Flight Safety Information - March 26, 2026 No. 061 In This Issue : Accident: JAL B738 at Misawa on Mar 13th 2026, bird strike : Incident: India B788 near Jeddah on Mar 23rd 2026, multiple system warnings : Incident: PSA CRJ9 at Raleigh/Durham on Mar 23rd 2026, smell on board : Accident: Ariana B734 at Kabul on Mar 25th 2026, runway excursion on landing : Firetruck Was Told to Stop Twice in Final Seconds Before Deadly LaGuardia Crash, but It’s Unclear If Warning Was Heard : Runway Incident Grounds a JetBlue Flight Out of Rhode Island After Striking an Animal During Takeoff : What’s next in the investigation into the deadly Air Canada collision at LaGuardia : Air Force jet tore up asphalt at Alaska airport during engine test : Battery starts smoking on United Express flight to Houston, pilots declare emergency : Brazil unveils first domestically assembled supersonic fighter jet : JetBlue explores potential merger partners : Calendar of Events Accident: JAL B738 at Misawa on Mar 13th 2026, bird strike A JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration JA301J performing flight JL-158 from Misawa to Tokyo Haneda (Japan), was climbing through about 2000 feet out of Misawa's runway 28 when the aircraft sustained a bird strike. The crew continued the flight to Tokyo for a safe landing on Haneda's runway 34R about 65 minutes later. Japan's TSB reported: "The aircraft, after taking off from Misawa Airfield, collided with a bird near the aforementioned location, sustaining damage to its nose section." and opened an investigation. The aircraft is still on the ground in Tokyo on Mar 25th 2026. https://avherald.com/h?article=536e75f9&opt=0 Incident: India B788 near Jeddah on Mar 23rd 2026, multiple system warnings An Air India Boeing 787-8, registration VT-ANI performing flight AI-133 from Bangalore (India) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at FL320 about 80nm southeast of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) when the crew decided to divert to Jeddah after receiving a series of warnings involving multiple systems. The aircraft landed safely on Jeddah's runway 16C about 35 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft is undergoing comprehensive technical inspection. The aircraft remained on the ground in Jeddah until Mar 25th 2026, then continued the flight as AI-133D and reached London with a delay of about 46 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=536e41bb&opt=0 Incident: PSA CRJ9 at Raleigh/Durham on Mar 23rd 2026, smell on board A PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N638NN performing flight AA-5201 from Raleigh/Durham,NC to Philadelphia,PA (USA), was climbing out of Raleigh's runway 05L when the crew stopped the climb at about 7000 feet and decided to return to Raleigh. The aircraft landed safely on Raleigh's runway 05L about 25 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft returned due to a smell on board. https://avherald.com/h?article=536e3c6a&opt=0 Accident: Ariana B734 at Kabul on Mar 25th 2026, runway excursion on landing An Ariana Afghan Boeing 737-400, registration YA-PIC performing flight FG-252 from Herat to Kabul (Afghanistan), landed on Kabul's runway 29 but veered to the right, went off the runway, crossed a taxiway and came to a stop on soft ground. The aircraft was evacuated via slides. There were no injuries, the aircraft however sustained damage to the left hand wing. No weather data are available for Kabul. https://avherald.com/h?article=536e1981&opt=0 Firetruck Was Told to Stop Twice in Final Seconds Before Deadly LaGuardia Crash, but It’s Unclear If Warning Was Heard NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy also noted that the firetruck involved in the crash did not have a transponder At a press conference, officials shared an update about the deadly plane crash at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sunday, March 22 Part of the briefing included sharing a summary of the final seconds before the crash based on the cockpit voice recorder An investigation is ongoing Officials are sharing more information about what happened in the final seconds before a deadly collision between a passenger plane and a firetruck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport over the weekend. At a press conference on Tuesday, March 24, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Doug Brazy said the firetruck that crossed in front of the Air Canada plane on Sunday, March 22, was told to stop twice before the collision on Runway 4. The first warning was delivered nine seconds before the crash, and the second was made about five seconds later, according to Brazy, citing summarized data from the cockpit voice recorder that was recovered from the plane after the crash. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said it is currently unclear if the officers inside the firetruck, who both survived and will be interviewed, heard the warnings and also noted that the firetruck involved in the crash did not have a transponder. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. An analysis indicated LaGuardia’s ASDE-X system, which Homendy described as “a runway safety system that allows air traffic controllers to track surface movement of aircraft and vehicles," “did not alert” prior to the crash. Homendy confirmed there were two air traffic controllers working at the time of the incident. Those individuals were doing multiple jobs, which the NTSB chairwoman said is part of standard operating procedure at LaGuardia during the midnight shift. She went on to say there is no indication that fatigue was a factor, but that they're still in the process of verifying information. Two pilots died in the crash, a Port Authority spokesperson previously confirmed to PEOPLE. They have been identified as captain Antoine Forest and first officer Mackenzie Gunther. At a press conference on Monday, FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said the pilots who died were “two young men at the start of their careers,” calling their deaths “an absolute tragedy.” He and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy extended condolences to the pilots’ families. “It is a deeply human story, where two young pilots left their homes expecting to return to their families, and they will not,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters. Another 39 people on the plane and two officers on the firetruck — which was responding to reports of an unknown odor in the cockpit of another plane — were transported to a hospital, although the majority have already been released. LaGuardia previously said the crash when the Air Canada flight was landing on runway four and struck an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle that was “responding to a separate incident.” Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, later said that controllers were responding to a plane that had made several takeoff attempts, The New York Times reported. The plane’s pilot called for assistance before the deadly crash. It remains unclear what the firetruck crew did in the moments before the collision. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/firetruck-told-stop-twice-final-193456386.html Runway Incident Grounds a JetBlue Flight Out of Rhode Island After Striking an Animal During Takeoff Travelers leaving a Rhode Island airport were in for a shock this week, when they were made aware of an incident that took place during takeoff when the plane collided with an animal on the runway. Thankfully, nobody on board the plane reported injuries as a result of the incident. However, the airline was temporarily grounded and passengers were asked to deboard while officials investigated what happened. While passengers reported thinking that the whole thing was a joke at first, the collision highlights the dangers to both travelers and wildlife when their paths cross. A JetBlue Flight Had to Return to the Airport Minutes After Takeoff Passengers aboard JetBlue flight 1129 leaving T.F. Green Airport reported having to turn around just 15 minutes after takeoff. The reason? Their flight collided with a coyote who had wondered onto the runway during takeoff. The plane was headed for JFK Airport, according to WPRI-TV, but before it could completely clear the ground, it came into contact with the animal, causing what passenger Erin Drozda referred to as an audible "thud." "We were up in the air for 10 to 15 minutes, and then all of a sudden the captain came on and said, ‘This is the flight crew. If anyone heard that thud, we hit a coyote, and we are now on our way back to Providence,'" Drozda recalled before revealing that she thought it was a joke at first. "You don't ever hear that." Moments later the plane began its descent, heading back to the airport where passengers were asked to deplane so that authorities could inspect the plane for damage. Drozda said she and her fellow travelers waited inside for around a half hour before being let back onto the plane. However, despite the collision between the animal and the plane's landing gear, the aircraft was deemed fit to fly, and passengers were eventually allowed to reboard and takeoff, even though Drozda says she ended up missing her connecting flight as a result of the crash. Wildlife Strikes Aren't Uncommon While sad, incidents with wildlife aren't as uncommon as you may think. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a database to track these types of incidents. According to the website, it has been monitoring these strikes since 1990, and between the year it began and 2023, there were an estimated 291,600 strikes in the U.S. The FAA says that it has been using this data to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to better understand the issue and to find ways to "mitigate risk." A quick search of the database shows that the T.F. Green Airport has reported a number of incidents with wildlife over the years, including: Horned lark American kesterl Cedar waxwing Striped skunk Mourning dove https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/runway-incident-grounds-jetblue-flight-161748511.html What’s next in the investigation into the deadly Air Canada collision at LaGuardia An Air Canada regional jet landing at one of the country’s busiest and most prominent airports slammed into a fire truck at more than 100 miles per hour on Sunday, leaving federal investigators and frightened passengers questioning what could have gone wrong. The National Transportation Safety Board combed through wreckage, collecting data and physical evidence to find answers in the first days of an investigation that will take a year or longer. “We have a lot of data right now, a lot of information, including information on tower staffing, but the NTSB deals in facts,” said Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, at a news conference on Monday. “We don’t speculate. We don’t take one person at their word. We verify that information carefully before we provide it.” Investigators have released the plane to Air Canada, the airline said, which will move it into a secured hangar where teams will begin reuniting passengers with the personal belongings they left behind as they evacuated. “Items will be safely returned as soon as possible, although the process of sorting and identifying all belongings from the aircraft will take time,” the airline said Wednesday. Air Canada Express flight 8646, operated by Jazz Aviation, had 72 passengers and four crew members on board for the flight from Montreal to New York’s LaGuardia. The two pilots died and four of the dozens of passengers and crew who were injured in the collision remain in the hospital, the airline said. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the airline and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, will also participate as parties to the investigation. The first several days of the investigation are going to be focused on data collection, according to Jim Brauchle, an attorney that represents plaintiffs in aviation disasters for the law firm Motley Rice. “They won’t be doing a lot of analysis the first few days,” Brauchle said. “That’s more facts and data collection and getting witness statements and those kind of things, while it’s still fresh.” What happened in the tower? Questions about the people in the control tower, their responsibilities, and if all proper procedures were followed will be answered in the course of the investigation. Homendy confirmed Tuesday there were two controllers working in the tower cab, the top of the control tower which looks out over the airfield, at the time of collision. The “local controller” manages active runways and the immediate airspace surrounding the airport. The “controller in charge” is a supervisor responsible for the safety of operations, and on the night of the crash, they were also assigned to give pilots departure information. The NTSB says the staffing was standard operating procedure for LaGuardia at that time of the night, but whether that procedure was adequate will also be investigated. “We saw that there was a pretty heavy workload for these two controllers where you had an emergency going on; you had several flights that they had to attend to,” Homendy told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on The Source Wednesday. “We will look at controller staffing entirely in this tower, but then across the national airspace.” Another part of the investigation is to determine which of the controllers were responsible for the aircraft and vehicles on the ground. “It is not clear who was conducting the duties of the ground controller. We have conflicting information,” Homendy said. That person would be tasked with managing all aircraft and vehicle movements on taxiways but typically not active runways. There is also “conflicting information, including dates and times on the logs,” of who else was elsewhere in the air traffic control facility, she said. The NTSB will have to “rectify some of those inconsistencies,” Homendy continued. The controllers involved in the crash continued to work for some time after the crash, and the NTSB will also investigate why they were not relieved more rapidly. Eighteen minutes after the collision, one controller appeared to blame himself for the crash in a conversation with a pilot who saw it happen. “That wasn’t good to watch,” the pilot said in audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “Yeah, I know. I tried to reach out to them,” the noticeably distraught controller said. “We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.” The pilot responded, “Nah man, you did the best you could.” Investigators will probe far beyond the comment and investigate every aspect of what happened and always note accidents often have complicated causes. “Our aviation system is incredibly safe because there are multiple, multiple layers of defense built in to prevent an accident,” Homendy said. “So, when something goes wrong, that means many, many things went wrong.” The NTSB interviewed the local controller on Tuesday night and continued interviews with others on staff through Wednesday, Homendy said. Investigators will also examine audio recordings the Federal Aviation Administration keeps of every tower radio transmission to determine what exactly was said and by who. “It looks like it’s a communication error,” Brauchle said, noting that publicly available recordings of air traffic control audio appear to show “the tower both cleared the aircraft to land, and also cleared the fire truck to cross the active runway.” But he said investigations can sometimes reveal more than is apparent in the first moments. Why didn’t the controllers see the collision coming earlier? LaGuardia Airport has systems designed to prevent vehicles on the ground from colliding, and investigators will want to know why they were not able to stop this crash. The airport’s surface detection equipment – ASDE-X – uses radar to track ground vehicles but did not warn the controllers ahead of the collision, according to the NTSB. “Due to the close proximity of vehicles merging and unmerging near the runway,” no alert was issued, Homendy said. The radar returns on the screen showed two “blobs” on the taxiway, but never showed one go in front of the plane, she said. Another revelation was that the fire truck involved in the crash was not equipped with a transponder to help air traffic controllers identify it and know its precise location. Though a vehicle without a transponder should show up on radar, no other information would be displayed, and obstructions might prevent radar returns. Why a transponder was not installed will be part of the investigation. While stressing the need to wait for the investigation’s findings, Homendy said Wednesday that she and the team believe all vehicles on tarmacs should have transponders so controllers can see them. Did the fire truck hear the warning from the control tower to stop? Another area of the investigation will include looking at the radio transmissions between pilots of Flight 8646, the firefighters, and the control tower. “Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop, truck 1. Stop,” one of the controllers yelled as the fire truck pulled in front of the plane landing on Runway 4. Nine seconds after the first warning, they collided. The first radio call the fire truck made to the control tower more than a minute before the collision was “stepped on” by another transmission and was apparently not audible in the control tower, recordings from that night show, but later transmissions appeared to go through. Investigators will want to know what was transmitted and what was heard, and will review recordings from the control tower, the plane’s cockpit voice recorder, and interview other people listening to the frequency that night. During the investigation into the 2025 midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River, the NTSB found the soldiers in the helicopter didn’t hear all the directions given by air traffic control due to a problem with the frequency. For Sunday’s collision at LaGuardia, investigators also will be looking into the status of the airport’s runway status lights. These are a type of traffic light system that is embedded in pavement of taxiways and runways. The lights should, for instance, automatically signal vehicle operators whether it is unsafe to cross a runway, according to the FAA. “We … know from the replay that the runway status lights were functioning,” Homendy said Tuesday. “But we still have to verify that with tech ops from the FAA.” Why was the fire truck cleared to cross the runway? Perhaps the most vexing question: Why did the controller apparently clear the fire truck to cross Runway 4 when the plane was speeding toward it? Controllers are working in high stress situations with long hours and busy airfields to manage. Investigators want to know if something was going on with them that may have contributed to the crash. The two controllers started their shifts about an hour before the 11:37 p.m. collision and at some point took over duties in the tower cab, the NTSB noted. Shortly before the collision, another plane on the other side of the airport declared an emergency after an aborted landing and odor in the cabin. Controllers dispatched the fire trucks and were working to find a gate for the plane in the minutes before the accident. “This is a heavy workload environment,” Homendy noted, but said no one should jump to conclusions. “I would caution (against) pointing fingers at controllers and saying distraction was involved,” she said. “We still have to determine what happened at shift change, which was around 10:30. We have to determine who else was in the tower and the facility and available at the time. We rarely, if ever, investigate a major accident where it was one failure.” What was going on in the plane? The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, often referred to as black boxes, are two “critical” pieces to the puzzle in any aviation incident investigation, Peter Goelz, former NTSB managing director and CNN aviation analyst told CNN Monday. The data recorders are expected to give some insight into what happened during the flight’s final moments, capturing everything from what was said in the cockpit, to the sound of switches and automated warnings as well as what the aircraft’s instruments were reading. “They give you the functionality of the plane,” Goelz said. “It will tell you exactly when it touched down. Did the pilots attempt to do a go-around? Did the speed brake work effectively? And it will discuss the comments between the pilots on whether they were following procedures, what they saw and how they reacted.” Investigators had to “cut a hole,” on top of the aircraft to retrieve the recorders, Homendy said. They were then driven to the NTSB’s headquarters in Washington, DC, for analysis. The cockpit voice recorder contained more than 25 hours of good quality audio across four separate channels, said Doug Brazy, NTSB lead investigator. The flight data recorder contained approximately 80 hours of data and recorded more than 400 parameters. What will the debris tell us? While investigators moved quickly to recover data and comb the wreckage before any clue is lost to time or the elements, they have to be careful because some of what is left of the plane and fire truck is complex and hazardous. “There is a tremendous, tremendous amount of debris from taxiway delta across Runway 4,” Homendy said. “It’s pretty expansive, and we want to make sure, because as you’re walking around, you can get injured. There’s also hazardous materials, of course, on the firefighting vehicle itself.” Runway 4 at LaGuardia remains closed until Friday afternoon, according to a FAA notice, while the NTSB conducts its investigation. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/next-investigation-deadly-air-canada-084533205.html Air Force jet tore up asphalt at Alaska airport during engine test The 1,170-degree exhaust from the New Hampshire Air National Guard KC-46A tanker’s engines blew a 25-foot wide crater in an Alaska airport’s tarmac. The revving engines of an Air Force refueling tanker blew a 25-foot-wide hole in an Alaskan airport last summer, flinging chunks of asphalt 100 feet away during an engine test. The mishap did not damage the Air Force jet, but left Fairbanks International Airport with a $147,044 hole to fix. While the ill-fated test occurred last July, the service released a formal report on the incident earlier this month. The president of the investigation board, Air Force Lt. Col Michael Raynor, wrote that the heat and high-speed exhaust from eight hours of engine tests caused the pavement to break free after 10 “high-power engine runs,” which maintenance crews ran to diagnose and fix vibration issues cited by the crew. The plane’s pilots and aircrew were not present during the engine tests, and the report did not cite any errors by the maintenance team running the tests. The mishap involved a New Hampshire Air National Guard KC-46A tanker from the 133rd Air Refueling Squadron from Pease ANG Base. The plane was returning to New Hampshire from Yokota Air Base, Japan, on July 12 along a route that took it over Alaska. After performing aerial refueling operations, the plane landed at Fairbanks International Airport after the crew reported “abnormal engine vibration indications” in both of the plane’s engines. The vibrations were severe enough that the jet could not fly, and a special team of maintenance experts was dispatched from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, arriving two days later. The crew waited two more days for favorable weather to begin work on the engines. In each of the 10 engine tests, the report said, maintenance specialists ran both of the plane’s engines at up to 83% power for between 20 and 30 minutes. Each test evaluated a single engine, the report said, but crews run both during tests to avoid damaging the plane with unequal, or non-symmetric, force from only one side. The tests ran the engines at the same power levels used during take-offs, according to investigators, during which the engines produce exhaust at “approximately 1,170 degrees Fahrenheit. The high temperature of an operating engine can be felt more than one hundred feet behind the exhaust.” Eight hours of testing took toll The repeated tests, investigators found, created “persistent high temperatures in combination with repeated high engine exhaust” that melted the sealant used on the asphalt. During the tenth test, a slab of concrete approximately 25-feet by 25-feet lifted off from behind the plane’s right engine, tumbling backwards and shattering across an area roughly two-thirds of an acre behind the plane. “After a comprehensive investigation into this mishap, I find by a preponderance of the evidence the cause of the mishap was persistent high temperatures in combination with repeated high engine exhaust from the [KC-46A’s] right engine,” Raynor wrote. “These conditions severely affected the sealant holding the asphalt together, [which] ultimately failed, allowing the blocks to lift into the air and break apart upon impact with the ground.” The report also found that the tarmac, though suitable as a parking ramp, was not prepared for an engine test. The asphalt and sealant condition, the report found, was “within inspection standards, [but] unable to endure numerous hours of high temperature and engine exhaust airflow velocity.” The KC-46A is the Air Force’s newest and most advanced air refueling tanker, with roughly 100 currently in the fleet. The service released three reports earlier this year of KC-46A mid-air mishaps during refueling with other Air Force jets, one of which ripped the tanker’s refueling boom off. Though Eielson Air Force Base is just outside Fairbanks, the plane landed at the city’s international airport, which has several parking ramps designed for planes as large as the KC-46, a militarized version of the Boeing 767 widebody jetliner. Though remote from the continental U.S., Fairbanks’ northern location has long made it a refueling hub for international flights between North America and Asia, particularly among large cargo jets. The airport even once hosted a summit between then-President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, who met briefly at the airport as both leaders stopped for fuel on international trips. Though the tarmac remained intact after their meeting. https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-tanker-asphalt-accident/ Battery starts smoking on United Express flight to Houston, pilots declare emergency A United Express flight from Lubbock to Houston was diverted to San Antonio after a passenger's electronic device battery began smoking, prompting the pilots to declare an emergency. https://www.click2houston.com/video/news/local/2026/03/25/battery-starts-smoking-on-united-express-flight-to-houston-pilots-declare-emergency/ Brazil unveils first domestically assembled supersonic fighter jet March 25 (UPI) -- Brazil has become the first Latin American country to manufacture a supersonic fighter jet, unveiling the F-39E Gripen, assembled domestically as part of a broader effort to modernize its air force. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended the aircraft's naming ceremony in São Paulo state Wednesday. The jet is produced by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer in partnership with Sweden-based Saab, according to Agência Brasil. The F-39E Gripen is part of a modernization program that includes the transfer of Swedish technology and direct participation of Brazilian engineers in its development and production. The aircraft is intended to replace aging, U.S.-made F-5 fighter jets that have been in service since the 1970s. Defense Minister José Múcio said domestic production of the fighter jet provides access to advanced technologies and strengthens Brazil's defense capabilities. "By investing in defense, our industry reaches a milestone of maturity and competitiveness, allowing Brazil to position itself as the largest production hub in Latin America. It will also strengthen our deterrence capacity, expanding our ability to guarantee national sovereignty and regional security," Múcio said. The Brazilian government said local production of the aircraft places the country among "a select group of nations" capable of developing and manufacturing high-complexity combat aircraft, a first for Latin America. Officials added that the program will strengthen Brazil's air sovereignty, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and boost the country's defense industrial base through technology transfer and workforce training. Embraer Chief Executive Officer Francisco Gomes Neto said the F-39E Gripen reflects the capabilities of Brazil's aerospace industry and the strength of its partnership with Sweden. "It has strong export potential and a direct impact on the economic and social development of our country," Gomes said during the event, according to local outlet G1. In 2013, Brazil selected Saab through an international bidding process to supply 36 fighter jets to the Brazilian Air Force. Competitors included Boeing, which offered the F/A-18 Super Hornet, and France's Dassault Aviation with the Rafale, according to Revista Fórum. A key factor in Saab's selection was its offer of full technology transfer, including access to source code and active participation by Brazilian engineers in the aircraft's development. Unlike its competitors, Saab provided opportunities for Brazil not only to acquire aircraft, but also to gain the technical expertise needed to produce and develop them domestically. According to the Brazilian Air Force, the project is expected to generate significant employment by integrating local industry into the global defense supply chain. The program has already created more than 2,000 direct jobs and about 10,000 indirect jobs. Under the agreement signed in 2014, Brazil plans to acquire 36 aircraft, 15 of which will be produced domestically. The total cost of the program is about $4 billion. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/brazil-unveils-first-domestically-assembled-172101532.html JetBlue explores potential merger partners JetBlue is considering the possibility of selling itself to a rival airline, such as United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, or Southwest Airlines, as part of its turnaround strategy. The Scoop JetBlue has tapped advisers to assess the viability of selling itself to a rival airline, and has specifically scenario-planned how a deal with United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, or Southwest Airlines might fare in Washington, according to people familiar with the matter. JetBlue has been on a turnaround mission since its deal to acquire Spirit Airlines was blocked on antitrust grounds in 2024. Its shares are down by more than 40% since the beginning of last year. The company, which won fans with perks like free WiFi, has struggled to keep up with higher-end carriers like United and Delta, while losing discount-seeking customers to Spirit and Frontier. A merger of two of the country’s six biggest airlines would receive close antitrust scrutiny, even in Trump’s Washington, which appears wide open to consolidation. But deals are getting done, often with a boost from MAGA-connected lobbyists whose activities have drawn criticism from progressives and populist Republicans. JetBlue’s M&A planning is preliminary and the airline could decide not to pursue talks with any of its rivals, the people said. It couldn’t be determined whether JetBlue had held discussions or received indications of interest. JetBlue declined to comment on internal discussions. “We’ve made meaningful progress on our multi-year JetForward strategy and are focused on executing the plan,” a spokesman said. “We’re confident JetForward is the right strategy to restore profitability and create value for our shareholders and opportunities for our crewmembers.” United and Southwest declined to comment. Alaska didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. United has long entertained the prospect of buying JetBlue, but remains disciplined on price, according to people familiar with the matter. United has been focused on achieving an investment-grade debt rating, which buying heavily indebted JetBlue would complicate. The two airlines already have a partnership that allows JetBlue customers to book some flights directly on United’s app, and vice versa, and redeem each other’s frequent-flier points. “I think it’s a unique environment where M&A is possible,” United’s Chief Financial Officer Michael Leskinen said at an industry conference last month. “We’ll see how that plays out, but I do think that this industry would benefit from some.” https://www.yahoo.com/finance/markets/stocks/articles/jetblue-explores-potential-merger-partners-163139905.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . CANSO Global Safety Conference 2026 - 29 March – 1 April 2026 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 : APSCON/APSCON Unmanned 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL - July 13-17, 2026 : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis