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Starbucks is creating waves by allocating $250,000 per year for its new CEO Brian Niccol to commute from his home in Newport Beach, California, to company headquarters in Seattle using company aircraft. According to the company’s “offer letter” to the former Chipotle top executive, quoted in an article in Nation’s Restaurant News and publicly submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, “You agree to commute from your residence to the company headquarters (and engage in other business travel) as is required to perform your duties and responsibilities.” The letter...
The Lufthansa Group is set to enhance its connectivity to Berlin Brandenburg Airport with a new direct flight to Geneva. Starting October 28, SWISS will operate daily flights from BER to Geneva. Additionally, Eurowings has expanded its services at BER in 2024, increasing its destinations from Berlin to 30 locations across Europe and the Gulf region over the past six months. Passenger volume has more than doubled since the pandemic.
Air France is expanding its Asian network.
The Coast Guard has approved crewed testing of the wing-in-ground-effect Regent Viceroy seaglider, and the company is anticipating a speedy trip to certification. Although the Viceroy is technically planned to fly, albeit at less than 30 feet above sea level, it is considered a boat and therefore under the Coast Guard's jurisdiction rather than the FAA's. The FAA does have input, however. Regent says the 12-passenger full-sized electrically powered version of the vehicle will be skipping over the wavetops off Rhode Island shortly and flying by 2025.
Lufthansa Group carriers resumed daytime flights to Tel Aviv on 5 September, following a suspension of service in early August due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Management expressed optimism about rebuilding the schedule for flights to the Israeli city.
Four people, including a 15-year-old student pilot, were killed in the crash of a Piper Arrow 180 at Basin Harbor Airport, a grass strip in Ferrisburg, Vermont, on Sunday. The aircraft crashed in a wooded area shortly after takeoff just after noon. The victims were identified as student Delilah Van Ness, her mother Susan Van Ness, her high school flight instructor Paul Pelletier, and passenger Frank Rodriguez. They were found dead at the scene about 12 hours after the crash.
A Washington State woman has filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation, alleging that she and her eight-year-old son were removed from an Allegiant flight after requesting accommodations for the child’s severe nut allergies. The incident reportedly occurred because a flight attendant insisted on selling snacks containing cashews to earn commission.
Air Canada will commence winding down operations on Sunday in anticipation of a strike by its 5,400 pilots set for September 18. The airline stated that the "orderly shutdown" aims to repatriate aircraft from international destinations and prepare the system for an organized restoration of service. The company has cautioned that it may take up to ten days to return to normal operations even if the strike is brief.
Airbus has announced that its new linefit, supplier-furnished HBCplus Ka-band satellite-supported broadband inflight connectivity solution is set to launch imminently aboard aircraft scheduled for delivery to either Emirates or Ethiopian Airlines.
California-based Airhart Aeronautics is developing a semi-autonomous flight system for light aircraft, which its founder claims will significantly enhance flight safety. According to Autoweek, Nikita Ermoshkin, a former SpaceX engineer, aims to introduce a modified Sling TSi equipped with electronics designed to maintain the airplane within the flight envelope. The pilot will operate an "airspeed controller" and joystick, while the fly-by-wire system, tentatively named Airhart Assist, ensures stability.
In a significant incident at the Atlanta airport, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 bound for Tokyo collided with a Delta Connection CRJ-900, resulting in substantial damage to both aircraft. The accident occurred around 10:07 AM on September 10, 2024, as both planes were taxiing for departure. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
James Thistlethwaite's exhibition "Subtle Folds" is now on display at John Wayne Airport. The exhibit emphasizes Thistlethwaite’s exploration of candid human repose and the interplay between texture and color. His hyperrealistic drawings focus on the delicate and intricate details of fabric and skin, capturing their essence with precision. The collection features his signature use of monochromatic charcoal, accented with vibrant touches of yellow.
Every year since 2001, I have always taken note of the weather on September 11. It was on that morning back then, as I walked to my car before the early morning drive to work in northern New Jersey, I remember how the day dawned. The sky was sparklingly clear–deep blue and not a cloud to be seen. But as a pilot, I also noted that the wind was virtually dead calm–a very unusual combination, at least here in the Northeast. I clearly remember thinking, “What a beautiful, smooth day to fly!”
Nicholas Lenning, an EMT with Medstar Ambulance in Clinton Township, Michigan, has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 876. The charges allege illegal deductions of union dues from his paycheck without his consent, in violation of federal law. Lenning submitted the charges to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.
Southwest Airlines announced that former CEO and current Chairman Gary Kelly will step down. This move fulfills part of the leadership change demanded by Elliott Management. Several other board members will also leave, with plans to expand the board again, suggesting Elliott will gain representation.
This morning, two Delta Air Lines aircraft collided on the taxiway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. No injuries were reported in the incident, which involved a Bombardier CRJ900 operated by Endeavor (Delta Connection) and an Airbus A350.
A recent incident at the Holiday Inn & Suites Durango Downtown has raised concerns about hotel security. At approximately 3:00 AM, a man allegedly broke into a guest's room and attempted to steal a purse. The guest reported the incident to management, who informed the police that similar incidents had occurred recently. A maintenance employee reassured the guests, stating, "This happens a lot and please don't be afraid it is safe here."
Aviation analytics company Cirium has released its August data on airline on-time performance. Delta Air Lines has posted an 80.9% on-time arrival performance, securing the top position in North America. United Airlines and Southwest Airlines followed closely, both maintaining an on-time rate of over 78%.
The shift from written travel reports to video reviews has brought a new level of relatability and humor to the genre. A recent example is a review of Qatar Airways' QSuites, which captures the experience of a first-time business class flyer with both wit and charm.
Honeywell’s Boeing 757-200 testbed aircraft is on a nine-stop tour of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, demonstrating resilient connectivity to potential defense and government customers and journalists. Invited onboard the demonstration flight out of London Stansted Airport, participants experienced one of Honeywell's top airliners.