Delta CEO says airline will permanently ban passengers 'who refuse to display basic civility'

The CEO of Delta Air Lines has announced that the carrier will permanently ban passengers who disrespect fellow customers or crew. CEO Ed Bastian laid down the law in a memo sent to employees Friday, and shared with Fox News. The executive revealed that the airline has already added over 800 people to its no-fly list for refusing to wear mandatory face masks during travel, along with news of the company's latest policy. (www.foxnews.com) Mehr...

Virgin Orbit launches rocket from their modified Boeing 747

Virgin Orbit successfully launched several satellites into space with a rocket deployed from a modified 747 in flight. The rocket was released from the plane a little before 11:40 AM PST today. See https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N744VG/history/20210117/1800Z/KMHV/KMHV/tracklog (www.bbc.com) Mehr...

Pilot of N8114F spells “God Bless” over Iowa

The pilot of N8114F, a PA-28-181 Archer II, has spelled the phrase “God Bless” over Iowa on January 11th. The flight lasted nearly 3 hours long and covered a distance of 341 miles as the pilot spelled out the message in bubble letters (flightaware.com) Mehr...

Alphabet will 'wind down' Loon's internet-broadcasting balloons

Google’s parent company Alphabet is pulling the plug on Loon's internet-broadcasting balloons, apparently because it couldn’t make the whole thing commercially viable. (finance.yahoo.com) Mehr...

KLM To Halt Intercontinental Flights

The move is part of the government’s requirement that all travelers, including crew, must undertake both a PCR and antigen test before flying. (simpleflying.com) Mehr...

Boutique Air PC-12 gas wheel fall off

A Boutique Air wheel fell into a yard near ORD. No injuries. (www.nbcchicago.com) Mehr...

Ted Lumpkin Jr., a Tuskegee Airman, Dies at 100

Mr. Lumpkin, one of the oldest surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died on Dec. 26 at a hospital in Los Angeles, just a few days before his 101st birthday. He died of complications of Covid-19. (www.nytimes.com) Mehr...

Man lived inside O’Hare for 3 months before detection

A California man who police said claimed to be too afraid to fly due to COVID-19 hid out for three months in a secured area of O’Hare International Airport until his arrest. Two United Airlines employees approached Singh and asked to see his identification. Singh showed them an airport ID badge that he was wearing around his neck, which actually belonged to an operations manager who had reported it missing Oct. 26. (www.chicagotribune.com) Mehr...

First Air Austral A220/CSeries Emerges In Mirabel, Quebec, Canada Airbus Factory

Air Austral's very first Airbus A220 has been spotted outside the paintshop with its paintwork all complete. (www.fliegerfaust.com) Mehr...

Europe Explores Standardized COVID Passports

The European Commission is working on a standard COVID vaccine passport, which would allow for an easy verification that one is vaccinated. If completed, this would allow for more effortless travel between participants. Officials from these countries plan to meet virtually this week to look deeper into making this a reality. So far, a number of countries have already shown their support for this idea, hinting that it could be widely approved in the near future. (theexplorerblog.com) Mehr...

FAA approves airport coronavirus screenings, paving way for first program to launch in Iowa

In Cedar Rapids, screeners from a local health-care group, Mercy Medical Center, will ask travelers questions about their health and potential exposure to the coronavirus, and also take their temperatures. The first step should take 10 seconds. Anyone who fails the initial screening will be subject to a second review, which Lenss said in a few weeks could include rapid testing. Those who seem sick would be urged not to travel and be referred back to their airline, which would make the final… (www.washingtonpost.com) Mehr...

This New 6-Passenger Electric Aircraft Could Revolutionize Commuting

A UK startup has just released a redesigned six-seat eVTOL that it plans to start flying next year. Autonomous Flight revamped its initial two-seat Y6S design into a larger-cabin all-electric aircraft called, appropriately, the Y6SPlus. The aircraft will have a range of 80 nautical miles, with speeds of up to 125 mph. (robbreport.com) Mehr...

So Long (and Good Riddance) to CNN Airport News

Will we finally get some peace and quiet at the gate? (askthepilot.com) Mehr...

Boeing jet's throttle becomes focus in Indonesia Sriwijaya Air crash probe

Indonesian investigators probing the Jan 9 crash of a Sriwijaya Air flight are looking at the possibility that a malfunctioning automatic throttle could have led to the pilots losing control, according to a person familiar with the investigation. (www.straitstimes.com) Mehr...

Former Boeing CEO Muilenburg Is Said to Plan Blank-Check Company

Dennis Muilenburg, the former chief executive officer of Boeing Co. who stepped down during the 737 Max crisis, is close to filing for a blank-check company, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Muilenburg, who resigned in 2019 from Boeing’s board and top job, plans to raise about $200 million in a special purpose acquisition company, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. (finance.yahoo.com) Mehr...

FedEx To Retire Its Remaining MD-10s By 2023

Global freight business FedEx appears set to retire its remaining Boeing MD-10s by 2023. FedEx currently flies a fleet of 17 MD-10s. But buried in FedEx’s second-quarter report for the 2021 fiscal year is the news FedEx will be phasing the planes out over the next couple of years. (simpleflying.com) Mehr...