Company News

WestJet has introduced a bottom-tiered economy fare it calls UltraBasic that, among other things, denies participants a carry-on bag. The new fare class, which has unleashed a storm of online backlash, is an attempt to kill two birds with one stone. “UltraBasic has been designed to both expedite the boarding process and provide our most […]

Piper Aircraft announced its new flagship aircraft, the M700 Fury, has received Flight into Known Icing (FIKI) certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. The M700 Fury, which was certified in March of this year, boasts impressive capabilities—including a max cruise speed of 301 knots, a max range of 1852 NM and a standard useful load […]

On Friday, Boeing announced a 500% increase in employee safety-related submissions for products and services in the first two months of 2024 compared to the previous year. The surge was highlighted in Boeing’s annual safety report, released May 24.  According to the manufacturer, the increase in submissions followed the Jan. 5 midair door blowout incident […]

Spirit AeroSystems is expected to lay off some 400-450 workers at its Wichita, Kansas, facility following a decrease in production rates at Boeing, the company’s largest customer.   The news was initially reported by Wichita-based KSN, which obtained an internal memo stating, “The recent slowdown in the delivery rate on commercial programs compels a reduction […]

Following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, ICON Aircraft, known for its Icon A5 amphibious light sport aircraft, announced it has accepted an initial bid for the sale of its assets. ICON announced the news in a May 3 press release revealing SG Investment America Inc. is the  “stalking horse bidder,” tasked with setting the initial […]

Electric air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation announced completion of its pre-production flight test program and is now shifting its focus to obtaining air certification using its prototype aircraft. In a press release issued Thursday, Joby noted its two pre-production aircraft collectively conducted more than 1500 flights, covering a distance of more than 33,000 miles, with […]

On Friday, Sporty’s announced the retirement of its CEO, Michael Wolf, effective Jan. 31, 2025. According to Sporty’s, Wolf has been an integral member of the team for more than 50 years, holding the position of chief executive officer since 2008. Sporty’s president, John Zimmerman, will assume the role of CEO upon Wolf’s retirement. “Michael […]

Southwest Airlines announced it would slow hiring and cease operations at four airports as part of cost-cutting measures following a disappointing first-quarter performance. Despite reporting a first-quarter revenue of $6.3 billion, the low-cost carrier incurred a loss of $231 million in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the $159 million loss it took in the […]

Boeing released its first-quarter results on Wednesday, citing a net loss of $355 million. Although substantial, the numbers were better than analysts had expected—especially in the midst of management shakeups, whistleblower claims and ongoing production delays. The company’s reputation has taken a hit since the Jan. 5 midair door plug blowout, which led to the […]

Ryanair’s CEO has some advice for Boeing, and it flies in the face of a lot of the analysis blaming the company’s woes on its shift to a cost-cutting, stock dividend-oriented business. “The best CEOs and owners are the accountants, the people who do the boring, repetitive, day-to-day delivery, and that’s what you need,” Michael […]