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What Was Your 1st Flight?
In this job, I've been lucky to travel all across the continents, from North America to Asia. However, my journey in the skies started long ago when I was just three years old, during a trip to Delhi with my family. According to my parents, the aircraft I flew on was an Air India Boeing 747. What was your first flight? Let us know below!
Which Airline Is Best For Transatlantic Flights?
Flight demand between the United States and Europe is at an all-time high. Notably, there are 4,674 one-way flights scheduled between the the US and UK this month, according to Cirium data. British Airways dominates the number of weekly flights. However, there is a host of other carriers with a significant presence in the market both sides of the pond. It’s not only the major operators such as the US Big Three and Virgin Atlantic that have a stronghold. The likes of JetBlue, Aer Lingus, TUI, and Norse Atlantic Airways are also regulars across the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, there are mainstays across the Americas and continental Europe. So, with a range of airlines to choose from, which one is the best? Let us know below!
Which Is Your Favorite Star Alliance Member?
Of all the carriers to form part of Star Alliance, which is your favorite to fly with, and why? Disclaimer: The following is a statement shared by one of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the views or ideas of our publication.
What Do You Think Of Delta's "100 Years" Livery?
Delta Air Lines has achieved an impressive milestone. The carrier is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2025, making it one of the oldest airlines still operating in the United States. To celebrate this achievement, the airline unveiled a special livery commemorating 100 years of flight. The special livery is featured on one of its Airbus A350-900s and A321neos, and is a stark departure from its typical blue and red paint. Are you a fan of Delta's special livery?
Which Airline Alliance Do You Prefer To Fly With?
There are three major airline alliances in the world. These are oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam. Frequent travelers will often try to stick to member airlines of one alliance as their status is reciprocal across the alliance. Being based in Frankfurt, I tend to find myself flying with Star Alliance carriers, though I also enjoy flying on oneworld Airlines when I get the chance. Let us know which your preferred alliance is in the comments below!
Should Boeing Modernize An Aircraft Family Or Start A Clean-Sheet Design?
The 777X completed it's first test flight after previously being suspended, and with the fleet grounded. The 777X is an attempt at modernizing the 30-year-old Boeing 777, while also offering a replacement or alternative to the Airbus A380. Should Boeing modernize an aircraft family or start on a clean sheet design? This is user generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.
Which Long-Haul Routes Would You Like To See From New York JFK?
Everyone knows that New York JFK is the US's leading long-haul gateway. In the year to July, it welcomed approximately 23 million passengers from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and lower South America. Despite service from airlines globally, an estimated 40% of passengers—more than nine million people—had to connect to another flight en route. More than eight in ten passengers who traveled to/from the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa connected. Since South African Airways pulled out of JFK in 2020, Southern Africa has had no non-stop or one-stop flights, so all 100,000+ passengers transferred. (United has non-stop flights from Newark.) These were JFK's 10 largest unserved cities in the examined period. Mentioning them does not mean they warrant flights or would be commercially feasible. - Dhaka: 164,000 roundtrip passengers (served by Biman until 2006, then 2009-2011) - Bangkok: 107,000 (served by Thai Airways until 2008) - Tirana: 10
What Is Your Favorite Airline That Is No Longer Flying?
Many of us have fond memories of our first flights or an especially memorable trip with an iconic carrier. However, have many carriers gone bankrupt, merged with other airlines, or simply ceased operating? What are some of your favorite memories from airlines past, and which airlines do you think stood out above the competition?
Etihad To Announce Next US Route "Very Soon"
At Routes World in Bahrain, Etihad's Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Arik De, said that the carrier will announce "another US route very soon." Naturally, he gave no hints. It currently serves Boston, Chicago O'Hare, New York JFK, and Washington Dulles. In the past, it flew to Dallas/Fort Worth (until March 2018), Los Angeles (March 2020), and San Francisco (October 2017). Where would you like them to fly next? Let us know!
What Is The Longest Nonstop Flight You've Been On?
Modern aircraft have the ability to seamlessly venture on transcontinental and transoceanic adventures across the skies. The longest nonstop flight I’ve been on was a Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350 trip from Kuala Lumpur to London, which took nearly 13 hours to complete. However, I’m sure many of our readers have been on longer flights. Please share your experiences with us below!
Where Would You Like Delta To Fly The Airbus A350-1000?
As you know, Delta has a firm order for 20 Airbus A350-1000s, with options for 20 more. Deliveries will begin in 2026. The type may become Delta's highest-capacity equipment. It will surely have many premium seats, which will help dictate where it is flown. Combined with a high overall capacity, they may be used in slot-constrained airports, particularly in Europe, where it is hard to grow with additional frequencies. But that’s far less interesting than possible new routes. When combined with their long range, they will inevitably mean more new routes. Delta has teased by suggesting destinations in India and Saudi Arabia. It flew from Atlanta to Mumbai on the 777-200LR in 2008/2009. Might it return? In the past year, it had 55,000 roundtrip point-to-point passengers, making it a slightly larger market than Delhi. Plus, of course, there is considerable transfer traffic. Despite being a very long way, the Atlanta-Mumbai base fare was only $712 one-way (excl. fuel surcharge, taxes, e
Which Long-Haul Routes Would You Like To See Launched?
There have been several new long-haul route launches this month, including avianca's return to Paris from Bogota, Beond's arrival in Milan from Maldives (via Dubai), and Juneyao's inauguration to Brussels from Shanghai. With family across the globe, I would love to see more long-haul flights to the likes of South America and South Asia from Europe. Which long-haul routes would you like to see launched?
Where Would You Like United Airlines To Fly The Airbus A321XLR?
United plans to have 50 Airbus A321XLRs, with the first aircraft due to enter service in 2025. Naturally, the carrier said they’ll partly replace the Boeing 757-200ER, including to Europe. Unlike the A321LR, a variant United does not have and has not ordered, the XLR is a true 757 replacement – just with a longer range and much better fuel burn. The XLR may also help United to make some seasonal routes year-round while right-sizing capacity with demand on others, freeing up other equipment to be used elsewhere. It may also enable higher frequencies. More interesting are new route possibilities. While necessarily vague, United said, “The XLR can fly much further [than the 757] and will open new stations that either don't have service from an airline today [from the US], or they don't have United service.” Where would you like the carrier to fly the type? Let us know!
What Is Your Most Flown Airline?
While there are several factors at play when choosing a flight, many people will tend to gravitate towards a particular airline. This could be because they live near a base, have frequent flyer status, or simply prefer the service on offer. I track all of my flights in the Flighty app, and today took a look at my most flown airlines and was slightly surprised to see British Airways claiming the top spot with 49 flights compared to 41 at Ryanair (which I had expected to be at the top)! Equally cool is Air Astana with 7 flights from a single trip to Kazakhstan last summer. What are your most flown airlines? Join the conversation below!
When Will Aeroflot Return to the United States?
Russian-carrier Aeroflot used to serve over 50 destinations before the Russia-Ukraine War but mostly all have been terminated in Europe and North America since the beginning of the war. In the United States, Aeroflot served direct flights from Moscow (SVO) to: New York (JFK), Miami (MIA), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Chicago (ORD), Seattle (SEA), and Washington (IAD). In Europe, Aeroflot served Moscow (SVO) to: Madrid (MAD), London (LHR), Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC), Rome (FCO), Warsaw (WAW), and so many more. However, all have been terminated since the EU banned Aeroflot from flying to Europe. The airline currently serves flights to Dubai (DXB), Istanbul (IST), Bangkok (BKK), Tehran (TEH), Almaty (ALA), and other destinations. This also includes flights around Russia including St. Petersburg (LED), or places like Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PKC). These are mainly reasons why Aeroflot makes money still. Other airlines banned from Europe are Rossiya, and S7 Airlines. With
Which Cities Need Nonstop Flights to Hawaii?
Breeze Airways is reportedly considering launching flights to Hawaii once it secures the required ETOPS certifications, which will enable it to fly the required distance over the Pacific Ocean. While a spokesperson told Simple Flying that the airline is "looking at several potential routes," nothing is set in stone yet, but San Francisco has been rumored to be a potential departure point. Several US cities, including Phoenix, San Jose, and Oakland, have seen a drop in flights to Hawaii compared to last year, and following the recent merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, there are bound to be even more changes to schedules. This opens up a unique opportunity for carriers like Breeze to increase capacity to Hawaii and connect it to unserved or underserved markets. Which US cities do you think would benefit from flights to Hawaii next year?
Which Airline Could Be The Next To Join Star Alliance?
Star Alliance became the first global aviation alliance in 1997 with five airlines. Now, the organization has grown to 25 carriers, which all offer numerous connections to destinations all over the world. As it competes with the SkyTeam Alliance and oneworld, which airline do you think will be the next to join? Disclaimer: The statement above is shared by one of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the views or ideas of our publication.
Why Is United Airlines Doubling Down On Denver Airport?
United Airlines undoubtedly has big plans for its hub at Denver International Airport (DEN). Not only has the carrier demonstrated its intention to continue growing its route network from the facility (including new flights launched between Denver and Syracuse which Simple Flying reported on earlier today), but it also could be planning to make the city its new home. Recently, United Airlines purchased a large amount of land at the airport, something which led many to speculate that the carrier could be planning to move its headquarters from Chicago to Denver in the coming months. Regardless of whether this is actually what the airline had in mind for the facility, it certainly does have big plans for growth and expansion at what is arguably its most important hub for connecting traffic. What do you think United Airlines has in store for its Denver operating base?
Which European Destination Should JetBlue Launch Flights To Next?
I was at Heathrow Airport to welcome JetBlue's first flight to London in the summer of 2021. Since then, the airline has launched services to Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Paris! This shows great ambition from the hybrid carrier, which has grown across Europe at a swift rate. Where in Europe should the New York-based airline fly next? The airline's incoming Airbus A321XLRs will help it reach further east on the continent, leading to some new long-haul routes! What do you expect? Let us know below!
I Was A Commercial Pilot For 51 Years. Ask Me Anything!
I began my commercial flying career at 18 while still in high school. I was fortunate to spend the next 50+ years doing what has been described as "The Best Job in the World," that of a professional pilot. At age 23, I received an FAA flight check for Airline Transport Pilot and was designated as Captain for an airline. Since then, I have served airlines from the smallest start-up to some of the largest carriers in the world. Ask me anything! Edit: Thank you all for asking me questions. The AMA has concluded now. It was a pleasure to talk about my flying career, and I hope that I can share more with you in the near future!
