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A passenger at the gate area of a Delta flight captured a photo of a woman preparing to board for Detroit, accompanied by a large dog and four carry-on items.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report today on the fatal crash of a Vietnam War-era Bell UH-1B helicopter in West Virginia on June 22, 2022. The report attributes the accident to inadequate inspection procedures by the operator, Marpat Aviation, and insufficient oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The crash resulted in the deaths of all six occupants when the UH-1B “Huey” struck power lines during an attempted forced landing following a loss of engine power.
Flying standby can be a viable option to avoid delays, but the process has become increasingly challenging. During major airline events, finding available seats may take days, and other airlines might also be fully booked during peak travel times. American Airlines, in particular, has made it more difficult to standby for an earlier flight. European airlines often do not allow standby at all. Status with an airline can help, but booking a backup flight on a second airline and canceling if it's not needed is advisable—especially if using miles that offer free cancellation and...
SpaceX planned to launch two rockets with internet satellite payloads this morning from sites in Florida and California. The California launch was postponed after the first stage from the Florida launch broke apart on landing on a SpaceX droneship several hundred miles northeast of the Cape Canaveral launch site. However, the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket successfully transported the 21 satellites into orbit.
Pilatus Aircraft announced on August 27 that it has signed contracts to establish a factory-owned “flagship” sales, design, and service center at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) in Bradenton, Florida. The company plans to develop 17 acres on the north side of the airport property for the facility, which will initially employ over 50 people.
A passenger at Miami International Airport brought another man, shrink-wrapped in green plastic, to the check-in counters for South American airline LATAM. The assisting passenger carefully lifted and placed the wrapped individual on a baggage scale. Later, the man in green plastic hopped away from the check-in area.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has taken delivery of its first two-class, 227-seat Airbus A321neo and will press the twinjet into revenue service in mid-September on European routes.
Vietnam Airlines has announced a status match offer for travelers. As a SkyTeam member and partner with Delta Air Lines, this offer is expected to attract significant interest.
Opened in 1994, the 31-mile long Channel Tunnel (informally, the Chunnel) under the English Channel is traversed 15 times daily by Eurostar’s non-stop high-speed rail service between Paris and London.
A United Airlines passenger on a flight from Los Angeles to Chicago O’Hare utilized an empty middle seat beside his window seat by setting up a second laptop on the tray table. This unconventional use of space led another passenger to speculate if he had purchased the extra seat for work purposes, noting, “I think I found myself more impressed than annoyed.”
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The Atlanta airport, known for its dual roles of serving political interests and supporting Delta Air Lines, recently faced criticism for a social media post following a tragic incident. On Tuesday, two Delta employees were killed in a tire explosion at an airport maintenance hangar. The airport expressed condolences on Twitter using Delta's corporate slogan "keep climbing."
Piper Aircraft announced today that its single-engine turboprop M700 Fury has received type certification from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA). This certification includes flight into known icing (FIKI) capability. The first delivery in Canada is scheduled before the end of Q3 this year. Approvals and initial deliveries are anticipated soon from the European Union Aviation Safety Association (EASA), the U.K., and Brazil.
Washington, Pennsylvania-based business aviation charter provider Skyward Aviation has joined the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s (ACSF) Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). Founded in 1993, Skyward Aviation aims to identify and reduce potential flight safety concerns through this self-reporting platform.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards has introduced a new promotion offering four methods to expedite progress towards elite status. Members can log into their Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards account, navigate to 'my account,' and register for the offer under promotions.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported yesterday that a federal jury has convicted a pilot of twice making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on his application for a Class 1 medical certificate. The case, dating back to June, involves pilot Olukayode Ojo, 36, of Dallas, Texas. Ojo was found guilty on August 16 on two counts of making false statements.
Two Delta Air Lines maintenance workers died on August 27, and a third was seriously injured when a tire reportedly exploded while being changed at the airline’s Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3). Airline tires are typically inflated with nitrogen to around 200 pounds per square inch of pressure.
SpaceX has postponed the launch of a private mission, originally scheduled for earlier this week, to Wednesday. The Polaris Dawn mission aims to achieve the first civilian spacewalk and will take four private citizens to an altitude of 870 miles. Two crew members are expected to exit the Crew Dragon capsule while more than 400 miles from Earth. The delay was due to a leak in the umbilical that loads liquids aboard the rocket. The rescheduled launch is set for Wednesday at 3:38 a.m.
A Southwest Airlines tug crashed through a wall and into an employee break room at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday. A social media user commented, “did someone say there’s fresh doughnuts in the ready room!!?”
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.