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) More...

United Airlines is texting travelers live weather maps to explain flight delays

Don't believe bad weather is the reason your United Airlines flight is delayed? The airline will now text you live radar maps to prove it. Even when it's bright and sunny, a thunderstorm hundreds of miles away can still disrupt your flight. The Federal Aviation Administration can issue ground stops, which prevent traffic from departing for a certain airport so that those facilities don't get overloaded. Bad weather can also force flights not only to depart late but to take longer… (www.nbclosangeles.com) More...

Cool: New “Control Tower Mode” On United Airlines

United Airlines has added a nifty new “Control Tower” mode to its inboard IFE screens, allowing passengers to track the planes around them in real-time. JonNYC shares about a new component of United’s inflight-entertainment system that allows passengers to track the aircraft around them while on the ground, including where they are headed: Have you ever wondered where the airplane parked next to yours is heading? How about when you’re taxiing, and you see a plane take off? Well, you’re in luck,… (liveandletsfly.com) More...

Planes flying from Lithuania to SE Asia mysteriously land in Iran

Iran smuggled two planes out of Lithuania, the country's public broadcaster announced on Thursday. The planes were due to fly to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. The two Airbus A340s, leased by the Gambian company Macka Invest, were due to fly to South Asia in February but reportedly ended up in Iran. The aircraft's transponders—which enable them to be identified on air traffic control radars—were turned off upon entry into Iranian airspace. The aviation data site ch-aviation reported… (www.msn.com) More...

FlightAware Founder Daniel Baker on Flight Club!

Daniel shares his insights on the significant impact FlightAware has made, the challenges and rewards of building a technology enterprise within the aviation sector, and the transformative trends shaping the future of flight. This is a compelling discussion for aviation enthusiasts and future innovators alike. (www.youtube.com) More...

A jet missing since 1971 has been found at the bottom of Vermont's Lake Champlain

Fifty-three years after a private plane carrying five men disappeared on a snowy Vermont night, experts believe they have found the wreckage of the long lost jet in Lake Champlain. (www.npr.org) More...

Two Deceased After Oshkosh Opening Day Plane Crash

A fatal crash occurred during the opening morning of the 2024 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. According to remarks made by EAA CEO Jack Pelton before his opening day press conference at the event, the aircraft crashed approximately two miles south of the airport. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Missile Strike Confirmed as Cause of Azerbaijan E190 Crash

Azerbaijani government sources have confirmed that a Russian Pantir-S1 surface-to-air missile was the cause of the Embraer E190 crash on Christmas Day. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Frontier Airlines CEO urges crackdown of ‘rampant abuse’ of airport wheelchair service

The 1986 Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to provide a wheelchair for passengers with disabilities at the airport. The problem, though, is that many travelers are faking it, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said. He said he has seen some Frontier flights where 20 people were brought in wheelchairs at departure, with only three using them upon arrival... some travelers were “using wheelchair support to try to get fast-tracked through the airport.” (www.cnbc.com) More...

NASA Kicks off Testing Campaign for Remotely Piloted Cargo Flights

NASA recently began a series of flight tests with partners to answer an important aviation question: What will it take to integrate remotely piloted or autonomous planes carrying large packages and cargo safely into the U.S. airspace? Researchers tested new technologies in Hollister, California, that are helping to investigate what tools and capabilities are needed to make these kinds of flights routine. (www.nasa.gov) More...

American Airlines Incident: Hero or Hindrance? Passenger Actions on Flight 2045 Spark Debate

Oliver Jankai, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 2045 evacuating to Miami on Friday, likely had a weekend he won’t soon forget. Whether he acted heroically, posed a hindrance, or a mix of both remains uncertain. (www.airguide.info) More...

BREAKING: Two Planes collide at DCA/Reagan National. Full Details unknown, DCA On a Ground Stop

News reporting that a large fireball was seen as two planes collided midair and crashed into the Potomac River (www.nbcwashington.com) More...

United Airlines Boeing 757s’ Days Numbered

United's SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances has confirmed that its entire fleet of 757s will be replaced by Airbus A321XLRs. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Southwest Airlines 737 MAX Suffers Dutch Roll at 32,000 Feet

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX suffered a Dutch Roll at 32,000 feet. (aviationsourcenews.com) More...

Flight engineer reveals what it was really like to operate supersonic jet Concorde

As the flight engineer, it was Hazelby’s job to operate the controls – to make the adjustments needed to ensure the aircraft safely punched through the sound barrier to reach speeds of over Mach 2. That first day, Hazelby looked at the floor to ceiling panel and felt “very nervous.” Flight engineer colleagues had warned him Concorde duties were all consuming – he’d barely have time to eat or drink a cup of coffee for the duration of the flight. (www.cnn.com) More...

Delta A350 Tears Off Tail Section Of Delta Connection CRJ-900 In Atlanta

On Tuesday September 10, a Delta Airbus A350 came into contact with a Delta Connection CRJ-900 in Atlanta, completely tearing the tail section of the smaller regional jet at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Man Punches And Kicks Airplane After Being Denied Boarding

An American traveler was deported from Colombia after assaulting gate agents, and trying to board an already closed aircraft at Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

FlightAware 2024 Intern Summer Projects

This summer, FlightAware welcomed five interns from various parts of the country. These interns worked closely with our engineering team on their projects, achieving remarkable results that they later showcased to the entire company. Throughout their time with us, they also connected through social events and engaged in tech and career development discussions led by our engineers. We’re excited to share the outcomes of their efforts and spotlight their achievements. - Samantha T. (flightaware.engineering) More...

Lufthansa Celebrates The Roll-Out of Lockheed L-1649A “Super Star”

Lufthansa Technik has achieved a significant milestone with the assembly of the iconic Lockheed L-1649A Starliner. Once painted in its classic livery, the aircraft will be transported to Frankfurt, where it will take center stage in celebrating Lufthansa's 100th anniversary in spring 2026. We often receive questions about the fate of Lockheed L-1649A Starliner N7361C—the aircraft Lufthansa invested heavily in restoring for airworthy use, only to cancel the project at the final stage. Nearly… (vintageaviationnews.com) More...

How Clever Design Helped Save 80 Lives in a Fiery Plane Crash

When Delta Flight 4819 from Minneapolis to Toronto crash-landed, losing a wing and flipping upside down, onlookers feared the worst. Yet, in what seemed like a miracle, all 80 passengers and crew survived Monday’s crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport. (airguide.info) More...

Counterfeit titanium was found in Boeing and Airbus jets

Titanium that was distributed with fake documentation has been found in commercial Boeing and Airbus jets. Now the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft manufacturers and supplier Spirit AeroSystems are investigating whether those components pose a safety hazard to the public. (www.cnn.com) More...

KC-46 Flies Around The World Nonstop

A KC-46 from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing accomplished something no 767 or KC-46 has ever done before. On June 29th, the jet took off from McConnell Air Force base and flew west. It landed 45 hours later back at McConnell completing an around the world journey. (avgeekery.com) More...

Boeing grounds 777X test fleet on failure of engine mounting structure,

Boeing’s next generation widebody – the 777X, with several size variants – faces new challenges today. It’s years behind schedule, and the airframe manufacturer’s test fleet has just been grounded. As first reported by The Air Current, a Boeing 777-9 test plane operated a Kona flight on Friday. When inspected after the flight, Beoing found “cracks in the thrust link structure.” Furthermore, there’s also been an issue with the mounting of the engine to the plane on Boeing’s other two test 777-9s.… (viewfromthewing.com) More...

How to Make an ATR-72 Spin

Friday's crash of an ATR-72 near Sao Paulo left behind a few important clues. (www.jetwhine.com) More...

‘Miracle on the Hudson’ First Officer Retires

Jeff Skiles continued flying for American Airlines after the 2009 incident. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

Tradewind Aviation - FlightAware Global Feature

Tradewind Aviation, a leading provider of private charters and scheduled flights throughout North America and the Caribbean, has been using FlightAware Global for nearly 3 years to track their growing fleet. (blog.flightaware.com) More...

World’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant Passes Away

Bette Nash began her career in 1957 at Eastern Air Lines and continually flew since. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

Boeing’s Decline in Innovation: The Impact of the McDonnell Douglas Merger

Boeing and McDonnell Douglas agreed to a merger in December, 1996. At the time, Phil Condit, then CEO of Boeing, called the acquisition a “historic moment in aviation and aerospace”. The past 28 years have proven that it was definitely a historic moment–just not in the way Boeing originally envisioned. (avgeekery.com) More...

United Airlines details 6 big inflight entertainment updates, including all-new Control Tower map

I'm a frequent United flyer, so imagine my surprise last week when I stumbled upon a new inflight map feature: Control Tower view. This view allows you to pull up a map of the airfield that's overlaid with all the aircraft around you. Clicking on each little plane brings up its call sign and operating airline. Going forward, the pilot won't need to tell you that you're No. 25 for departure — you'll be able to see that clearly on your inflight monitor. Control Tower view… (thepointsguy.com) More...

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) More...

First Officer Who Died on Flight 5342 Named Honorary Captain

First Officer Sam Lilley posthumously received the title of captain, PSA Airlines said Sunday. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

The Story of The Supersonic DC-8

When thinking of supersonic travel… civilian travel… the first thing that comes to mind is the Concorde SST. Then maybe the Tupolev Tu-144, which was the Russian answer to the Concorde. On August 21st, 1961, Douglas test pilot William Magruder lifted DC-8 N9604Z off the runway at Edwards AFB. He then began a long, slow climb up to about 52,000 feet. (Or 50,000, depending on which source you believe. Either way, this was a record in itself.) From there he made a half-G pushover and put the big… (avgeekery.com) More...

Ryanair silences woman who complained about seat with savage two-word put-down

When a woman complained to Ryanair about her plane seat lacking a window view, she probably didn't expect to get a response like this one. The budget airline, notorious for poking fun at complaints about its service on social media, was quick to defend itself against the video posted online by Klaudia Oliwia. The passenger, known online as @klaudiaoliwiap, posted a clip showing herself sitting in a windowless seat next to the plane's wall. "POV: Nobody warned you about seat 11A on… (www.mirror.co.uk) More...

Passengers Fly to the Wrong Airport After Oakland Airport Renaming

Recently, the airport in the Californian city of Oakland had its name changed, albeit in quite a confusing way. The airport that was once known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK) has changed its name to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) last May, and it is confusing travelers. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Black Boxes Failed Minutes Before Jeju Air Crash

Both Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 black boxes stopped recording four minutes before the fatal crash. (www.airwaysmag.com) More...

Not Returning: Alaska Airlines Replaces Boeing 737 MAX 9 Door Blowout Aircraft With 737 MAX 10 Order

Alaska Airlines has replaced the Boeing 737 MAX 9 involved in the January blowout incident with an additional MAX 10 order. The airline has received over $200 million in compensation from Boeing for the losses related to the incident. Boeing recently detailed its plan to improve quality and safety in the 737 MAX assembly line. The Boeing 737 MAX 9 involved in the Alaska Airlines blowout incident on January 2024 won’t return to the airline’s fleet. Instead, the carrier has ordered an additional… (simpleflying.com) More...

NASA is Considering Returning Starliner Crew on SpaceX

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck on the International Space Station since early June. Their Boeing Starliner spacecraft suffered numerous helium leaks and thruster issues following launch from Cape Canaveral, FL on the Crew Flight Test. It’s the first crewed mission shakedown of the Starliner. (avgeekery.com) More...

A US pilot school has banned solo flights for trainees at one of the world's top airlines after a spate of incidents

A pilot school in Phoenix has stopped cadets from Cathay Pacific flying solo, per Bloomberg. It said planes were damaged in incidents that weren't properly reported. Cathay, one of the world's top airlines, is trying to increase pilot numbers after dropping during Covid. An Arizona pilot school has stopped Cathay Pacific trainees from solo flights after several incidents that went unreported, Bloomberg first reported. Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong flag carrier, is one of the… (www.msn.com) More...

Passengers Encounter Bedbug Infestation on Multiple Turkish Airlines Flights

Numerous passengers have reported bedbugs falling from the ceiling and crawling on the seats on recent Turkish Airlines flights. Despite being made aware of the issue, customers say the airline is not taking the complaints of unwanted bugs seriously. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Controllers Brawl at DCA Tower

Injuries were reported following the fight, according to reports. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

American Airlines Rolls Out Tech To Crack Down On Boarding Group Jumpers

American is finally catching up with other airlines, and has started modifying their boarding pass scanners to catch those few special passengers trying sneak into higher priority boarding groups. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

GOL 737 MAX 8 Hits Service Truck While Departing Rio de Janeiro

A GOL Boeing 737 MAX 8 departing Rio de Janeiro in Brazil struck a service vehicle on the runway, causing significant damage to the aircraft’s fuselage. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

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) More...

Delta Airlines makes emergency landing at JFK after dozens of passengers fall ill

Delta flight 136 was traveling from Detroit, Michigan to The Netherlands when it was diverted to JFK Airport on July 3 after it was discovered that a portion of the in-flight meal service had been spoiled. Medics met the plane after it landed at JFK and aid was provided to 14 passengers and 10 flight crew, all of whom declined to receive medical attention. (www.dailymail.co.uk) More...

Ryanair Sues Disruptive Passenger For €3,000 Following Forced Diversion

Ryanair continues its campaign to punish unruly passengers, filing another lawsuit against a disruptive passenger. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Historic Air-to-Air Photoshoot: WWII Bombers Over Oshkosh

Aviation photographer Dylan Phelps captures a Lancaster and the only two remaining flightworthy B-29s in ultra rare formation at Oshkosh. This is the story of how they coordinated the historic flight. (avgeekery.com) More...

Why Alaska Airlines is investing in a jet that’s like nothing you’ve seen before

Alaska Airlines was the first domestic carrier to sell tickets online, in 1995, and the first to use GPS to guide its airplanes in 1996. Now it wants to be the first to implement a new vision for a passenger jet in a bid to slash emissions. Alaska’s just-announced investment in JetZero, a Long Beach, California-based company seeking to pioneer the blended-wing-body airliner, is part of the company’s long-term innovation strategy. The undisclosed amount of funding fits into a larger vision to… (www.fastcompany.com) More...

Almost 9 Hours: Will This Be The Longest Commercial 737 MAX 8 Flight Ever?

Due to lower demand, Iberojet will swap out their A330 heavies for a Boeing 737 MAX 8 on two days in April 2025 to operate flights between Madrid and Punta Cana. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Person dies after falling into engine of departing passenger jet

Aperson died Wednesday after falling into the spinning turbine blades of a departing passenger jet at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, officials said. The death occurred on the apron outside the busy hub's terminal as a KLM flight was ready to depart for Billund in Denmark. "An... incident took place at Schiphol today during which a person ended up in a running aircraft engine," Dutch flagship carrier KLM said in a statement. "Sadly the person has died," KLM said,… (www.msn.com) More...

Reporter's notebook: On the tarmac at Dulles airport

FreightWaves reporter Eric Kulisch gets access to United Airlines' gate for cargo loading, a close view of an A380 taking off and other aspects of airport operations. (www.freightwaves.com) More...