An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8. (Photo: Shutterstock | Wenjie Zheng)
American Airlines on Sunday restarted service to Haiti after a nearly two-year hiatus brought on by gang violence in and around Port-au-Prince.
The carrier is now operating daily nonstop flights between Miami and Cap-Haitien, using Boeing 737 aircraft.
The inaugural flight on Sunday was staffed by an all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew, the airline said.
“The connection between the United States and Haiti is incredibly meaningful, which is especially true in South Florida,” American Senior Vice President of Miami Operations Juan Carlos Liscano said in a news release. “We know the critical role air service plays in linking countries and communities, so we’re beyond proud to reinstate such a consequential connection for so many.”
Crew members, from left: Birline Vernet, Patrick Casimir, Daphnee Ferdinand, Stricker Dilhomme, and Naromie Moussignac. (Photo: American Airlines)
U.S. airlines suspended service to and from Haiti in 2024 amid a rise in gang violence. Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince was temporarily closed after bullets struck aircraft taxiing on the tarmac.
So far, American is the only U.S.-based carrier to have resumed service to the country.
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.
Report: Alaska to Lay Off 200 Employees
The company cited higher fuel costs and "geopolitical challenges."
An Alaska 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Horizon Air, will lay off about 200 workers as financial losses tied to the higher price of jet fuel grow.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser obtained an email sent to employees Friday morning acknowledging the cuts.
“Despite having the right strategy and strong momentum, fuel prices and geopolitical challenges are putting significant financial pressure on our business,” CEO Ben Minicucci wrote. “If current conditions persist, we could lose as much as $700 million this year, which would be our first adjusted pretax loss outside of the pandemic since 2003.”
According to the Star-Advertiser, 125 workers in Washington state will be laid off, and 48 in Hawaii.
The affected employees will be out of a job Nov. 13, but will continue to receive pay through the end of the year.
Alaska’s leadership said no front-line, non-management positions have been affected, suggesting the eliminated jobs are management-related.
Separately, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said in an email to staff that, of the 48 affected positions at Hawaiian, 40 roles will be eliminated entirely, and eight people will be be offered other jobs within the airline.
Birkett Rakow also said that two senior leaders – Jim Landers, head of Hawaii operations, and Shelly Parker, head of guest operations – will retire at the end of the year. Both of their positions will be eliminated following their departure.
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.
Air Fares Still ‘Quite Low,’ A4A CEO Says
Chris Sununu acknowledged that prices have climbed, but from "all-time lows."
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. (Photo: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)
Air fares have risen about 22% year-over-year, largely due to the surge in jet fuel prices brought on by the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
But considering the very low-cost environment that prevailed prior to 2026, tickets are still relatively inexpensive, Airlines For America CEO Chris Sununu said this week.
“Airline costs are actually quite low,” Sununu told CBS’ The Takeout. “They’ve risen 22 percent in the last year because of the Iran war, but from all-time lows. So no, overall, flying in the United States is still incredibly affordable.”
“If you want that premium seat, that first class seat, obviously you pay a little more for that,” he continued. “That economy seat is still very affordable.”
Airline ticket prices have risen since February, when the conflict began. The collapse of ultra-low-cost Spirit Airlines in May and major carriers’ shift toward premiumization could also be playing a role.
When pressed by host Major Garrett on reports that U.S. airlines are letting seats go empty instead of lowering prices to effectively discipline the market, Sununu said that was “100 percent” false.
“If a flight is not making money, believe me, it’s been pulled off because jet fuel is so high,” he said. “Instead of three flights a day from Wichita to Green Bay, there’s two flights. So, no, when you get on a flight now, it’s going to be more often than not very very crowded.”
ATC Modernization
Asked about the FAA’s sweeping air traffic control modernization effort, Sununu was positive and credited Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford with launching the first serious system-wide upgrade in decades.
“For forty years they’ve done nothing,” he said. “And they’ve done more in the last twelve months than they have in the previous forty years. And that is coming as a cynic of Washington, who has seen the political landscape littered with failed infrastructure projects.”
The main benefit for customers, Sununu added, will be efficiency.
“It’s always going to be safe,” he said. “But over the past few years they’ve had to slow the system down, because it is so antiquated, to ensure the safety. But now we get that efficiency back.”
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.
Livery of the Week: Aer Lingus
The Irish carrier's 2019 redesign brought a new look to one of aviation's longest-running national symbols.
An Aer Lingus Airbus A320. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.
Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.
Aer Lingus’ standard livery is centered on the shamrock, a symbol that has represented the Irish carrier for more than 80 years. Although the airline has changed its aircraft appearance several times, the three-leaf emblem remains the most recognizable feature of its fleet.
The current design was unveiled on Jan. 17, 2019, during a ceremony at Dublin Airport. It marked Aer Lingus’ first major aircraft rebranding in more than two decades, replacing the predominantly green-and-white scheme introduced in the 1990s.
The redesign retained the shamrock but introduced a revised version with a slight tilt and more pronounced heart-shaped leaves. According to Aer Lingus, the changes were intended to represent movement and the airline’s Irish heritage while giving the logo a more contemporary appearance.
Pilots pose with the new Aer Lingus livery at an event in Dublin. (Photo: Aer Lingus)
The most noticeable change was the shift away from the green upper fuselage used on the previous livery. The updated scheme features a predominantly white aircraft with a teal vertical stabilizer and engines. Large teal “Aer Lingus” titles appear along the forward fuselage.
The shamrock appears in several locations beyond the tail. Aer Lingus incorporated the emblem into the airline’s wordmark, near the aircraft’s boarding door and on the wingtips. The airline specifically positioned the wingtip design to make it visible to passengers looking out from the cabin.
The aircraft’s lower fuselage also received a teal treatment, making the color visible from below. The combination of white and teal replaced the darker green that had dominated much of the airline’s branding for decades.
Aer Lingus worked with global design consultancy Lippincott on the rebranding. The airline considered more than 50 shamrock designs before selecting the final version. The updated identity also included a new typeface, redesigned digital platforms and changes to other customer-facing materials.
Two aircraft were presented in the new colors during the January 2019 unveiling: an Airbus A330-300 named St Munchin and an A320 named St Schira. The A330 made its first scheduled flight in the updated livery the following day, operating from Dublin to New York.
Aer Lingus has also retained several connections to its earlier aircraft designs. Its 1960s-inspired retro livery, introduced in 2011 to celebrate the airline’s 75th anniversary, featured a darker green-and-white appearance that contrasted with the newer scheme.
More than seven years after its introduction, the 2019 design remains the standard appearance of Aer Lingus aircraft. The colors and placement of the branding have changed, but the shamrock continues to link the carrier’s modern fleet with its earlier history.
Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.
Ryan 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.
An airBaltic Airbus A220-300 departs from Riga. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | João Machado)
Distressed Latvian flag carrier airBaltic plans to lay off around 300 employees as it continues restructuring, according to the Latvian Aviation Union.
The union, which represents pilots, cabin crew, aircraft technicians, office staff, and other workers in Latvia’s airline sector, said airBaltic expects to cut around 100 pilots and 200 flight attendants. The LAU strongly opposes the move and said it has not received the carrier’s assessment criteria for which workers will be let go.
“These are people’s careers, livelihoods, and futures,” the union said. “Decisions affecting hundreds of aviation professionals must not be made through a process that lacks transparency and agreed rules.”
The LAU also called on the Latvian government to intervene in the process.
AirBaltic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in September. It is facing serious financial headwinds from higher jet fuel prices and route disruptions caused by conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
The carrier is continuing to operate its normal schedule while its bankruptcy case proceeds. It mainly serves destinations in Europe but also flies to North Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, and the Caucasus.
AirBaltic has secured a commitment for €350 million, or about $403.6 million, in debtor-in possession financing, which it said will be enough to support operations during the bankruptcy process.
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.
The transatlantic connection will operate three times weekly, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using Airbus A330 aircraft. Each flight has 34 Business Class seats, 12 Economy Prime seats, and 240 Economy Class seats.
“With the launch of the route between Lisbon and Orlando, TAP Air Portugal continues to invest in strengthening its network in North America, a market of enormous importance to the airline,” Renato Inácio, TAP’s chief financial officer, said in a news release. “This new route brings Portugal closer to one of the United States’ leading tourist and economic regions, whilst offering our customers opportunities for connections throughout Europe, Africa, and South America.”
Orlando is TAP’s second destination in Florida, behind Miami, and its ninth in the U.S. Its other U.S. destinations are New York-JFK, Newark, New Jersey, Boston, Washington Dulles, Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
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.
United CEO Hints at Potential Destinations
The carrier’s network planning team recently scoped out a part of the world not served by any U.S. airline.
A United 787-8 in Denver. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Parker Davis)
United is exploring potential new markets in a part of the world not served by any of its U.S. competitors.
CEO Scott Kirby told the hosts of the Cheeky Pint podcast that global network planning chief Patrick Quayle and his team were recently in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
“We can’t fly there today because we can’t fly over Russia,” he said. “But he’s there. This could work down the road.”
Kirby did not elaborate on plans for the region but cited United’s seasonal service to Nuuk, Greenland, as evidence that unconventional destinations can work.
No U.S. airlines currently fly to Central Asia. Russia’s ban on Western airlines – enacted in the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war – would make the trip uneconomically long.
Historically, there was little demand among American travelers for connections to Central Asia, but that is changing. American arrivals in Uzbekistan, for instance, increased from around 17,000 in 2019 to more than 26,000 in the first seven months of 2026 alone. The newfound interest has been attributed to visa liberalization measures in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, the relative affordability of the region, and trips by travel influencers.
In Kazakhstan, international airlines mainly serve Almaty, the country’s most populous city. In Uzbekistan, the main international gateway is Tashkent.
The only Central Asian carrier with flights to the U.S. is Uzbekistan Airways. The airline serves New York-JFK from Tashkent.
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.
The carrier announced Thursday that it will serve Geneva from Montreal and Birmingham, England, from Toronto. It will also connect Quebec City with Lyon, France, and Barcelona, and Montreal with Faro, Portugal.
Air Transat has not served Geneva or Birmingham before. The airline currently serves Lyon and Barcelona from Montreal, and Faro from Toronto.
Operating dates and frequencies for the new routes are:
Montreal-Geneva: Tuesdays and Saturdays, June 19 to Oct. 23
Toronto-Birmingham: Tuesdays and Fridays, June 22 to Oct. 22
Quebec City-Lyon: Tuesdays, June 8 to Oct. 26
Quebec City-Barcelona: Mondays, June 14 to Oct. 25
Montreal-Faro: Mondays, June 14 to Oct. 25
Additionally, Air Transat’s seasonal services from Quebec City to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and from Montreal to St. Maarten are being extended to year-round.
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.
Currently, United serves Bermuda from Newark, New Jersey.
“We’re excited to add nonstop service between Chicago and Bermuda, giving customers across the Midwest a convenient new way to experience the island,” Tom Kozlowski, United’s senior manager of Latin America, Caribbean, and Hawaii planning, said in a news release. “This new service builds on our existing connection through Newark/New York and makes it easier for travelers from Chicago and beyond to plan a visit to Bermuda.”
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.
ALPA Elects National Leadership
Jason Ambrosi will serve a second term as president.
ALPA’s board of directors on Wednesday reelected Jason Ambrosi to a second four-year term as president and filled other executive roles as it gears up for new fights on behalf of its members.
The pilots union said Ambrosi – a Delta captain first elected in 2022 – has led through “one of the most consequential periods” in ALPA’s 95-year history. During his first term, the organization negotiated 24 new contracts, resisted efforts to reduce the number of pilots required on the flight deck, and returned more than $150 million in dues to members.
“Over the past four years, through tragedy and triumph, bankruptcies and contract negotiations, and in the halls of Parliament and the Capitol, we have made our industry and profession stronger and safer,” Ambrosi said in a statement. “We negotiated numerous new contracts and helped pass an FAA reauthorization bill that protected our top priorities. That’s because our safety work and our pilot representation go hand in hand. Strong contracts protect our ability to speak up when we see something wrong. I’m honored that my fellow pilots have trusted me to continue that work.”
ALPA’s board also elected Captain Doug Grant of Hawaiian Airlines as the union’s first vice president; First Officer Tyler Hawkins of United as vice president of administration and secretary; and Captain Wes Clapper of JetBlue as vice president of finance and treasurer.
The term for new national officers will begin Jan. 1, 2027.
ALPA said its priorities over the coming years include keeping two pilots on the flight deck at all times and requiring ADS-B In on every commercial aircraft.
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.
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