Police: Ex-Air Canada Pilot Flew for Nearly 17 Years Without Proper License

Geoffrey Wall, 59, is accused of misrepresenting his credentials to his longtime employer and regulators.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 10:45 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER departing London Heathrow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A former Air Canada captain now facing fraud charges operated more than 900 domestic and international flights over nearly 17 years without a required license, police said Tuesday.

The pilot, identified as Geoffrey Wall, 59, of Barrie, Ontario, was already facing civil fines for his alleged lack of proper credentials, but authorities in Ontario’s Peel Region announced that Wall was arrested and charged over the matter on June 1. He was charged with fraud over $5,000, two counts of uttering forged documents, three counts of possession of counterfeit mark, and public mischief.

The investigation into Wall and his alleged crimes played out “like a movie script,” Peel Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich told reporters at a press conference. He said Wall worked for Air Canada for 27 years, between 1998 and 2025, and started misrepresenting his qualifications in 2009, when he was promoted to captain.

Wall had a valid commercial pilot license throughout his career at Air Canada but allegedly lacked an airline transport pilot license (ATPL), which is required to captain certain large aircraft operated by Canadian airlines.

Between 2009 and 2025, Wall flew Boeing 767s, 777s, and 787s, Milinovich said. He earned over $2.9 million in salary during that time.

Transport Canada, the nation’s transportation regulator, began looking into Wall in 2025 after a routine review of his credentials and performance. Anomalies were found in his pilot license documentation, according to Detective Sgt. Chad Mitchell, and a full-scale investigation was launched, involving the execution of a search warrant at Wall’s home and interviews with witnesses. Transport Canada notified Peel police of their findings in January, setting off the criminal probe.

Authorities also said Wall filed a false police report about an alleged theft of his pilot licenses and related documents.

Air Canada said Monday that a former captain was facing monetary penalties for flying without an ATPL but did not name Wall or say how much he was fined. Airlines officials said that passenger safety was not jeopardized because all pilots undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency.

Wall retired from Air Canada in 2025, before Transport Canada’s investigation began.

He is due back in court on June 29.

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.

Start-Up Riyadh Air Reveals Next Four Destinations

The carrier is readying for the launch of full commercial operations next month.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 09, 2026 at 04:25 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The fuselage of a Riyadh Air Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (Photo: Riyadh Air)

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air on Monday announced four new destinations as it prepares to open its flagship route to London Heathrow to the general public.

In an interview with Al Arabiya English, CEO Tony Douglas said the carrier will soon serve Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Madrid. All four cities had been floated as likely destinations, but the airline did not confirm them until this week.

Another six routes will be announced shortly, Douglas said. The carrier’s near-term goal is to have 22 destinations online by March 2027.

The airline operates from King Khalid International Airport, near Riyadh. It is being positioned as the country’s second flag carrier, behind Jeddah-based Saudia.

Riyadh Air launched its inaugural route to London Heathrow in October, but so far only airline officials and their families have been able to book flights. That will change July 1, when the first fully public service to London takes place.

Riyadh Air has ordered up to 72 Boeing 787-9s, and took delivery of its first three within the last few days. Another three will be delivered this month, Douglas said, with two more arriving in July. From August, deliveries will continue at a rate of one aircraft per month.

The carrier’s first Airbus aircraft is expected to arrive by the end of the year, Douglas added. Riyadh Air has ordered 60 Airbus A321neos and up to 50 A350-1000s.

Zach Vasile

DFW Opens Nine New Gates

The gates will be used exclusively by American.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 09, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

The new gate area at DFW's Terminal C. (Photo: American Airlines)

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has opened nine new gates as part of its ongoing renovation and expansion of Terminal C.

Airport officials said the new gates were built in a pier configuration that adds operational capacity. Five were fully rebuilt from older terminal infrastructure, and four are entirely new.

Terminal C is used exclusively by American Airlines.

“DFW is central to our global operation and the historic investments we are making to modernize and expand our terminal facilities in partnership with DFW Airport will continue to enhance the customer experience and make way for future growth,” Jim Moses, American’s senior vice president of operations at Dallas/Fort Worth, said in a statement.

Terminal C under construction. (Photo: American Airlines)

All nine boarding gates are electronic, using Dormakaba technology. American said it is the first U.S.-based airline to deploy the systems at scale.

This phase of the terminal’s reconstruction also added seating, new passenger amenities, and concession space, the airport said.

Once the project is complete, Terminal C will have 32 gates, and a footprint of more than 1 million square feet.

Terminal C is American’s busiest terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth, with an average of nearly 200 departures per day.

Zach Vasile

Royal Air Maroc Starts Service to New U.S. Destination

Flights will operate three times weekly using Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 09, 2026 at 01:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Royal Air Maroc Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Royal Air Maroc on Sunday launched nonstop service to a new destination on the U.S. West Coast.

The carrier is now offering three times weekly flights between Casablanca and Los Angeles. Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Royal Air Maroc has never served a destination on the West Coast before.

The airline said the new route will strengthen its North American network just in time for the FIFA World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The tournament begins on Thursday.

Los Angeles is Royal Air Maroc’s fourth destination in the U.S. and sixth in North America; it currently serves New York-JFK, Washington Dulles, and Miami, and Toronto and Montreal in Canada.

Zach Vasile

Frontier Adds Two New Routes

The budget carrier is returning to an airport it last served in 2023.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 09, 2026 at 11:53 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Frontier A321 in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier this summer will add two new domestic routes while making its return to an airport in the Bay Area.

On Aug. 20, the ultra-low-cost carrier will return to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, with service from Las Vegas. Flights will operate 11 times per week.

The following month, on Sept. 10, Frontier will launch service between Las Vegas and Boise, Idaho. The connection will run four times per week.

“We are delighted to announce these new routes and our return to OAK, offering high-value travel options to Nevada, Idaho, and California,” Josh Flyr, Frontier’s vice president of network and operations design, said in a news release. “We are laser-focused on redefining what consumers can expect from low-fare travel – from our expansive network map to the premium upgrades we offer – and we look forward to providing consumers with affordable flight options on these new routes starting this summer.”

Frontier currently connects Boise to Denver, and Las Vegas to over 30 destinations, including Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Seattle, and Los Angeles.

In the Bay Area, the carrier already serves San Francisco and San Jose.

Zach Vasile

Ex-Air Canada Pilot Accused of Flying Without Required License

The former captain allegedly lacked an airline transport pilot license.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, June 09, 2026 at 10:10 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at London Heathrow Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A former Air Canada senior pilot is facing fines and criminal charges after allegedly flying without a required license.

In a statement released Monday, Air Canada confirmed that Transport Canada had imposed a monetary penalty on a former captain because they did not have an airline transport pilot license (ATPL). The credential is required for captains of large aircraft operated by airlines in Canada.

Air Canada emphasized that the individual was fully trained and held a valid commercial pilot license throughout their employment.

“Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency, including a flight check with a certified Transport Canada check-pilot every 12 months,” the carrier said. “However, appropriate licensing is an essential layer of the airline industry’s multi-layered approach to safety, so Air Canada takes this matter with utmost seriousness.”

Air Canada said it immediately removed the pilot from duty after discovering that they did not have an ATPL. The carrier also reported the matter to Transport Canada.

The pilot is no longer employed by Air Canada.

The former captain’s name has not been made public, and Air Canada said that it could not provide more information due to privacy laws and “an active criminal investigation.”

It was also not immediately clear how much the pilot was fined.

A recent instance of an individual “exercising the privileges of a flight crew permit, license, or rating” without the proper qualifications, reported by Transport Canada this month, incurred a total fine of $67,500. There was no way to establish if this case was the same one referred to by Air Canada.

ABC News reported Monday that the pilot was arrested and charged with fraud. Police in the Peel region of Ontario are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday to share more details.

Zach Vasile

Southwest Signs Interline Deal With Singapore Airlines

Tickets for connecting flights are now available for purchase.

Zach Vasile

Monday, June 08, 2026 at 05:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest Boeing 737 aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Southwest this week signed an interline agreement with Singapore Airlines, opening the door to single-ticket flights via three U.S. West Coast gateways.

Interline deals allow customers of partnered airlines to book connecting flights on a single itinerary, opening up the networks of both carriers through designated gateway airports. Bags are checked through to the final destination, meaning travelers do not need to collect and recheck them during their layover.

Southwest officials said customers will be able to book connecting flights with Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. Singapore Airlines serves all three cities from Changi Airport in Singapore.

Tickets for connecting flights are now available for purchase.

“Singapore Airlines becomes the eighth carrier in our partnership portfolio exemplified by its quality and reach,” Southwest COO Andrew Watterson said in a news release. “These carriers are facilitating access to our network for a growing global audience drawn to our improved onboard product and increasingly choosing to fly with us.”

Southwest’s other interline partners are All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Condor, EVA Air, Icelandair, Philippine Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.

Zach Vasile

IATA: Airline Profits Will Be Cut In Half By Oil Shock

Carriers will spend $100 billion more on jet fuel this year, the trade group predicted.

Zach Vasile

Monday, June 08, 2026 at 04:10 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

IATA Director General Willie Walsh at the International Air Transport Association's 77th Annual General Meeting. (Photo: IATA)

The global airline industry’s jet fuel bill will climb by $100 billion in 2026, the International Air Transport Association said Sunday, setting the stage for a staggering 50% drop in profitability.

In remarks released during the IATA’s conference in Rio de Janeiro, director general Willie Walsh said the average price of jet fuel is expected to be 70% higher year-over-year, which would drop profits from $45 billion in 2025 to $23 billion this year.

It is a “tough” time for all airlines, Walsh continued, especially those that have not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and those operating in and around the Persian Gulf.

Still, demand remains strong, he said, and polling suggests that many airline customers expect and are prepared to pay more for travel this summer.

Jet fuel prices shot up in March after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to joint air attacks from the U.S. and Israel. About 25% of all seaborne oil passes through the strait in peacetime, as well as about 20% of the world’s liquified natural gas.

The impact has been felt by airlines around the world, especially in Europe, which is heavily reliant on oil shipped through the strait, and in Asia, where many nations outside China and South Korea lack meaningful domestic refining capabilities. In the U.S., budget airlines have been especially vulnerable to price volatility due to their already narrow margins. Attorneys representing the now-defunct Spirit Airlines have said that the increased cost of fuel was the main factor in the carrier’s May 2 collapse.

But Walsh told Bloomberg Television on Sunday that airlines are not in a state of crisis, and if anything, the sector is handling recent disruptions better than could have been expected.

“I genuinely don’t believe what we’re seeing is a crisis in the industry,” he said. “I think this is going to be a bit of a challenge, but the general economic environment I think, though weaker than it had been, is still positive. Demand for flying continues to be pretty robust, to be honest with you, despite everything we’ve seen.”

Walsh also rejected the term “stagflation” for the airlines’ current situation and said signs are positive that strong demand will continue through late 2026 and into early 2027.

Zach Vasile

Houston Man Charged With Sneaking Onto United Flight

Abdulrahman Oriyomi, 25, allegedly slipped by gate agents while they were busy helping other passengers.

Zach Vasile

Monday, June 08, 2026 at 01:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United A321neo aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | HarrisonKim1)

A man who allegedly sneaked onto a United flight last month and tried to hide from the crew in an airplane bathroom is facing charges in Texas.

NBC News reported that Abdulrahman Oriyomi, 25, of Houston, was arrested Friday and charged with intentionally impairing or disrupting a critical infrastructure facility in connection with the May 18 incident. Charges were filed in Harris County, and Oriyomi was detained at the county processing center as of Monday morning pending a bail review.

According to court records obtained by NBC News, surveillance video reviewed by investigators showed Oriyomi had a problem with his boarding pass while attempting to clear security at George Bush Intercontinental Airport but was allowed to proceed through after speaking with officers and having his picture taken.

Later, in Terminal C, he spoke with multiple United employees and tried to board at least one flight but was turned away when his boarding pass failed to scan, the documents said.

He eventually joined the line for a United flight to Los Angeles and managed to slip past the gate agents while they were preoccupied with other passengers.

Oriyomi is believed to have hidden in one of the airplane’s bathrooms to conceal the fact that he did not have a ticket for a seat. A passenger notified a flight attendant that there was someone in the bathroom while the aircraft was taxiing, and Oriyomi was instructed to take a seat, but he continued to return to the bathroom. When asked his name, he allegedly answered, “Mr. Lopez,” which did not match any names on the flight’s manifest.

The airplane returned to the gate, all passengers and crew deplaned, and the aircraft was checked for explosives by Houston police. Authorities learned from a United customer service officer that there was a reservation under Oriyomi’s name, but it had been canceled because it was never paid for.

He was issued a warning for trespassing and was apparently not detained at the time.

Investigators later discovered that Oriyomi’s boarding pass was fraudulent, which led to the upgraded charges.

United has not publicly commented on the incident.

Zach Vasile

United CEO Backs Away from Big Mergers After American Snub

The airline is open to buying assets, Scott Kirby said, but large-scale consolidation is not in the cards.

Zach Vasile

Monday, June 08, 2026 at 11:25 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

United CEO Scott Kirby (Photo: United Airlines)

United will likely not pursue another large-scale acquisition after American Airlines rejected its overtures earlier this year, CEO Scott Kirby said Sunday.

“I think consolidation is unlikely for United,” Kirby told Reuters at the International Air Transport Association’s conference in Rio de Janeiro. “That doesn’t mean we won’t still be in the market to buy assets, but consolidation is a low probability.”

American said in April that it had no interest in merging with United after Bloomberg reported that Kirby pitched the idea of a linkup to President Donald Trump two months earlier. Kirby later acknowledged that he pursued talks with American but said the carrier declined to engage.

The proposal shocked the aviation industry, as it would have brought together two of the country’s largest commercial airlines and given the combined company a market share of just over 34%, a level of dominance not seen by any U.S. carrier in years. Analysts predicted that the U.S. Justice Department would reject the tie-up as anticompetitive, citing regulators’ decisions on much smaller attempted mergers over the past several years.

Kirby pushed back, arguing in an April 27 statement that the merger could have created more high-paying unionized jobs, hypercharged the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industry, and delivered greater value to customers. He also suggested that regulators would not have automatically dismissed the linkup in light of potential benefits to customers and worker groups.

Kirby again defended the deal to Reuters on Sunday but said it became untenable after American’s leadership called the proposal anticompetitive.

He also denied discussing with the White House the possibility of giving the U.S. government a stake in the combined company.

Neither the Justice Department nor the Transportation Department ever weighed in on the potential United-American merger, as a final deal was never filed. Trump said in April that he did not support it, and cited competition and consumer prices as the reason.

Zach Vasile