The Airlines News You Might've Missed — 1st Week of Dec. 2025

Group 1: JetBlue's New Routes - JetBlue is expanding its services by adding three new routes to Upstate New York, starting in March 2026, to enhance travel options for residents [1][3] - Buffalo will receive two nonstop services to Fort Myers and San Juan, while Syracuse will have one nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale [3] - Introductory one-way fares for these new routes start at $59, and JetBlue has also launched daily year-round flights from Boston and New York to Daytona Beach [4] Group 2: BermudAir's Route Changes - BermudAir is discontinuing its routes to Raleigh-Durham and Richmond, effective January 2026, to allocate aircraft to higher-demand routes [5][6] - The airline had recently announced an expanded summer 2026 schedule, indicating a shift in strategy to focus on more profitable routes [6] Group 3: Potential Oneworld Membership for Porter Airlines - Porter Airlines is strengthening partnerships with Oneworld members, which may lead to its eventual membership in the alliance, enhancing connectivity for travelers [8][9] - The CEO of Porter hinted at the possibility of applying for Oneworld membership, which would improve travel options for U.S. travelers heading to Canada [10] Group 4: Air Passenger Rights Changes - The U.S. Department of Transportation will no longer enforce rules requiring airlines to provide refunds for significant flight changes, a shift from previous regulations under the Biden Administration [11][13] - New regulations are expected to be published in April 2024, but the current lack of enforcement raises concerns about passenger rights [13] Group 5: Global Airlines' Fleet Update - Global Airlines has launched a second aircraft, an Airbus A340-300, to maintain operations while its Airbus A380 undergoes maintenance [14][16] - The introduction of the A340-300 aims to resume passenger flights as the A380 faces delays [16] Group 6: Air Canada Expands to Rio de Janeiro - Air Canada has introduced a new seasonal service from Toronto to Rio de Janeiro, running until the end of March 2026, coinciding with the peak tourist season and Carnaval [19][21] - This expansion reflects the growing tourism potential in Rio de Janeiro, as highlighted by local tourism officials [20]