Author Archives: Bruce Drum

About Bruce Drum

I have started the ultimate digital photo library of the fascinating world of airliners and airlines. The goal is to have the complete history of all airlines and the various aircraft operated. I have been photographing airplanes since 1965. Join us in this adventure.

Britten-Norman delivers a BN2T-4S Islander to Xen Aviation and Services Inc. (Xen Aviation), a new regional operator in Guyana

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Britten-Norman has delivered a BN2T-4S Islander to Xen Aviation & Services Inc. (Xen Aviation), marking the operator’s introduction of its first Islander aircraft as it prepares to launch regional operations in Guyana.

The aircraft was completed at Britten-Norman’s UK facility and will support Xen Aviation’s planned commuter services in Georgetown, becoming the first BN2T-4S Islander to operate in the country.

The BN2T-4S is the enlarged turboprop variant of the Islander, offering approximately 30% more cabin space and an increased Maximum Take-Off Weight of 8,925 lbs (4,408 kg). Powered by twin Rolls- Royce 250-B17F engines, it delivers enhanced performance while retaining the Islander’s long-established reputation as one of the world’s leading short take-off and landing aircraft.

Purpose-designed for reliable, day-to-day operations from short, challenging and infrastructure-limited airstrips, the BN2T-4S supports consistent access in environments where runway length, surface condition and weather variability are routine considerations. This capability is well established across regions such as Guyana and the wider Caribbean, where the Islander has supported short-field operations from demanding and unprepared airstrips for decades.

The aircraft is equipped with a modern Garmin glass cockpit and integrated avionics suite, supporting enhanced situational awareness, operational safety and long-term supportability. The BN2T-4S can also be configured with full airframe de-icing, extending operational capability in more variable and demanding climates.

Britten-Norman continues to support operators worldwide with aircraft delivered to current operational standards, backed by OEM engineering, certification and through-life support.

The BN2T-4S Islander is certified in the UK, EU, US, Canada and Guyana. The aircraft is approved for up to 10 passengers, subject to local air operations regulations.

Xen Aviation & Services Inc. is the aviation investment arm of Adamantium Holdings, a Guyana based business conglomerate with a footprint in mining, construction, agriculture, real estate, general services and petroleum production support. 

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American Airlines is ready for a record-breaking summer travel season in 2026 – July 17 being the busiest day

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American Airlines announced:

The centennial summer for American Airlines is shaping up to be one for the record books, with the airline set to welcome more customers than ever across its largest summer schedule to date.

During American’s summer travel period, which runs from May 21 through Sept. 8, the airline expects to welcome 75 million customers across 750,000 flights, smashing its previous record set in 2019. The summer kicks off with Memorial Day weekend, when American expects to welcome more than 4.2 million customers across more than 40,000 flights from May 21 through May 26. The most traveled day that weekend is Friday, May 22.

American has prepared to welcome record numbers of customers this summer by performing offseason preventive maintenance on its fleet, ensuring its facilities are ready for the summer heat and staffing up in key locations. In addition, the airline has made key changes to improve reliability across its network — and early results are promising:

  • Reimagined DFW schedule: At its largest hub, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), American introduced a new 13-bank schedule that has already minimized delays, reduced customer misconnects and gate changes. The new schedule has also delivered record baggage handling performance and an increase in customer satisfaction in its first month. Given the outsized impact DFW has on the broader airline, those improvements are having a ripple effect across American’s operation.
  • Bolstering the transatlantic gateway: At Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), a redesigned afternoon schedule for transatlantic flights is giving customers more travel options while easing congestion and improving our on-time performance.
  • Investing in schedule resilience: American’s significant investment in scheduled block time — or the amount of time allotted for each flight — has added more certainty for customers’ travel. American had the best block performance among the major U.S. carriers in April, meaning more flights were completed within their scheduled time. This sets the airline up for success as it delivers a reliable operation this summer.

Focus on Chicago

Thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration’s action to bring flight schedules back within Chicago O’Hare International Airport’s (ORD) operational capacity, customers traveling through this key hub can expect a more reliable experience this summer with improved on-time performance, fewer congestion-driven delays and a more predictable operation overall.

American expects to welcome more than 5.2 million customers at ORD this summer — an 11% increase since 2025 and a 48% increase compared to 2023.

Putting customers first

With a renewed focus on customers, American has made several enhancements as the summer travel season kicks off, including:

  • Improving how it handles flight disruptions, with new digital tools that explain the why behind delays and cancellations and offer easy, self-service options like rebooking, bag tracking and digital vouchers — all in the American app.
  • Expanding digital wallet integration, including industry-first Samsung Wallet boarding passes, further keeping customers informed with live updates without needing to open the app.
  • Continuing to expand its Connect Assist technology, which proposes a short hold to save the day for connecting customers.
  • Offering free Wi-Fi, sponsored by AT&T, for all AAdvantage® members on nearly every American flight.
  • Making the security process more seamless with TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID, which is now available at 60 airports, including all of American’s hubs. The customer opt-in program brings participating customers a much faster, touchless identity verification process and eliminates the need to present an ID at the security checkpoint. Travelers aged 30 and under save $20 on TSA PreCheck® during the month of May.
  • Easing flight connections at DFW and London Heathrow (LHR) with One Stop Security, which is now live on all flights between those two airports. This program allows customers to proceed to connecting flights without needing to claim and recheck baggage or pass through additional security screening.

Four facts about American’s summer operation

  • American’s most-traveled day this summer is July 17, with 6,995 flights. Its second most-traveled day is July 10, with 6,991 flights.
  • Throughout the summer, there will be five flights — or nearly 500 customers — taking off each minute.
  • American is adding two exciting new destinations to its route map this summer: service from PHL to Budapest, Hungary (BUD), and Prague (PRG). That is in addition to three new long-haul routes: DFW to Athens, Greece (ATH), and Zurich (ZRH), and Miami (MIA) to Milan (MXP).
  • American’s top three non-hub destinations this summer are Orlando (MCO), LHR and Boston (BOS).

Lufthansa’s first Boeing 777-9 takes flight

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Boeing flew the first 777-9 for Lufthansa Thursday, May 7, 2026. (Tim Stake photo)

The first 777-9 airplane for Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline and one of the 777X launch customers, flew for the first time ahead of certification testing in the weeks ahead.

  • Instead of a test interior, the airplane features Lufthansa’s fully outfitted passenger cabin, from premium and economy seats to in-flight entertainment systems.

About the flight: Boeing pilots Capt. Ted Grady and Capt. Jake Miller flew a three‑hour, 27-minute profile over Washington and Oregon, completing a standard flight designed to test the airplane’s systems and structures, with systems operators Zach Lewis and Joel Conard, flight analysts Cody Bruinsma, Mike Deutsch and Carl Zietz, and engineers Ben Wolter and Scott Dailey. The airplane landed at Paine Field in Everett, Wash., at 4:52 p.m. PT.

  • “The airplane performed as we expected,” said Grady, 777/777X chief pilot. “The 777-9 continues to handle beautifully. Thank you to everyone who worked to get the airplane ready for this flight and its next phase of testing.”

Why it matters: First-of-model airplanes, like this one, establish a baseline configuration for customer deliveries. The airplane will undergo ground and flight tests, with an emphasis on cabin systems and connectivity.

Preparing the airplane: Since the airplane rolled out from the Everett factory, teams applied a clear top coat to protect the structure and completed fueling, engine runs and taxi tests. 

As Engineering ship captain for the airplane, Sam Damico supported the production and test teams as they completed the airplane and prepared it for flight.

  • “We’re taking part in something really significant for the company,” Damico said. “There’s a lot of pride from everyone who helped bring all of these pieces together, working late nights and weekends, so this airplane can go and do its mission.”

Boeing will paint the airplane with the full Lufthansa livery before delivery.

Capt. Jake Miller inspects the 777-9 prior to Thursday’s first flight. (Tim Stake photo)

Testing, certification, delivery: The program has logged more than 4,700 flight test hours across the 777-9 test fleet. In addition to the dedicated test airplanes, production airplanes – like this sixth 777-9 to fly – are essential to completing certification requirements and preparing for first delivery in 2027, the company said.

  • “Our team continues to face into the challenges of bringing a new airplane to market, and preparing to begin certification testing on this 777-9 is one more example of our progress,” said Terry Beezhold, 777-9 vice president and program manager. “I’m grateful to our team whose skill and dedication will help us deliver this airplane and to Lufthansa and all of our customers for choosing the 777X family.”

About the family: The 777X family – the 777-9, the 777-8 Freighter and the 777-8 passenger airplane – are the newest members of Boeing’s market-leading widebody family.

  • Customers have ordered more than 620 777X airplanes.

Emirates unveils a striking new UAE flag livery on its A380 (A6-EVG)

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Emirates on May 8, 2026 unveiled a striking livery of a large UAE flag emblazoned across the fuselage of its iconic Airbus A380 aircraft, the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft. The new livery on A6-EVG, is an extension of the airline’s iconic tail design, and a powerful tribute to the spirit, ambition and unity of the UAE.

This initiative is part of Emirates’ ‘This Flag Will Always Fly’ campaign, responding to the nationwide initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. This initiative called on all citizens and residents to raise the UAE flag as a unifying symbol across society, a shared responsibility and pride in the nation’s strength and cohesion during recent challenges.

The special livery features the colours of the UAE rendered in a bold, eye-catching 3D design that drapes elegantly across both sides of the aircraft. The moving canvas of national pride has already flown to New York and Brisbane and is scheduled to operate to more A380 destinations in the Emirates network, becoming visible from runways, skies and cities around the world.

Plans are underway to apply the flag design to an Emirates Boeing 777, the next largest commercial airliner in the sky after the A380.

The UAE flag is already a hallmark of every Emirates aircraft, painted across the tails of one of the world’s most recognisable fleets, and carrying the nation’s colours across continents, time zones and cultures each day.

The special flag livery is one of many that have marked special national events and commemorations in the UAE. In 2017, the airline featured a customised decal of the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, with a bespoke livery for its 100th A380. The initiative marked the airline’s first initiative for the ‘Year of Zayed’, with 10 aircraft flying the special livery. That same year, the airline revealed the first of 40 aircraft carrying livery designs dedicated to Expo 2020 Dubai.

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AirAsia places landmark order for 150 A220s

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AirAsia has placed an order for 150 latest generation A220-300 aircraft. The purchase agreement is the largest single firm order placed for the A220 and propels the programme beyond the 1,000 firm order milestone, underscoring the aircraft’s global market appeal.

The contract was announced at a ceremony at the Airbus facility in Mirabel attended by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer of Capital A and Advisor to AirAsia Group and Lars Wagner, Chief Executive Officer Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. The event took place in the presence of the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada and the Honourable Christine Frechette, Premier of Quebec.

The purchase agreement makes AirAsia a new customer for the A220. The airline also becomes the launch customer for the aircraft’s new cabin configuration of 160 seats. The increase in capacity, adding 10 seats, is made possible by the addition of an extra overwing exit on each side of the aircraft.

The A220 complements AirAsia’s existing Airbus fleet and will play a key role in advancing the Group’s network and growth. The aircraft will service destinations across ASEAN and into Central Asia, freeing up larger aircraft to fly longer routes.

Elevate Jet acquires a VIP-configured Boeing 757-200

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Elevate Jet announced:

Elevate Jet proudly announces the successful acquisition of one of the few VIP Boeing 757-200 airliners in the world on behalf of a long-standing private client. The specially configured aircraft represents a rarified category within U.S. private aviation: a true airliner-class platform configured to VIP standards, capable of transporting up to 50 passengers in complete comfort across long distances and supporting complex, multi-city itineraries. By comparison, the largest executive jets from manufacturers like Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Dassault Aviation typically accommodate just 12 to 14 passengers, putting the VIP Boeing 757 in a different class of scale. Having closed on the purchase, Elevate is currently conforming the Boeing 757 as part of Elevate’s managed fleet.

Designed to meet a vast array of diverse, mission-critical demands from professional sports teams playing across the country, global touring productions, and large-scale executive travel for the world’s largest corporations, the new aircraft addresses a longstanding gap in the domestic market for high-capacity, ultra-premium group transport. This capability is held by only a handful of FAA and DOT approved management companies in the United States.

Elevate Jet is one of a select number of U.S. FAA Part 135 operators authorized to manage and operate VIP airliner-class aircraft, including Boeing Business Jets and Airbus Corporate Jets. This special certification, combined with decades of experience through its Private Jet Services (PJS) division supporting Fortune 500 companies, professional sports franchises, music tours, and government operations, made Elevate Jet the natural partner for this exclusive acquisition.

The aircraft is slated to receive high-speed satellite wifi later this year, making the airliner among the most capable large-group, long-haul private transport solutions in the country. The 757-200 VIP Boeing Airliner is not available for general charter and reserved exclusively for use by Elevate Jet’s client.

While aircraft like the VIP Boeing 757-200 remain reserved for large format, high-capacity charter solutions arranged directly through the PJS division, Elevate Jet continues to innovate in the private aviation industry through its newlylaunched booking app, designed to simplify and modernize the charter experience. The app features an AI-powered pricing and booking assistant named Ruby. Rooted in Elevate Jet’s customer-obsessed ethos, the app is designed to pair technology with the samehigh-touch service the company is known for.

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Spirit Airlines shuts down all operations

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Spirit Airlines at 2 am (0200) EDT on May 2, 2026 made this announcement:

It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately.

To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available.

We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come.

Spirit Airlines route map, basically at the peak before it started cutting routes and grounding aircraft:

Spirit Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Spirit Airlines aircraft photo gallery

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show over the years:

American Airlines returns to Venezuela with first Miami to Caracas flight

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American Airlines made history on April 30, 2026 with the first nonstop flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years. Flight AA3599 departed Miami (MIA) at 10:11 a.m. bound for Caracas (CCS). The departure included a celebration at the gate where American welcomed passengers on this milestone flight. The flight will also serve as the inaugural flight for American’s special America250 livery aircraft.

Government and local officials join American Airlines team members to celebrate the restart of American’s service to Caracas, Venezuela.

“American is proud to be the first airline to resume service between Venezuela and the U.S. Our historic return to Venezuela wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the governments of both countries,” said American’s Executive Vice President of American Eagle, Corporate Real Estate and Government Affairs Nate Gatten. “American is the leading air carrier between the U.S. and Latin America because of our incredible Miami hub and the people, elected leaders and community who help power it every day.”

American’s industry-leading network grows stronger

American first began service to Venezuela in 1987 before suspending flights in 2019. For more than 30 years, American served as the leading U.S. airline in the country, helping connect people, businesses and communities. The resumption of this service is part of the airline’s commitment as the largest airline between the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean to provide travelers with comprehensive access to the region.

Starting May 21, American will introduce a second daily service between MIA and CCS, also with Envoy-operated Embraer 175 aircraft. The E175 is a dual-class regional jet featuring a premium cabin and free Wi-Fi, sponsored by AT&T.

The Envoy-operated Embarer 175 with a special livery marking America’s 250th anniversary year received a water cannon salute as it departed the gate in Miami.

Crew for inaugural MIA to CCS flight (left to right): Flight Attendant Mayrim Melendez, Captain Ric Wilson, Captain Robert Neider Jr. and Flight Attendant Francisco Hiraldo Rivera.

With two daily flights, customers have more opportunities to tailor their itineraries to fit their needs best. American’s hub at MIA is the best in the industry for connecting the United States with Venezuela, providing more than 85 destinations convenient one-stop access to CCS, including from Orlando, Florida (MCO), Houston (IAH), New York (LGA) and more.

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Alaska Airlines launches historic first nonstop European flight between Seattle/Tacoma and Rome

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Alaska Airlines on April 28, 2026 marked a major milestone with the launch of its inaugural nonstop flight between Seattle and Rome, the first-ever direct connection between the Emerald City and the Eternal City.

The new service signals Alaska’s official expansion into Europe and reinforces its role as a global carrier, further establishing Seattle as a premier international gateway for Alaska Airlines.

Alaska’s seasonal service to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is available through Oct. 23, offering guests the only daily nonstop flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Rome. The flight departs Seattle at 5:30 p.m. and arrives in Rome at 1:15 p.m., giving guests a full afternoon to begin exploring one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, from historic streets to rolling vineyards and iconic coastal views. Westbound flights depart from Rome at 3:25 p.m. and arrive in Seattle at 5:45 p.m., inviting Italian guests to experience the Pacific Northwest’s renowned food and wine scene and breathtaking natural landscapes.  

This new European service will also enable some of the best connectivity between Hawai‘i to and from Europe with just one stop through Seattle, benefiting Hawai‘i-based travelers and opening a new European visitor gateway to the Hawaiian Islands. 

The new Rome service also advances Alaska Airlines’ growing global cargo business. Beginning April 28, Alaska will become the first U.S. passenger airline to offer daily nonstop cargo service between Seattle and Rome, strengthening trade connections between the Pacific Northwest and Italy and expanding the airline’s cargo network to 109 destinations worldwide. 

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American Airlines and America250 take flight, unveil commemorative logo on an Envoy Air Embraer 175 (N341MB) at DFW

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As American Airlines marks its centennial year, the airline today unveiled a special America250 commemorative aircraft, celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and honoring the nation’s enduring spirit of innovation, resilience and connection. The aircraft will service American’s inaugural flight from Miami to Caracas, Venezuela, on April 30.

The aircraft was revealed during a special event at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), attended by American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, America250 Executive Vice President Jen Condon, and American Airlines leadership and frontline team members who power the airline’s operations every day. Together, they marked a milestone moment that celebrates two historic anniversaries — 250 years of American independence and 100 years of American Airlines connecting the nation and the world.

The America250 aircraft reflects American’s role as an official partner of America250, the national nonpartisan organization charged by Congress with leading the nation’s Semiquincentennial commemoration. In addition to servicing the inaugural flight to Venezuela, the aircraft will fly across American’s global network, serving as a traveling tribute to the nation’s past, present and future — and to the communities American has proudly served for 100 years.

American will also serve as the Official Airline of America Innovates, a traveling showcase of the nation’s ingenuity that will highlight the creativity, progress and pioneering spirit that have defined the United States for 250 years. Additional details about American’s centennial activities and its partnership with America250 will be shared in the months ahead.