NEWSDec 27, 2023Pro-Palestinian Protests Target Major US Airports During Holiday Travel SeasonIn a shocking event, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked off traffic into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on December 27. The protests come as American airports handle some of the busiest travel days of the year due to Christmas and New Years. Protests at airports are not an uncommon occurrence since disrupting passenger traffic is viewed by protestors as an effective way to enact change.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 →
NEWSDec 24, 2023Russia Has Spent $12 Billion to Keep its Aviation Sector Alive Amid Western SanctionsFacing Western sanctions and disrupted supplies, Russia invests over $12 billion to fortify its aviation sector, aiming for self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing. President Putin's vision includes producing over 1,000 domestic aircraft by 2030, navigating challenges while ensuring the industry's resilience amid international tensions and potential electoral pressure.Read More →
NEWSDec 22, 2023Texas Governor Flies 120 Migrants to Chicago to Protest Federal Immigration PoliciesTexas Governor Greg Abbott has made a controversial move by flying migrants to Democratic-led "sanctuary cities" in protest of the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis. The first flight, carrying over 120 migrants, landed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on December 19. This came just a week after the Chicago City Council passed new regulations for receiving buses transporting migrants, prompting accusations that the flights were a direct retaliation by Governor Abbott. Read More →
NEWSDec 20, 2023UK Government's Rwanda Deportation Plan Hit by Airline Refusal and Rising CostsPrime Minister Rishi Sunak's flagship policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is facing further turbulence, with airlines refusing to fly the controversial flights and the estimated costs rising. This latest setback adds to a growing list of obstacles threatening to derail the plan entirely. 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 08, 2023Israeli Airlines Have Refunded More Than $155 Million to Passengers After Widespread CancellationsIsrael's commercial aviation industry has suffered severe losses as a result of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict that escalated immensely in October. El Al and low-cost carriers have reported major losses due to necessary cancellation refunds, and foreign carriers have reduced capacity into Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv.Read More →
NEWSDec 08, 2023US Conducts Military Flights in Guyana to Prevent Possible Venezuelan InvasionThe U.S. will conduct joint military flights with Guyana as growing border tensions with Venezuela create the potential for a Venezuelan invasion of the country. Guyana, which currently has a small aviation industry due to its small size and population, will likely see a major expansion in the coming years. The discovery of vast oil reserves in Guyana is expected to create strong demand for business travel, with United Airlines already announcing a direct route connecting Houston: the global hub for oil and gas.Read More →
NEWSDec 03, 2023Political Candidate George Santos Expelled After Allegedly Spending $40,000 of Campaign Funding on AirfareGeorge Santos has used significant campaign funds to fund his airfare. The spending spans different airlines over a long period of time, and is unlike any spending relative to his contemporaries. We will look deeper into how politicians misuse flights for their own gain through an example involving George Santos. Read More →
NEWSNov 29, 2023United and American Take Action Against Chicago O'Hare Airport ExpansionUnited and American Airlines are seeking Mayor Brandon Johnson's intervention to modify O'Hare Airport's expansion plans, which include a new "global terminal" for both domestic and international flights. The project, initially budgeted at $8.7 billion, is now $1.5 billion over budget, prompting the carriers to request a slowdown, scale-back, or potential grounding of the expansion.Read More →
