Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has a message for weary travelers: it’s safe to fly. He was a guest on Face The Nation yesterday on CBS and the very first question asked by host Margaret Brennan was whether it is...
Mechanics Slowdown Makes American Airlines Safer, Not Enjoyable
Mechanics at American Airlines have been negotiating their contract (and have been out of contract) for years. Work slowdowns for maintenance concerns, however, make the carrier safer, even if inconvenient. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram,...
Ask The Pilot: When Lighting Strikes An Airplane
One working theory around the crash landing of the Aeroflot Sukhoi Superjet-100 that killed 41 in Moscow last week is that lighting struck the aircraft, causing significant damage. I asked LALF reader 121Pilot, a U.S. commercial airline pilot, if lightning can...
“Belligerent” Alaska Airlines Passenger Caught Smoking, Reacts Oddly
An Alaska flight diverted to Chicago after a passenger responded poorly to a flight attendant request to extinguish his cigarette. Perhaps the passenger did not get the memo that domestic flights in the USA have been non-smoking since 1990....
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...
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (Part 2 – The Jet Age)
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 two, the jet age. Click here for part one. McDonnell Douglas DC-10 The fifth aircraft...
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (The Early Years – Part 1)
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore the propeller era. In evaluating the FAA’s decision to ground the 737MAX, it’s helpful to review...
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...
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...
Poisoned By An Airport Water Fountain?
Six unrelated people, six very-related symptoms. What caused these passengers to start vomiting on a Frontier flight? On New Year’s Day, Frontier Flight 397 took off from Cleveland to to Tampa with 226 passengers onboard. Inflight, six passengers, all...
Confirmed: Lion Air 737 Max Crashes Minutes After Takeoff
188 passengers and crew are feared dead as debris from a Lion Air 737 MAX 8 has washed up onshore near Jakarta. Lion Air flight JT-610 took off this morning at 6:21 A.M. from Jakarta enroute to Pangkal Pinang. Just...
Air China 737 Rapidly Drops 25,000 Feet
Air China Flight 106, a Boeing 737-800 traveling from Hong Kong to Dalian, dropped from 35,000 feet to 10,000 feet within 10 minutes earlier this week. The question is, why? Ostensibly the answer is because the flight lost pressure in...
