STORIESMar 18, 2024Remembering David E. Harris: The First African American Commercial Airline PilotOn March 8, the aviation industry was saddened by the loss of David E. Harris (1934-2024), the first African-American pilot to receive the title of captain at a major US commercial airline in 1964. The Columbus, Ohio-born Harris had a storied career in the United States Air Force before switching to a commercial airline in the mid-1960s, when he was fighting through barriers regarding race. Read More →
STORIESMar 18, 2024Crashing into the Forest Near Paris: The Story of Turkish Airlines Flight 981Turkish Airlines Flight 981 (TK981) was a flight from Istanbul-Atatürk (ISL) to London-Heathrow (LHR) with a layover at Paris-Orly (ORY). On March 3, 1974, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 crashed into the Ermenonville Forest near Paris. The fatal crash, which killed all 335 passengers and 11 crew on board, was the deadliest plane crash in aviation history until March 27, 1977. Read More →
STORIESMar 17, 2024Heavy Fog Leads to a Boeing 747 Crashing into Homes in Kyrgyzstan: Turkish Airlines Flight 6491Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 was a scheduled international cargo flight operated by ACT Airlines on behalf of Turkish Cargo. An incident occurred while the flight was conducting a layover in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on January 16, 2017.Read More →
STORIESMar 17, 2024Crashing into a Mango Garden After Takeoff: Pakistan International Airlines Flight 688This is the story of Pakistan International Airlines Flight 688, a shocking tragedy that highlighted the negligence of an airline and the ultimate price it had to pay.Read More →
TRIP REPORTSMar 16, 2024My Experience on America’s Worst-Rated Airline: Is Spirit Really That Bad? In early May, our writer Adam Schupak had the opportunity to fly Spirit Airlines between Newark (EWR) and Charleston (CHS). Considering all of the recent changes occurring within the airline, such as new cabins and policies onboard, he was curious whether or not the airline deserves the bad rap that people usually give it. Read More →
INFORMATIONALMar 16, 2024Music Tourism's Impact on Aviation and the Global EconomyMusic tourism is now an established subset of the travel industry. Many people travel to see their favorite artist perform a concert or to attend music festivals. Airlines benefit from passengers' willingness to spend high prices on music experiences, with flight searches and bookings increasing rapidly ahead of such events.Read More →
INFORMATIONALMar 15, 2024SAS' Coffee Jug Is Used by Over 50 Airlines and Appears in Art MuseumsAirlines often release products that receive a "cult-like" status among their passengers. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is one such carrier that turned an ordinary object into a famous product. Over the past 35 years, SAS' coffee jug has won numerous awards and featured in museums worldwide for its iconic design.Read More →
NEWSMar 14, 2024Bubble Wrap Cited as United Boeing 737 Engine Fire CauseOn Monday, United Airlines Flight 1118 from IAH to RSW had an engine fire. This caused the left engine to catch up in flames and land back in Houston shortly after takeoff.Read More →
STORIESMar 13, 2024Disaster in Queens Two Months After 9/11: American Airlines Flight 587Tragedy struck New York City only two months after the attacks on September 11, 2001. This is the tragic story of American Airlines Flight 587, the second-worst aviation accident in U.S. history.
Read More →
INFORMATIONALMar 12, 2024Airline Operations During Ramadan: A Deeper Look at In-Flight Accommodations for Fasting PassengersWith the beginning of the month of Ramadan, airlines provide passengers with the means to observe tradition, even if they are not on the ground. However, upholding fasting and prayer traditions can be challenging when scheduling a flight, especially with changing time zones and the sun setting at different times than in the passenger's departure country. Here's what you need to know if you are flying during Ramadan.Read More →