New Southwest CEO on bag fees, change fees, assigned seats: 'It's not like we are changing the DNA of the company'

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly has been asked countless times over the past decade whether the airline might join its competitors in charging for checked bags. His answers have ranged from never say never to, in recent years, an emphatic defense of its bags-fly-free policy in the face of billions in revenue rivals collect from checked-bag fees. At least a few times, he went so far as to say bags will remain free as long as he's CEO. (www.usatoday.com) More...

Amazon Air Set to Add ATR Turboprops to Freighter Fleet

Plotting its logistics growth plan, Amazon Air is set to add a third aircraft type to it’s fast growing freighter fleet (theaircurrent.com) More...

US warplanes fly first combat missions off foreign aircraft carrier since World War II

United States Marine Corps fighter jets aboard a British aircraft carrier flew combat missions over the Middle East this week -- the first time US warplanes have gone into combat from a foreign warship since World War II, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday. (www.cnn.com) More...

FAA Defends SpaceX To Congress

SpaceX has found a perhaps unexpected ally in its quest to democratize space—the FAA, according to CNBC. FAA associate administrator for commercial space operations Wayne Monteith launched a spirited defense of the company he had criticized a few months before in front of a congressional committee last week. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee had Monteith on the carpet to discuss the exploding (pun intended) commercial space industry and SpaceX naturally came up. Rep. Peter… (www.avweb.com) More...

Russia Fires Warning Shots at British Warship in Black Sea

Russia used bombs and gunfire in “warning shots” againA Su-24 aircraft dropped four bombs in waters near the Royal Navy destroyer H.M.S.st a British Navy destroyer in the Black Sea, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said Wednesday. (www.msn.com) More...

Play Airlines inaugural flight arrival at Stansted

A new Iceland based airlines made its first flight into Stansted today, (www.youtube.com) More...

Dallas Decoded: A Look At American Airlines’ Largest Hub

Dallas Fort Worth is American Airlines’ largest hub, with over 11,000 weekly round-trip movements and 239 routes in the first week of July. Flights are up by a strong 9% over the same week in 2019. The Boeing 737-800 is the main aircraft at the hub and regional jets are less prevalent than at others. We explore American’s Dallas operation. (simpleflying.com) More...

United’s basic economy tickets are no longer ‘use it or lose it’

Historically, when airlines introduced these fares, they stripped out many of the traditional inclusions with coach tickets, like advance seat assignments and carry-on bags, for a lower price than regular economy. (thepointsguy.com) More...

How Does A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Become An MD-10?

he MD-10 trijet is a cockpit conversion of the DC-10 trijet designed to allow pilots of the MD-11 to fly the plane without having to qualify for a different type rating. FedEx requested it to streamline fleet operations, and Boeing delivered the first aircraft in 2000. (simpleflying.com) More...

WestJet to launch a new dedicated cargo service with 737-800 Boeing Converted Freights (BCF)

CALGARY, ALBERTA — Canada's second-largest carrier WestJet today announced that it is launching a new dedicated cargo service, using 737-800 Boeing Converted Freights (BCF), as dedicated aircraft, to fulfill the increasing air cargo transportation demand in Canada. (www.airlinerwatch.com) More...

Security breach reported at LAX, car drives on runway, heavy police response

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Police Department responded Thursday night to a report of a security breach at Los Angeles International Airport, according to Fox 11. The report said a silver vehicle breached the security gates. A video from a helicopter showed about 10 police SUVs and a dozen officers at the scene. A CBS reporter said the car slammed through a gate at the FedEx cargo facility and, at one point, drove on the runway. (www.foxnews.com) More...

Boeing faces rocky path to gaining approval for 737 MAX return in China

BEIJING, June 23 (Reuters) - Trade power tensions, regulatory hurdles and attempts by the West to counter Chinese competition are delaying a return of the 737 MAX in China, frustrating Boeing Co (BA.N) as a potential rival demonstrates its growing influence. (www.reuters.com) More...