The Main Squawk: Management at American was shocked to learn they finished (almost) last in on-time reliability this summer
Management at American is constantly touting that its number one strategy to success is running a reliable, on-time operation. But according to new data published by The Cranky Flier in partnership with The Air Current, the Fort Worth-based airline’s summer schedule collapsed like a wet paper towel. With fewer than 70% of its flights arriving within 14 minutes of their scheduled arrival times, AA finished just ahead of the usual basement dwellers.
And somehow, American’s mainline performance was worse than its own Regionals! Yes—the Bombardier CRJs, and even its clapped out Embraer 145s—were more reliable than the Airline’s mainline operation. Fortunately, mainline American pilots responded with grace and humility, with many of them opting to two-leg their commutes home on Regional metal through Philadelphia, however gross that might sound.
The Airline’s biggest loser across its mainline fleet was none other than its newest, shiniest Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which were on-time hardly 60% of the time. There isn’t anything quite like an airline spending $300 million on an airplane to project a global, modern image, only to have it wait for a gate when it’s already four hours late. Some things—like American management over-scheduling their hubs to death and then blaming the weather—never change.
In the never-ending ultra-low-cost carrier Thunderdome, there was a major development last week: Breeze finally posted its first net profit.
It seems people are actually willing to pay for a product called “Nicer” when the alternative is a plane that feels like a prison bus with wings. Breeze, with its shiny Airbus A220s and “premium” seats, is proving that a slightly better customer experience can, in fact, drive revenue—even if they are operating on the famously insane growth model of “add two flights a week, everywhere.” It’s almost like CEO David Neeleman has a track record with this or something.
Meanwhile at Avelo, CEO Andrew Levy is still desperately searching for a route strategy beyond throwing darts at a map. The only thing keeping Avelo’s financials from being truly frightening is a reliance on government work. You know you’re running a cohesive airline when your business model involves an alarming rate of market churn and a contract with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
United CEO Scott Kirby pitched the political angle of his aggressive growth strategy at the APEX Global Expo 2025 last week. In an oddly transparent approach, Mr. Kirby admitted that pretty much every airline CEO is constantly chasing government influence, but then he tried to frame “operational growth” as a “patriotic necessity”.
We love the hustle, Scott. The strategy of ditching the Regional feeder model and putting mainline aircraft where they’ll make the most money is certainly attractive. But somehow, all of this “product investment” and growth of yours still translates to max utilization schedules and a tighter seat pitch for the customers paying for it. (Spoiler alert: I’m talking about the Airbus A321neos.)
In the end, it’s all politics and a grand corporate vision until that expensive Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner sitting on the ramp at Newark is four hours late and the front line employees are the ones who have to deal with the delayed passengers.
Delta is facing an involuntary divorce from AeroMexico after the Department of Transportation (DOT) finalized its decision to terminate antitrust immunity for the joint venture. The entire trans-border strategy, built over the course of almost a half-decade and a mountain of lawyers’ fees, is now officially DOA.
The biggest problem Delta has always had with basing its global strategy on joint venture partners is that they’re stuck with whatever either of the two governments they’re working with says. All that hard work by paid consultants Delta management to merge systems and optimize routes was ultimately undone by Mexico’s failure to bring its airport capacity up to U.S. standards.
But as far as every Delta pilot is concerned, all this means for you is the end of easy, frictionless codeshare connections that generated easy money. (Cue the reference to the largest profit sharing checks in the game.) Now, it’s back to the old, complicated grind of competitive bidding and operational paperwork, proving once again that joint ventures are hardly worth the squeeze.
Spirit found a new revenue stream last week when it learned it could help ICE “self-deport” undocumented immigrants with a free ticket home. While I wish I could say this was a new bottom for the Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier (ULCC) model, Avelo inked a long-term arrangement with the government to carry out these types of flights earlier this year. Regardless, it’s a clear sign that the desperate scramble for revenue has left Spirit willing to do literally anything to pick up the pieces of its operation.
When your airline is so financially stressed that you are competing for the cheapest seat available in the government’s deportation fleet, you know your core business model has failed. This is less about public service and more about turning that tacky yellow fuselage into a giant, airborne charity box to pay the next fuel bill.
The Mirarmar-based airline will cut capacity (again) by an additional 25% by the end of the month.
Air Canada is expanding its Ottawa to London (LHR) service to year-round.
Allegiant will exit the Los Angeles (LAX) market in January and has virtually no replacement for it.
American and Porter are launching a codeshare, despite mounting data that passenger air traffic between Canada and the U.S. is declining.
American is re-introducing daily round-trip service between New York (JFK) and Las Vegas.
Cathay Pacific will resume service between Hong Kong and Seattle in March 2026.
Delta announced a bougie new seating configuration for its Airbus A321neos, and it is premium galore.
Fiji Airways is discontinuing amenity kits because they don’t make money.
Icelandair will terminate service to Detroit in January 2026.
LATAM is ordering up to seventy-four (74) Embraer E195-E2 aircraft to renew is Regional fleet.
JetBlue is expanding service in Fort Lauderdale to a slew of Caribbean destinations, effective December 2025. Plus New Orleans and Pittsburgh, because why the hell not.
San Diego officially opened Terminal 1 last week, creating the perfect environment for even more airlines to land at an airport with a single runway.
Uzbekistan Airways is ordering up to twenty-two (22) Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
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