Tag Archives: AI

891 Airline Ticket Pricing

Dynamic airline ticket pricing, Blackhawk helicopter altitude instrumentation, a U.S. Government equity position in Spirit Airlines, the NTSB preliminary report on the fatal LGA accident, capacity cuts at airports, AI-enabled ATC, the Digital Tower Technology Coalition, and SpaceX Starlink in-motion aviation plans.

Aviation News

JetBlue sued over claims it uses customers’ personal data to set ticket prices

Airline executives have told Congress that personal data is not used to dynamically set ticket prices. However, a complaint has been filed in federal court alleging that JetBlue uses “trackers” and shares data with third parties to dynamically set prices. This stems from an exchange on X where a passenger complained about a ticket price increase and JetBlue responded by saying the passenger should try “clearing your cache and cookies or booking with an incognito window.” JetBlue later stated that the response was incorrect and added that “fares can change at any moment as seats are purchased or as inventory is adjusted based on demand”.

Army aviation chief: D.C. crash ‘wasn’t about’ outdated Black Hawk cockpit

At a media briefing on Bell’s MV-75 tiltrotor, The Air Current asked the commanding general of Army Aviation, Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, whether last year’s fatal midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet changed the Army’s thinking about fielding the Black Hawk’s partial replacement. Gill answered, “No, it’s completely unrelated.” The MV-75 will have “a more advanced cockpit, but the D.C. crash really wasn’t about whether or not it was an advanced cockpit or not.” This implied that faulty altimeters and outdated avionics in the accident helicopter did not substantially contribute to the crash.

The NTSB found that altitude exceedances on the Washington, D.C., helicopter routes were likely exacerbated by inaccurate altimeters on older UH-60L “Lima” Black Hawks, including the one involved in the crash.

Possible Spirit rescue fuels new fears about government involvement in business

The Federal government is considering an equity deal to keep Spirit Airlines afloat. Under the proposal, the airline would receive $500 million, providing additional liquidity as Spirit works to emerge from bankruptcy. The U.S. government could own up to 90% of the airline, according to sources.

Reportedly, the government would charge Spirit a reasonable interest rate and move to the top of the debtor list. CBS News says, “The loan would be protected by Spirit assets that would exceed the government’s costs, and would provide taxpayers with a warrant — the right to own 90% of the company after it emerges from bankruptcy.” Also, “The Pentagon would use Spirit’s excess capacity for transporting troops, military cargo, or other missions. The airline would then likely be sold to another carrier.”

See:

NTSB Report LGA Air Canada Incident [PDF]

On March 22, 2026, Jazz Aviation LP flight 646 (operating as Air Canada flight 8646), a CRJ-900, was substantially damaged after it collided with Rescue 35 (R35), an Oshkosh Striker 1500 aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle, while landing on runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport. The captain and first officer were fatally injured.

Of the 2 flight attendants, 72 passengers, and 2 crew of the ARFF vehicle, 39 were transported to local hospitals with 6 serious injuries reported. The airplane was a Part 129 scheduled flight from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Montreal, Quebec, to LGA.

A review of the ASDE-X system data by the FAA determined that the system did not generate an aural or visual alert on the ASDE-X displays in the LGA ATC tower to warn controllers of the potential runway conflict.

FAA orders Chicago O’Hare International Airport to cut over 300 planned flights daily between May and October

The FAA is ordering flight reductions at Chicago O’Hare International Airport over the summer travel season. 3,080 daily flights were scheduled for peak summer days in 2026. Now O’Hare flights will be restricted to 2,708 per day from May 17 to Oct. 24. This change is motivated by capacity and operational delay concerns.

The FAA said it intends to bring in more air traffic controllers, speed up controller training, reduce delays by optimizing routes and airspace, and increase communication between the agency, the airport, and airlines during high-risk periods.

FAA quietly developing AI enabled air traffic management system

The Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (SMART) is an artificial intelligence-powered software tool designed for air traffic management. People familiar with the project say it could fundamentally change how the U.S. airspace system operates.

Palantir, Thales, and Airspace Intelligence (ASI) are competing on the initiative. Operational start could be as early as later this year. The system could enable the FAA to plan for bottlenecks and anticipate schedule conflicts before an aircraft even leaves the ground. This contrasts with today’s human-centric, reactive ATC structure.

Digital Tower Technology Coalition Pushing Remote ATC

The Digital Tower Technology Coalition “is an alliance of stakeholders advocating for the FAA’s implementation of the digital tower program, as outlined in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. By leveraging U.S. airports, regional partners, air traffic controllers, original equipment manufacturers, and federal partners, our coalition seeks to ensure an efficient and transparent process while strengthening U.S. global competitiveness in cutting-edge aviation technology.”

See the Press Release: Introducing the Digital Tower Technology Coalition, Representing Bold Commitment to Innovation in Effort to Modernize U.S. Aviation [PDF]

SpaceX Cuts Starlink Aviation Prices – New GA Plans Start at $200/Month

When SpaceX imposed a 100 mph speed cap on all non-aviation plans, general aviation pilots were forced to switch to more expensive aviation-specific tiers. That generated an outcry from the flying community, including a petition with over 9,500 signatures. GA pilots had been using Starlink Roam for $50 per month with a 100GB data cap. Now SpaceX has made some changes to its in-motion aviation plans.

Aviation 300MPH is renamed General Aviation Local 50GB, the price is lowered to $200 per month (from $250), and the monthly data limit is increased to 50GB (from 20GB). Additional data can be purchased in 50GB blocks for $25 (from $10 per GB).

The Aviation 450 MPH plan is now General Aviation Global 50GB, which is still $1,000 per month, but the monthly data cap has been increased to 50GB (from 20GB). Additional data can be purchased in 50GB blocks for $100 (from $50 per GB).

Mentioned

Swiss cheesemakers allowed to artificially make holes in Emmental cheese

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Rob Mark.

844 Airline Retailing

Airline retailing with ATPCO CEO Alex Zoghlin, IATA’s New Distribution Capability, Offers & Orders, and the Elevate industry conference. In the news, AI transformation of the airline industry, cyber criminals stealing United FA login credentials, shark skin riblets on Delta 767s, first flight of a prototype hydrogen-powered helicopter, China’s tailless 6th generation fighter jet, and a fatal helicopter crash in the Hudson River.

Guest

Alex Zoghlin is the CEO of ATPCO, a neutral industry partner that provides airline management tools, pricing data, and solutions that support airline retailing. Owned by the airlines, ATPCO blends data and systems with technology to create value for hundreds of commercial airlines around the world. The company turned 60 this year.

IATA describes Airline retailing as a customer-centric approach in the airline industry that focuses on enhancing the shopping experience across various channels. It is enabled by the New Distribution Capability (NDC), which allows airlines to offer more personalized services and products directly to consumers. This modern retailing model emphasizes frictionless, intuitive, and personalized shopping experiences for travelers. The transition to this model provides airlines with opportunities to innovate their distribution strategies and create additional value.

Alex explains how ATPCO provides value to airlines. We talk about continuous pricing and dynamically generated fares as well as some of the factors airlines use in their pricing strategies. He describes how airlines can have fixed price points for different offerings, then turn specific offerings on or off depending on the circumstances. We look at curated ticket pricing that can create the specific travel experience the customer wants – extra baggage, type of seat, lounge access, etc. With this capability, airlines could potentially compete for the flyer’s travel business.

ATPCO’s Elevate 2025 airline industry conference was held April 7-10, 2025, in Chicago. Alex says the conference theme this year was data and AI: How airlines can use the wealth of available data and some AI tools to make win-win offerings for both the airlines and the consumers.

In our conversation with Alex, we consider several other airline industry topics such as the 2050 industry carbon reduction goals and the current tariff situation in the United States.

Alex is a long-time airline/travel industry veteran. He co-founded Orbitz, sold a distribution startup to Travelport, and worked as a VP at Hyatt for 6 years. Alex has several aviation-related pursuits: He’s a pilot and a flight simmer, he has a Part 107 drone license, and he participates in launching large amateur rockets, specifically the LDRS (Large, Dangerous Rocket Ships), an annual gathering of rocket enthusiasts organized by the Tripoli Rocketry Association.

Aviation News

How AI is Transforming the Airline Industry

The Promise of Travel in the age of AI, a 32-page Skift & McKinsey report (2023), claims that AI could generate an estimated US$45bn in potential value for the airline industry globally through operational efficiencies, revenue optimization, and customer service improvements.

AI is already impacting the airlines through organizational changes, predictive maintenance from aircraft health monitoring, AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots, personalized in-flight entertainment options, and voice-cloning technology to provide a multilingual IFE system. In the future, look for flight path optimization for increased fuel efficiency, refined dynamic pricing models, and even autonomous aircraft.

Cyber Criminals Are Going After The Paychecks Of United Airlines Flight Attendants Using Fake Websites That Look Legit

Criminals are using website spoofing to steal the login credentials of United FAs. In addition to paychecks, Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are at risk. Airline passengers who quickly search for an airline’s phone number can also become victims of scams.

Delta Air Lines Innovates Fuel Efficiency with Shark Skin Riblets on 767s

In partnership with Australian company MicroTau, Delta is testing “shark skin” riblets that reduce drag on the Boeing 767. The claim is up to a 4% improvement in fuel efficiency. The skin is applied to the fuselage, wing, and tails. MicroTau’s Riblet Package was also tested on Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 technology demonstrator.

The engineering behind the first hydrogen-powered helicopter flight

A Robinson R44 that has been modified as a hydrogen-powered helicopter prototype achieved a successful first flight. Robinson and Unither Bioélectronique (through the United Therapeutics subsidiary) are collaborating on the project that incorporates two low-temperature proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, a lithium-ion booster battery pack, and a MagniX electric motor. The cylindrical hydrogen fuel tank is mounted under the tail boom and the cooling system utilizes two nacelles on either side of the helicopter.

See: What are proton exchange membrane fuel cells and how do they work?

Diagram of the operation of a hydrogen fuel cell. — Courtesy Biolin Scientific.

New video of China’s tailless, triple-engine fighter jet has military aviation community buzzing

New video of the J-36 flying over a highway have appeared on Chinese social media sites. The highway is located near the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group runway where the jet is believed to have been made.

See: New Video Of China’s J-36 Next Generation Stealth Fighter Emerges and 6-second video of the J-36 on X.

Fewer than 1 in 3 airlines have advanced offer and order strategies

IATA explains in Distribution with Offers & Orders (New Distribution Capability – NDC) that NDC is a data exchange format based on Offer and Order management processes for airlines. This allows airlines to create and distribute relevant offers to the customer, regardless of the distribution channel. NDC (New Distribution Capability) was launched by IATA and is a travel industry-supported program. It’s open to any third party, intermediary, IT provider or non-IATA member, to implement and use.

See:

Helicopter crashes in Hudson River in New York City, all 6 on board killed

The chartered helicopter was flying a couple and their three children on a sightseeing tour. Video shows the Bell 206 falling into the river without a tail rotor or a main rotor blade.

See: Deadly Hudson River helicopter crash renews calls to restrict non-emergency flights. Local New York City elected officials are calling for a ban on non-emergency helicopter traffic over the City. Mayor Eric Adams countered that there is no need for an outright ban.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, Max Trescott, Rob Mark, and David Vanderhoof.

827 AI Governance Framework for Aerospace and Defense

An AI governance framework for aerospace and defense, airlines pad flight times and improve on-time performance, record numbers of travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday, stowaways on airline flights, and executive-level cost-cutting at Boeing.

Guest

Photo of Tim White, Vice President of Engineering and Technology at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA).

Tim White is the Vice President of Engineering and Technology at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), where he advocates for the technical workforce to policymakers. In this role, he leads AIA staff and members in identifying, developing, and executing consensus programs and activities aimed at enhancing cost savings, performance, and efficiency within the aerospace and defense industry.

AIA Unveils AI Flight Plan Documenting Best Practices for AI Governance in Aerospace

The AIA released the AI Flight Plan, Best Practices for AI Governance in Aerospace, a first-of-its-kind document outlining comprehensive best practices for the governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) use for aerospace and defense. The framework outlines the elements of an AI governance program that targets three primary usages of AI in aerospace:

Business operations enhancement
Generative systems design and development
Integration into customer-delivered products, software, and services.

Tim has over 20 years of experience in operational and consulting roles within the aerospace and defense industry, having worked for companies such as Raytheon, Honeywell, and Bechtel. Throughout his career, he has contributed to commercial and defense products and held leadership positions in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Quality. Most recently, he has collaborated with advanced technology companies like Interos and Mosaic Data Sciences, focusing on delivering cutting-edge solutions in artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and digital transformation.

Tim holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA from Brigham Young University, and a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from George Washington University. He is also certified in Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis, and Change Leadership.

Airlines Are Padding Flight Times. It’s Not Your Imagination

According to a NYT Upshot analysis of Bureau of Transportation Statistics data, airlines strategically add extra time to their flight schedules, effectively “padding” their flight durations. This leads to a higher percentage of flights arriving on time or early even if the actual flight time hasn’t significantly changed. This improves airline on-time performance metrics.

Jammed Thanksgiving Flights Push U.S. Air Travel to Record

The Transportation Security Administration said it screened about 3.09 million people on Sunday, the peak of the busy Thanksgiving travel period. The previous record set in July was 3.01 million travelers. The TSA reports that their 10 busiest days were recorded in 2024.

Stowaway caught after getting aboard Delta flight from New York City to Paris

The woman, a U.S. resident, boarded a Delta flight from JFK to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and was discovered midair. She had been hiding out in the lavs and the flight attendants noticed the strange behavior. The TSA said the woman passed through a body scanner at JFK, evaded the document and ID check portion, had her bags scanned, proceeded to the gate, and snuck onto the flight.

The Delta Paris Stowaway Incident Keeps Getting Stranger – The stowaway was a 57-year-old woman living in the Philadelphia area. She’s a Russian national who holds a US Green Card. She requested asylum in Paris, which was rejected. The woman was placed on a return flight but pulled off after a disruptive outburst.

Is Delta the Official Airline of Stowaways? – This was not the only stowaway incident involving Delta Air Lines.

Flight Attendants On Delta Air Stowaway Flight Were Meant to Check the Toilets For Hitchhikers Before Plane Pushed Back From the Gate – Flight attendants “were meant to have checked the toilets for hitchhikers before the aircraft pushed back from the gate” and “Most commercial airlines have specific procedures in place designed to prevent precisely this kind of scenario whereby a ticketless passenger hides in an onboard lavatory before departure.”

Boeing’s new CEO Ortberg clips corporate jet trips in show of restraint

The 19 members of Boeing’s executive council have access to five Bombardier Challenger 650 business jets and two Boeing 737’s. To cut costs, CEO Kelly Ortberg grounded some of the corporate fleet and asked executives to fly economy on scheduled airline flights. For security reasons, Boeing’s CEO is required to avoid commercial flights, even for personal trips. But Ortberg is relocating to Seattle.

In other cost-cutting moves, Boeing is eliminating 17,000 jobs that include management and making a list of non-core businesses to potentially sell or close. The company canceled the lavash rooftop party at the Singapore Grand Prix, pulled sponsorship of the Washington International Horse Show, sat out a commercial and defense air show in China, and did not attend the annual meeting of Asian airlines.

Mentioned

Discount coupon for The Air Current – $15 for three months. Use coupon code AGPOD for a quarterly subscription. The Coupon is good through December 31, 2024. Note: This is not a sponsored offer.

Hurricane Helene Recap from the Jungle Aviation And Relay Service.

AOPA et al. Update Complaint Protesting California 100LL Ban

Listener Adam on TikTok and YouTube.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and David Vanderhoof.

538 AI and the Aviation Industry

We look at how artificial intelligence is impacting commercial aviation and a consider a few of the areas that hold the greatest promise. In the news, a concept that would have pilot conversations monitored by an AI agent, how to get new airplanes signed off by the FAA during a furlough, Norwegian Air Shuttle’s share offering, and the loss of a remarkable female military aviator.

Guest

Mark Roboff, General Manager for Digital Transformation, Aerospace & Defense at DXC.

Mark Roboff is an IT executive with over 15 years experience in artificial intelligence and related fields. He’s been a true AvGeek since he was little, and Mark loves working in aviation – first as Global Solution Leader for Aerospace at IBM, then more recently as VP of Aviation at a prominent AI startup, and now as General Manager for Digital Transformation, Aerospace & Defense at DXC. Mark has worked with OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and numerous airlines on AI, advanced analytics, and IoT/sensors, with a focus on key application areas such as AI-driven maintenance and autonomous flight.

Mark tells us about the state of the aviation industry with respect to AI technology and AI applications. He characterizes maintenance and flight operations as the low hanging fruit. An AI-driven predictive maintenance capability would provide great value to the airlines.

We consider what is required to close the gap and bring these applications to the industry. The need for data to teach the AI engines is key, and Mark explains how the “terabyte of data per flight” that we hear about isn’t representative of the entire fleet. Many aircraft are simply not architected to provide that volume.

Mark also explains the circumstances where AI be useful. An interesting example is prognostic maintenance models for components like seats. Premium airline seats are complex, expensive, and don’t necessarily have sensors. A health management system where AI is trained from maintenance logs offers real potential.

We also look at AI and autonomous flight. Mark points out some differences between autonomous automobiles and autonomous aircraft and how their respective technological gaps are different. Social and regulatory issues remain a challenge.

Mark has worked closely with IATA as a strategic partner on AI-driven maintenance, helping to define the next generation of aircraft health management tooling and predictive maintenance solutions. He has given keynotes at the IATA Safety & Flight Ops Conference and the IATA Maintenance Cost Conference, and he has also spoken at AviationWeek’s MRO conferences across the globe. Mark gave the AI keynote at the SAE Aerospace Standards Summit this past October and is chairing a proposed SAE committee focused on Applied AI in Safety-Critical Systems.

See these resources:

Aviation News

Airlines Mull Real-Time Monitoring of Pilot Conversations

NIIT Technologies is recommending that airlines use AI to monitor pilot voices to predict whether a crew will be late on their way to the airport, to determine if a particular pilot is the right “fit” for the job, or to monitor pilot conversations and improving safety through flight operation quality assurance (FOQA) and real-time monitoring.

The company says, “Using our data technology, we can acquire the voice of the pilot while they are flying and use AI to differentiate between what is a normal and expected conversation or determine if there is increased stress in the pilot’s voice.”

Southwest Agreed to Pay FAA for Inspector’s Time During Government Shutdown

Southwest Airlines wanted to put three new jets into service. For that, they needed the sign off of an FAA safety inspector. The problem was, the safety inspectors were furloughed during the partial government shutdown. Southwest agreed to cover the cost of briefly recalling a furloughed inspector. Is this special treatment? The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (or PASS) feels they should have been notified.

Norwegian Air Shuttle’s Revolution Comes Unstuck

In an effort to keep the airline afloat, Norwegian is undertaking a 3 billion kroner ($353 million) rights offering. They just announced a 2.5 billion kroner yearly pretax loss and they have a 250 million euro ($286 million) bond maturing in December.

Rosemary Mariner, The First Female Military Air Commander, Dies At 65

She was the first woman to fly a tactical fighter jet in the US Navy, the first woman to land on an aircraft carrier, and the first woman to command a squadron. At age 65, Rosemary Mariner lost her 5-year battle with ovarian cancer. To honor her, a 4-plane “missing man” formation was flown by an all-women pilot and ground crew.

Mentioned

Sticks, Stories, and Scotch

Ace Combat 7

Credit

Outtro by Bruno Misonne.