Flightlines

TWA Constellation on display at Pima

American Airlines is asking the Supreme Court to review the ruling that ended its Northeast Alliance with JetBlue. But even if the court takes the case, JetBlue’s priorities have shifted post-Spirit merger collapse. A win for American might not mean a return of the NEA.

The push to privatize US air traffic control has returned—this time with real momentum. Could it actually happen? www.flightlines.co/p/30-privati...

We are tracking just over 2,000 general aviation aircraft in the sky right now.

NTSB is investigating a mid-air collision between Cessna 172S and Lancair 360 MK II near Marana, Arizona.

Damage to the side of the Delta CRJ-900 at Toronto Pearson Airport No lives lost, but a harrowing scene. The plane flipped after a hard landing in snowy, windy conditions. Thanks to quick action, all 80 passengers and crew survived.

Air Canada has live exterior cameras on their A321s. Learn something new every day…

The tragedy of AA5342 makes stark the risks of operating in complex, busy airspace. In this week’s Flightlines, I explore how we might analyze approach corridors to identify potential safety improvements. Full breakdown with visuals:

South Korean investigators have released their preliminary report on the crash of #7C2216. 🔵 Both engines showed evidence of bird strike 🔵 FDR and CVR stopped recording at 08:58:50 local time. Last 4:07 not recorded Read the full report: www.flightradar24.com/blog/jeju-ai...

Gibraltar Airport’s runway crosses the city’s main road. Built during WWII, this setup works like a railway crossing, with traffic stopped for planes to land and take off. It’s a rare but efficient design that connects Gibraltar to the UK.

SAS is the latest airline to introduce Starlink’s high-speed free inflight wi-fi. Coming to flights beginning in late 2025. #paxex

When emergencies arise, just 0.005% of flights, pilots and controllers rely on precise protocols and teamwork to keep passengers safe. Learn how they manage the unexpected in this weeks issue of Flightlines:

Qatar Airways’ caviar service might sound like a risky move, but Oliver Ranson breaks down how it’s been carefully designed to drive demand across their network. A bold idea turned into a winning strategy.

What’s an airport that left an impression on you recently?

Critical data for understanding what happened with Jeju Air flight #7C2216

Today we present the Flightlines Global 100, our first complete ranking of the world’s greatest cities. This list highlights both well known cities and emerging ones, focusing on their connectivity, culture, and economics. Dive into the full rankings and share your thoughts on this release.

Reuters reports an Azerbaijan Airlines jet that crashed yesterday (38 dead, 29 survived) was likely downed by Russian air defenses while navigating through an area of active GPS jamming. Civil aviation and military operations are increasingly overlapping - with potentially tragic consequences.

McMurdo Station, the main base for the United States Antarctic Program, relies on an alternate landing site for operations when weather makes the primary runway too dangerous. Several times each summer, storms or thick fog force flights to divert to the Williams Field Skiway.

Asia continues to dominate the skies. The busiest international route in 2024 is Hong Kong to Taipei with 6.8 million seats. A 48% surge from last year!

Korean Air continues to expand its fleet with six more A321neo aircraft. The A321neo is a smart choice as Korean Air strengthens its regional network and works to meet it sustainability goals. https://buff.ly/3OZDWEz

Chinese airlines have surpassed 700 million passenger trips this year. The highest ever in the history of China's civil aviation, per the CAAC.

The NTSB has launched an investigation into Tuesday's crash of a Cessna 208 in Honolulu, Hawaii. A team of three investigators is on-site to assess the situation.

Korean Air trims its Seoul–San Francisco route for summer 2025, scaling back to 7 weekly flights (down from 10). The 777-300ER will still serve the route.

Big strides for electric aviation: H55, Elfly Group, and BRM Aero partner to introduce the fully electric B23 Energic to the Nordic market. https://buff.ly/4gGDXck

Joby Aviation hits a major milestone: completing its first FAA tests on the tail structure of its electric air taxi. This is a big step toward certification and bringing urban air mobility to market. https://buff.ly/49L9nfG

Delta expands its A350-900 network with new long-haul routes. Seattle to Seoul, Taiwan, and Tokyo launch next spring, while Atlanta to São Paulo sees a capacity boost next summer.

Istanbul connects over 48M international passengers every year. Ranked #12 in our Top 25 Cities, its new airport is a marvel of scale and design, symbolizing Turkey’s growing role in global aviation. What’s your experience flying through #Istanbul?