AirConnect News Desk

Industry Overview

Aviation News & Intelligence

Industry-wide aviation news: regulatory changes, IATA updates, global air travel trends, and market intelligence.

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How Many Miles Per Gallon Does A Boeing 747-8 Get?

The newest version of the jumbo jet gets through a lot of fuel, but its high capacity means that the consumption is spread across more passengers.

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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Aer Lingus Launches 5 Exciting New Routes From Dublin This Month

From short turboprop flights to transatlantic odysseys, there's something for everyone among the Irish flag carrier's new routes.

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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After 6 Years In The Desert, American Airlines' A330s Taken By Vietnam's Newest Airline

Vietnamese carrier Sun PhuQuoc Airways will acquire eight former American Airlines Airbus A330s that have sat in desert storage for more than six years. The widebodies were controversially retired by American during the COVID pandemic and have remained mothballed at the Roswell International Air Cen

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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LAX’s New Metro Station Set To Be Renamed For Cathay Pacific In Nearly $10 Million Deal

LAX’s new Metro station is about to get an airline name — but not Delta, United, American or Southwest. Cathay Pacific is set to pay nearly $10 million for naming rights to the airport’s rail-and-bus gateway, turning it into the Cathay Pacific/LAX Metro Transit Center even though most riders will be

16 May 2026View from the Wing
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‘Desperate’ to Travel, but Rising Costs Point to ‘Uneven’ Summer

Outlooks and surveys project a busy summer for the travel industry, but climbing fuel prices likely mean bookings will be driven by higher-earning households.

16 May 2026Skift
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Air Canada's New Airbus A321XLR Unlocks Routes Its Boeing 737 MAX 8s Could Never Fly Nonstop

A closer look at how the Canadian flag carrier plans to use the A321XLR in 2026, and what to expect.

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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Qatar Airways To Launch 3 Exciting New Long-Haul Routes

While the airline is resuming services to Helsinki and Tokyo Haneda, Bogota and Caracas are brand new destinations joining the airline's network!

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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11 Hours Of Fuel: American Airlines Boeing 777 Engine Failure Forces Heavy Landing In Phoenix

The widebody, with more than 280 passengers onboard, nearly used the entire runway upon touching down.

16 May 2026Simple Flying
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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Bets $2.6 Billion On Delta — After Decades Warning Against Airlines

Warren Buffett spent decades warning that airlines destroy capital, joking that investors needed to be talked down before buying them. Now Berkshire Hathaway is back anyway, disclosing a $2.6 billion stake in Delta — its third major run at an industry Buffett once treated like an addiction.

15 May 2026View from the Wing
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American Airlines Wants Commercial Flights Back To Naples, Florida — The Airport Locals Tried To Move

American Airlines wants to bring commercial flights back to Naples, Florida — a wealthy, convenient Gulf Coast airport that locals have spent years fighting, and even tried to move. The plan is for Charlotte service starting this winter, but the real story is whether one of Florida’s most contested

15 May 2026View from the Wing
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“Deeply Traumatized” Alaska Airlines Passenger Sues After Flight Plunge Left Crew Bleeding

The lawsuit alleges that if the airline knew turbulence was coming, the carrier should have canceled or diverted the flight.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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Over Two-Thirds Of Ex-Spirit Airlines Jets Are Already In Storage, Flight Tracking Data Shows

The carrier ceased operations just under two weeks ago.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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This Is Canada's 2nd-Largest Airline In 2026

With over 150 aircraft transporting around 22.6 million passengers on more than 215,000 flights in 2025, WestJet is Canada's second-largest airline.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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Extreme Day Trips: Climate Costs and a Debate the Travel Industry Can’t Avoid

The extreme daytripping debate has raised fresh concerns about the climate impacts of an industry that largely says it is committed to responsible tourism and reducing emissions.

15 May 2026Skift
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Airbnb and Uber Want to Own More of Your Trip: History Says It Will Be Tough

Both Airbnb and Uber have massive audiences. At first glance, expanding their travel offerings looks like an opportunity there for the taking. They will both need to prove it.

15 May 2026Skift
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American Airlines Board Faces Shareholder Vote To Loosen Management’s Grip After Profits Collapsed 87%

American Airlines shareholders will vote next month on a board reform that could make it easier for outside candidates to break through management’s slate. The proposal is almost certain to fail — but after profits collapsed 87%, executive pay barely budged, and shareholders lagged the S&P 500

15 May 2026View from the Wing
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H World’s Earnings Call: Premium Shift and Southeast Asia Expansion

H World is betting that China’s real estate slump and Southeast Asia’s travel boom can fuel its next phase of growth.

15 May 2026Skift
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How The F-35 Is Taking Place As The 2nd Most Common Fighter Jet In The World

How the F-35 has surpassed the Hornet to become the 2nd most common fighter jet by flyable airframes in the world.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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Why This Air Force Base Needed A $130 Million Upgrade To Handle This 6th-Generation Combat Aircraft

Ellsworth is requiring at least $1.5 billion in upgrades to host the B-21, with a similar amount needed for Dyess.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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This Airline Is Winning Big In The Face Of The Middle East Flight Disruptions

The inability to travel via the Middle East has promoted passengers to consider other long-haul options via southeast Asia.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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Travel Brands Think They Have a Gen Z Problem. Most Have Two.

Reaching Gen Z is a distribution problem, resonating with them is a product problem. Few travel brands have figured out which one they actually have. Those that haven't are already losing ground — they just can't see it in the numbers yet.

15 May 2026Skift
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America’s Travel Problem Is Getting Worse

International travel to the United States dropped another 14%, raising new questions about America’s image abroad just weeks before the World Cup begins.

15 May 2026Skift
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How Much Do Boeing 777 Pilots Make In 2026?

Here is how Boeing 777 pilots can easily earn six-figure salaries.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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Lufthansa's Airbus A380 Business Class Is Getting A Major Overhaul: Here's What's Changing

The upgrades are carried out as part of a wider maintenance and modernization program.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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5 Flights Taking Off Every Minute: American Airlines Plans Record-Smashing Summer Schedule

The biggest summer ever at AA.

15 May 2026Simple Flying
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The Anti-Marriott: What You Can Learn From Peregrine’s Asset-Heavy Playbook

Peregrine Hospitality's CEO admits hotels have no competitive moat. His fix is operational discipline. The question is whether that'll be enough to deliver results.

14 May 2026Skift
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This CEO Says There’s ‘No Moat’ in Hospitality: Peregrine’s Playbook

Peregrine Hospitality's CEO admits hotels have no competitive moat. His fix is operational discipline. The question is whether that'll be enough to deliver results.

14 May 2026Skift
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Delta CEO Says AI Has No Soul — His Airline Uses It To Price Your Ticket [Roundup]

Delta’s CEO says AI lacks soul and warmth — while his airline uses AI to help price tickets. Plus: Air Force One’s China-trip meal gets roasted, American tells a passenger stuck in the lav to try knocking, and TSA’s SFO screening contract fight heads to court.

14 May 2026View from the Wing
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"Boeing Wanted 150, They Got 200": President Trump Says China Has Agreed To Major Boeing Deal

Trump says China has agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets, ending a nearly decade-long sales freeze.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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China to Order 200 Boeing Planes, First Order in Nearly a Decade

The order is major win for Boeing, which has been shut out of the Chinese market for nearly decade due to trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

14 May 2026Skift
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What Are The Benefits Of Flying Singapore Airlines’ First Class?

A closer look at the unparalleled luxury and exclusivity of Singapore Airlines' First Class experience.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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Simple Flying Podcast Episode 290: United Airlines' Flight Attendant Contract, Breeze Airways' 5th Birthday

Join Channing for the latest aviation hot topics.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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Selling the Unscripted City

NYC still has the thing every other city wants, and no other city can buy: strangers worth talking to, singing with, eating with, arguing with, and falling in love next to.

14 May 2026Skift
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American Airlines Flight Attendant Objects To Her Union’s Left-Wing Politics — But Still Must Pay Dues

An American Airlines flight attendant is objecting to her union’s left-wing political messaging, including May Day posts aimed at Trump and Elon Musk. Unions are obviously - and necessarily - political. That makes it tough for airline workers who have to pay dues to platform ideas they oppose.

14 May 2026View from the Wing
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Spirit Airlines Told Workers To Ignore Shutdown Rumors — Now They’re Suing For 60 Days Pay

Spirit Airlines workers say the company told them to ignore shutdown rumors right up until the end — then terminated nearly everyone without 60 days’ notice. Now they’re suing for WARN Act pay, while Spirit argues its collapse was unforeseeable because last-minute financing and a possible taxpayer b

14 May 2026View from the Wing
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They Love You — But Not Coming Back: What Destinations Get Wrong About Repeat Travelers

Repeat visitation must be actively earned, not assumed as a result of satisfaction.

14 May 2026Skift
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In 2 Seconds, Pilots Must Decide Whether To Abort Takeoff

When an aircraft takes off, pilots must make some of the quickest reactionary decisions anyone can make. Only two seconds can make or break the flight

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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American Airlines Launches 4 Exciting New European Routes Next Week

From May 21, the airline will be offering new direct services to Prague, Budapest, Athens, and Zurich, from its hubs in Philadelphia and Dallas.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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3 Things That Matter Most In Premium Economy Comfort

The seat is the foundation of premium economy comfort. Airlines can add better amenities, but none of those compensate for an uncomfortable seat.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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Abu Dhabi’s Sphere Has a Home: Yas Island

The location was the easy part. Whether Abu Dhabi can fill a $1.7 billion venue with its own original content is the harder question.

14 May 2026Skift
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Flying Business Class For The 1st Time? Here's What The Crew Is Noticing About You

A flight attendant can always spot a new business class traveler.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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What Actually Happens After You Win a Skift IDEA Award

The value of a Skift IDEA Award shows up in faster trust, internal momentum, stronger commercial conversations, and industry positioning that competitors notice immediately.

14 May 2026Skift
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Boeing Ordered To Pay $49.5M To 737 MAX Crash Family After 7-Year Battle

The families of those who perished continue to seek justice.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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Bali Airport in Indonesia Expands Big Connectivity in 2026, Enhancing Domestic and International Travel Options for Passengers - Travel And Tour World

Bali Airport in Indonesia Expands Big Connectivity in 2026, Enhancing Domestic and International Travel Options for Passengers Travel And Tour World

14 May 2026Google News: Asia Travel
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How An F/A-18 Pilot Can Command The Navy's New MQ-25 Stingray Drone From Their Own Cockpit

The paradigm change coming to the flight deck.

14 May 2026Simple Flying
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Allegiant and Sun Country are officially one, large leisure airline

Allegiant Air and Sun Country merge to create eighth largest airline in the U.S.

13 May 2026The Points Guy
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U.S. Waives $15,000 Visa Bond for World Cup Ticket Holders

Waiving the visa bond is a relief for World Cup fans — assuming they can afford the ticket prices.

13 May 2026Skift
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Only 52% Full: Delta Air Lines' 10 Emptiest International Routes [Updated]

Many of them had fewer than half of the seats filled. See which were the worst here!

13 May 2026Simple Flying
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Game-Day energy goes global with Delta’s added Europe flights

Delta Air Lines is expanding its trans-Atlantic schedule this fall with the addition of special flights to support customers traveling to Madrid and Munich for two major international professional football games taking place in November. The airline will operate four additional round-trip flights be

13 May 2026Delta Air Lines
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The F-35's Safety Record Nobody Talks About When Comparing It To The F-16

How safe is the American stealth fighter?

13 May 2026Simple Flying