Saudi Arabia's flag carrier, Saudia (SV), has filed for a potential new route connecting Jeddah (JED) to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), according to the Winter 2025 ACL slot coordination report. This proposed service, if launched, would mark Saudia’s first direct entry into the American Midwest.

The airline plans to operate the route using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, a fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft central to Saudia’s long-haul fleet. The 787-9 offers up to 298 seats in a two-class configuration and can comfortably cover the Jeddah–Detroit distance of over 7,500 nautical miles.

Detroit emerges as a strategic choice for several reasons. It is a major U.S. gateway with a significant Arab-American community, particularly in nearby Dearborn, home to one of the largest Middle Eastern populations in the country. Additionally, Detroit serves as a key hub for Delta Air Lines, a SkyTeam alliance partner of Saudia, enabling potential seamless domestic connections across the U.S..

While slot filings like this one are often a precursor to route launches, they do not guarantee that flights will commence. Saudia has previously filed for U.S. routes to Atlanta and Miami that have yet to materialize, so cautious optimism is warranted.

This move aligns with Saudia’s broader Vision 2030 initiative, aiming to transform Saudi Arabia into a global aviation hub. The airline is actively modernizing its fleet and expanding its international network, already serving U.S. cities including New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, as well as Toronto in Canada.

However, the airline faces challenges amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have caused airspace closures and rerouting, potentially impacting operational costs and route viability for new transatlantic services like Detroit.

Saudia’s winter schedule announcements are awaited to confirm whether the Jeddah–Detroit route will officially launch. If approved, this service would significantly bolster Saudia’s presence in North America and offer Midwest travelers direct access to Saudi Arabia, further cementing the airline’s strategic expansion in the region.

An easyJet flight from Geneva to Edinburgh was forced to declare a mid-air emergency and return to Geneva shortly after takeoff on Sunday evening due to a bird strike, cutting the journey short and causing flight cancellation.

The Airbus A320, flight EZY3294, took off from Geneva Airport around 6:06 PM local time but encountered a bird strike during its initial climb. The pilots immediately declared an emergency and circled near Geneva before safely landing back about 40 minutes after departure. The bird strike caused a technical defect on the aircraft that maintenance crews could not quickly resolve, leading easyJet to cancel the flight rather than attempt repairs, prioritizing passenger safety above schedule adherence.

EasyJet issued formal notices to affected passengers, apologizing for the inconvenience and providing information on rebooking options and accommodations for those impacted. Emergency services attended the aircraft upon landing as a precaution, and all passengers disembarked safely without incident.

This incident adds to a recent string of easyJet emergencies in mid-June 2025. Two other flights were forced to make emergency landings within days: one from Paphos to Bristol diverted to Izmir due to smoke detection, and another from Manchester to Enfidha diverted to Paris Orly for unspecified reasons. Both flights landed safely with no injuries reported.

These events underscore the operational challenges airlines face in ensuring safety amid technical issues and environmental hazards like bird strikes. EasyJet's response in following established emergency protocols demonstrates its commitment to passenger safety despite the disruption to travel plans.

In summary, the Geneva-to-Edinburgh easyJet flight's emergency return following a bird strike highlights ongoing aviation safety vigilance during the busy European summer travel period, with the airline taking all necessary precautions to protect its passengers.

Vietnam’s aviation authority has taken the unprecedented step of temporarily closing Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa Province after a series of unauthorized drone sightings near the runway raised serious safety concerns and disrupted flight operations over several days.

The suspension began at 6:00 p.m. on Monday and will last until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, affecting at least 10 civilian flights. This move follows three consecutive days of drone incursions near the airport, which forced multiple flight diversions and delays. On Sunday alone, two Vietjet Air flights from Ho Chi Minh City were rerouted one to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport and the other to Vinh Airport in Nghe An Province.

Authorities described the situation as “increasingly complex and difficult to control,” prompting the urgent suspension of all flights in and out of the airport. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has directed airport officials to work closely with air traffic controllers, police, and military units to detect and neutralize unauthorized drones.

The Thanh Hoa People's Committee has been tasked with investigating the breaches and holding violators accountable. Joint patrols have been deployed in nearby residential areas to prevent further incidents and raise public awareness about aviation safety regulations.

Vietnamese law strictly prohibits any unmanned aerial vehicles within an 8-kilometer radius of airports, especially near takeoff and landing zones. This ban includes drones, flycams, sky lanterns, kites, balloons, laser pointers, and signal flares. Violators face fines ranging from VND 3 million to VND 40 million ($115–$1,530) and confiscation of their equipment.

Tho Xuan Airport, located in Sao Vang Town, north-central Vietnam, is a joint civil-military facility handling 10 to 15 commercial flights daily alongside military operations. The recent drone incidents have exposed vulnerabilities in airport security and prompted urgent measures to safeguard civil aviation safety in the region.

Vietnam’s aviation authority has taken the unprecedented step of temporarily closing Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa Province after a series of unauthorized drone sightings near the runway raised serious safety concerns and disrupted flight operations over several days.

The suspension began at 6:00 p.m. on Monday and will last until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, affecting at least 10 civilian flights. This move follows three consecutive days of drone incursions near the airport, which forced multiple flight diversions and delays. On Sunday alone, two Vietjet Air flights from Ho Chi Minh City were rerouted one to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport and the other to Vinh Airport in Nghe An Province.

Authorities described the situation as “increasingly complex and difficult to control,” prompting the urgent suspension of all flights in and out of the airport. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has directed airport officials to work closely with air traffic controllers, police, and military units to detect and neutralize unauthorized drones.

The Thanh Hoa People's Committee has been tasked with investigating the breaches and holding violators accountable. Joint patrols have been deployed in nearby residential areas to prevent further incidents and raise public awareness about aviation safety regulations.

Vietnamese law strictly prohibits any unmanned aerial vehicles within an 8-kilometer radius of airports, especially near takeoff and landing zones. This ban includes drones, flycams, sky lanterns, kites, balloons, laser pointers, and signal flares. Violators face fines ranging from VND 3 million to VND 40 million ($115–$1,530) and confiscation of their equipment.

Tho Xuan Airport, located in Sao Vang Town, north-central Vietnam, is a joint civil-military facility handling 10 to 15 commercial flights daily alongside military operations. The recent drone incidents have exposed vulnerabilities in airport security and prompted urgent measures to safeguard civil aviation safety in the region.

The first four months of 2025 have brought a mixed bag of passenger traffic trends across Oman’s airports, reflecting shifting travel dynamics in the region. According to the latest data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information, a total of 4,701,055 passengers passed through the country’s airports from January to April, marking a slight 4.1% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Muscat International Airport, the nation’s primary aviation hub, handled 4,222,789 passengers by the end of April  down 4.7% from 4,428,726 in early 2024. Flight operations also saw a notable dip, with the number of flights falling 8.6% to 29,731, compared to 32,520 last year. Despite the decline, Muscat remains the busiest airport in Oman, serving as the gateway for millions of travelers.

Indian nationals continue to dominate the passenger demographic at Muscat International Airport, with 182,628 travelers recorded so far this year. Omanis rank second with 101,087 passengers, followed by Pakistanis at 47,078, highlighting the strong regional connectivity and expatriate travel patterns.

In contrast to Muscat’s slight downturn, Salalah Airport experienced a positive surge in passenger numbers, increasing by 6.8% to 458,394 compared to 429,181 last year. This growth underscores Salalah’s rising appeal as a travel destination and transit point. However, flight operations at Salalah saw a marginal decrease of 0.2%, totaling 2,974 flights.

Sohar Airport recorded the most dramatic drop in activity, with flights plunging 62.5% to just 72 from 192, and passenger numbers plummeting by a staggering 98.7% to only 307 travelers, down from 23,842 last year. This sharp decline signals significant operational challenges or changes in airline services at Sohar.
Duqm Airport also experienced a slight downturn, with flights decreasing by 1.9% to 204 and passenger numbers falling 2.7% to 19,565 from 20,106 in the previous year.

While Oman’s overall airport passenger traffic has softened slightly in early 2025, the varied performance across its airports highlights evolving travel trends and regional economic factors. Muscat International remains a vital hub, Salalah shows promising growth, and the steep declines at Sohar and Duqm suggest areas needing strategic focus to boost connectivity and passenger confidence.

As Oman continues to develop its aviation infrastructure and tourism offerings, monitoring these trends will be key to sustaining growth and enhancing the travel experience for both residents and visitors alike.

Following Qantas’s announcement to shut down its Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia on July 31, 2025, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot are set to expand their Asian services to fill the gap left by Jetstar’s exit.

Jetstar Asia, which operated about 180 weekly flights from Changi Airport and served approximately 2.3 million passengers in 2024, is closing due to rising operational costs, increased airport fees, and intense competition from other low-cost carriers. The closure will affect around 500 employees, but SIA is working with Jetstar Asia and unions to explore opportunities for affected pilots and cabin crew within the SIA Group.

Scoot plans to launch new flights to destinations previously served exclusively by Jetstar Asia, including Okinawa, Japan, and Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, starting from the Northern Winter 2025 season (October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026). This will include four weekly flights to Okinawa and two weekly flights to Labuan Bajo, alongside daily flights to Medan, Indonesia.

From August 2025, Scoot will increase flights to key Southeast Asian cities: Bangkok from 35 to 39 weekly flights (rising to 42 from late October), Penang from 21 to 28 weekly flights, and Clark in the Philippines from 5 to 7 weekly flights. Additional increases will be made to services for Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Phuket, and Surabaya during the Northern Winter season.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines will boost its frequencies on several routes: Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 7 to 10 weekly flights; Jakarta, Indonesia, from 63 to 70; Manila, Philippines, from 28 to 35; and Phuket, Thailand, from 30 to 42 weekly flights. On some Manila routes, Scoot will deploy larger Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to replace smaller Airbus planes, increasing passenger capacity.

This expansion by Singapore Airlines and Scoot ensures continued connectivity and increased flight options across Asia, maintaining competitive pricing and supporting growing travel demand following Jetstar Asia’s closure. Travelers can expect seamless access to key destinations with enhanced frequency and capacity across the region.