Dancing Around With Dreamliner News - My Pre-Holiday Distraction

Rumors are flying that Finnair will soon be accommodating some international travelers on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The airline's official position is while retrofitting some of its Airbus A330 and 340s with lie flat business class seats this winter, part of a fleet wide upgrade, the airline will need a wide-body replacement aircraft in December and January.

If the airline were to wet-lease a LOT Dreamliner, the plane would fly on the Helsinki / New York route. A final decision on what airplane will fill the gap, "has not been made," according to Finnair spokeswoman Laura Varja. She added that a wet lease (in which the airline hires both the plane and the crew) would be for a time period of between one-and-a half to three weeks.

America's Schizophrenic Approach to Airline Policy

On the one side you have Emirates under its new "Hello Tomorrow" slogan sending out a gleeful announcement of its commitment to American jobs. On the other side you have some of those U.S. workers, namely pilots, blasting Emirates, its supportive government and the United States as well for creating a staggering imbalance that the Air Line Pilots Association claims will cost American jobs.

Marriage of the Minds At Anniversary Airport Getaway

Lacinda and Spud Homfeld at the Hangar Hotel

When an aviation geek says, “Let’s go somewhere where we can watch airplanes take off all day”, and the non aviation geek partner says, “Yeah, let’s do that”, the couple is probably headed to the Hangar Hotel at Gillespie County Airport in Fredricksburg, Texas.

747 Customer Lufthansa Says "Thanks" to the Man Who Made the Wide Body Fly

Were times simpler in the sixties, or was there something unique about Joseph Sutter that allowed him to do what airplane makers can’t seem to accomplish now? We can speculate but Sutter, one of the creative engineering minds behind the Boeing 747 gets the credit for taking what was then the world’s largest passenger jet from concept to flight in just 29 months. 

On Electronic Devices on Planes, Facts A Minor Factor

The Twitter message from New York Times editor Damon Darlin came minutes after the Federal Aviation Administration began a news conference announcing a change in policy on electronic devices on airplanes. Darlin pinned the credit for switch to a Times reporter. "And thank you Nick Bilton," his message to me read. 

Many, many people are like Bilton, Darlin and company, thrilled that the FAA has promised to streamline "the approval of expanded PED use by giving airlines updated, clear guidance."  Though each airline will continue to decide for itself, how and when it will allow passengers to use PEDs, the FAA is making it clear, it won't be an obstacle anymore. Within hours, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue filed for FAA approval of expanded use of gadgets on their flights.