STORIESJan 03, 2024Pilot Bets He Could Land a Plane Blind, Then Crashes: Aeroflot Flight 6502The tragic Aeroflot Flight 6502 incident occurred on October 20, 1986, as a result of a perilous cockpit bet between the captain and first officer. Captain Alexander Kliuyev attempted to land the Tupolev Tu-134A using instruments only, ignoring warnings and crashing the aircraft, resulting in 63 fatalities and seven injuries. Kliuyev faced legal consequences with a 15-year prison sentence, emphasizing the severe consequences of disregarding safety protocols in aviation.Read More →
NEWSJan 01, 2024Passengers Restrained on American Airlines and Qantas Flights After Dramatic OutburstsAt approximately the same time, two unrelated incidents involved disciplinary actions against unruly passengers. The first incident occurred on an American Airlines flight on December 30, while the second occurred on a Qantas flight the following day. Cases involving unruly passengers have been rising since the pandemic, with these incidents increasing by 47% from 2021 to 2022.
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INFORMATIONALDec 29, 2023Why do Airlines Ask Passengers to Use Airplane Mode?So you've buckled in, stowed your tray table, and prepared for takeoff. But before that thrilling climb, you hear "Please switch your electronic devices to airplane mode." But beneath this simple instruction lies a crucial layer of safety for both passengers and crew. Let's unravel the mystery of airplane mode and understand why it's essential on every flight.Read More →
NEWSDec 27, 2023Woman with Loaded Gun Stopped by TSA at Washington-Reagan AirportWashington's Reagan National Airport (DCA) has seen multiple incidents regarding travelers carrying guns through the airport. On Christmas Eve, the latest addition to this frighteningly increasing number involved a woman attempting to bring a loaded handgun through TSA.Read More →
STORIESDec 27, 2023The Russian Concorde: Why Did The Tupolev TU-144 Fail? During the Cold War, the ever-looming threat of technological inferiority drove innovation in the aviation industry on both sides of the Iron Curtain. One of the most prominent examples was the race to conquer commercial supersonic air travel. The Tupolev Tu-144 was built as the Soviet Union's response to the Concorde in the West. Unlike the Concorde, the Tu-144 never experienced the same level of success as its western counterpart.Read More →
INFORMATIONALDec 20, 2023JANET: The Top-Secret Airline Transporting Government Officials to Area 51Did you know that the U.S. government flies an airline to some of the most secretive places on Earth? This airline, operating from "Just Another Non-Existent Terminal," supposedly flies to some of the most mysterious and secretive locations in the United States, including (supposedly) Area 51. This is the captivating case of JANET Airlines, the carrier that flies to nowhere. Read More →
NEWSDec 18, 2023Southwest Airlines Fined Record $140 Million Over 2022 Holiday MeltdownSouthwest Airlines became the subject of much controversy during the 2022 holiday travel season, when an operational meltdown in December 2022 canceled thousands of flights and stranded more than two million passengers across Southwest's network. On December 18, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued Southwest a $140 million fine in response to its cancellation of around 17,000 flights last year.Read More →
NEWSDec 12, 2023Cabin Crew Recall "Strange Behavior" of Russian Passenger Who Snuck Onto a Los Angeles-Bound Flight Without DocumentationAnyone who flies internationally knows you must have a passport and boarding pass. However, a strange incident involving a man flying to another country without either document recently occurred. On November 4, a Russian man named Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava took a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Ochigava's inability to provide documents verifying his identity to the customs authorities upon arrival led to an FBI investigation that is currently underway.Read More →
NEWSDec 12, 2023Engine Failure Prompts Ryanair 737 MAX to Make Emergency Landing in PortugalThe week has barely started, and we are already in for a ride. This morning at around 9:20 am (local time) in the South of Portugal a Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8, was forced to make an emergency landing at Faro Airport in Portugal. Ryanair flight (FR1249) carrying 164 passengers between Manchester, UK and Tenerife, Spain, suffered an engine failure, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing at Gago Coutinho Airport (FAO) in southern Portugal. Read More →
STORIESDec 10, 2023How This Nigerian Scammer Sold a Fake Airport for $242 MillionIn our hyper-computerized society, scammers proliferate nearly every part of modern commerce and the internet. Before the advent of mass access to the internet nearly 30 years ago, one of the biggest scams in history went down. This story is a wild adventure and a cautionary tale involving a Nigerian and Brazilian banker, a fake airport, and two countries. This is how a Nigerian banker sold a fake airport to Brazil. Read More →
