An Endeavor Air CRJ-900 painted in the Delta Connection livery.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Two Delta regional aircraft collided on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Wednesday, injuring a flight attendant.
According to the FAA, both aircraft involved in the accident were CRJ-900s operated by Endeavor Air, a regional airline owned by Delta. Endeavor Air Flight 5155 was preparing for takeoff to Roanoke, Virginia, when its wing struck the fuselage of Endeavor Air Flight 5047, which had just arrived at LaGuardia from Charlotte, North Carolina.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Taxiways M and A around 10 p.m.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia, said a flight attendant suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
Photos shared on social media show visible damage to Flight 5047’s nose, with part of the cockpit’s windshield shattered.
The FAA and the NTSB now investigating the cause of the collision. CBS News reported that the aircrafts’ black boxes are being sent to the NTSB’s lab in Washington, D.C., for analysis.
Delta apologized to the passengers and said it would work with the airport and other agencies to figure out what went wrong.
“Delta teams at our New York-LaGuardia hub are working to ensure our customers are taken care of after two Delta Connection aircraft operated by Endeavor Air were involved in a low-speed collision during taxi,” the airline said in a statement. “Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologize to our customers for the experience.”
Overall operations at LaGuardia were not affected, the Port Authority said.
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 Bringing Back Service Dropped in 2021
Seasonal flights return next summer after a five-year pause.
An American A321neo. (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)
American will restart service on a route it last served nearly five years ago.
A spokesperson from the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline told AirlineGeeks on Wednesday that it plans to reconnect its Phoenix hub and Anchorage, Alaska. The carrier last served this route in September 2021.
Next summer, American plans to bring back this service on a daily basis. Flights will start on May 21, 2026, operated by an Airbus A321neo.
The route will continue to be seasonal during the summer months, ending on Sept. 8.
American connected Phoenix and Anchorage since 2015, before a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to Cirium Diio schedule data. Alaska Airlines also served the route.
Super Bowl Boost
In addition to resuming Phoenix-to-Anchorage flights next year, the airline plans to add more service in San Jose, California, during the Super Bowl in February.
Between Feb. 5 and 10, 2026, the carrier plans to grow operations in San Jose by more than 450%, adding over 10,000 seats. In addition to flying larger aircraft on regularly scheduled routes from Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix, American will operate special flights from Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, and Philadelphia.
During the peak travel period, American’s schedule to San Jose will include: from Dallas/Fort Worth, seven flights per day on February 5 and 6; from Phoenix, six flights per day on those same dates; from Los Angeles, three daily flights; and single daily flights from Miami, New York, and Philadelphia.
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.
Inside a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight deck at the Farnborough Airshow. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
As the aviation industry continues its dynamic and often turbulent path, opportunities for skilled professionals are constantly evolving.
For those looking to advance their careers or find their next role, FindaPilot.com serves as a vital tool, connecting pilots with employers for positions ranging from airline and corporate to charter and contract work.
The platform allows employers to find qualified candidates for everything from a single-day trip to staffing an entire airline. This roundup highlights some of the top positions currently available.
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Some Help for Your Aviation Job Hunt
Which U.S. Airlines Are Hiring Pilots? Despite the overall slowdown in hiring, some airlines are still looking for new pilots. Here are the airlines that are currently hiring pilots in the United States. Read more
How to Become a Regional Airline Pilot: The path to becoming a regional airline pilot requires hard work and dedication, but it opens the door to a world of opportunities in the airline world. Read more
Aviation’s Next Hiring Boom: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates four percent growth for aircraft and avionics mechanics through 2032. Read more
How To Become a Chief Pilot: Chief pilots are senior crewmembers with significant experience in safe flight operations. Airlines hire their own captains into management positions to oversee flight operations on a specific aircraft type in which they have expertise; some even hire a chief pilot for each base in their network. Read more
Careers in Sustainable Aviation: As the world increasingly invests in sustainable aviation, many exciting green jobs have emerged throughout the industry. Read more
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.
For the first time ever, the carrier will serve a U.S. destination, Phoenix, from Vancouver. Currently, Porter connects Vancouver only to cities in eastern Canada, including Toronto and Montreal.
The airline is also adding nonstop service from Ottawa to Phoenix and Miami, and from Montreal to Nassau, The Bahamas. This will be the carrier’s first nonstop Caribbean service from Montreal.
Phoenix and Miami are both hubs for American Airlines, which announced a new codeshare agreement with Porter on Monday. As part of that deal, American and Porter officials suggested that new U.S.-Canada routes, including a link between Canada and Phoenix, were being worked out.
Service between Vancouver and Phoenix will start Feb. 2, 2026, and operate daily. Flights between Ottawa and Miami will begin earlier, on Jan. 24, and service between Ottawa and Phoenix will come online Feb. 7. Both of those routes from Ottawa will operate three times a week.
Service between Montreal and Nassau will launch Feb. 5, and will also operate three times weekly.
Porter is also expanding service on existing routes to warm weather destinations this winter. These routes include Hamilton, Ontario, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ottawa to Grand Cayman; Ottawa to Liberia, Costa Rica; Ottawa to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Toronto to Cancun; Toronto to Fort Lauderdale; and Toronto to Liberia.
All new and expanded routes will be operated by Porter using Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.
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.
British Airways Adds Brand-New U.S. Route
New service will be the airline’s 30th destination in North America.
A British Airways Boeing 787-8 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
British Airways is gearing up to bolster its U.S. network next year. The airline plans to add another destination to its route map.
Starting in April 2026, the airline will serve St. Louis, Missouri. Flights are slated to begin on April 19, according to Ishrion Aviation.
Flights are also available for sale on the airline’s website.
The British flag carrier’s new U.S. route will operate four times per week on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Outbound flights are slated to depart London Heathrow at 4:25 p.m., arriving in St. Louis at 7:30 p.m. Return flights depart St. Louis at 10:00 p.m., before arriving in London at 12:05 p.m. the following day.
A British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
St. Louis will be British Airways’ 27th U.S. destination and 30th in North America.
Circa-TWA Route
While British Airways has never flown to St. Louis, the city had non-stop flights to London until 2003, per U.S. Department of Transportation data.
Back when the now-defunct airline had a hub in St. Louis, TWA operated regular flights to London Gatwick. The carrier operated a mix of Boeing 747 and 767 aircraft on this route.
After acquiring TWA in 2001, American Airlines continued to serve St. Louis and London Gatwick with 767-300 aircraft. This route eventually ended in 2003.
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.
A Spirit Airbus A321 (Photo: Shutterstock | Ron Adar)
One month after filing for bankruptcy, Spirit says it is making “significant progress” toward a successful restructuring and has secured access to badly needed capital.
At a hearing Tuesday before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the ultra-low-cost airline said it negotiated a multi-tranche debtor-in-possession financing facility of up to $475 million from its existing bondholders to support normal business operations. The financing is subject to court approval, with a hearing scheduled for Oct. 10.
If the court rules in Spirit’s favor, $200 million would immediately become available.
The cash would supplement $120 million in liquidity freed up by the bankruptcy court this week.
Spirit has been dangerously short of liquid capital for months. The carrier reported net losses in the two quarters since its emergence from its first bankruptcy and has struggled with weak demand for domestic leisure travel.
In another promising sign, Spirit said it negotiated a deal with its largest aircraft lessor, AerCap, to speed up fleet optimization with the eventual delivery of 30 aircraft. AerCap helped trigger Spirit’s second bankruptcy by claiming defaults on 37 aircraft in Spirit’s fleet, but as part of the new deal, AerCap will pay Spirit $150 million, and Spirit will reject leases on 27 aircraft, freeing itself from the financial commitment.
The agreement settles all disputes between the two companies, Spirit said.
The court also approved Spirit’s motion to reject 12 airport leases and 19 ground handling agreements, which the airline called an “important step forward in cost and network rationalization.”
“These are significant steps forward in a short period of time to build a stronger Spirit and secure a future with high-value travel options for American consumers,” President and CEO Dave Davis said in a statement. “While there’s more work to be done, we’re grateful to our stakeholders who have stepped up to support us during the restructuring.”
Spirit warned shareholders in August that it might not survive the year as a going concern. Industry analysts have faulted the airline for not making more substantial changes during its first bankruptcy, and the heads of major U.S. carriers have voiced growing doubts about the viability of the ultra-low-cost business model.
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.
Braathens International Airways Files For Bankruptcy
Swedish airline Braathens International Airways has filed for bankruptcy after failing to secure financing for its fleet of Airbus jets.
Swedish airline Braathens International Airways has filed for bankruptcy after failing to secure financing for its fleet of Airbus jets.
In a message posted on its website, the carrier said two business entities connected to its Airbus operations – Braathens International Airways AB and Braathens Crew AB – filed for bankruptcy protection in Solna District Court in Sweden this week.
Officials traced the company’s problems to its founding in 2022, which proved more “complex” than expected and delayed deliveries of aircraft. In the years since, demand from tour operators, who the airline primarily serves, has softened, and cost-saving measures were not enough to keep the carrier in the black.
“On 27 August 2025, the board of directors decided to discontinue the Airbus business through a gradual phase-out,” the statement read. “To secure the costs of continued operations during the phase-out, extensive additional financing was required, which unfortunately did not succeed… The board of directors and management deeply regret the situation, but given the acute financial situation, there are no alternatives left.”
Braathens International Airways operates flights on behalf of its sister company, Braathens Regional Airlines.
The carrier said it will continue to fly its fleet of ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft.
“I understand that those affected are sad, shocked, and disappointed,” Per G. Braathen, chairman of the board and majority owner of Braathens, said in a news release. “Now we have no choice but to focus on the part of the business that can achieve long-term profitability.”
The airline said it is now negotiating with labor unions to begin the process of layoffs, though it will aim to retain as many employees as possible.
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.
Airlines, Unions Push For Deal to Avoid Government Shutdown
The Modern Skies Coalition is pushing congressional leaders to work out a funding compromise that will avert a looming shutdown of the federal government.
Aircraft at Reagan National Airport (Photo: Shutterstock | Kit Leong)
The Modern Skies Coalition, a lobbying group which includes commercial airlines, labor unions, and general aviation organizations, is pushing congressional leaders to work out a funding compromise that will avert a shutdown of the federal government.
“Government shutdowns harm the U.S. economy and degrade the redundancies and margins of safety that our National Airspace System (NAS) is built upon,” Modern Skies wrote in a letter sent to elected officials on Monday. “In fact, short-term shutdowns of just a few days, or even threatened shutdowns that are averted in the eleventh hour, negatively affect the NAS and the traveling public.”
The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The coalition warned that a shutdown will slow efforts begun by the U.S. Transportation Department to speed up the training and deployment of air traffic controllers, delay the implementation of new safety initiatives, postpone maintenance and repair work on air traffic control technology, and halt airworthiness inspections for aircraft.
It is also likely that the FAA will have to temporarily suspend hiring and close its training academy in Oklahoma City.
“Although air traffic controllers, technicians, and other exempted aviation safety professionals continue to work without pay during a shutdown, many other FAA employees who support them are furloughed,” the letter read. “To maintain our position as the world leader in aviation, we must always strive to improve safety and efficiency and continuously work further to mitigate risk.”
Shutdown, Potential Delays Loom
The Modern Skies Coalition also pointed out the potential economic consequences of a shutdown, noting that the 35-day shutdown between December 2018 and January 2019 cost the U.S. economy $3 billion that was never recovered.
Republicans and Democrats have so far failed to reach an agreement that would keep the federal government funded and operating as normal. Schumer and Jeffries said Monday that they want concessions from President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to protect healthcare-related programs and initiatives.
If no deal is reached, the federal government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. Trump administration officials have signaled that they plan to carry out mass firings of federal workers if that occurs.
Experts expect a shutdown could cause delays and other hassles for members of the flying public. Essential airport workers, such as TSA agents, are required to work without pay when federal funding runs out, and in the past some of those workers have called out sick in protest, slowing operations.
The Modern Skies Coalition includes the industry trade group Airlines for America; the Air Line Pilots Association; the Allied Pilots Association; the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Airbus; the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA; Boeing; GE Aviation; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; and the Regional Airline Association, among numerous other organizations.
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 Plans Regional Fleet Overhaul
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said Tuesday that it will retrofit its regional jets to bring them closer in line with the standards of its mainline fleet.
New interiors on an Envoy Air E175 (Photo: American Airlines)
American Airlines announced Tuesday that it will retrofit its regional aircraft to bring them closer in line with the standards of its mainline fleet. The program will update cabins, expand connectivity, and add additional passenger amenities across the airline’s dual-class regional fleet.
According to the carrier, nearly 300 regional aircraft are already equipped with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi that is available gate-to-gate. By early 2026, American expects to complete Wi-Fi installation across its entire regional fleet.
Interior Retrofits
Cabin interiors on Embraer E175 and Bombardier CRJ-900 jets will be refreshed with new seat coverings designed to match mainline aesthetics. The aircraft will also be retrofitted with in-seat power at every seat.
The upgrade effort will cover American’s CRJ-700, CRJ-900, E170, and E175 aircraft. Its 50-seat E145s were not mentioned as part of the announcement.
Refreshed E175 interiors (Photo: American Airlines)
American maintains the largest regional fleet in the U.S., which includes wholly-owned subsidiaries Envoy, PSA, and Piedmont. SkyWest and Republic also operate flights for the airline.
According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, 566 regional aircraft are currently operating under the American Eagle brand.
In addition, snack service will also be updated to more closely match offerings on mainline flights. American said premium cabin passengers will continue to receive morning and evening snack selections and, beginning this fall, will also be offered a midday snack basket.
Refreshed interiors on a PSA CRJ-900 (Photo: American Airlines)
Bigger Bins
The airline is additionally working with Embraer to develop larger overhead bins for its E175 fleet, with plans to roll these out in the “coming years.”
American said the initiative is intended to create consistency across its domestic network, where many passengers connect between regional and mainline flights. Heather Garboden, the airline’s chief customer officer, noted that demand for reliable high-speed connectivity extends even to short-haul markets and emphasized that the upgrades are designed to meet those expectations.
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.
In a copyright infringement case brought by Italian flag carrier ITA Airways against the “new kid on the block” Aeroitalia, the Luthansa-controlled carrier scored an early win last week when the judge ordered Aeroitalia to stop using their name, logo, and color scheme as it is considered too similar to the old Alitalia branding.
The lawsuit will not see a final resolution until late in 2026, but as the court is forcing Aeroitalia to stop trading under its current name, CEO Gaetano Intrieri has announced in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica that his airline will revive the Air Italy brand.
“I registered the Air Italy trademark and chose this new name,” he told La Repubblica.
Alitalia’s first flight to Washington Dulles in 2019 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Air Italy was a short-lived carrier formally based in Olbia, Sardinia, that was born rising from the ashes of Meridiana with a troublesome 49% equity ownership by Qatar Airways. They operated between 2018 and 2020 with a fleet of up to 12 aircraft from their hub in Milan Malpensa Airport to 26 short- and long-haul destinations, including New York JFK, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The ruling is requesting Aeroitalia to adapt its name and trademark starting Jan. 1, 2026. “That’s basically the day after tomorrow – says Intrieri – The deadline is too close and impractical. This is why we are talking with ITA Airways’ lawyers to agree on an appropriate, reasonable path. The atmosphere between us and ITA is very positive.”
Air Italy Wants to Play the Slots
While Intrieri is conceding that ITA Airways has won the logo battle, he is ready to fight back with a complaint filed both to the Italian Antitrust Authority and to the EU Commission in Brussels, claiming that the procedure that assigned all the slots formerly held by Alitalia at Milan’s Linate Airport to ITA Airways was anticompetitive.
“From its first day in business, ITA Airways claimed to be a completely new company,” ITA said, in short, ‘I am not the heir of Alitalia, I do not operate as a continuity partner of Alitalia.’ So, if ITA is truly a new entity compared to Alitalia, as it claims, it had no right to inherit Alitalia’s slots at a strategic airport like Linate.”
Linate is a city airport strategically located just outside the city limits of Milan, and it is largely preferred by business passengers due to its proximity to the business center of Italy’s economic capital. Furthermore, in 2024, the subway line M4 connecting the city center with Linate Airport has been completed making the airport even more attractive to citizens and visitors alike.
Capacity at the single-runway facility has been artificially limited for almost 30 years in order to facilitate the development of Malpensa Airport, which is located almost 50 km (30 miles) north-east of Milan. Traffic is limited to 18 movements per hour, there is a 1500-kilometer (810 nautical miles) perimeter rule, and only single-aisle aircraft are allowed to operate.
“We will ask whether ITA has a dominant position at Milan Linate, as we suspect, and whether it had the legal right to receive so many slots at that airport. We believe that Alitalia’s slots should be returned to Assoclearance, the public regulator, to be redistributed equitably to all airlines, based on waiting lists.”
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.
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