JetBlue's $58.5 million winning bid for Spirit's LaGuardia slot holdings would lift its share of LGA slots from roughly 2.7% to 4.6%, keeping the carrier under the FAA's 5% threshold for airlines with a limited presence at slot-controlled airports — and that outcome has triggered a lobbying push by JetBlue's low-cost rivals to lock legacy carriers out of any future slot sales from Spirit's bankruptcy estate.

Breeze, Frontier and the Association of Value Airlines are asking the government for assurances that any future slot awards from Spirit — or any other source — go to low-cost carriers rather than American, Delta, Southwest or United. Frontier is not contesting JetBlue's auction win. The Denver-based carrier came in second for the LGA slots, $1 million short of JetBlue's offer, and instead wants assurances for future offerings.

ACI-NA, the trade group representing airports, has filed its own concern with the FAA: in a bankruptcy, slots function as liquid assets sold to the highest bidder, whether or not that serves the flying public. The filings set up a policy fight over whether regulators should weigh competition effects when distressed carriers liquidate slot portfolios.

The numbers frame the stakes. JetBlue holds about 2.7% of LGA slots today; Spirit's 22 slots would push it to 4.6%, below the threshold that would trigger heightened scrutiny. Legacy carriers, meanwhile, remain the most probable high bidders for any assets Spirit sheds going forward.

Alaska grows Seattle's second airport

Alaska Airlines is expanding at Everett's Seattle/Paine Field, the region's struggling secondary airport, growing seats by 50% beginning this fall. The carrier will add San Jose service next spring at twice daily on Horizon-operated aircraft — a route it last flew in 2020. Los Angeles grows to twice daily on Boeing 737s and Portland expands to twice daily, while San Diego and San Francisco will be upgauged with larger aircraft.

Alaska has been the sole commercial operator at Paine Field since Frontier exited in 2025. Frontier operated briefly at the airport the year before; United attempted service from 2019 through 2021 before withdrawing. Alaska's move consolidates its dominance across the Seattle region, where it already leads at Seattle/Tacoma International.

American and STARLUX launch codeshare

American Airlines and STARLUX Airlines have converted their interline agreement into a codeshare partnership with frequent-flyer reciprocity, effective Wednesday on STARLUX's Taipei–Phoenix flight. The codeshare will expand to STARLUX's Taipei flights serving Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ontario and Seattle.

STARLUX codes will be placed on 26 American domestic flights from LAX and Phoenix. AAdvantage members can earn miles and Loyalty Points on STARLUX flights booked under AA codes. The carriers say they will pursue mileage redemption and additional travel benefits. The tie-up with the Taiwan carrier, which sits outside the oneworld alliance where American is a founding member, deepens American's trans-Pacific connectivity without additional flying of its own.

Avelo doubles down on McKinney before opening

McKinney National Airport, the Dallas Metroplex's newest commercial airport, earned its Airport Operating Certificate from the FAA on Wednesday — and Avelo responded by adding four destinations and a third based Boeing 737-800 before the airport even opens in November.

Avelo inaugurates service on November 11 to Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale. The new markets: Atlanta and Denver at four weekly flights from December 16, and Nashville and New Orleans at twice weekly from December 17. The certification process verified TSA and federal security compliance and fuel spill procedures.

JSX commits to 50 Heart Aerospace ES-36s

JSX has placed a deposit with Heart Aerospace for 50 of the Swedish manufacturer's ES-36 hybrid-electric regional aircraft, with options for 50 more. The deal replaces, on identical terms, JSX's previous order for the smaller ES-30.

Heart unveiled the 36-seat aircraft this week. The company expects pre-production to begin late in 2028 and first delivery into service in 2031 — a timeline that leaves the program years from revenue service. Heart says the ES-36 can fly up to 125 miles on batteries and up to 745 miles in hybrid mode, with operating costs designed to be roughly 40% below conventional regional aircraft. Those figures remain manufacturer targets, not certified performance data.

Heart expects other ES-30 holders, including Air Canada and United, to roll their orders into the larger variant.

Briefly

• Air Canada will end its Singapore flight in January.
• Air France is pulling out of Paris–Denver as United enters the market, according to reports.
• Air New Zealand is seeking a renewed partnership with Virgin Australia.
• An Abu Dhabi sovereign investor is eyeing a stake in Atlas Air.
• British Airways is adding frequencies on London/Heathrow–St. Louis.
• Biman Bangladesh has ordered 11 additional Boeing jets.
• Cabo Verde Airlines is rejoining IATA's billing and settlement plan.
• Cathay Pacific is dropping Cairns.
• Condor is targeting $230 million in cost cuts by the fourth quarter of 2028.
• Delta took delivery of its first A321-200 in charter configuration for the NBA and announced summer 2027 routes from Detroit and Boston.
• Emirates is considering swapping 787 orders for 777X amid the delivery crunch.
• JAL is reportedly nearing an order for 20 Embraer E2s.
• Argentina's JOY Airlines has delayed its debut and suspended ticket sales.
• Norse Atlantic is down to one U.S. route for winter.
• PIA is adding two wet-leased 787-9s from Norse.
• Qatar Airways is retiring its final A330s.
• Riyadh Air is adding Jakarta.
• Ryanair is trimming winter frequencies as oil prices rise.
• SAS is opening a new Copenhagen lounge next year.
• SWISS is preparing a backup plan for wet-leased A220s as airBaltic faces financial difficulty.

The FAA's response to the LCC slot petitions will shape the competitive outcome of Spirit's wind-down at constrained East Coast airports, and Heart's ES-36 order book will test whether hybrid-electric regional economics can survive contact with a certification timeline stretching to 2031.