TravelUpdate
Why did Eastern Air Lines go bankrupt?
Eastern Air Lines was once one of the largest airlines in the United States, with its origins dating back to the 1920s. The airline went bankrupt in early 1991 after a number of turbulent years of high debt and labour unrest. It’s always a huge loss to the staff and...
Sam Chui
CEO Talks: The Saudi Air Connectivity Program
On the sidelines of the Future Aviation Forum, I met with Majid Khan, CEO of Saudi Air Connectivity Program to discover new airlines flying to Saudi Arabia and its exciting air connectivity opportunities. Here is the Q and A transcript: What is Air Connectivity Program? Air Connectivity Program (ACP) was...
Sam Chui
Top 10 Most Turbulent Routes in the World
The skies aren’t always smooth sailing, due to frequent turbulence on certain challenging routes. Currently, the Santiago (SCL) to Santa Cruz (VVI) route is the most turbulent route, but a significant number of flights worldwide encounter turbulence, as per the turbli database. Notably, flights departing from Tokyo frequently experience significant...
Sam Chui
Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 Suffers Fatal Turbulence
On May 21, 2024, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 en route to Singapore encountered fatal turbulence resulting in a diversion to Bangkok. The aircraft hit severe turbulence, causing one fatality and injuring 30 occupants on board. The Boeing 777-300ER with registration 9V-SWM was operating flight SQ321 from London Heathrow to...
Sam Chui
Saudia Group Orders 105 Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft
Saudia Group has ordered 105 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, marking the largest single-sourced aircraft deal in the history of Saudi Arabian aviation.  This order includes 12 A320neo and 93 A321neo aircraft, increasing Saudia Group’s Airbus order backlog to 144 A320neo family aircraft. The deal is aimed to significantly expand the...
Sam Chui
The Tupolev Tu-404: Largest Aircraft Ever Designed
The world of aviation is littered with a number of dreams that rarely become reality. One such intriguing concept was the Tupolev Tu-404, a behemoth of a commercial aircraft proposed by the Russian aerospace company Tupolev in the early 1990s.  Tuplev Tu-404 is the largest aircraft ever designed in the...
Sam Chui
GeminiJets Airplane Models – April 2024 New Release + Discounts
I have been collecting GeminiJets since they launched 20 years ago! During depressing times, I have found that model collecting can take away some of the stress! Special Offer This is a sponsored post to showcase the latest GeminiJets airplane model releases. Hope you find something you like. To purchase GeminiJets, go to DiecastJets.com and use...
Sam Chui
Korean Air Sells Five Boeing 747-8s for Possible USAF Conversion
Korean Air has announced the sale of five Boeing 747-8 jets to Sierra Nevada Corporation, a U.S. aerospace firm. The private firm specializes in converting Boeing 747s into presidential aircraft. This news comes amidst Sierra Nevada’s recent acquisition of a $13 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop...
Sam Chui
The 10 Longest Narrow-Body Flights in 2024
Narrow-body aircraft, once confined to shorter routes, are now stretching their wings across continents, redefining the boundaries of air travel. More and more airlines are pushing the limits of what is possible with narrow-body aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A321neo, primarily the LR variant is used widely to operate long-haul narrow-body...
Sam Chui
Emirates to Retrofit 71 More Planes – Reveals B777 New Configuration
Emirates has today unveiled that it will be completely refurbishing another 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777-300/ER aircraft, expanding its retrofit programme to 191 aircraft. The original plan called for 120 aircraft - 67 A380s and 53 777s to undergo full refurbishment. We’re topping up our multi-billion dollar investment in...
Sam Chui
Emirates Announces First 9 Destinations to Join its A350 Network
Emirates has today announced the first set of destinations to be served by its A350 aircraft entering service in September 2024. With 10 new A350s expected to join the Emirates fleet by 31 March 2025, the airline plans to deploy its latest aircraft type to 9 destinations in the coming months, offering...
Hawaii Calling
Video Review: Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner Economy Cabin
I’m excited to share my recent journey flying back to Honolulu from San Francisco International Airport on Hawaiian Airlines’ new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Despite a minor hiccup with terminal information, the travel experience was impressive, especially from my seat in the Extra Comfort section, which offered notably more legroom—a real...
Sam Chui
Trip Report: The New Lufthansa Allegris A350 Flight
I joined the inaugural flight of Lufthansa featuring new Allegris products from Munich to Vancouver. The newly delivered Airbus A350 has a completely new cabin makeover. Video Munich - 01 May 2024 The inaugural flight was LH476 from Munich to Vancouver on 1 May. There was a welcome reception at...
Sam Chui
Dubai Unveil Plans to Transform Al Maktoum Int’l (DWC) to World’s Largest Airport
Dubai has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to transform Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) into the world’s largest airport.  This ambitious project, estimated to cost AED 128 billion ($34.85 billion), is expected to further solidify Dubai’s position as a global leader in aviation and logistics. The new passenger terminals at DWC...
Sam Chui
New DOT Rule: Automatic Cash Refunds for Flight Disruptions & Ban On Junk Fees
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced two new rules yesterday that will help air travelers get refunds for services the airlines have not provided and ban junk fees such as forced fees for seat selection. These rules aimed to simplify the refund process and strengthen passenger rights. Extracts below...