Air Algérie to Resume Budapest Flights

Air Algérie is preparing to restart flights to Budapest after five years, reconnecting Algeria with Hungary as part of its European relaunch strategy.

Victor Shalton

Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 06:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Algerie 737-800 (Photo: Anna Zvereva / Wikimedia Commons)

Air Algérie is preparing to restart flights to Budapest after a five-year suspension, reconnecting Algeria with Hungary as part of its broader European relaunch strategy. Beginning Oct. 29, the carrier will resume service in the upcoming Northern Winter 2025/26 season, following a hiatus that began in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This time, the route returns in a new format: a triangular service linking Algiers, Budapest, and Vienna. The twice-weekly flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, using the Boeing 737-700. Flights are set to depart from Algiers at 10:30 a.m., arrive in Budapest at 1:15 p.m., and continue onward to Vienna, with the full loop concluding back in Algiers by 7:00 p.m.

A Return to Central Europe

The Budapest route was originally launched in September 2016, but has seen several suspensions and adjustments over the years. Although Air Algérie filed schedules in 2024 for a possible daily Algiers–Budapest service, those plans never materialized.

By reinstating this link, Air Algérie becomes one of the few African carriers offering direct service to Central Europe’s Hungarian capital. Only a handful of African countries — including Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt — currently maintain direct air links to Budapest.

The Budapest–Vienna route is just one part of Air Algérie’s broader ambitions. The airline plans to launch several new routes in the coming months, connecting Algiers to long-haul cities like Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, New York, and Havana, as well as to regional African hubs including Libreville, N’Djamena, Zanzibar, and Dar es Salaam.

The carrier also intends to increase frequencies on its Abuja (Nigeria) service, which began operating on April 6, and relaunch flights to Addis Ababa. During an interview with the Algerian Press Service (APS) on April 28, Marketing Director Hosnia Kaoua confirmed these expansion plans as part of a larger drive to grow Air Algérie’s international network to 60 destinations by 2026, up from around 50 currently.

To support this network push, Air Algérie is expanding its fleet. The airline currently operates 54 aircraft, but has plans to add 35 new jets by 2040. These will complement the 15 aircraft ordered in May 2023, which originally included five Airbus A330-900s, two A350-1000s, and eight Boeing 737 MAX 9s. However, the widebody order was adjusted in December 2023, with the two A350-1000s swapped for three additional A330-900s.

In the interim, the airline has also relied on short-term leasing to maintain operations during aircraft shortages—a challenge that has impacted several African carriers navigating post-pandemic fleet transitions.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

ITA Plans New Routes to North America

The directors of Italy’s ITA Airways on Wednesday signed off on a five-year business plan that calls for the launch of new long-haul routes to North America.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 04:52 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An ITA Airways Airbus A350 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The directors of Italy’s ITA Airways on Wednesday signed off on a five-year business plan that calls for the launch of new long-haul routes to North America.

The plan envisions expanded service from ITA’s hub at Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport to “key destinations” in North America, as well as South America, Asia, and Africa. No specific cities were listed.

“These new routes will not only promote inbound tourism to Italy but also increase commercial and cultural exchanges, reinforcing ITA Airways’ role as a bridge between Italy and the world,” the carrier wrote.

ITA plans to support its growing route network by taking delivery of one new long-haul aircraft each year starting in 2026, allowing for the retirement of older models. The fleet is expected to average out to about 100 airplanes.

Last month, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that ITA is considering launching nonstop routes from Rome to Newark, New Jersey, and Houston, citing people with knowledge of the company’s discussions. The airline declined to comment.

In North America, ITA currently flies nonstop to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York-JFK, Miami, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington Dulles.

The airline’s 2026-2030 business plan also calls for strengthening integration with Germany’s Lufthansa Group. In January, Lufthansa acquired a 41% stake in ITA for about $350 million. The deal will give Lufthansa full control of ITA by 2033, for a total investment of about $951 million. In the meantime, the remaining part of ITA will continue to be held by the Italian Treasury.

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.

Breaking Barriers: How Women Can Solve Aviation’s Technician Crisis

The industry faces a critical shortage of maintenance technicians, with projections indicating a deficit of 12,000 to 48,000 workers over the next decade.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 04:14 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A mechanic works on a Boeing 777 in its hangar (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The aviation industry faces a critical shortage of maintenance technicians, with projections indicating a deficit of 12,000 to 48,000 workers over the next decade. While this crisis threatens flight operations nationwide, an untapped solution exists: dramatically increasing female participation in aviation maintenance. Currently, women represent only 2.6% of aircraft maintenance technicians, presenting an enormous opportunity to address workforce shortages through targeted recruitment and retention strategies.

The Scale of the Crisis

The numbers paint a stark picture. Boeing forecasts that 626,000 maintenance technicians will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years. According to Oliver Wyman, the supply-demand imbalance will worsen significantly, with 2027 projected as the worst year, facing a deficit of more than 48,000 aircraft maintenance workers—a 27% shortfall. This shortage directly impacts airline operations, leading to flight delays, cancellations, and increased operational costs as airlines maintain larger spare aircraft fleets.

The workforce demographics compound this challenge. The Aviation Technician Education Council reports that 36% of current AMTs are age 60 or older, with the average FAA mechanic being 53 years old. As experienced technicians retire, the industry struggles to replace them with qualified personnel.

Women: An Underutilized Resource

Despite representing 47% of the U.S. workforce, women comprise only 2.6% of certificated aircraft mechanics according to FAA statistics. This massive underrepresentation represents the aviation industry’s greatest untapped talent pool. While the number of female pilots is growing, aviation maintenance remains the least represented aviation occupation for women. Encouragingly, recent data shows progress: A&P schools reported 11% of their 2021 graduates were women, up from the previous 8% trend.

Female mechanics tend to be younger than their male counterparts, with an average age of 45 compared to 53 for the overall workforce. This age advantage means women could provide longer career contributions, helping offset the aging demographic challenge.

Breaking Down Barriers

Visibility and Awareness

Aviation maintenance suffers from a fundamental visibility problem. As Stacey Rudser, president of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance, explains: “You have this wonderful hive around an aircraft when you’re having that experience as a passenger; one of the components you just don’t see is maintenance. By nature, it’s supposed to be an invisible career.”

This invisibility particularly impacts young women, who rarely see aviation maintenance as a career option. Guidance counselors and parents often steer girls toward more visible aviation roles like pilots or engineers, missing the substantial opportunities in maintenance.

Financial Accessibility

Cost barriers significantly limit access to aviation maintenance careers. Training expenses range from $8,000 to $80,000 depending on the program type, with additional testing costs of $5,000 to $6,000. For many women, particularly single mothers like JuliAnne Miller, who became valedictorian of her A&P class, scholarships prove instrumental. Miller credits AWAM and other organization scholarships as making her career possible, stating: “Without the scholarships there’s no way I would have been able to go back and do it.”

Aviation Maintenance Schools Adapt to Industry Demands

Aviation maintenance schools are adapting their approaches to attract more students and address industry needs. The Federal Aviation Administration’s 2022 revision of Part 147 regulations was a crucial step, modernizing training requirements that had remained largely unchanged since the 1960s. This update emphasizes competency over time-based requirements and allows schools to incorporate current technologies and industry standards.

For women considering aviation maintenance careers, finding the right training program is essential. Resources for locating aviation mechanic schools can help prospective students compare programs, costs, and career outcomes across different institutions.

Expanding Capacity and Industry Partnerships

Leading institutions like the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), which operates 15 campuses nationwide and trains over 7,000 students, are pioneering new recruitment and training strategies. AIM’s president Jason Pfaff notes that about 25% of the nation’s aircraft maintenance technicians hold AIM diplomas, making the institute a critical pipeline for new workers.

Sponsorships Help Reduce Barriers

Schools are increasingly partnering directly with airlines and maintenance providers through sponsorship programs. Major carriers including American Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, and Allegiant Airlines are subsidizing student education costs—typically around $12,000–$17,000—in exchange for employment commitments. These partnerships reduce student debt while guaranteeing job placement, creating a win-win scenario for both students and employers.

Cultural Transformation

The industry’s male-dominated culture, often described as “stuck in the 1950s,” presents significant retention challenges. Women face harassment, discrimination, and microaggressions that drive many from the field. However, successful women in the industry demonstrate that cultural change is possible. Jennifer Morgan, a Southwest Airlines inspector known as “Powder,” describes her experience: “Everybody treats you, even if you’re older than them, they treat you like a little sister. They always check on you.”

The Business Case for Women in Aviation Maintenance

Unique Skill Sets

Women bring valuable capabilities to aviation maintenance. Research indicates they often excel in attention to detail, critical for both technical work and compliance documentation. Their communication and empathy skills introduce positive cultural changes in traditionally autocratic environments.

As Jolanta Gaske, Lead NDT Engineer at FL Technics, notes: “An aircraft does not know if you are a man or a woman, how you do your job is of utmost importance.” Women can compensate for any physical strength differences through greater resilience and meticulous attention to detail.

Career Advancement Opportunities

Aviation maintenance offers clear pathways from entry-level positions to executive roles. Evie Garces, American Airlines’ first Hispanic woman vice president of line maintenance, started straight from high school and earned more than her father immediately. Current starting salaries range from $78,000 to $80,000, with top scale reaching $119,000 to $121,000 within nine years at major airlines.

Economic Impact

Women’s entry into aviation maintenance creates multiplier effects. Higher female participation reduces recruitment costs, improves retention rates, and brings diverse perspectives to problem-solving. Companies with greater gender diversity consistently show improved performance and innovation.

Strategic Solutions

Early Intervention

Successful recruitment requires early engagement. AWAM targets girls as young as 10 through elementary school outreach programs, counteracting societal messages that discourage STEM participation. As Kim Ashmun, president of Standard Aero’s components division, emphasizes: “It is important to get young women exposed to the aviation industry and the opportunities out there by generating interest early on in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).”

Comprehensive Support Systems

Organizations like AWAM provide holistic support beyond tuition assistance. Their $82,254 annual scholarship program covers testing fees, tools, technical training, work pants, and safety footwear. This comprehensive approach addresses the “whole person” rather than just educational costs.

Mentorship Programs

Mentorship proves crucial for retention. AWAM’s program pairs working professionals with students and entry-career technicians, with 38 current participants. Amanda Colón, an aircraft support engineer at Textron, exemplifies this approach: “I have to. The industry has given me so much, and AWAM is awesome.”

Industry Cultural Change

Companies must actively promote inclusive environments. Shannon Hotchkin, Nike’s director of maintenance, emphasizes the responsibility of successful women to mentor others: “I owe it to others in the industry to help mentor them.” This creates positive feedback loops that improve retention and attract new talent.

Implementation Roadmap

Immediate Actions

Expand scholarship programs targeting women
Implement mentorship matching systems
Develop targeted recruitment campaigns for high schools and community colleges
Create awareness programs highlighting career advancement opportunities

Medium-term Strategies

Partner with educational institutions to increase female enrollment in A&P programs
Establish industry-wide diversity and inclusion standards
Develop flexible work arrangements accommodating work-life balance needs
Create leadership development programs for women in maintenance

Long-term Goals

Achieve 15-20% female representation in aviation maintenance by 2035
Establish aviation maintenance as a viable STEM career for women
Create sustainable pipeline from education through career advancement
Transform industry culture to be fully inclusive and supportive

Conclusion

The aviation industry’s technician shortage represents both a crisis and an opportunity. Women constitute the largest untapped talent pool capable of addressing workforce shortfalls while bringing valuable skills and perspectives. Success requires coordinated efforts across recruitment, education, financial support, mentorship, and cultural transformation.

As Davia Zemaite of Magnetic Group succinctly states: “Go, girl, go! Simple, yet it implies that you should pursue your passion, regardless of the industry and your chosen career.” With proper incentives and support systems, women can fill the aviation maintenance gap while building rewarding careers in this essential industry.

The question isn’t whether the aviation industry can afford to recruit more women—it’s whether it can afford not to. The future of aviation safety and operational efficiency may well depend on breaking down the barriers that have kept this critical talent pool underutilized for too long.

This story is sponsored by AviationMechanicSchool.org.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

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.

Flights Resume After System Malfunction at London Airports

London’s Heathrow Airport has reportedly resumed flights after a major air traffic control glitch caused disruptions at local airports on Wednesday.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 02:23 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Virgin Atlantic 787-9 departing London Heathrow. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

London’s Heathrow Airport has reportedly resumed flights after a major air traffic control glitch caused disruptions at local airports on Wednesday.

According to The Telegraph, London’s airspace was closed for over an hour due to technical issues reportedly caused by a radar failure. The issue created a backlog of flight delays at Heathrow – the nation’s busiest airport – as well as London’s Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport.

After the incident, U.K. Transportation Secretary Heidi Alexander said on social media that a “technical issue” impacting the nation’s NATS air traffic control operations was to blame.

“I have been informed systems have now been restored but continued disruption is expected, and passengers should check with individual airports for advice,” she said.

NATS published an update stating that its Swanwick air traffic control center was impacted by technical issues, spurring the company to limit the number of aircraft flying in the London area to ensure safety.

“We apologise for any delays this may cause,” NATS stated. “Our engineers are working hard to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and we are working closely with airlines to help minimise disruption.”

NATS has since stated that all of its systems are now fully operational and air traffic capacity is returning to normal.

The exact cause of the glitch has not yet been disclosed.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

SWISS Names U.S. City as First Long-Haul Destination for A350

Swiss International Air Lines’ first Airbus A350-900 will enter long-haul service early next year on a route between Zurich and Boston.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 01:03 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Swiss Airbus A350-900 "SWISS Wanderlust" (Photo: Swiss)

Swiss International Air Lines’ first Airbus A350-900 will enter long-haul service early next year on a route between Zurich and Boston.

In a statement, the carrier said the aircraft will start flying the Boston route on Jan. 1, 2026. It will operate the service alongside the airline’s A330-300s.

SWISS expects to take delivery of its first A350-900 from Airbus in October. The airplane will be used on flights within Europe before beginning its transatlantic service in the new year.

SWISS has ordered a total of 10 A350-900s.

The widebody jets will be the first to feature the airline’s new cabin design concept, known as SWISS Senses, which incorporates a dark red-gray-beige color scheme, lighting synced to passengers’ circadian rhythm, and entertainment systems with larger screens.

A mock-up of the new cabin interiors that will be installed on SWISS’s new A350-900s. (Photo: SWISS)

The cabin is divided into four classes – SWISS First, SWISS Business, SWISS Premium Economy, and SWISS Economy.

SWISS First seats come with lie-flat capability, sliding privacy doors, a personal wardrobe, a seat table, seat heating and cooling, a wireless charging station, and an extra large screen. The section also has its own washroom.

Some seats in SWISS Business also offer sliding doors.

The SWISS Senses concept will eventually be extended to the airline’s current fleet of A330-300s and Boeing 777-300ERs.

A mock-up of the SWISS First seats that will be installed on SWISS’s new A350-900s. (Photo: SWISS)

Zach Vasile

‘Significant Heartburn’: ALPA Chief Pushes Back on Trump ICAO Pick

Ambrosi says nominee Jeffrey Anderson is tied to efforts to raise pilot retirement age, a “settled” issue for the union and current administration.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 11:53 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

ALPA President Jason Ambrosi (Photo: ALPA)

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) President Jason Ambrosi voiced opposition to President Donald Trump’s recent nominee for U.S. ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), citing concerns over the nominee’s stance on pilot retirement age.

During an interview at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Ambrosi said the nominee, Jeffrey Anderson — a former Delta pilot — is primarily associated with a political effort to raise the airline pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, a move ALPA continues to oppose.

“Jeff is being put up for that position by Congressman [Troy] Nehls, who is a very significant proponent for raising the retirement age,” Ambrosi said. “That is Jeff’s issue.”

Ambrosi emphasized that the matter had already been resolved during the most recent FAA Reauthorization process and reaffirmed by the current administration.

“This administration, Secretary Duffy, have said that that is settled as far as they’re concerned,” Ambrosi said. “But they’re trying to reopen this debate.”

ALPA has previously stated that any change to the retirement age should be based on comprehensive data and international coordination. The union argues that altering the age without such steps would disrupt international operations, especially for widebody pilots who frequently fly beyond U.S. borders and would be restricted under current ICAO rules.

Ambrosi noted that Anderson did not engage with ALPA or attempt to work within the union to shape policy but instead “went VFR direct to Congress.”

“Our members have significant heartburn with that,” he said. “We need an ICAO ambassador that is there for the right reasons — not to be there on a single issue to go back to their constituents and say, ‘We changed something that was already settled.’”

ALPA represents nearly 80,000 pilots in North America, including at major U.S. carriers Delta and United. Some Senators are again pushing to raise the pilot retirement age after a proposal to do so failed last year.

Earlier this month, Trump nominated Anderson to serve as the United States Ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), filling a seat that has been vacant since July 2022, when C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger stepped down. The nomination is pending Senate confirmation.

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.

JetBlue Ending Agreement With TAP

In a statement on its website, JetBlue said customers can no longer earn or redeem TrueBlue points on TAP Air Portugal flights after Sept. 30.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 09:52 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A TAP Air Portugal A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue is ending its reciprocal benefits agreement with TAP Air Portugal only months after launching it.

In a statement on its website, JetBlue said customers can no longer earn or redeem TrueBlue points on TAP Air Portugal flights after Sept. 30.

“No new bookings will be eligible for earning or redeeming after 9/30/2025,” the carrier wrote. “All retroactive points requests must be submitted by 9/30/2025. All existing bookings made prior to September 30 will be honored.”

The airline did not say why the agreement is being canceled.

A JetBlue A320 aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

JetBlue and TAP Air Portugal, the Portuguese flag carrier, first announced reciprocal loyalty benefits in February. The program was made available to members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue and TAP’s Miles&Go, and was the first time JetBlue allowed the redemption of points on flights operated by a European partner.

TAP Air Portugal is Portugal’s largest airline, a member of Star Alliance, and the largest single operator of flights between Europe and Brazil. Earlier this month, the Portuguese government relaunched its stalled, yearslong effort to privatize the carrier, and plans to sell a 49.9% stake within a year’s time. More of the company could be sold off later, government officials have said, including to employees.

Zach Vasile

Somali Flag Carrier Set to Relaunch

Somali Airlines was originally founded in 1964, with the help of the former Italian flag carrier Alitalia, having closer ties to the European nation.

Sam Jakobi

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 09:41 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Somali Airlines A310 (Photo: Torsten Maiwald (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons)

The Somali government has officially announced that it is set to relaunch the Somali flag carrier, Somali Airlines. The news comes after a period of 34 years in which the airline never saw flights.

The announcement was made at a reception in the East-African nation’s capital, Mogadishu, by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohammad Farrah Nuh, as reported by Aviation Week. He confirmed that the resurfaced carrier would acquire two Airbus A320s, to be purchased from Lema Air Group.

Somali Airlines was originally founded in 1964, with the help of the former Italian flag carrier Alitalia, having closer ties to the European nation after it had gained independence from Italy four years prior. It operated a mixed fleet, starting out with a few Douglas DC-3s and Cessna 180s to both domestic and other regional destinations.

At the peak of its operations in the early 1980s, Somali Airlines operated Boeing 707s and 720Bs, Fokker F27-600s, and other smaller aircraft. The airline flew as far as Frankfurt and Rome, as well as Western African destinations such as Banjul and Conakry. This was all aided by the acquisition of Airbus A310s, aimed at phasing out the Boeing 707.

However, this all abruptly came to an end in 1991. The Somali civil war had just broken out earlier in the year, and the carrier could no longer safely operate. The country also lost control of its own airspace that year as well, as there was no viable government to operate it, meaning that all airspace operations had to be managed out of Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Flying in Somalia

At the moment, a handful of private airlines operate out of Mogadishi, including Jubba airways, who flies to other East African nations and domestically using a fleet of Fokker 50s. Mogadishu is also served by a couple of International airlines, including Egyptair’s fifth freedom flight to Cairo via Djibouti, Turkish Airlines’ flight to Istanbul on a 737 MAX, and Ugandan Airlines’ four-times weekly flight to Entebbe using a CRJ-900.

Somali Airlines’ comeback has been over a decade in the making. There have been plans to relaunch the airline since 2012, but these have only been made possible with Somalia taking back control of its airspace in 2017, and the airspace being designated as Class A in 2023.

Sam Jakobi

Sam Jakobi is a young aviation journalist based in London, U.K. A lifelong Airbus fan, he has adored aviation for as long as he can remember. Sam writes articles and conducts interviews with members of the aviation community.

United Flight Attendants Reject Contract Offer

The union and United reached a tentative deal in May that included immediate raises of at least 26%, a one-time retroactive bonus, and an additional holiday.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 04:03 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United 737 MAX 8 (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)

Flight attendants at United have rejected the latest contract offer from their employer.

In a statement, Ken Diaz, president of the United chapter of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said 92% of all eligible union members voted on the provisional agreement, and 71% of them voted not to ratify it.

“United flight attendants today voted to send a strong message to United Airlines management by rejecting a tentative agreement that didn’t go far enough to address the years of sacrifice and hard work to make the airline the success it is today,” he said. “This is democracy in action.”

Diaz said the union will now survey members to identify the key issues that made them side against the deal.

“We always said no matter the outcome of the vote, we will fight forward and that is what we will do with the power of 28,000 flight attendants and our whole union standing together,” he continued.

The union and United reached a tentative deal in May that included immediate raises of at least 26%, a one-time retroactive bonus, and an additional holiday. At the time, the union presented the provisional contract as a major victory.

“This tentative agreement has the highest compensation and the largest overall economic improvement in the history of our careers,” officials wrote. “Together, we secured the highest retro payment of all crew contracts, boarding pay, the best economic and quality of life provisions for flight attendants on reserve, scheduling improvements for all flight attendants without any mention of PBS, significant improvements for our hotels, preserved healthcare, improved retirement, and many other improvements.”

United flight attendants have not received a raise since 2020.

The carrier reached a four-year agreement with its pilots’ union in 2023 which provided raises between 34% and 40% over the life of the contract.

United said it will continue to work with the AFA to get a deal signed and ratified.

“Our flight attendants are the best in the industry and this tentative agreement included numerous improvements and industry-leading pay,” the airline said in a statement. “While this vote will result in a delay and the AFA has outlined several steps to return to negotiations, including coordination with the National Mediation Board, we remain focused on getting our flight attendants the contract they deserve.”

Zach Vasile

JetBlue Selling Two A321XLRs

Delivery of the longer-range narrowbody aircraft was initially slated for 2023, but has since been delayed following the airline's 2019 order.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 02:39 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue is selling some of its Airbus A321XLRs before the aircraft join its fleet. This move follows previous aircraft delivery deferrals last year, worth around $3 billion.

The New York-based airline disclosed Tuesday that it had agreed to sell two A321XLRs. As part of the deal, JetBlue will initially take delivery of the aircraft before finalizing the transaction.

JetBlue did not disclose who purchased the two jets.

“ These XLR deliveries would result in a costly orphan fleet of two aircraft for the remainder of the decade,” the airline’s chief financial officer, Ursula Hurley, stated during an earnings call.

The carrier announced an order for 13 A321XLRs in 2019. Delivery of the longer-range narrowbody aircraft was initially slated for 2023, but has since been delayed.

Currently, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, and Qantas are operating the A321XLR. American recently took delivery of its first XLR, which is grounded due to supply chain woes.

By the end of 2025, JetBlue plans to consolidate its fleet to two aircraft types: the A220 and A320-series. Its long-time workhorse, the Embraer E190, is slated for retirement in the fall.

Ryan Ewing