aviation Antitrust M&A Airlines

Reuters

American shuts down merger speculation with United, saying it has not held talks

American Airlines said it is not interested in a merger with United Airlines and that it has not held such talks, undercutting prospects of a transaction that would likely face heavy regulatory scrutiny. The stance follows prior reporting that United explored combining with American via discussions with US officials.

Also: Air Data News and en.traicy.com

2026-04-17T22:46:44.724067-07:00

space Event Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Spaceflight Now • Stephen Clark

Live coverage: SpaceX attempts 600th Falcon booster landing amid West Coast Starlink mission

By Spaceflight Now: SpaceX is positioned to complete its 600th Falcon booster landing during a Starlink mission planned for Saturday morning. The Falcon 9 rocket will fly on a south-southwesterly trajectory upon departure from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

2026-04-17T23:59:22.130000-07:00

defense China Military Aircraft Procurement Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Asia-Pacific (APAC)

FlightGlobal • May Lee

China’s AEW&C fleet is growing, but can it survive modern warfare?

By FlightGlobal: Beijing is making significant progress with new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, even as doubts grow about the survivability of such platforms in modern warfare.

2026-04-17T19:45:21.193767-07:00

aviation MRO Supply Chain

Leeham News • Scott Hamilton

Diamonds are an MRO’s best friend

By Leeham News: By Hanneke Weitering Science & Technology Editor AIN April 18, 2026, © AIN: DUST Identity, a Massachusetts company whose Diamond Unclonable Security Tag (DUST) technology uses diamond particles to authenticate objects, has launched a new platform that it..

2026-04-18T00:20:13.428345-07:00

space China Satellite Supply Chain

Reuters

Beijing set to launch Satellite Town as China's aerospace industry grows

By Reuters: The core area of Beijing's Satellite Town, designed as a hub for satellite manufacturers and operators, will be completed in the second half of 2026, state-owned media Beijing Daily reported on Saturday.

2026-04-18T00:43:51.940107-07:00

aviation Orders Policy & Regulation

New York Times • Madeleine Ngo

DHS Expands Deportation Fleet With High-End Jets

By New York Times: The contract for five planes doubles the Department of Homeland Security’s fleet of jets to expel immigrants, and includes two Gulfstream planes, according to documents and interviews.

2026-04-17T16:01:42.824772-07:00

aviation ATC Airports Airline Industry & Market Trends Aviation Safety & Regulation Airport Infrastructure & Air Traffic Management Policy & Regulation United Airlines

FlightGlobal • Howard Hardee

'Severe prejudice': United blasted FAA's proposal of now-mandated O'Hare flight cap

By FlightGlobal: United fiercely pushed back on the FAA for unfairly picking “winners and losers” at Chicago O’Hare before the agency mandated a capacity-limitation aimed at easing congestion.

2026-04-17T17:15:26.691043-07:00

aviation ATC AI Policy & Regulation