In a sudden realignment by Alaska Air Group's Alaska Airlines three routes will be dropped by August 19 and another seasonal route will not renew. For Alaska Air Group, which includes Hawaiian Airlines, there will be some flights added using Hawaiian Airlines ' Boeing 787s. Alaska Air Group attempts to pair market demand with the proper routes and fleet, especially in the run-up to Alaska Air Group’s Q1 2025 analyst conference call Thursday at 8:30 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. ET. These route realignments appear to be part of ongoing efforts to maximize synergy between the three primary airlines of Alaska Air Group: Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air. Some routes will be cut, but a few continental United States airports will see fresh Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners assigned to routes connecting them with Honolulu, Hawaii.<br/>
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American Airlines has nominated BNSF Railway chief executive Kathryn Farmer to join its board of directors. The Fort Worth-based carrier said on 18 April that Farmer’s nomination will be put to a vote during American’s annual shareholder meeting on 11 June. If elected, Farmer will serve on the board’s finance and safety committees. “Katie is a very well-respected leader who will bring significant, relevant and proven senior leadership experience to our company and our boardroom,” says Greg Smith, American’s chairman. Farmer has held the top role at BNSF Railway since 2021, the culmination of a 30-year career in the rail industry. She previously held the title of COO for BNSF, a role in which she oversaw train operations, maintenance, sourcing, safety and training, American says. <br/>
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) is exploring the possibility of accelerating its Boeing aircraft acquisition timeline, following delivery slots potentially vacated by Chinese carriers due to the ongoing US-China trade war. Group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said the group views the situation as a potential window to secure earlier-than-expected aircraft deliveries from Boeing, although competition among global carriers for available slots remains intense. "MAG is in conversation with Boeing about whether we can take over those slots. So, we will meet our number faster (fleet). Everybody wants it, 10,000 people want this aircraft. It is a competitive space and we are mindful of what we are getting into," he told Bernama. It was reported that the Chinese government ordered its airlines to halt Boeing deliveries amid heightened trade tensions between the US and China. The US plane manufacturer has begun flying its jets, which were previously refused by Chinese airlines, back to the US. Additionally, Izham said that any additional aircraft acquired would not be part of MAG's initial order of 25 aircraft, which are under a leasing arrangement with Air Lease Corporation (ALC). The aircraft from ALC's order book with Boeing will be delivered to the Malaysian carrier from 2023 until the beginning of 2026. "So if we are able to snatch this, we will need to go to the capital market to raise money for this," he said.<br/>
Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) is set to increase its presence in the Australian market by reinstating direct flights to Brisbane and ramping up flight frequencies to major cities like Sydney and Melbourne. The national carrier will resume its Kuala Lumpur–Brisbane route from Nov 29 and progressively increase capacity to other key Australian cities. It also plans to operate three flights daily to both Sydney and Melbourne by November this year, up from twice daily now. Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd (MAG) group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said the expansion was driven by demand for travel to and from Australia, which has become one of the airline’s critical international markets. MAG is the parent company of MAS. Capt Izham said the Australian market was very important as the load factor there had averaged 85% over the last two and a half years. “During peak season, it surpasses 90% load factor,” he said at the unveiling of a special aircraft livery in collaboration with English football club Manchester United.<br/>