Jetstream tips

Southwest Airlines chairman Gary Kelly plans to retire from the company’s board at the end of his term in 2025 after the annual shareholder meeting, the carrier said in a statement Tuesday morning. Six other directors will leave the board in November. 

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian are one step closer to gaining final approval for their proposed merger. Following two last-minute extensions in recent days, the review period for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to complete its regulatory investigation has ended.

Israel’s national carrier confirmed a major new deal with Boeing on Thursday. EL AL Israel Airlines will buy up to 31 Boeing 737 Max planes as part of a wider fleet overhaul.

After a July it would rather forget, Delta Air Lines is working hard to restore its reputation as an aviation innovator. The U.S. carrier is launching free onboard Wi-Fi across its global network in the coming months, with many major markets enjoying the perk within a matter of weeks.

With a handful of notable exceptions, airline CEOs are a fairly measured bunch. So when you hear a chief executive predicting that “this will change everything,” it’s a good idea to pay attention.