Greetings from Austin! This week’s recap is coming over a bit late as Mrs. ATX and I spent the day on Lake Austin with some friends. After the hill country floods, its been a beautiful summer here in Central Texas so we’re trying to make the most of it. Our lake adventures aside, it was a busy week on in the travel news cycle and you can find this week’s top stories below in the weekly recap for the week ended August 2, 2025.
In this post:
You Can Now Fly Direct Between Moscow and North Korea
For the first time since the 1990s, the capitals of Russia and North Korea are connected via a direct air link. Nordwind Airlines has launched 1x monthly service between Moscow and Pyongyang with the option to increase service up to 2x weekly depending on demand.
Alaska Airlines Adds Seven New West Coast Routes
Alaska Airlines is launching seven new routes as it continues to bolster its presence on the West Coast. All of the new routes will be operated by Embraer E175 regional jets outfitted with 76 seats.
Assigned Seat Pricing on Southwest is Out of Control
Southwest Airlines is introducing assigned seating on all flights as of January 27, 2026. While this was one of the changes I was most looking forward to from the carrier, initial pricing seems much steeper than I would have expected on head-to-head routes.
Delta Pilot Arrested on Arrival at San Francisco International Airport
A Delta Air Lines pilot was arrested last weekend at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Shortly after arrival, ten agents from the Department of Homeland Security stormed the aircraft and removed the first officer. The official reason for the arrest, and the name of the pilot, has not yet been released.
United Flight Attendants Overwhelmingly Reject New Contract
United Airlines flight attendants have overwhelmingly rejected the tentative agreement reached by management and union leadership earlier this year. Both sides will now head back to the negotiating table, though I’m not sure there is much left to give, especially given the current market uncertainty.
Summary
It was another busy week on the travel and aviation news front. While I couldn’t include everything in this recap, you can find all of the stories at ATXJetsetter.com. As always, thank you for checking out the weekly recap for the week ended August 2, 2025!
