Allegiant Plans Dolly Parton-Themed Flight to Knoxville

The carrier is partnering with the singer’s theme park, Dollywood.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 04:50 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Allegiant 737 MAX at Boeing Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Allegiant is planning a special one-off flight for Dolly Parton fans.

The low-cost airline on Tuesday announced Flight 925, which will connect Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida with Knoxville, Tennessee, the home of Parton’s theme park, Dollywood. Allegiant connects the two cities seasonally, but Flight 925 will take place outside the carrier’s usual schedule, on Nov. 6.

The flight’s numbering is a reference to Parton’s hit song “9 to 5.”

Allegiant said it is partnering with Dollywood to offer Flight 925 passengers unique, themed experiences at the gate in Sanford, during the trip, and at the park the following day. These include treats and drinks, exclusive merchandise, complimentary ride time opportunities, and reserved show seating.

The connection was timed to coincide with Dollywood’s famous Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.

“Flight 925 is all about embracing the joy of travel,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s chief commercial officer, said in a news release. “Partnering with Dollywood Parks and Resorts allows us to deliver a unique experience that reflects the best of both brands: great value, unforgettable moments, and the chance to create memories from the second you step on board.”

More details about the experience will be provided in the coming months, Allegiant said.

Dollywood, which is located in Pigeon Forge, is the most popular ticketed attraction in Tennessee.

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.

Delta Flight Returns to Airport After Passenger Disturbance

Police were waiting at the gate and detained the suspect.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 01:30 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Delta Boeing 717. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A Delta flight was forced to return to Houston Hobby early Wednesday morning after a passenger allegedly attempted to force their way into the cockpit.

Houston police said they received a call around 5:30 a.m. local time about a disturbance on the flight, which had just taken off for Atlanta. Officers went to Gate 32 at the airport and detained the passenger when the flight returned.

KHOU-TV in Houston was first to report the incident. The station’s camera crew observed a man being led out of the airport in handcuffs shortly after the flight returned but could not confirm if it was the person who caused the disturbance.

It was not immediately clear what charges the suspect is facing, if any.

CNN reported Wednesday that a pilot told air traffic controllers that the individual got up from their seat and attempted to “access the cockpit.”

But Delta appeared to refute that detail, saying in a statement that the passenger exhibited “unruly and unlawful behavior toward other customers” but did not get near or attempt to enter the flight deck.

The airline said the incident happened on board a Boeing 717 carrying 85 passengers and five crew.

“The safety of our customers and crew is paramount, and Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior,” the carrier added. “We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”

Zach Vasile

Porter Adds New U.S. Destination

The carrier is also expanding service to a major Midwest city.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 12:10 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Porter E195-E2. (Photo: Shutterstock | The Global Guy)

Canada’s Porter Airlines is launching service to a new destination in the southern U.S.

Starting May 21, the carrier will link Toronto Pearson and Austin, Texas, for the first time. Flights will operate five times weekly, using an Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

Porter does not currently serve any destinations in Texas.

The airline is also changing operations in Chicago. Porter has connected Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport with Midway since 2008, but on Sept. 1, it will switch to O’Hare and increase flights to three times daily.

Officials said the change will give passengers access to more connecting flights with partner carriers.

“Porter continues to offer more destinations and flights that complement existing schedules and connect travelers across North America through our hubs,” Andrew Pierce, Porter’s vice president of network planning and reporting, said in a news release. “Travelers want more options and, when flying with Porter, they receive an elevated level of care and service that makes getting there enjoyable and something to look forward to.”

Porter is also starting a new seasonal route within Canada, between Ottawa and Deer Lake. Flights start June 10 and will operate five times weekly.

Zach Vasile

JetBlue Resumes Texas Route

The carrier continues to expand its domestic network with another route addition.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 11:24 AM ET

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Zach Vasile

A JetBlue A320 aircraft. (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

JetBlue has announced a returning domestic route that will launch later this spring as part of the carrier’s ongoing network adjustments.

The airline will once again offer nonstop service between Houston and New York-JFK starting on May 21, 2026. The route will be operated twice daily.

Flights will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft. JetBlue last served this market in February 2025 and has continued to connect Houston with its Boston hub.

JetBlue will go head-to-head with Delta, which also links Houston and New York-JFK.

“Houston is an important destination for many travelers, and we’re pleased to reintroduce nonstop service between JFK and Houston, giving our customers a convenient connection between these two major metropolitan areas,” said Dave Jehn, vice president, network planning and airline partnerships at JetBlue, in a news release. “With twice-daily flights, we’re offering a schedule that works well for same-day trips, longer stays, and easy connections across our network.”

Tickets for the new route are now available for purchase.

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.

Investigators Provide Update on Toronto Endeavor Air Crash

The investigation remains ongoing.

Andrew Chen

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 10:14 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

TSB investigators examining the wreckage of Endeavor Air/Delta Connection Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport (Photo: Transportation Safety Board of Canada)

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has provided new details about its investigation into the crash of Endeavor Air flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport last February.

Although the update from the TSB provides few substantive details on the findings of the investigation, it details the work that investigators have been undertaking over the past year since the accident.

After the wreckage was brought to a hangar at the airport, key parts like the right wing (which detached after the aircraft landed), landing gear, and wing box structure were sent for further testing at the TSB’s Engineering Laboratory in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa. Analysis of the results of a metallurgical examination of the fracture surfaces on the wing and landing gear is currently underway.

Other pieces of key data have also been analyzed or reviewed, including data from onboard recorders, air traffic control systems, meteorological conditions, and the airport’s closed-circuit television systems. Investigators also attended Endeavor Air’s training facility to conduct similar exercises.

Once the TSB completes its analysis, it will draft a report and send it to key stakeholders. These parties have the opportunity to dispute or correct information before the board publishes a final report to the public.

The Endeavor Air/Delta Connection Flight 4819 CRJ-900 aircraft resting at the GTAA hangar at Toronto Pearson International Airport (Photo: Transportation Safety Board of Canada)

February 2025 Accident Details

The accident occurred on February 17, 2025, when the CRJ-900 aircraft, operating as a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul crashed upon landing. The right wing detached, and the aircraft flipped over. All 80 passengers and crew survived and were successfully evacuated from the aircraft, but 21 people were injured.

The TSB released a preliminary report in March of 2025, indicating that the aircraft had a “high rate of descent” of 1,110 feet per minute and a 7.1-degree right bank angle just before touchdown. According to the report, the right-side landing gear assembly fractured and folded, and the right wing detached, releasing jet fuel that caught fire. The aircraft slid down the runway and rolled to the right until it became inverted, stopping on an intersecting runway.

Since the accident, multiple lawsuits have been filed against Delta and Endeavor Air in relation to the incident.

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 Nigeria Eyes Nonstop Flights to the U.S.

Service could start as soon as this summer, officials said.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 09:55 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Bombardier CRJ Series aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks / Fabian Behr)

United Nigeria Airlines is aiming to launch nonstop flights to the U.S. this year, a significant expansion for a carrier that currently flies only within West Africa.

At a recent press conference, Chairman Obiora Okonkwo said the private airline will add destinations in the U.S., continental Europe, the U.K., and the Middle East by the summer, according to a report from ch-aviation.

“By the end of the second quarter of 2026, United Nigeria Airlines will fly direct to New York,” he said.

It was not clear which New York-area airport United Nigeria is planning to serve.

The carrier is also working to set up routes to Rome, Dubai, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Okonkwo said. Regional routes to Dakar, Monrovia, Liberia, and Johannesburg are also under consideration.

Currently, United Nigeria flies within Nigeria and to Accra, Ghana.

The airline is building up its fleet of longer-range aircraft to support the planned routes. It recently acquired six Boeing 737-800 Next Gen aircraft from Southwest and is in talks for three more of the same type, ch-aviation reported. United Nigeria is also leasing two Airbus A330s from Air Anka.

Previously, the carrier operated only Embraer ERJ 145s.

Okonkwo also said that, within three to five years, United Nigeria will be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Zach Vasile

Aviation Upcycler Offers Special Piece of Airbus A380

New aluminum tags commemorate Lufthansa’s “Berlin.”

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Lufthansa's "Berlin." (Photo: Aviationtag)

A company that turns decommissioned aircraft into keepsakes is offering aviation enthusiasts their own piece of a Lufthansa Airbus A380.

Aviationtag is selling white aluminum tags made from D-AIMI, which was nicknamed “Berlin” while in service. The aircraft was operated by Lufthansa between 2012 and 2021.

Officials noted that D-AIMI was taken out of service during the COVID-19 pandemic at a relatively young age for a long-haul widebody aircraft.

Aircraft tag — Tag made from the A380. (Photo: Aviationtag)

“This edition is for everyone who didn’t just see the A380, but felt it: the boarding moment, the calm inside that vast fuselage, the unique tension right before pushback,” Aviationtag said in a statement. “Every tag is one of a kind – marked by the subtle traces that make aircraft material genuinely authentic. In your hand is aluminum from D-AIMI: material that’s been out there, lived through wind and weather, and now gets a second life as a tag – whether you keep it as a collectible, clip it to your keys, or carry it as a small everyday memory anchor.”

The company has made tags out of A380s in the past. Airbus stopped production of the jet in 2021.

On its website, Aviationtag sells pieces made from a wide variety of commercial, military, and general aviation aircraft. Among the carriers and air forces it sources from are DHL Express, Emirates, Korean Air, the Royal Air Force, and the U.S. Air Force.

Zach Vasile

Lufthansa, Air India Expand Partnership, Will Coordinate on Routes

The carriers aim to grow traffic between Europe and India.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 11:40 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Lufthansa A340-300. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Noah Escobar)

Lufthansa Group and Air India will deepen cooperation on everything from routes to IT in a new push to boost connectivity between Europe and India.

The two carriers announced a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday that substantially enlarges their existing relationship. An interline arrangement of some kind is implied, with the airlines set to offer “more connected and consistent experiences across some of the world’s busiest routes on a single ticket.”

The agreement is meant to capitalize on business opportunities “unlocked” by a recent free trade pact signed by the Europe Union and India, the partners said.

Under the MOU, Lufthansa Group and Air India will collaborate in areas such as route planning, flight scheduling, loyalty programs, information technology, and customer service and experience. Previously, their relationship had been limited to codesharing and shared membership in Star Alliance.

Officials said the deal encompasses all of Lufthansa Group’s and Air India’s carriers and subsidiaries, such as Air India Express, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, and SWISS.

Air India A350 — Air India’s first A350 aircraft. (Photo: Air India)

The partners will initially focus on growing traffic between India and Lufthansa’s home markets, specifically Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. The MOU would eventually expand to cover the rest of Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

“Today’s agreement with our long-standing Star Alliance partner Air India is a strong signal of our mutual determination to open a new chapter in aviation between the EU and India following the landmark trade agreement between both economic regions,” Carsten Spohr, chairman and CEO of Lufthansa Group, said in a news release. “Together with Air India, we will strengthen our access to the aviation market with the highest growth rates worldwide.”

“This milestone in our deepening relationship with the Lufthansa Group is great news for travelers and enterprises alike between India and Europe,” added Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson. “As Air India continues to expand its global footprint with a fast-modernizing fleet and transformed product and service offerings, this framework enables us to explore closer cooperation on multiple fronts to meet the growing trade, commerce, and people-to-people ties between our respective regions.”

Lufthansa Group and Air India carriers currently codeshare on 145 routes across 29 cities in Europe and 15 in India.

In its reporting on the deal, Bloomberg said Lufthansa is likely using its alliance with Air India to push back on rapidly growing Middle East carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, which compete in some of the same markets.

Zach Vasile

United Orders 300 GEnx Engines for 787s

The agreement extends the carrier’s partnership with GE Aerospace.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 09:50 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A United Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Photo: Noah Escobar)

United will continue to use GE Aerospace’s GEnx engine to power its Boeing 787s, the two companies announced Monday.

The airline agreed to buy 300 more GEnx engines, plus spares, for its new Dreamliners.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

United currently operates around 80 787s and will take delivery of dozens more over the coming decade. Its in-service Dreamliners also use the GEnx.

“GE Aerospace has an enduring relationship with United that spans decades,” Mohamed Ali, president and CEO of GE Aerospace commercial engines and services, said in a news release. “This deal will make United the largest GEnx operator in the world, and we’re honored they continue to choose us to power their success.”

Dreamliner operators have two options to power the aircraft – the GEnx and Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000. About two-thirds of the global fleet use the GEnx.

Zach Vasile

Spirit A320neos Sold, Set for Teardown

The aircraft will be disassembled in Goodyear, Arizona, and their parts sent to Dallas.

Zach Vasile

Monday, February 16, 2026 at 04:25 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Spirit A320neo in Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A pair of Airbus A320neo aircraft formerly owned by ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit are set for teardown.

Irish aviation asset management and trading firm EirTrade said Monday that it acquired the two aircraft in partnership with Chicago-based aviation and rail lessor RESIDCO.

The jets, at four and three and a half years old, are the youngest A320neo airframes ever to be scrapped for parts, according to EirTrade officials.

Disassembly will take place in Goodyear, Arizona, and all parts will go to the company’s hub in Dallas to support aircraft-on-ground requests from across North and South America.

“We are focused on newer vintage aircraft to ensure that our inventory contains the highest quality rotables which ensure that our customers can be supported with the latest modification standard components,” Bill Thompson, vice president of origination and trading for the Americas at EirTrade, said in a news release. “We have also acquired four sets of in-demand LRU and BFE components from the PW1100 engine type within this significant transaction.”

EirTrade estimated that there are over 4,400 A320neos in commercial service and another 7,200 on order, creating substantial demand for parts. And this figures excludes an in-service fleet of about 6,500 A320ceos, which use many of the same components.

“Given the size of the fleet and Airbus orderbook, this platform will remain the largest segment of the global commercial fleet with demand for USM increasing accordingly,” Thompson added.

EirTrade said that all parts from the aircraft will be repaired and made available for the market by the end of the first quarter.

Spirit has been selling off aircraft as it works to shrink its fleet and reduce costs. The carrier has been under bankruptcy protection since August 2025.

Zach Vasile