AvNews! Aviation News, History Tales, (& deals!)!
Here, we present news articles (and deals) from around the world in the realm of aviation, travel, and the industry at large!
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These are some of the biggest stories/headlines in travel and aviation right now. Free to view!
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(All articles are parsed by date originally published.)
All sources are listed.
(News articles are deleted after 1 month for continued relevancy)
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10/06/26
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Spirits Real Collapse?
Many actually blamed miles cards for Spirit's collapse. The real number: costs per seat mile jumped 41% while Spirit sat on $1.45 billion in loyalty financing. Which figure actually killed the airline?
Source: AeroNews
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Voyager 1 Passes Out of Our Solar System
After 45 years of travel, Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012 and became the first human-made spacecraft to enter interstellar space. It encountered extremely hot plasma within the heliopause, but the “90,000-degree fire” description per NASA is a dramatic visualization rather than literal flames.
Source: NASA
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10/04/26
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American Airlines to Block Buying Spirits’ Data
AA’s pilots union is urging their organization, American Airlines, to implore federal court to block Google’s buying of Spirit Airlines’ pilot data.
Source: Simple Flying
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10/03/26
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FAA Issued New Sup. Cert.
The FAA has issued a supplemental type certificate to AeroMech for installation of SpaceX’s Starlink low-Earth-orbit satcom system in Textron Aviation Hawker 700, 800, and 900-series twinjets.
Source: Avia News International
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10/02/26
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United’s New Tiers!
United Airlines is expanding its rollout of a new tiered pricing structure, introducing “base” fares for first- and business-class cabins. As explained:
“Base” fares will join “standard” and “flexible” options for United’s first and business class cabins starting this fall. Customers purchasing the lowest price “base” fares will receive fewer perks; one free checked bag versus two, no change or refund flexibility, and seat selection only with an additional fee. Standard fares include traditional perks but are non-refundable.
Travelers selecting base “will continue to enjoy the same premium cabin seat and inflight experience associated with United First and United Business,” the carrier explained. United first announced its new tiered fare structure in April, initially for Polaris and Premium Plus cabins on long-haul international, transcontinental, and select Hawaii flights.
Source: United news/PR
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10/01/26
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Ukraine’s New Invention (one of several)
Ukraine has introduced and tested a new active protection system (KAZ) designed to counter FPV drones, with early results showing it can intercept up to 80 percent of incoming aerial threats. Commander Oleksandr Syrsky highlighted the importance of this development, noting that FPV drones have become one of the most challenging elements on the battlefield due to their precision and adaptability. The KAZ system uses advanced detection and interception technologies to neutralize drones before they reach their intended targets, significantly improving survivability for frontline units. While the system is still undergoing refinement, its demonstrated effectiveness marks a major step forward in Ukraine’s defense innovation. By integrating such protective measures, Ukraine aims to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience against evolving drone tactics. This achievement underscores the role of technology in modern warfare, where rapid adaptation and innovation are critical to maintaining operational advantage.
Source: Pravda
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10/01/26
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Historical Crash
Inadequate preflight planning, poor preflight inspection, and an attempt to take off above a Cessna Citation V’s MTOW (Maximum Take-Off Weight) with snow-contaminated wings led to a runway overrun on Dec. 27, 2024 at Stevens Field Airport in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Source: Aviation Circle
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9/30/26
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UKRAINE MOURNS SERHIY “BORTSUKHA”—A DEFENDER WHO RODE TOWARD THE BATTLE FOR KYIV
Ukraine has lost Serhiy “Bortsukha,” one of the experienced warriors who stood between the Russian invasion force and Kyiv during the most dangerous opening days of the full-scale war.
In March 2022, Bortsukha was photographed riding a bicycle toward Irpin carrying an RPG-7 and three rockets. Russian armored columns were advancing through Hostomel, Bucha and Irpin toward the capital. While thousands fled in the opposite direction, he rode toward them.
At a time when Ukraine urgently needed experienced leaders to guide newly mobilized defenders, Bortsukha did not hesitate. He led through action, becoming an inspiration to his fellow soldiers and a role model for those entering a war they had never expected to fight.
Bortsukha served with the Tengri sniper group of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence and later commanded a marine unit. His path carried him from the defense of Kyiv through some of the fiercest battles of the war.
His death in a Russian airstrike was announced earlier this month. Behind him remains a record of service that cannot be measured only by the enemies his unit stopped, but by the Ukrainian lives and cities those actions helped protect.
The warrior from that unforgettable photograph is gone, but what the image represents will remain: one man, one bicycle and one weapon moving toward a Russian army that believed Kyiv would fall within days.
May Serhiy “Bortsukha” rest in peace.
Eternal memory. Glory to the Hero.
Source: Kiev Independent
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9/29/26
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Miles Cards? Spirit’s Real Collapse?
Many actually blamed miles cards for Spirit's collapse. The real number: costs per seat mile jumped 41% while Spirit sat on $1.45 billion in loyalty financing. Which figure actually killed the airline?
See our article on Spirit’s collapse!
Source: Aviation Circle
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9/28/26
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History: Outnumbered in Adiivka
During the height of the battle for Avdiivka, the Ukrainian 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade faced a tactical nightmare. A single frontline trench section, held by a handful of Ukrainian infantrymen, found itself in the crosshairs of a massive Russian mechanized assault. Outnumbered roughly ten-to-one in manpower and facing waves of armored transports, the defenders executed a masterclass in combined arms tactics.
By synchronizing frontline infantry holding actions, armor firepower, precision FPV drone strikes, and rapid combat extraction, the 47th Brigade turned a critical defensive sector into an impenetrable kill zone.
Anchoring the Trench Line and Fixing the Enemy
The initial phase of the assault tested the limits of infantry endurance. As Russian armored personnel carriers advanced toward the trench network, unloading dismounts directly at the tree line, a small squad of Ukrainian defenders dug into subterranean bunkers to survive dense artillery preparation.
Rather than attempting to match the enemy's raw rifle fire, the infantry's primary mission was to fix the Russian assault wave in place. Holding their fire until the enemy dismounted, they entered narrow, zeroed-in approach channels; the defenders forced the incoming infantry to take cover in open mud fields and shell craters, preventing them from overwhelming the main trench line.
Channeling Armor into FPV Kill Zones
With the Russian infantry fixed outside the trench perimeter, aerial observers from the 47th Brigade's strike drone units took control of the battle. Flying scout quadcopters above the fog of war, drone teams identified incoming Russian armor, including BTRs and BMPs, moving up support roads.
Instead of letting Russian armor deploy dismounts directly onto the trench walls, Ukrainian pilot teams routed first-person view (FPV) loitering munitions into key choke points. FPV drones targeted the engine compartments, tracks, and open hatches of advancing armored vehicles, immobilizing the lead transports. This blocked the narrow advance route and created an immediate traffic jam of vulnerable targets.
Deploying Armor: The Bradley-Leopard Precision Hammer
With the enemy's mechanized advance paralyzed, the 47th Brigade deployed its heavy armor counterattack team: the American-made M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the German-made Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank.
Moving swiftly along pre-planned firing lines, the Leopard 2 engaged armored targets from standoff range with high-explosive 120mm rounds. Simultaneously, the M2 Bradley charged close to the frontline tree line. Utilizing its 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun loaded with high-explosive ammunition, the Bradley laid down a continuous stream of suppression fire directly into the tree-line. The rapid-fire autocannon obliterated Russian cover, neutralizing dismounted assault groups attempting to storm the trench.
High-Risk Combat Extraction and Trench Evacuation
When low ammunition and heavy incoming fire rendered the forward trench position untenable, the 47th Brigade initiated a high-risk evacuation under active fire. Retaining a position is useless if experienced infantry are lost in the process.
Under cover of dense smoke screens and continuous autocannon fire from a supporting Bradley, the driver backed the armored vehicle directly over the trench lip. The Bradley's rear ramp lowered directly into the trench line, allowing the surviving infantrymen to climb straight out of their positions into the armored troop compartment without exposing themselves to small arms fire. Once loaded, the vehicle sped away under the protective umbrella of drone electronic warfare jammers.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade’s defense near Avdiivka proved that raw numerical superiority can be overcome through tactical synchronization. By combining resilient trench defense, real-time drone strikes, heavy armor firepower, and rapid extraction, a small force successfully shattered a massed assault against overwhelming odds.
Source: Kiev Post
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9/27/26
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F-35 Parts in Jeopardy
Potentially sensitive F-35 fighter jet parts shipped from Australia to the U.S. were diverted to Hong Kong in May and have not been returned, Bloomberg reported.
The shipment reportedly included a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material linked to the aircraft’s stealth capabilities.
The Pentagon said it is working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve the components, investigate the incident and prevent it from happening again.
China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “not aware of the situation,” while Australia confirmed it is assisting the investigation
At least 2 congressional committees are investigating how the parts reached Hong Kong, as concerns grow over the protection of sensitive F-35 technology.
From our friends at FossBytes
Source: FossBytes
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9/26/26
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Sunflower Is Gone
Many relied on Spirit's Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program for their travel needs. Spirit shut down in May of 2026. No identical program has replaced it on any budget/Low-Cost Carrier. Only select airports carry this service now.
Source: Aviation Global Daily
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9/25/26
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BREEZE JUST SAID GOODBYE TO THE AIRCRAFT THAT HELPED LAUNCH THE AIRLINE.
Breeze Airways has retired its final Embraer E190, completing its transition to an all-Airbus A220-300 fleet.
The last scheduled E190 flight took place on September 7, with N120BZ flying from Orlando (MCO) to New Orleans (MSY) — closing an important chapter in Breeze’s short but rapidly evolving history.
When Breeze launched in 2021, the E190 and E195 helped the airline test new point-to-point markets across the U.S. Now, the strategy has shifted entirely toward the A220-300.
Why the A220? Greater range, improved fuel efficiency, lower operating costs and a more standardized passenger experience — while operating one main aircraft type can also simplify training, maintenance and fleet planning.
The E190 helped Breeze get started.
The A220 is taking it into the next chapter.
Source: Aviation Circle
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9/24/26
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United Fleet Modernization!
United Airlines plans to retire around 80 older aircraft in 2027 as part of a broader fleet modernization strategy centered on newer, more efficient Airbus and Boeing jets. The retirement program will span both mainline and regional operations and is intended to improve operational efficiency, lower costs, and increase the average seat count across the carrier’s North American fleet. The move reflects United’s long-term focus on fleet simplification and premium revenue growth.
While the airline has not specified every aircraft type to be withdrawn, older Boeing 737-800s, Airbus A319s, A320s, Boeing 757s, and certain aging widebody aircraft are expected to be among the primary candidates. United has also been working toward replacing older Boeing 767s and gradually reducing reliance on some aging Boeing 777-200 aircraft as newer-generation models enter service. These changes aim to improve reliability and reduce maintenance requirements.
The fleet renewal effort is being supported by ongoing deliveries of Airbus A321neo and A321XLR aircraft. United expects these aircraft to play a central role in replacing older narrowbody jets while providing enhanced cabin products and better fuel efficiency. The airline has committed to a significant number of A321-family aircraft, with deliveries continuing throughout the decade as part of its growth and modernization plans.
United’s new Airbus narrowbodies are being configured with a strong premium focus, including Polaris and Premium Plus seating on selected variants. The aircraft will operate both domestic and international routes, including transatlantic services and thinner long-haul markets previously served by older aircraft. By combining fleet renewal with a more premium cabin strategy, United aims to improve profitability, operational performance, and customer experience across its network.
Source: DJ’s Aviation
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9/23/26
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Airships return?
Hybrid Air Vehicles by company Airlander is making another attempt to offer the U.S. military an airship equipped for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles.
Source: Defense News
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9/22/26
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More Routes Cut Due to Fuel Crisis
Southwest, United and American are cutting low-profit routes as jet fuel tops $4.56 a gallon. Fares are already up 25% year-over-year.
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9/21/26
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Fuel Costs Hit Hard
United Airlines cancels 30% of flights in December due to fuel costs while other airlines follow similar suit.
Source: CNBC
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9/20/26
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American Airlines Arrest
A flight attendant's mid-air alert on American Airlines Flight 1779 triggered a law enforcement response before the plane even touched down in Miami. The FBI is now involved.
"FA1 REPORTS THAT PAX IN SEAT 9DEF HAS TAKEN OFF ALL HER CLOTHES AND WAS SEEN BY OTHER PAX ... IN AN INDECENT MANNER. FOM SAYS THIS MUST BE REPORTED TO IOC/OSM AND HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT." - Flight Attendant ACARS message, per AirLive
Flight 1779, an Airbus A319, departed Baltimore/Washington International around 9 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 11.
The aircraft landed at Miami International Airport around 11:23 p.m. local time the same night.
Miami-Dade Sheriff's deputies met the plane at Gate D2 in Terminal N shortly after 11 p.m.
Source: Miami Herald
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9/19/26
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United Bringing Nuuk Back!
After suspending some of its routes due to safety concerns, United Airlines has announced it is keeping one of its more unusual routes on its schedule, despite questions about how many paying passengers are taking the flights.
The carrier's seasonal service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Nuuk, Greenland's capital, will be returning in 2027, and the route, though not very popular with U.S. travelers, has become one that United Airlines employees can't get enough of.
Source: United News
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9/18/26
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FLIGHT ATTENDANT BREAKS ARE NOW AT THE CENTER OF A FEDERAL FIGHT
After court battles found that California meal-and-rest-break protections could apply to flight attendants, the FAA has proposed a nationwide rule that would preempt state and local requirements covering crew duty, rest, meal and break periods.
The FAA says the issue is passenger safety and operational consistency. Flight attendants are safety professionals who must remain available during their duty periods, and the agency argues that different state rules could create conflicting requirements across the national aviation system.
But critics see it very differently.
The Teamsters have challenged the proposal, arguing that courts have already addressed the issue and that the FAA is trying to override protections through regulation. A coalition of 18 state attorneys general has also opposed the plan, warning that it could strip away state-level worker protections. Republican attorneys general, meanwhile, have backed the FAA’s position.
One important detail: this is still a proposed rule, not a final nationwide ban on state break laws. The FAA published the proposal on July 6, 2026, and the public-comment period closed September 4.
So where should the line be drawn?
Should flight attendants have legally guaranteed meal and rest breaks — or does the FAA have a point that aviation safety requires one federal standard?
What do you think?
Source: Aviation Circle
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9/17/26
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Priority Pass gets Major Airport Expansion
Priority Pass is preparing for a major expansion that could make the airport lounge program useful for a lot more than getting into a lounge before your flight.
Collinson Group, the parent company, is embarking on a £500 million ($675 million), five-year investment program that will funnel money into Priority Pass, expand the company’s airport lounge footprint, and accelerate new technology, including AI-powered features.
For travelers, that will eventually mean more places to use Priority Pass, personalized recommendations inside its app, easier ways to manage multiple memberships, and a dramatic expansion of its airport fast-track offering.
The investment comes as Priority Pass has already surpassed 1,900 airport lounges and travel experiences worldwide, with its network growing 6.7% over the past year.
Source: Fast Company
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9/16/26
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Just a Note on Consultations
All vacations handled by consultations via Brooke In The Air Travel LLC include complete research, flights, airfare for you & your family, and luxury hotel stays for the duration of the trip, all handled through personal consultations. Itineraries booked by you, organized, created and guided by us!
Prices are variable and will be discussed prior to your trip booking (at second consultation), Brooke In The Air retains 25%-30% of trip cost, less than most common agents! We are not agents, we are a travel concierge service.
HOW IT WORKS (a 3 step process):
Your booking package includes 3 (three) sessions
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Subsequent itinerary planning sessions are 1-hour in duration and consist of finalizations.
b.) Your personal consultation and guaranteed email follow-ups (1 follow-up 1-hour consultation to firm-up plans and you will buy your tickets.
c.) 1 final 1-hour consultation to finalize plans as agreed to. Phone or email contact is guaranteed throughout your trip.
Source: Us.
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9/15/26
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WHO CROSSED THE LINE AT ATLANTA?
American Airlines Flight 1428 was already lined up and cleared for takeoff when the crew decided they wanted additional spacing behind a departing Delta 757 because of possible wake turbulence.
That decision triggered a tense exchange with Atlanta ATC.
The controller canceled American’s takeoff clearance, instructed the aircraft to leave the runway and sent another departure ahead. The American captain pushed back, arguing that pilots must ultimately decide whether they are comfortable accepting a clearance.
Then came the exchange that turned an operational disagreement into a much bigger debate:
Pilot: “Let us fly the airplane. You guys can do your job.”
Controller: “I’ve been doing it for 26 years. I don’t need some pilot telling me how to do my job.”
American 1428 was later cleared for departure and continued to Philadelphia.
Pilots have the authority to reject a clearance they believe is unsafe, but controllers also rely on crews communicating unusual spacing requests early enough to keep traffic moving efficiently at one of the world’s busiest airports.
Who handled this poorly — the captain, the controller, or both?
Source: Aviation Circle
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9/14/26
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History: The Final 757
Boeing built the final 757 in October 2004, ending a production run that had produced 1,050 aircraft over more than two decades. At the time, Boeing believed increasingly capable 737s and the upcoming 787 could cover the market the 757 had served.
More than 20 years later, the aircraft still hasn’t disappeared.
Delta remains the world’s largest passenger operator, with 83 Boeing 757s still in its fleet in 2026, while United continues flying dozens of them on domestic and international routes. Cargo operators have also kept large numbers working long after production ended.
Part of the reason is the unusual combination Boeing created. The 757 paired a relatively narrow fuselage with powerful engines, strong runway performance and enough range to operate missions stretching from busy domestic routes to transatlantic services.
Modern aircraft such as the A321neo family are steadily taking over those jobs, and the 757’s numbers are finally shrinking.
But an aircraft Boeing stopped building in 2004 is still carrying paying passengers every day in 2026.
Twenty-two years after production ended, the 757 still isn’t quite ready to leave.
Source: Boeing Archives
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History: The Last 747!
September 30, 1968. A bright Monday morning in Everett, Washington. At 11:10, the hangar doors opened and a band played Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance.
What came out was the largest aircraft anyone had ever built. 231 feet long, two thirds the length of a football field. A wingspan of 196 feet. A tail six stories high. Two and a half times the size of the biggest jets then flying.
They named it City of Everett. Registration N7470. Inside Boeing it was RA001.
The building it rolled out of had been put up specifically to hold it. At 291 million cubic feet, the Everett factory was the largest structure in the world by volume, and it was built almost simultaneously with the aircraft inside it. The team assembled the first 747 in snowstorms while the building went up around them.
Joe Sutter led that team. 4,500 people, 29 months from paper to rollout. They called themselves the Incredibles.
The aircraft was not actually finished that morning.
"Fortunately," Sutter wrote later, "we came up with four presentable engines to hang on it so that it looked complete from the outside."
26 flight attendants stood in front of it, one from each of the 26 airlines that had already ordered one. They broke 26 bottles of champagne against it, and the crowd cheered.
54 years later, in December 2022, the doors of that same building opened again.
Aircraft number 1,574 came out wrapped in green protective skin, headed for Atlas Air. Thousands of people lined up to watch it go.
Before delivery, Boeing put a decal on the nose. A portrait of Joe Sutter, who died in 2016.
His grandson Jon works at Boeing now, in the same building at Boeing Field where his grandfather designed the 747.
"It's kind of a sad occasion," he said.
Source: Boeing Archives
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9/12/26
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9/11 Aviation History: Heather Penney
Heather Penney took off on September 11 knowing she might have to deliberately crash her F-16 into a hijacked passenger jet.
After the Pentagon was attacked, Penney and flight leader Marc Sasseville scrambled from Andrews Air Force Base to protect Washington.
There was no time to arm their F-16s with missiles. Believing another hijacked aircraft was approaching the capital, the pilots discussed how they could stop it.
Sasseville would aim for the cockpit. Penney would strike the tail.
The aircraft they were searching for was United Airlines Flight 93.
Unknown to them, its passengers and crew had already fought back against the hijackers, and the plane had crashed in Pennsylvania.
Source: NARA Archives, Washington DC
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9/11/26
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Bombardier under Trump threat
Bombardier already has a major U.S. presence. Do you think that should count?
JUST IN: Trump threatens to shut Bombardier out of the U.S. market unless the Canadian aircraft maker starts building its jets in America.
President Donald Trump said Bombardier should no longer be allowed to sell aircraft in the United States unless it manufactures them there, escalating the growing U.S.-Canada trade dispute.
The move could have major implications for Bombardier’s business jet operation, especially because the U.S. is one of its biggest markets. But there’s an interesting twist: Bombardier already has a major American footprint, with thousands of U.S. employees, facilities across several states, and a supply chain involving roughly 2,800 American companies.
So the big question is: could this actually force Bombardier to move more aircraft production into the United States?
This story is still developing.
Source: MSNBC
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More News and History as it happens!
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