The Professor’s Minute Minute — November 3, 2025

Travel paperwork, legal twists, airline pride, and a little espionage shopping…

Time to Check?

The world’s most and least powerful passports are out again — and the rankings may surprise you. Time to see if your passport opens doors or slams them shut.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2025/10/16/the-worlds-most-and-least-powerful-passports

It’s That Time of Year

IATA has issued its latest revision cycle — yes, it’s manual update season again. Check your ops and training manuals (and brace for the groans).

https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2025-releases/2025-10-27-01/

IPO for WestJet?

WestJet’s owner Onex is exploring an IPO. Could Canada’s “other national carrier” soon be publicly traded?

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/airlines/onex-partners-eyes-ipo-for-westjet/

Only Airline Staff Will Feel This One

A Canadian court ruling highlights just how messy airline employee travel perks can get. If you know, you know.

https://www.canlii.org/fr/qc/qcca/doc/2025/2025qcca1344/2025qcca1344.html

They Deserve It

US airlines are providing free meals to air-traffic controllers. A small thank-you to the people who keep the skies safe.

https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/10/31/us-airlines-providing-free-meals-to-controllers/

Quirky: Psst… Interested in Russian War Gear?

There’s an online marketplace for Russian military “souvenirs”. Just in case you wanted a tank periscope with your carry-on.

https://www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russia/2025/10/31/online-auction-site-reibert-provides-marketplace-for-russian-war-trophies%2C110542800-art

A Picasso Blue Period–style cubist landscape (1200×628) in cool blues and muted tones. A clean, symbolic composition: stylised passports overlapping as geometric shapes; a stack of procedural manuals reshaping into angular forms; a rising aircraft silhouette implying an IPO climb; a faint employee-only boarding pass tucked into shapes; a radar-like tower or control motif glowing subtly (controllers); and a discreet, shadowy corner suggesting a secretive “market stall” of military items. No logos, no readable text, and at most two subtle brand colour hints fully integrated into the art.

📣 Don’t forget: Follow the full archive at https://t2ni.blogspot.com and look out for the Best of the Week recap every Sunday on LinkedIn and Instagram.

You can also read the Professor’s musings here: https://t2impact.blogspot.com

And explore the old archive: https://www.tumblr.com/professorsabena

#PMM #ProfessorSabena #Aviation #Travel #Airlines #Passports #IATA #ATC #AvGeek #TravelNews #Aerospace

The Professor’s Minute Minute — November 2, 2025

A day of airline heartbreaks and awkward goodbyes.

Oh Woe the Widebodies (Part I)

The shortage of widebody aircraft is becoming “extraordinarily acute,” according to Aercap’s CEO. Long-haul capacity is getting squeezed hard.

Supply of Widebody Aircraft “Extraordinarily Acute,” Aercap CEO Says

Oh Woe the Widebodies (Part II)

More bad news: Boeing’s 777X delivery expectations just took another hit. The widebody crunch deepens from multiple angles.

Boeing 777X Update

Farewell, Little One

ANA will wind down its AirJapan brand in 2026. Another regional identity disappears into the history books.

ANA to End AirJapan Brand in 2026

Well… That’s One Way to Fix the GTF Issue

SWISS is withdrawing its Airbus A220-100s. If you can’t fix the engines, remove the planes? Bold strategy.

SWISS Retires A220-100s

US Escalates Its Battle with Mexico

The US has revoked Mexican airline routes as tensions rise again. Aviation diplomacy takes another hit.

US Revokes Mexican Airline Routes

Quirky: It’s Been a While, But We’re Back in Love

Europe has reclaimed the top spot in US imports. The romance rekindles across the Atlantic — for now.

Europe Reclaims Top Spot in US Imports

A Picasso Blue Period–inspired cubist landscape (1200×628) in cool blues/blue-greens with subtle warm accents. A clean, symbolic scene of global aviation strain and shifting trade: a fragmented widebody silhouette shown from two angular perspectives; a partially assembled widebody shape suggesting delayed momentum (777X); a small ANA/AirJapan motif subtly dissolving into adjacent geometry; a compact A220-100-like outline gently peeled/erased from the canvas; two abstract aircraft/flag forms on opposite sides pulling apart (US–Mexico routes); and a soft, quirky note of two faceted continental shapes leaning toward each other (US–EU import rekindling). At most two subtle brand cues (e.g., an ANA tail palette hint and a small SWISS cross-red panel), fully integrated; no logos or readable marks; no text anywhere.

📣 Don’t forget: Follow the full archive at t2ni.blogspot.com and look out for the Best of the Week recap every Sunday on LinkedIn and Instagram.

You can also read the Professor’s musings here: https://t2impact.blogspot.com

And explore the old archive: https://www.tumblr.com/professorsabena

#PMM #ProfessorSabena #Aviation #Airlines #Aerospace #Travel #TravelTech #AirlineOps #AvGeek

The Professor’s Minute Minute — November 1, 2025

 

A new month!

Subhead: When travel meets turbulence—shutdowns, farewells, and sonic whispers.

Sign Here to Save the Sector

The U.S. travel industry is literally begging Congress to return from its paid vacation. The shutdown’s ripple effect now threatens everything from visa processing to park rangers. You can add your name to the growing list of signatories here:

Industrywide Letter Urging Congress to End the Government Shutdown

Aloha, Forever

After 95 years, Hawaiian Airlines’ final official flight has landed—closing a chapter in Pacific aviation history. There’s nostalgia, yes, but also a hard look at what happens when heritage meets hard economics.

Last Official Hawaiian Airlines Flight Touches Down

Activism Takes Off—and Bites Back

Environmental protests are now hitting airports directly. Activists want Avelo kicked out of Baltimore/Washington International, proving that reputation turbulence can hit faster than any crosswind.

Activists Call on Maryland to Boot Avelo from BWI

Visa’s Quiet Crypto Coup

While the headlines screamed about regulation, Visa quietly went deeper into stablecoins—and their Q4 results beat expectations. If you thought blockchain was fading, think again.

Visa Goes Deeper into Stablecoins as Q4 Results Beat

Farewell, Jeppesen

Boeing is finally parting ways with Jeppesen, ending one of aviation’s oldest digital relationships. Pilots will miss the name—even if they won’t miss the licensing fees.

Boeing to Sell Jeppesen Unit

The Boom That Barely Booms

NASA’s X-59 has made its first flight—and you barely heard it. The future of supersonic travel may not shatter windows, but it might still crack open imagination.

NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Makes First Flight

📣 Don’t forget: Follow the full archive at t2ni.blogspot.com and look out for the Best of the Week recap every Sunday on LinkedIn and Instagram.

You can also read the Professor’s musings here: https://t2impact.blogspot.com

And explore the old archive: https://www.tumblr.com/professorsabena