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Boeing To Resume 777X Test Flights

Boeing is preparing to resume certification flight tests for its long-delayed 777X aircraft as early as mid-January 2025.

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A Boeing 777X aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Boeing is preparing to resume certification flight tests for its long-delayed 777X aircraft as early as this month.

According to an Aviation Week report, Boeing is set to conduct a test flight on its third 777-9 aircraft as early as Jan. 15.

The certification program had been stalled since August 2024 due to engine thrust link failures. The Aviation Week report stated that these thrust link components have now been replaced after compounded delays caused by a 53-day machinists strike ground production to a halt.

The 777X has undergone a number of technical testing and certification issues since its first introduction in 2013. Boeing originally planned for the aircraft to enter service by 2020.

But years-long delays would come during a December 2020 flight test when the aircraft performed an “uncommanded pitch event” causing the nose of the jet to pitch up or down without pilot input.

In October 2024, Boeing further delayed its first planned Boeing 777X delivery to 2026. The company also announced it would lay off roughly 10% of its workforce by January 2025.

“Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term,” said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg in a letter to employees announcing the delivery delays and layoffs.

Assuming Boeing meets its 777X delivery goal in 2026, that will put the company six years behind its intended launch for the aircraft.

Q4 Deliveries Announced

Ahead of Boeing’s fourth quarter financial results scheduled for Jan. 28, Boeing announced major program deliveries across its commercial and defense sectors.

The company reported 36 737 deliveries in Q4 2024 and 265 737s for the full year. Three 767s were delivered in Q4 2024 with 18 being delivered for the full year.

Boeing’s 2024 deliveries (Photo: Boeing)

Out of 14 777s delivered in 2024, three were delivered in Q4. 15 787s were delivered in Q4 out of 51 delivered that year.

In total, Boeing delivered 57 commercial airplanes in Q4 and 348 for the full year.

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.

Teamsters Continue Negotiations With United

Aircraft maintenance technicians represented by the Teamsters Union are continuing contract negotiations with United Airlines this week.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff
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United mechanics
United maintenance staff (Photo: United Airlines)

Aircraft maintenance technicians represented by the Teamsters Union are continuing contract negotiations with United this week.

The Teamsters posted on X Wednesday that the union is negotiating on behalf of over 10,000 technicians for higher wages, lower health care costs, and faster wage growth for new technicians.

“United Airlines Teamsters are directly responsible for the carrier’s record-breaking profits,” the post stated. “It’s time for United to agree to the contract United Airlines Teamsters have earned!”

In August, United’s Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) rallied across the country demanding improved wages before reaching a tentative agreement on a single contract article. Three months later, AMTs held another nationwide rally as November’s tentative agreement with United drew closer to its Dec. 5 amendable date.

“United Airlines has tried every trick in the book to delay negotiations and force Teamsters to keep working under the current contract for as long as possible,” said Teamsters President Sean O’Brien in a November news release from the union. “We are done with United taking Teamsters for granted while raking in billions in profits every quarter. It’s time for the company to treat technicians with respect by agreeing to the historic contract United Airlines Teamsters have earned.”

Clacy Griswold, chairman of the United Airlines Teamsters National Negotiating Committee, told AirlineGeeks in an emailed statement that the Teamsters ended 2024 by securing all but two non-economic articles of their contract with United.

“We successfully secured an increase on tool insurance, additional protections from unjust disciplinary actions, improved recall rights in the event of furloughs, and an increase for minimum staffing levels on field trips,” Griswold said.

While contracts don’t expire under the Railway Labor Act, they become amendable after a given date. The current collective bargaining agreement will remain in effect until the Teamsters secure a new tentative agreement for the entire contract.

Griswold said the Teamsters are currently negotiating “economics.”

“We’re using every resource we have to reach an agreement as soon as possible,” he said. “The economics portion of the contract, which includes fighting to win historic wage increases, substantially lower health care costs, and a faster wage progression for new technicians [is being negotiated]. United Airlines Teamsters are directly responsible for the carrier’s record-breaking profits, and it’s time for United to agree to the contract United Airlines Teamsters have earned.”

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.

Denver Gets New Airline

Denver International Airport is slated to add a new airline to its mix. Twenty-seven carriers serve the Colorado airport.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

Contour Airlines
A Contour Embraer E135 nicknamed "Pride of Contour." (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Denver International Airport is slated to add a new airline to its mix. Twenty-seven carriers serve the Colorado airport.

Starting on April 1, Contour Airlines will begin serving Denver. The carrier will serve Moab, Utah, along with Vernal, Utah, beginning on April 2.

The carrier serves a variety of smaller markets across the U.S. Both routes will be federally subsidized under the Essential Air Service program.

Contour previously connected Moab and Vernal with Phoenix. The carrier has an interline partnership with American.

Flights to Moab are scheduled on a daily basis, departing Denver at 5:40 p.m., and arriving in Moab at 7:15 p.m. Return flights will depart Moab at 2:50 p.m. and arrive in Denver at 4:20 p.m.

Service to Vernal is scheduled to operate five days per week, departing Denver at 4 p.m. and arriving in Vernal at 5:25 p.m. Return flights will depart Vernal at 1:40 p.m. and arrive in Denver at 3:05 p.m.

“We are excited to welcome Contour Airlines to our vibrant city,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in a news release. “This new investment by Contour supports Denver’s ranking as a top destination for business and leisure travel and further connects Denverites with the larger Rocky Mountain region.”

Contour operates 30-seat Embraer aircraft.

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.

Pilot Hiring Nosedives in 2024

Many U.S. airlines have hinted at more moderated hiring numbers in 2025 following the record-setting post-COVID numbers.

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Ryan Ewing

American 737-800
An American Boeing 737-800. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

U.S. pilot hiring tanked in 2024 as airlines continue to face aircraft delivery delays. The reduction comes after several years of record hiring trends as airlines recovered from the pandemic.

In 2024, the major U.S. carriers hired 4,834 new pilots, according to data from the Future and Active Pilots Alliance. This figure is a far cry from the over 12,000 pilots hired in 2023, representing a 60% year-over-year drop.

United Leads

United continues to bolster its pilot ranks, hiring 1,317 new aviators last year. In 2023, the Chicago-based carrier hired 2,349 pilots. It hired 2,500 in 2022.

Aircraft at United’s Aviate Academy in Arizona (Photo: GoJet Airlines)

Delta took the No. 2 spot in 2024, onboarding 1,022 new aviators. The Atlanta-based airline recently opened a new training facility in Salt Lake City.

Spirit and FedEx didn’t hire any pilots in 2024. Both Alaska and Southwest halted regular hiring during the first quarter of last year.

American stopped hiring pilots in May 2024, citing aircraft delivery delays on its Boeing 787-9 and 737 MAX aircraft.

2025 Outlook

Airlines have hinted at more moderated hiring trends in 2025 following the record-setting post-COVID years.

Projections provided to FAPA suggest that hiring may be up around 50% this year. During a recent earnings call, Delta leaders said they expect “more normalized” pilot hiring trends throughout the industry.

2024’s lower numbers are in line with 2019, when U.S. airlines hired 4,977 new pilots.

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.

Southern Airways Express Grounded Over Maintenance Woes

Combined, the two carriers operate a fleet of around 40 Cessna Caravan aircraft to smaller markets within Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

Southern Airways Cessna
A Southern Airways Express Cessna 208 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Maintenance issues have prompted Southern Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines to ground their fleets for the second time in less than a year. Combined, the two carriers operate a fleet of around 40 Cessna Caravan aircraft.

According to Hawaii’s Star Advertiser, the company stated that Mokulele’s pause in service is due to maintenance and an “abundance of caution.” The airline did not provide details into the issue or how long it would take to fix.

South Arkansas Regional Airport – one of the airports served by Southern – said operations are expected to resume within 48 hours. “At this time, the specific reasons for the nationwide grounding have not been disclosed to us,” the airport said in a Facebook post.

In August, Mokulele grounded several of its aircraft over maintenance problems. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors flagged the issues.

The two airlines are part of the Surf Air Mobility group and serve smaller markets within the U.S. Many of the airlines’ flights are federally subsidized under the Essential Air Service program.

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.

Spirit Further Slashes Workforce

Spirit is reducing its workforce even more, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The ultra-low-cost carrier plans to cut 200 jobs in various departments.

Ryan Ewing
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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Spirit A321
A Spirit Airbus A321 (Photo: Shutterstock | Ron Adar)

Spirit is reducing its workforce even more, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The ultra-low-cost carrier plans to cut 200 jobs in various departments.

The airline filed for bankruptcy in November with a goal of reducing annual costs by $80 million. Last year, Spirit furloughed 186 pilots and will cut around 300 more this month.

“As you all know, we’re facing significant challenges with our business,” CEO Ted Christie wrote to employees in a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal. “The bottom line is, we need to run a smaller airline and get back on better financial footing.”

Spirit confirmed the job cuts in a statement to Skift. “After reviewing our organizational structure, we have made the difficult decision to eliminate approximately 200 positions,” a spokesperson said.

The airline’s aggressive cost-cutting strategy has included capacity cuts and a reduction in its fleet. Last week, Spirit retired its remaining Airbus A319s and is in the process of selling over 20 older A320 and A321 jets.

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.

Southwest Sued, Frontier Fined for Flight Delays

The Department of Transportation has announced a lawsuit against Southwest and has fined Frontier for illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff
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Ryan Ewing

Frontier A320neo
A Frontier Airbus A320neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a lawsuit against Southwest and has fined Frontier for illegally operating multiple ‘chronically’ delayed flights.

According to a Wednesday DOT news release, an investigation by the agency found that Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights – one between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, and another between Baltimore, Maryland, and Cleveland, Ohio.

These flights, DOT stated, resulted in 180 chronic flight disruptions for passengers between April and August 2022. The department’s lawsuit against Southwest seeks “maximum civil penalties.”

The DOT news release stated federal regulations bar airlines from promising flight schedules that do not reflect actual departure and arrival times. The department classifies flights as chronically delayed if it is flown at least 10 times a month and arrive over 30 minutes late more than half of the time. Cancellations and diversions are counted as delays.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Southwest failed to remedy the chronically delayed flights after the DOT provided the carrier time to fix their schedule.

A Southwest Airlines 737 on final approach to Los Angeles International Airport.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

“As part of our commitment to supporting passenger rights and fairness in the market for airline travel, we are suing Southwest Airlines for disrupting passengers’ travel with unlawful chronic flight delays,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in the release. “Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times. Today’s action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.”

A Southwest spokesperson told AirlineGeeks in an emailed statement that the carrier was “disappointed” by the DOT’s decision to file the lawsuit.

“Southwest is disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago,” the spokesperson said. “Since DOT issued its Chronically Delayed Flight (CDF) policy in 2009, Southwest has operated more than 20 million flights with no other CDF violations. Any claim that these two flights represent an unrealistic schedule is simply not credible when compared with our performance over the past 15 years. In 2024, Southwest led the industry by completing more than 99% of its flights without cancellation.”

Frontier Fined

Additionally, the DOT also fined Frontier on Wednesday for operating multiple chronically delayed flights. Frontier was fined $650,000 in civil penalties with $325,000 to be paid to the U.S. Treasury and the remaining $325,000 to be suspended if the carrier does not operate any chronically delayed flights over the next three years.

The consent order stated that from April to August 2022, Frontier operated a chronically delayed flight between St. Thomas and Orlando. Frontier also operated two additional chronically delayed flights from Dec. 1, 2022 through April 30, 2023: One between Atlanta and Phoenix, and another between Orlando and Houston.

“Frontier held out these chronically delayed flights to the public at least 63 times in violation of [federal law],” the DOT’s consent order stated. “Holding out these chronically delayed flights disregarded consumers’ need to have reliable information about the real arrival time of a flight and harmed thousands of passengers, including those with connections. The civil penalty in this matter is intended, in part, to reflect that harm.”

The DOT also stated that Frontier had “ample opportunity” of over four months to correct the chronic delays and avoid civil penalties.

Wednesday’s announcements come after NewYork-based carrier JetBlue was fined $2 million for 145 delayed flights it operated between June 2022 and November 2023.

Frontier told AirlineGeeks that it is not giving a statement on its fine.

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.

JetBlue Adds Five New Destinations

JetBlue announced Wednesday that it would be adding five brand-new destinations to its North American East Coast network.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue A321 in the airline's new all-blue livery (Photo: JetBlue)

JetBlue announced Wednesday that it would be adding five new destinations to its network this year.

The New York-based carrier will now serve its first-ever flights to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, on June 26 and San Pedro Sula, Honduras on June 12. Additionally, it will add flights to Norfolk, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina on April 30; and Traverse City, Michigan June 5.

According to a news release from JetBlue, San Pedro Sula will be served from John F. Kennedy International Airport. The four other new destinations will be flown from Boston Logan International Airport.

JetBlue stated that these additions mean it will offer 77 nonstop destinations from Boston, more than any other airline.

“We continue to focus on growing our leisure network in Boston by introducing more incredible new summer seasonal markets,” said Daniel Shurz, JetBlue’s head of revenue, network and enterprise planning, in the release. “We know customers across New England love taking advantage of JetBlue’s great service and competitive fares for their summer vacations, and we think each of these will be extremely popular for our loyal customers in the region.”

“With these new destinations and routes, JetBlue is introducing even more travelers to our industry-leading service, strengthening our position in New York and as the East Coast’s leisure airline,” Shurz continued. “We’re excited to build on our momentum, offering customers across the Northeast and beyond even more travel opportunities.”

Other New Routes

In addition, JetBlue will add 13 routes including:

  • ISP to Boston on April 30.
  • JFK to Hartford on April 30.
  • JFK to Pittsburgh on April 30.
  • JFK to Providence on April 30.
  • JFK to Burbank on April 30.
  • JFK to Detroit on April 30.
  • LGA to Tampa on April 30.
  • EWR to Los Angeles on April 30.
  • EWR to Santo Domingo on June 12.

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.

New United Route Is E175’s Longest

United’s Washington to Bozeman flight previously held the No. 1 spot. This summer, though, the nearly 1,800-mile route will be operated by Airbus A319s.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

United Express E175
A United Express Embraer E175 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

United plans to stretch the Embraer E175’s legs later this year. One of the airline’s newest routes will also be the world’s longest scheduled nonstop flight operated by an Embraer E170 or E175 aircraft.

Starting on June 28, the airline will add a new service between Houston and Portland, Maine. Flights will operate on Saturdays only.

At 1,667 miles, the new route will be the world’s longest currently scheduled E170 or E175 flight. Mesa Airlines is slated to operate the new service with an E175. It will also become the regional carrier’s longest-scheduled service. The route is planned at three hours and 10 minutes.

Houston to Portland is just 1 mile longer than the current titleholder: S7’s route from Novosibirsk to Volgograd in Russia, according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium.

In the U.S., the second-place spot for longest E170 or E175 flight goes to Alaska Airlines’ recently announced service from Portland, Oregon, to Fairbanks, Alaska. This route is planned at 1,640 miles.

United’s Washington Dulles to Bozeman, Montana, flight previously held the No. 1 spot. This summer, though, the nearly 1,800-mile route will be operated by mainline Airbus A319 aircraft.

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.

Southwest Suspends Corporate Hiring, Scales Back Internships

The airline will suspend nonunion hiring and promotions. Most summer internship offers will also be paused, he said in the memo on Monday.

Ryan Ewing
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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Southwest 737 MAX jets
Southwest 737 MAX 8 aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Southwest is scaling back corporate hiring and most internships, CEO Bob Jordan announced in an internal memo seen by CNBC. “Every single dollar matters,” Jordan said.

The airline will suspend nonunion hiring and promotions. Most summer internship offers will also be paused, he said in the memo on Monday.

“You’ll begin to see and feel efforts related to our cost initiative in the coming weeks, including some hard decisions I’ve had to make,” Jordan added.

These moves, he said, are part of a broader cost-cutting initiative to help the airline become a more “lean, efficient and agile company.”

Another cut will be the suspension of the Dallas-based airline’s employee “rallies,” a tradition dating back 40 years. The 2025 events were to take place in Dallas and Phoenix.

During these events, employees hear directly from leadership on company goals for the year.

Last week, two high-ranking Southwest executives outlined plans to retire later this year, including CFO Tammy Romo and Linda Rutherford, the airline’s administrative chief. Both leaders had over three decades of experience at the airline.

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.
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