Partnership Formed to Certify New Electric Aircraft Taxiing System

StandardAero has partnered with Green Taxi Solutions to certify a new fully electric aircraft taxiing solution for commercial and military use around the world.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, June 05, 2025 at 06:30 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Up close with a Delta 737-700 taxiing to its gate in Key West. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

StandardAero has partnered with Green Taxi Solutions (GTS) to certify a new fully electric aircraft taxiing solution for commercial and military use around the world.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based maintenance, repair, and overhaul company announced Tuesday that it would lead certification of GTS’ Zero Engine Taxi, backed by a newly awarded $5.6 million Federal Aviation Administration Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program grant.

The collaboration aims to speed up the development of the Zero Engine eTaxi system for more sustainable ground operations. Green Taxi Solutions, based in Plano, Texas, is the sustainable aviation tech company that designed the new system.

According to GTS’ website, the system is designed for widespread adoption across the aviation industry, including commercial, cargo, business jet, military, and helicopter operators.

“Any fixed- or rotary-wing aircraft equipped with an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is a candidate for the system,” the website stated. “For commercial and cargo carriers, Green Taxi improves on-time performance, reduces fuel costs, and supports carbon reduction goals. Business aviation benefits from quieter operations, reduced ground equipment needs, and enhanced sustainability credentials. Military and humanitarian operators gain agility and independence in austere or remote environments—extending engine life, reducing maintenance cycles, and enabling covert or self-sufficient ground movement.”

According to a news release from StandardAero, the system can save an estimated 80,000 gallons of fuel and $250,000 per aircraft annually.

GreenTaxi looks to make use of StandardAero’s expertise in engine maintenance, engineering, and certification to secure FAA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and international approvals for commercial and military sectors.

“At StandardAero, we’re deeply committed to advancing sustainability across aviation as part of our GreenERmro initiatives,” said Brian Skrobarcek, StandardAero’s enterprise vice president for environmental, health, safety and sustainability, in the release. “Partnering with Green Taxi Solutions on this certification effort allows us to support a practical, high-impact innovation that directly reduces emissions, fuel consumption and ground-level noise. It’s a meaningful step toward safer, cleaner and more efficient operations for our customers worldwide.”

David Valaer, founder and president of Green Taxi Solutions, spoke of the cooperation between industry partners to support the initiative.

“This partnership with StandardAero positions us for success by aligning our innovative technology with a proven certification partner,” he said in the release. “With the support of the FAA and our world-class collaborators, we are bringing to market a game-changing capability that meets the industry’s growing demand for cost-effective, sustainable ground operations.”

Certifying the Zero Engine Taxi system with the FAA is expected to take two to three years. The release stated that certification efforts will begin with the Embraer E175 and expand to other commercial and military aircraft.

“We see the Green Taxi system as the most viable near-term solution for reducing fuel burn and emissions during aircraft ground operations,” said Brett Ulrici, customer project manager at StandardAero, in the release. “It’s a smart, retrofit-ready innovation that delivers immediate value to operators without requiring changes to existing infrastructure or flight operations. We’re excited to help bring this capability to market through a streamlined certification path.”

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.

ALPA Pushes Back in Clash Over Cockpit Barrier Rule

ALPA criticized a petition from major airlines that would put off the installation of secondary flight deck barriers for another two years.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 02:30 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Inside the cockpit of a WestJet 787-9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) on Tuesday slammed a petition by major airlines seeking to delay a requirement to install new flight deck security barriers.

The FAA in 2023 decided that airlines would have to set up secondary security barriers to safeguard an airplane’s cockpit even when the flight deck’s doors are open. The rule is meant to reduce intrusions from unauthorized individuals.

The airlines have until August of this year to install the barriers, but Airlines for America, the lobbying group that represents most major U.S. carriers, filed a petition asking for an additional two years.

ALPA, which represents about 79,000 U.S. and Canadian pilots, backs the barrier rule and criticized the airlines for fighting a regulation that would better protect its members.

“ALPA has long advocated for installed secondary flight deck barriers and was proud to lead the charge to enact legislation implementing this critical security enhancement,” ALPA President Jason Ambrosi said in a statement. “The airlines have had two years to implement these requirements, yet they are now requesting an extension for the same time granted to them by the final rule. We urge the FAA to reject this latest stalling tactic and implement, without delay, the secondary barrier requirement as Congress mandated.”

The airlines maintain they cannot comply with the FAA’s order because the agency has not certified a secondary barrier from any original equipment manufacturer. Because of this, no barriers have been installed, no manuals or procedures have been developed, and no training program for air crews has been submitted to the FAA for review.

“At no fault of their own and due to unforeseen delays in [installed physical secondary barrier] certification, subject operators now face compliance impossibility, at worst, or extreme hardship, at best,” Airlines for America wrote in its petition. “In sum, relief is necessary to avoid the significant adverse impacts to the traveling public and operators that will result from the inability to operate aircraft equipped with an [installed physical secondary barrier].”

ALPA has lobbied for years in favor of secondary flight deck barriers following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In 2018, Congress passed a law requiring the FAA to come up with a new rule requiring the protections, but it took five more years before the agency finalized it. The pilots’ union accused the FAA of giving way to “special interests” and stalling the measure.

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.

Boeing Criminal Case Trial Cancelled

The company will pay over $1 billion in penalties and safety improvements via its settlement with the Department of Justice.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 12:46 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

A three-year-long criminal negligence lawsuit against Boeing has had its upcoming trial day scratched by a federal judge after the company recently agreed to a settlement with the Department of Justice.

On Tuesday, presiding U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor approved a motion to cancel the case’s upcoming trial date, according to court documents obtained by AirlineGeeks.

The DOJ filed a joint motion alongside Boeing to dismiss the case along with a motion to cancel the trial on Thursday after the two parties negotiated a settlement.

Per the agreement, Boeing will pay over $1 billion in penalties and safety investments while avoiding any criminal charges. $444.5 million of those penalties will go to a crash-victim beneficiaries fund to compensate the victims’ families.

“Boeing is committed to complying with its obligations under this resolution, which include a substantial additional fine and commitments to further institutional improvements and investments,” a Boeing spokesperson told AirlineGeeks in an emailed statement. “The resolution also provides for substantial additional compensation for the families of those lost in the Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accidents. We are deeply sorry for their losses, and remain committed to honoring their loved ones’ memories by pressing forward with the broad and deep changes to our company that we have made to strengthen our safety system and culture.”

Attorney Erin Applebaum, a partner at the law firm representing the 34 families who lost loved ones in 2019’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, had previously decried the settlement motion as a “backroom deal” that allowed Boeing to avoid accountability.

“This isn’t justice,” she told AirlineGeeks in an emailed statement when reports of a settlement were emerging. “It’s a backroom deal dressed up as a legal proceeding, and it sends a dangerous message: in America, the rich and powerful can buy their way out of accountability.”

Judge O’Connor hasn’t yet made an order on whether or not to dismiss the case in its entirety. He will only rule on dismissal after considering both sides’ arguments.

The lawsuit, filed on January 7, 2021, alleged Boeing was criminally negligent regarding two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. It was scheduled to go to trial on June 23 by after Boeing backed out of a guilty plea agreement in March.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 5:35 p.m. ET with a correction on the federal judge’s order pertaining to this case. Tuesday’s order only canceled the upcoming trial date originally set for June 23, but the case as a whole has not been dismissed. District Judge Reed O’Connor will have to hear both sides’ arguments before considering whether or not to dismiss the case in its entirety.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Low-Cost Airlines Form New Lobbying Group

Five U.S.-based low-cost carriers have launched a new industry group, the Association of Value Airlines, to advocate on their behalf.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 11:58 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Frontier A320neo in Denver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Five U.S. low-cost airlines have banded together to form a new industry group.

The Association of Value Airlines, announced and officially launched Monday, will serve as a “united, independent voice for the low-fare airline sector” before Congress, the executive branch, and state governments, according to a statement released on social media. Its founding members are Allegiant, Avelo, Frontier, Spirit, and Sun Country.

The AVA said it will focus on industry challenges like rising costs, outmoded regulations, limited access to key airports and gates, and inefficiencies in the U.S. air traffic control system.

“This is a pivotal moment for aviation in the United States,” the organization said. “As costs rise and competition is increasingly constrained, the value airline sector must speak with clarity and strength. AVA is here to ensure that affordable, reliable air travel remains a national priority — particularly for working families, small businesses, and underserved communities.”

The group said its members serve 96 million people, contribute $196 billion to the economy, and save passengers over $23 billion annually.

The AVA will be based in Washington, D.C. Its interim executive director is Chris Brown, a former FAA official and former staff director and counsel for the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Aviation.

Budget airlines have been slower to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic than their larger rivals. Higher costs for labor, fuel, and aircraft parts have made it more difficult to turn a profit, and some customers have soured on no-frills flights with limited legroom and storage capacity.

Spirit filed for bankruptcy in November, citing mounting debt and years of quarterly losses. The airline later revealed it lost about $1.2 billion in 2024, mainly because of higher operating expenses. Spirit completed its restructuring and exited the Chapter 11 process in March.

A Spirit A320neo in Los Angeles (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Last month, in a bid to win back travelers, the airline announced it is expanding benefits from its loyalty program and launching its own version of premium seating.

Legacy carriers like American, Delta, United, and Southwest are represented by Airlines for America.

Zach Vasile

Federal Injunction Blocks TSA Union Contract Termination

The DHS announced on March 7 that the department was ending collective bargaining with Transportation Security Administration officers.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 08:52 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A TSA checkpoint. (Photo: Shutterstock | David Tran Photo)

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has been granted a federal court injunction in its lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, preventing the termination of a collective bargaining agreement that covers approximately 47,000 transportation security officers.

The DHS announced on March 7 that the department was ending collective bargaining with Transportation Security Administration officers to “remove bureaucratic hurdles” and “strengthen workforce agility.”

The move drew the ire of the AFGE, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), who together filed a lawsuit against the DHS following the announcement.

On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted a preliminary injunction blocking DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from nullifying the labor contract.

AFGE stated in a news release emailed to AirlineGeeks that its coalition will “continue to vigorously pursue justice and protect the rights of federal workers across the government.”

“Today’s court decision is a crucial victory for federal workers and the rule of law,” said Everett Kelley, national president of AFGE, in the release. “The preliminary injunction underscores the unconstitutional nature of DHS’s attack on TSA officers’ first amendment rights. We remain committed to ensuring our members’ rights and dignity are protected, and we will not back down from defending our members’ rights against unlawful union busting.”

“A collective bargaining agreement provides essential protection for TSA officers so that they can do their job effectively,” added CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “Today’s court action reverses DHS Secretary Noem’s unlawful union busting that put the safety of CWA Passenger Service Agents and Flight Attendants at risk.”

The White House has aimed to cut costs by reducing TSA officer staffing in its 2026 discretionary budget request, known as the “skinny budget.” If approved by Congress, the budget would create around $247 million in savings.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

American Cuts Capacity on Some Long-Haul Routes

Despite the reductions, American says it will continue to operate more than 60 daily flights to over 15 destinations in Europe this fall.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 06:30 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American 777-300ER at DFW. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American is adjusting its long-haul international network “as part of an evaluation of our capacity growth plans for 2025,” the airline confirmed in a statement.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline will suspend service between New York-JFK and Barcelona, Spain, near the end of the summer IATA season on Oct. 24. Previously, this route was slated to cease for the season on Dec. 3, per Cirium Diio schedule data.

In addition, the carrier’s newer service from Philadelphia to Copenhagen, Denmark, will end shortly after Labor Day on Sept. 2, just over a month before it was initially scheduled to pause for the season. American began serving this route in 2024.

“American has made limited adjustments to its long-haul international network for off-peak travel this fall and winter,” an airline spokesperson said. “We’re proactively reaching out to impacted customers and apologize for any inconvenience.”

Despite the reductions, American says it will continue to operate more than 60 daily flights to over 15 destinations in Europe this fall.

During a recent investors conference, American’s chief financial officer, Devon May, stated that the carrier is “well positioned” to navigate a dynamic demand environment.

“So [we’re] lining up capacity with the expected demand that they’re seeing based on current trends for the month of August,” May added.

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.

Alaska Cuts Flights Over Tariff Concerns

Alaska Air Group says it is delaying delivery of two Embraer E175s intended for its regional subsidiary, Horizon Air, due to tariffs imposed on Embraer’s home country, Brazil.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 03, 2025 at 04:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

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

Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon, is delaying delivery of aircraft and dropping flights in response to economic uncertainty created by new tariffs.

The carrier told The Seattle Times on Monday that it put off delivery of two Embraer E175s in May due to “additional costs imposed by tariffs.”

Embraer is a Brazilian company, and as of April, the country faces a 10% tax on imports bound for the U.S.

The two aircraft were going to be used by Alaska Air Group regional subsidiary Horizon Air, which operates mainly in the western U.S. and western Canada. Because of the delay, Horizon has canceled 14 flights a day through the end of July, a spokesperson told the Times. The carrier said it mainly dropped flights on high-frequency routes so that customers can be changed to different flights without too much hassle.

“We deeply regret the impact this situation will have on our guests this summer,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue working toward a solution that allows us to take delivery of these aircraft, and we are hopeful the disruption will be short-lived.”

Calculating the Costs

Embraer has not commented on the delayed delivery to Alaska Air Group, but it has called for the U.S. to return to a zero-tariff policy for the aviation sector.

President Donald Trump imposed wide-ranging tariffs on dozens of countries between April 2, which he termed “Liberation Day,” and April 5. Since then, some countries have had their tariffs reduced or temporarily suspended, while others have seen their rates climb.

Certain industries and products, such as automobiles, aluminum, and steel, also face additional taxes beyond the rate imposed on their home country.

Notably, in May, Trump signed a trade deal with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer exempting Rolls-Royce aircraft engines and other aviation equipment from the baseline 10% tariff levied on most U.K. imports.

Zach Vasile

United Flight Attendants See 43% Pay Boost in Tentative Deal

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) has announced details on its new tentative agreement with United flight attendants.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Tuesday, June 03, 2025 at 02:16 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United 737 MAX 9 aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) has announced details on its new tentative agreement with United flight attendants.

The tentative agreement reached on May 23 includes wage increases and other improvements for 28,000 flight attendants. On Monday, AFA-CWA’s Master Executive Council (MEC) published a highlight summary of the pending contract.

The deal includes a 26.9% average pay scale increase effective on July 30, 2025 – the date of signing. The pay scale will then increase 43.6% to 45.6% over the next five years.

Boarding pay will also be added based on the type of flying and number of boardings by flight attendants.

A one-time retroactive payment valued at $595 million will be made to workers for several bid periods and years including:

4% of eligible earnings for bid periods between Sept. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2021.
4% of eligible earnings for bid year 2022.
4% of eligible earnings for bid year 2023.
14% of eligible earnings for bid year 2024.
25% of eligible earnings for the January 2025 through July 2025 bid periods.

The tentative agreement also includes pay increases and reimbursements for out of base parking, drafting pay, drug and alcohol testing pay, reassignment pay, short crew pay and more.

In terms of benefits, United will match flight attendants’ 401(k) contributions by 9%. No preferential bidding system (PBS) is also included in the tentative agreement.

Preparation for a Full Vote

Now with approval from the MEC, the tentative agreement will be shared with union members for feedback. This will occur during a roadshow organized by the AFA-CWA’s negotiating committee at several airports across the country from June 10 to July 10.

Afterwards, union members will vote on the tentative agreement over a three-week period. A social media post from the union on Friday endorsed the tentative labor deal

“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 [preferential bidding system], significant improvements for our hotels, preserved healthcare, improved retirement, and many other improvements,” the union wrote in its post.

“After careful review, your elected leaders of Flight Attendants at every United AFA-CWA Local Council approve and endorse the 2025 Tentative Agreement for review and ratification by the members,” the union’s post continued.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

United Gets Five More Gates at Chicago O’Hare

The Chicago Department of Aviation has awarded United five more gates at Chicago O’Hare International Airport based on flight numbers from last year.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 03, 2025 at 02:02 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United Boeing 767-300 at O'Hare (Photo: Shutterstock | MKPhoto12)

United is taking over five more gates at its main hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport despite complaints from one of its top competitors.

The Chicago Department of Aviation awarded United the gates this week based on the number of flights the airline flew to and from O’Hare in 2024. As a result, United will have a total of 95 gates at the airport.

It was not immediately clear which gates will switch to United’s control. Officials did say the airlines that currently operate those gates have until Oct. 1 to give them up.

“The CDA’s gate reallocation process, established as part of the 2018 lease agreement, was designed to promote healthy competition among the airlines by rewarding those who fly the most in Chicago and utilize their existing gates efficiently,” United said in a statement provided to WGN-TV. “We are pleased that United’s strong growth and long-standing commitment to our hometown hub of O’Hare has been rightfully recognized through this process, and we look forward to utilizing the new gates we earned today.”

United also noted that it will fly more seats from Chicago this summer than at any point in the last 20 years.

American, which has 59 gates at O’Hare, sued the city of Chicago last month over the new allocation, when it looked like the CDA would hand United six gates.

The carrier accused the city of attempting to marginalize its operations in violation of its lease agreement.

“I don’t think there’s any place like O’Hare where you have two global network carriers that both operate big connecting hubs in the same airport,” American senior vice president Stephen Neuman told WGN at the time. “Frankly, it would be harmful to the city and harmful to the citizens and businesses if there was anything done to erode that dual hub, especially at a time when American Airlines is growing significantly.”

United countered that it had made substantial investments at O’Hare since the COVID-19 pandemic, while American had prioritized its network in the southern U.S.

United announced last week that it is expanding and extending service this fall between Chicago and numerous warm-weather destinations, including Austin, Texas; Orlando; Phoenix; Cozumel, Mexico; Saint Martin; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. In October, the airline is expected to fly up to 592 flights per day from O’Hare, surpassing its summer schedule.

Zach Vasile

Bill Proposed to Ban ‘Chemtrails’

A bill has been proposed in the Louisiana state congress to ban "chemtrails" over baseless fears that they influence the weather.

John McDermott

Tuesday, June 03, 2025 at 11:54 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

NASA Douglas DC-8 following the EcoDemonstrator's contrails. (Photo: Boeing)

A bill has been proposed in the Louisiana state congress to ban “chemtrails” over baseless fears that they influence the weather.

Representative Kimberly Landry Coates said she is concerned about whether the white streaks left behind by aircraft create clouds and affect weather patterns. Coates and others believe the white streaks are made of nanochemicals such as Barium.

Coates further claimed that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sends chemicals into clouds to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth’s surface; NOAA says it does not do this and does not plan to. Coates has referred to at least eight other unnamed agencies as complicit in chemical dumping in the air.

What Really Are Contrails?

What Coates and others refer to as “chemtrails” are really made of condensed exhaust that enters subzero temperatures in the upper atmosphere and freeze. These trails, officially known as contrails, are made mostly of water vapor with other trace gases that are absorbed into the atmosphere or otherwise dispelled before reaching the ground or influencing weather.

CNN Climate reports that it takes specific conditions for contrails to form; cold temperature alone won’t cause them. Rather, a specific balance most often found on cool, clear days eventually leads to the formation of contrails.

These same conditions also determine how long contrails linger. While some contrails disappear quickly, some can linger for close to half an hour. As a general rule, the more humid the outside air is, the more likely contrails are not only to form but also to linger for long periods, per the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Not the First Bill This Year

Louisiana is not the first state to challenge “chemtrails” head-on this year. Florida’s state legislature has passed a bill that, if signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, would establish a hotline for people to report weather manipulation through chemicals such as contrails. Anyone convicted of modifying weather with such chemicals would become a felon facing five years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

DeSantis has already said he will sign the bill into law.

Robert F Kennedy, Jr, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, has also called out chemtrails and called for more work to be done looking into them.

The History of the Chemtrail Conspiracy

Discourse on chemtrails goes back to at least the mid-1990s and has been on the rise since. Claims of geoengineering often increase as severe weather increases, and with more severe events happening in recent years, concern about issues like chemtrails is on the rise.

Various bills have been introduced over the years to try limiting the impact of chemtrails. A bill limiting geoengineering was introduced in Rhode Island in 2014 but never passed. Tennessee approved such a bill in 2024.

John McDermott

John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.