‘Vendor Issue’ Prompts Christmas Eve Ground Stop

American Airlines says a "vendor technology issue" prompted a nationwide ground stop on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at 09:14 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American A319 in Phoenix. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American Airlines says a “vendor technology issue” prompted a nationwide ground stop on Christmas Eve. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline and its regional subsidiaries were forced to halt flights on Tuesday.

The ground stop lasted roughly an hour. According to data from Anuvu Pulse, just 22% of the carrier’s flights have left on-time so far.

Flights resumed around 8 a.m. ET after the issue was resolved.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this morning,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement. “It’s all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible.”

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.

Delta Continues to Replace 767s on Long-Haul Flights

Starting next summer, the Atlanta-based carrier is slated to swap even more 767-300ERs for Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, December 23, 2024 at 11:18 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Delta Boeing 767-300ER at London Heathrow. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Delta is shying away from its Boeing 767s on long-haul flights, replacing them with newer Airbus A330 aircraft. Starting next year, the Atlanta-based carrier is slated to swap more 767s for A330s.

Five more routes will see upgrades to Airbus A330-900neo aircraft by next summer. According to Ishrion Aviation, these include Boston to Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Milan.

In addition, flights from New York-JFK to Lisbon and Sao Paulo will see the newer aircraft type.

Delta’s first A330neo at the airline’s TechOps hangar. (Photo: Delta)

Earlier this year, Delta President Glen Hauenstein said the older 767-300ERs will be removed from long-haul international service by 2028 and retired by 2030. The just over 40 767-300ERs have an average age of nearly 30 years old, according to Cirium Fleet Analyzer.

According to Cirium Diio schedule data, the 767-300ERs will continue to operate several long-haul routes next summer, including from Atlanta, New York-JFK, Boston, and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The 21 younger 767-400ERs are expected to stick around beyond 2030.

Ryan Ewing

Air Serbia Joins Embraer’s Pool Program

Air Serbia has officially joined Embraer’s Pool Program, marking a new partnership designed to optimize fleet performance and minimize maintenance costs

Tolga Karadeniz

Monday, December 23, 2024 at 10:43 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Embraer's E190-E2 at the 2022 Farnborough Airshow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Embraer Services & Support has entered into a new partnership with Air Serbia, bringing the Serbian carrier into its renowned Pool Program. This agreement is set to enhance Air Serbia’s operational efficiency, optimize fleet performance, and reduce maintenance costs as the airline continues to expand its capabilities.

Air Serbia, which recently integrated the Embraer E195 aircraft into its fleet, will benefit from Embraer’s extensive global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) network, the company shared.

Miroslav Musulin, Air Serbia’s technical director, highlighted the strategic importance of the agreement. “Joining Embraer’s Pool Program is a significant step for Air Serbia as we integrate the E195 aircraft into our fleet. This collaboration will ensure that we maintain the highest standards of safety and operational excellence while optimizing costs and minimizing downtime,” Musulin said.

A Growing Network of Airlines in the Pool Program

The Pool Program is a cornerstone of Embraer Services & Support’s offerings, providing airlines with solutions to streamline operations. Currently, over 50 airlines worldwide participate in the program, including Azul Brazilian Airlines, Helvetic Airways, and LOT Polish Airlines.

Tolga Karadeniz

Tolga is a dedicated aviation enthusiast with years of experience in the industry. From an early age, his fascination with aviation went beyond a mere passion for travel, evolving into a deliberate exploration of the complex mechanics and engineering behind aircraft. As a writer, he aims to share insights , providing readers with a view into the complex inner workings of the aviation industry.

American Adds More 777-300ER Service

American's largest jet - the Boeing 777-300ER - can seat up to 304 passengers and includes a Flagship First cabin with eight seats.

Ryan Ewing

Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 09:49 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American 777-300ER aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American plans to add a new Boeing 777-300ER route next summer. The carrier’s largest jet can seat up to 304 passengers and includes a Flagship First cabin with eight seats.

As first flagged by Ishrion Aviation on Twitter/X, the 777-300ER will operate daily flights from New York-JFK to Madrid. The aircraft is scheduled to serve the route between June 5 and Sept. 3.

This will be the first time the airline’s largest aircraft type is scheduled to serve the New York-Madrid route. Recently, American began flying the 777-300ER on daily flights from its Charlotte hub.

The aircraft will replace the Boeing 777-200, adding just over 30 more seats to the route per day. From New York, American’s 777-300ERs also fly to London Heathrow and Barcelona during some days in the summer.

Ryan Ewing

American Plans Long-Distance Routes From LaGuardia

American plans to add more service from New York's LaGuardia Airport next year. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline will add three long-distance routes.

Ryan Ewing

Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 09:29 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American Airlines 737 MAX taxis at LaGuardia. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American plans to add more service from New York’s LaGuardia Airport next year. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline will add three long-distance routes.

According to the latest Cirium Diio schedule update, the carrier will add service from LaGuardia to Calgary, Canada, Kalispell, Montana, and Bozeman, Montana. All of these routes are slated to begin on June 7, 2025, with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Perimeter Exceptions

LaGuardia Airport has a perimeter rule that bans nonstop flights over 1,500 miles. Saturdays are exempt from this rule.

Accordingly, American’s newly added routes will operate on Saturdays only. LaGuardia to Kalispell is the longest at 2,035 miles.

From New York, Calgary is a new destination for the airline. Both Bozeman and Kalispell were last served in 2021 and 2022.

Ryan Ewing

Report: Boeing Plans to Boost 737 Production in 2025

Boeing is aiming to dial up production of its 737 MAX aircraft to 38 jets per month by May 2025, according to a report.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 02:09 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

737 MAX aircraft in Renton. (Photo: Shutterstock | Thiago B Trevisan)

Boeing aims to dial up production of its 737 MAX jets to 38 per month by May 2025, according to reporting by The Air Current.

On Dec. 10, Reuters reported that the jet builder had only delivered 13 commercial jets in November following machinist strikes that rattled the company for 53 days. Nine of November’s jets were 737s, Boeing’s top-selling aircraft.

Increasing its 737 production four-fold by next May was called “incredibly aggressive” and “probably unrealistic,” by an unnamed Boeing supplier quoted in The Air Current report. Analysts from Jefferies investment firm had previously told Reuters in another report they expect Boeing to produce an average of 29 737 MAXs per month in 2025.

737s aren’t the only aircraft Boeing is setting high production targets for. Last week, Boeing announced a $1 billion investment into its South Carolina facilities to boost 787 Dreamliner production. The company plans to build 10 787s per month by 2026.

Boeing has also confirmed that its 767 and 777 aircraft are back in production following holdups from the strikes.

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 Shifts A319 Retirement

The ultra-low-cost airline has rapidly scaled down its fleet in recent months, which included the sale of 23 Airbus jets.

Ryan Ewing

Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 09:30 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Spirit A319 in Las Vegas. [AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson]

Spirit is slated to retire its small fleet of Airbus A319 aircraft in early 2025. The ultra-low-cost airline has rapidly scaled down its fleet in recent months, which included the sale of 23 Airbus jets.

The carrier has two A319s in active service, according to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data. The aircraft have an average age of just over 14 years old.

The aircraft type is set to continue operating through Jan. 8, 2025, per Cirium Diio schedule data. At the time of writing, no further flights are scheduled after this date.

On that date, just one A319 flight will operate between Medellin, Colombia, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, arriving early in the morning. On Jan. 7, the type is set to operate six flights between Fort Lauderdale; Houston; Newark, New Jersey; and Medellin.

Earlier schedule iterations had the A319s planned to fly up to eight flights on Jan. 8. A spokesperson from Spirit did not reply to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on the aircraft retirements.

The carrier’s published fleet plan — which was last updated on Aug. 1 – has the fleet planned for retirement in Q2 2025.

Ryan Ewing

Arajet to Add Three U.S. Routes

Low-cost Dominican airline Arajet announced Friday that it plans to begin offering flights to the U.S. in the second quarter of 2025.

Brinley Hineman

Friday, December 20, 2024 at 03:09 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Arajet 737 MAX (Photo: Arajet)

Low-cost Dominican airline Arajet announced Friday that it plans to begin offering flights to the U.S. in the second quarter of 2025.

The airline shared plans to offer flights to New York, Miami, and Puerto Rico. The carrier has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Open Skies agreement between the Dominican Republic and the United States.

Arajet flies more passengers than any other Dominican airline, the company said. It surpassed 1 million passengers in 2024, making up more than 7% of passengers flying to and from the Dominican Republic.

“ Because of our geographical position, we can connect people to and from different places in the Americas,” Arajet CEO Victor Pacheco told AirlineGeeks during a recent interview.

The airline operates two hubs with connecting flights to 23 destinations. It offers flights to and from more than a dozen countries, including Canada, Aruba, Colombia, and Argentina.

“With Open Skies coming into effect today, Arajet’s routes to the U.S. are now approved to move forward,” Dominican Republic Minister of Tourism David Collado said in the announcement. “This is a huge victory and realizes our vision to enable all Dominican airlines to fly to more destinations and increase competitiveness with the most important market for the country.”

Regarding U.S. expansion, Pacheco expressed optimism: “ I wouldn’t say [we are] bullish, but I would say that it’s definitely part of our [plan to] make us whole because of the north and south connectivity that we’re aiming to offer.”

Brinley Hineman

Brinley Hineman covers general assignment news. She previously worked for the USA TODAY Network, Newsday and The Messenger. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and is from West Virginia. She lives in Brooklyn with her poodle Franklin.

Livery of the Week: Vietnam Airlines

The national carrier of Vietnam utilizes a distinctive livery that reflects both the country's cultural heritage and its aspirations for the future.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, December 20, 2024 at 01:20 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner on approach into London's Heathrow Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.

Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam, utilizes a distinctive livery that reflects both the country’s cultural heritage and its aspirations for the future. The current livery is a modern and elegant design that has become a familiar sight at airports around the world.

A predominantly green fuselage provides a clean and bright backdrop, allowing the other design elements to stand out. A prominent gold stripe runs along the aircraft’s fuselage, from the nose to the tail.

A Vietnam Airlines A350-900 in Seoul (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

The tail of the aircraft features a stylized lotus flower, a national symbol of Vietnam. The lotus is revered for its beauty, purity, and resilience, and it holds a special place in Vietnamese art and culture.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

Ryan Ewing

Airlines Schedule New D.C. Routes

After a long awarding process, selected airlines are now able to schedule their new, highly coveted long-distance flights from D.C.'s Reagan National Airport.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, December 20, 2024 at 11:07 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Delta aircraft takes off from Washington DCA. (Photo: Shutterstock | Andrew Mauro)

After a long awarding process, selected airlines are now able to schedule their new, highly coveted long-distance flights from Washington’s Reagan National Airport. The Department of Transportation published its final slot awards this week.

American, Alaska, Delta, United, and Southwest were selected to add service to new and existing markets outside of the airport’s 1,250-mile perimeter rule. The carriers have 90 days to start the new flights from the date of the final order.

American

Reagan National’s largest airline – American – was selected to serve San Antonio. Flights will begin on March 2, 2025.

The carrier plans to operate the following schedule on the new route:

Dep. Airport	Dep. Time	Arr. Airport	Arr. Time	Aircraft
SAT	6:35 a.m.	DCA	10:41 a.m.	Airbus A321
DCA	7:45 p.m.	SAT	10:43 p.m.	Airbus A321

American says the flight numbers recognize the Texas city’s history. 1718 was the year San Antonio was founded while 1947 was the year the U.S. Air Force was established. San Antonio has a large military presence.

The new flights will be available for sale on Dec. 23, the carrier said.

Alaska

Alaska was awarded a route from Reagan National to San Diego, one of the airport’s largest unserved markets. The Seattle-based airline also serves San Diego from Washington’s Dulles airport.

US Airways was the last carrier flying nonstop between Reagan National and San Diego until 2014.

At the time of writing, Alaska’s Washington to San Diego flights are not yet for sale and no start date is available. In its July application, the airline detailed its schedule for the route:

Dep. Airport	Dep. Time	Arr. Airport	Arr. Time	Aircraft
SAN	8:30 a.m.	DCA	4:30 p.m.	Boeing 737 MAX 8 or 737-800
DCA	5:30 p.m.	SAN	7:50 p.m.	Boeing 737 MAX 8 or 737-800

Delta

In its application, Delta eyed new service between Reagan National and its Seattle hub, which was awarded by the DOT. Flights are slated to begin on March 9, 2025.

The carrier will compete directly with Alaska, which also serves the market. In its application, Delta detailed the route’s schedule:

Dep. Airport	Dep. Time	Arr. Airport	Arr. Time	Aircraft
SEA	8 a.m.	DCA	4 p.m.	A321neo
DCA	5 p.m.	SEA	8 p.m.	A321neo

The new route is not yet for sale on the airline’s website.

United

The DOT awarded United a second daily flight between Reagan National and its San Francisco hub. The new flight is set to begin on Feb. 13, 2025.

Dep. Airport	Dep. Time	Arr. Airport	Arr. Time	Aircraft
SFO	12:50 p.m.	DCA	8:58 p.m.	737 MAX 8
DCA	7 a.m.	SFO	10:21 a.m.	737 MAX 8

The additional flight is available for sale on United’s website.

Southwest

Southwest also won a new nonperimeter route from the airport. Starting on Feb. 13, the carrier will connect Washington and Las Vegas.

The new route also includes a one-stop connection to Sacramento, California, with no aircraft change. Southwest will compete with American between Reagan National and Las Vegas.

Dep. Airport	Dep. Time	Arr. Airport	Arr. Time	Aircraft
LAS	8:30 a.m.	DCA	3:50 p.m.	Boeing 737
DCA	4:30 p.m.	LAS	6:55 p.m.	Boeing 737

All the new routes will operate on a daily, year-round basis.

Ryan Ewing