Could an all-economy configuration of the Airbus A380 with nearly 1,000 passengers saved the program? Or is the concept of a 966-seat jet aircraft the stuff nightmares are made of? The All-Economy Stretch A380 With 966 Seats Onboard Andreas...
Farewell Photo Tour: British Airways 747-400
As British Airways retires its fleet of Boeing 747-400s without so much as a domestic farewell flight, Live and Let’s Fly is offering the next best thing possible, a photo walkthrough in memory of the Queen of the Skies....
50 Years Ago Today: Queen Of The Skies Debuts On United Airlines
50 years ago today United Airlines debuted a new aircraft type, the Boeing 747-100. A half century later, the Queen of the Skies remains a beloved aircraft and symbol of beauty. July 23, 1970: United Debuted 747 United took...
British Airways Retiring 747 Fleet…Maybe?
Another chapter nears an end for the storied Boeing program, as British Airways prepares to retire its 747 fleet. But three words still give me hope… British Airways Will Retire Its 28-Aircraft 747 Fleet British Airways is the largest...
Happy 25th Birthday Boeing 777! Read This Inaugural Trip Report
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the first commercial Boeing 777 flight, a United flight from London Heathrow to Washington Dulles and from domestically Denver to Chicago. The last quarter century has been quite a ride for the...
Boeing Debates Future Of 747 Program
A furious internal debate at Boeing over the future of the 747 program will either extend the life of the program or end it by 2022. Supply Concerns Threaten Future Of Boeing 747 Program The problem is Triumph, which...
The Airbus A380, Another Coronavirus Fatality
One of the many ways our travel lives will change going forward is the loss of the Airbus A380 Super Jumbo Jet, all but killed off by coronavirus. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please...
Lufthansa A380 Operations Won’t Return To Frankfurt
Lufthansa has retired seven of its 14 Airbus A380 aircraft in response to COVID-19. Now the carrier has revealed that the A380 will not return to Frankfurt. Lufthansa Faces Same A380 Issues As Other Carriers Carriers around the world...
Why The Air France A380 Retirement Pains Me…
As expected, Air France has accelerated its A380 retirement and will be come the first airline to wholly retire its A380 fleet. That’s sad news in general, but particularly sad news for me. Let me concede at the outset...
Video: New Airbus A350 German “Air Force One”
I’ve written before about the embarrassing mechanical problems Germany has had with its government jets. In an attempt to remedy the problem once and for all, the first of three new Airbus A350-900s will soon be delivered. First Airbus...
Even Emirates May Ground A380 Fleet
When it comes to Airbus A380 operators, there are many airlines. Then there is Emirates, the outlier with over 100 in its fleet. But even Emirates is mulling the grounding of its A380s. Already, we’ve seen Lufthansa, Air France,...
United Airlines Tells Flight Attendants To Stop Locking 787 Window Shades
The most annoying thing about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the ability of the crew to prohibit window shades from being opened. Flight attendants at United were reminded this week not to lock these dimmable windows. United To Flight...
Own A Piece Of The First Airbus A380
Singapore Airlines was the launch customer of the Airbus A380. It also was the first airline to retire an A380. Now you can own a piece of that original aircraft. The A380 is nearly 14 years old. Its maiden...
The Grim Future Of The A380
We know Airbus is stopping A380 production. We also know that airlines are accelerating the retirement of them. But unlike past airframes, there appears to be absolutely no secondary market for them. A Grim Future For A380 Leaseholders I’ve...
Even A Fancy Onboard Shower Or Bar Would Not Have Saved Air France A380
Sir Tim Clark, the President of Emirates, argues that other carriers like Air France blew their chance with the Airbus A380. He’s not wrong, but the reality is a bit more complicated. Sitting down with AirlineRatings, Clark was asked...
Employee Groups Wage Proxy Boeing Fight for Southwest
The Boeing 737 MAX is a very delicate issue. Airlines are owed for down time but getting passengers back on the planes may be tough. Southwest employee groups are effectively fighting Boeing for Southwest by proxy. If you are...
So Cool: Final EL AL 747 Flight
Yesterday, EL AL operated its final Boeing 747-400 flight. The sendoff included a “special” routing enroute from Tel Aviv to Rome. Via Flightradar 24, take a look at the flight path of LY1747. The 747 “drew” a 747 over the...
American Airlines Flight Attendants Refuse to Fly the 737 MAX, Southwest Pilots Sue Because They Can’t
Boeing’s 737 MAX has been a divisive issue amongst airlines employees and the traveling public. American Airlines flight attendants refuse to fly it while Southwest pilots sue Boeing because they can’t. What?!? If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Could the 737 MAX Grounding Bury Boeing?
Boeing’s 737-MAX has been grounded for the better part of a year with no end in sight. But with clearance out of their control, is the aircraft manufacturer helpless against mounting losses? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
My Bath With A KLM 747-400
Earlier this week I had the chance to spend a night at the brand-new Grand Hyatt at San Francisco International Airport. Not only did I score a nice suite upgrade, I had an incredible view from the bathtub. The...
