Sun Country to Open New Crew Base

The Minneapolis-based carrier will establish the base to support cargo and future network growth.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, December 02, 2025 at 10:25 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Prime Air 737 operated by Sun Country (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)

Sun Country said Tuesday it will establish a new operational base at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The base is scheduled to open on Jan. 31, 2026.

According to the airline, the new base will support Sun Country’s expanding cargo operation, particularly its Amazon Air flying, and will also provide infrastructure for future growth in its scheduled and charter businesses.

The company said the new base will allow flight crews to begin and end assignments in Cincinnati and will improve overall reliability for its cargo network.

“Growing our footprint beyond Minneapolis-St. Paul has long been a goal for Sun Country, and we are excited to mark this major milestone,” said Jude Bricker, the carrier’s president and chief executive officer, in a news release. “Amazon and our cargo operation is a critical segment of our differentiated business model and enables our scheduled service seasonal flexibility and growth.”

Cincinnati is one of the nation’s busiest cargo airports, driven largely by Amazon’s hub and DHL Express operations. Sun Country said its cargo activity at the airport has increased, prompting the decision to base crews and aircraft locally.

The airline added that it is currently hiring pilots to staff the new base and is evaluating additional locations as it expands both its cargo and passenger operations. No details were provided about potential future routes from Cincinnati.

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

Sun Country operates a hybrid model that includes scheduled service, charter flights, and dedicated cargo operations. The airline’s passenger network is centered on its Minneapolis–St. Paul base, while its partnership with Amazon continues to anchor its cargo growth.

Bricker announced the new Cincinnati base during Sun Country’s third-quarter earnings call in October. The airline has struggled to fill captain seats, which has been a “limiting factor” in its long-range planning, he said.

But Bricker is hopeful this new base – along with the roll-out of a Preferential Bidding System (PBS) – will help ease these constraints.

“Both of those things, I think, will increase demand for captain upgrades,” he said during the call. “But you’re right, it still is an issue here at Sun Country and captain upgrades are the limiting factors as we do long-range planning into ’26 and ’27.”

Sun Country also said it is “looking at additional base locations in support of its Amazon and scheduled service growth.”

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.

Southwest Cuts Two Routes

Network shake-up includes ending a transcontinental service.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, December 02, 2025 at 10:03 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Southwest Airlines 737-700 pushing back in Pittsburgh. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Southwest is planning to end two routes as part of its latest schedule extension. The Dallas-based airline extended its schedule through September 2026 last week.

The carrier will suspend its daily service between Baltimore and Ontario, California. Additionally, weekend flights between Burbank, California, and St. Louis will be discontinued.

Southwest’s Baltimore-to-Ontario route will operate through Aug. 3. Burbank-to-St. Louis is scheduled through Aug. 2, according to Cirium Diio schedule data.

A Southwest spokesperson also confirmed the route cuts, but noted that the carrier’s total trips are up slightly year-over-year compared to August 2025.

Last week, the airline added a handful of new routes from California, including new service connecting Ontario and Burbank with Honolulu.

Ryan Ewing

Alaska, Hawaiian Offer Points for SAF Donations

The promotion runs through the end of the year.

Zach Vasile

Monday, December 01, 2025 at 04:59 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800. (Photo: Shutterstock | Ryken Papy)

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are offering loyalty members points in exchange for donations toward sustainable aviation fuel, also known as SAF.

Through the end of the year, Atmos Rewards members can earn 500 status points for every $100 contribution toward SAF, up to a maximum of 5,000 status points. Atmos is the joint loyalty program for Alaska and Hawaiian, which was absorbed into Alaska as part of a 2024 merger.

Alaska’s former Mileage Plan offered customers the ability to donate money for SAF in exchange for points through a collaboration with climate technology company Chooose.

SAF is a renewable alternative to conventional jet fuel made from nonpetroleum feedstocks. Its use can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%.

Because sustainable fuel is still too scarce and expensive to totally replace existing jet fuels, several commercial airlines, as well as private aviation companies, solicit donations from customers with the goal of increasing their supplies and gradually integrating SAF into their operations.

Alaska has said it plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

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.

Air Canada Adds New A321XLR Route

The aircraft will be used for a brief window next fall.

Zach Vasile

Monday, December 01, 2025 at 01:07 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Canada A321XLR rendering (Photo: Air Canada)

Air Canada will use the Airbus A321XLR to connect Halifax and London Heathrow next year, temporarily replacing the Boeing 737 MAX.

Aeroroutes reported Saturday that the A321XLR will operate the transatlantic route between Sept. 30 and Oct. 24, 2026. Air Canada did not announce the change, but the airline’s website shows the A321XLR will be used for service between Halifax and London during that window.

The carrier expects to take delivery of its first A321XLR in early 2026. The first new Air Canada route using the extended-range aircraft will be from Montreal to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, starting in June next year.

The A321XLR will also support existing routes between Montreal and Dublin, Toulouse, France, and Edinburgh, Scotland, in the summer of 2026.

Air Canada leaders have said they are looking at adding the aircraft to longer domestic routes to give passengers access to more amenities. They are also considering new routes that would make sense for the A321XLR’s range and capacity.

Zach Vasile

TSA Sets $45 Fee for Non-REAL ID Travelers

Passengers without compliant identification will use the agency’s Confirm ID process beginning in February.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, December 01, 2025 at 11:03 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A TSA checkpoint. (Photo: Shutterstock | David Tran Photo)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to implement a $45 fee early next year for travelers who arrive at the airport without a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or other acceptable identification.

Beginning Feb. 1, 2026, travelers who do not present an acceptable form of ID may opt to pay the fee and verify their identity through TSA’s alternative identity verification system, known as Confirm ID.

Higher Fee

Senior TSA officials said the higher fee reflects updated technology, operational, and administrative costs tied to operating the verification process. The agency noted that the original Federal Register notice, published on Nov. 20, outlined a proposed $18 fee, but officials said subsequent analysis showed that the actual expenses associated with the Confirm ID system were greater than initially projected.

Around 94% of passengers currently present an acceptable ID at checkpoints, TSA said. Agency officials stressed that REAL ID compliance remains a central part of its security posture.

“Acceptable forms of IDs such as REAL IDs or passports deter bad actors and illegal aliens from traveling, which is a critical component of our mission to keep air travel secure,” one senior official shared.

Travelers who pay the fee in advance will receive a receipt to present to travel document checkers at the start of screening. Those who arrive without acceptable ID and have not paid ahead of time will be escorted out of the line to complete the Confirm ID process before returning to the checkpoint.

The identity verification process typically takes 10 to 15 minutes but can stretch to 30 minutes or longer depending on the information reviewed, checkpoint conditions, and additional screening measures. If TSA cannot confirm a traveler’s identity, they may be denied access to the checkpoint, consistent with current procedures.

The $45 fee is nonrefundable, and paying it does not guarantee successful verification.

Confirm ID relies on a combination of passport database checks and knowledge-based verification questions. Digital credentials stored in Apple or Google wallets, including mobile driver’s licenses and digital passports, are also accepted forms of identification.

The $45 fee covers a 10-day period beginning on the traveler’s first date of travel to accommodate typical round-trip itineraries. Children under 18 remain exempt from ID requirements at screening and will not be subject to the fee.

TSA officials said the Feb. 1 start date allows time to prepare travelers during the busy holiday season and gives states and carriers time to help increase awareness. The agency plans to use airport signage, a dedicated landing page, and outreach through airlines and industry trade groups.

Ryan Ewing

Airbus Woes Continue at JetBlue

Over a dozen of the carrier’s A320-family aircraft remain grounded.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, December 01, 2025 at 09:44 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A JetBlue A321 aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue is continuing to recover from the grounding of a large portion of its A320-family fleet as it works through an Airbus-identified software issue affecting multiple operators worldwide. While progress has accelerated, the carrier said more than a dozen aircraft remained out of service as of Sunday afternoon.

Normal operations resumed on Monday evening, the carrier said.

“We’ve resumed regular operations after working through the requirements of the FAA airworthiness directive and do not anticipate any additional cancellations related to this. We’re grateful for the incredible efforts of our crewmembers who worked around the clock to move quickly to make these updates, and we appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding throughout the process,” a spokesperson shared in a statement.

In an internal memo to employees, Chief Operating Officer Warren Christie said that “as of 1230ET [Sunday], we still had about 50 of the 150 affected aircraft out of service.” Christie noted that the remaining out-of-service aircraft required the airline to increase cancellations to 160 flights for the day.

Christie said JetBlue’s system operations team is “working hard to stay ahead of needed cancellations so our crewmembers and customers receive as much notice as possible,” adding that the situation “remains fluid,” but improves “every time an aircraft is completed and returned to service.”

He told employees that the company will “never compromise when it comes to safety” and emphasized that “following the FAA’s directive precisely before returning any aircraft to service is our top focus.”

JetBlue expects the majority of affected aircraft to be restored in the near term. According to Christie, the airline anticipates having “approximately 137 of the 150 affected aircraft” completed and returned to service by Monday morning. The carrier also noted that 140 aircraft across its A320, A321, and A220 fleets were not impacted by the directive.

A JetBlue spokesperson said the airline is working with Airbus, the FAA, and its maintenance partners as updates continue. “Our teams are doing everything possible to minimize disruptions to crewmembers and customers,” the spokesperson said.

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

JetBlue currently expects to cancel approximately 20 flights on Monday, with additional cancellations possible as the remaining aircraft clear the software update.

Other U.S. Airlines Have Largely Completed the Work

Other U.S. operators of the A320-family have moved through the required updates more quickly. American Airlines said it completed work on nearly all of its roughly 340 affected aircraft over the weekend. Delta reported that all required updates on its A321neo fleet were completed with “no effect on operations.”

United said only six of its aircraft were impacted and expected limited disruptions. Allegiant and Frontier each reported that only a small number of their aircraft required updates and anticipated minimal operational impact.

The regulatory action followed a recent JetBlue A320 incident in which the aircraft experienced an unexpected loss of altitude while operating as Flight 1230 from Cancun to Newark, New Jersey, on Oct. 30.

A subsequent investigation identified a malfunction within a flight-control computer system, which regulators later determined could also affect other A320-family aircraft equipped with the same hardware. Airbus issued guidance to operators, and U.S. regulators followed with an emergency airworthiness directive.

“Out of a total number of around 6,000 aircraft potentially impacted, the vast majority have now received the necessary modifications,” Airbus said in a statement Monday morning. “We are working with our airline customers to support the modification of less than 100 remaining aircraft to ensure they can be returned to service.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at 9:56 p.m. ET to add updated information from the airline.

Ryan Ewing

Sunrise Airways Confirms New U.S. Route

Service will start later this month.

Zach Vasile

Monday, December 01, 2025 at 09:11 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Sunrise Airways Embraer E120. (Photo: Shutterstock | Victor De Leon)

Haiti’s Sunrise Airways confirmed this week that it will start service to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The route, which will connect Fort Lauderdale and Cap-Haïtien, is set to launch Dec. 15. Airline officials did not say how frequently or on what days of the week the service will operate.

Sunrise last month teased two new destinations in the U.S., Fort Lauderdale and New York, but there has been no further statement on service to New York. Currently, the airline’s only destination in the U.S. is Miami.

Sunrise has its main hub at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. It flies within Haiti and to Caribbean destinations such as Turks and Caicos, Sint Maarten, and Guadeloupe. A second hub at V. C. Bird International Airport in St. John’s, Antigua, supports additional routes to eastern Caribbean islands like Saint Kitts and Saint Lucia.

Sunrise has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Port-au-Prince due to safety concerns. According to the Miami Herald, the suspension came after bullets struck a flight approaching the airport.

The U.S. State Department currently advises citizens not to travel to Haiti due to extreme instability in the country. Its Level 4 advisory cites kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited healthcare.

Zach Vasile

Airlines Begin Fleet Fixes After FAA A320 Directive

Carriers report limited operational impact as ELAC replacements move forward.

Ryan Ewing

Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 11:44 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

An American Airbus A321 landing in Charlotte. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive late Friday evening requiring U.S. operators of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft to immediately replace certain elevator aileron computers after an uncommanded pitch-down event involving an A320.

The directive, which takes effect upon receipt, mirrors an earlier emergency action issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

The FAA said roughly 545 U.S.-registered aircraft are impacted.

According to the directive, the malfunction could lead to an uncommanded elevator movement and potentially exceed the aircraft’s structural limits. Operators must replace the affected ELAC units before further flight, with limited ferry operations without passengers permitted to move aircraft to maintenance locations.

American

American Airlines operates one of the world’s largest A320-family fleets, with approximately 480 aircraft. The airline said about 340 aircraft required the associated software update and began the work immediately after receiving Airbus’s notification.

By early Saturday morning, only four of 209 aircraft scheduled overnight remained to be updated. American said it expects no further operational impact as the holiday travel period continues.

The airline noted that it found no indication of similar events within its fleet. “It’s all hands on deck across our airline to address this Airbus software issue and take care of any customers whose flights are affected,” the company said.

JetBlue

JetBlue, whose narrowbody fleet is composed primarily of A320 and A321 aircraft, said work is already underway on its affected jets. The airline is coordinating with Airbus, the FAA, and its maintenance partners as updates proceed.

“Our teams are doing everything possible to minimize disruptions,” JetBlue said in a memo to employees viewed by AirlineGeeks. The carrier noted it may need to issue some cancellations as aircraft are temporarily removed from service.

JetBlue also confirmed that the software issue was linked to the Oct. 30 altitude-loss event involving Flight 1230 from Cancun to Newark, New Jersey, and said it cooperated with investigators to identify the root cause.

Delta

Delta operates a mix of A319, A320, and A321 aircraft, including a growing number of A321neos. The airline previously said fewer than 50 A321neo aircraft were affected by the directive.

Delta now says that all required work has been completed. “As safety comes before everything else, Delta has fully complied with the directive. Teams completed the required work with no affect on operations,” a spokesperson said.

Allegiant

Allegiant operates a majority Airbus fleet of A319s and A320s. The ultra-low-cost carrier said only a small number of its aircraft require updates and that a mitigation plan is already in motion.

“We anticipate minimal to no impact on our operations or customers’ travel plans,” Allegiant said. The airline said it will proactively notify any passengers whose flights are affected.

United

United said six aircraft in its Airbus fleet are affected by the directive. The airline expects “minor disruption to a few flights” as the work is completed.

Frontier

Frontier, which operates one of the largest A320-family fleets in North America, said it has received Airbus’s notice and is determining how many of its aircraft will require updates.

“In response to the Airbus and Federal Aviation Administrative directive regarding required software updates involving the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) on a number of aircraft types within the A320 family, we have currently completed the update on all but 16 of Frontier’s 144 impacted aircraft. The remaining aircraft will receive the software update prior to the FAA’s midnight Nov. 29 deadline,” an airline spokesperson shared.

No flight cancellations have occurred as a result of the required software update.

On Friday, Airbus directed operators to install serviceable ELAC units and remove affected components from service across the global A320-family fleet.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at 2:31 p.m. ET to add a comment from Frontier.

Ryan Ewing

New Pacific Airlines Shuts Down

The carrier at one time planned to connect North America and Asia via Anchorage.

Zach Vasile

Friday, November 28, 2025 at 03:11 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A New Pacific (formerly Northern Pacific) Boeing 757. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Anchorage-based New Pacific Airlines has apparently canceled all of its flights and shut down for good.

View from the Wing obtained an email sent by CEO Tom Hsieh to employees on Wednesday notifying them that the company is going out of business.

“It is with a heavy heart that I’m announcing that we will be ceasing operations today,” Hsieh wrote. “Unfortunately, we are unable to continue to fund the losses in our business.”

All of New Pacific’s W-2 employees will be paid through Thursday, he added, and staff members currently traveling for work will be brought home as soon as possible.

“I’m extremely proud of all of you and everything we have accomplished as New Pacific/Ravn Alaska,” Hsieh said. “Thank you for your hard work, commitment, and being part of the team.”

The CEO’s statement did not elaborate on New Pacific’s losses, though it is known that the company was struggling financially as it reworked its business model.

New Pacific, once known as Northern Pacific, was formed in 2021 and initially offered scheduled service between Ontario, California, and Las Vegas before expanding to Nashville, Tennessee, and Reno, Nevada. At one time, it planned to connect North America and Asia via Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, though these flights never came to fruition.

In early 2024, New Pacific ended its scheduled service and became a charter carrier. A statement on its website explained that, while transpacific flights were still the airline’s “end goal,” charter service would focus on destinations within North America.

New Pacific’s sister company Ravn Alaska, also based in Anchorage, went out of business in August.

Earlier this month, New Pacific announced it was partnering with beOnd, an all-business class carrier from the Maldives, to launch a new luxury airline in the U.S. The venture was to be known as beOnd America.

In a statement, beOnd said it will continue to develop beOnd America and expects to launch the brand in the second half of 2026.

Zach Vasile

A320 Fleet Hit With Emergency Flight-Control Directive

Manufacturer cites data-corruption risk tied to intense solar radiation.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, November 28, 2025 at 02:12 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

An Airbus A321neo. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus said Friday it has directed operators of certain A320-family aircraft to take immediate precautionary action after new analysis identified the potential for “intense solar radiation” to corrupt data used by flight-control systems.

The manufacturer’s alert is now being followed by an Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

The EASA directive, published late Friday, requires airlines to replace certain Elevator Aileron Computers — identified as ELAC B L104 units — before the aircraft’s next flight. The mandate applies to A319, A320, and A321 aircraft across both CEO and NEO variants.

EASA warned that, if not corrected, failures could cause uncommanded elevator movement and potentially exceed the aircraft’s structural limits. Only limited ferry flights — up to three cycles, non-ETOPS, with no passengers — are permitted for aircraft positioning to maintenance locations.

The new requirement prohibits reinstalling the affected ELAC units after modification, and it blocks airlines from converting unaffected aircraft into configurations that would include the older hardware.

EASA’s directive takes effect on Nov. 29 at 23:59 UTC.

Notably, the announcement comes just weeks after an incident involving a JetBlue A320, which unexpectedly pitched downward in cruise flight. A post-incident report reviewed by AirlineGeeks attributed the uncommanded descent to a malfunction in the jet’s backup flight-control computer (the ELAC 2 unit).

Airbus said the action affects a “significant number” of aircraft in the A320 fleet, though it did not specify how many airframes or which operators are involved. The company noted that the mitigation measures include software and hardware protections designed to limit exposure to the identified data-corruption pathway.

There are over 9,500 A320-family aircraft in service worldwide, according to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data.

‘All Hands on Deck’

American Airlines, the U.S.’s largest A320-family operator, said it has begun updating its fleet in response to the manufacturer’s guidance. The airline said approximately 340 of its A320-family aircraft require the software replacement, which takes about two hours per aircraft.

American expects the “vast majority” of the work to be completed today and tomorrow.

The airline acknowledged the updates may drive some operational delays but said it is focused on avoiding cancellations as the work progresses.

American Airbus A320 — An American Airlines Airbus A320 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

“It’s all hands on deck across our airline to address this Airbus software issue and take care of any customers whose flights are affected,” the carrier said. American added that its initial safety review found “no indication of similar events” on its A320-family fleet.

The manufacturer acknowledged the directive could lead to operational disruptions as airlines implement the required fix.

“Safety of our products is our number one and overriding priority,” Airbus said in its statement.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Friday, Nov. 28. 2025, at 2:12 p.m. ET to add info from EASA and American.

Ryan Ewing