Simple Flying

Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida is a popular long-haul leisure destination for UK travelers because of its proximity to the area's theme parks. The majority of the flights there from the UK originate in London, but apart from 18 trips this summer to provide supplementary capacity, British Airways (BA) only flies there once a year from London Heathrow Airport (LHR).

A landmark contract in May this year pushed top-of-the-scale pay for United Airlines flight attendants to $100.13 per hour for experienced crew by the end of the five-year contract. In addition, they added boarding and sit pay and included a signing bonus pool of close to $740 million, according to CNBC, sharply raising the cost of every pay-protected trip. So why did United, after just a few months, have to start policing its own flight attendants?

Over the last generation, the balance of power between Russia and China has shifted dramatically. For years, Russia has retained technological and quantitative advantages over China in some military sectors, such as jet engines and noise-reducing technology for submarines. But those gaps have either closed or are narrowing, with China overtaking Russia technologically in many respects. One of the most dramatic transformations is the fighter jet fleet.

The Middle East is home to one of the most premium and competitive airline markets on the planet. Legacy carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways all offer business class products that are among the strongest in the market. Determining a winner among these three can be challenging and varies based on which aircraft you actually fly. Let's break down these cabins across multiple channels, including hard product, soft product, and ground game.

Given its location in northeastern Europe, Finnair has long been an important airline for serving the continent's long-haul routes to and from destinations in eastern Asia. This has been complicated in recent years amid Russian airspace closures, but, even today, it retains a presence in Asia that isn't just strong, but growing. As a result, it operates multiple ultra-long-haul routes.

American Airlines has restructured its loyalty program offerings. Under efforts to further unbundle its cheapest fares, the move is realistically in line with a wider trend being seen across the industry today. That is, major airlines are increasingly giving their lowest-paying customers a means to fork out less for less in return.

Landing an aircraft is one of the most demanding phases of flight. While pilots are extensively trained to manage routine operations, some airports around the world present challenges so extreme that they require additional training, specialized certification, and years of experience to operate safely. These airports test even the most skilled aviators due to factors such as mountainous terrain, unusually short runways, unpredictable weather, and high-altitude environments that degrade aircraft

On September 17th, a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-300ER flying from Amsterdam Schiphol to Curaçao had to divert back to the Dutch capital after a passenger's power bank caught fire on Thursday. While such situations arise from time to time in aviation, this was particularly noteworthy because the passenger was KLM’s ex-CEO!

The Bell BoeingV-22 Osprey is one of the most unusual aircraft in military service, combining a helicopter's vertical-lift capability with a turboprop airplane's speed and range. But its pilots do not receive an equally unusual salary for such a specialized aircraft. A Marine Corps V-22 pilot is paid under the US military's officer compensation system, with rank, years of service, aviation incentive pay, and allowances determining the overall package.

The US Air Force has made headlines recently with divestments of legacy airframes, bringing the total fleet inventory to the lowest point since the end of WWII. At around 4,900 aircraft in total, the USAF has a shortage of combat-capable bombers, fighters, and every other airframe as well. In addition to limiting its deployable squadrons, it is also making it more challenging to keep pilots current on training flights.

This article was updated on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, to include the latest on the FAA's ongoing review and comments from Boeing and Qantas. It was originally published on Monday, September 28, 2026.

Earlier this year, IndiGo revealed that it will end its partnership with Norse Atlantic, which takes effect soon. This deal involves leasing Boeing 787-9s so that India's largest operator could fly to Europe. It was a short-term stop-gap until IndiGo's Airbus A350-900s start to arrive in 2027.

* Last updated 07:10 AM EST on September 30, 2026 by Jake Hardiman *

Not every long runway exists for the same reason. Some were built to compensate for extreme altitude, where thin air forces aircraft to reach higher speeds before they can generate enough lift to leave the ground. Others were designed for specific aircraft types, driven by geopolitical necessity, or built as testing infrastructure for manufacturers pushing the boundaries of what commercial aviation can do.

If you're a planespotter visiting California hoping to shoot a Lufthansa Airbus A380 with your Canon, the period of January and February 2027 is not the time to visit. The German flag carrier, which usually flies the A380 from Munich Airport (MUC) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), will instead switch to flying the Airbus A350-900 daily on both routes. The switch will occur around mid-January and will last for about six weeks, until the end

Elon Musk has hit back at Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian after the airline chief reportedly cited Musk's reputation as a reason for rejecting Starlink. Bastian reportedly told staff during a company event that the carrier turned down Starlink because "we do not want to be with Elon Musk. Trust me."

United Airlines will launch the first direct service from the US mainland to New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Sapporo, Japan, when it begins flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on December 11. Serviced by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the route will run three times a week.

Singapore Airlines has held onto one of commercial aviation's most unusual records for years: its two services between Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and New York spend close to 19 hours in the air, making them the longest nonstop commercial air routes. These routes survive because the Star Alliance carrier did not simply take an existing aircraft and ask it to fly further. Instead, it built its operation around the Airbus A350-900ULR, then paired its exceptional range with a deliberately small,

Business class upgrades are one of the most misunderstood parts of the commercial aviation industry. A passenger who is not a frequent flyer might still think that a polite request at check-in, an elegant outfit, or a special occasion can be enough to score a complimentary upgrade.

Delta Air Lines is in the process of rolling out a fleet-wide cabin redesign, with the Boeing 757 having debuted the product in the fall of 2025, followed by the Airbus A350. This product will offer upgraded cabin seating (including memory-foam cushions), warmer brand palettes, and phase-of-flight mood lighting that will help improve rest in-flight. Tech added for the carrier includes USB-C ports as well as wireless charging capabilities and an accessible gray-scale flight map.