Summer Air Travel Outlook + Airline Tips You Can Use

There’s probably a good chance that you or a family member will be traveling by air this summer. While we all enjoy the long days of sunshine the season brings, summer also presents unique travel challenges. Passengers line up inside crowded airport terminals, as lines of thunderstorms percolate outside. (blog.flightaware.com) Más...

Remembering Dick Rutan, Aviation Legend and Decorated Veteran

This weekend, the aviation world mourns the loss of a pioneer in the industry. Remembering USAF Lt Col (ret) Dick Rutan, an aviation legend and decorated combat veteran. Rutan passed away on May 3, while battling a severe lung infection. (avgeekery.com) Más...

Southwest May Soon Crack Down On Seat Savers And Wheel Chair Abusers

Southwest Airlines may look into the possibility of assigned seating, which would crack down on seat savers and those abusing the preboarding process. (www.gatechecked.com) Más...

New FlightAware iOS Widgets By FlightAware

FlightAware is excited to introduce our latest iOS widget update — your gateway to instantaneous ADS-B receiver metrics directly from your home screen. What is a widget? Mobile widgets offer users a convenient way to access important information and perform common tasks directly from their device's home screen, enhancing efficiency and usability in mobile interactions. FlightAware now has two new widgets to keep you up-to-date on your ADS-B positions and receiver status Positions Reported… (blog.flightaware.com) Más...

Airlines sue DOT over new rules requiring disclosure of fees

Major airlines have filed a lawsuit against the federal government over new rules that would require carriers to disclose all airline fees — including those for checked and carry-on bags as well as change and cancelation fees — up front. (www.cnn.com) Más...

Man Fined $21K for Causing Disturbance on Flight from London to Newark

A 30-year-old man has been fined $21,000 for exhibiting unruly behavior and engaging in loud arguments on a flight from London to Newark. Described as physically combative, the man’s actions led to significant disruptions aboard the aircraft, prompting authorities to impose a hefty fine as a consequence of his conduct. (www.airguide.info) Más...

FAA bill would force the agency to craft 'real world' rules for airplane evacuations

If an airplane has to be evacuated, the Federal Aviation Administration says all passengers must be capable of getting out within 90 seconds. But critics say the agency's testing standards have not kept pace with the shrinking size of airplane seats — which means more people jammed into the cabin — or the changing composition of the flying public. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth argues the FAA's current tests fail to take real world conditions into consideration. (www.npr.org) Más...

Miami’s Six Hour Immigration Line Disaster

Clearing immigration at Miami International Airport is usually not bad, but more and more instances have popped up where immigration line wait times are stretching beyond the two hour mark. (www.gatechecked.com) Más...

Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. (www.nytimes.com) Más...

Ohio Men Sentenced for Targeting Ohio State Highway Patrol Pilots with Laser

Two Ohio men faced sentencing for their involvement in targeting an Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) helicopter with a laser and LED spotlight, actions classified as a federal offense. (www.airguide.info) Más...

US lawmakers strike deal to boost aviation safety, will not raise pilot retirement age

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - U.S. House and Senate negotiators said early Monday they had reached a deal to boost air traffic controller staffing and boost funding to avert runway close-call incidents, but will not increase the airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65. The U.S. House of Representatives in July voted 351-69 on a sweeping bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that would also raise the mandatory pilot retirement age to 67 but the Senate Commerce… (www.reuters.com) Más...

One dead after severe turbulence hits Singapore Airlines flight

One person has died on board a Singapore Airlines plane that encountered severe turbulence on a flight from London to Singapore, the airline said Tuesday. (www.cnn.com) Más...

Delta Planning to Fly Premium-Heavy CRJ-550s

The airline is slated to add the 50-seat aircraft to its regional fleet. (airlinegeeks.com) Más...

Southwest Closes Four Stations Amid Ongoing Boeing Delivery Woes

The airline lost $231 million in the first quarter of 2024. (airlinegeeks.com) Más...

NASA's DC-8 finally retired

Link to video of flyover by DC-8-71 N817NA. It will be replaced by a B777. (www.aerotime.aero) Más...

Global Airlines’ Unusual Airbus A380 Ferry Flight

The aircraft crossed the Atlantic Ocean with its landing gear down. (airlinegeeks.com) Más...

5 problems facing hydrogen-powered airplanes

BRUSSELS — The best way to cut greenhouse gas emissions from flying is to fly less — but that's a non-starter for the industry and millions of passengers. Instead, the sector is hunting for a tech fix that would allow airplanes to keep flying while polluting less — and one idea is to use hydrogen. But there are big questions over whether this is a workable solution. Here are five challenges facing hydrogen-powered aviation. 1. Sourcing clean hydrogen won't be easy Hydrogen can be very… (www.politico.eu) Más...

FAA investigating near collision of two jets at Reagan National Airport

Two passenger jets came within 400 feet of each other before controllers took last-minute evasive action and immediately stopped the two planes. It’s not clear why the jets were authorized to be on the same runway at the same time. (wtop.com) Más...

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $76 Million in Grants from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Modernize Airports, From Runway Improvements to Better Facilities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding another $76.1 million from the previously allocated $9 billion, for 45 airport-related infrastructure projects in 22 states. The projects are funded under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, part of the $25 billion total included in the law for airport improvements, including front-of-house projects such as terminal expansions and baggage… (www.faa.gov) Más...

Frontier Airlines Passenger Refuses Exit Row Instructions, Prompting Plane to Deboard

A Frontier Airlines passenger’s refusal to comply with exit row instructions led to the entire flight being deboarded. In a viral TikTok video posted on May 9th, travel blogger Tia (@travelwithtia23) recounted an incident where an unidentified woman, wearing glasses, engaged in a heated argument with airline staff. Despite fellow passengers urging her to cooperate, she adamantly refused, escalating tensions on board. (www.airguide.info) Más...

Trump's plane clips another jet's wings after late-night landing at PBIA; FAA investigates

WEST PALM BEACH — The FAA is investigating an incident in which former President Donald Trump's private plane clipped another jet after landing at Palm Beach International Airport early Sunday, May 12. The Boeing 757 landed safely at the airport at about 1:20 a.m. While taxiing, its winglet made contact "with a parked and unoccupied corporate jet," the statement from the Federal Aviation Administration said (www.msn.com) Más...

Bud Anderson, Last of World War II’s ‘Triple Ace’ Pilots, Dies at 102

He single-handedly shot down 16 enemy planes in dogfights over Europe. After the war, he became one of America’s top test pilots during the “Right Stuff” era. (www.nytimes.com) Más...

Jumping from History: The Skydiving DC-9 Hot Rod Flies Again

It’s been over a decade since a former SAS Scandinavian Airlines DC-9 took to the skies over southern California for a skydiving mission. It finally made its return to the skies last week! (avgeekery.com) Más...

Issue with A320 forces diversion

Delta Airbus A320 performing flight 1166 from Austin to NY JFK diverted to Cincinnati due to technical issues and met by fire vehicles on landing. No details yet. (www.flightaware.com) Más...

Finnair Suspends Route Due to GPS Interference Concerns

GPS "spoofing" continues to be a concern for airlines operating in certain regions. (airlinegeeks.com) Más...

German aviation company Lilium and Swiss firm to open new sites in France

PARIS, May 12 (Reuters) - German aviation firm Lilium and Swiss-based nickel refinery company KL1 will set up new sites in France representing a combined investment of 700 million euros ($753.83 million), French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday. Lilium will invest 400 million euros in a new factory that will create up to 850 new jobs. KL1's new site in Blanquefort, near Bordeaux, will amount to an investment of 300 million euros, creating 200 new jobs, Le Maire said. The… (www.reuters.com) Más...

Second Boeing whistleblower dies after raising concerns about 737 MAX

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, went public with claims that the company’s leadership ignored manufacturing defects in Boeing’s 737 MAX. Spirit AeroSystems is a Boeing supplier (www.independent.co.uk) Más...

JetBlue to Return Some Retired A320 Jets to Service

Embattled with ongoing Pratt & Whitney engine troubles on its newer A321neo aircraft, JetBlue is planning to return some older Airbus A320s to revenue service. (airlinegeeks.com) Más...

Boeing quality issue delays Alaska Airlines converted freighters

First it was a door plug that blew out weeks after Alaska Airlines began flying the new 737 MAX. This time the Boeing issue has to do with a cargo conversion on a 737. (www.freightwaves.com) Más...

A Record Number of Travelers Will Fly This Memorial Day and Summer—Here’s What to Do as Soon as Your Flight Is Disrupted

If your air travel plans are less than smooth, use these tips and strategies to get your trip back on track. (www.afar.com) Más...

Boeing and the Dark Age of American Manufacturing

Somewhere along the line, the plane maker lost interest in making its own planes. Can it rediscover its engineering soul? (www.theatlantic.com) Más...

Why Are Electric Taxiing Systems Not Used Today?

Electric green taxiing systems (EGTS) have emerged as a beacon of hope for reducing fuel consumption and emissions in the aviation industry. The idea is simple, use electric motors in the wheels to taxi airplanes instead of relying on the fuel guzzling main engines. (aeroxplorer.com) Más...

Mobile Version Checking at FlightAware

Updating and Maintaining Version Data Our solution is a combination of a service called Mobile Version Check and logic to process that in the client-side app UI. The service oversees updating and maintaining our app version data as well as determining if a user needs to upgrade to a new version based on input that is provided. It is accessed through a REST endpoint and is deployed on two Kubernetes clusters using Flux. Each deployment includes two replicas that check independently to ensure… (flightaware.engineering) Más...

Hawaiian Airlines slowly adds freighters for Amazon business

Hawaiian has faced some delivery delays for its A330 cargo jets. (www.freightwaves.com) Más...

Flying in the Time of Cicadas

Over the weekend the crew of a Challenger 350 at John C. Tune Airport (KJWN) in Nashville, Tennessee, was having difficulty starting its engines. "We put a borescope down the APU and found it full of cicadas. They blocked the airflow." Cicadas are not terribly selective, and they were apparently attracted to the noise and heat of the APU and piled into the inlet, blocking the airflow. When the technicians evaluated the problem, they were attacked by the swarm. (www.flyingmag.com) Más...

Lufthansa Anticipates Boeing 777-9 Delivery Delay Until Mid-2026

Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter has announced that the airline now expects the delivery of its first Boeing 777-9 aircraft to be delayed until at least the summer of 2026. This adjustment comes as the latest in a series of setbacks for the model’s entry into service. (www.airguide.info) Más...

Saudia Group agrees largest ever Saudi jet deal with Airbus

RIYADH, May 20 (Reuters) - Saudia Group, owner of the Saudia airline and budget carrier flyadeal, announced on Monday an order for 105 Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab narrow-body aircraft in what the company's director general described as the largest ever order from a Saudi airline. The order consists of 12 A320neo and 93 A321neo single aisle aircraft. State-owned Saudia Group said that Saudia would be receiving 54 of the A321neo jets, while flyadeal would acquire 12 A320neos and the… (www.reuters.com) Más...

Ground Agent Injured After Falling From A320 Doorway

A ground agent attending to a Transnusa Airlines flight at an Indonesian airport ended up in the hospital after falling from the door of the Airbus A320-200 aircraft. (www.gatechecked.com) Más...

Iran’s president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East. The crash killed all eight people aboard a Bell helicopter, which Iran purchased in the early 2000s. Iran has offered no cause for the crash nor suggested sabotage brought down the helicopter, which fell in mountainous terrain in a sudden, intense fog. (apnews.com) Más...

ABX pilots win back Amazon business with power of positivity

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, as the saying goes. The Teamsters-affiliated union at ABX has taken that approach it has paid off. (www.freightwaves.com) Más...

Iberia to Become Global Launch Operator for Airbus A321neo(XLR)

Iberia has been designated as the global launch operator for the A321neo(XLR). This announcement comes after IAG International Airlines Group, Iberia’s parent company, shifted the launch responsibilities from Aer Lingus due to operational considerations. (www.airguide.info) Más...

US FAA to mandate use of safety tool by charter airlines, manufacturers

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday said it is finalizing new rules requiring charter, commuter, air tour operators, and aircraft manufacturers to implement a key safety tool aimed at reducing accidents. The FAA is adopting a final rule mandating the use of Safety Management Systems (SMS), which are a set of policies and procedures to proactively identify and address potential operational hazards, after first proposing to do so in January 2023.… (www.reuters.com) Más...

FAA Mandates Increased Rest for Air Traffic Controllers

In response to concerns about air traffic controller exhaustion and its potential impact on safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced new regulations aimed at addressing fatigue among controllers. (www.airguide.info) Más...

Department of Justice says Boeing may be criminally liable in 737 Max crashes

Boeing has violated a 2021 agreement that shielded it from criminal prosecution after two 737 Max disasters left 346 people dead overseas, the Department of Justice told a federal judge in a court filing Tuesday. (www.usatoday.com) Más...

Airbus Reports 13% Increase in April Deliveries, Confirms A350F Schedule

Airbus has reported a significant increase in its aircraft deliveries for April, with a 13% rise compared to April 2023. The European aerospace giant successfully delivered 61 aircraft in April, bringing its total deliveries for the year to 203, as announced on Tuesday May 7. (www.airguide.info) Más...

Airbus in Talks with China Over Potential Aircraft Order Ahead of Xi Jinping’s France Visit

Airbus is reportedly in discussions with China regarding a potentially significant aircraft order ahead of an upcoming visit to France by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Xi Jinping is scheduled to make his first trip to Europe in five years next month, with trade expected to be a key topic of discussion amidst growing tensions between the EU and China. (www.airguide.info) Más...

Half way around the world in the cockpit of an A319

Amelia becomes the 345th airline to join our cockpit series and we joined one of their Airbus A319s being ferried from New Caledonia to Europe, a 4 day trip! (www.youtube.com) Más...

FAA launches new investigation into Boeing after company may have missed some 787 Dreamliner inspections

The FAA is investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and if employees falsified aircraft records (www.foxbusiness.com) Más...

Retiring Delta A330 pilot's water cannon salute

Retiring Delta A330 pilot water cannon salute Detroit metro, DTW. I do not have info on the crew Date: 5-17-24 Flight: DAL17 Airport: Detroit metro, KDTW Route: LHR-DTW Gate: A50 A/C: A330-223 Ship N860NW/3360 (www.youtube.com) Más...

Spirit Airlines has joined Frontier in dropping change and cancellation fees

The elimination of change at cancellation fees at Spirit follows a similar move by low-cost rival Frontier Airlines. On Friday, Frontier announced several changes aimed at improving price transparency. During the pandemic, major airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines permanently did away with change fees on standard economy and premium cabin tickets. The changes come on the heels of new U.S. Department of Transportation rules announced last month, which will… (qz.com) Más...