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News from July 2024
American Airlines and its flight attendants have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, four and a half years after the previous one became amendable.
An air ambulance Dassault Falcon 10 that crashed into a snow-covered mountain in Afghanistan in January had attempted to make an emergency landing after running low on fuel, according to a recent safety report from the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee. The 1978 Falcon, which Air Safety Network preliminary information said was registered to Athletic Group (RA-09011), was carrying two crew members and four passengers—two medical workers and two others being transported. The crew and medical workers were injured, while the other two were killed.
An Emirates passenger seated in economy recently garnered attention by making artisanal pour-over coffee during a flight. Equipped with all the necessary gear, he prepared the coffee for his companions and shared it with nearby passengers. A woman who filmed the event described the scene:
Airports are on the brink of a significant technological transformation, according to Rudy Daniello, Executive Vice President of Airport & Airline Operations for Amadeus. The 2024 Airports Travel Investment Trends report highlights that airport leaders globally are prepared to adopt advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
With a pop-up restaurant, exhibition space, and collection of exclusive objects, an area spanning over 850m² will be dedicated to Air France at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris from July 27 to August 11, 2024. This initiative offers visitors and sports fans from around the world an opportunity to explore the world of Air France and its unique travel experience during a significant sporting event.
News and notes from around the internet:
American Airlines flight attendants have a lucrative new tentative agreement that they will be asked to vote on.
The single best way to protect yourself against airline disruptions is to make more than one flight booking on two different airlines. This strategy has become more accessible and less costly due to changes in airline policies since the pandemic.
Marriott has increasingly prioritized hotel owners over guests, a trend that began under Arne Sorenson and has continued under CEO Jim Capuano. Capuano stated, “When I die, they’ll put the net-rooms growth number on my tombstone.” Marriott's approach of accepting fees from hotels regardless of quality has led to brand dilution.
All seven on board a Pilatus PC-12, including three members of a Georgia-based Hall of Fame gospel singing group, were killed when it crashed on Friday near the Wyoming/Montana border. The accident occurred shortly after the pilot, a family friend of the group members, reported an issue with the autopilot and a loss of control. ADS-B data shows that the trip—which ultimately covered three time zones—originated at 9:24 a.m. EDT from Georgia Regional Airport (KCTJ), stopped at Nebraska City Municipal Airport (KAFK), where a local news outlet reported it took on 200 to 300...
As bad as summer travel has been, between storms and the CrowdStrike outage which triggered a historic Delta Air Lines meltdown, air travel was slated to get worse again because major airline caterer Gate Gourmet was facing a worker strike starting this coming Tuesday.
Airport lounges, once the exclusive domain of business travelers, have evolved to accommodate a broader range of passengers, including families. This shift reflects changes in travel patterns, with more premium leisure travelers frequenting these spaces.
Recently retired FAA Certification head Lirio Liu has joined Skyryse to assist in guiding the company toward certification. Skyryse claims it has developed "the world’s first universal operating system for flight" and showcased its technology at AirVenture.
Ex-Republic Airways flight attendant Cierra Huffman, who has flown under the regional banners of American Airlines and Delta, has shared controversial advice with her 3.3 million TikTok followers on how to join the Mile High Club without getting caught.
Airbnb has introduced a new 2% fee on international bookings. Users can circumvent this fee by changing the default currency in their account to the local currency of the country where they are making a booking. The move has drawn criticism, with one user remarking that Airbnb has shifted from being consumer-friendly to imposing additional costs on its customers.
Last year, I wrote, “Wait, Dave Neeleman’s son is married to the reigning Mrs. America and they have 8.1 million followers on Instagram, over a million subscribers on YouTube and nearly 7 million followers and over 100 million likes on TikTok?”
The City of Boulder, Colorado, is taking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to court, arguing that a clause in its grant obligations to the agency constitutes constitutional overreach. The city has stopped accepting grants with plans to close the airport in 2040 when the last obligations expire after 20 years. However, the FAA maintains it may never allow the airport's closure due to three grants used to purchase land for the airport—one of which dates back 65 years. These grants include a clause requiring the airport to operate indefinitely unless released by the FAA.
Hezbollah launched a rocket attack into Israel on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of 12 children playing on a soccer field and injuring 44 people.
A passenger on a flight from South Africa reported that an emotional support dog occupied his leg space for the entire journey, leading him to consume numerous alcoholic beverages. The incident was shared by his son on social media: “My dad is on a long flight back from South Africa and mentioned he’s had about 40 screwdrivers. When I asked why, he sent me this,” adding, “the 40 drinks deep and 20 hours is an exaggeration btw. I think the actual flight is 16 to 18 hours.”
United Airlines flight 2477 from Houston to Boston was diverted to Washington Dulles after a passenger on board created what the airline described as a “medical issue.” The Boeing 737-800, which departed at 9:39 a.m., landed at the D.C. area airport around 1:36 p.m. with 155 passengers and six crewmembers on board.