Alerts Sign-up
A cabin crew website recently explored the appropriateness of pressing the flight attendant call button, revealing varying responses based on airline, flight phase, and class of service. Asian or Middle Eastern carriers generally accommodate such requests, while U.S.-based attendants often disapprove.
Airline agents are filling out baggage tags by hand as a cyberattack continues to plague SeaTac Airport's computer systems. The attack was apparently launched on Saturday against the Seattle Port Authority, which runs the airport. It led to numerous delays and cancellations over the weekend. As of Monday, there was no end in sight and no prediction on when operations would return to normal.
September 1 Rent Day marks a significant change for Bilt Mastercard users. It is the final occasion where cardholders can earn double points on up to 10,000 points, including tax payments. Starting October 1, the bonus will be capped at 1,000 additional points, and tax payments will no longer count.
From August 28 to September 8, 2024, Air France, the official partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will showcase its products and services in Paris. The airline is taking over SPOT24, a new multi-purpose venue located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, near many Paralympic event sites. SPOT24 also serves as the visitor center for 'Paris je t'aime,' the city's tourist office.
A fully autonomous Cessna Caravan shuttled components to support a major military exercise between nine different airports across two states earlier this month. The Caravan, operated by Xwing, which was acquired by Joby earlier this year, covered 3,900 miles with the human monitor pilot onboard never touching the controls. Exercise Agile Flag 24-3 is one of a series of mobilization drills that qualifies new recruits in command and control roles.
Delta will charge 425,000 SkyMiles one-way from Atlanta to Santiago, Chile in business class on April 17th.
A visionary pioneer in homebuilt design and a popular couple whose fatal crash saddened the entire experimental community are among six inductees to EAA's 2024 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame. The inductees are Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz for the Homebuilders Hall of Fame; Linda Meyers Morrissey, Aerobatics; Frank Strickler, Warbirds; Dave and Jeanne Allen (posthumous), Vintage; and Dave Goulet, Ultralights (posthumous). The ceremony will be held Oct. 16 in EAA's Eagle Hangar at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh.
An American Airlines passenger expressed dismay when the individual seated next to him in first class was observed "blatantly watching porn" as the plane awaited takeoff. The incident has raised questions about appropriate behavior and content consumption on flights.
News and notes from around the internet:
Traveling across Europe is often more convenient by train than plane, with extensive regional and high-speed rail networks providing numerous options. Having arrived in Paris for the Olympic Games, I opted to use Ouigo to travel to and from Bordeaux.
Last week's blog provided an update on the progress of replacing 100LL with unleaded high-octane aviation fuels. In the comments section, a reader using the title BestGlideSpeed raised numerous questions and criticisms regarding General Aviation Modifications Inc.'s (GAMI's) G100UL. Many points have been echoed by others, while some were new. GAMI founder and Chief Engineer George Braly addressed these in a detailed response.
As an official partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Air France will be transporting 600 pupils from Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Saint Martin, and Reunion Island to Paris. These students will attend Paralympic events as part of a program aimed at introducing them to the diversity of disabled sports and the values of the Paralympic spirit.
The owner of a flight school that went bankrupt while allegedly holding hundreds of thousands of dollars in student deposits has struck a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to tax evasion, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Kevin Rylchik is facing a prison term but by pleading guilty he avoided indictment on a series of serious federal charges relating to his operation of American Aviation at Manassas Airport in Virginia and several other businesses. The charges were filed against Rylchik in May, three months before he abruptly closed...
Bilt Rewards has announced a new initiative allowing customers to earn points on all purchases made at Walgreens, regardless of the credit card used for payment. This is in addition to any existing credit card rewards.
Hughes Network Systems, a key partner in the Eutelsat OneWeb connectivity program, has shipped over 5,000 enterprise-class electronically steerable antenna (ESA) terminals to support the OneWeb Ku-band Low Earth Orbit (LEO) service. Business and government customers can expect speeds of 195 Mbps down and 32 Mbps up, according to the EchoStar subsidiary. Hughes also develops and manufactures the gateway electronics and core modules used in every terminal on the Eutelsat OneWeb LEO system.
Employees at Los Angeles-based transportation company Dependable Highway Express have successfully removed Teamsters Local 63 union officials from their workplace. The campaign, led by employee John Cwiek, gained majority support through a petition calling for a vote to decertify the union. Cwiek received legal assistance from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation throughout the process.
Several XpresSpa locations have begun offering free 25-minute Zero Gravity Massage Lounger sessions to Priority Pass customers. This benefit is not extended by American Express and Capital One for non-lounge experiences, while Chase excludes restaurants but includes these visits.
Passengers on airplanes often engage in personal conversations, seemingly oblivious to those around them. This phenomenon reflects how people create personal space in crowded environments, similar to behavior observed in busy cities like New York.
Hilton and Hyatt do not charge resort fees when guests redeem points, with the points covering the stay. Marriott, however, began charging resort fees upon launching the Bonvoy program. This move was seen as an effort to appear to provide strong value while reducing costs for hotel owners.
Customers flying between Invercargill and Auckland were treated to a unique experience as Air New Zealand celebrated five years of direct service on this route. The airline marked the occasion by serving cheese rolls, often referred to as 'Southland Sushi,' at an altitude of 30,000 feet.