Pan Am Considering Comeback

Pan Am Global Holdings, which manages the intellectual property of Pan Am, is evaluating the airline’s prospects for a relaunch.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, June 05, 2025 at 04:33 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Pan Am 707. (Photo: Shutterstock | Peter Scharkowski)

An iconic airline brand once synonymous with luxurious international travel is eyeing a comeback 34 years after it ceased operations.

Pan Am Global Holdings, which manages the intellectual property rights for the long-defunct Pan American World Airways, announced Thursday that it is exploring options to revive Pan Am as a scheduled commercial airline.

The company is working with aviation merchant bank and consulting firm AVi8 Air Capital to assess the “feasibility, structure, and financial strategy” of a potential relaunch.

“We are excited to partner with AVi8 to explore how best to bring the Pan Am brand back to the skies as a scheduled commercial airline,” said Craig Carter, CEO of Pan Am Global Holdings. “With its legacy of innovation, service excellence, and global connectivity, Pan Am remains a cherished name in aviation. Through this collaboration, we aim to assess a sustainable and forward-thinking approach to reintroducing scheduled commercial service under the Pan Am name – one that not only honors its legacy but also makes the Pan Am experience more accessible.”

AVi8 said it will assist Pan Am Global Holdings in analyzing various aspects of the airline industry, including market dynamics, fleet strategy, and operational infrastructure.

More details will be released in the coming months, the partners said.

Golden Age

Pan Am, originally founded as Pan American Airways, was for decades the largest international carrier based in the U.S. In the carefully regulated market of the mid-20th century, it enjoyed a near-monopoly on foreign travel, and in exchange, did not fly domestically.

The airline led the industry’s adoption of jet aircraft, which allowed for the launch of longer routes to destinations around the world. It reached the height of its prestige between the 1950s and early 1970s, and its name became synonymous with the glamour of international air travel and high-quality amenities.

A Pan Am Boeing 737 in 1988. (Photo: Guido Allieri, made available through Wikimedia Commons)

Pan Am’s fortunes turned after the oil shock of the ’70s, which hurt demand. Deregulation of the American airline industry under President Jimmy Carter exposed the carrier to new levels of competition, and it struggled to build a domestic network. After years of losses, it filed for bankruptcy in 1991.

Due to its strong brand recognition, the Pan Am name has been reused over the years, including for a short-lived low-cost airline in the late 1990s, nicknamed “Pan Am II.” Fashion brands have also signed agreements to use the name on shirts and watches.

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.

Delta Opening New A350 Base

Currently, the A350 operates a handful of routes from Seattle, including to Tokyo Haneda, Taipei, and Seoul Incheon, replacing the A330-900neo.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, June 05, 2025 at 11:01 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta A350 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Delta is poised to open a new widebody pilot base in the coming months. The Atlanta-based airline continues to deploy its A350s in Asia-Pacific markets, replacing the A330.

According to various sources – including aviation insider JonNYC – the carrier is set to open an Airbus A350 pilot base in Seattle. Positions for the new widebody base will be open as early as this month, Delta told pilots in a memo.

In terms of widebody aircraft, the airline currently offers an A330 base in Seattle. Other A350 bases include Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Detroit.

An airline spokesperson did not immediately respond to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on the new base.

Delta continues to shift much of its Asia-Pacific network to A350 operations. The carrier began deploying A350s on regularly scheduled flights from Seattle in March.

Currently, the A350 operates a handful of routes from Seattle, including to Tokyo Haneda, Taipei, and Seoul Incheon, replacing the A330-900neo.

The carrier’s plan to open an A350 pilot base in Seattle comes as Delta’s rival, Alaska Airlines, bolsters its long-haul presence with new flights to Tokyo Narita, Seoul Incheon, and Rome.

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.

FAA Not Looking at Lifting Boeing 737 MAX Cap

Reuters reported Wednesday that FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau is not relaxing a limit on the number of 737 MAX aircraft Boeing can produce per month.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, June 05, 2025 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

737 aircraft at Boeing's Renton facility. (Photo: Shutterstock | Thiago B Trevisan)

The acting head of the FAA has no plans to lift the 38 aircraft per month limit imposed on Boeing’s 737 MAX program following a door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight last year.

Reuters put the question to Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau on Wednesday after a U.S. House hearing on the FAA’s budget. He replied, “Not at this time.”

Boeing executives have said they are confident they can get 737 MAX production above 38 per month once the ceiling is eventually lifted. CEO Kelly Ortberg said last week that 42 per month is a realistic target.

Rocheleau also said the agency will continue to inspect all 737 MAXs and 787 Dreamliners before issuing airworthiness certificates, a task previously performed by Boeing itself. The planemaker lost the authority to self-certify the two aircraft due to 787 quality issues and the crash of two 737 MAX jets, which killed a combined 346 people.

The FAA has said it will continue independently inspecting the 737 MAX and the 787 until Boeing completes improvements to its manufacturing and quality control processes. The company was close to winning back its control over the 737 MAX certification process until the Alaska incident.

Last week, the FAA extended Boeing’s ability to carry out some delegated functions through the Organization Designation Authorization program. The agency said Boeing has made meaningful strides in improving its independent ODA units, including insulating them from outside pressure. The extension will last three years, rather than the five requested by Boeing.

Zach Vasile

Air Cote d’Ivoire Suspends Abidjan-Johannesburg Service

Air Cote d’Ivoire has suspended flights between Cote d’Ivoire's largest city, Abidjan, and Johannesburg, South Africa, citing operational reasons.

Lorne Philipot

Thursday, June 05, 2025 at 08:50 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

An Air Côte d'Ivoire A320 (Photo: Sm105, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Cote d’Ivoire’s national carrier announced that it has suspended flights between that country’s largest city, Abidjan, and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Air Cote d’Ivoire launched the route in 2022, initially offering the service four times a week. The service was operated as an extension of the carrier’s route to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The airline used an Airbus A320neo, seating 16 passengers in Business class and 132 in Economy class, on the route. Air Cote d’Ivoire cited operational reasons for the suspension of the service.

Abidjan-Johannesburg Route

When Air Cote d’Ivoire launched its Abidjan-Johannesburg service, it was the only carrier flying nonstop between the two cities. South African Airways had previously operated flights between Abidjan and Johannesburg, but it was in the middle of restructuring and had suspended the route.

South African Airways gradually restored its old routes, including between Abidjan and Johannesburg, offering three flights a week, with an Airbus A330.

Travel News reports that Air Cote d’Ivoire expects to resume the service in October this year. However, African aviation analyst Sean Mendis said that demand and yields on the route have been less than desirable for the carrier.

“The Johannesburg-Abidjan market has too much capacity with both Air Cote d’Ivoire and South African Airways serving it, the latter with A330 widebodies. And Air Cote d’Ivoire’s schedule and reliability were especially poor to compete,” Mendis said.

That said, Air Cote d’Ivoire expects to take delivery of two Airbus A330-900neo aircraft this month. The widebody jets will be used to expand the airline’s intercontinental route network. The carrier intends to launch scheduled services to Paris and Beirut.

Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.

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

Verified

Edited By:

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

Verified

Edited By:

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

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

Verified

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

Verified

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

Verified

Edited By:

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

Verified

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