Why the Airline Industry Isn’t a ‘Rigged Game’

Spirit isn’t doing well. The financially ailing airline never quite recovered from the pandemic, losing millions each quarter.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 08:55 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Spirit Airbus jets. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Spirit isn’t doing well. The financially ailing airline never quite recovered from the pandemic, losing millions each quarter.

After losing out on a $3.8 billion merger deal with JetBlue, long-time CEO Ted Christie has been rather vocal on back-to-back earnings calls. During its fourth quarter 2023 call, Christie chastised the airline’s naysayers, calling claims against its continued well-being a “misguided narrative.”

Then, in May, he raised some eyebrows during the first quarter 2024 call, adding that the airline industry is “rigged” against his ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC).

“Today, nearly all the profits of the entire U.S. airline industry are concentrated in just two companies, while the smaller non-legacy carriers scrambled to restore profitability in what seems ever more like a rigged game,” he said.

The airline business is far from “rigged” against carriers like Spirit. Its competitors – including Allegiant and Frontier – all posted better operating margins last quarter. Perhaps Spirit just isn’t winning anymore at a game it largely pioneered in the U.S.

Instead of blaming his airline’s problems on a “rigged” industry, perhaps Christie should call it spade-to-spade: a perfect storm.

Coming out of the pandemic, Spirit has been battered from all sides, including issues with Pratt & Whitney engines, major air traffic control delays in its home state, and of course betting a bit too hard on not one, but two failed merger attempts.

The Pratt & Whitney Problem

Airlines around the globe continue to experience issues with Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan Engines (GTF), resulting in the grounding of over 500 relatively new aircraft. According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, 34% of A320neo family aircraft powered by the engine type remain out of service as of May 2024.

Spirit operates the most GTF-powered Airbus A320neo series aircraft of any U.S. operator. It is second only to IndiGo in the world with 103 of the type.

Roughly 18% of Spirit’s A320/A321neo fleet remains out of service due to the powerplant issues. Altogether this represents nearly 9% of the carrier’s total fleet with that number expected to balloon up to 20% by the end of this year.

A Spirit A320neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

While Pratt & Whitney is compensating the airline for the out-of-service aircraft, the inability to leverage several brand-new aircraft has severely stunted Spirit’s growth in recent years. A common theme on the company’s earnings calls, Spirit CFO Scott Haralson recently said, “The impact on our business associated with these Pratt engine issues cannot be understated.”

A Not-So-Sunny Sunshine State

Florida has long been home to Spirit, and the airline recently dug its roots deeper with the opening of a new $250 million headquarters campus in Dania Beach. Its largest hub is right up the street in Fort Lauderdale which sees up to 200 peak daily flights.

Orlando – Spirit’s third largest hub – sees nearly 150 peak daily flights, according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, over 160,000 scheduled Spirit flights touched the state of Florida last year, making it the carrier’s largest state for operations. The airline was the fourth-largest carrier in the state by number of flights.

This volume of flight operations coupled with ongoing air traffic control-related challenges at Jacksonville Center create a less-than-stellar situation for the carrier. In 2023, both Fort Lauderdale and Orlando airports were ranked last out of the country’s major airports in terms of on-time arrivals, per Department of Transportation (DOT) data.

The number of on-time arrivals at the two airports hovered in the low 70% range with up to 9% related to ‘National Aviation System (NAS) Delays,’ which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines as “a broad set of conditions, such as non-extreme weather conditions, airport operations, heavy traffic volume, and air traffic control.”

At both airports, NAS arrival delays outpaced reported air carrier disruptions. For example, in Fort Lauderdale, 46% of last year’s NAS delays were attributed to air traffic volume, exceeding even weather delays by 5%.

All in all, stacking much of an airline’s operations into the Florida basket is a rough spot these days. According to site 123 ATC– which is widely regarded as an accurate source for U.S. air traffic control stats – both Jacksonville and Miami enroute centers have some of the lowest staffing levels in the country.

Irregular operations of any sort drive up costs for an airline over time and the continuing ATC issues in Florida aren’t showing signs of meaningful improvement in the near future. For Spirit, operational unpredictability in its largest operating state complicates the airline’s ability to plan and distribute capacity.

The airline’s Chief Commercial Officer acknowledged these ATC issues during the company’s recent earnings call. “Operationally, from a network design perspective, we are still being impacted by Jacksonville Center ATC issues,” he said.

Klein added that the carrier has added “self-imposed limitations” on growth in Florida to aid operational performance.

A Merger Flop

Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that a merger between Spirit and JetBlue would be uncompetitive. The $3.8 billion merger deal was ultimately blocked and the two airlines have yet to file an appeal.

Before the JetBlue deal, fellow ULCC Frontier was also looking to merge with Spirit. This $2.2 billion deal ultimately failed because of a lack of shareholder support.

Spirit leadership has reiterated that the airline can stand on its own. But of course, failed mergers don’t come without consequences.

The Florida-based ULCC undoubtedly poured resources into both potential deals, including attorneys, analysts, and much more. Plus, when executives shift their focus to the M&A side, it’s rather easy to lose sight of the day-to-day operations.

To put even more icing on the cake, Spirit’s $460 million pilot agreement – signed in 2022 – was negotiated under the assumption that a merger would go through with JetBlue. Now that this hasn’t happened, both the carrier and the Air Lines Pilots Association (ALPA) will go back to the bargaining table.

A Path Forward

Spirit has faced some turbulence, but it isn’t completely alone. Allegiant and Frontier have also struggled on the financial front in recent quarters.

There are many top-level industry officials – including United CEO Scott Kirby – who say the ULCC model is dead. Coming out of the pandemic, skyrocketing costs – particularly for labor – have diluted the very business model that these airlines spearheaded.

Generally speaking, the ULCC model continues to work well in other parts of the world, take Ryanair or Wizz Air for instance. But the labor premium is generally far lower outside the U.S. and overall costs haven’t spiked nearly as much.

To some degree, the jury is still out on whether consumer interest in the ULCC model has also fallen by the wayside. Either way, Spirit has a lot of work to do in order to reposition itself in a vastly different post-pandemic operating environment.

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.

Air Canada Bids Farewell to Last CRJ-200

The final flight of the aircraft, registered as C-FEJA, took place on June 6, 2024 and was operated by regional carrier Jazz Air.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 11:23 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Air Canada CRJ-200 aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Air Canada has officially retired the last CRJ-200 aircraft from its regional fleet. The final flight of the type, registered as C-FEJA, took place on June 6, 2024 and was operated by regional carrier Jazz Air.

The CRJ-200, which had been a workhorse for the airline’s regional operations, completed a round trip between Toronto Pearson and Montréal before being ferried to storage in Kingman, Ariz. The aircraft, which is nearly 20 years old, was owned by Falko Regional Aircraft and had a single-class configuration with 50 economy seats.

The airline operated a total of 15 CRJ-200s, all of which are now stored in Kingman. The retirement of the CRJ-200 fleet is part of Air Canada’s ongoing fleet modernization efforts, which include the introduction of more efficient and modern aircraft.

The Canadian carrier’s regional fleet is now comprised of 102 aircraft, including 35 CRJ-900s, 39 Q400s, and 25 E175s.

A growing number of airlines are retiring their 50-seat aircraft. Last year, Delta became the first major U.S. carrier to phase out the CRJ-200. According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, 204 CRJ-200 remain in service with the largest operator being SkyWest.

Ryan Ewing

Royal Air Maroc Resumes São Paulo-Casablanca Route

On Friday, June 7, 2024, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced the relaunch of its non-stop transatlantic route connecting Casablanca and São Paulo.

Victor Shalton

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 07:30 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Royal Air Maroc at Washington Dulles International Airport. (Photo: J. David Buerk: www.jdavidbuerk.com)

On Friday, June 7, 2024, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced the relaunch of its non-stop transatlantic route connecting Casablanca and São Paulo. Starting from Dec. 7, 2024, this service will operate using a Boeing 787-8 aircraft configured for 274 passengers, including 18 business and 256 economy class seats. Flights will run three times a week.

Departing from Casablanca, the flights will take place on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 4:40 p.m. local time, arriving in São Paulo at 10:20 p.m. local time. Return flights will depart from São Paulo on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 12:20 a.m. local time, landing in Casablanca at 1:15 p.m. Reservations will be available for sale starting from June 12, 2024.

“We are very happy to resume the Casablanca – São Paulo route, which had been suspended since the health crisis. This resumption is part of our development plan and will strengthen our far-reaching network, marking our return to the continent of Latin America. The route will facilitate travel for tourists and businesspeople from both continents, meeting the expectations of European tourists eager to plan combined trips to Africa and Latin America,” said Hamid Addou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc.

The airline slowed operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The company was already flying to Brazil, with service in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which were suspended during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Royal Air Maroc was the third airline with the largest offer of seats to Africa and the only one that provided connectivity in the north of the continent.

According to the press statement, this route will facilitate travel between the two continents, meeting the expectations of European tourists wishing to plan combined trips to Africa and Latin America. It will also contribute to strengthening economic and diplomatic ties between Morocco and Brazil, long-standing partners. The revival of this service is part of Royal Air Maroc’s mobilization to support the Kingdom’s major projects, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup organized by Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Brazilians, who are big football fans, will be able to travel easily between Sao Paulo and the three host countries via the Casablanca hub.

In 2019, Royal Air Maroc transported 129,468 passengers between Morocco and Brazil, with load factors of 76%, according to Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC). With this return to Sao Paulo, Royal Air Maroc would bring its destinations in the Americas to five, following Montreal in Canada, Washington, New York, and Miami in the United States.

The oneworld airline will soon welcome 12 new aircraft, including two Dreamliners and ten Boeing 737 MAXs, to support its new routes. This information was revealed by the CEO Abdelhamid Addou in an interview with media website Jeune Afrique on May 11, 2024.

RAM expects the delivery of the 12 aircraft from Boeing between the fourth quarter of this year and March next year, supporting the growth of its fleet and the expansion of its flight network.
The airline plans to spend up to $25 billion to quadruple its fleet, from the current 50 to 200 over the next ten years. The airline flies to 82 destinations in 41 regions around the world, mainly to the largest capitals in Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

JetBlue Starting Flights From Long Island

JetBlue has announced that it will be expanding its operations in the New York metropolitan area by starting flights at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP).

Andrew Chen

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 03:28 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue Airbus A320 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue has announced that it will be expanding its operations in the New York metropolitan area by starting flights at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP). The airline plans on introducing flights to three destinations in October.

Details: JetBlue’s New Long Island Flights

The New York-based airline will fly to three destinations from Long Island. Daily flights to and from Orlando International Airport (MCO) are scheduled to start on Oct. 24, 2024. The airline will also fly to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) four times per week starting on that day as well. The third destination, Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), will see four weekly flights starting on Oct. 25, 2024.

All flights will be operated by JetBlue’s Airbus A320-200 aircraft. The airline’s new presence in Long Island will add to its existing operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). JetBlue already serves all three Florida airports from its three other New York-area airports.

Growing Opportunities for Long Island’s Airport

JetBlue will join Breeze, Frontier, and Southwest to become the fourth carrier at Long Island MacArthur Airport. Although the airport saw the likes of carriers such as Allegheny, American, Eastern, Sprit, United, and USAir from the 1960s to 1990s, these airlines began to leave ISP in favor of other New York area airports. The airport now sees between one million and 1.5 million passengers each year.

“It’s no secret that Long Island loves JetBlue, for years residents have asked, and we’ve been listening. As the Town Supervisor, I can say that we are thrilled to embark on this new partnership,” Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said about the new flights. “We are committed to ensuring the success of our business partners at Long Island MacArthur Airport. Our airport is one of our region’s greatest economic assets, and JetBlue’s success at ISP will certainly enrich our community and beyond.”

Andrew Chen

Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.

Cathay Pacific Returns Last COVID-Grounded Aircraft to Service

Cathay Pacific announced the return of its final aircraft - an Airbus A330 - that had been parked overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 10:18 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 in storage (Photo: Cathay Group)

Cathay Pacific announced the return of its final aircraft that had been parked overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aircraft has been in storage for nearly four years.

An Airbus A330 – registered as B-HLV – arrived in Hong Kong on June 6 after sitting in the Central Australian desert. The aircraft, which belongs to Cathay Pacific, was the first from the Cathay Group to be placed in long-term storage in July 2020 as air travel declined sharply due to COVID-19.

At the height of the pandemic, Cathay Pacific and HK Express parked a large portion of their passenger fleet at Hong Kong International Airport and overseas locations like Alice Springs, Australia and Ciudad Real, Spain. As travel restrictions eased, Cathay Group began a systematic process of reactivating these aircraft.

As of March 2023, IATA estimates show that 6,300 commercial aircraft were in storage, an 83% increase from pre-pandemic times.

“The parking and reactivation of so many aircraft is a historic undertaking for Cathay,” said Alex McGowan, Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer at Cathay Pacific. “Our teams around the world worked tirelessly to ensure these valuable assets were cared for and are now ready to return to service.”

Cathay Group expressed gratitude to the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department for its support throughout the process. The company also highlighted the dedication of its staff and partners like HAECO, Boeing, Airbus, and Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) for their contributions to the successful aircraft storage and reactivation program.

Ryan Ewing

Bleak Outlook for Bonza: Shut Down of Collapsed Airline Highly Likely

The collapsed airline’s administrators have terminated all employee contracts and canceled future flights, according to 9 News Australia.

Lorne Philipot

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 09:35 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Bonza 737 MAX aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock)

It is looking increasingly likely that Australia’s budget airline, Bonza, will be shut down. The collapsed airline’s administrators have terminated all employee contracts and canceled future flights, according to 9 News Australia.

This is because no potential buyers have submitted binding offers to buy the airline.

No Interested Buyers

It is almost probable that Bonza will be shut down for good after no interested parties submitted bids to buy the collapsed airline.

The airline’s administrators assisted a number of interested parties through the sale process, allowing them to conduct due diligence and formulate offers.

However, none of the parties that showed an interest in buying the budget airline submitted an offer by the deadline of last Friday. The administrator, Hall Chadwick, did not receive any binding offers.

Employees Let Go

More than 300 of Bonza’s employees were informed by the administrators that their employment had been terminated. Speaking after the news of Bonza’s staff retrenchments, Australia’s Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) said it was a bleak day for the country’s aviation industry.

“This is incredibly difficult news for Bonza employees who have received no pay for more than two months after the airline’s sudden collapse,” TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said.

All of the airline’s future flights have also been officially canceled. Customers must be given clarity on the airline’s situation and the way forward regarding the operation of future flights.

The low-cost carrier went into administration on April 30 – after its aircraft were seized two weeks after Bonza was issued with default notices from AIP Capital, the company that owns its aircraft.

A Glimmer of Hope?

A creditors’ meeting will now be called, where the future of the company will be decided.

It is not yet known when the creditors’ meeting will take place. Hall Chadwick said that there was still a chance buyers might submit a proposal to buy the airline in this period.

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.

Air Mauritius to Stick With Airbus A350 Widebodies

Air Mauritius CEO, Charles Cartier, said that the airline favors the Airbus A350 aircraft for its growing widebody operations.

Lorne Philipot

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 09:20 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Air Mauritius Airbus A350-900 (Photo: Airbus)

Air Mauritius CEO, Charles Cartier, said that the airline favors the Airbus A350 aircraft for its widebody operations. Speaking to ch-aviation at the 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai, UAE last week, Cartier said that the airline looks to solely operate Airbus A350s for widebody flight routes.

Air Mauritius’ Route Network

Air Mauritius currently has a fleet of 12 aircraft, which service its route network consisting of 15 destinations. The airline operates 27 scheduled flights a day. Most of the flights in its route network are long-haul services, operated with widebody aircraft. This is owing to the airline’s geographical location.

The flag carrier operates services to London, Paris, Geneva, Perth; Australia, Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa with widebody aircraft. It is set to commence flights to Rome in the near future.

Mauritius’ national airline flies to other islands in the Indian Ocean including Reunion, Madagascar and Rodriques. Air Mauritius fleet does not have any regional jets at present. It has three ATR72-500s and one ATR72-600.

Widebody Fleet

The airline currently operates four A350-900s, two A330-200s, and two A330-900Ns. Cartier said that three additional A350- 900 aircraft are on order. The first is set to be delivered in 2026, and a further two in 2027.

“We are very happy with the A350-900s; they fit very well with our ambitions and our main traditional markets, being the UK and France. They are very good for these flights. We also use them for other flights, like Perth International, and even to India. We are also growing in Europe. We are starting Rome Fiumicino, which will allow us to increase frequencies,” he added.

Future Aircraft Orders

Air Mauritius aims to grow its fleet in the next decade. This is so that the carrier can become a strong regional player and expand its traditional long-haul routes to France and the United Kingdom. However, Cartier said that new aircraft orders would have to align with Air Mauritius’ plans to grow its hub and expand its regional network.

He said that Airbus A350-900s would eventually replace the airline’s A330-200s, but these will not be phased out before the new A350s arrive. Other than three A350-900s due for delivery in 2027, Air Mauritius is not currently considering ordering additional widebody aircraft.

Cartier noted that Air Mauritius is not in favor of operating a mixed fleet of aircraft types. He said that the aim when building a fleet is reliability and consistency; having too many aircraft types is costly and can lead to operational inefficiencies.

“We are very happy with the A350-900s. They fit very well with our ambitions and our main traditional markets, being the UK and France. They are very good for these flights. We also use them for other flights, like Perth, and even to India. We are also growing in Europe. We are starting Rome Fiumicino, which will allow us to increase frequencies,” he explained.

Future Expansion Plans

The airline carrier aims to expand regionally. It already serves as a growing hub in the Indian Ocean. However, Air Mauritius seeks to build on this and to expand its network in the next decade.

Mauritius’ flag carrier aims to become a strong regional hub serving various destinations in the Indian Ocean area. It will focus on expanding its operations in the Indian Ocean rim, which are destinations located in or near the Indian Ocean. This area includes the African coast along the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.

Lorne Philipot

Mexico’s Military-Run Airline Eyes U.S. Service

The reincarnated Mexicana - now operated by the Mexican military - is looking to bolster its route network with new international service.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, June 10, 2024 at 03:46 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Mexicana Boeing 737-800 (Photo: Government of Quintana Roo)

The reincarnated Mexicana – now operated by the Mexican military – is looking to bolster its route network with new international service, including routes to the U.S. The airline began operations late last year and says it has flown nearly 141,000 passengers so far.

In a recent press briefing, the general director of the Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, S.A. de C.V. José Gerardo Vega Rivera, which operates Mexicana, said the company plans to add 11 new destinations. These include Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Havana, San Jose, Costa Rica, Panama, and Bogotá, all of which would depart from Mexico City’s new Felipe Angeles airport.

The airline also plans to open new operating bases in Tijuana and Tulum. From these bases, the government says it can expand the carrier’s route offerings to include Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver along with Portland. In addition, the carrier could add service to Punta Cana, Caracas, and Lima.

“Mexicana is working very well and will consolidate itself with the acquisition of these 20 new aircraft. The operation has already been carried out, the contracts have already been signed and it is always thinking that there is competition so that the consumer, who needs a service, is charged fairly, that there are no monopolies. This is going to help a lot to maintain good prices on plane tickets,” Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said during the briefing.

Currently, the airline only operates within Mexico with a handful of Boeing 737-800s and Embraer 145s. Last week, Mexicana and Embraer inked a deal for 20 new Embraer E2 aircraft, becoming the first Mexican operator to purchase the type.

Ryan Ewing

Inside the New Tech That May Help Reduce Runway Incursions

With serious runway incursions increasing in the U.S., the new onboard technology is being touted as the ‘next big thing’ in aviation.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, June 10, 2024 at 01:00 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Onboard Honeywell's Boeing 757 test aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Jon Whittle)

Runway incursions are on the rise in the U.S. Amid a flurry of high-profile near-collisions over the last two years, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) cited data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that shows 2023 was the highest year in a decade for serious runway incursion events per one million airport operations.

The NTSB has pushed the FAA in recent months to install surface detection equipment at more airports. Currently, only 35 major airports have this technology available, which was credited with preventing a collision between a Boeing 777 and 737 at New York’s JFK in early 2023.

More airports are set to receive the technology as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. With the broader adoption of airport surface detection equipment still far on the horizon, avionics manufacturers are looking to add incursion prevention capabilities right in the cockpit.

Honeywell Aerospace, which is in the process of developing the new technology, touts it as the ‘next big thing’ in aviation. The company calls the system Surface Alert (or ‘SURF-A’), adding that it can work hand-in-hand with existing airport-based surface detection equipment.

Honeywell’s Boeing 757 tests some of the latest tech in aviation. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Jon Whittle)

“We interviewed and visited a lot of our airline customers and they are interested now. And so we are, as a company, transitioning this from a research project to offering it for retrofit as well as for forward fit aircraft,” said Thea Feyereisen, a senior technical fellow at Honeywell, during a press event.

Building Upon Existing Capabilities

SURF-A joins Honeywell’s existing SMART-X system, which is already used on over 5,000 commercial aircraft. SMART-X helps pilots avoid wrong surface landings – such as the 2017 incident where an Air Canada flight nearly landed on a San Francisco taxiway – along with runway excursion events, including overruns.

The existing SMART-X system gives crews additional call-outs during critical phases of flight by utilizing various databases.

Honeywell hopes that SURF-A can become a so-called ‘third set of eyes’ for pilots by directly accessing ADS-B data from aircraft and vehicles in the runway engagement zone. This data then gives an audible and visual cue in the flight deck, alerting pilots to the potential danger.

With runway incursions increasing at an ‘unacceptable’ rate, Honeywell says, the company stepped up its efforts to roll out SURF-A. The technology initially began development in 2018.

For airlines and aircraft owners already using the company’s systems, Honeywell notes that adding SURF-A may be as simple as a software upgrade once it becomes certified.

Demonstrating the New Tech

Honeywell plans to have SURF-A certified within 18-24 months and has been conducting a variety of test flights with the new system activated. In December 2023, the aerospace company successfully tested the system on a handful of flights.

The company’s over 41-year-old Boeing 757-200 often tests the latest aviation tech, including engines with its mounted pylon. But now, the aircraft is being sent around the U.S. and even to London on a series of test flights, giving regulators, airline representatives, and reporters a first look at SURF-A.

Honeywell’s Boeing 757 testbed aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Jon Whittle)

AirlineGeeks joined Honeywell on a June 4 test flight from Dallas’ Love Field Airport. In addition to demonstrating SMART-X’s capabilities, the company showcased SURF-A in action.

After departing Dallas Love Field, the test flight made a short trip to Pounds Regional Airport in Tyler, Texas. There Honeywell tested two high-profile runway incursions that mimicked the JFK incident and a February 2023 near-miss involving a FedEx 767 and Southwest 737 in Austin.

With another testbed aircraft – Honeywell’s Falcon 900 – as the intruder, the system alerted the pilots to each incursion with an audible “traffic on runway” announcement and bright yellow text on a flight display. The first alert comes 30 seconds prior to a collision and another 15 seconds before.

Honeywell’s SURF-A technology alerts pilots to potential incursions (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Jon Whittle)

In terms of the JFK incident, Honeywell estimates that – had SURF-A been installed on the Delta 737 – the pilots would have known about the approaching American 777 roughly 12 seconds sooner. A final NTSB report on this incident is expected in the coming months.

Growing Interest

Following both the Austin and New York near-collision events, the NTSB issued some early recommendations for operators to consider systems like SURF-A in their flight decks.

“The NTSB recommended the FAA collaborate with aircraft and avionics manufacturers to develop a system that would alert flight crews of traffic on a runway or taxiway and traffic on approach to land and require that both newly manufactured and existing transport category airplanes have such systems installed,” the agency said in a recent press release.

During a June hearing on the Austin incident, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the industry is “trending in the wrong direction” regarding runway incursions. “You need technology that provides the backup…the additional layer of protection,” she added.

Ryan Ewing

Air India to Launch Non-Stop Flights Between Bengaluru and London Gatwick

Bengaluru International Airport (BLR) revealed on Friday that the country’s flag carrier would begin operating flights connecting the city with London Gatwick.

Sam Jakobi

Monday, June 10, 2024 at 10:51 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Air India Boeing 787-8. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Bengaluru International Airport (BLR) revealed in a press release on Friday that the country’s flag carrier would begin operating flights connecting the city with London Gatwick. The flights will be operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

According to the press release, the new route should operate between the two cities five times weekly. However, the route won’t be operated uniquely, with Air India joining its two biggest competitors when linking India to the U.K., British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

The Boeing 787-8 is an aircraft that makes up the backbone of Air India’s long-haul fleet, with it being idyllic for starting routes given its lower capacity. This means that it can be trialed to adapt to demand, and if demand is steady or increasing, it can be substituted for a larger aircraft.

Bengaluru in particular is an increasingly popular destination for international travel, seeing flights to popular European destinations such as Frankfurt and Munich with Lufthansa, Paris with Air France, and Amsterdam with KLM. The new route is one of the longest to serve Bengaluru, falling short of the ultra-long-haul route flown by Air India’s Boeing 777s to San Francisco. It will add to the near-100 weekly routes serving India’s third most populous city.

Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer at BLR said that he was “thrilled about this new development, which strengthens our ongoing partnership with Air India and greatly enhances our connectivity to London. This new route will boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange. London is one of our busiest long-haul markets and the new service will allow our passengers have a choice of airports in London to travel to. We look forward to adding more destinations to our network, thereby reinforcing our position as the Gateway to South and Central India.”

Sam Jakobi

Sam Jakobi is a young aviation journalist based in London, U.K. A lifelong Airbus fan, he has adored aviation for as long as he can remember. Sam writes articles and conducts interviews with members of the aviation community.