Air Canada Places First Order for A350-1000

Deliveries are expected to begin in the second half of 2030.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Rendering of Air Canada's Airbus A350-1000 (Photo: Air Canada)

Air Canada this week placed its first order for the Airbus A350-1000 as part of its ongoing fleet modernization effort.

The carrier agreed to purchase eight A350-1000s, and has options for eight more. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2030, officials said.

“Air Canada’s acquisition of the Airbus A350-1000 will further solidify our position as a leading global airline through the next decade,” Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president, chief commercial officer, and president of cargo, said in a news release. “This state-of-the-art aircraft adds a new dimension to Air Canada’s long-haul capabilities, with impressive range, enhanced payload, and proven economics that unlock new possibilities for long-haul flying for our customers.”

Rendering of Air Canada's Airbus A350-1000 — Rendering of Air Canada’s Airbus A350-1000 (Photo: Air Canada)

Executives also cited the widebody jet’s fuel efficiency, quieter cabin, and improved cabin pressurization, which they said will enhance the customer experience.

Air Canada is set to take its first deliveries of the Boeing 787-10 and the A321XLR this year. The airline has ordered 14 787-10s and 30 A321XLRs.

Deliveries of the A220, already underway, will continue through 2026.

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.

Southwest to Offer Starlink Internet

The first connected flights are expected this summer.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 05:20 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest 737 in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Shutterstock | lorenzatx)

Southwest on Wednesday became the latest airline to partner with Starlink for satellite-based wireless internet service.

The carrier said Starlink technology will be integrated “rapidly,” with the first connected aircraft entering service this summer. Starlink will be enabled on over 300 Southwest aircraft by the end of 2026, officials added.

“Free WiFi has been a huge hit with our Rapid Rewards members, and we know our customers expect seamless connectivity across all their devices when they travel,” Tony Roach, Southwest’s executive vice president and chief customer and brand officer, said in a news release. “Starlink delivers that at-home experience in the air, giving customers the ability to stream their favorite shows from any platform, watch live sports, download music, play games, work, and connect with loved ones from takeoff to landing.”

Southwest currently offers free wireless internet to loyalty members via T-Mobile.

Starlink, which uses a constellation of around 9,000 low-Earth-orbit satellites, offers much faster internet speeds than standard onboard WiFi.

A number of carriers have signed deals with Starlink over the last two years, including United, Alaska Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Air France.

Zach Vasile

Activist Investor Pulls Back from Southwest

Elliott Management brought about major changes to the airline’s business model.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 04:50 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Southwest 737 MAX 8 aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Elliott Management, the activist investor that pushed Southwest to enact significant and sometimes controversial changes, appears to be stepping back from the Dallas-based carrier.

Southwest announced Tuesday that directors David Cush and Gregg Saretsky will depart its board on Feb. 23. Reuters reported that Cush and Saretsky represent Elliott.

With their exit, the board will shrink from 13 seats to 11. Three Elliott-appointed members will remain, at least for the time being.

The change in board membership comes as Elliott reduces its financial stake in Southwest. WFAA-TV reported this week that the company sold millions of shares between mid-December and mid-January. It now owns about 9% of Southwest, down from 16% at the peak of its investment.

Florida-based Elliott took a $1.9 billion position in Southwest in 2024. It immediately began pushing for changes, arguing that the airline’s leadership had not done enough to adapt to the times and was failing shareholders.

Under pressure from Elliott, Southwest moved away from its longtime low-price strategy. Last year, it began charging for checked bags, and in January assigned seating began. Under the new seating structure, customers can pay more for larger seats with more legroom.

Southwest customers upset by the changes have frequently aimed their criticism at Elliott, arguing that the investment management company destroyed the features that made Southwest unique and appealing to certain travelers.

It was also during the Elliott era that Southwest carried out its first ever mass layoffs. In April 2025, the carrier cut around 1,750 employees, about 15% of its corporate workforce.

At the same time, Southwest’ profitability has increased, and the airline’s stock price is considerably higher than it was in 2024.

Zach Vasile

Transportation Secretary: El Paso Airspace Closed Due to ‘Cartel Drone’

Elected officials are pushing back on the FAA amid confusion and competing explanations.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 01:45 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. (Photo: Department of Transportation)

It is still not entirely clear what caused the FAA to temporarily close down the airspace over El Paso, Texas, as federal officials came forward with competing explanations.

The FAA rescinded its temporary flight restriction over the city early Wednesday but did not offer a direct explanation. About an hour later, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA and the Pentagon were responding to a “cartel drone incursion” in the area.

“The threat has been neutralized,” Duffy added, and flight operations were set to resume.

But sources with knowledge of the matter told news outlets Wednesday that the shutdown was prompted by the Defense Department’s testing of counter-drone technology. The New York Times reported that there were concerns the technology could pose a risk to civilian aircraft.

The FAA effectively cut off commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights to and from El Paso International Airport late Tuesday night for “special security reasons.” The closure was supposed to last for 10 days, information confirmed by airport leaders, who were eying a Feb. 20 reopening.

Elected officials who represent El Paso criticized the FAA for taking such a significant step with no coordination and no explanation.

“I want to be very, very clear that this should’ve never happened,” Mayor Renard Johnson said, according to the Times. “You cannot restrict airspace over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership… That failure to communicate is unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum disputed the DOT’s narrative and denied that there were any drones operating in the border area near El Paso.

The situation at El Paso International Airport appeared to be returning to normal by midday Wednesday. According to tracking website FlightAware, about 10% of the airport’s flights were canceled as of 1 p.m.

The El Paso Times reported Wednesday that flight restrictions for Santa Teresa, New Mexico, also imposed late Tuesday, remain in effect.

Zach Vasile

Frontier Sues American Over Ground Collision

The carrier is seeking over $100,000 in compensation for the 2024 incident.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 12:25 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Frontier A321neo. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier is suing American Airlines over a ground collision at Miami International Airport that left one of its airplanes out of service for six months.

The ultra-low-cost carrier is seeking damages over $100,000, according to a complaint filed in a Florida district court. The lawsuit was first reported by AirGuide.

The collision occurred on March 7, 2024, as an American Boeing 777-300ER was being pushed back from its gate. According to Frontier’s narrative, the pushback was not carried out properly and the aircraft crossed into an area occupied by a Frontier Airbus A321neo. The American jet hit the A321 and damaged its vertical stabilizer, the lawsuit states, causing extensive structural damage.

An American 777-300ER at DFW. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Frontier aircraft was taken out of service until its vertical stabilizer could be replaced.

American agreed to cover the cost of the repairs, Frontier’s attorneys said, but the two carriers could not reach a final agreement on other costs, including the revenue Frontier lost from having the aircraft grounded between March and September of that year.

Frontier claims that American bears some added responsibility because the collision was not an isolated incident. A similar botched pushback by an American airplane damaged a Frontier jet in Boston, also in 2024, the carrier said.

American has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Zach Vasile

Frontier Plans Early Exit for 24 A320neos

Early returns planned for second quarter of 2026 as part of deal with lessor.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 10:39 AM ET

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Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Frontier Airbus A320neo in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with lessor AerCap to return nearly 14% of the aircraft currently in its fleet early.

The 24 aircraft are leased units with agreements originally scheduled to expire between two and eight years from now. Frontier said the returns are expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2026.

The ultra-low-cost carrier said the agreement is part of a “fleet optimization transaction” with AerCap.

Under the terms of the arrangement, AerCap will also enter into 10 future sale-leaseback transactions for aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029. Frontier did not disclose which variants will be included in the future transactions.

Frontier A320neo — A Frontier Airbus A320neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier’s President and CEO Jimmy Dempsey said the agreement will result in a reduction of near-term fleet capacity through the early return of aircraft while maintaining AerCap as one of the carrier’s largest lessors.

“This agreement is a testament to the strong and enduring relationship between Frontier, AerCap and CFM International,” Dempsey added in a news release. “It represents a significant milestone in our new strategy to improve the productivity of the airline by a disciplined right sizing of our fleet. We are delighted AerCap will remain one of our largest lessors, and we look forward to expanding our partnership with an additional ten sale‑leaseback transactions.”

Frontier did not announce any immediate network or schedule changes tied to the aircraft returns.

According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, the airline currently has 174 aircraft in service, including 80 A320neos.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

FAA Reverses Itself, Lifts El Paso Airspace Closure

Transportation secretary cites “cartel drone incursion” in the area.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 09:45 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest Airlines 737 being loaded for a flight at El Paso International Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock | Royce Ngiam)

Just hours after announcing that the airspace over El Paso, Texas, would be closed for the next 10 days, the FAA has apparently reversed itself and lifted the restriction.

The agency issued an order late Tuesday that effectively halted all passenger, cargo, and general aviation flights to and from El Paso International Airport. Officials cited “special security reasons” and did not elaborate.

On Wednesday morning, however, the FAA dropped the flight restriction.

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted,” the agency wrote on X. “There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.”

The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) February 11, 2026

Separately, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy provided the federal government’s first explanation for the shutdown.

“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Duffy wrote on X. “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming.”

The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.

The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.

The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026

El Paso International Airport had indicated that all flights would be paused until 11:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 20. Travelers were told to contact their airlines for more information.

It is highly unusual for the FAA to close the airspace over a major U.S. city. El Paso’s proximity to Mexico and Fort Bliss prompted speculation online that the Trump administration could be gearing up to strike drug cartels south of the border, but neither the White House nor the military made any statements to that effect.

The New York Times reported that just over 1,000 flights scheduled into and out of El Paso were set to be canceled during the closure period.

Zach Vasile

United, JetBlue Roll Out Cross-Platform Booking

The new “Blue Sky” feature will come online this week.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 04:30 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

United and JetBlue aircraft. (Photo: JetBlue and United)

Starting this week, customers will be able to book eligible itineraries with United and JetBlue from either carriers’ website and mobile app.

The partners said Tuesday that users will begin to see more flight options from both airlines on JetBlue.com, United.com, and their respective apps. Customers can book flights using cash, points, or miles.

In a joint statement, the airlines said the new perk will make it easier for passengers to earn and redeem points, book more flights in one place, and plan their trips.

The ability to book a single itinerary with connecting United and JetBlue flights – a major advertised feature of the carriers’ “Blue Sky” partnership – will be added in the future, officials said.

Leaders from both airlines praised the new functionality as an important step forward after months of work.

“This milestone is another proof point of the value Blue Sky is bringing customers – in giving them the ability to book with cash, miles, or points on either network, customers now have more choice, flexibility, and a better overall booking experience when traveling to their favorite destinations,” United Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said in a statement.

United and JetBlue aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock |
Markus Mainka)

“This move gives our members even more ability to earn and redeem points to exciting destinations around the world, while United customers gain access to JetBlue’s network across the Americas and Europe,” added JetBlue President Marty St. George.

The two airlines introduced reciprocal loyalty earning and redemption last year as the first major perk from their collaboration.

Other planned features of the deal include reciprocal benefits and United’s expansion at New York-JFK.

Zach Vasile

Arizona Airport Eyes Commercial Expansion

Hangars for private jets are planned, but commercial and cargo operations have been floated as a possible long-term goal.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 03:15 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Entrance to the Buckeye Municipal Airport. (Photo: Marine 69-71, CC BY-SA 4.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

Officials in Buckeye, Arizona, have taken a first step toward expanding their local airport, with an eye toward potential commercial and cargo flights down the line.

According to The Arizona Republic, the city council last month approved an agreement to lease five acres at Buckeye Municipal Airport for the construction of 12 private airplane hangars. The hangars will be built by Vermillion Development, then sold.

City leaders believe the investment will fuel economic growth while creating much needed space at the airport, where existing hangars are at capacity.

“We’re hoping that this is just the first of many… that will bring our airport up to speed and allow some additional aircraft to be stored in our facility and help with economic development,” Buckeye Aviation Director Scott Gray told the council, according to the Republic.

Buckeye Municipal Airport is mainly used by flight schools and private owners with small aircraft. But that could change as activity picks up and the population of the surrounding communities grows.

The council is planning a long-term, 20-year expansion project that would eventually support commercial and cargo flights. The airport would have to acquire more land and build larger runways to make that possible.

Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn told the Republic that the airport could attract cargo operators such as DHL, FedEx, and Amazon.

The newspaper pointed out that Buckeye could help relieve cargo traffic at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and connect Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s plant near Phoenix.

“I think we have an opportunity to be bigger in the cargo arena, and I think we’d have an opportunity, as our population grows, from a passenger traffic perspective,” Orsborn said.

Zach Vasile

More Carriers Suspend Flights to Cuba

The government warned it can no longer refuel international flights.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Transat A330-200. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Two more Canadian airlines, WestJet and Air Transat, are pausing service to Cuba as the island reels from a shortage of fuel.

In a statement released Monday, WestJet said it is acting on information provided by the Cuban government indicating that commercial air service could be disrupted on short notice.

“Aligning with our focus to put guests and crew first and protect the integrity of our operation, WestJet Group has made the decision to begin an orderly wind down of our winter operations to Cuba,” the carrier said. “This is inclusive of WestJet, Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Vacances WestJet Quebec.”

WestJet is sending empty aircraft to Cuba to bring passengers back to Canada. The airplanes will carry sufficient fuel to depart from Cuba without relying on local supply, officials said.

Air Transat said it has suspended flights to Cuba until April 30. Customers with scheduled departures between Wednesday, Feb. 11, and April 30 will have their bookings automatically canceled and their money refunded, the carrier said.

Plans are in the works to bring Air Transat travelers currently in Cuba back to Canada.

“We understand that this situation may be worrying and want to assure you that our top priority is bringing you home,” the airline said in a message on its website. “We are currently organizing a return plan to Canada, which includes regular flights as well as additional repatriation flights.”

Air Canada was the first international airline to suspend service to Cuba over the fuel crisis. The carrier said early Monday that it will pause seasonal and year-round flights to the island and bring back around 3,000 customers.

The U.S. government is threatening to impose tariffs on any country that supplies Cuba with oil. As a result, stocks of jet fuel and other energy products are running low, with parts of the country experiencing daily blackouts.

The Trump administration has accused Cuba of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region through its links to Russia, China, Iran, and militant groups in the Middle East.

Zach Vasile