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Saudia, the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently transported three of its retired Boeing 777 aircraft from Jeddah Airport (JED) to Riyadh International Airport (RUH). There, they are to be stripped down of any useful parts with the fuselages then to be used for a new tourist attraction to be known as ‘Boulevard Runway’ However, rather than ferrying the trio of widebodies on a short flight between the two airports, the aircraft were transported by road courtesy
As the big ultra low cost carriers (ULCCs) continue to bleed money, many have asked questions about how things went so wrong so quickly. The thing is, it didn’t happen all that fast. The ULCCs, specifically Frontier and Spirit, were heading in this direction for some time. It’s just after COVID settled that the problems came into focus. There are a lot of things that have gone wrong, and today I want to put some numbers to it, using Cirium data.
While there are lots of areas where United Airlines has been improving, Wi-Fi is an area where the carrier greatly lags both American and Delta. You’d think that something’s gotta give at some point, especially with United increasingly being in Delta’s league , and Delta offering fast and free Wi-Fi. Along those lines, here’s an interesting rumor. United expected to make Wi-Fi announcement soon The always reliable @xJonNYC reports on some interesting rumors about the future of United’s inflight
After Cathay Pacific was forced to inspect all 48 of its Airbus A350s, the airline has confirmed that engineers identified 15 aircraft that needed repairs. On September 2, 2024, Cathay Pacific initiated a fleet-wide inspection of all 30 Airbus A350-900s and 18 A350-1000s after the airline identified an engine component failure on an aircraft destined for Zurich.
DOT Places Loyalty Programs Under Scrutiny The Department of Transportation opened an investigation into frequent flier and loyalty programs, specifically targeted at American, Delta, Southwest, and United. The government will be “seeking more specific data to better understand the largest rewards programs and identify potential competition or consumer protection issues or risks,” as detailed in a letter sent to each of the four carriers.
The Boeing Starliner, which is currently attached to the International Space Station (ISS), has reportedly started emitting mysterious ping noises. NASA and Boeing engineers have so far been unable to determine the cause of the unusual sounds.
In recent years, summer demand for travel between the United States and Europe has been through the roof, so we’ve seen US airlines add as much capacity there as possible. Every year, we see airlines tweak their European route network a bit, based on both capacity and demand, and announce new services. Along those lines, American has just announced its seasonal expansion for the summer of 2025, making it the first US carrier to announce these plans for next summer.
In recent years, summer demand for travel between the United States and Europe has been through the roof, so we’ve seen US airlines add as much capacity there as possible. Every year, we see airlines tweak their European route network a bit, based on both capacity and demand, and announce new services. Along those lines, American has just announced its seasonal expansion for the summer of 2025, making it the first US carrier to announce these plans for next summer.
Visitors to the Sun’n Fun 2024 Aerospace Expo , which took place in April 2024 in Lakeland, Florida, came across an aircraft that looked like straight of the 1920s. The aircraft in question certainly looked the part, but it didn’t come out of a museum or some heritage flight formation, nor had it traveled through time. It was, in fact, a newly built plane.
When it leaves the International Space Station next Friday, Boeing’s troubled Starliner crew capsule may not be going quietly into the night. The spacecraft started making a funny noise on Saturday shortly after it was announced that Boeing would attempt to return the vehicle autonomously to Earth on Sept. 6. Astronaut Butch Wilmore, who rode Starliner to the ISS three months ago on an eight day mission with Suni Williams, heard a strange pulsing noise coming through a speaker that he play
During a layover, we may be used to walking around the terminal, trying to catch a nap in a less-than-ideal bench seat, or grabbing a bite to eat. However, have you ever thought about riding a bike around the airport's perimeter? Those traveling to/from or via Thailand's capital have that option, thanks to the Happy and Healthy Bike Lane surrounding Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).
In 2025, Lufthansa Group carrier SWISS is expected to introduce a new passenger experience , known as SWISS Senses. This includes a new first and business class, and the plan is to install this on newly delivered Airbus A350s, and also to retrofit this on existing Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s. This is virtually identical to the infamous Lufthansa Allegris concept , as I’ve already reviewed the new Allegris business class.
A Turkish Airlines flight en route from Istanbul to Taipei in Taiwan encountered severe turbulence shortly before it landed at Taipei. Although the aircraft, a Boeing 777, landed safely, four passengers and two crew members were reportedly injured in the incident according to local media. The flight involved in this latest incident of turbulence affecting commercial aircraft occurred as Turkish Airlines flight TK24 from Istanbul-Ataturk Airport (IST) to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)
Periodically, we highlight vintage aircraft listed for sale with one of our sponsors, Platinum Fighter Sales. One of their newly-listed airframes which really caught our eyes is a rare 1 941 Nakajima A6M2 Model 21 Zero described in the text and images below. The Nakajima A6M-2 Zero was discovered as a wreck in the jungle on Ballale Island, part of the Solomon Islands, in 1965.
Jeff Bezos, the former Chairman, President, and Chief Executive officer of Amazon, the owner of The Washington Post newspaper, and the space company Blue Origin. With a net worth north of $200 billion, Bezos is the second-richest man in the world, surpassed only by Elon Musk. He owns a fleet of private jets and has recently expanded his private jet fleet to include four aircraft.
Visiting New Zealand is about to get more expensive, as the country is drastically increasing the fee it charges international visitors… New Zealand international visitor levy increasing to 100 NZD New Zealand requires visitors from visa waiver countries to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) prior to travel, as is the case with many countries around the world.
Aegean Airlines intends to acquire a 21% stake in Barcelona-based regional low-cost airline Volotea, the two carriers announced on September 3, 2024. According to the terms that have been disclosed, this investment will take the form of a €50 million convertible loan. The loan will be structured in two equal tranches, the first of which has already been disbursed by the Greek carrier, with the second expected to be formalized in Q2 2025.
While the global IT meltdown was probably the most significant occurrence - there was a multi-day ordeal a week prior, affecting JetBlue travelers in Paris. What was supposed to be a mere eight hour flight was actually a lengthy 3 day ordeal as a 10-month-old A321LR encountered issues!
While this won’t impact passengers in any way, EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic are launching an interesting pilot exchange program … Some EasyJet pilots are headed to Virgin Atlantic EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic have partnered in a pilot exchange program, which will see some EasyJet pilots join Virgin Atlantic to experience a long haul, wide body flying secondment.
Czech flag carrier CSA will cease air operations and discontinue the use of the historical “OK” code, as its parent company, Smartwings, restructures its aviation businesses. According to reports in the Czech media, while not disappearing de jure, CSA will be repurposed as a holding company after October 27, 2024. All airline operations will then be transferred to Smartwings.
An Army investigation found an F-35 pilot with no previous experience in the type was at the controls of an Apache attack helicopter when it crashed at a base in Utah last February. According to KUTV , which got a copy of the report, the pilot was a colonel and he had 35 minutes of sim time in the Apache before he took off on an orientation flight with a Master Warrant Officer who was qualified in the type.
American Airlines has announced a series of new seasonal European routes for summer 2025. The oneworld member airline will connect four different US hubs with five transatlantic destinations - Athens, Madrid, Rome, Edinburgh, and Milan.
Virgin Atlantic has announced a trio of new destinations for the spring of 2025. In addition to flying to Toronto, Canada , and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia , the SkyTeam carrier is adding flights to a third destination… Virgin Atlantic adds London to Accra flight As of May 1, 2025, Virgin Atlantic will launch a new daily flight between London Heathrow (LHR) and Accra (ACC).
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring one-off on-wing inspections of all Rolls Royce Trent XWB97 engines fitted to Airbus A350-1000 engines. The order comes following the incident involving a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 (registered B-LXI) on September 2, 2024, when the crew was forced to shut down an engine following an inflight fire on a flight between Hong Kong and Zurich.
One of the enduring mysteries of the summer aviation news cycle was just how the world’s largest flying boat was going to get to one of the country’s most land-locked museums but that may have been solved. The folks who keep the A-26K “Special Kay” flying posted on Facebook Sunday that the massive Philippine Mars, which has no landing gear, will be flown from its current base on Sproat Lake on Canada’s Vancouver Island to Lake Roosevelt, Arizona’s largest body
Delta Air Lines will be suspending flights between New York JFK Airport (JFK) and Bogot (BOG) this winter season as it adjusts its schedule to align with consumer demand, the airline says in a statement to Simple Flying. At present, the US carrier flies to the Colombian capital daily with a Boeing 757-200 aircraft. It is worth noting, though, that the airline does fly from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Bogot, meaning the destination is not being cut completely from th
Here’s a development that counters the industry trend, especially as countries set climate goals… Sweden abolishing tax on air travelers In a major policy reversal, the Swedish government has announced that it will eliminate its aviation tax as of July 2025. This was revealed as part of the government’s 2025 budget bill, which otherwise includes more spending on infrastructure, research, and innovation, as well as tax relief on foreign exports.
Lufthansa appears to be strongly interested in acquiring a 19.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal, which is soon to be privatized by the Portuguese government. Lufthansa Group CEO Cartsten Spohr was reported to be in talks with senior Portuguese officials in relation to the potential acquisition. Portugal’s flag carrier was re-nationalized in July 2020, when the Portuguese government recovered majority control of the airline after buying out the shares held by US airline investor and entrepreneur, Davi
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a federal lawsuit against United, alleging that a supervisor called a Mongolian employee a racial slur.
Rapper and entrepreneur Rick Ross has recently made news in the aviation world by acquiring a private jethis customized Gulfstream G550, dubbed "Maybach Air." This luxurious aircraft allows Ross and his entourage to travel in style while showcasing his opulent lifestyle and business acumen.
Turkish Airlines already flies to more countries than any other airline in the world, and now the airline is adding yet another country to its network. Best of all, this is yet another fun fifth freedom option. Turkish Airlines launching flights to Santiago, Chile Turkish Airlines will soon be launching flights to Chile. The Star Alliance airline will start flying to Santiago (SCL), but it won’t be a nonstop flight from Istanbul (IST).
Sweden will abolish its aviation tax from July 2025 in a bid to boost air travel. The tax, which has been in effect in the Scandinavian country since 2018, represents a levy of between SEK76 and 504 (approximately US$7.4 – 49) depending on the destination, on each airline ticket for flights arriving or departing Swedish airports (transit passengers are exempt).
The Airbus A380 is an unquestionably stunning aircraft and is sure to capture the attention of many wherever it flies. While the aircraft has not had as long of a successful life compared to the Boeing 747, several planes continue to operate passenger flights today. In contrast, many 747 examples have been retired or converted into freighters. It has taken some time for A380 operators to introduce their planes back to service since the pandemic.
Generally, I don’t mind flying American Eagle, which is American’s regional subsidiary. Actually, there’s a lot to like about the experience, especially when flying the Embraer E170/175. I love the ratio of first class seats to economy seats (which makes upgrades easier), and I like the 1-2 layout in first class and the 2-2 layout in economy. However, can we take a second to talk about the food?
The second aircraft operated by luxury airline Beond has entered service. This aircraft, an Airbus A321, was delivered to the airline in February 2024, and has since undergone a cabin refit to install Beond signature all-business class interior. The aircraft has also been painted in the carrier’s distinctive dark grey livery punctuated by spherical copper patterns.
The European aviation regulator is planning to issue an order requiring operators to inspect Airbus A350 engines following a recent engine fire incident.
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