Family Awarded $16.9 Million After Runway Overrun

PenAir Flight 3296 crashed through a fence and into ballast harbor rocks while attempting to land in Dutch Harbor.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 04:10 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

PenAir Flight 3296 after overrunning a runway in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. (Photo: NTSB via Wikimedia Commons)

A Washington jury has awarded $16.9 million to the family of a man who was killed when a PenAir flight overran a runway in Alaska almost six years ago.

Law firm Miller Weisbrod Olesky, which represented the family of the late David Oltman, announced the verdict on Monday and said it far exceeded earlier settlement offers put forward by PenAir, now defunct, and its insurance carrier.

The case was the first fatal commercial airline crash to advance to a verdict by jury in more than two decades.

“We have given this family financial security, but more importantly, they have been told this loss was avoidable and the fault of the airline,” said Clay Miller, lead counsel and name partner at Miller Weisbrod Olesky, in a statement.

PenAir Flight 3296, operated on behalf of Alaska Airlines using a Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft, departed Anchorage on Oct. 17, 2019, bound for Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island in southern Alaska. While attempting to land in Dutch Harbor, the airplane overran the runway, crashed through a chain perimeter fence, and hit harbor ballast rocks. One of the propellers struck a road sign and the rocks, causing it to shatter and spray debris into the fuselage.

PenAir Flight 3296. (Photo: NTSB via Wikimedia Commons)

Oltman, then 38 and a resident of Washington, was killed and several other people were injured.

Maintenance Issue

In its final report on the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board said the aircraft’s anti-skid system was cross-wired by a brake maintenance contractor, leaving it “substantially compromised.” The agency also laid part of the blame on the pilots’ decision to land in Dutch Harbor with a significant tailwind.

Attorneys for Oltman’s family said the flight should never have departed Anchorage because PenAir had “numerous clues” that the anti-skid system was not working properly.

The airline’s legal team denied responsibility for the accident and blamed Saab and the State of Alaska, which operates Dutch Harbor Airport.

The jury ultimately found Pen Air 70% at fault and the brake maintenance contractor 30% at fault. The judge in the case ruled that PenAir is legally responsible for the actions of the contractor.

The entire $16.9 million award will be the responsibility of PenAir and its insurance carrier.

PenAir had filed for bankruptcy before the crash and ceased operations in 2019. Its assets were sold to Ravn Air Group, which also went out of business.

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.

With EAS Subsidies at Risk, Airlines Promise Business as Usual

More than 160 U.S. airports — 40 in Alaska alone — could lose Essential Air Service funding if the shutdown continues past Sunday.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 03:46 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Boeing 737-700 in Wrangell, Alaska (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

As the federal government shutdown moves into its second week, the Essential Air Service (EAS) program’s future remains uncertain.

During a Monday press conference in Newark, New Jersey, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said funding for the program would dry up by Sunday. The Department of Transportation later told EAS carriers that they would be relieved from serving subsidized communities should funding lapse.

According to the Regional Airline Association, 169 airports throughout the U.S. are subsidized under the program, with many located in Alaska. There are roughly 40 EAS-eligible communities in Alaska, which Duffy acknowledged Monday.

“The number one user of this [program] is Alaska. Again, you don’t have roads in Alaska,” he said. “They travel by air, and a lot of these are small communities. Alaska will be impacted, but every state across the country will be impacted by the inability to provide the subsidies airlines [need] to service these communities.”

Grant Aviation is the largest holder of EAS contracts in Alaska, with 22 communities served as of October 2024. Annual subsidy rates for these contracts total over $11 million.

Alaska Airlines also holds several EAS contracts in its namesake state, including Adak, Cordova, Yakutat, Gustavus, Petersburg, and Wrangell. In a statement, an airline spokesperson said it “takes seriously our unique obligation to serve as the critical transportation link for these communities to hubs within and beyond the state of Alaska.”

A United CRJ-200 in Prescott, Arizona. (Photo: Shutterstock | photojohn830)

The carrier acknowledged the DOT’s notification of a potential lapse in funding should the government not reopen by Sunday, though it committed to continue serving these communities.

“Despite this potential uncertainty, Alaska Airlines currently plans to continue operating reliable flights as scheduled while the federal government works to resolve the shutdown,” the spokesperson added.

Grant Aviation did not respond to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on the potential lapse in funding.

Lower 48

While the state of Alaska will likely be one of the hardest hit regions should EAS funding cease, the contiguous states are not immune to the uncertainty.

Perhaps most vulnerable to this would be regional airline SkyWest, which holds the most EAS contracts in the Lower 48. It provides federally subsidized service to around three dozen communities.

The carrier receives nearly $200 million in annual subsidies for EAS service, according to 2024 DOT data.

But much like Alaska Airlines, the carrier also plans to continue service should funding lapse amid a prolonged shutdown.

“We are working with each community and evaluating our capabilities in the event of a longer-term government shutdown,” a SkyWest spokesperson told AirlineGeeks in a statement. “It is our intent to honor our service commitments, including those under the Federal EAS program who rely on SkyWest’s reliable air service as an essential economic lifeline.”

Other EAS contract holders – including Denver Air Connection and Contour – have publicly echoed SkyWest’s comments.

“Contour Airlines recognizes the vital nature of the air service we have been entrusted to provide to rural America,” a Contour spokesperson told The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. “Accordingly, Contour will continue to operate its full flight schedule during the federal government shutdown.”

A Contour Embraer jet (Photo: Denver International Airport)

Southern Airways Express CEO and COO Deanna White told AirlineGeeks in a statement that the carrier remains “committed to maintaining regional air connectivity for the Essential Air Service (“EAS”) communities we serve through Southern Airways and Mokulele Airlines.”

“EAS subsidy funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation will pause beginning October 13th as long as the federal government remains shut down. Despite this potential funding interruption, we will continue flying all EAS routes with full scheduled service as planned,” White continued.

Alongside SkyWest and Contour, the carrier holds a large number of EAS contracts, including four in Hawaii.

Should airlines continue operating these flights beyond Sunday – if the shutdown is not resolved – the DOT said they’d be doing it “at their own risk,” as reimbursement cannot be guaranteed.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 9:37 a.m. ET to add comments from Southern Airways Express.

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.

Neos Suspends Route Between Canada and India

The service will end Wednesday.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 12:43 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Neos 787-9 aircraft (Photo: 周逸飞, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Italian airline Neos is suspending flights between Toronto and Amritsar, India.

In a statement, the airline said the service, which involves a stopover in Milan, will be suspended as of Wednesday. It blamed “current international geopolitical instability and the resulting decline in booking trends.”

Neos said it will reach out to affected customers and provide instructions for a refund. Customers who booked Toronto-Amritsar flights through a travel agency were told to contact the agency directly.

Neos launched the service between Toronto and Amritsar in 2023 to help connect eastern Canada’s relatively large Punjabi diaspora population with northern India. FlyAmritsar, an Indian organization that advocates for expanded air service to and from Amritsar, called the airline’s decision a “major setback” for the region and for the Punjabi community in North America.

Toronto will remain a part of Neos’ route network, with nonstop service to Milan set to continue.

Neos has its main operations base at Milan Malpensa Airport and flies primarily within Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It has one destination in the U.S., New York-JFK, which it connects with Milan and Bari, Italy.

Zach Vasile

A320 Passes 737 As Most Delivered Jet in History

The manufacturer broke its rival’s record with a delivery in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 11:19 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An A320 assembly facility in Toulouse, France. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus has scored a symbolic win in its competition with Boeing.

As of Tuesday, Airbus’ A320 family is the most delivered commercial aircraft in history, surpassing Boeing’s 737. Boeing’s longstanding record was broken when Airbus delivered a jet to Saudi low-cost-carrier Flynas.

Airbus has now delivered 12,268 A320 aircraft since the type’s introduction in 1988. Boeing, by comparison, has delivered 12,262 737s, according to fleet data from Cirium.

The 737, which entered service in 1968, was the most delivered commercial aircraft in the world for decades.

The A320 surpassed the 737 as the best-selling aircraft by total orders in 2019, but the 737 remained ahead in total deliveries until this week.

Boeing in Renton — 737 MAX aircraft in Renton (Photo: Shutterstock | Thiago B Trevisan)

The A320 and the 737 have become the workhorses of the global airline industry. Together, the manufacturers have delivered over 20,100 of the two types.

Boeing’s production has been limited by increased regulatory oversight since the fatal crashes of two 737 MAX jets in 2018 and 2019. The company is gradually increasing output and hopes to soon turn out 42 737 MAX airplanes per month. In 2026, it plans to dial up that tempo to 52 per month.

Zach Vasile

Alaska, Hawaiian to Begin Flight Renumbering

Hawaiian flights will adopt Alaska’s “AS” code in 2026.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 10:01 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Alaska and Hawaiian aircraft in Maui. (Photo: Shutterstock / EQRoy)

Alaska Airlines has detailed plans to renumber Hawaiian Airlines flight numbers as the two carriers prepare for a full system integration next year. The change is part of a broader effort to align operations ahead of obtaining a Single Operating Certificate (SOC).

Beginning Oct. 26, the company said Hawaiian flights will be renumbered under new Alaska-style ranges to prevent overlap and confusion in communications, according to Aeroroutes.

Neighbor Island flights will use AS1000–1299, while North America and international services will operate under AS800–999.

At the time of the Passenger Service System (PSS) cutover on April 22, 2026, all Hawaiian flights will retain their flight numbers but transition from the “HA” prefix to Alaska’s “AS” designator. For example, flight HA800 will become AS800.

The renumbering accompanies Alaska and Hawaiian’s broader PSS migration from Amadeus to Sabre, which is scheduled to occur overnight on April 21, 2026. The airlines – which finalized their merger last year – are hoping to obtain a Single Operating Certificate by the end of 2025.

Ryan Ewing

Airport Using Lasers to Ward Off Drones

Police in Germany are using the tactic as drone interference at airports spreads across Europe.

Zach Vasile

Monday, October 06, 2025 at 04:38 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Munich Airport in Germany. (Photo: Shutterstock | manfredxy)

A major airport in Europe is using lasers to both track and chase off drones after sightings forced officials to cancel flights.

According to German newspaper Bild, police equipped with lasers are now stationed around Munich Airport in case the drones return. The lasers can tell authorities how far the drones are from the airport and serve as a warning to operators that the vehicles have crossed into restricted airspace.

Drones have been spotted hovering near and around the airport since Oct. 2. As a precaution, over a dozen flights were canceled that day, and incoming flights were redirected to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, and Vienna.

The drones reappeared one day later, flying near Munich’s north and south runways, and again on Oct. 4, when about 170 flights were canceled.

Police in Germany are trying to identify the individuals operating the drones.

Drone sightings have triggered delays and cancellations at airports across Europe in recent weeks, including in Denmark, France, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Romania. Elected officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, suspect Russia is behind the incursions, probably as retaliation for Europe’s isolation of Russia during its ongoing war with Ukraine. So far, there is no evidence conclusively linking Russia to the drones.

Zach Vasile

Essential Air Service ‘Will Be Impacted’ by Shutdown

Funding will run out by Sunday, Duffy said.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, October 06, 2025 at 02:48 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American Eagle E145 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Essential Air Service (EAS) program will run out of funding as early as Sunday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. His comments come as a federal government shutdown continues into its second week.

Certain federal government employees – including air traffic controllers and TSA officers – will continue to work without pay. But Duffy added that non-critical workers within his agency have been laid off as a result of the shutdown.

During a press conference on Monday, Duffy sounded the alarm about the potential impacts on communities subsidized under the federal government program, while blaming the shutdown on Democrats.

“So there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” he stated.

Due to its heavy reliance on the program, Alaska will be heavily impacted, the secretary noted.

“The number one user of this [program] is Alaska. Again, you don’t have roads in Alaska,” he continued. “They travel by air, and a lot of these are small communities. Alaska will be impacted, but every state across the country will be impacted by the inability to provide the subsidies airlines [need] to service these communities.”

Communities seeking air service under the program – which is funded by Congress and administered by the DOT – must submit a formal proposal when service is at risk or an incumbent carrier plans to exit. The process typically begins when an airline notifies the DOT of its intent to terminate service to an eligible small community.

The agency then issues a request for proposals (RFP), inviting qualified carriers to submit bids outlining proposed schedules, aircraft types, and subsidy requirements. These proposals are published in the Federal Register and shared with local officials for review and comment.

Delta CRJ-200 — A Delta Connection CRJ-200 in Butte, Mont. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

After evaluating the bids, the DOT selects a carrier based on factors such as reliability, proposed service frequency, community input, and subsidy cost.

In a notice issued Monday, the agency warned that if the shutdown extends beyond October 12, it will relieve air carriers of their obligations under all active Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts.

Beginning October 13, the DOT said it would suspend subsidy payments until Congress restores funding. The department noted that carriers choosing to continue operations beyond that date would do so “at their own risk,” as reimbursement cannot be guaranteed.

Last-Minute Funding

Duffy added that funding for the EAS program was originally slated to run dry by Thursday, but that his agency found “some more money to put in.”

Now, he says EAS funding will cease by Sunday.

“Essential Air Service subsidies are expected to expire as soon as Sunday. USDOT exhausted every resource in trying to prolong an EAS shortfall, including transferring unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance,” a DOT spokesperson said as part of a statement.

“USDOT is in the process of notifying carriers of the shortfall and alerting communities of the potential impacts,” the spokesperson added.

Despite efforts by the Trump administration to dramatically slash EAS funding as part of President Trump’s ‘Skinny Budget,’ Duffy called the program “important,” adding that it has continually maintained bipartisan support in both chambers.

“But we don’t have the money for [it] moving forward,” he concluded.

Ryan Ewing

Indian Pilots Want 787s Grounded

The RAT system was triggered on an Air India 787 on Saturday.

Zach Vasile

Monday, October 06, 2025 at 01:34 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A professional pilots association in India is calling on regulators to inspect every Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the country after one of the airplanes unexpectedly activated an emergency power system over the weekend.

In a message to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and other government aviation bodies, the Federation of Indian Pilots said the aircraft should be grounded and their electrical systems checked for possible problems. The plea came one day after an emergency backup generator known as a ram air turbine (RAT) was triggered on an Air India 787 flying from Amritsar in northern India to Birmingham in the U.K.

The ram air turbine is meant to kick in when the aircraft’s engines lose power, among other factors, but Air India said this did not happen, and “all electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal,” according to the BBC.

The flight landed safely in Birmingham. The return flight to India was canceled, and the aircraft involved has been temporarily removed from service.

Notably, the RAT was activated on the Air India 787 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, in June. The aircraft lost altitude and hit the campus of a medical college, killing a total of 260 people on board and on the ground. One passenger survived.

Authorities in India are investigating the cause of the crash with assistance from experts from the U.S. and U.K. According to their preliminary findings, a cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why he had cut off power to the engines, and the other pilot replying that he had not.

The Indian government ordered inspections of all 787s in the aftermath. No problems were found, and the airplanes returned to service.

The DGCA said it has launched an investigation of the Amritsar-Birmingham flight but has so far not ordered another round of inspections for all 787s in the country.

Zach Vasile

50th Aircraft Joins JSX’s Fleet

New jet features a special livery.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, October 06, 2025 at 11:48 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

JSX's 50th aircraft (Photo: JSX)

Dallas-based public charter carrier JSX has formally taken delivery of its 50th aircraft, the company said.

The aircraft, an Embraer E145, was unveiled with a special retro-themed livery celebrating the milestone. JSX said the retro-inspired design pays homage to the “idyllic golden age of air travel.”

JSX's 50th aircraft — JSX’s 50th aircraft (Photo: JSX)

JSX’s fleet has until now been composed primarily of Embraer E135 and E145 jets. The carrier has also announced plans to begin operating ATR 42-600 turboprop aircraft later in 2025, with two units already leased and more expected under a letter of intent.

In announcing the 50th delivery, JSX said the new aircraft “carries history in the making,” reflecting both the company’s past trajectory and ambitions for the future.

JSX retro livery — JSX’s 50th aircraft features a retro livery. (Photo: JSX)

Though the company began operations in 2016 (originally as JetSuiteX), it has grown quickly within the “hop-on” public charter niche by offering a premium cabin product and FBO-based operations.

The 50th aircraft is registered as N960JX. Before joining JSX’s fleet, it operated for the now-defunct regional airline ExpressJet.

Ryan Ewing

American to Remove Bag Sizers From Gates

The change is meant to speed up the boarding process.

Zach Vasile

Monday, October 06, 2025 at 09:47 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

American Boeing 737 at O'Hare. (Photo: Shutterstock | Nate Hovee)

American Airlines is simplifying part of its boarding process in hopes of saving customers time and getting them on their flights faster.

In a statement to AirlineGeeks, the carrier confirmed it will soon remove metal bag sizers, which measure carry-on bags to ensure they will fit in an overhead bin and don’t need to be checked, from its airport gates. Currently, passengers are required to use the devices to check that their bags do not exceed 45 linear inches.

American said the change builds on other “enhancements” to its boarding process introduced earlier this year. These include additional board time for domestic mainline flights and new boarding technology.

American is not changing its standards for what qualifies as a carry-on bag, and its employees will still monitor bag size at check-in and at gates to make sure oversized items are checked.

Bag sizers will remain in airport lobbies for customers to determine whether their carry-on will fit in an overhead bin.

Zach Vasile