Boeing quietly unveiled its 737 Max 10 on Friday, even as the future of 737 MAX program remains up in the air. Debuting at an employee event in Renton, Washington, the new aircraft will be the largest 737 Max of the family. In a two-class configuration, the Max 10 can fit between 188 and 204 […]
Broken Promise: United Partner Awards Already Pricing Higher
We’re only a day into United’s new dynamic award pricing era and already we are seeing partner awards pricing higher. This directly contradicts what was promised when these changes were first announced in April. Back in April, United announced that it was eliminating award charts and moving to a more dynamic pricing model for award […]
Oscar Munoz Vs. Doug Parker On Boeing 737 MAX
As the public faces of their respective airlines, United CEO Oscar Munoz and American Airlines CEO Doug Parker share a common problem: how to convince customers to fly on the 737 MAX again. Thus far, the two have taken different approaches. Transparency + Empathy From Oscar Munoz Munoz has labored to put customers at ease, […]
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 a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us […]
South African Airways Says Latest Cash Injection Is Not Enough
South African Airways is expected to shortly receive a 5.5 billion rand ($376 million) infusion for the new fiscal year. But the beleaguered carrier says that is not enough to keep the lights on. SAA has debt of 12.7 billion rand ($868 million), of which about 3/4 of that is so-called legacy debt while 1/4 […]
In Search Of Great Coffee In Small Town America
I made my annual pilgrimage to Green Lake, Wisconsin over the weekend and had a remarkable time. This time, I even found great coffee. For seven consecutive years I have flown into Chicago every September to spend a weekend with some of my esteemed colleagues I used to work with at Star Alliance. One of […]
Avianca Brasil Will Leave Star Alliance
Troubled Avianca Brasil will leave Star Alliance on 01 September 2019. Avianca Brasil has experienced many setbacks over the last nine months. After filing for bankruptcy last December, it faced a prolonged aircraft repossession battle with creditors. Then in May its remaining fleet was grounded for “safety concerns” by Brazil’s civil aviation regulator ANAC. In […]
Fiji Becomes More Isolated
Two longstanding airline routes linking Fiji to the outside world are on the chopping block. Korean Air announced it would cease service between Seoul Incheon and Nadi, Fiji effective October 01st. On the same day, Fiji Airways announced it would suspend service to Adelaide, Australia. The loss of Korean Air is particularly disappointing. First, Korean […]
All The Alliance Airlines I Have Not Flown
Ben recently wrote a story with a similar title, paying homage to his “fellow airline geeks” in the first line. It got me to thinking about which alliance airlines I have not yet tried. It matters because 1.) these are the airlines that tend to be most accessible with your miles and points and thus […]
Boeing CEO Accepts Blame For 737 MAX Crashes
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg issued an extensive statement concerning the preliminary report on flight 302 by Ethiopian Airlines. In it, he seems to apologize and accept blame for both the Lion Air and Ethiopian 737 MAX crashes. He also promises a quick software fix that will make the MAX “among the safest airplanes ever to fly.” […]
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (Part 3 – Boeing 737 MAX)
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore part three, on the current Boeing 737 MAX grounding. Click here for part one on the propellor age and here for part two on the jet age. Today’s post includes the author’s […]
Garuda Indonesia’s Threat To Cancel 737 MAX 8 Order Is Likely A Bluff
In my own import/export business, I’ve learned the great power of a bluff. I’ve got the feeling that is what Garuda Indonesia doing in “canceling” its large Boeing 737 MAX 8 order. It was Winston Churchill who was first said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” In a sense, Garuda Indonesia has a fiduciary duty […]
An Open Letter From Boeing CEO On 737 MAX Crashes
Boeing Chairman, President, and CEO penned an open letter to “airlines, passengers, and the aviation community” on Boeing’s commitment to safety. It’s worth a few minutes of your time to read and consider. I have included the full text of the letter below, but if you prefer to listen, a video recording of the letter […]
Captain Sully Has Choice Words For Boeing And FAA
Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III has penned a scathing new op-ed for Baron’s assailing Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. First, he bemoans that the FAA is understaffed and underfunded. To compensate, he points out that the FAA routinely delegates critical safety tests to aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, which results in a conflict of interest. […]
Three Airlines, Three Very Different Approaches To 737 MAX Tragedy
The crash of 737 MAX 8 jetliner in Ethiopia two weeks ago has evoked starkly different reactions depending on who you ask. Airlines have reacted in the same way. While Garuda mulls cancellation, flydubai digs in, and Norwegian fumes. We’re still too early in the aftermath of the tragedy to understand what precisely happened to cause the deadly […]
Captain Sully Weighs In On Boeing 737 MAX Crash
Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III, the pilot who skilfully landed US Airways 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, has harsh words for both Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines. The “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot is an Aviation and Safety Expert for CBS News but weighed in on the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX crash on his […]
Tacky: France Already Using 737 MAX Incident To Undercut Boeing
I get it. All is fair in love and war and it is war between Airbus and Boeing. But I’m not impressed by actions of the French President just days after the horrific Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash that killed 159 people in Ethiopia. Bloomberg reports: French President Emmanuel Macron has meanwhile held discussions with […]
Help Me Plan My 737 MAX Trip With My Two-Year-Old…Or Not?
I want to take my son on a 737 MAX trip this weekend, lest I ever be accused of hypocrisy. Earlier today, I made (or attempted to make) a rather abstract argument that perhaps we are acting too hastily in grounding the 737 MAX. Reader Joey suggested: To prove your point, it may be a […]
The Boeing 737 MAX And Iraq War Redux
The evidence was irrefutable. Every credible intelligence agency agreed. Only idiots didn’t understand. Statesmen from both sides of the aisle and the enlightened countries of the world all saw the imminent threat. Billions of dollars were spent. Lives were lost. Blood was shed. The problem was removed. And yet the smoking gun was never […]
Exclusive: U.S. Commercial Pilot Addresses Boeing 737 MAX Safety
121pilot, a frequent commenter on this blog, is a U.S. commercial airline pilot. I asked him to address the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX and he graciously agreed. His thoughts are below. There has been a great deal of concern within the aviation community after the recent crash of an Ethiopian 737 MAX, shortly […]