At Which US Hub Do You Prefer To Connect?

It was good to see that Cathay Pacific ordered 60 A330-900s (30 on firm order and 30 options). They are an obvious replacement for the carrier’s A330-300s, and not just because they’re much cheaper to acquire than A350-900s (which Cathay also has). Happily, pilots switching from the A330ceo to the A330neo will not need to retrain or obtain new certification, saving time, money, and complication. Moreover, the neo will have about a 10% lower fuel burn – a big improvement – and have around a three-hour additional duration, enabling long-haul flights to places that the A330-300 cannot operate. What is your view about the order? Let us know!

In this job, I’ve been lucky to travel all across the continents, from North America to Asia. However, my journey in the skies started long ago when I was just three years old, during a trip to Delhi with my family. According to my parents, the aircraft I flew on was an Air India Boeing 747. What was your first flight? Let us know below!

Extra legroom, lie-flat beds, lounge access, and onboard champagne are all incentives to pay for business class over the Atlantic Ocean. With strong political and enterprise ties on both sides of the pond, the business cabin is usually full on transatlantic flights. When it comes to business, I’ve only had the chance to fly on United’s Polaris product when flying to the US. It was comfy and allowed for several hours of sleep on a hop to Washington Dulles. Which other products are the best for comfort? Let us know below!

Pieter Elbers is operating in a very different environment from the one he is familiar with. From CEO of the historic Dutch full-service carrier KLM, which made its mark through long-haul connections and exemplary service, he is now leading India’s largest and most ambitious no-frills airline.

Since joining IndiGo in 2022, Elbers has overseen some immense aircraft orders. In June 2023, his airline placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 Airbus aircraft. This year, the carrier broke with low-cost tradition and ordered 30 passenger-configured A350-900s. 

International operations are high on this CEO’s mind. Speaking to the Economic Times, he said the airline is targeting 40 overseas airports in the network before next summer. The airline already flies to 22 countries, including Kenya, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. When the widebodies arrive, which the CEO says will be in 2027, and the A321XLR, further destinations will be within its grasp.

IndiGo has built a p

Airbus today shared that it is talking with Rolls-Royce regarding plans for a new narrowbody aircraft for the late 2030s. The manufacturer already has the successful A320 family under its belt and also took on the A220 program from Bombardier in 2018. Julie Kitcher, the chief sustainability officer of Airbus, told Simple Flying at the Farnborough Airshow that her company is looking to continue improving aircraft fuel efficiency. What other changes could we see with this type? Let us know what you think below!

Qantas is planning to set a new record for the world’s longest regularly scheduled flight with Project Sunrise. Project Sunrise will see the airline connecting London to Sydney with non-stop flights using specially modified Airbus A350s. These flights will take up to 20 hours. But do you think we will ever see longer flights in the future?