Howard Hardee
Howard Hardee is Americas aviation reporter for FlightGlobal.com and Flight International magazine, covering regional and low-cost carriers in North America and low-emissions initiatives throughout the industry. He formerly covered politics for journalism nonprofit Wisconsin Watch. Before that, he wrote about music, science and California forestry.
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InterviewGoJet dangles hefty signing bonus for captains amid revival of 40 CRJ-family jets
Rick Leach, chief executive of GoJet Airlines, sees a rare opportunity in front of the St Louis-based regional carrier created by slackening demand for pilots among its major US counterparts.
AnalysisSouthwest considering ‘transformational’ changes to single-class cabin: CEO
Southwest Airlines is exploring changes to its single-class cabin, potentially signalling an eventual departure from the carrier’s signature system of no assigned seating.
AnalysisRace to market leads top US air taxi developers to Middle East
Leading US air taxi companies pursuing certification of new and novel aircraft appear increasingly likely to launch passenger service not at home but in a Middle East region eager to embrace advanced air mobility.
AnalysisOutgoing Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun favours ‘internal succession plan’
Asked to explain what qualities he would like to see in the next chief executive of Boeing, outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun hints at personally favouring an internal candidate to guide the company into its next era.
NewsBoeing advances $425m to boost struggling supplier Spirit
Boeing is providing a $425 million advance payment to Spirit AeroSystems in an attempt to steady its embattled supplier in the short term.
NewsBoeing loses $355m in first quarter amid 737 production slowdown
Boeing lost $355 million during a first quarter marred by a high-profile safety scare and the subsequent slowdown of its narrowbody aircraft production rates.
AnalysisAir Transat reaching for new horizon with flights to Africa
Eastern Canada’s Air Transat has big ambitions to expand transatlantic flying with its growing fleet of long-range jets, and Africa is now within reach.
AnalysisJetBlue loses $716m amid myriad first-quarter struggles
US carrier JetBlue Airways lost $716 million in the first quarter as “significant elevated capacity” in Latin America and on domestic routes cut into the already-struggling airline’s performance.
NewsBeta transitions eVTOL from hover to forward flight and back
In a major milestone for electric aircraft developer Beta Technologies, the start-up has successfully transitioned a full-scale prototype of the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) variant of its Alia aircraft from hover to wing-borne forward flight – and back to hover.
NewsJetBlue continues C-suite overhaul with Daniel Shurz leading revenue and network planning
US carrier JetBlue Airways continues building a new management team under the helm of recently installed chief executive Joanna Geraghty.
AnalysisAlaska and United bemoan strong quarters spoiled by Max 9 grounding
On back-to-back days, executives from two major US airlines described how a major safety scare and the related weeks-long grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9 jets undermined both companies’ otherwise strong first-quarter performances.
NewsArcher aims to court US policymakers at new office in Washington DC
US air taxi developer Archer Aviation has opened an office in Washington DC focused on regulatory affairs that will be led by Billy Nolen, former acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
NewsUS Army entertains short take-off and landing capabilities of Electra’s aircraft
The US Army is exploring potential use of Electra’s hybrid-electric short take-off and landing aircraft (eSTOL) aircraft for logistics in contested environments.
NewsConsumers sue to block Alaska’s proposed acquisition of Hawaiian
A group of US consumers have filed a lawsuit in a federal district court to block on anticompetitive grounds Alaska Airlines’ proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of rival West Coast carrier Hawaiian Airlines.
NewsAlaska Airlines executes brief nationwide ground stop due to ‘abundance of caution’
US carrier Alaska Airlines requested and was granted by the Federal Aviation Administration a nationwide ground-stop that lasted for about 1h on the morning of 17 April.
NewsMax 9 grounding consumes United’s first quarter profits
The grounding of United Airlines’ fleet of Boeing 737 Max 9s following the door plug blow-out on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 cost United roughly $200 million.
NewsUnited signs for 35 leased A321neos in pivot from Max 10
United Airlines has signed letters of intent with two lessors that will deliver 35 new Airbus A321neos starting in 2026, in a move backfilling the Boeing 737 Max 10s dropped from its fleet plan.
InterviewAvelo doubles down on core strategies three years after launching as start-up
Three years have passed since US start-up Avelo Airlines first took off from Burbank, California with an aggressive plan to carve a niche among established ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs).
AnalysisSpirit Airlines on track for greater Q1 loss than expected
US discounter Spirit Airlines is bracing for a greater first-quarter loss than previously anticipated due to how it is accounting for $150-$200 million in compensation from Pratt & Whitney (P&W) for its grounded Airbus A320neo-family aircraft.
NewsAustralian electric aviation start-up Wilbur Air eyes 100 Electra aircraft
Newly launched Australian start-up Wilbur Air has ambitious plans for electric aviation operations on the continent using an envsioned system of “mini-airports”.