Flight Safety Information - June 26, 2025 No. 127 In This Issue : Incident: United B772 and Fedex B772 over Atlantic on Jun 21st 2025, loss of separation, TCAS advisory : Incident: American A321 at Las Vegas on Jun 25th 2025, engine shut down in flight : Incident: THY A321 near Moscow on Jun 25th 2025, engine problem : Incident: Delta A321 near Norfolk on Jun 22nd 2025, suspected fuel leak : India says efforts are on to reconstruct events that caused Air India crash : Entire flight crew suspended after search for passenger’s stolen phone : FAA Launches Investigation After 5 Hospitalized on American Airlines Flight : FAA investigating ‘engine issue’ with American Airlines jet leaving Las Vegas : 3407 families vow to hold Transportation Secretary accountable if FAA nominee tinkers with pilot training requirements : Despite Opposition, Trump’s FAA Pick Narrowly Moves to Senate Vote : EU to ban airlines from charging extra for hand luggage: What does this mean for passengers? : China Airlines looking to invest $2 billion in fleet expansion, Airbus jets : Iowa Western partners with flight school to meet growing demand for pilots : Spirit Airlines urges US to reject JetBlue, United partnership : Calendar of Events Incident: United B772 and Fedex B772 over Atlantic on Jun 21st 2025, loss of separation, TCAS advisory A United Boeing 777-200, registration N78002 performing flight UA-879 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), was enroute at FL340 over the Atlantic Ocean about 160nm eastnortheast of Gander,NL (Canada) and had requested to climb to FL360, but was instructed to stand by. A Fedex Boeing 777-200 freighter, registration N879FD performing flight FX-10 from Memphis,TN (USA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was enroute at FL350 in opposite direction. Oceanic Control issued a clearance via CPDLC direct to TOPPS but inadvertently included a level change to FL360. The controller immediately recognized the error after transmitting the clearance and issued a voice instruction to maintain FL340 and disregard the CPDLC clearance, however, about two minutes UA-879 was observed climbing. ATC instructed the crew to descend to FL340 again reiterating that the CPDLC clearance had been cancelled. The crew of UA-879 reported a TCAS advisory and descended back to FL340 after reaching FL345. The Canadian TSB reported separation of 1000 feet vertical was re-established within seconds and both flights continued to their destinations. https://avherald.com/h?article=5298388d&opt=0 Incident: American A321 at Las Vegas on Jun 25th 2025, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N157UW performing flight AA-1665 from Las Vegas,NV to Charlotte,NC (USA) with 165 people on board, was climbing out of Las Vegas' runway 01R when the crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet, tower reported seeing flames from one of the engines (CFM56), the crew responding they needed to return. The aircraft landed safely back on Las Vegas' runway 01L about 8 minutes after departure. The crew reported the right hand engine was shut down and requested emergency services to check for any fire, tower reported they was no impending emergency, no fire seen. The aircraft is still on the ground in Las Vegas about 3.5 hours after landing. The FAA reported: "American Airlines Flight 1665 returned safely to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas around 8:20 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 25, after the crew reported an engine issue. The Airbus A321 was headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The FAA will investigate." The airline reported a mechanical issue. Ground observers reported seeing streaks of flames and smoke coming from the right hand engine as the aircraft climbed out. https://avherald.com/h?article=529830ee&opt=0 Incident: THY A321 near Moscow on Jun 25th 2025, engine problem A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration TC-JRF performing flight TK-3169 from Moscow Vnukovo (Russia) to Antalya (Turkey), was enroute at FL320 about 170nm west of Moscow when the crew reported problems with the #1 engine (left hand, V2533), requested to descend to FL200 and decided to return to Vnukovo Airport, subsequently reporting the engine did not deliver the required thrust so that they could not maintain cruise level. The aircraft landed safely back about one hour after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Moscow about 19 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52983283&opt=0 Incident: Delta A321 near Norfolk on Jun 22nd 2025, suspected fuel leak A Delta Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N355DN performing flight DL-1622 from New York JFK,NY to Orlando,FL (USA), was enroute at FL300 about 20nm north of Norfolk,VI (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Norfolk reporting they suspected a fuel leak. The aircraft landed safely on Norfolk's runway 23 about 20 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 10 hours, then resumed the journey and reached Orlando with a delay of about 10:15 hours. Norfolk Airport reported the aircraft diverted due to a suspected fuel leak. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to a maintenance issue. https://avherald.com/h?article=52982c87&opt=0 India says efforts are on to reconstruct events that caused Air India crash NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Efforts are underway to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the Air India plane crash this month that killed 260 people, and identify contributing factors, India's civil aviation ministry said on Thursday. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed moments after takeoff from India's Ahmedabad city on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and the rest on ground in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. The black boxes of the plane - the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) - were recovered in the days that followed, one from the rooftop of a building at the crash site on June 13, and the other from the debris on June 16. They were transported to national capital Delhi on Tuesday, where a team led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau began extracting their data, the ministry said in a statement. "The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and...the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded...the analysis of CVR and FDR data is underway," it said. The CPM is the core part of a black box that houses and protects data recorded during a crash. India said last week that it was yet to decide where the black boxes would be analysed. The data retrieved from them could provide critical clues into the aircraft's performance and any conversations between the pilots preceding the crash. The air disaster has also brought renewed attention to violations of norms by airlines in the country. India's aviation regulator said on Tuesday that multiple instances of aircraft defects reappearing were found at the Mumbai and Delhi airports - two of India's busiest. Reuters has reported that warnings were given by India's aviation regulator to Air India, which has come under increased scrutiny since the crash, including for permitting some aircraft to fly despite emergency equipment checks being overdue. The airline has also been warned for violations related to pilot duty scheduling and oversight. Air India has said it had implemented the authority's directions and was committed to ensuring adherence to safety protocols. It also said it was accelerating verification of maintenance records and would complete the process in the coming days. https://www.yahoo.com/news/efforts-reconstruct-events-caused-air-081315954.html Entire flight crew suspended after search for passenger’s stolen phone An Indonesian airline suspended the entire cabin crew from a flight after a passenger’s lost phone was allegedly traced back to the hotel airline staff were staying in. The incident occurred during a Garuda Indonesia flight GA716 from Jakarta to Melbourne on 6 June, when passenger Michael Tjendara claimed his phone had been stolen. Mr Tjendara said he had placed his device in the backseat pocket before moving seats after takeoff, only to return to his old seat to find his phone gone. The passenger explained the theft in Instagram posts that now appear to have been removed, with a series of screenshots of Find My iPhone, an Apple feature that allows people to track where their devices are. Mr Tjendara claimed the device had been tracked close to the Mercure Hotel, where Garuda crew members were believed to be staying after the flight landed, the MailOnline reported. The screenshots then showed the phone on the move to the Evan Walker Bridge, then near the Yarra River in Melbourne. Mr Tjendara later wrote on LinkedIn that “sometime during that flight, my iPhone vanished. It wasn’t lost. It was stolen”. “Later that day, Apple's ‘Find My’ feature showed the device pinging at a Southbank hotel, the same one where the airline crew had just checked in,” he wrote. “A short time later, the signal disappeared under a bridge along the Yarra River. Most likely, it was thrown into the water.” The passenger said he has cooperated with authorities in both Australia and Indonesia. “This was never about a phone,” he added. “It was about feeling safe when you fly. It was about knowing your family’s protected.” Garuda Indonesia’s commercial director, Ade R. Susardi, released a statement on 9 June in response to social media posts about the lost phone, saying the airline is investigating the incident. The airline said this includes identifying the chronology of the incident with the cabin crew on duty. While the airline only described the phone as “lost” rather than stolen at, all cabin crew who were on duty on the flight have been temporarily discharged from working while the investigation continues. Mr Susardi said that when the phone was reported as lost, all crew members had carried out standard operational and flight safety procedures, including reporting it to Jakarta airport authorities, who conducted a search. Garuda Indonesia representatives in Melbourne also assisted the passenger in reporting his lost phone to the local police. Mr Susardi said in an update on 12 June that the Indonesian National Police is now supporting the investigation, as well as keeping in contact with the passenger throughout the process. The airline said it “deeply regrets the incident and apologises for the inconvenience experienced by the passenger”. https://www.yahoo.com/news/entire-flight-crew-suspended-search-104732882.html FAA Launches Investigation After 5 Hospitalized on American Airlines Flight It was a tough flight. The American Airlines flight to Raleigh-Durham International Airport ended with five people in the hospital. The injured included three flight attendants who were on the flight from Miami, according to USA Today. The injuries occurred and the plane landed "after encountering unexpected turbulence while in flight," an airline spokesperson told USA Today, which reported that the seat belt sign was on, and the injured people were later released from the hospital after being taken there for "evaluation." The Federal Aviation Administration wrote that the that crew and passengers suffered possible injuries on a flight from Miami to North Carolina on June 22. "American Airlines Flight 1286 landed safely at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina around 10:50 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 22, after the crew reported possible injuries to cabin crew and passengers due to turbulence," the FAA wrote on its website. "The Airbus A321 departed Miami International Airport. The FAA will investigate. Contact local authorities or the airline for additional information," the website says. "We thank our crew members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," the airline told CBS News. According to CBS News, there was an emergency response to the scene when the airplane landed safely. Four other people were evaluated at the scene but did not want to go to the hospital, CBS News reported, adding that nobody on the plane suffered a life-threatening injury. The people who did not want to go to the hospital were looked at by emergency responders at the scene. Related: American Airlines Announces Big TSA Change for Select Travelers FAA Launches Investigation After 5 Hospitalized on American Airlines Flight first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025 https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-launches-investigation-5-hospitalized-235233294.html FAA investigating ‘engine issue’ with American Airlines jet leaving Las Vegas An American Airlines jet returned to Las Vegas after reporting an engine issue on Wednesday. American flight 1665, operating on an Airbus A321, was heading to Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 8:20 a.m. local time when it had to return to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary statement. No injuries were reported, Like Nimmo, a spokesperson for the airport, told CNN. The flight reported “smoke coming from the left engine,” Nimmo said. After landing, “the fire department inspected the engine, and the aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power.” American Airlines said there were 153 passengers on the flight and six crew members. Previously, the airport told CNN there were 165 passengers. “The aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power and customers deplaned normally,” the airline said in a statement. “We appreciate the professionalism of our crew and thank our team who are working to get our customers to their destinations as quickly as possible.” American said the maintenance team found no evidence of a fire in the engine and the aircraft is being taken out of service and evaluated. The FAA is investigating. https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/us/las-vegas-plane-engine-issue 3407 families vow to hold Transportation Secretary accountable if FAA nominee tinkers with pilot training requirements Those who lost loved ones in airline crash lobby to keep pilot training requirements they fought for in place. WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Flight 3407 families were back in Washington on Wednesday where they met with the United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. They are concerned about any possibility that pilot training standards, which they pushed for after the Clarence Center crash which killed their loved ones might be rolled back. That crash in February of 2009 killed 49 passengers and crew, one unborn child, and a man inside a house which the plane crashed into. One rule they fought for, and now worry about, requires at least 1,500 hours of training for airline pilots and was adopted after an investigation into the crash determined it was due to pilot error. Declaring that now is not the time to weaken safety, they expressed concern that the current nominee to become the new head of the Federal Aviation Administration, former Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford, has in the past questioned the need for that much training. During his recent senate confirmation hearing congressional democrats accused Bedford, of refusing to commit to keeping the so called 1,500 Hour Rule in place. "I can't commit to things that I don't know but I can commit to you that we will not have anything that would reduce safety. Full stop," was Bedford's reply when pressed repeatedly to pledge not to eliminate the rule. This was a sign to some, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) that the rule could be changed and requirements reduced. Bedford's nomination made it through committee on Wednesday and now will go to the full Senate for a vote. If Bedford becomes the head of the FAA, his boss would be Transportation Secretary Duffy, with whom the families met on Wednesday. "What we heard from Secretary Duffy was his utmost commitment to safety and safety first," said Karen Eckert, whose sister Beverly perished in the crash of Flight 3407. "We said to him that we had serious concerns about Mr. Bedford but he said he would hold Mr. Bedford accountable on safety and said he had no plans right now to change anything." However, amid Duffy's commitment to them to hold Bedford accountable, the families were quick to say they plan to hold Duffy accountable if he fails to do that. Among those meeting with the Secretary as well were Jennifer West, whose husband Ernie was among the victims, and their daughter Summer who was a toddler at the time and has no memory of her father with only pictures and stories about him to know him by. Summer West, now a young woman, brought with her a letter (below) which she read aloud to Secretary Duffy which stated among other things that a lack of her father in her life left her at times isolated and confused to the point where she has struggled with confidence. "My dad had a big personality," she wrote. "I think he would have helped me believe in myself more." According Jennifer West, Duffy seemed particularly moved by the letter and took Summer aside after the meeting to tell her, "You have no problems with confidence. Please don't think that you do, because you did amazing." https://www.wgrz.com/article/travel/3407-families-update-pilot-training-requirements/71-882835ef-6da4-45b2-96b8-7effa0fa6306 Despite Opposition, Trump’s FAA Pick Narrowly Moves to Senate Vote Bryan Bedford has faced growing pushback due to his positions on the 1,500-hour rule and other safety-related provisions. Bryan Bedford Republic Airways FAA administrator Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford is President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FAA. [Courtesy: Republic Airways] The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted Wednesday to advance Bryan Bedford’s nomination for FAA administrator, despite growing opposition over his stances on aviation safety-related issues. The confirmation of Bedford, the longtime CEO of Republic Airways, will now move to the full Senate after a narrow 15-13 vote. The vote was a partisan split, with united support from Republicans and unanimous opposition from Democrats. Bedford has spent more than three decades working in the aviation industry, with supporters pointing to his experience as a key qualification. He has led Republic Airways since 1999 and is a certificated private pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings. Bedford’s biography on Republic’s website previously misrepresented him as a commercial pilot for most of the past 15 years. That detail was removed, however, after a Politico investigation found that FAA records fail to back up the claim. Bedford this week admitted that he never obtained commercial certification. Still, a wide coalition of aviation stakeholders has lined up to support the Republic chief. Bedford has been backed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), Airports Council International, Regional Airline Association (RAA)—where he is a board member—and Airlines for America (A4A), which represents United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and other major U.S. carriers. In addition, five former FAA administrators and acting administrators—including Joe Biden appointee Mike Whitaker, his predecessor—have endorsed Bedford. “The flying public, and the entire aviation ecosystem, would be well served by his swift installation as FAA Administrator,” they wrote in a letter to the Senate committee. 1,500 Hours Despite broad support, Bedford also has his fair share of detractors. He faced particularly sharp criticism from Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the committee’s ranking member, and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who this week announced they would oppose his nomination. “We need an FAA administrator who will set the global gold standard for aviation safety,” Cantwell said in a statement. “At his hearing, Mr. Bedford repeatedly refused to commit to upholding the 1,500-hour rule.” Bedford’s reticence to reinforce the 1,500-hour rule—an FAA training requirement for first officers seeking the airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate—has been a big point of contention. Previously, the requirement for ATP certification was only 250 flight hours—the current requirement for a commercial pilot certificate. Following the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident in 2009, which the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) attributed to pilot error, families of the victims lobbied Congress to enact stricter standards. During a hearing earlier this month, Bedford told senators he would oppose any changes that jeopardize safety. But he would not commit to upholding the requirement. The FAA in 2022 denied a petition from Republic to exempt the airline from the rule. “We were deeply disappointed by what we heard from Mr. Bedford at his confirmation hearing,” Scott Maurer, who lost his daughter in the Flight 3407 crash, said in a statement last week. “The fact that Mr. Bedford could not simply commit to keeping this key standard in place sends the wrong message to every American passenger and every family that has ever boarded a domestic airline flight.” The 1,500-hour requirement has been scrutinized as an unnecessary provision that has exacerbated the pilot shortage. Bedford during a 2014 hearing called it “largely inflexible and arbitrary.” But the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) contends that aviation fatalities are down more than 99 percent since the rule took effect in 2012. ALPA—which represents nearly 80,000 pilots—estimates there were about 1,100 deaths in the passenger airline industry in the two decades prior to its implementation. “We have concerns about the nominee’s past efforts to lower pilot training and safety standards, and we look forward to hearing his assurances that he will maintain the current requirements,” Captain Jason Ambrosi, president of ALPA, said in a statement in March. Commitment to Safety Ambrosi further questioned Bedford’s commitment to requiring two pilots on the flight deck for commercial operations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is developing a pathway for extended single-pilot operations, which the ALPA president warned “would undermine aviation safety and put the U.S. at an enormous competitive disadvantage.” Bedford in written responses to senators said he supports the two-pilot “global standard” but has “not made any policy conclusions on this issue.” “Any change to flight deck staffing must be carefully scrutinized,” he wrote. “Ensuring redundancy and pilot readiness are fundamental to safe operations, and I would approach any proposal in this area with caution.” ALPA and other groups have pushed back on efforts to raise the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67—a proposal that nearly made it into last year’s FAA Reauthorization Act. Bedford, though, appears to support it. “Those [who] wish to serve having an arbitrary mandatory retirement age doesn’t seem like the right answer to me,” he said during his hearing. Bedford was noncommittal about other safety provisions, including quarterly in-person visits with manufacturers like Boeing, broader use of ADS-B In transponders, and a review of the arrival rate at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA)—the site of January’s fatal collision between an Army helicopter and passenger jet. Cantwell criticized the airline executive’s lack of knowledge regarding a proposal to auction off radio frequencies adjacent to those used by aircraft radar altimeters, which the FAA and industry have warned could create disruptions. The senator said Bedford personally told her the move “would endanger aviation safety and pose serious risk to the flying public.” But he refused to oppose it at his hearing. Big Shoes to Fill If confirmed, Bedford would take the reins of an FAA in flux. The agency is contending with scrutiny over the January collision, major workforce reductions, and staffing and equipment issues that have hampered oversight of manufacturers and the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system. Bedford has said he will make the latter his top priority. He indicated that he will review Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s sweeping ATC modernization plan—which calls for a range of technology upgrades over the next three years —and “identify where additional leadership or coordination” could be provided. “The root cause of FAA’s inability to complete its mission to modernize air traffic systems and effectively manage safety is the lack of strategic vision and competent leadership,” Bedford said earlier this month. The Republic CEO has praised recent initiatives to boost controller hiring and retention amid a nationwide shortage of more than 3,000 personnel. But President Donald Trump’s directives have triggered the departure of more than 1,000 FAA employees, including aeronautical information specialists and others who support ATC systems and staff. The directives exempt “safety-critical” employees, and the FAA maintains the departures have “no impact” on safety. Experts question the White House’s definition of “safety-critical.” At any rate, though, the exodus reduces the agency’s workforce at a time when its oversight is being called into question. Asked if he would oppose a further reduction if he knew it would hamper key functions, Bedford declined to rule it out. “My role would be to provide fact-based assessments of operational impacts,” he wrote. “If confirmed, I would advocate for the resources needed to meet FAA’s safety and certification responsibilities.” The FAA Reauthorization Act tackles staffing in part by increasing diversity, such as via the Women in Aviation Advisory Committee. But Bedford appears hesitant to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which he refused to rule out as a cause of January’s tragedy. Trump made that claim following the accident and was swiftly rebuked. “I don’t have any earthly idea,” Bedford responded to a question about DEI’s role in the incident. The Republic chief said he would “carefully review the Committee’s recommendations” relating to hiring more women, who comprise less than 10 percent of licensed pilots and 3 percent of aviation maintenance technicians. “Promoting greater access…is of immense importance to me personally,” he wrote. “However, I would never allow someone who is not competent to operate an aircraft or provide access to the flight deck just because they checked a particular box.” https://www.flyingmag.com/despite-opposition-trumps-faa-pick-narrowly-moves-to-senate-vote/ EU to ban airlines from charging extra for hand luggage: What does this mean for passengers? Airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers any additional fees for carrying these items. Airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers any additional fees for carrying hand luggage on board. European Union lawmakers have voted to adopt a proposal that will allow air passengers to bring a personal item into the cabin and a piece of hand luggage of up to seven kilogrammes free of charge. “Today's vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel,” Matteo Ricci, vice-president of the EU Committee on Transport and Tourism and the bill's lead sponsor, said in a press release. He added that clearly defined rules for free hand luggage were “a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs”, ensuring a “fairer and more efficient system”. The measure comes in addition to wider reforms proposed by the European Commission in 2023 on passenger rights. It would require airlines to disclose total flight costs earlier in the booking process and affect compensation rights. Here’s how the ruling will affect air passengers and when the changes could come into effect. Air passengers should have right to free carry on luggage Under the new rules, travellers taking a flight in the EU will have the right to carry a personal bag, such as a handbag or rucksack, and a small hand luggage item on board at no extra cost. Personal bags can have maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 centimetres, and hand luggage items will be allowed maximum dimensions of 100cm and a weight of 7kg. Airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers any additional fees for carrying these items. It follows a ruling from more than a decade ago by the European Court of Justice that decreed that the carriage of hand luggage cannot be subject to a surcharge, provided that it meets reasonable requirements in terms of weight and dimensions and complies with the applicable safety requirements. Recently, a group of consumer organisations asked national consumer watchdogs and the European Commission to conduct an inquiry into what they allege are unfair hand luggage charges imposed by budget airlines. The low-cost carriers levy extra charges for luggage they claim is “oversized” but which should come under the size and weight measurements considered “reasonable” by the EU, the consumer groups say. Will new hand luggage rules make air fares more expensive? While the vote seems a win for air passengers, a spokesperson for industry association Airlines for Europe (A4E) warned that it could mean paying higher air fares overall, especially those who want to travel light. “Today’s vote on enforcing passenger rights and multimodal passenger rights has seen the Transport Committee (TRAN) finally take action against online freeriding by spelling out the duties and liabilities of every business that sells travel,” the spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, this is overshadowed by the Committee using this vote to add air travel specific amendments by the backdoor that remove choice from passengers and their ability to decide what services they want to pay for and, most importantly, what service they don’t.” More support for vulnerable travellers The vote for hand luggage regulations has been added to the European Commission’s 2023 proposal to bolster passenger rights. As part of the proposal, MEPs want to ensure children under 12 years old are seated next to their accompanying passenger free of charge. They also want more protections for passengers with reduced mobility by making sure an accompanying person can travel with them free of charge, and adding a compensation right in case of loss or damage to mobility equipment or injury to an assistance animal. Lawmakers push for clarity around compensation The 2023 draft rules also clarify the role of intermediaries (ticket vendors or retailers) in reimbursing air passengers for cancellations, long delays or denied boarding. MEPs want these companies to inform passengers at the time of booking about the full cost of an air ticket, intermediation or service fees, and the reimbursement process, which should not take longer than 14 days. Should an intermediary fail to respect this deadline, it would be up to the air carrier to process the reimbursement within seven days. Lawmakers also supported the proposal to introduce a common EU-wide form for compensation and reimbursement requests. They want to add a provision tasking air carriers with sending passengers the pre-filled form, or activate alternative automatic communication channels, within 48 hours following a disruption. To get the green light, the various proposals will now go to a vote by the full parliament. This might see modifications made to the rulings as they will need to be negotiated and approved by member states before they can come into force. https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/06/25/eu-to-ban-airlines-from-charging-extra-for-hand-luggage-what-does-this-mean-for-passengers China Airlines looking to invest $2 billion in fleet expansion, Airbus jets Taiwanese carrier China Airlines intends to expand its fleet with up to 13 additional aircraft, five Airbus A350-900 and eight A321neo aircraft. These plans were revealed in a filing to the Taipei Stock Exchange published on June 25, 2025. The airline’s board of directors approved the transaction, valued at close to US$2 billion. Although it appears no specific deal has yet been finalized, at least five of the A321neos would be supplied by Aircraft Lease Corporation (ALC). If finally confirmed, this deal will be additional to the orders China Airlines placed in December 2024 with, both, Airbus and Boeing, for 10 A350-1000s and 10 B777-9 passenger aircraft respectively. In parallel to this, China Airlines also ordered four B777-8F freighters from the US manufacturer. The Boeing order was subsequently firmed in May 2025. China Airlines also intends to keep some of its aircraft for longer than originally planned in order to compensate for the late delivery of some of the Boeing 787 aircraft it had already ordered at the 2023 Paris Air Show. That order consisted of 18 B787-9 and 6 B787-10 aircraft. China Airlines latest aircraft acquisition announcements have taken place amidst a drive by the major Taiwanese carriers to update and expand their fleets. In March 2025, China Airlines’ main domestic competitor, EVA Air, placed a firm order for six long-range A350-1000s and three single-aisle A321neo aircraft. Another Taiwanese carrier, Starlux Airlines, is also expanding its long-haul network out of Taipei (TPE) and placed an order for 10 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft during the 2025 Paris Air Show. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/china-airlines-looking-to-invest-2-billion-in-fleet-expansion-airbus-jets Iowa Western partners with flight school to meet growing demand for pilots Iowa Western Community College is partnering with The Nebraska Flight Center on a pilot training program. It's a two-academic-year program that doesn't require students to be enrolled in a degree program. With Baby Boomers retiring and the demand for air transportation growing — pilots are needed. "There has always, always been a growing need for good pilots," said David Silchman, founder of The Nebraska Flight Center. "But there's a huge demand, currently, from returning adult students who don't need degrees," said Chris Johnson, the program project manager. Flight instructor Ryan Brace says there's a wide range of opportunities, including agriculture, firefighting, and search and rescue: "If you can think of an industry, there's probably an aviation category that goes with it." There's an open house at The Nebraska Flight Center on Wednesday at 5:30 P.M., 3636 Wilbur Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. Tens of thousands of aviation jobs will be available in the next few years. It's why Iowa Western Community College and the Nebraska Flight Center are partnering on a program to help meet that need. I'm your neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel, at Eppley Airfield. "I went on my first flight when I was 8 years old with my uncle and I fell in love with it," said Chris Johnson. He is the program manager for the Nebraska Flight Center's partnership with Iowa Western. "It provides a structured program that is actually non-degreed," he said. Between retiring Baby Boomers and a growing demand for air transportation, Johnson told me that more pilots are needed. "But there's a huge demand, currently, from returning adult students who don't need degrees," Johnson said. "There has always, always been a growing need for good pilots." That's David Silchman. He founded The Nebraska Flight Center more than 20 years ago after moving to Nebraska and seeing a need. "One of my goals has always been to partner with an educational institution," he said. It's a two-academic-year program for aspiring aviators at all levels, including dual-enrolled high school students. Ryan Brace: "I'm really excited to get the opportunity to train those students and teach them." Gretna native Ryan Brace studied aviation at UNO and is now an instructor. "The biggest part for me is community in aviation," he said. "If I walk up to a guy sitting by his airplane, he'll tell me about it probably for hours on end." Brace says there's a wide range of opportunities, including agriculture, firefighting, and search and rescue. "If you can think of an industry, there's probably an aviation category that goes with it," said Brace. Classes start in August. For anyone interested in learning more, The Nebraska Flight Center has an open house on Wednesday at 5:30. https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/iowa-western-partners-with-flight-school-to-meet-growing-demand-for-pilots#:~:text=Iowa Western Community College is,transportation growing %E2%80%94 pilots are needed Spirit Airlines urges US to reject JetBlue, United partnership WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Spirit Airlines on Tuesday urged the Transportation Department to reject a proposed JetBlue Airways and United Airlines partnership, saying it was anticompetitive and will prompt large carriers to pursue similar deals. United and JetBlue said in May their "Blue Sky" tie-up would allow travelers to book flights on both carriers' websites, while interchangeably earning and using points in their frequent flyer programs. Budget carrier Spirit said the deal would mean the smaller JetBlue "will become a de facto vassal of United." "This anti-competitive tie-up involving a dominant legacy carrier will neutralize the competitive benefit of an existing low-fare competitor," Spirit said. JetBlue said the filing "misrepresents Blue Sky and twists the facts about how JetBlue and United plan to deliver for customers." JetBlue said the deal "does not include schedule coordination or revenue sharing. JetBlue and United will remain competitors as they each will continue to publish, price, and market flights independently under their own brand and flight numbers." United declined to comment. In March 2024, JetBlue and Spirit scrapped a $3.8 billion merger agreement after a U.S. judge blocked the deal on anti-competition concerns. Spirit also said that if the partnership is approved, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines "will almost certainly seek similar arrangements and smaller carriers may feel compelled to go along, creating an even more highly concentrated industry." American and Delta did not immediately comment. Under the deal, JetBlue will provide United access to slots at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for up to seven daily round-trip flights, beginning in 2027. JetBlue, the sixth largest U.S. carrier, and United will also exchange eight flight timings at Newark, New Jersey, and United will move some holiday and travel services to JetBlue’s Paisley platform. JetBlue has been seeking partnerships after a federal judge blocked its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines in 2023. JetBlue has been struggling to return to sustained profitability after the COVID-19 pandemic. It has managed to post a profit in just two of the past nine quarters. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spirit-airlines-urges-us-reject-163417947.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA) Conference, June 25 & 26 2025 Riyadh Air Headquarters . Airborne Public Safety Association -APSCON / APSCON Unmanned 2025 in Phoenix, AZ | July 14-18, 2025 . 3rd annual Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS), July 15-17, 2025, Singapore, organized by Flight Safety Foundation and CAAS. . Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 2025; 10-11 September 2025; Manila, Philippines . 2025 PROS IOSA SUMMIT - SEPT 10-11 - Denver, CO · ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada Curt Lewis