For the 69th straight quarter, Southwest Airlines is once again making a profit. With all the airlines charging more and adding on fees, Southwest Airlines sticks to its guns and continues to give the same great level of service with out tacking on fees.
Long ago Southwest Airlines was known to be a “no-frills” airline. Now with not charging for baggage or drinks, they are becoming “the frills airline”.
Personally, I hope they can keep it up!
Source: NYTimes Image: Ken’s Aviation
A Qantas 747-400 made an emergency landing in Manila, Philippines today after a large bang was heard in the cabin and it decompressed. The plane made a rapid decent from 29,000 feet to 10,000 feet.
Upon landing, it became clear that there was a hole in the side of the plane about 7.5′ by 9′.
One thing that many passengers commented on was how calm and professional the flight crew remained after the incident occurred.
MSNBC.com also has an amateur video of inside the cabin at the time of the incident. It amazing watching it and seeing how calm everyone is, not only after having to use the oxygen masks, but also after rapidly descending 19,000 feet.
Cheers to the pilot and co-pilot for being able to land this plane safely where so far there have not even been any injuries reported.
Source: NYTimes.com Image: MSNBC.com Video: MSNBC.com
When reading the story about the 747-400 Qantas having to make an emergency landing, I couldn’t help but think about the 1988 Best Movie Rain Man.
Charlie: Ray, all airlines have crashed at one time or another, that doesn’t mean that they are not safe.
Raymond: QANTAS. QANTAS never crashed.
Charlie: QANTAS?
Raymond: Never crashed.
Charlie: Oh that’s gonna do me a lot of good because QANTAS doesn’t fly to Los Angeles out of Cincinnati, you have to get to Melbourne! Melbourne, Australia in order to get the plane that flies to Los Angeles!
Well, upon more research I found this is not quite true. Between 1927 and 1951 Qantas had eight planes crash, with 62 deaths. However, Qantas has never lost a jet plane and has not had a fatal crash since 1951, which seems to be a pretty good record.
They did repair a 747 for over $100 million so they could keep the “never lost a jet” status and in February a Quantaslink 717 made an emergency landing causing great damage and may not be repairable.
All things being said, even if they “lose” this 717, not having any deaths since 1951 is nothing to be ashamed of.
THANKS BEN FOR THE TIP!
Source: The Guardian Image: planegeezer
Back in May China created its own passenger aircraft company, China Commercial Aircraft Co. with the hopes to build their own airliners. Airbus has forecasted that China’s domestic aircraft market will increase 500% by 2026. At first this seemed like a great feat, thinking how much money and research it would take to develop entirely new aircraft. Even though the company has long-term goals, they are working to get the 85-seat ARJ21 to the market soon.
Upon some more research I found that the “new” plane they hope to build looks oddly like an MD-90 and it pretty much is.The company is using tooling provided by Boeing (previously McDonnell Douglas) for license production of the plane. It will have a new wing design and winglets, but is pretty much a new version of an old design.
Getting through airport security can be a real hassle. A lot of people wonder is it really providing true security or is it just a show? For those on the Watch List, it can be even more difficult having to be searched every time they fly. Most people have pointed the finger at the TSA and there have been quite a few news articles showing some of the people on the list who have no place there.
Now the TSA is blaming the airlines for not investing into watching the list and making sure it is accurate. However the government has already stated they plan to take over the system early next year, so what incentive is there in airlines improving their systems and if the Watch List is so important to Homeland Security, should the airlines been in charge to begin with?
Source: MSNBC.com Image: Tigerpaw511
