This weekly post is my ‘round tuit’. Included are stories which caught my eye and others which I couldn’t cover in-depth during the week, but thought Flight Chic readers would want to know about.
It’s been a mad week in the skies, with all sorts of altercations.
But this is Christmas, so we’ll start and end with celebrations.
1. BA Flight attendants unions call of strikes in time for the Christmas rush.
Breaking: Planned strikes by @British_Airways mixed fleet cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day have been SUSPENDED. #travel
— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) December 22, 2016
2. Here’s to a 100 more years of innovation at Boeing!
Thanks for a great centennial year! See our 2016 “fan favorites” & come along for a breathtaking flight in 2017: https://t.co/USYaQYg3fx pic.twitter.com/vdFgo1PDUu
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) December 22, 2016
3. OK. So something under $4 billion. ($3.9999999 billion?)
Trump extracts pledge from Boeing on Air Force One costs https://t.co/BEzyhgb9U5 pic.twitter.com/Hm9cTqr7zN
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 22, 2016
After meeting with Trump, Boeing CEO says Air Force One will cost less than $4 billion https://t.co/ZeKP6Io2m6 pic.twitter.com/dFWduGhLif
— Amanda Macias (@amanda_m_macias) December 21, 2016
4. Carrie Fisher suffers heart attack onboard London-LA flight.
Thank God for quick action by passengers, crew and ATC! Get well soon @carriefisher 🌹 https://t.co/zi5KxUyMyQ
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 24, 2016
5. Remembering Pan Am 103.
Remembering the passengers and crew of Pan Am 103 along with the residents of Lockerbie, Scotland who perished this day, 28 years ago. pic.twitter.com/GDPeU1AbhT
— Pan Am (@FlyPanAm) December 21, 2016
6. Hijacking of Afriqiyah Airways flight safely resolved in Malta.
Initial forensic exams now showing weapons used in Afriqiyah hijack are replicas.
— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) December 23, 2016
Afriqiyah plane with passengers departing now from Malta. Great team effort. pic.twitter.com/5chPPuQEWQ
— Carmelo Abela (@AbelaCarmelo) December 24, 2016
"That's how to do it", intl experts say on @CNN abt way #Malta tackled #Libya hijacked plane @richardquest pic.twitter.com/SfxqSpatHv
— Randolph De Battista (@R_DeBattista) December 23, 2016
So pleased that all's well that ends well re #Afriqiyah hijack. Heartfelt thanks to #Malta's authorities & all security & emergency services
— Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca (@MarieLouise_MT) December 23, 2016
7. IAG plans its own low-cost transatlantic move.
As Norwegian plans to open new long-haul bases across Europe (with Ryanair as possible feeder partner), Europe's big 3 are responding https://t.co/mOMwXiHkQh
— AirlineTrends (@airlinetrends) December 23, 2016
IAG following in Lufthansa's footsteps. But can conventional airlines operate a profitable, low-cost, long-haul subsidiary ? https://t.co/Qyz6UOQ7k4
— Alex McWhirter (@McWhirterAlex) December 23, 2016
IAG starting budget long-haul airline https://t.co/FNRLB5to4W
— WSJ Europe (@WSJeurope) December 23, 2016
8. TMI for Wi-Fi
Making a mockery out of free wifi #paxex pic.twitter.com/bES2IKqgW2
— starflyergold 🕊 (@starflyergold) December 20, 2016
9. JetBlue’s Wi-Fi installations nearly complete.
10. Alternative Wi-Fi In the Sky.
Will plans to use commercial aircraft for a worldwide wireless network fly? https://t.co/f8y65tMJTR [noteworthy https://t.co/2YrUEkvXZU]
— thisdell (@thisdell) December 23, 2016
11. How aircraft connectivity can lower airline operating costs.
Proactive maintenance keeps aircraft and airlines profits where they belong: Sky High https://t.co/XP0tyRusfs #ConnectedAircraft #UPBlog pic.twitter.com/1hbsfCDvMc
— Panasonic Avionics (@PanasonicAero) December 21, 2016
12. Simpliflying rates best airline marketing campaigns of 2016
Our friends @SimpliFlying highlight their top airline marketing campaigns of 2016: https://t.co/rKx6FHUS31
— 15below (@15below_travel) December 22, 2016
13. U.S. gets social, in controversial security move.
US begins asking foreign travelers for social media accounts upon entry https://t.co/5kD4bT6CVE pic.twitter.com/n5D4BDFXBs
— The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2016
14. Not a jokester. Just a jerk.
15. To quote Charlie Brown, ‘Good grief…’
.@Delta reviewing circumstances surrounding removal of passenger from departing Heathrow flight | Delta News Hub https://t.co/NfjERb35jk
— Delta News Hub (@DeltaNewsHub) December 21, 2016
BBC News – Vlogger Adam Saleh 'kicked off' Delta Airlines flight https://t.co/9cEEcJmOjD
— Barbara Clark (@drjavafox) December 21, 2016
'80s singer Richard Marx subdues unruly passenger @CNNI https://t.co/ZTjscgcuSE //What a mess.
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 21, 2016
Man who was on board same JetBlue flight as Ivanka Trump says, "If I was security, I wouldn't take a chance either." https://t.co/TfPLFa5hFc pic.twitter.com/m25VMsK41c
— ABC News (@ABC) December 23, 2016
16. Lufthansa celebrates new A350
Lufthansa takes delivery of its first A350-900 (out of 25 on order). Initial destinations Delhi, Boston #PaxEx pic.twitter.com/b11CmvzOib
— AirlineTrends (@airlinetrends) December 22, 2016
17. Emirates delivers a little extra beauty onboard.
Emirates is to provide Irish VOYA beauty products to business and first class passengers #paxex #travel https://t.co/fMNSU780jf pic.twitter.com/VZ503DwCfY
— Michael Kelly (@Michaelkelly707) December 23, 2016
18. AIM Altitude breaks ground on new facilities.
Sir Tim Clark officially opens AIM Altitude’s new facility https://t.co/jxOyoN3bLT via Aircraft Interiors International Magazine
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 20, 2016
19. Supplier consolidation continues.
Thompson Aero is the latest takeover target https://t.co/tLRqyYbREH via Aircraft Interiors Int'l
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 20, 2016
20. United gets fresh.
United Airlines celebrates delivery of new Boeing 777-300ER, its first with new Polaris cabin https://t.co/6gxhPivDCn pic.twitter.com/esGFHo9Wm6
— USA TODAY Travel (@usatodaytravel) December 21, 2016
Is a "bold, disruptive" change to @united's brand coming? Good @crankyflier interview with United CEO Munoz: https://t.co/QrpM5eXej4
— Edward Russell (@ByERussell) December 20, 2016
How Airlines Design a Travel Experience From Ground to Air https://t.co/tfpmUXfs3o via @TravelLeisure
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 24, 2016
21. BA gets Emoji-onal about travel.
❤️👏💡👍 🇬🇧✈️lets you discover 🗺⛱🗿🏯🗽🏰💂🏻 using 🥚♍️🙃🤹♀️💬❗️https://t.co/bcxNxQ0U6R via @kevinlukemay @tnooz #travel #avgeek
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 23, 2016
22. Everybody wants something.
A4E CEO's Christmas wishlist- good talks with the Commissioner for Transport https://t.co/9NMEi3UacO pic.twitter.com/fnfs2QAdbZ
— Airlines for Europe (A4E) (@A4Europe) December 20, 2016
23. The Year in Review.
Great podcast discussion from our friends at Aviation Xtended.
Listen to our 2016 aviation news round-up w/ author @RowlandWhite Ep66 of @AviationXtended #avgeek https://t.co/yMLzitMNF7
— Tim Robinson (@RAeSTimR) December 24, 2016
APEX 2016 Headlines
Top #PaxEx Headlines of #2016: Comfort & Ambience -> https://t.co/npbXKKfpwh #AvGeek #AviationNews #YearInReview pic.twitter.com/bd5o5QVBAZ
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) December 22, 2016
Top #PaxEx Headlines of 2016: Catering & Services -> https://t.co/kI7wPhM234 #AvGeek #AviationNews #YearInReview pic.twitter.com/Gc85LfFgXP
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) December 22, 2016
Top #PaxEx Headlines of 2016: Entertainment & Connectivity -> https://t.co/FEMHsWmWnd #AvGeek #AviationNews #YearInReview #IFC #IFE pic.twitter.com/tzek6qJW5d
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) December 22, 2016
Top #PaxEx Headlines of #2016: Industry News -> https://t.co/gAiFSg5leB #AvGeek #AviationNews #YearInReview pic.twitter.com/cUQzPzz8wj
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) December 22, 2016
24. Merry-making.
🎄🎅🏻Glasgow Airport Has a Robot That Sings Christmas Carols to Travelers https://t.co/LbTTIGhxoR via @TravelLeisure
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 24, 2016
🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻Airlines Alleviate Holiday Hubbub With Festive Flying Initiatives https://t.co/pPDSerzuZK via @theAPEXassoc
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 21, 2016
Heartwarming #Airline Ads That Prove Travel Is the Best #Holiday Gift of All: https://t.co/e0cFdZq4ls #HappyHolidays #PaxEx #AvGeek pic.twitter.com/WlP8XfiSxC
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) December 22, 2016
That’s a lotta lobster.
#FunFact: more than 1mil pounds of lobsters will be shipped by air over the holidays, a whole bunch of them coming from @HfxStanfield. https://t.co/uuw1W7j2as
— The Voice of Airports (@airportscouncil) December 19, 2016
25. Santa reporting for duty!
Merry X-mas from the top of the world! Busy day ahead for the official airline of Santa @finnishsanta #workingforsanta #mywayofxmas #Xmas pic.twitter.com/2S2HjhI7j4
— Finnair (@Finnair) December 24, 2016
The official 2016 Santa NOTAM. pic.twitter.com/cZhjKnGZHp
— Flight (@flightorg) December 23, 2016
Track Santa’s Sleigh With Plane Finder’s Flight Tracker https://t.co/MfdSYPccsL
— PlaneInsight (@PlaneInsight) December 23, 2016
My christmas flight plan with the help of Santa and @NATS https://t.co/Zcg9guC2AA @British_Airways BA32 landing 25th December. 😄✈🎅🏻👨✈️ pic.twitter.com/ADHET67BFb
— Captain Dave (@DaveWallsworth) December 23, 2016
Make the most of the season.
To utterly misquote Shakespeare, ‘The world isn’t perfect, but thinking makes it so.’ During the holidays—and always—I wish you merriment and peace.
Happy Holidays! May 2017 take you everywhere your heart desires! pic.twitter.com/PES2ykYbzG
— FlightChic | ✈️💺 (@designerjet) December 23, 2016