SeaPort Adds New Commuter Service at Boeing Field

Flights will start next week.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, March 04, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

One of SeaPort Airlines' Pilatus PC-12s outside Felts Field in Spokane. (Photo: SeaPort Airlines)

SeaPort Airlines is preparing to launch a new route between Seattle and eastern Washington state.

Starting March 9, the carrier will connect Boeing Field with Felts Field near Spokane. The “shuttle” service will operate eight times per day, officials said, with two round trip flights in the morning and two in the evening.

SeaPort said service from Boeing Field offers an “easy and fast” alternative to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the busiest airport in the state and the region.

“The Sea-Tac mega airport has outgrown short-hop travel in the Pacific Northwest,” SeaPort Airlines CEO Kent Craford said in a news release. “The solution is 100 years old, and it’s under our noses. It’s Boeing Field.”

“As Alaska Airlines becomes a competitive global airline, SeaPort Airlines is ready to become the Pacific Northwest’s regional airline,” he continued. “Boeing Field-based flights bring fun and ease back to air travel with a simple and vastly superior way of getting you to Portland or Spokane that saves hours per trip.”

Officials also highlighted free parking at both Boeing Field and Felts Field and “short, easy trips to downtown Seattle and Spokane,” respectively.

SeaPort currently connects Boeing Field and Portland International Airport in Oregon with up to 16 daily flights.

Only SeaPort and Kenmore Air offer regular scheduled service from Boeing Field. The site’s lack of infrastructure and close proximity to Seattle-Tacoma have generally kept away larger commercial carriers.

“The big airlines have an unspoken pact to avoid Boeing Field, going back to the 1990s when Southwest Airlines considered it,” Craford said. “But we’re not a party to that deal, and neither are you. It’s time to stop reserving this amazing transportation asset for just the private jet-set and start making it available for everyone. That’s what SeaPort’s Boeing Field air shuttle is doing – making Boeing Field the peoples’ airport once again.”

SeaPort is a division of the Alaska-based Kalinin group of regional airlines, which also includes Alaska Seaplanes and Island Air Express.

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.

Reno-Tahoe Airport Starts Concourse Expansion Project

Concourses A and B are expected to be complete by late 2029.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, March 04, 2026 at 11:20 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

The entrance of Reno-Tahoe International Airport. (Photo: Reno-Tahoe International Airport)

Work is now underway on a $650 million concourse expansion project at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada.

The airport is building two new concourses, A and B, which will replace and rename the existing B and C concourses. The planned facilities will be almost twice as large, officials said, and will include gates that can be used by aircraft of all sizes.

Concourses B and C, designed in the late 1970s and put up in the early ‘80s, were built to accommodate jets such as the 737-200, which are somewhat undersized by today’s standards.

A 10-year lease agreement with airlines at Reno-Tahoe is helping support the project.

Officials at this week's groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo: Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority) — Officials at this week’s groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo: Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority)

“Today’s groundbreaking of the New Gen A [and] B Concourses marks a defining moment for our airport and our region,” Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Interim President and CEO Cris Jensen said in a news release. “This milestone means every project in our MoreRNO Infrastructure Program is now either complete or actively in progress.”

Construction will begin in phases, starting with Concourse A, officials said. Both concourses are expected to be complete by late 2029.

The new facilities were designed in partnership with McCarthy Building Companies and Gensler. They will feature upgraded technology, improved wayfinding and signage, expanded hold rooms, concessions and amenities, improved restroom facilities, and dual taxi lanes between concourses to support quicker aircraft turnaround times.

Plans also call for a “modern mountain aesthetic” inside concourses A and B, with windows offering views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada.

Eleven airlines currently operate from Reno-Tahoe, including Southwest, United, Delta, American, Alaska, Frontier, and JSX.

Zach Vasile

Lufthansa 747-8i Gets 100th Anniversary Livery

The aircraft will reenter service with its new design this week.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, March 04, 2026 at 09:55 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Lufthansa's 747 with its special livery. (Photo: Lufthansa)

Lufthansa is one step closer to filling out its special 100th anniversary fleet.

A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i received the carrier’s commemorative livery – dark blue with an oversized white crane – at a facility in San Bernardino, California. The aircraft, registered as D-ABYN and nicknamed “Niedersachsen,” is expected to depart for Munich on Wednesday and arrive there on Thursday.

The 747 will officially reenter service on Friday, with a nonstop flight to Los Angeles, officials said.

Lufthansa's 747 with its special livery. (Photo: Lufthansa) — Lufthansa’s 747 with its special livery. (Photo: Lufthansa)

The jumbo jet is the sixth aircraft to receive Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary design. Last week, an Airbus A380 and A320neo also bearing the livery landed back in Munich after paint work outside Germany.

An A350, a 787-9, and another A320neo are already flying with the extra-large crane.

This fall, an A350-1000 will also get the new livery, completing the anniversary fleet, according to Lufthansa.

The airline dates its formation to predecessor company Deutsche Luft Hansa’s founding in 1926. Deutsche Luft Hansa also used the flying crane logo.

Zach Vasile

Singapore A350 Clips Wing on Spirit Aircraft

The incident happened Tuesday morning at Newark.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 04:10 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

A Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 clipped its right wing on the tail of a Spirit aircraft at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday.

The incident happened while the A350 was pushing back from its gate at Terminal B, according to WABC-TV. The Spirit airplane, an A321, was stationary and going through deicing ahead of service to Orlando, Florida.

No injuries to passengers or crew on either aircraft were reported.

Spirit took the A321 out of service pending an evaluation by its maintenance team. The carrier said it made alternate arrangements to get customers to their final destinations.

The Singapore Airlines flight was about to take off for Changi Airport in Singapore. Service was delayed while another aircraft was brought in.

The FAA is investigating the accident.

Zach Vasile

Sun Country to Resume Suspended Route

The carrier recently extended its booking schedule through the fall.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 02:45 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Sun Country Boeing 737-800. (Photo: Shutterstock | lorenzatx)

Minnesota-based Sun Country this week extended its booking schedule through mid-December, with an eye toward strengthening service to popular fall destinations.

The ultra-low-cost carrier said it is “increasing opportunities for travel” between Minneapolis and Boston; Portland, Maine; Syracuse, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Las Vegas; Phoenix; and Orlando and Fort Myers in Florida. The airline already serves each of these destinations on either a year-round or seasonal basis.

Sun Country also announced plans to resume service between Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Las Vegas, a route it last served in the fall of 2024. Officials said they decided to bring back the connection after seeing the success of winter service between Eau Claire and Fort Myers.

The airline did not give an exact date for the Eau Claire-Las Vegas relaunch.

“We’re excited to offer increased opportunities for travel during some of Minnesota’s most popular vacation weekends, including MEA [school break] and Thanksgiving,” Colton Snow, Sun Country’s chief commercial officer, said in a news release. “By extending our schedule and focusing on destinations our customers consistently choose for fall getaways, we’re making it easier than ever for Minnesotans to plan ahead and secure affordable, nonstop travel.”

Additional flights may be added to the fall 2026 schedule in the coming months, officials added.

Sun Country is set to be acquired by Allegiant later this year. The transaction, which values Sun Country at about $1.5 billion, is expected to close some time in the second half of 2026.

Sun Country currently operates over 115 routes across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Zach Vasile

Americans Urged to Leave Middle East

The State Department listed 16 countries and territories now considered unsafe for U.S. citizens.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 11:25 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

The State Department is urging U.S. citizens to leave over a dozen countries across the Middle East as fighting in and around Iran intensifies and American embassies and consulates come under siege.

In a security update posted on Monday, the department said American citizens should depart Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Americans should “depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks,” officials said. Phone numbers were provided for those who need assistance arranging travel from the region.

Many commercial flights to, from, and within the Middle East have been canceled since Saturday, when the U.S. and Israel began their joint offensive against Iran. In many of the countries named by the State Department, civilian airspace is closed, and airports are effectively shut down.

The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from… pic.twitter.com/vdplAik2Sq
— Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) March 2, 2026

As of Tuesday, only Egypt – geographically removed from the conflict – is seeing flight traffic at or near normal levels. Saudi Arabia’s airspace remains open, but with significant disruptions and rerouting after missile and drone attacks from the Iranian military. Oman has not officially closed its airspace, but its main carrier, Oman Air, has canceled numerous flights to and from Muscat. Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum, and Zayed International Airport, all in the UAE, resumed limited operations on Monday evening.

According to a source cited by CBS News, around one million Americans are believed to be in the region. Many Western energy, infrastructure, technology, and finance firms have offices in the Arab Gulf, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, which were assumed until recently to be largely protected from the region’s geopolitical instability.

Gulf Air Embraer 190 at Bahrain International Airport. (Photo: Frans Zwart | flickr)

The new and unprecedented warning from the State Department could be a response to violence and threats against American diplomatic missions in the Middle East.

On Sunday, demonstrators attempted to overrun a U.S. consulate in Pakistan, and on Monday Iranian drones hit the U.S. embassy in Riyadh. U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been temporarily shut down, and the State Department is in the process of evacuating diplomats.

The alert also follows warnings from President Donald Trump that the U.S. will rapidly escalate bombing in Iran this week. On Monday evening, the U.S. and Israel attacked the compound of the group tasked with electing Iran’s next leader following the killing of Ali Khamenei on Saturday.

Other Western countries have also warned citizens to avoid or evacuate the region.

Canada is urging travelers to leave the UAE and avoid Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Qatar. The U.K. said it is setting up charter flights from Oman and working with airline leaders to arrange transportation from other at-risk countries. Australia has set up an online portal to help passport holders depart Israel, Iran, Qatar, and the UAE.

Zach Vasile

American Adds Samsung Wallet Integration

Users can receive live updates about their flight’s status and details.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 09:55 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American Boeing 737-800. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Samsung Galaxy users can now access American Airlines boarding passes through their phone’s digital wallet platform.

The airline announced the new integration on Monday. By connecting boarding passes directly to Samsung Wallet, customers can receive live updates concerning flight day and departure time, terminal and gate changes, seat information, flight number, and boarding time changes, as well as push notifications, officials said.

American is the first U.S. carrier to offer full integration with Samsung Wallet. The carrier already supports Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.

Boarding passes now available within Samsung Wallet. (Photo: American Airlines)

Customers can add their boarding pass to their digital wallet directly from the American Airlines app by tapping “Add to Wallet” while viewing the pass.

In January, American announced upgrades to its mobile app meant to improve real-time updates and enhance self-service tools for rebooking.

Zach Vasile

United Flight Makes Emergency Landing at LAX

The FAA cited a problem with the aircraft’s left engine.

Zach Vasile

Monday, March 02, 2026 at 05:00 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A United 787-9 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A United flight departing Los Angeles was forced to turn around and land back at the airport on Monday after the crew reported a problem with the aircraft’s left engine.

The Newark, New Jersey-bound Boeing 787-9 took off from Los Angeles International Airport around 10:15 a.m. local time and made an emergency landing back at the airport at 11:19 a.m., according to CBS News.

Ground crews and firefighters met the airplane on arrival and hosed down the smoking left engine, the outlet reported. Passengers and crew evacuated the 787 using slides.

No injuries requiring hospitalization were reported, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

KABC-TV reported that there were 256 passengers on board, and 12 crew.

The FAA issued a ground stop for LAX but later lifted it. The agency said it will investigate the incident.

Zach Vasile

Empty Skies: Global Flight Cancellations Grow as Iran Conflict Spreads

Airspace in Israel and much of the Arab Gulf region is closed.

Zach Vasile

Monday, March 02, 2026 at 01:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Emirates aircraft in Dubai. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Hisham Qadri)

Hundreds of thousands of travelers remained stranded Monday as the fallout from joint U.S.-Israeli air strikes on Iran continued to grow.

Some of the busiest airspace in the world, specifically over the United Arab Emirates, has been closed since the conflict began on Saturday morning. The UAE is home to Dubai International Airport, the busiest airport in the world in 2024 and the central hub for Emirates, and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, the main hub for Etihad. Both play a major role in connecting the Arab Gulf region, and in facilitating air travel between Europe and Asia.

Dubai International sustained damage after Iran attacked the UAE in retaliation on Saturday. Four staff members were injured.

Government officials have not said if the airport was directly struck by an Iranian missile or drone. Videos circulated online showed smoke inside a terminal and damage to the ceiling and shops on the ground floor.

Dubai Airports said that a small number of flights will resume at Dubai International and Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum Monday evening. Travelers were told not to go to either airport unless they have been directly contacted by their airline.

Dubai Airports confirms that a limited resumption of operations will begin today evening, 2 March, with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC). Travellers are advised not to proceed to… pic.twitter.com/Ui4ZYbuRJ2
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 2, 2026

Israel, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain have also halted commercial flights, cutting off hubs such as Ben Gurion Airport and Hamad International Airport.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli flag carrier El Al is preparing to operate “rescue flights” for Israelis stranded overseas once Ben Gurion reopens.

An Emirates 777-200LR. (Photo: Shutterstock | JetKat)

In nearby Jordan, civilian airspace is closed between certain hours until March 5. About half of all flights at Queen Alia International Airport near Amman have been called off.

Saudi Arabia’s airspace remains operational, though some regional traffic has been rerouted away from the country’s east. Flights from cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah are now the only way for many travelers to leave the region.

According to tracking website FlightAware, almost 2,500 flights had been canceled globally as of midday Monday. Airports in and around the Middle East saw the highest number of cancellations, with a knock-on effect evident in London, Cairo, New Delhi, and Hyderabad.

International carriers such as Delta, Lufthansa, and British Airways announced they will suspend service to destinations in Israel and the broader Middle East for the next several days. Air India said it is rerouting certain long-haul flights to Europe and North America to avoid Middle East airspace.

Air strikes aimed at Iran – and Iran’s counterattacks on Israel and U.S.-allied Gulf states – could bring on the most significant air travel disruptions since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to aviation experts. The Trump administration has signaled that operations against Iran will continue for at least four weeks.

The conflict spread to new regions late Sunday and early Monday. Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel from its bases in southern Lebanon, and Israel responded with air strikes on the suburbs south of Beirut. Lebanon’s prime minister has called on Hezbollah to stop its attacks and threatened to forcibly disarm the movement using the military.

A drone also struck a British military base in Cyprus. According to The Guardian, British Airways and EasyJet canceled flights to and from the island in response.

Zach Vasile

Condor Plans Its Move in Frankfurt

The German leisure carrier will move to a new home at its main base.

Joey Gerardi

Monday, March 02, 2026 at 10:17 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Condor getting ready to move to Frankfurt's T3 (Photo: Condor)

Condor is no stranger to Frankfurt, as the airline does have a sizable operation and hub at the airport. However, it will be making some new changes to its operations next year.

Starting in 2027, Condor will relocate its Frankfurt operations from its current location at T1 to the new terminal being built, T3, and will bring its recognizable striped theme with it. The airline not only operates flights to many destinations within Europe, but they also have a sizable long-haul operation to leisure destinations around the globe, including Asia, Africa, and a larger number in North America.

Condor is getting ready to move to Frankfurt’s T3 (Photo: Condor)

This move to the new T3 in Frankfurt next year will help fuel the airline’s future growth and give it room to expand flights at the airport, and hopefully add more destinations abroad, which the airline has said is definitely in the cards as it “continues to expand its network of routes beyond Frankfurt to key destinations throughout Europe and beyond.”

AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to fly on board the airline on one of the most unique flights in its network, which operates from Frankfurt to Anchorage, Alaska, during the summer months, and is currently the only passenger airline to fly between the state of Alaska and the continent of Europe.

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.