Breeze Makes Bid for First Essential Air Service Contract

Breeze's recent proposal to serve a small New York town follows a similar trend of other airlines operating larger jets to EAS communities.

Joey Gerardi

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 05:14 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

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

We have seen more unusual Essential Air Service (EAS) proposals on increasingly larger aircraft in the past couple of years. Originally, EAS routes were flown on smaller aircraft like eight-seat turboprop aircraft, and as time went on and these smaller aircraft were phased out, the 50-seat and 30-seat aircraft rained king in EAS markets around the country. Then, airlines began slowly phasing out 50-seat jets in favor of 76-seaters.

Until a few years ago, no aircraft larger than 76 seats was seen scheduled on EAS routes with the major exception being in the state of Alaska. Then, Sun County happened. In a very unusual turn of events, ultra-low-cost carrier Sun Country submitted a proposal for its first EAS community. Many questioned its legitimacy, but nonetheless, the carrier won the contract in the community of Eau Claire, Wis.

The ribbon cutting ceremony at Eau Claire (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

After it won Eau Claire, the carrier began throwing its hat in the ring for other EAS contracts around the midwest but haven’t won any other communities. Fast forward two years to this past February, JetBlue became the second carrier to submit an EAS proposal in the lower 48 states with a larger airplane.

Presque Isle, Maine, a community whose current EAS contract ends in less than a month, still hasn’t received word on whether or not JetBlue has won the contract or if the current carrier United will continue to serve the community. If selected JetBlue will serve Presque Isle from Boston on the Embraer E190 and then the Airbus A220 once it retires the previous type.

Breeze Looks at Subsidized Service

Now Breeze, another airline founded by David Neeleman, has thrown its hat in the ring for its first EAS contract, which will be in the city of Ogdensburg located in northern New York. According to a recent filing, Breeze is proposing a mix of JetBlue and Sun Country-type tactics. The carrier wants to fly to leisure destinations, which, in this case, would be Orlando twice a week, and also to a connecting hub which is slated to be Washington Dulles.

A Breeze A220 in Phoenix (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The connecting hub flights to Dulles aren’t daily, but it’s better than Sun Country’s twice-weekly flights to its Minneapolis hub. Breeze doesn’t currently offer many connecting flights within its network and is largely a point-to-point carrier, plus the carrier doesn’t even currently fly to Dulles.

Breeze did mention in a filing that it is “in discussions with large domestic and international carriers and expect interline connectivity to be available to OGS by the end of 2024.” While it didn’t mention a specific airline, United does operate a sizeable hub at Washington Dulles.

The airline is looking for a three-year EAS contract, and it does offer two options for schedules. The first one is once daily flights to Dulles with the daily departure occurring from the EAS community at 7:45 p.m., and the annual subsidy rate would be $8,860,318. The second option is six weekly flights to Dulles with the departure occurring from Ogdensburg at 7:45 p.m., and twice-weekly flights to Orlando with flights leaving Ogdensburg at 7 p.m. and the annual subsidy rate would be $7,371,031 for Dulles and $2,454,192 for Orlando, making a combined annual subsidy of $9,825,223.

Ogdensburg has been suffering since COVID-19 began. The community used to have twice daily flights on SkyWest under the United Express brand to Washington Dulles under the EAS contract, and Allegiant served the airport unsubsidized to Florida as well. The airport moved a nearby roadway so they could extend the runway just for Allegiant aircraft to land, and while Ogdensburg is small it is a border town, and the carrier used this to try and convince Canadians from nearby cities to drive to Ogdensburg for cheaper flights.

Allegiant left in 2020 with plans to return but never did. SkyWest terminated the EAS contract here and Contour has been serving the area to Philadelphia since.

Joey Gerardi

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

Emirates Resumes Lagos-Dubai Flights on October 1

Starting October 1, Emirates offers daily flights between Lagos and Dubai, enhancing travel options and trade between Nigeria and the UAE.

Tolga Karadeniz

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 04:35 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Emirates announced on Thursday the resumption of daily passenger flights between Lagos, Nigeria, and Dubai starting Oct. 1, 2024. The relaunch of this popular route will offer greater connectivity for travelers between Nigeria and Dubai, according to the airline.

Tickets are now available for booking on Emirates’ website or through travel agents. The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, featuring eight First Class suites, 42 Business Class seats, and 304 Economy Class seats.

“We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, in a news release. “The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travelers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations. We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.”

The resumption of passenger flights also signifies positive developments for Emirates SkyCargo, the airline’s dedicated cargo division. Daily flights will provide over 300 tons of cargo capacity weekly in and out of Lagos, facilitating trade between Nigeria and the UAE. This will empower Nigerian businesses to export goods like Kola Nuts, food and beverages, and urgent courier materials to key markets. Additionally, Emirates SkyCargo will facilitate imports of essential goods like pharmaceuticals and electronics into Nigeria.

Emirates Strengthens African Presence

This relaunch strengthens Emirates’ presence in Africa, bringing its total number of African destinations served to 19, with 157 weekly flights departing from Dubai. Through codeshare and interline partnerships with airlines like South African Airways, Airlink, Royal Air Maroc, and Tunis Air, Emirates offers connections to a further 130 regional points within Africa.

The move comes amid growing economic ties between Nigeria and the UAE. As major hubs in their respective regions, both countries have witnessed a surge in bilateral trade in recent years. Emirates’ increased cargo capacity will further bolster this trend, streamlining the flow of goods and fostering new business opportunities.

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.

WestJet Ending Link Regional Service, Transitioning Flights to Encore

WestJet has announced that it will be ending the WestJet Link regional brand and transitioning its flights to WestJet Encore.

Andrew Chen

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 09:50 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A WestJet Link Saab 340. (Photo: WestJet)

WestJet has announced that it will be ending the WestJet Link regional brand and transitioning its flights to WestJet Encore. The news marks the end of WestJet’s capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal Airlines.

The End of WestJet Link

WestJet Link is the brand name used for regional flights in the WestJet network operated by Pacific Coastal. The partnership was established in 2017, with the first WestJet Link flights taking off in June of 2018.

Pacific Coastal is a regional airline that operates throughout the westernmost Canadian province of British Columbia. Over the past six years, the carrier has also operated feeder flights from WestJet’s hubs at Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport under the WestJet Link brand. Although Pacific Coastal operates a variety of small regional aircraft, it exclusively flies 34-seat Saab 340B aircraft for WestJet.

WestJet has stated that the end of its Link brand will complete its capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal. Flights currently operated under the WestJet Link brand will be transitioned to WestJet Encore, WestJet’s main regional subsidiary. WestJet Encore has a fleet of nearly 50 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 turboprop aircraft with 78 seats each.

Route Transition Details

Pacific Coastal currently operates six routes under the WestJet Link brand. From Calgary, it flies to Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport, Lethbridge Airport, and Medicine Hat Airport. Meanwhile, WestJet Link operations from Vancouver consist of flights to Comox Valley Airport, Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport, and Nanaimo Airport.

All routes will be transitioned to WestJet Encore by Oct. 27, 2024. Although WestJet has stated that most routes will see an increase in overall capacity, all routes will see decreased frequencies with the larger aircraft type:

Calgary – Cranbrook will transition from three daily Link flights (21 weekly flights) to 11 weekly Encore flights.
Calgary – Lethbridge will transition from three daily Link flights to one daily Encore flight.
Calgary – Medicine Hat will transition from three daily Link flights to one daily Encore flight.
Vancouver – Comox will transition from two daily Link flights to one daily Encore flight.
Vancouver – Cranbrook will transition from one daily Link flight to three weekly Encore flights.
Vancouver – Nanaimo will transition from two daily Link flights to four weekly Encore flights.

WestJet will continue to maintain a partnership with Pacific Coastal in the form of the two companies’ reciprocal interline agreement. “We are sincerely grateful for Pacific Coastal’s valued partnership over the last six years and look forward to our shared guests benefiting from our interline agreement going forward,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer.

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.

United Gets FAA Green Light to Again Certify Aircraft, Add New Routes

United can once again certify aircraft and add routes after a nearly two-month-long FAA-mandated pause due to safety concerns.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 09:39 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United Boeing 767 departs Washington Dulles International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Noah Escobar)

United can once ramp up the certification of aircraft and add new routes after a nearly two-month-long FAA-mandated pause due to safety concerns. In an internal memo, the Chicago-based carrier announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is lifting restrictions on various certification activities.

“Due to recent safety events, the FAA is increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure that it is complying with safety regulations; identifying hazards and mitigating risk; and effectively managing safety,” the agency said in a March statement. “Certification activities in process may be allowed to continue, but future projects may be delayed based on findings from oversight.”

Beginning in March, the FAA hampered the airline’s ability to add several new routes and aircraft after a slew of incidents earlier this year. This move resulted in the carrier postponing the launch of new service between Tokyo to Cebu, originally scheduled for July 31, and Newark to Faro, which was slated to begin in May.

While certification activities can start again, United told employees its work with the agency isn’t done yet. “Importantly though, our work with the FAA continues. There is more work to do, and we remain open to their perspective on things that can make us an even safer airline,” the memo added.

On May 9, the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Office of Inspector General announced it would be probing the FAA’s oversight of United’s maintenance practices. “Specifically, we will evaluate FAA’s actions to address maintenance non-compliances and violations at the air carrier,” the DOT said.

FAA Says It Hasn’t Given Full Sign-Off

In a statement, the FAA added that it “has not approved any expansion of United Airlines’ routes or fleets. The Certificate Holder Evaluation Program that the FAA is conducting for United is ongoing and safety will determine the timeline for completing it.”

Personnel from the agency continue to be present as the airline conducts final inspections on newly delivered aircraft.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 5:21 p.m. ET to add a statement from the FAA.

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.

American Eyes New Service From Washington-DCA

As part of the FAA reauthorization bill, DCA is set to receive five more roundtrip slots that are outside of the mandated perimeter.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 07:55 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American Airlines aircraft at Washington Reagan National Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock | The Bold Bureau)

American is looking to add a new route from Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) after Congress approved an FAA reauthorization bill that includes additional slots outside of the perimeter. The carrier will pursue flights to San Antonio, according to a press release from the Central Texas airport on Wednesday.

The Fort Worth-based airline has long maintained a hub at DCA after the 2013 merger with US Airways. However, the majority of the carrier’s flights are within the 1,250-mile perimeter with a handful of exceptions, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. In total, 40 daily flights are exempt from the federally mandated rule.

As part of the FAA reauthorization bill, DCA is set to receive five more roundtrip slots that are outside of the perimeter. The bill – which was approved by Congress on Wednesday – now heads to the Oval Office for President Biden’s sign-off.

If Biden approves, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will have 60 days to allocate the slots. The last time ‘beyond perimeter’ slots were awarded was in 2012.

New Route to San Antonio

There are currently no nonstop flights between DCA and San Antonio, although United does serve the city from its Washington Dulles hub and Southwest from Baltimore. The City of San Antonio says DCA is one of its largest underserved markets.

“With Congress increasing the number of long-distance flights at DCA, American is thrilled to announce its intent to apply to serve San Antonio International Airport (SAT) from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA),” said American’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Real Estate and Chief Government Affairs Officer Nate Gatten in a press release. “San Antonio is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and is the largest unserved market in Texas from DCA.”

Dubbed ‘Military City USA,’ San Antonio has a substantial military presence. Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) is one of the largest single Department of Defense installations, employing nearly 80,000 people.

“We’re grateful to Senator Cruz, the San Antonio International Airport, and the city of San Antonio for their partnership to connect Military City USA to our nation’s capital on American Airlines,” Gatten continued.

The proposed route will depend on how the new slots are awarded. Despite DCA being a hub for American, the airport’s press release says that San Antonio will be the carrier’s only application.

Ryan Ewing

Singapore Airlines Awards Staff With Bonus Equivalent to Nearly Eight Months Salary

Singapore Airlines has announced that it will reward staff with a bonus equivalent to eight months of salary, following the airline's record-breaking profits.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 04:59 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Up close with a Singapore Airlines A350 at Seattle-Tacoma. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zer

Singapore Airlines has announced that it will reward eligible staff with a bonus equivalent to nearly eight months of salary, following the airline’s record-breaking profits for the fiscal year 2024. According to a company memo viewed by The Straights Times, the bonus includes a profit-sharing component of 7.94 months in line with labor contracts. This decision comes after the airline posted a record profit of S$2.7 billion (USD $2 billion) for the fiscal year ended on March 31, 2024.

Last year, employees received a bonus of 6.65 months of pay, which included a 1.5-month increase for some workgroups following the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline has nearly 15,000 employees around the globe.

The carrier’s record profits for the fiscal year were driven by a strong recovery in air travel demand and the airline’s strategic initiatives. The group, which includes the budget airline Scoot, carried 36 million passengers, a nearly 40% increase from the previous year.

Singapore says its sales remain healthy across all cabin classes, with strong bookings to China, Japan, and South Korea along with Southeast Asian countries.

The airline’s employee bonus plan comes just days after Emirates announced a similar pay-out. Its staff will receive a bonus worth five months of salary in the coming weeks.

Ryan Ewing

Bonza’s Future Remains Uncertain

Bonza, the recently shut down carrier in Australia, has no end in sight for returning to the skies after two weeks of canceling its flights.

Pete Ainsley

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 02:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Bonza 737 MAX aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Bonza, the recently shut down carrier in Australia, has no end in sight for returning to the skies after two weeks of canceling its flights. Hall Chadwick, the administrator of the airline, said that the suspension of flight operation would be held until May 29.

The airline owes a debt of over $116 million, including $5.3 million in salaries with more than 300 employees were affected; salaries in April remained unpaid. Also, the airline owes $4.6 million to an aircraft lessor, $10.5 million to airports, $58,000 to customers, and $16 million to trade creditors.

“Two months is a long time to go without pay.” Emily McMillan, Transport Workers’ Union national assistant said to ABC. In the meantime, passengers seem stuck in limbo as no refunds are being processed.

According to ABC, about 20 parties including investors, airlines and travel companies held talks to revive Bonza. However, Bonza has suffered from a setback; Vietjet, one potential buyer, walked away from talks. The second creditor’s meeting will be held in the coming weeks and a vote about the company’s future is expected.

The Sunshine Coast-based airline abruptly canceled its fight operations and entered voluntary administration, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country. It came after AIP, the aircraft lessor, terminated leases.

Two Leased Aircraft Left Australia

Earlier, Hall Chadwick fell short of reaching an agreement with AIP allowing the aircraft to operate again.

Bonza owned a fleet of five Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft carrying 186 passengers with every jet featured a nickname. But two aircraft, Bruce and Bazza, were repossessed by AIP Capital and left the country. Bruce is expected to be leased to Flair Airlines, a low-cost airline in Canada.

“The administrators have regretfully been advised that the lessors will continue to enforce their rights under the termination notices and, subject to their own requirements and arrangements, seek to reposition the fleet elsewhere,” Hall Chadwick said.

Bonza launched in January 2023 and committed to bringing more new domestic destinations across the country. The no-frills airline is best known for providing flights to regional destinations not operated by other Australian carriers.

Pete Ainsley

Copa Delays 737 MAX 8 Launch Amid Boeing Delivery Woes

Copa Airlines is feeling the effects of Boeing's delivery woes as it further delays the launch of its new 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 01:14 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Copa Boeing 737 MAX aircraft (Photo: Shutterstock)

Copa Airlines is feeling the effects of Boeing’s delivery woes as it delays the launch of its new 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Panamanian carrier – which currently only operates Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737 MAX 9 jets – is now slated to debut the smaller MAX 8 type in early September, according to schedule data from Cirium Diio.

The airline had originally planned to begin service with the new aircraft on July 5, 2024 between Panama City and Trinidad, per Gate Checked. The airline later revised its schedule, shifting the launch to August 15, according to Aeroroutes.

In Copa’s latest schedule filing from this past weekend, the carrier has further delayed the aircraft’s entry into revenue service to Sept. 2, 2024, nearly two months behind schedule. The aircraft’s inaugural flight is slated from Panama City to Quito.

According to the most recent schedule, the carrier plans to ramp up 737 MAX 8 operations in September to 196 flights, including to U.S. destinations of Boston, Miami, Orlando, and Washington Dulles. This plan is down substantially from the 323 flights planned in the airline’s earlier schedule iteration.

Copa’s 737 MAX 8 will be laid out in a standard 166-seat configuration, eight fewer than the carrier’s higher-density MAX 9 aircraft. The MAX 8 will have 16 business class seats along with 150 in economy.

Per Cirium Ascend Fleet Analyzer data, Copa has seven 737 MAX 8s on order in addition to 15 yet-to-be-certified MAX 10s. The carrier’s current fleet of 737 MAX aircraft includes 30 of the larger MAX 9 variant.

In a statement to AirlineGeeks, the airline said it does not yet have a firm delivery date for the first MAX 8.

Ryan Ewing

JAL Debuts New Special Livery for EXPO 2025

JAL unveiled its special "JAL MYAKU-MYAKU JET" livery for international and domestic routes in celebration of the upcoming 2025 World Exposition.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 09:54 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

The inaugural Boeing 787 Dreamliner for JAL preparing for a flight from Seattle to Tokyo. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Japan Airlines (JAL) unveiled its special “JAL MYAKU-MYAKU JET” livery for international and domestic routes in celebration of the upcoming 2025 World Exposition (EXPO 2025) in Osaka, Japan.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered as JA823J will feature a unique design incorporating the exposition’s official character, MYAKU-MYAKU, and other EXPO elements. Passengers flying on select routes between Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Osaka (Kansai), and destinations like Seoul, Taipei, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City can expect to see the special livery starting June 3, 2024.

JAL’s new special livery for EXPO 2025 (Photo: Japan Airlines)

The “JAL MYAKU-MYAKU JET” serves as the second installment in JAL’s special livery series promoting EXPO 2025. The first featured a design on an Embraer 190 operated by J-AIR.

JAL aims to use these special liveries to raise awareness for EXPO 2025, encouraging visits to the exposition and other tourist destinations across Japan.

The “JAL MYAKU-MYAKU JET” is scheduled to operate until August 2025. The airline plans to introduce a third special livery aircraft dedicated to domestic flights in the future.

Ryan Ewing

China’s COMAC Begins Developing New Widebody Aircraft

Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC has reportedly begun development on a new widebody airliner dubbed the C939 to compete with Airbus and Boeing.

John McDermott

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 05:05 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Boarding a COMAC C919 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Lei Yan)

Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC has begun work on a new widebody airliner dubbed the C939. The South China Morning Post, citing unnamed sources, reports that COMAC has already developed design concepts for the jet, but it will still be years before an actual prototype is built.

Details about the program are currently few. COMAC has not yet commented on the development of a new type, instead saying that official word will come. However, the C939 could potentially seat up to 390 passengers, allowing it to compete with the largest Boeing 777 and Arbus A350 aircraft.

COMAC already has a widebody aircraft in development, dubbed as the C929. The aircraft will aim to compete with the Boeing 787 and Airbus A330. It will have 280 seats and a range of nearly 6,500 nautical miles. The C929 was originally designed in conjunction with United Aircraft, a Russian company, but it became a wholly Chinese project after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The COMAC C919, which has been flying since its certification in late 2022, has amassed nearly 1,000 firm orders, most of which come from Chinese-owned airlines and leasing firms.

Having multiple widebody aircraft in production would put COMAC on par with the other two major international aircraft manufacturers: Boeing has both the 777 and 787, and Airbus has the A330neo and A350. However, both of Boeing’s aircraft are facing delays and production issues despite having significant orders. The A350 is performing well, though the A330neo’s orders have fallen short of expectations.

A Long Road to Scaling Up

This does not mean that either of COMAC’s widebody aircraft will compete long-term on a global scale. The C919 has not yet been certified in any major aviation market outside of China and only four have been delivered.

What COMAC aircraft could do is reduce China’s dependence on Western aircraft down the road. This, again, is not something that will happen soon; four deliveries in nearly 18 months is not a sustainable rate, and the Chinese market is so big that Airbus and Boeing both have manufacturing facilities in China.

Still, assuming the Chinese firm can continue ironing out the issues that are slowing down deliveries, there is a world where the manufacturer plays a significant role, especially as China’s market continues to grow.

More details on the C939 are surely to come as it enters the next step of development. Comparisons between official details on the C929 and C939 will be notable, as will initial orders for each type. However, neither is expected to even begin test flights, let alone enter service, for years to come.

John McDermott

John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.