Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued regulatory approval to New York-based JetBlue, allowing the airline to operate transatlantic routes between London, New York, and Boston, the agency confirmed on Monday.

 


All non-UK air carriers that want to undertake commercial services to, from, or within the UK must hold a Foreign Carrier Permit. The approval marks the first such permit issued to a new operator since the UK's exit from the European Union.

 


JetBlue in April 2019 announced its intention to start transatlantic service this year using Airbus A321LRs, calling it the next natural step in its focus city expansion strategy. London&nbsp;remains the largest destination not served by JetBlue from both&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and&nbsp;Boston, the airline said.

 


Although JetBlue has expressed confidence in the commercial viability of low-fare transatlantic service, the recent departure of Norwegian Air Shuttle—due largely to the Covid crisis—and the previous bankruptcies of Wow Air and Primera Air have illustrated the difficulty of sustaining profits on such routes. In fact, many of the same challenges that entrants faced in the past remain: such as the seasonality of markets like the North Atlantic where summer traffic typically doubles that of the winter, access to business traffic, and distribution of travel segments.

 


JetBlue, however, will follow Aer Lingus in launching narrowbody service this summer between the U.S. and Europe, and both believe the A321LR—with its specially designed interiors featuring lie-flat seats for long-haul flights—will prove more suitable than any previous single-aisle airplane from a cost, range, and comfort perspective. Upon announcing its transatlantic plan, JetBlue said it converted previous orders for 13 A321s to A321LRs for delivery in 2021. Two months later, at the 2019 Paris Air Show, it inked a deal with Airbus to convert another 13 A321s to A321XLRs—featuring still more range and fuel burn improvements—for delivery in 2023.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

UK CAA Issues Foreign Carrier Permit to JetBlue

Planning to start transatlantic service this year, JetBlue becomes the first carrier to win a UK foreign operators’ certificate since Brexit.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

ATR 72 aircraft performs pre-modification flight in Toulouse

Kepplair Starts Converting ATR 72 Into Water Bombers

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Only the piston aircraft segment posted a decline

GAMA: Bizjets, T-props, and Rotorcraft Deliveries Up

Hanneke Weitering

Two captains held the prototype 33 feet above the water for 30 seconds

Regent Flies Electric Seaglider with Crew for First Time

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Icing approval would open year-round service to northern communities

Horizon Begins Icing Tests for Cavorite X7 eVTOL

Kerry Lynch

Deal to close this year

Bombardier To Grow Manufacturing Capacity with MHICA Buy

David Donald

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

The two NATO allies will purchase seven of the tanker/transport aircraft

Spain and Poland Agree to Buy A330MRTT Tanker Transports

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News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

GE Aerospace has tested the GE9X, Leap 1A, Leap 1B, and more with the 747.

GE Aerospace Flies Boeing 747 To Test New Engine Tech

Charles Alcock

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

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