AirAsia Places Largest-Ever Order for A220

The all-Airbus carrier is a first-time customer for the type.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 07, 2026 at 11:25 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A rendering of an AirAsia A220. (Credit: Airbus)

Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia this week placed the largest single firm order for the Airbus A220 in the type’s 10-year history.

The airline committed to buying 150 A220-300s, Airbus officials announced Wednesday. AirAsia does not currently own or operate any A220s; its existing fleet is built around A320-family aircraft.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Airbus said AirAsia will be the launch customer for the A220’s new cabin configuration, which comes with 160 seats. The previous layout had 150 seats.

The new jets will serve destinations across Southeast and Central Asia, AirAsia said, freeing up larger aircraft to fly longer routes. The A220 is also expected to help the airline limit spending on fuel.

“We have built AirAsia by making bold decisions at the right moment, not the easiest moment,” said Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and an advisor to AirAsia. “This order reflects our long-term discipline and the scale of our ambitions. The A220 unlocks new markets and routes and brings us closer to building the world’s first true low-cost network carrier.”

This week’s purchase agreement pushes the A220 program past 1,000 firm orders, according to Airbus.

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.

Alaska Adds Three New Routes, Brings Back Another

The carrier is restoring service to a California city it has not served in years.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 07, 2026 at 09:07 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

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

Alaska Airlines will add three new West Coast routes later this year and resume another after a decade-long pause.

Starting in November, the Washington-based carrier will connect Santa Rosa, California, with Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Boise, Idaho. All three routes will launch Nov. 1 and end for the season in the spring of 2027 – April 19 for Boise and April 21 for Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

The connection to Phoenix will operate daily, while Salt Lake City and Boise will run “up to daily,” officials said. All flights will use Embraer E175 regional jets.

In September, Alaska will resume nonstop flying between Seattle and Long Beach, California. The carrier said it has not served the route or Long Beach itself in a decade.

Flights will operate twice daily, year-round, using a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Hawaiian Airlines, which is now owned by Alaska Air Group, connects Long Beach to Hawaii.

“Alaska is committed to California, and we’re proud to offer guests across the state even more options for their next vacation or work trip,” Kirsten Amrine, Alaska’s vice president of network planning and revenue management, said in a news release.

Alaska is currently the largest airline in Santa Rosa, which is located in Sonoma County in the North Bay region.

Zach Vasile

Envoy to Open New Crew, Maintenance Base

The expansion will strengthen American Airlines' hold in a key market, officials said.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 05:48 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Envoy Air Embraer E175. (Photo: Envoy Air)

Envoy is moving forward with plans to open a flight crew base and a maintenance base at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The American Airlines subsidiary said the expansion will enhance operational reliability, optimize aircraft routing, and strengthen American’s presence in the Washington, D.C., market. The carrier also highlighted increased flexibility in crew scheduling and improved maintenance coverage.

Reagan National will become Envoy’s fifth crew base and its eleventh maintenance base.

The carrier did not say when the new facilities are expected to open.

Envoy operates a a fleet of Embraer E175 and E170 aircraft, which is uses for regional connections within American’s network.

Zach Vasile

Frontier to Add Routes, Departures After Spirit Shutdown

The carrier expects a bump in business following its competitor’s collapse.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 04:45 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Frontier A320neo aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | Omar F Martinez)

Frontier plans to add routes and flights this summer in a bid to capture some of the market share once held by competitor Spirit.

On an earnings call Tuesday, Frontier President and CEO James Dempsey confirmed the ultra-low-cost carrier will add nine routes and 15 daily departures across 18 former Spirit markets, including Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas; Dallas/Fort Worth; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Detroit.

“Given our network, low-cost structure, and disciplined approach to capacity deployment, Frontier is best positioned to provide low fares and the best value in those markets,” Dempsey said.

Though Frontier and Spirit competed directly in the same market segment, Dempsey was complimentary to the now-defunct airline, saying it “played a meaningful role in providing affordable travel to a wide range of consumers in an industry dominated by four major airlines.”

Frontier on Tuesday posted total operating revenues of $992 million and an operating loss of $283 million in the first quarter. The airline’s net loss for the quarter was $272 million, or $1.18 per share.

Increased expenses were mainly linked to the rise in jet fuel prices since early March.

Frontier officials said they expect Spirit’s collapse to help lift revenue per available seat mile by between 3% and 5%.

Zach Vasile

Virgin Atlantic to Pause U.S. Route

Service will resume in March 2027.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 02:50 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Virgin Atlantic 787-9 departing London Heathrow. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Virgin Atlantic confirmed Wednesday that it will temporarily pause a connection between London Heathrow and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

“Due to evolving customer demand, we’re making some changes to our winter 2026 flying program,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told AirlineGeeks. “We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our services from Seattle for the winter 2026 season only. We intend to resume our daily service in March 2027.”

The carrier noted that Delta, a strategic partner and part-owner of Virgin Atlantic, offers London-Seattle flights.

“Customers can continue to travel from Seattle with our partner Delta Air Lines, who will offer daily services to London Heathrow,” the spokesperson continued. “We’d like to apologize to any affected customers and will be contacting them with their options which include rebooking or a refund.”

Virgin Atlantic’s temporary pause could open up market share for Alaska Airlines, which plans to launch Seattle-London service on May 21. Delta, Alaska, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways are the only airlines scheduled to operate the route.

Zach Vasile

Lufthansa Considers Fuel Detours for Some Flights

The carrier is preparing for potential fuel shortages in certain markets.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 11:57 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Lufthansa 787-9. (Photo: Lufthansa)

Facing the possibility of widespread jet fuel shortages this summer, Lufthansa is considering adding refueling stops to currently nonstop flights.

On an earnings call Wednesday morning, Lufthansa CFO Till Streichert said the airline is not facing imminent fuel shortages and should be secure until June. But if the conflict in the Middle East is not resolved and global supply runs low, he added, the carrier will have to consider new measures, including adding “tank stops” on certain connections, most likely to Asia and Africa.

The stops may be needed because destination airports could be depleted.

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr noted that there are rare occasions when a destination airport runs out of fuel, making it necessary for flights to stop elsewhere.

The carrier is also considering loading up its aircraft with enough fuel for their outgoing and return journeys. This practice, known as tankering, is limited under European law, but Spohr said he will encourage regulators to temporarily ease those rules.

Lufthansa has already made sweeping changes to its summer schedule, axing 20,000 flights through October and temporarily suspending service to three destinations in Europe. It has also grounded older, less efficient aircraft.

In April, the carrier accelerated the shutdown of Munich-based Lufthansa CityLine in an effort to contain the subsidiary’s longstanding losses.

Zach Vasile

Qantas Extends Perth-to-Rome Service

The Australian flag carrier is also modifying its connection to Paris.

Lorne Philipot

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 09:58 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner turning into the Terminal 8 ramp at JFK. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Shaquille Khan)

Australian flag carrier Qantas will operate more flights to Italy this year.

The airline’s seasonal Perth-Rome service will continue until the end of October. The long-haul connection currently runs daily.

The service was expected to be discontinued at the end of the European summer.

Paris Flights Adjusted

Qantas’ route between Perth and Paris has also been changed. The service now operates out of Sydney but stops in Singapore.

In August, the connection will switch from five times per week to three times per week.

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.

Court Clears Way for Spirit’s Dismantling

A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved the failed carrier's wind-down plan and budget.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 06, 2026 at 09:13 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Spirit Airbus A321 aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | Felipe I Santiago)

A U.S. bankruptcy court on Tuesday approved Spirit’s plan to wind down operations, allowing the now-defunct carrier to prepare for full-scale liquidation.

Spirit filed its wind-down plan and budget on Monday, two days after grounding all flights. The proposal allows Spirit to retain about 150 employees to oversee the company’s dismantling over a period of several months.

“Today is a very challenging day,” Judge Sean Lane said, according to a report from the Associated Press. “It’s not a day that anybody hoped would ever come.”

Lane also extended his sympathies to former Spirit employees and their families.

The airline plans to sell off almost everything of value, including aircraft, spare parts, equipment, and slots at airports. Its wind-down plan suggested sending some remaining Spirit employees to secure physical assets to make sure they are not damaged or degraded.

According to the AP, Spirit has 114 Airbus A320-family aircraft, most of them leased. Leased aircraft will be returned to their lessors, and the jets the company owns outright will be sold under liquidation procedures.

Spirit suspended operations early Saturday morning, around 2 a.m. The airline had been in negotiations with the Trump administration for a $500 million rescue package, but some of Spirit’s creditors balked at terms that would have given the federal government an up to 90% stake in the company. According to Spirit’s account, the administration’s offer was withdrawn on Thursday, cutting off the carrier’s last potential lifeline.

In court, Spirit attorney Marshall Huebner, of Davis Polk, said rising oil prices – a consequence of the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – ultimately “engulfed” the airline. He also apologized to the carrier’s former workers and customers and warned that, without Spirit in the mix, travelers across the U.S. will likely pay higher ticket prices.

Zach Vasile

Delta Cuts Food, Beverage Service on Short Flights

The change will go into effect later this month.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 05, 2026 at 03:55 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta Connection Embraer 170 operated by Republic Airways. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Travelers booked on short-haul Delta flights this summer may have to pack their own snacks.

Starting May 19, the carrier will no longer offer in-flight meals, drinks, or snacks on trips under 350 miles. The change is expected to affect about 450 daily flights.

The only exception will be first-class passengers, who will continue to receive full meal and drink service on every connection, regardless of duration.

On the other side of the mileage divide, service is expanding. The airline said Delta Comfort and Delta Main passengers on flights 350 miles or more will receive full beverage and snack service.

“Even on the small number of flights without beverage service, our crew will continue to be visible, available, and focused on caring for our customers, like they do on every flight,” Delta said in a statement.

The carrier’s current cutoff for food and drink service is 250 miles. Flights between 250 and 349 miles have come with “express” service since 2017.

Zach Vasile

Contour to Connect New Airport

Flights will start in June.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 05, 2026 at 03:05 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Contour Airlines ERJ-135. (Photo: Contour Airlines)

Contour Airlines will bring commercial air service to a new airport in New Mexico next month.

Starting June 25, the independent regional carrier will connect Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso, New Mexico, with Denver. Flights will operate four times per week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Sierra Blanca has never had regular passenger service, Ruidoso officials said.

“Launching the first commercial air service in Ruidoso is an incredibly exciting milestone for Contour Airlines,” Contour President Ben Munson said in a news release. “This new nonstop route to Denver not only transforms how the community connects to the rest of the country, but also opens the door for more visitors to experience everything Ruidoso has to offer.”

Contour will use a 30-seat regional jet for the connection.

Ruidoso is a mountain resort community located in Lincoln County.

Zach Vasile