#american airlines canceling flights

[l4rgflighttickets]

Ready to take off with American Airlines? L4RG has everything you need to make your booking process seamless. We offer a range of American Airlines flights, reservations and tickets to help get you where you need to go. Whether it's a business trip or a family vacation, L4RG makes traveling with American Airlines easy and affordable.

[dykesynthezoid]

Killing you commercial flight industry killing you killing you killing you killing you killing you k

[phocids]

never going to try and fly an airline besides delta ever again

[richdadpoor]

American Airlines Fined for Extreme Tarmac Delays

Image: Markus Mainka (Shutterstock) The United States Transportation Department (DOT) fined American Airlines $4.1 million on Monday for keeping passengers on board amid delays that violated tarmac delay laws. The DOT found that 43 flights were affected between 2018 and 2021, leaving passengers on board planes for extended ground delays, without allowing them to disembark. You Could Soon Get…

[airlineinsights]

Fly with Confidence: American Airlines Complete Guide

American Airlines is one of the major airlines in the United States and a prominent player in the global aviation industry. Founded in 1930, it has a rich history and has grown into one of the largest airlines in the world. With its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, American Airlines operates an extensive network of domestic and international flights, serving destinations across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

American Airlines had a fleet size of over 870 aircraft, consisting of various models from manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus. The airline offers a range of services to cater to different travel needs, including first class, business class, premium economy, and economy cabins.

American Airlines is a founding member of the global airline alliance, Oneworld, which allows it to provide seamless connections and reciprocal benefits to passengers traveling with its partner airlines. It also has codeshare agreements with numerous other airlines, further expanding its reach and connectivity.

The airline has faced various challenges over the years, including economic downturns, competition, and the impact of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly affected the aviation industry. However, American Airlines has continuously adapted and innovated to navigate these challenges, implementing initiatives to improve customer experience, enhance operational efficiency, and prioritize safety and sustainability.

Overall, American Airlines has established itself as a prominent player in the airline industry, offering a wide range of services and connectivity options to travelers across the globe. With a focus on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement, it continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of air travel.

How to make Reservations for American Airlines?

When it comes to making easy American Airlines reservations, there are a few key points to keep in mind. Here are the main aspects to consider:

Booking Options: American Airlines provides multiple channels for making reservations. You can book flights online through their official website or mobile app, by calling their customer service hotline, or by visiting one of their ticket offices or airport counters.

Flight Selection: American Airlines offers a vast network of domestic and international destinations, allowing you to choose from a wide range of flight options. They operate numerous daily flights to popular destinations, ensuring flexibility in scheduling.

Fare Classes: American Airlines offers different fare classes to suit various travel needs and budgets. These typically include First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy. Each class comes with its own set of amenities and services.

Additional Services: During the reservation process, American Airlines provides options to select additional services like seat upgrades, preferred seating, checked baggage, in-flight meals, and Wi-Fi access. These services may have associated fees.

Loyalty Program: American Airlines has a frequent flyer program called AAdvantage, which rewards loyal customers with miles that can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other benefits. It's worth considering joining the program if you plan to fly frequently with American Airlines.

Flexible Booking Policies: American Airlines has implemented flexible booking policies that allow passengers to make changes or cancel their reservations under certain conditions. It's advisable to review the specific terms and conditions associated with your ticket, as they may vary based on fare type and booking channel.

By considering these main points, you can ensure a smooth reservation process with American Airlines, tailored to your preferences and travel requirements.

What is the American Airlines Cancellation Policy?

Here are the main points of the American Airlines cancellation policy, however, please note that policies and terms may have changed since then, so it's always advisable to check the most up-to-date information on their official website or contact American Airlines directly for the latest details.

24-Hour Cancellation Policy: American Airlines allows passengers to cancel their reservations within 24 hours of booking without incurring any cancellation fees, regardless of the ticket type. This applies to both refundable and non-refundable tickets.

Non-Refundable Tickets: If you cancel a non-refundable ticket after the 24-hour window, you may not receive a refund. However, the value of the ticket may be eligible for future travel credits, subject to certain conditions and fees.

Refundable Tickets: Refundable tickets offer more flexibility. If you hold a refundable ticket and decide to cancel, you can typically receive a full refund of the ticket's value, regardless of the cancellation timeframe.

Cancellation Fees: For non-refundable tickets, if you cancel after the 24-hour window, a cancellation fee will usually apply. The fee amount varies depending on factors such as the fare type, destination, and ticket class.

Basic Economy Tickets: Basic Economy tickets, which typically have more restrictions, may have stricter cancellation policies. It's essential to review the specific terms and conditions associated with Basic Economy tickets before making a purchase.

Elite Status and AAdvantage Members: Passengers with elite status or AAdvantage membership may have additional benefits and flexibility regarding cancellations, such as waived fees or enhanced refund options. These benefits depend on the member's tier and the specific terms of the program.

It's always recommended to consult the official American Airlines website or contact their customer service directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding their cancellation policy.

American Airlines Manage Booking with the Official Website

When it comes to managing your booking with American Airlines, there are several key points to be aware of. Here are the main aspects of American Airlines manage booking feature:

Online Access: American Airlines provides an online platform where you can conveniently manage your booking details. Visit their official website or mobile app and navigate to the "Manage Reservations" section.

Retrieve Booking: To access your booking, you will typically need to provide relevant information such as your last name and booking confirmation number. Alternatively, you may log in to your AAdvantage account if you have one.

Itinerary Review: Once you have accessed your booking, you can review the details of your itinerary, including flight dates, times, routes, and passenger information. Ensure that all the information is accurate and up to date.

Seat Selection: American Airlines' manage booking feature allows you to select or change your seats, subject to availability. You can choose seats that suit your preferences, such as extra legroom or seats together with your travel companions.

Upgrades: If you are interested in upgrading your seat to a higher class, such as upgrading from Economy to Business or First Class, the manage booking feature may provide options to explore and request upgrades. However, availability and eligibility for upgrades may vary.

Special Requests: You can use the manage booking feature to make special requests, such as dietary requirements, wheelchair assistance, or other specific accommodations. Ensure to provide the necessary details well in advance to allow the airline to make suitable arrangements.

Flight Changes: Depending on the fare type and specific conditions associated with your ticket, you may be able to make changes to your flight details through the manage booking feature. This includes modifying travel dates, routes, or even canceling and rebooking flights.

Baggage Additions: If you need to add checked baggage to your booking or modify your existing baggage allowance, the manage booking feature often provides options to do so. Note that additional fees may apply for excess or overweight baggage.

Check-in: Some manage booking features also allow you to check in for your flight online, saving time at the airport. You can select seats, receive electronic boarding passes, and complete the necessary check-in process ahead of your departure.

Payment and Refunds: In certain situations, you may be able to process payments for outstanding amounts or request refunds through the manage booking feature. However, refund eligibility and processes may vary based on fare type and specific circumstances.

It's important to note that the available options in the manage booking feature can vary depending on factors such as ticket type, fare rules, and the specific services offered by American Airlines. Therefore, it's always advisable to review the details and instructions provided on their official website or contact their customer service directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding managing your booking.

How to Rebook American Airlines?

When it comes to rebooking your flight with American Airlines, here are the main points to consider:

Flight Changes: If you need to modify your travel plans, American Airlines allows you to rebook your flight. You can change your flight date, time, or even the destination, subject to availability and fare rules.

Change Fees: Depending on the fare type and the specific conditions associated with your ticket, rebooking may incur change fees. Non-refundable tickets generally require payment of a change fee in addition to any fare difference.

Fare Differences: When rebook American Airlines, fare differences may apply if the new flight has a higher fare than your original booking. Conversely, if the new fare is lower, you may be eligible for a refund or travel credit for the price difference, depending on the fare rules.

Flexibility Policies: American Airlines has implemented flexible policies, particularly during unforeseen circumstances or exceptional events. These policies may provide additional flexibility for rebooking without change fees, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic or severe weather conditions. It's essential to review the current policies and any associated timeframes or limitations.

Booking Channels: You can rebook your flight through various channels, including the American Airlines website, mobile app, or by contacting their customer service. The specific options available may depend on the fare type and the original booking channel.

Elite Status and AAdvantage Members: Passengers with elite status or AAdvantage membership may have additional rebooking benefits, such as waived change fees or enhanced flexibility. These benefits vary depending on the member's tier and the specific terms of the program.

Timeframes and Restrictions: It's important to be aware of any timeframes or restrictions associated with rebooking. Some fare types may have limitations on how far in advance or close to departure you can make changes. Additionally, certain promotional fares or discounted tickets may have specific rules and restrictions regarding rebooking.

Contacting Customer Service: If you encounter any difficulties or have specific requirements for your rebooking, it's recommended to contact American Airlines' customer service directly. Their representatives can provide guidance, assistance, and information regarding available options and any associated fees or requirements.

Remember that the rebooking process and associated policies can vary based on ticket type, fare rules, and the specific circumstances. It's always advisable to review the details and instructions provided by American Airlines on their official website or contact their customer service directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding rebooking your flight.

American Airlines Change Flight Policy 

Here are the main points of the American Airlines change flight policy. However, please note that policies and terms may have changed since then, so it's always advisable to check the most up-to-date information on their official website or contact American Airlines directly for the latest details.

Change Fees: American Airlines typically charges change fees for modifying your flight. The amount of the fee depends on factors such as the fare type, destination, and ticket class. Non-refundable tickets generally require payment of a change fee in addition to any fare difference.

Fare Differences: When changing your flight, fare differences may apply if the new flight has a higher fare than your original booking. Conversely, if the new fare is lower, you may be eligible for a refund or travel credit for the price difference, depending on the fare rules.

Change Options: American Airlines offers various channels for changing your flight. You can make changes online through their official website or mobile app, by contacting their customer service, or by visiting their ticket offices or airport counters.

Timeframes and Restrictions: It's important to be aware of any timeframes or restrictions associated with changing your flight. Some fare types may have limitations on how far in advance or close to departure you can make changes. Additionally, certain promotional fares or discounted tickets may have specific rules and restrictions regarding changes.

Flexible Policies: American Airlines has implemented flexible policies, particularly during unforeseen circumstances or exceptional events. These policies may provide additional flexibility for changing your flight without change fees, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic or severe weather conditions. It's essential to review the current policies and any associated timeframes or limitations.

Elite Status and AAdvantage Members: Passengers with elite status or AAdvantage membership may have additional benefits when changing their flights, such as waived change fees or enhanced flexibility. These benefits vary depending on the member's tier and the specific terms of the program.

Refundability: The refundability of your ticket depends on the fare type and its associated rules. Non-refundable tickets typically do not qualify for a refund, but the value of the ticket may be eligible for future travel credits, subject to certain conditions and fees.

Booking Channel: The availability of changing your flight through specific channels may vary based on the original booking method. For example, if you booked through a third-party website or travel agency, you may need to contact them directly for changes.

Remember to consult the official American Airlines website or contact their customer service directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding their change flight policy.

What is the Change Name Policy on American Airlines Tickets?

American Airlines did not have a specific policy regarding name changes. However, airline policies can evolve over time, so it's best to refer to the most up-to-date information on the American Airlines website or contact their customer service directly for the latest details. That being said, here are some general points to keep in mind regarding American Airlines name change Policy:

Name Correction: Airlines typically allow minor name corrections free of charge, such as fixing a misspelled name or correcting a typographical error. These changes are usually made to ensure that the name on the ticket matches the traveler's identification documents.

Name Change: Most airlines have restrictions or fees associated with changing the name on a ticket. In many cases, name changes are not permitted or are subject to specific conditions. This is primarily to prevent the misuse of tickets or fraudulent activities.

Transferability: Airline tickets are generally non-transferable, meaning they cannot be transferred to another person's name. This policy helps prevent ticket scalping or unauthorized reselling.

Flexibility: Some airlines offer more flexible ticket options that allow for easier name changes, typically at a higher price. These may include refundable tickets or tickets with flexible change policies.

Documentation: When requesting a name change, airlines may require documentation, such as a copy of the passenger's identification or a marriage certificate in the case of a name change due to marriage.

Remember, these points are general guidelines, and specific policies can vary between airlines. It's always advisable to consult the airline directly or refer to their website for their specific name change policy and any associated fees or requirements.

How to Get Help through American Airlines Customer Service?

American Airlines customer service can be contacted through phone, online support, social media, or at airport service desks. For specific contact information and assistance, visit the American Airlines website or refer to their social media accounts, here are some general ways to contact American Airlines customer service:

Phone: You can reach American Airlines customer service by phone. The specific phone numbers may vary depending on your location and the nature of your inquiry. Visit the American Airlines website and navigate to the "Contact Us" or "Customer Service" section to find the appropriate phone number for your region.

Online Support: American Airlines provides an online support portal where you can find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and submit specific inquiries. Visit the American Airlines website and look for the "Contact Us" or "Customer Service" section. There, you may find options to submit a form, start a live chat, or access self-service tools.

Social Media: American Airlines maintains an active presence on various social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. You can try reaching out to their customer service team through these channels by sending them a direct message or tagging them in a public post. However, keep in mind that social media responses may not be as prompt or comprehensive as other customer service channels.

Airport Customer Service: If you're already at an airport, you can visit an American Airlines customer service desk or counter for assistance. The staff there should be able to address your concerns or provide you with relevant information.

Remember that these methods are subject to change, and it's always a good idea to check the American Airlines website or contact their customer service for the most up-to-date information on how to reach them.

[w0rldwanderlust]

Dallas Blown by Winter Storm

Dallas Hit With Climate Disaster

Dallas is among the airports hit hardest by this week’s winter storm, canceling thousands of flights and cutting power to over a quarter million people. Wednesday is the third day of the storm roaring across the southern U.S., with waves of sleet and snow making for treacherous driving conditions. The storm has reached from the western end of Texas’ border with Mexico out into Oklahoma, Arkansas,…

[robertreich]

The Truth About Trumponomics

Trump and Republicans want to wreck your bank account. Here are 5 things you need to know about Trumponomics.

1.Trump wants tax cuts for the rich, at your expense.

Trump’s tax cuts for the rich and big corporations added about $1.7 trillion to the national debt, with few benefits trickling down to the middle class — in fact, it raised taxes for more than 10 million American families.

Now Trump and Republicans want to make the tax cuts for the rich permanent, blowing up the debt even further. And then they’ll use that debt to justify this:

2. Trump would cut Social Security and Medicare — programs you’ve been paying into!

In every year of his presidency, Trump submitted a budget that tried to cut Social Security and Medicare. And he knows that’s the only way he can even begin to pay for extending his tax cuts for the rich.

3. Trump and his allies are pro-junk fee.

When the Biden administration issued a rule capping credit card late fees at $8, Sen. Tim Scott, a Trump surrogate, tried to overturn it in the Senate. And then a Trump-appointed judge issued a temporary injunction that blocked the rule from taking effect. Eliminating that rule would cost American families an estimated $10 billion a year.

And when the Biden administration required airlines to issue automatic refunds for canceled flights, Trump’s allies in Congress fought to block that too.

When Trump was in office, his administration fought against efforts to rein in airline junk fees.

Corporations nickel and diming us like this makes inflation worse. If Trump gets back in the White House, buckle up for more junk fees.

4. Trump would send health care costs soaring.

Republicans have committed to repealing the Inflation Reduction Act, which would strip Medicare of the ability to negotiate drug prices, and let Big Pharma send the price of insulin and other life-saving medicines back through the roof.

And Trump is still fixated on repealing Obamacare, with no plan to replace it.

TRUMP: Obamacare is a disaster. We’re gonna do something about it.

That would strip coverage from tens of millions of Americans, drive up premiums, and let insurers charge more or deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions.

5, If you’ve got student debt, you’re out of luck with Trump.

In contrast to President Biden, who’s canceled more than $160 billion of student debt so far, Trump is against student debt relief. In his first term, he tried to eliminate the popular Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for people like teachers and nurses, and he’s called the idea of debt relief “unfair.”

What’s unfair, is how student debt hurts not just the roughly 40 million Americans burdened by it, but the entire economy, since Americans with debt have less money to spend, are less likely to start a business, less likely to buy a home, and more likely to rely on government assistance.

The MAGA agenda would make nearly every aspect of your life more expensive, while making the richest Americans even richer.

Teddy Roosevelt’s economic plan was called the Square Deal. Franklin Roosevelt’s was the New Deal.

What Trump is offering is simply a Raw Deal.

[janeyseymour]

Far From Home

for @jeridandridge

Summary: you're far away from home when you meet another Phillie's fan.

WC: ~3k

It’s just Melissa’s luck that her flight would get cancelled because of a hurricane sweeping over the Atlantic at this very moment. After a near brawl with one of the attendants because she insisted that it’s safe to fly (and it very much is not safe to fly), the redhead finds herself lugging her carry-on over to the restaurant bar with a huff.

“Whiskey, neat,” she sighs as she hands her card over to the bartender. “Please.”

“Flight get delayed?”

“Canceled,” she huffs. “They said they’d put me on the next flight out to Philly.”

“You’re a long way from home,” the bartender states softly. “Why you come all the way out here?”

“To Italy?” Melissa chuckles softly. “Because it’s Italy… and I was visiting my nonna.”

“So then why are you in such a rush to get back?”

“My baseball team is playing, and I have real nice tickets for tomorrow’s game,” the redhead explains. “Damn… they’re playing right now too. Any chance you get American sports to play over here?”

The bartender shakes his head. “But if you got an iPhone and can pull it up on there, I can cast it to the television so you can at least watch on the big screen while you figure everything else out.”

Melissa looks impressed and pulls out her phone. After a bit of work, the Phillies game is up on the screen, and the redhead is cheering along for her team with a beer now in hand.

Your flight from Italy back to the States was canceled. Of course it was. After a more than disastrous trip to Italy with your now ex-girlfriend, all you want to do is be in your apartment and curled up in your bed with a tub of ice cream and a glass of wine in hand. But now… you’re sitting in a restaurant bar while you wait for confirmation that the airline has put you on another flight home and seeing if they can put you up in a hotel for however long it will take to get back to Philly.

You have half a mind to go try to sleep off your exhaustion and anxiety, but something catches your eye. There’s a Phillies game on the big screen… in Italy? So, instead of finding a deserted corner, you sit down at the restaurant bar and pull out your phone. The bartender comes your way and pours you a drink when the Phillies are able to pull ahead of the Mets- the rival team.

“Hell yeah!” you raise your glass in the air with a smile. Schwarber was able to deliver again.

“You a Phillies fan?” the bartender chuckles.

“I bleed Philly,” you smile as your eyes stay trained on the screen. “Why do you even have this game playing? I didn’t think the Italians cared about baseball the way that Philadelphians do.”

“You aren’t the only Philadelphian in here,” he laughs as he points down towards the redhead at the other end of the bar, eyes also glued to the screen.

You cock your head to the side. “Wow.” She’s… really, really pretty. But you’re able to cover up that little gasp with the afterthought of, “Two Philadelphians in one little bar across the ocean.”

“She’s casting it from her phone right now,” the man tells you. Then he slides his way back down the bar to check on that beauty.

There’s something inside of you that wants to go over and talk to her- let her know that you think she’s beautiful. But… then you remember what you’re doing here. You just got dumped, and you don’t want to be that asshole who uses someone as a rebound. Especially not someone as stunning as her. So, you keep to your end of the bar while she keeps to hers. You don’t know it, but while you’re entranced by the screen and watching as Bryce Harper hits a ball that goes flying and Johan Rojas goes flying around the bases, she looks down to you, licking her lips subconsciously.

Your cheering at the screen as Rojas comes home and Harper slides into second pulls the redhead’s eyes from you and back onto the screen. Damn, she missed how that all went about.

She glances back in your direction, and your smile warms her heart. Deciding to take a leap of faith, she picks up her drink, gathers her bags, and makes her way down the bar.

“I missed what was happening,” you hear a voice. “Tell me what happened?”

“Rojas was on second, Schwarber and Realmuto struck out, and Harper hit a ball that found its way through. Rojas scored, Harper’s on second,” you recite the play, eyes still trained on the screen as Bohm tries to further the inning.

“Bohm’s gonna strike out,” the voice tells you.

“How do you know?”

“Just a hunch,” the woman sighs. The truth is that she got the notification on her phone that he struck out and the inning was over.

She’s right, and as a commercial comes on, you finally turn. You don’t expect it to actually be that beautiful woman from the other end of the bar to be sitting next to you now, eyes watching you with wonder.

“Wow,” you whisper softly.

“What?” she asks you.

“I saw you from across the bar and thought you were pretty, but,” you cough awkwardly. “You’re more gorgeous than I thought.”

The woman smirks, and her eyes sparkle. She sticks out her hand for you to shake while saying, “Melissa.”

“Y/N,” you tell her as you shake her hand. “The bartender told me you’re the one casting the game right now?”

“I am,” she tells you. “Born and raised a Philly fan from South. You?”

You break out into a smile. “Born and raised in the ‘burbs of Philly, moved to Center City Philly a few years ago for work… I’ve been cheering for Philly teams since I could talk.”

“Yeah?” Melissa chuckles.

After a few taps on your phone, there’s video of you at the age of two dressed in an Eagles cheerleader outfit and singing the fight song playing.

The redhead next to you grins as she watches. When it’s finished, she hands you back your phone. “That’s fuckin’ precious.”

You blush. “It’s… definitely something.”

She goes to say more, but the Phillies broadcast comes back on, and you’re both taken to the screen. The two of you cheer together and boo the other team together as the game continues. 

In between innings, you chat and get to know Melissa more. You come to find that she’s a second and third grade teacher at a public school in center city- one that you pass by on your walk to work almost everyday. You find that she knows a lot of people. You also find that she’s somewhat of a legend when it comes to the casinos down in Atlantic City- as it turns out, she’s the ‘Red Hot’ that you hear people talking about as you would mill around the casino floor. But you also learn that her eyes sparkle when she talks about the things she’s passionate about. You discover that her laugh is a source of happiness for you. You’ve also learned that her smile is something that could light up Center City Philadelphia all on its own. She has you absolutely enchanted with her being.

It isn’t until the bottom of the ninth inning when you recognize the fact that she’s holding your hand in anticipation, and she has been holding your hand since… since the first full inning that you watched together. 

When it’s announced that the Phillies won, she’s jumping up out of her seat and hugging you tightly. You of course embrace her back with the same ferocity.

But now that the game is over, nothing is keeping her from sitting next to you. And you feel… disheartened by that? Upset that she’s probably going to leave and you’ll never see her again? You don’t know.

It doesn’t matter though, because she’s sitting back down on her barstool, taking your hand again, and sipping her beer. “So…”

The two of you continue to talk for hours. It isn’t until both of your phones ping that you look away from each other.

“Uh,” you sigh. “They put me up in a hotel room, so I guess I should head out.”

“Me too,” the redhead breathes quietly.

“I had a really nice time watching the game with you,” you tell her softly. “Like… it made me feel like I wasn’t stranded in the middle of another country without a way to get home for who knows how long.”

“Where did they put you up?”

You rattle off the name of the hotel, and her eyes light up. “That’s where I am too. Should we split a cab to get there?”

When you do get there, she checks herself in and then helps you check in. It’s a sweet gesture, and your rooms are next to each other as luck would have it.

“Would you want to come in?” she asks you as she unlocks her own door.

You smile. “Just give me a few to settle in, but then I’ll be over.”

Melissa and you spend the rest of the day together, walking around the little city that you find yourself in, picking up beer and wine, and then spending the rest of the time in her hotel room drinking and talking about everything. It’s not anything like what you expected being stuck in another country alone would be like. You’re not alone now though, Melissa is keeping you company. A small part of your mind wonders what your ex-girlfriend is doing… because she’s stuck in Italy now too- probably finding the first woman who was gay and throwing herself at her.

You’re in a tipsy haze as the two of you lounge on her bed watching whatever show in English you can find. And then… her lips are on your own. Oh god. She’s kissing you.

You pull away gently and sigh. “Melissa, I-”

“I read the situation wrong,” she says immediately and pulls away. “I’m sorry. I- I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t read the situation wrong,” you promise her. “I just… fuck. I just broke up with my girlfriend, and as much as I am attracted to you, I don’t want to use you as a rebound.”

“Oh,” Melissa’s mouth forms into a small ‘O’. “Oh.”

“I don’t want to be the jackass who uses someone as beautiful and as sweet as yourself to rebound,” you say again. “I just… I’m not like that.”

She sits up just slightly. “I respect that. Thank you for… for not doing that.”

You just nod. “I suppose now that I made it awkward, I should see myself-”

“Stay,” the redhead tells you softly. “Just because we aren’t going to hook up doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy your company- as a friend.”

You settle back down onto the bed.

That was two days ago. In the two days since that kiss, you’ve still spent all of your unexpected time in Italy with Melissa. She’s… if you weren’t in the situation you’re in, you would be all over her. Maybe… maybe once you get back to the states and a respectable amount of time has passed. But for now, the two of you are getting ready to get on the flight back to Philly.

You’re not sure what strings she pulled, but you’re seated next to each other for the nearly nine hour flight. The two of you are already seated when your ex-girlfriend passes by, arm linked with a very pretty girl. She sneers at you.

“That her?” Melissa asks.

“Yeah,” you sigh. “Already moved onto the next.”

“You could do better,” the green eyed woman smirks. “And you’re a better person for not doing what she’s doing to me.”

In your own dozing state, you feel Melissa’s head drop down to your shoulder, and it brings you a small sense of happiness. You let her continue to rest that way until you know her neck is going to be paying for it if she sleeps that way any longer.

“Mel,” you shake her gently. “Mel, you gotta wake up, or your neck is going to be killing you when we land.”

She blearily opens her eyes and looks at you, confused. Right… she’s wearing earplugs and headphones and can’t hear you. You type out on your phone what you’re trying to convey, and she nods. ‘Thank you,’ she mouths. It’s only a few minutes later that you feel her head again, although this time she’s laying across the middle seat and has her head in your lap. You just smile to yourself as you close your eyes again, a hand draping itself gently over her hip.

The next time the two of you wake up, the flight attendant is looking at Melissa very unhappily. The seatbelt light had gone on while you were both asleep, and you were beginning the descent. With a frustrated huff, the redhead sits up and buckles her seatbelt.

Once the plane lands, all hell breaks loose as it always does what with everybody in a rush to get off the plane and home. And in the chaos, you lose sight of Melissa. You go to text her or call her before you realize that you never actually got her number. The time that the two of you spent together was constant, and there was no need to be able to contact each other over the phone when she was always right next to you. Exhausted and frustrated, you let out a groan.

Deciding that you should probably just get your belongings and try to hail a cab to head home, you make your way to the luggage carousel. You wait for what feels like forever- hoping that Melissa will make her way over to you. Only once you’re positive that there is no more luggage on that particular belt do you give up and go home. You don’t know that she’s doing the same thing on the other side of the loop. There’s a pole blocking your sight. 

You think about her on the Uber ride home, you think about her while you eat dinner, you think about her while you’re preparing for bed and when you’re crawling into bed. You dream of her. You can’t believe you were stupid enough to not get her number after spending three entire days with her.

Similarly, in a townhouse not too far from where you reside, Melissa is kicking herself. She knows that you’ve just broken up with your girlfriend- she knows that you don’t want to use her as a rebound. And somehow, she’s still mad that she didn’t get your number. She… she wouldn’t mind being your rebound, and she doesn’t have a doubt that it would turn into something more than just a rebound… if she had your number to contact you. She supposes what happens in Italy stays in Italy. 

On Monday morning, you still can’t get that redheaded beauty out of your head- you can’t even why you try to busy yourself with literally anything else. So… you take fate into your hands. You know she works at the school down the street from your office, so you take it upon yourself to call in late to work, explaining that you have a few personal things to take care of as you pull into the Abbott Elementary school parking lot.

You see her pull in, and after a quick glance at your appearance in the rearview mirror, you deem yourself put together enough to face again. You slide out of your car and call her name.

She looks… shocked. Her jaw drops open as she watches you step out of your car.

“Y/N?” she calls out.

You jog up to her car. “Listen, I know I’m probably coming off as a stalker right now, but 

I just… I couldn’t shake you from my thoughts as we lost each other in the airport. I wanted to call or text, but I didn’t have your number. And then I remembered you work here, and I literally work right down the road, and my boss is probably going to kill me for being late on my first day back in two weeks, but-”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you either,” she cuts you off as she reaches for your hand.

You pull her into your arms gently before pressing your lips to hers. “Look, I’m… I don’t know what I’m doing here, but I knew I couldn’t let you go that easily, and I don’t want to be a jackass and use you as a rebound, but-”

“I’m here,” Melissa whispers to you as she pulls you back in for another kiss. “I’m here when you’re ready for whatever you think this might turn into. For now though, we can be friends… we can hang out like we did in Italy.”

“Yeah?”

The teacher smiles at you. “Of course. I actually have two tickets for tomorrow’s game if you wanted to come with me?”

“I thought you had tickets for the game while we were Italy?”

She shrugs. “I told you, I know a guy… I was able to contact him while we were there, and he just exchanged my tickets.”

You grin. “I would be delighted.”

Her smile matches yours. “Wonderful. If I could just get your number so we could arrange to meet tomorrow? And then I really do have to get into my classroom… prepping a science lesson.”

“Yeah, of course,” you fumble for your phone in your bag and hand it over. She texts herself with a smile.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow?” you ask hopefully.

She kisses your cheek. “For sure.”

TAGS: @schemmentis @thesapphictimelady @marvel210 @itisdoctortoyousir @morgana-larkin @thesamesweetie @doesthatsuggestanythingtoyou @marvels--slut @gwennybriggs @megamultifandomtrashposts @lemz378 @http-sam @melissaschemmentisbranzino @imaginesmultifandoms @sexysapphicshopowner @lilfartbox1 @maybe-a-humanbean @imlike-so-gaydude @sapphicxrat @a-queen-and-her-throne @sunsol-22 @notinmyvocab @melanielaufeyson @dvrkhcld

[mostlysignssomeportents]

1,000,000 stranded Southwest passengers deserved better from Pete Buttigieg

The catastrophic failure of Southwest Air over Christmas 2022 was the worst single-airline aviation failure in American history, stranding over 1,000,000 passengers. But while it was exceptional, it was also foreseeable: 2022 saw Southwest and the other carriers rack up record numbers of cancellations, leaving crews and fliers stranded.

It’s not like the carriers can’t afford to improve things. After pulling in $54 billion in covid relief, the airlines are swimming in cash, showering executives with record bonuses and paying titanic dividends to shareholders. Southwest has announced a $428m dividend.

This isn’t a new problem. Trump’s Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was a paragon of inaction and neglect, refusing even to meet with consumer advocacy groups. This is bad, because under US law, state attorneys general are not allowed to punish misbehaving airlines — that power vests solely and entirely with the Secretary of Transport.

It’s been two years since Biden appointed Pete Buttigieg to be the human race’s most powerful aviation regulator. Buttigieg started his tenure on a promising note, meeting with the same consumer groups that Chao had snubbed, but after that hopeful beginning, things ground to a halt.

As Corporate Crime Reporter details, William McGee of the American Economic Liberties Project was impressed by the Secretary: “He was intelligent, articulate, he had good questions for us, he was taking notes, he seemed concerned.” But 18 months later, McGee describes Buttigieg’s leadership as “lax.”

https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/pete-buttigieg-and-the-southwest-airlines-meltdown/

Buttigieg likes to tout a single enforcement action as his signature achievement: fining six airlines and ordering them to issue refunds to US passengers. But only one of those airlines was a US carrier: Frontier, which only accounts for 2% of all US flights. The US monopoly carriers have gone unscathed.

The US carriers are in sore need of regulatory discipline. In 2020 alone, United racked up 10,000 consumer complaints, twice as many as any other carrier. Under Buttigieg, the DOT investigated these airlines and closed every one of these complaints without taking any against them.

This is part of a wider pattern. In Buttigieg’s 18 month tenure, not a single airline has been ordered to pay any fines as a result of cancellations. In the absence of oversight and accountability, the airlines have made a habit out of scheduling flights they know they don’t have the crew to fly (they used public covid funds to buy out senior crew contracts, retiring much of their workforce).

This gives the airlines the flexibility to offer many flights they know they can’t service, and to allocate crew to whichever runs will generate the most profit, stranding US passengers and holding onto their money for months or years before paying refunds — if they ever do.

Consumer groups weren’t alone in sounding the alarm over the deteriorating conditions in the airline sector. In 2022, dozens of state attorneys general — Democrats and Republicans — sent open letters to Buttigieg begging him to use his broad powers as Secretary of Transport to hold the airlines accountable.

What are those powers? Well, the big one is USC40 Section 41712(a), the “unfair and deceptive” authority modeled on Section 5 of the FTC Act. This authority allows the Secretary to act without further Congressional action, to order airlines to end practices that are “unfair and deceptive,” and to extract massive fines from companies that don’t comply.

As McGee told CCR, “the scheduling and canceling of flights is both unfair and deceptive.” In order to force the airlines to end this practice, Buttigieg would have to initiate an investigation into the practice. The American Economic Liberties Project called on Buttigieg to open an investigation months ago. There has not been such an investigation.

Even on refunds, Buttigieg’s much-touted signature achievement, the Secretary has left Americans in the cold. US law requires airlines to give cash refunds to passengers on cancelled flights. But to this day, passengers are sent unfair and deceptive messages by airlines offering them credit for cancellations, and fliers must fight their way through a bureaucratic quagmire to get cash refunds.

McGee and other advocates met with Buttigieg twelve times sking him to address this. When he finally took action, he ignored the domestic airlines — which racked up 5,700% more complaints in his first year on the job than in the previous year — except for tiny, largely irrelevant Frontier. If you are an American whose journey on an American airline was cancelled, there’s a 98% chance that Buttigieg let them off without a single dollar in fines.

McGee isn’t an armchair quarterback. He is an industry veteran, an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher: “I canceled flights. I rescheduled flights. I diverted flights. I delayed flights. I did that every day.”

Apologists for Buttigieg claim that he’s doing all he can: “Pete isn’t in charge of airline IT!” But while USC 40 doesn’t mention computer systems or staffing levels directly, it doesn’t have to: the “unfair and deceptive” standard is deliberately broad, to give regulators the powers they need to protect the American people.

In understanding whether the million fliers that Southwest stranded on the way to their Christmas vacations could have expected more from their DOT, it’s worth looking at how other regulators have used similar authority to protect the American people.

Exhibit A here has to be FTC Chair Lina Khan, whose powers under FTCA5 are nearly identical to Buttigieg’s power under 41712(a) (the DOT language was copied nearly verbatim from the FTCA). Two years ago, Khan began an in-depth investigation into the use of nonompete agreements in the US labor market.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events/2020/01/non-competes-workplace-examining-antitrust-consumer-protection-issues

This investigation created an extensive evidentiary record on the ways that workers are harmed by these agreements, and collected empirical observations about whether industries really needed noncompetes to thrive (for example, noncompetes are banned in California, home to the most profitable, most knowledge-intensive businesses in the world, undermining claims that these businesses need noncompetes to survive).

Then, right as Southwest was stranding a million Americans, Khan unveiled a rulemaking to ban noncompetes for every American worker, using her Section 5 powers. Khan’s rule is retroactive, undoing every existing noncompete as well as banning them into the future.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

This is what a fully operational battle-station looks like! Khan and Buttigieg are among the most powerful people who have ever lived, with more and farther-reaching regulatory authority, more power to alter the lives of millions of people, than almost anyone who every drew breath.

And yet, when Secretary Buttigieg jawbones about the airlines, it’s all pleading, not threats. As McGee says, “If you have a Secretary of Transportation who does not punish the airlines when they act terribly, then we should not be surprised when they continue to behave terribly.”

State AGs from both parties are desperate for Buttigieg to back legislation that would return their right to punish airlines. So far, he has not voiced his support for this regulation. When the Secretary of Transport won’t act, and when he won’t support the right of other officials to act, the American traveler is truly stranded.

Image: Tomás Del Coro (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomasdelcoro/24575277589

Japanexperterna.se (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/japanexperterna/15251188384/

CC BY-SA 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

 — 

Tarcil (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Brea_Tar_Pits_Elephant_Statues_1990_right.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[Image ID: The La Brea tar-pits. A Southwest jet is nose-down in the tar, next to a stranded mastodon. In the foreground are the three wise monkeys, their faces replaced with that of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.]

[allthecanadianpolitics]

As the number of cancelled WestJet flights continues to climb over the Canada Day long weekend, the head of the union representing the airline's striking mechanics is pledging to continue the work stoppage until a new contract deal is reached. Bret Oestreich, president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), told Reuters the two sides will reconvene with a mediator on Sunday, but the strike will continue during the talks. "All we want to do is to go back to the table," said Oestreich. "The strike will be in effect until we get an agreement." In an emailed update to CBC News Sunday afternoon, WestJet said 832 flights had been cancelled so far, including 78 flights scheduled for Monday, July 1, and three flights scheduled for Tuesday, July 2. [...] WestJet claims the deal would have made employees the best-paid airplane mechanics in the country, but the union says the final offer was more than 30 per cent below the prevailing rate of North American carriers — also citing outsourcing, scheduling and layoff protection as central issues in the bargaining process. Roughly 97 per cent of its members cast a ballot against the deal.

Continue Reading

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[sometipsygnostalgic]

Due to a series of unfortunate events (a cancellation of all direct flights for 2 days), im going to be spending between 90 minutes and three hours in IRELAND of all places. The REPUBLIC of Ireland. I was not expecting this on my american adventure.

I wont get to do any irish things but im flying both flights with Aer Lingus instead of British Airways.

Here is my review of Aer Lingus which is by extension my review of Ireland:

- Holy SHIT this airbus is half the size of the boeing i was going to take. I expected it to have insane turbulence like the KLM washing machines but honestly it's no different to the boeing

- it is nice to hear announcements made in a celtic language first again, even if it's Gaelic and not Cymraeg. I look forward to seeing the "Casnewydd/Newport" sign when i finally take the train home, it's the first symbol of being in Wales.

- We left early. EARLY. On one hand this is leagues above all my BA flights that have never left on time. On the other hand if it left just 60 seconds late, id have recieved a free change of transfer plane. Now i gotta hope we get there "early" enough for me to get through customs and find my next flight. Better prepare to run but theres not much i can do about this. I just hope British Airways dont force me to pay for a rebooked flight because they decided 60 minutes international transfer time was enough (hah!) and i dont have superhuman speed.

- Im sat by an emergency exit. This has funny side effects. I get sliiiightly more leg room, but also im sat by the exit and the door is way, way colder than any other wall in the plane. It's not bothersome but it's funny how i have a free Cooling Wall.

- Internet is about same price as BA and i can use discord (good) but i cant use youtube (very bad, you should probably only go for for the im service)

- The dinner was about the same quality as the British airways food, but they had TWO meat options instead of one. I took the Beef Stew. Very yummy. They had cheese and tomato on the side instead of the cursed tomato couscous yoghurt that looks like strawberry muesli which british airways keep serving (prison food). I also really liked the chocolate mousse, slightly easier to eat than the chocolate brownie i get with BA, but i find it weird aer lingus serve most of their drinks in tiny cartons. Why??? At least i get a tiny water bottle with BA, like a souvenir. Also theres a tinier bread roll and no cheese with it, but the cheese felt out of place anyway. Not as out of place as the tiny creamer pot i get on both airlines, with no coffee in sight. It's like a shot.

- you dont get any free alcohol on this flight, you have to pay for your 1 can can of lager. With a credit card. Mine was in the overhead locker. Thankfully a guy on my aisle was feeling generous and bought my can. Downgrade from BA including 2 alcoholic drinks in the flights

- instead of a nice pasty or bacon egg roll for breakfast they gave me a tiny carton of orange juice and a Nature Valley granola bar. Horrible

- the in flight entertainment is on a screen from 2009 instead of 1999. There is no funny controller that stops working randomly. It is a normal ass touch screen. Unfortunately i lost my provided earbuds at the start of the flight so i havent done anything with it

- no reclining chair on this airbus :( it's an overnight flight. My chair is missing an arm but i assume thats because it is by the emergency exit

- BA do this thing where they dim the lights and turn them back on an hour before arrival. Aer Lingus have decided to "dim" the lights by having these purple lights on, instead of turning them off.

More to come when i arrive at the airport

[girlactionfigure]

🔵 WEDNESDAY morning - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

( DOTS: 🔹blue - Iran war news.  ♦️⭕red - Gaza & Hezbollah active war news.  ▪️black - general Israel news. 🔸yellow - hostage deal news )

▪️HAMAS “elects” terror leader Yahya Sinwar as their political leader as well.  Congratulations are pouring in from all over the Arab world, for the appointment of the worst mass murderer since ISIS and the Huti genocide of Rwanda. 

▪️PRISON ABUSE CASE.. The detentions of five reserve soldiers suspected of the serious abuse of a Gazan terrorist mass murdering detainee at the Sde Teiman base have been extended until Sunday.

▪️FINANCE.. the shekel is slightly weakening as a currency: the euro climbs to NIS 4.20, the dollar to NIS 3.85.

▪️FLIGHT CANCELLED?   you are due a refund!  In any case of a canceled flight, and its starting point or destination is Israel, every passenger has the right to choose between two options: a full refund or an alternative flight ticket. The refund will be paid within 21 days, and it includes the full cost of the ticket, including fees, levies and taxes.  If a person booked a round-trip flight from Israel with the same airline in one reservation, and only his outbound flight was canceled, he will be entitled to a refund for the return trip as well.  If in the middle of a round trip and the return to Israel is cancelled, the passenger will be entitled to a refund of half of the amount he paid.

In addition, in the event of a canceled return flight to Israel, the airline is obligated to "provide accommodation, food, etc. services for canceled flights, until the passenger is able to return. However, it is likely that a court will impose this obligation within the limits of reason."  https://www.calcalist.co.il/local_news/article/byv5wmrtr

🔹THE LEBANESE THINK.. “Israel will enter from the back of Mount Hermon to reach the Damascus-Lebanon axis, this is the only way they will be able to stop the rocket supply (coming from Iran).”

🔹The US ships almost non-stop unimaginable amounts of weapons to the Middle East via air transport.  As well, the US significantly increases the jets at the air force bases in the Persian Gulf.  US F-18’s and F-22’s spotted inbound in UK stopovers.

🔹Head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.  Analysts speculate this the reason for the postponement of the Iranian attack.

🔹All Iranian government offices and banks in Tehran's Alborz district will be closed tomorrow “due to rising temperatures”.

🔹Report: Some US analysts believe that Iran may be reconsidering the response.

🔹Conversely, since yesterday, signs of Iranian preparations to launch an attack against Israel have been received in the US.

♦️IDF in Judea and Samaria: "12 terrorists have been eliminated in the last 24 hours. Since the beginning of the week, 20 terrorists have been eliminated from the air and the ground via the undercover unit.

♦️COUNTER-TERROR OP.. overnight in Beit Purik, Shechem.

♦️US CENTCOM.. intercepted a suicide drone and two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen. (Doesn’t say if launched at cargo ships or Israel.)

♦️US ATTACKS YEMEN.. An American-British attack early in the morning on the Thais sub-district, south of the capital Sana’a.

♦️GAZA - EVAC ORDERS.. DF ordered the residents of the Gaza City neighborhoods Sheikh Zayed, Beit Hanun and Almanshiya to evacuate after rocket fire from the area.

[doorhine]

Which airlines have resumed flights to Israel?

"United Airlines announced on Wednesday last week that it will begin flights to Israel again from March, becoming the first United States carrier to resume flights after suspensions at the start of the war.

United plans initial flights to Tel Aviv from New York and New Jersey in the US on March 2 and 4, with a goal of having daily non-stop service restored from March 6. The carrier said in a news release that it had undertaken a detailed safety analysis before making this decision.

British Airways, which used to operate two flights between the United Kingdom and Israel daily, will resume operations on April 1, operating one flight daily for four days a week.

German airline Lufthansa, Switzerland’s flag carrier Swiss and Austrian flag carrier Austrian Airlines resumed flights to Tel Aviv on January 8. Meanwhile, Spanish airline Air Europa resumed flights to Tel Aviv on February 19. The Greek and French flag carriers, Aegean and Air France, both restarted flights to Tel Aviv in January.

Italy’s ITA Airways will resume flights between Tel Aviv and Rome from March 1, starting with three return trips weekly.

Brussels Airlines, the Belgian carrier, also announced on Wednesday last week that it will resume flights from March 24, with three flights per week from Brussels to Tel Aviv.

The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) also announced that the US-based Delta Air Lines will resume flights to Israel in May. Delta has not officially confirmed this yet, but the last update from the carrier said that flights will be suspended between New York and Israel until April 30."

Which airlines do not plan to resume flights to Israel any time soon?

"American Airlines has halted flights until October 28. Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines have also suspended flights to Israel until further notice.

TAP Air Portugal has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv indefinitely, while Finland’s flag carrier, Finnair, announced it had cancelled its flights to Tel Aviv until October 29. Icelandair has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, without any further update on its website.

Bulgaria Air cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv, also without providing details about a timeline to restart operations."

Which airlines have continued to fly to Israel throughout the war?

"In December, when only seven carriers were flying to Israel, around 80 percent of passengers were carried by Israel’s national carrier, El Al, followed by smaller Israeli carrier Israir at 10 percent and FlyDubai at 3.2 percent.

With almost all airlines suspending and cancelling flights after October 7, El Al saw a 32.5 percent rise in passenger numbers to 5.5 million for 2023 at Ben Gurion airport, which has continued to operate throughout the war."

[runwayrunway]

No. 2 - Kalitta Air

I’m really thrilled by how much you all enjoyed my Lufthansa rant. Here’s something...a little different. Just to rub in that I don’t inherently hate liveries just for having a mostly white fuselage, I wanted to talk about an example of that being done a lot better. I will also be doing so in a length which will probably be a bit more typical of this blog. I hope you all enjoy it regardless!

Kalitta Air (formerly Connie Kalitta Services and American International Airways; callsign “Connie”) is a cargo airline headquartered in Ypsilanti, Michigan. You see their planes around a lot if you randomly click on flightradar24 flights, especially over North America, but they don’t carry passengers, so to my knowledge they’re not a household name. At least, the friends I surveyed had never heard of them. 

(image: kalitta air)

But their low profile conceals some pretty stylish planes. So, let’s discuss!

Like I said, I don’t blanket dislike mostly-white liveries just because most of them are super boring and Lufthansa’s in particular is terrible! So I wanted to follow it up immediately with an example of a mostly white livery which I really like - Kalitta Air’s sleek and iconic paint job, which the airline adopted (as far as I can tell from digging around) in the late 1980s. 

It truly feels like Connie Kalitta’s main gig as a racecar driver transferred to the look of the planes with his name written on the side. (...what is it with racecar drivers and starting airlines? I mean, two nickels, but...)

The majority of Kalitta Air’s fleet are Boeing 747s, which does add to the look, in my opinion. Their fleet even contains the last 747-400 ever built! The iconography feels like it transitions well into the hump, and the entire thing looks balanced. 

(image: kalitta air)

I’ll be honest, something is definitely lost on the remainder of the airline’s fleet, made up of Boeing 777s, in a pretty major way, but it doesn’t cancel out just how much I love the look of the 747s. Still, because the airline has kept this livery for so long, we can look back to the past to experience it on all sorts of shapes. 

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I still prefer the 747. That’s pretty incredible - I’m of the opinion that nearly all liveries look their best on a TriStar, so that opinion is a testament to just how incredibly good this livery looks on the Queen. It’s an acceptable-to-good livery on any plane, don’t get me wrong, but the core 747 fleet wears it transcendently well. (I am ignoring the 777s.)

If you’ve seen a Kalitta Air plane for more than a few seconds it’s likely the pictured N700CK, which got to flip a few assorted vehicles with her jet blasts in the 2007 Mythbusters episode “Supersized Myths”. Their 747s have been used in other media, but this is the main example. I think they couldn’t have picked a more striking plane to use. 

Just look at the thing! The combination of red and gold makes it feel flashy and fast, a feeling which is added to by the swooping hockey-stick cheatlines which add a lot of interest to the fuselage with very little paint. It makes the plane feel streamlined and almost reminds me of the sort of paint jobs used on early high-speed trains. 

(image: Science Museum Group Collection) 

The font itself even feels fast, while being massive and quite legible even despite the shape of the A, and framed nicely on each side by the little wings. It does look a little like if a racecar was a cargo plane, and I love it. It’s not exactly maximalist, but every detail from the letters’ even heights to the ratio of gold to red feels perfect. 

If you’re going to do a mostly white paint job (and there are plenty of reasons that airlines generally prefer to), this is how you do it. 

Final Grade: A

N.B.          For the sake of my own mental health, I am not going to touch on the atrocious revision of two years ago in this post. At the least, it looks like they’re not repainting old airframes and they have a small-ish fleet so they’re not bulk-buying new ones or anything, which means this livery will probably be around for the remainder of the service life of many fairly new freighters. Because of that, I do not consider the classic hockey stick Kalitta livery to be retired, and will not be tagging it as such. That said, since it’s not their current livery for new planes, I also am not classifying it as a 2020s livery.

[thelegoninjagomovie]

9/11 facts

There are a few photographs of inside the twin towers during 9/11. The only video recording of inside the towers comes from the North Tower lobby. It can be seen in the documentary '9/11' by the Naudet Brothers. They were originally filming a documentary about New York firefighters. It also contains the recording of Flight 11 crashing into the North Tower. (source 1) (source 2) (source 3. video of the crash)

There were several phone calls made on 9/11, though few have had their audio released. One from victim Peter Hanson to his father described people vomiting. The most famous released call is from Kevin Cosgrove. Cosgrove was the vice president of the Aon corporation. (source 1) (source 2)

Christine Lee Hanson, daughter of Peter and Sue Kim Hanson, was the youngest victim of 9/11 at 2 years old. She and her parents were going to Disneyland. (source)

The oldest person to die on 9/11 was Robert Norton, aged 85. He was a retired marine. Norton and his wife were about flight 11. (source. under 'fatalities' catagory.)

In total, 8 children died on 9/11 on the planes. (source)

In many pictures of the North Tower impact hole, a waving woman (and sometimes a man) can be see. Many believe her to be Edna Cintron, who worked at Marsh McLennan. But a theory points out evidence that she was likely Jeannette Lafond-Menichino, who worked at Guy Carpenter on the 94th floor. Edna worked the 97th floor of the North Tower, from which there were no survivors. (source)

No jumper has ever been officially identified, but some, such as Falling Man, have been "identified" by their families. (source 1) (source 2) (note: "faller" is the new term that many in the 9/11 community have decided to use instead. For recognition and consistency's sake, i'll use the term "jumper" in this post.)

A big brother contestant lost her cousin in the 9/11 attacks. They filmed her reaction to learning the news that her cousin wasn't able to be located. Her name was Tamatha Freeman, and more can be learned about her here. (source)

National Geographic has a personal connection to 9/11. They lost two employees when American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the pentagon. They were accompanying three children and their teachers. (source 1) (source 2) (note: The mother of Bernard Curtis III (seen in white) did an interview for the 2021 Nat Geo 9/11 documentary. it's heartbreaking, but I highly recommend it. It can be found here.)

The final death on 9/11 in New York was a homicide. His name was Henryk Siwiak. A polish immigrant, he was not killed in the attacks, but shot on the street later that night. He had gone to the wrong place mistakenly, believing he was heading to his new job. (source)

The 9/11 victims compensation fund has had a very tumultuous history. Comedian Jon Stewart was a strong advocate, and often butted heads with Mitch McConnell over it. The fight came to an end in 2019, when President Trump signed an act into law that permanently reinstated the fund. (source)

Seth Macfarlane nearly died on 9/11. He was supposed to be on American Airlines flight 11. His seat was given to Carol Bouchard. This is a common fact, but I wanted to provide evidence. Page 40 of this flight log shows his cancellation.

EMT Ernest Armstead is known for his role on 9/11 as a first responder. He is the one who spoke with the 'Black Tag woman'. His story has never once changed, though some believe he may have hallucinated her due to the graphic and stressful situation. (source. This contains very graphic content.)

Patrica Massrai learned that she was pregnant the morning of 9/11. She and her husband Louis were on the phone when she suddenly said "oh my god.". The line cut immediately after. She most likely saw flight 11 approaching from the north tower. (source)

Firefighter Gary Box was killed on 9/11, and his body was never recovered. Years later, a photo was discovered of him running to the twin towers, as his truck was caught in traffic in the Battery tunnel. (source)

Moira Smith was the only female NYPD officer to die on 9/11. (source)

A Burger King on 106 Liberty Street was a temporary NYPD headquarters on 9/11. (source)

Asbestos was outlawed in New York halfway through the construction of the twin towers. The first 40 floors of the north tower contained asbestos. Between 300 to 400 tons of asbestos was released when the tower collapsed. (source)

The first person to die during the 9/11 attacks was a man named Danny Lewin. He was killed on flight 11. He spoke arabic, and overheard the terrorists. He was stabbed to death when he tried to stop them. (source)

The 9/11 attacks have an estimated 3,000 death toll. In comparison, the Iraq war, a direct result, saw a death toll estimate of 4.5 million. (source)

[usafphantom2]

XB-70 Valkyrie

XB-70 Valkyrie in Cruise Configuration

The No. 1 XB-70A (62-0001) is viewed from above in cruise configuration with the wing tips drooped for improved controllability.

The XB-70 Valkyrie, with a planned cruise speed of Mach 3 and operating altitude of 70,000 feet, was to be the ultimate high-altitude, high-speed manned strategic bomber. Events, however, would cause it to play a far different role in the history of aviation.

To achieve Mach 3 performance, the XB-70 was designed to “ride” its own shock wave, much as a surfer rides an ocean wave. The resulting shape used a delta wing on a slab-sided fuselage that contained the six jet engines that powered the aircraft. The outer wing panels were hinged. During take off, landing, and subsonic flight, they remained in the horizontal position. This feature increased the amount of lift produced, improving the lift-to-drag ratio. Once the aircraft was supersonic, the wing panels would be hinged downward. Changing the position of the wing panels reduced the drag caused by the wingtips interacted with the inlet shock wave. The repositioned wingtips also reduced the area behind the airplane’s center of gravity, which reduced trim drag. The downturned outer panels also provided more vertical surface to improve directional stability at high Mach numbers. Attached to the delta was a long, thin forward fuselage. Behind the cockpit were two large canards, which acted as control surfaces.

XB-70: World's Largest Experimental Aircraft in the 1960s.

The figure standing on the ramp provides a size comparison with the XB-70A aircraft.

As impressive a technological feat as the XB-70 represented, the aircraft was under development at a time when the future of the manned bomber was uncertain. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, many believed that manned aircraft were obsolete, and the future belonged to missiles. As a result, the Kennedy Administration ended plans to deploy the B-70. Two experimental XB-70A prototypes were under construction at North American Aviation when the program was canceled.

At the same time there was growing interest in an American supersonic transport (SST). Jet airliners had cut flight times by more than half in comparison to propeller-powered aircraft. A Mach 2 or 3 SST would make a similar improvement over the new subsonic jet airliners. The Flight Research Center (FRC-now the Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA.) had several SST studies underway during the early 1960s. NASA’s Douglas F5D-1 was used for landing studies, a North American F-100C was modified to simulate SST handling qualities, a North American A-5A was used to simulate an SST for tests of the air traffic control system, and a Lockheed JetStar was modified as an in-flight SST simulator.

On the Ramp: XB-70

The XB-70A is shown parked on a ramp at Edwards, California, in 1967.

The XB-70 Valkyrie seemed to be a perfect testbed for SST research. It was the same size as the projected SST designs, and used similar structural materials, such as brazed stainless steel honeycomb and titanium. Thus, the XB-70A’s role changed from a manned bomber prototype to one of the most remarkable research aircraft ever flown.

The XB-70A number 1 (62-001) made its first flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, CA, on Sept. 21, 1964. Tests of the XB-70’s airworthiness occurred throughout 1964 and 1965 by North American and Air Force test pilots. The Flight Research Center prepared its instrument package. Although intended to cruise at Mach 3, the first XB-70 was found to have poor directional stability above Mach 2.5, and only made a single flight above Mach 3. Despite the problems, the early flights provided data on a number of issues facing SST designers. These included aircraft noise, operational problems, control system design, comparison of wind tunnel predictions with actual flight data, and high-altitude, clear-air turbulence.

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, wind-tunnel studies led engineers at North American Aviation in Downey, CA, to build the second XB-70A (62-207) with an added 5 degrees of dihedral on the wings. This aircraft made its first flight on July 17, 1965. The changes resulted in much better handling, and the second XB-70 achieved Mach 3 for the first time on Jan. 3, 1966. The aircraft made a total of nine Mach 3 flights by June.

At the same time, a joint agreement was signed between NASA and the Air Force to use the second XB-70A prototype for high-speed research flights in support of the SST program, selected due to its better aerodynamics, inlet controls, and a much superior instrument package, compared to the first aircraft. The NASA research flights were to begin in mid-June, once the North American Aviation Phase I tests of the vehicle’s airworthiness were completed. NASA research pilot Joe Walker was selected as the project pilot. The flights were to evaluate the aircraft on typical SST flight profiles, and to study the problems of sonic booms on overland flights.

These plans went awry on June 8, 1966, when the second XB-70 crashed following a midair collision with NASA’s F-104N chase plane. Joe Walker, F-104N pilot, died in the accident. North American test pilot Al White ejected from the XB-70 in his escape capsule, but received serious injuries in the process. Co-pilot Maj. Carl Cross, who was making his first flight in the XB-70, was unable to eject and died in the crash.

The deaths of Walker and Cross, and the destruction of the second XB-70 had major consequences for the research program. The second XB-70 had been selected for the Phase II tests, which were to be conducted jointly by NASA and the Air Force. With this aircraft now destroyed, only the first aircraft was available. Given the aircraft’s shortcomings, the Air Force began to doubt that it would be able to meet the Phase II test goals.

The first XB-70 was undergoing maintenance and modifications at the time of the accident to its sister ship. It did not fly again until Nov. 3, 1966. Col. Joe Cotton piloted it, while NASA research pilot Fitzhugh Fulton served as co-pilot. The flight reached a top speed of Mach 2.1. Between November 1966 and the end of January 1967, a total of 11 joint Air Force/NASA research flights occurred. Cotton, Fulton, and Van H. Shepard of North American Aviation were crewmen on these flights. A top speed of Mach 2.57 was the highest attained during the remainder of the XB-70 program.

These flights were made as part of the National Sonic Boom Program. The XB-70 flew at differing altitudes, Mach numbers, and weights over an instrumented test range at Edwards. The “boom carpet” area was determined and the overpressure measured on two specially constructed housing units. The tests showed that a large aircraft, such as the XB-70 or the projected SST, could generate overpressures high enough to cause damage. Moreover, when the XB-70 made a turn, its shock waves converged, and often doubled the overpressure on the ground.

Following these tests, the XB-70 was grounded for maintenance that lasted 2 1/2 months. The Air Force had concluded by that point that the XB-70 program should be turned over to NASA as soon as possible. FRC director Paul Bikle and Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) commander Maj. Gen. Hugh Manson created a joint FRC/AFFTC XB-70 operating committee on March 15, 1967. This was patterned on similar committees established for the X-15 and lifting bodies. The NASA XB-70 program continued to receive Air Force assistance, in terms of aircraft support and Air Force test pilots.

The first NASA XB-70 flight occurred on April 25, 1967, by Fulton and Cotton. By the end of March 1968, another 12 research flights had been completed. The pilots included Fulton, Cotton, and Shepard, as well as Lt. Col. Emil Sturmthal and NASA research pilot Don Mallick. The flights acquired data to correlate with an Ames ground-based SST simulator and the JetStar in-flight SST simulator at FRC. Other XB-70 research goals were to measure its structural response to turbulence; determine the aircraft’s handling qualities during landings; and investigate boundary layer noise, inlet performance, and structural dynamics, including fuselage bending and canard flight loads.

The XB-70 underwent modifications after a final flight on March 21, 1968. During research flights, the XB-70 pilots had frequently experienced trim changes and buffeting during high-speed, high-altitude flights. These resulted from clear-air turbulence and rapidly changing atmospheric temperatures. For a specialized research aircraft, these characteristics were little more than annoying; on a commercial SST, however, they would be uncomfortable for the passengers, increase the pilots’ workload, and shorten the structural fatigue life of the SST.

XB-70A Rolls Out After Landing

The XB-70A No. 1 is shown rolling out after landing, employing drag chutes to slow down.

The XB-70 was fitted with two small vanes for the Identically Located Acceleration and Force (ILAF) experiment. The vanes rotated 12 degrees at a rate of up to 8 cycles per second. This induced a structural vibration in the XB-70 at a known frequency and amplitude. The XB-70’s accelerometers detected the disturbances, then signaled the aircraft’s stability augmentation system to damp out the motion. When XB-70 research flights resumed on June 11, 1968, the ILAF proved its ability to reduce the effects of turbulence and atmospheric temperature changes.

Despite the accomplishments of the XB-70, time was running out for the research program. NASA had reached an agreement with the Air Force to fly research missions with a pair of YF-12As and a “YF-12C,” which was actually an SR-71. These represented a far more advanced technology than that of the XB-70. In all, the two XB-70s had logged 1 hour and 48 minutes of Mach 3 flight time. A YF-12 could log this much Mach 3 time in a single flight.

The final XB-70 research flight occurred on Feb. 4, 1969. Fulton and Sturmthal made a subsonic structural dynamics test and ferry flight. The XB-70 took off from Edwards and flew to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, where the aircraft was put on display at the Air Force Museum. The first XB-70 made 83 flights totaling 160 hours and 16 minutes, while the second XB-70 logged 46 flights in its brief life, totaling 92 hours and 22 minutes.

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