleet, infrastructure, and FAA certification to bring beOnd’s luxury product to the U.S. market, the partners said. Initially, eight New Pacific aircraft will operate under beOnd’s branding.

No routes or schedules have been announced.

New Pacific’s first Boeing 757-200 at an unveiling event in Southern California (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

“New Pacific was founded to connect people and places that matter,” Tom Hsieh, CEO of New Pacific, said in a statement. “This partnership allows us to elevate that mission by delivering something truly distinctive for American travelers — a boutique, luxury airline experience that blends comfort, design, and service excellence in a way not seen in U.S. skies.”

New Pacific formerly offered scheduled passenger service but now operates only charter flights.

BeOnd is headquartered in Dubai and operates from Velana International Airport in the Maldives. It was formed in 2022 with the goal of connecting the island chain to more cities in Europe, Asia, and eventually Australia. The carrier currently offers service to Riyadh, Dubai, Munich, Zurich, and Milan.

BeOnd advertises its flights as an alternative to private jet travel, with fully reclining flat-bed seating, gourmet meals, and boutique crew-to-passenger ratios. These amenities will become the main draw for beOnd American once the venture is up and running, the airline said.

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.

Hawaiian Debuts Trading Cards

Each features one of the brand’s four aircraft.

Hawaiian Airlines trading cards
Hawaiian Airlines' new trading cards. (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines/Alaska Airlines)

Hawaiian Airlines this week rolled out a series of trading cards and other collectibles meant to celebrate its crew members, aircraft, and unique cultural heritage.

Starting Wednesday, passengers can ask pilots for one of four trading cards, each featuring one of Hawaiian’s four aircraft – the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, 717, Airbus A321neo, and A330. The cards are printed on rainbow foil board for a “Hawaiian-inspired shine” and come with facts about the aircraft and space for a pilot’s signature.

The cards are meant to foster connection between Hawaiian’s employees and passengers and inspire interest in flying careers, the airline said.

Also available are 66 digital trading cards, one for each individual aircraft in Hawaiian’s fleet. Customers can collect them by scanning an NFC tag on the name plate of their aircraft upon boarding, which adds the card to a digital binder.

Hawaiian Airlines aircraft name plate
A customer scans a Hawaiian Airlines aircraft’s name plate to collect a digital trading card. (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines/Alaska Airlines)

The cards contain information about the aircraft and the origin of its name. Hawaiian’s 717s are named after native birds, its 787s and A330s after stars or constellations used by Polynesian voyagers for celestial navigation, and its A321neos after native plants and forests.

“Not only are we introducing something completely new by becoming the first airline to offer a digital card program, but our employees also get an exciting new opportunity to engage with guests, inspire future aviators, and share our islands’ rich culture in a meaningful and memorable way,” said Alisa Onishi, head of marketing for Hawaiian, in a news release.

Hawaiian is also offering “Keiki Wings,” or “Children’s Wings,” with Hawaiian’s logo and the words “Future Crew” on them. Children and their parents can request the small badge from flight attendants.

Hawaiian Airlines wings
Hawaiian Airlines’ “Keiki Wings” for children. (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines/Alaska Airlines)

Hawaiian is no longer its own airline but a brand of Alaska Airlines, which secured a single operating certificate late last month. Alaska leaders have said they will maintain the separate brand and recently appointed Honolulu-based executives to support its operations and marketing.

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.

Avelo Adds Three New Routes, Brings Back Three Others

Service will start early next year.

Avelo 737-800
An Avelo Boeing 737-800. (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

Ultra-low-cost carrier Avelo is adding new routes to its network and bringing others back in time for spring 2026.

Between Feb. 11 and 13, 2026, the airline will launch nonstop service connecting Lakeland, Florida, with Detroit and Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina, with Chicago O’Hare and Nashville, Tennessee; and Wilmington, Delaware, with Atlanta. On March 12, service between Wilmington and Chicago O’Hare will come online.

Lakeland-Detroit, Charlotte-Chicago, and Wilmington-Chicago are new routes, Avelo said, while Lakeland-Atlanta, Charlotte-Nashville, and Wilmington-Atlanta are being brought back.

The carrier will operate all six connections with Boeing 737 aircraft.

“These new routes offer travelers even more choices, making it easier and more affordable than ever for our customers to get where they want to go,” Avelo founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement.

The airline also said it will add a second aircraft to its Lakeland base in February.

Avelo has discontinued operations on the West Coast and is now building up its operational footprint in the Northeast, Midwest, and South.

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.

BermudAir Drops U.S. Route

The service began earlier this year.

A Bermudair E175
A Bermudair E175 (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

BermudAir has apparently dropped service to a U.S. destination it started serving only seven months ago.

The Hartford Business Journal reported Tuesday that the airline has exited Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. The outlet cited a statement from the Connecticut Airport Authority, which voiced its disappointment with the carrier’s decision.

BermudAir did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AirlineGeeks.

As of Wednesday morning, Hartford, Connecticut, has disappeared from the “Destinations” page on the airline’s website.

BermudAir E190
A BermudAir E190 aircraft (Photo: BermudAir)

BermudAir launched nonstop service to Connecticut in April as part of a network expansion that also included Raleigh, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina. Flights between Hartford and L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda operated twice per week.

BermudAir currently serves 11 destinations in the U.S. and Canada, including Boston, Baltimore, Montreal, Toronto, White Plains, New York, and Orlando, Florida. It also connects Boston, Baltimore, and Newark, New Jersey, with Anguilla in the Caribbean.

Bradley is on track to lose three airlines in a matter of months. Ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit ceased operations at the airport on Oct. 31, and Avelo plans to withdraw from Hartford in January 2026.

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.

JetBlue Restores Route After 15-Year Hiatus

Latest addition strengthens the carrier’s reach in New York.

JetBlue A320
A JetBlue A320 in Boston. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue is adding another link from Upstate New York to Florida, with new service set to begin early next year.

Starting on March 26, the New York-based carrier will link Rochester and Orlando, Florida, with year-round service. The route will operate five times per week — on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays — using Airbus A320 aircraft.

Flight 1042 is scheduled to depart Orlando at 11:50 a.m. and arrive in Rochester at 2:37 p.m. local time, while the return, Flight 1043, will leave Rochester at 3:35 p.m. and arrive in Orlando at 6:25 p.m.

“Orlando is one of the most popular destinations for Upstate New Yorkers, and this new route gives customers an easy way to get to the sunshine, theme parks, and all the attractions Central Florida has to offer,” said Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, in a news release.

JetBlue said the new route expands its presence across the Empire State, where the carrier has operated from Rochester since 2000. With this addition, the airline says it will serve eight New York airports with flights to Orlando — more than any other U.S. carrier.

According to Cirium Diio schedule data, JetBlue last flew between Rochester and Orlando in 2010. Southwest currently serves the route, while Spirit plans to end its Rochester-Orlando route in January.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Sunrise Airways Previews New U.S. Routes

The carrier said flight details will be available soon.

A Sunrise Airways Embraer E120
A Sunrise Airways Embraer E120. (Photo: Shutterstock | Victor De Leon)

Haiti’s Sunrise Airways is preparing to launch service to at least two new destinations in the U.S.

The carrier wrote on social media that it will soon offer nonstop flights between Cap-Haïtien and New York and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Currently, the airline’s only destination in the U.S. is Miami.

Sunrise told its followers to “stay tuned” for more information about the flights, including start dates.

Sunrise has its main hub at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. It flies within Haiti and to Caribbean destinations such as Turks and Caicos, Sint Maarten, and Guadeloupe. A second hub at V. C. Bird International Airport in St. John’s, Antigua, supports additional routes to eastern Caribbean islands like Saint Kitts and Saint Lucia.

The carrier has also teased new routes to Santo Domingo and Barbados.

The U.S. State Department currently advises citizens not to travel to Haiti due to extreme instability in the country. Its Level 4 advisory cites kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited healthcare.

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.
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