All Injured Passengers in Toronto Crash Released From Hospital

Delta confirmed that all 21 injured passengers who were aboard Endeavor Air’s Flight 4819 have been discharged from the hospital.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 04:47 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Investigators examine the wreckage of Delta flight 4819. (Photo: TSB of Canada)

Delta confirmed Thursday that all 21 injured passengers who were aboard Endeavor Air flight 4819 have been discharged from the hospital.

Flight 4819 flipped over while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday. A video of the incident shared on social media showed the CRJ-900 losing a wing and catching fire before flipping over.

Clearist footage showing the crash moment of Delta – Endevoir Air CRJ-900 Flight DL4819 from Minneapolis (MSP) to Toronto (YYZ) with registration N932XJ.
We will share the reports as soon as available. pic.twitter.com/4XRAdJt3c0

— aircraftmaintenancengineer (@airmainengineer) February 18, 2025

While 21 passengers were injured and taken to local hospitals, no one was killed in the accident.

In an emailed statement sent to AirlineGeeks, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the carrier “will continue to connect one-on-one with customers, employees and loved ones” as it moves forward to make sure their needs are met.

“The Delta and Endeavor families are grateful that all those injured Monday have been released from the hospital, and we extend our thanks to everyone who provided care to them over the past few days,” he said.

On Wednesday, the airline confirmed reports that it would be giving $30,000 to each one of the 76 passengers who were on the flight. Delta said the money is a gesture that comes with “no strings attached and does not impact rights.”

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.

Spirit to Exit Bankruptcy

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has authorized Spirit Airlines’ plan to exit bankruptcy.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 03:45 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Spirit Airbus A321 (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York authorized Spirit’s plan to exit bankruptcy on Thursday.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the airline has made a “lender-backed take-private deal” that will give control of the ultra-low-cost carrier to top bondholders. Court documents show that the group includes Citadel Advisors, Pacific Investment Management Co. and Western Asset Management Co.

Bloomberg reported that the restructuring deal approved by Judge Sean Lane on Thursday “was widely supported by Spirit lenders.”

The deal comes a little over a week after the carrier rejected Frontier’s latest offer to merge with Spirit.

The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2024 after years of quarterly losses and growing debt.

While bondholders might be happy with the new deal, shareholders have been vocal critics of the airline and its leadership. In December, over a dozen shareholders sent letters to Judge Lane lambasting Spirit CEO Ted Christie or board members for the Chapter 11 filing and for supporting a deal that would cancel their shares.

One investor went as far as to create their own website mocking the company and its CEO.

AirlineGeeks reached out to Spirit for comment.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

ATP Flight School to Offer Free A320 Type Ratings

ATP Flight School has launched free quarterly Airbus A320 type rating and Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training programs for eligible alumni.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 02:43 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An inside look at one of ATP JETS' flight simulators at its Irving, Texas facility. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ryan Ewing)

ATP Flight School has launched free quarterly Airbus A320 type rating and Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training programs for eligible alumni.

The Jacksonville, Florida-based aviation academy said in an emailed news release it will randomly select alumni each quarter to receive one of these free training programs aimed at helping pilots advance their careers.

“With its Part 142 airline training center, ATP is one of the few flight schools in the nation with the capability of providing this advanced training to its alumni, and to do so at no cost,” the release stated.

Starting in March, ATP will begin randomly selecting one graduate eligible for the ATP CTP at JETS – valued at $4,295 – and one active ATP instructor eligible for the Airbus A320 type rating program – valued at $10,850.

The flight school’s ATP JETS program has over 25,000 graduates and is the largest provider of ATP CTP training in the country with facilities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and Orlando, according to the company.

“ATP is deeply committed to the success of alumni, and what many may not realize is the substantial financial investment we make to continue supporting our students long after they graduate,” said Michael Arnold, vice president of marketing at ATP Flight School, in the release. “Through the no-cost, no-fee Alumni Association, ATP has saved alumni over $750,000 dollars by covering the cost of their Flight Instructor Refresher Course through King Schools.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Frontier Wants to Use Fewer Jet Bridges

Biffle called the ongoing transition away from jet bridges a “huge cost savings opportunity” as the airline looks to increase aircraft utilization on peak days.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 11:15 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Frontier Airbus A321neo (Photo: Shutterstock | ACHPF)

Frontier will continue to move away from jet bridges, CEO Barry Biffle recently said. Instead, the airline is pivoting to ground loading facilities, similar to other low-cost carriers.

This transition has already started at Frontier’s Denver hub. The airport finished a $220 million expansion of Concourse A last year, which includes 14 new aircraft positions that will be used by the carrier.

“ We’ve done this before in other cities, but now we’re starting to do it at scale,” Biffle shared during an investors conference on Wednesday. “So one of the things that we’re going to do over the next few years is … to try to get as close to a hundred percent ground loading as possible.”

He noted the operations of other low-cost airlines, particularly in Europe, that largely don’t use jet bridges, including Wizz Air and Ryanair. Allegiant also utilizes ground boarding at many of its key bases.

People queuing while boarding a Ryanair aircraft (Photo: Shutterstock)

“ A jet bridge is just the kiss of death when you’re trying to turn an airplane really fast. If you have front and rear boarding, you literally double the speed that people get on and off the planes,” he continued.

Frontier utilizes ground loading facilities at a handful of airports, including in Austin, Texas, where it shares a terminal with Allegiant. The ultra-low-cost carrier recently added several new routes from the Texas capital.

Biffle called the ongoing transition away from jet bridges a “huge cost savings opportunity” as the airline looks to increase aircraft utilization on peak days.

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.

Air Greenland Expands Fleet With First Narrowbody Jet

The airline has also announced further expansion, with a new addition to its fleet: the carrier's first-ever narrowbody jet.

Joey Gerardi

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 10:12 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An A320neo aircraft. (Photo: Airbus)

Greenland has been in the news a lot in the past few months, and with the opening of the new expanded runway in the country’s capital of Nuuk, many carriers are introducing service to the country. The country’s flag carrier, Air Greenland, moved its trunk international route on the Airbus A330-800neo from Kangerlussuaq to Nuuk as well.

But, the airline has also announced further expansion, with a new addition to its fleet: the carrier’s first narrowbody jet, which they signed a lease for on Feb. 14 that will last for six years once delivered to the company.

In the past with new aircraft like the A330-800neo and the A330-200, the carrier ordered the aircraft directly from Airbus, but a brand new jet could take six or seven years to be delivered straight from the factory. Air Greenland will be leasing a single Airbus A320neo from a company called Carlyle and is expected to join the airline’s fleet in its distinctive red livery in December 2026.

The delivery of the aircraft in late 2026 will line up with the opening of another expanded runway in the country, this time in the city of Ililissat, and will be ready to serve that community and others for the busy Summer 2027 tourist season.

Pilot Training

The introduction of this aircraft will also mean it will be retraining some pilots, more specifically from its Airbus A330-800neo, so that they will be able to fly not only the widebody aircraft but the new narrowbody A320neo as well. The carrier will also be retraining a handful of Dash-8 pilots to fly the new A320neo, although the exact number has not yet been determined. Its A320neo will be maintained by SAS in Copenhagen, similar to the A330-800neo.

Air Greenland’s sole Airbus A300-800neo seconds before touching down in Kangerlussuaq (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

The name of this new aircraft has not yet been chosen, and will be added to the airline’s current fleet of one Airbus A330-800, and eight Dash-8~200s, the latter of which are used primarily for domestic operations within Greenland, along with the occasional international flights to nearby Canada and Iceland.

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

American to Resume Its Longest Domestic Route

American plans to relaunch its longest regularly scheduled domestic service in October 2025 following a four-year pause.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 09:42 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American 787-8 Dreamliner (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American plans to relaunch its longest regularly scheduled domestic service in late 2025. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline has not operated this route since September 2021.

Starting on Oct. 26, the carrier will resume flights from its Chicago O’Hare hub to Honolulu. At 4,243 miles, this route will be the longest in American’s domestic network.

American’s Dallas/Fort Worth-to-Honolulu route is its current longest domestic flight at 3,784 miles. The airline has also linked Charlotte, North Carolina, and Honolulu in the past.

The airline hasn’t provided frequency information for the route yet, but a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will operate it. Previously, Chicago-to-Honolulu was served on a daily basis.

Chicago O’Hare to Honolulu route (Photo: gcmap.com)

United currently flies between the two cities up to two times per day.

O’Hare Growth

American continues to restore capacity at its Chicago hub. In recent months, it has announced several new and resuming routes from the airport, including long-haul service to Madrid and Naples, Italy.

The airline says it will operate up to 480 daily flights from O’Hare this summer, a 25% increase in seats over last year.

Ryan Ewing

Breeze Adds New City to Route Map

Breeze is expanding again, this time with a new point on its route map. The airline, which began service in 2021, operates to nearly 70 cities in 31 states.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 06:00 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Breeze Airways Airbus A220 aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Breeze is expanding again, this time with a new point on its route map. The airline, which began service in 2021, operates to nearly 70 cities in 31 states.

Beginning this summer, the carrier will also fly to Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which will become Breeze’s fourth destination in the state. Currently, it flies to New Bern, Raleigh/Durham, and Wilmington.

Flights to Greensboro are scheduled to start on June 6, 2025. Service to Orlando, Florida, will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.

The airline will also connect Greensboro and Hartford, Connecticut, with twice-weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays. This route will be seasonal.

All routes will be operated by Breeze’s Airbus A220 aircraft.

“We continue to see massive growth in the Mid-Atlantic region and are excited to welcome Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) to our growing list of cities that Breeze serves in the region,” said Lukas Johnson, chief commercial officer of Breeze Airways, in a news release. “It’s clear our Guests in North Carolina love our premium travel options and convenient service and policies, and we look forward to welcoming more Guests in the region with this new service from GSO.”

Breeze’s May 2025 route map (Photo: Cirium Diio)

Other Service Increases

Greensboro joins a handful of new airports that Breeze has added recently. Earlier this month, the carrier announced three new destinations, including Rochester, New York; Albany, New York; and Memphis, Tennessee.

Alongside these new cities, the airline is also slated to bolster frequencies on some existing twice-weekly routes. Service between Orlando and Portland, Maine, will increase to four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting on June 4,

In addition, service between Orlando and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will increase to four times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, starting on June 6.

Ryan Ewing

Delta Offers Over $2 Million to CRJ Crash Passengers

Delta has offered $30,000 to each one of the 76 passengers aboard Endeavor flight 4819 that crashed while landing in Toronto.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 05:51 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The wreckage of Delta flight 4819 (Photo: TSB of Canada)

Delta has offered $30,000 to each one of the 76 passengers aboard Endeavor Air flight 4819 that crashed while landing in Toronto on Monday.

According to a Star Tribune report on Wednesday, the airline said it is telling customers the money is a gesture that comes with “no strings attached and does not impact rights.”

Combined across all passengers, the money offered totals $2.28 million from the Atlanta-based carrier.

The CRJ-900 flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport crashed while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport. All 80 people aboard the non-fatal crash evacuated the jet, 21 of which were transported to local hospitals for injuries.

As of Wednesday morning, only one victim remains hospitalized. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation into the accident along with other agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

$250 Million Lawsuit Prepared Against FAA, Army Over D.C. Collision

Aviation attorneys at the Chicago-based law firm Clifford Law Offices have filed pre-case claims against the FAA and Army.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 05:37 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A crane removes airplane wreckage from the Potomac River (Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Aviation attorneys at the Chicago-based law firm Clifford Law Offices have filed pre-case claims against the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army regarding the Jan. 29 midair collision in Washington D.C.

The claims were filed Tuesday on behalf of the widow and three children of Casey Crafton of Salem, Connecticut, who died in the collision over the Potomac River. Crafton was on board the CRJ-700 aircraft.

Clifford Law Offices stated in a news release the $250 million in claims are directed against multiple government agencies that it says may be responsible.

The law firm filed a government-issued “Form 95” against the federal government and FAA for wrongful death allegedly caused by a federal employee’s negligence or wrongful act occurring within the scope of the employee’s federal employment.

Clifford Law cited the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reporting that staffing in the tower of air traffic controllers was “not normal” at the time of the collision and that there were communication issues between the air traffic control and the aircraft.

“The government now has six months to act upon the claims, and if rejected or not acted upon within that time, plaintiffs have the right in the next two years to file lawsuits in federal district court that would be heard by a judge,” the release stated. “Jury trials are not allowed in civil wrongful death actions against the government.”

Clifford Law further said that the notice of a claim against the FAA was sent to the agency on Tuesday. A pre-case Form 95 claim also was filed Tuesday against the U.S. Army at its Fort Meade, Maryland, offices.

Robert Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law offices, sent overnight mail preservation letters to American Airlines and its regional carrier, PSA, to preserve all evidence in the midair crash. He also sent preservation letters to Sikorsky Aircraft – the manufacturer of the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash – and Collins Aerospace.

“Clifford Law Offices also has initiated an investigation into potential claims of willful neglect by the airlines for the many years of congestion of commercial aircraft and helicopters that went ignored in the air space near Reagan National Airport,” the release stated.

Clifford gained notoriety as the lead counsel in the pending litigation regarding the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet in Ethiopia six years ago.

Crafton, who was 40, studied aviation management in college at Bob Jones University, where he met his wife, Rachel. The release stated he was returning from Wichita, Kansas, on a business trip working as a technical support manager at Guardian Jet, an aviation consulting firm.

“Casey was an incredible human being,” Clifford said. “He was a giver. He was a loving husband and father. He enjoyed coaching his boys on their youth soccer and little league baseball teams. They will be grieving him for the rest of their lives that will never be the same. This crash involves complex matters, and the family deserves answers as to what happened to their loved one.”

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

GTF Engine Woes ‘Largest Headwind’ for JetBlue

JetBlue continues to sound the alarm over ongoing issues with Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engines on some of its Airbus jets.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 02:11 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

The wing of a JetBlue A220 jet (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue continues to sound the alarm over ongoing issues with Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engines. The airline expects aircraft groundings to peak in the next one to two years.

The engines power the New York-based carrier’s Airbus A220 and A321neo aircraft. Last year, it had 11 grounded jets due to these issues, JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley said during an investors conference on Wednesday.

“ Clearly the largest headwind for JetBlue at the moment is the GTF engine,” she added.

According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, JetBlue has 15 GTF-powered aircraft grounded, including six A220s and nine A321neos. The carrier has a total of 38 A220s and 28 A321neos in active service.

Issues with the Pratt & Whitney engine type have plagued airlines worldwide. Cirium data shows around 700 GTF-powered aircraft out of service.

JetBlue’s plans are “pretty conservative,” Hurley said. Aircraft may return to service sooner depending on supply chain and shop availability.

“ We’re very excited for GTF when it works. We just need to get through the quality issues now,” JetBlue President Marty St. George added. The engines can be off-wing for as long as a year, per the airline.

Ryan Ewing