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Photos: A First Look as United Kicks Off 737 MAX 9 Flights
On Thursday, just minutes before 8:00 a.m., UA686 took to the skies from Houston (IAH) for Orlando, marking the first ever revenue Boeing 737 MAX 9 flight in North America. Just about two hours later, the airline’s third MAX 9, N27503, departed Houston for Austin signifying that the airline officially has two MAX aircraft in […]
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Singapore Details Restart of World’s Longest Flight
After initially announcing its intentions to restart non-stop flights to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) from Singapore’s Changi Airport (SIN) in 2015, Singapore Airlines confirmed today that the world’s longest flight will once again commence on Oct. 12, 2018. The ultra-long-haul flights SQ21 and SQ22 will fly almost 19 hours and will cover 10,350 miles […]
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XiamenAir Takes Delivery of 200th Jet and New Aircraft Type Following Recent Success
On Sunday, XiamenAir took delivery of its newest aircraft, marking the 200th delivery to the airline since it began flying in 1984. The occasion is cause for double celebration, as the Fujian Province-based airline is now the sixth Chinese carrier to operate the new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The first plane, B-1288, was ferried to […]
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Exclusive: Last Commercially Operating Boeing 747SP Flown to Retirement in Iran
Iran’s history of turbulent relations with Western nations has greatly impacted its aviation industry and forced aging aircraft to continue flying as newer replacements were unobtainable. As a result, aviation enthusiasts from around the world frequently gather in Tehran to fly on some of the oldest and rarest aircraft still in operation. The Boeing 747SP, […]
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Norwegian Rejects Two Buyout Offers From IAG
Norwegian Air Shuttle confirmed on Friday that it has rejected two separate offers from International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling. The news comes just weeks after IAG purchased 4.6 percent of the low-cost airline, which has created some tough competition for airlines within IAG, both on […]
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A Look at Southwest’s Upcoming Hawaii Flights
Last October, Southwest Airlines confirmed its intentions to begin flights to Hawaii in the future, following years of speculation. Last week during an earnings call, the airline released more information with Southwest’s chairman and CEO Gary Kelly announcing that flights would begin in late 2018, though the launch may be pushed back to early 2019. […]
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Qantas Announces 747 Retirement and Adds More Dreamliners
The Boeing 747’s final days at Qantas is quickly looming after the carrier announced an official retirement for the remaining aircraft in its fleet. Right now, the airline is still flying four 747-400s and six 747-400ERs. With plans to have all 10 of the aircraft retired by the end of 2020, Qantas will begin the […]
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Virgin America’s Final Flight Takes Off into the Night Sky
On Tuesday tonight, Virgin America’s last ever flight departed, marking the end of an era for Richard Branson’s San Francisco-based startup carrier. VX1948 is the airline’s last revenue departure, from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at 9:32 p.m. marking the last departure for the carrier. Around 11:01 p.m. the flight arrived in Los Angeles. Just […]
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As Times Change for the 747, KLM Still Holds the Rare Key to One of the Queen’s Gems
Since its first flight in 1988, the Boeing 747-400 has seen five different versions produced. One of the unique versions was the 747-400M, more affectionately known as the ‘Combi.’ The unique mixed-use aircraft flew its first flight on June 30, 1989, prior to entering service with KLM later that year. KLM first received this type […]
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Lion Air Orders Additional MAX Aircraft, Signals 787 Order
Valued at over $6.2 billion, Lion Air Group and Boeing announced an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft on Tuesday. The aircraft is the largest variant in the 737 MAX family and can seat a maximum of 230 passengers in an all-economy configuration. Boeing plans to deliver the first MAX 10 after 2020. […]