ALERT At least 1,800 US flights delayed, 150 canceled, according to FlightAware.com - @cnnbrk

ALERT Update: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police say threat called in for American Airlines flight; police investigating where call came from - @AP

NEWS German pilots' union VC is calling a strike at carrier Deutsche Lufthansa for Dec. 1st and Dec. 2nd after retirement benefits talks break down - @Reuters

ALERT American Airlines confirms flight from Barcelona to New York landed safely and was met with authorities 'due to security concern'; 200 passengers and 9 crew on board, passengers deplaned - @NBCNews

ALERT Photo: Passengers exiting American Airlines flight at New York's John F Kennedy airport; Port Authority police on scene - @jrosenberg


ALERT Denver's airport says 20 flights diverted due to fog; most are to Colorado Springs - @CBSDenver

ALERT More: Fire Department of New York says there is a possible threat involving an American Airlines flight that landed at John F Kennedy airport - @PIX11News

ALERT New York Fire Department says it is responding to bomb threat on plane at John F Kennedy airport - @FDNY

ALERT Photo: Security line at Chicago's Midway airport reportedly 1.2 miles long - @deniseonKOMO

ALERT Reports of long security lines at Chicago's Midway airport; line reportedly stretches outside building, toward train station - @deniseonKOMO, @vandenburga, @newsnance

EMERGENCY SMOKE Delta flight 434 Boeing 757 from New York-JFK to San Francisco diverted to Pittsburgh

A Delta Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Pittsburgh International Airport Saturday afternoon.

“Delta flight 434, a Boeing 757-200 aircraft with 169 passengers onboard, from New York-JFK to San Francisco diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport when the crew detected a smoky odor in the vicinity of the aft galley. Out of an abundance of caution, the captain elected to divert the flight,” Delta Airlines said in a statement.

The flight landed safely shortly after 1 p.m. and was inspected. The plane then took off from Pittsburgh International Airport about 2:30 p.m. and has since landed in San Francisco.

Officials have not said what the source of the smoky odor was.

ALERT German pilots' union VC is calling a strike at carrier Deutsche Lufthansa for Dec. 1st and Dec. 2nd after retirement benefits talks break down - @Reuters

NEWS Dubai International unveils giant chocolate structure

Dubai International has unveiled the world’s tallest structure in chocolate, a 44.2 feet tall model of the world’s tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa. A creation of the Master Chocolatier Andrew Farrugia, the chocolate Burj Khalifa is part of the 43rd UAE National Day celebrations at Dubai Airports.

NEWS Sexy Turkish Airlines hostess fired from job for being ‘too raunchy’

An air hostess who flaunted her busty figure for a series photoshoots and a music video has been fired from her job after bosses discovered the raunchy snaps.

Zuhal Sengul, 31, angered her Turkish Airlines bosses when they saw her showing off her curves in low-cut tops and corsets for a series of Gothic-style photoshoots featured in an Italian magazine.

And it seems the discovery of a music video in which the tattoo-sporting Ms Sengul struts her stuff in a bikini was the last straw, with the airline firing the 31-year-old as they move towards a more conservative image.
 

NEWS Ryanair inks deal with booking.com

Ryanair has signed a new partnership with Booking.com which allow Ryanair customers to book accommodation at a seection of more than 550,000 hotels in 209 countries directly on the Ryanair.com website.

NEWS An unruly pig and its owner were escorted from a US Airways flight after it began defecating on the floor and squealing uncontrollably

An unruly pig and its owner were escorted from a US Airways flight after it began defecating on the floor and squealing uncontrollably, a passenger has told Mail Online.

Rob Phelps was travelling from Hartford, Connecticut, to Washington's Reagan Airport for Thanksgiving on Wednesday morning when he saw the animal being led into the cabin on a leash.

The 65-year-old described how the 80-pound pig was screaming 'three times louder than a child' as its female companion coaxed it down the aisle with her feet because it struggled to move on its own. 'It was ridiculous,' he said. 'It started to smell and flight attendants told her to clean the mess up.'

NEWS Masturbating Passenger Forces Emergency Landing on Virgin America Flight

A plane full of people headed to LA got a free trip to Nebraska thanks to a passenger who wouldn't stop masturbating on a Virgin America flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

FAA officials said the Boston to Los Angeles flight was forced to land briefly in Nebraska due to a "medical emergency" last month that, according to police, originated with a horny 26-year-old.

Omaha police say the flight was diverted when 26-year-old Doug Adams began jerking off in his seat and yelling at the woman sitting next to him.

"He at that point was fidgeting and began to remove the plastic covering from the emergency exit door and tried to pull to open the door," a passenger who filmed Adams being removed from the flight told reporters. "Fortunately there were a couple of Boston police officers on the flight that were there at that point to help as well.''

Gloved officers later removed him from the plane in handcuffs. Witnesses say he was wearing a hospital bracelet.

NEWS SAS, Etihad Airways ink codeshare deal

SAS and Etihad Airways are set to begin codeshare operations and provide customers with enhanced travel options between Scandinavia and the UAE. The agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval, will strengthen both carriers by enabling them to offer greater connectivity to and from a number of key European cities.

NEWS Delta adds new service to London Heathrow

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways will expand their partnership between the U.S. and U.K. next year with the introduction of Delta’s daily nonstop service from Philadelphia to London.

NEWS Ryanair shareholders approve $22bn Boeing order

Ryanair has announced that its order to purchase up to 200 Boeing ”gamechanger” 737 MAX aircraft has been approved by 99.93 per cent of shareholders who voted at its EGM in Dublin this morning. When finalised - and if all options are exercised - the deal will be valued at over $22bn at current list prices. Ryanair has 100 firm order and 100 options in place.

NEWS British Airways launches digital cards for Executive Club members

British Airways is introducing digital Executive Club membership cards for customers with smartphones. The new feature launches in early December and is available to all Executive Club members with iOS and Android mobile devices, using the British Airways app. Customers can also download their digital membership cards from ba.com once they have logged in to their Executive Club account.

NEWS fastjet celebrates two years of low-cost flights in Africa

fastjet is celebrating two years of providing low-cost air travel across Africa. The airline began commercial flight operations in November 2012, flying passengers from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro and Mwanza in Tanzania on its A319 aircraft. Since then, it has expanded its network with the introduction of its third domestic route to Mbeya in Tanzania, and launched its international route network with flights from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia, Harare in Zimbabwe and Entebbe in Uganda.

NEWS CityJet signs partnership with Stobart Air

CityJet and Stobart Air have signed a partnership agreement, both airlines announced today. Commencing on December 1st 2014, Stobart Air will operate short-haul ATR regional aircraft on CityJet’s Cardiff to Edinburgh route – which is offered twice daily – and its Cardiff to Paris route, operating once a day.

EMERGENCY Flight from Manchester to Holguin makes emergency landing in Bermuda

A flight from company Thomas Cook, who had left Manchester on Monday towards Holguín, was diverted to Bermuda after a drunk passenger assaulted several members of the crew.

The passenger, 25, and whose nationality was not disclosed, was arrested at the airport in Bermuda. Man assaulted two attendants and threatened while other passengers before they could stop him at the rear of the plane.

The flight company Thomas Cook took off Monday at 10:30 am and the unscheduled landing occurred around 6 pm. After three hours, the plane continued its journey to the island after the passenger remained in the hands of the authorities of Bermuda.

Source: Diario de Cuba

EMERGENCY Wichita-Chicago flight returns for emergency landing

A United Airlines flight from Wichita to Chicago was forced to return to Mid-Continent Airport Wednesday night for an emergency landing.

Flight tracking websites indicate Flight 5240 left the Wichita airport at 6:27 p.m. But it developed landing gear problems and landed back in Wichita around 7:30. No injuries were reported.

The flight took off again for O'Hare Airport at 9:16 p.m., and arrived safely at 10:59.

ALERT Venezuela suspends some private jet flights in security operation to curtail drug operations - @Reuters

EMERGENCY British man misses honeymoon after air rage forces emergency landing

A man has missed his honeymoon and caused a Thomas Cook holiday flight to be diverted after getting drunk and abusing cabin crew and fellow passengers onboard.

Mohammed Khelya, 22, was reportedly drinking from a bottle of vodka when he became aggressive on the flight from Manchester to Cuba on Tuesday.

Cabin crew members asked him to stop drinking and he said: "What if I f***ing am?" and "I'm going to f***ing kill you and I'm going to kill everyone after."

He also began spitting at them and a blanket was used to cover his mouth after he was arrested and detained at the back of the plane.

The plane was diverted to the LF Wade International Airport in Bermuda, and the flight was greeted by police officers, who escorted Khelya off the plane.

Khelya, from Lancashire, was fined $3,000 after admitting disruptive behaviour before magistrates in Bermuda.

He was fined $2,000 for being drunk on the aircraft and another $1,000 for being abusive towards flight staff.

NEWS An Air Canada passenger has captured the moment a screw came loose from the plane, struck a propeller and lodged itself in a window

Air Canada has confirmed the incident. “There are twelve one-inch (2.5 cm) bolts on a ‘prop spinner’ on this particular type of aircraft (Dash 8 #300),” a spokes person told.

“While on descent into Vancouver on Nov. 25/14, (from Penticton, BC) flight #8353 had one of those twelve one-inch (2.5 cm) bolts come loose and strike one of the aircraft windows. The bolt struck the exterior pane (of two acrylic window panes) which resulted in a small hole in the exterior window pane - the interior pane was not impacted.

''There was no emergency declared and the aircraft landed safely and without incident. This is a highly unusual incident and our maintenance personnel in Vancouver have inspected the aircraft and are making the necessary repairs.”

NEWS Boeing 787 Dreamliner revolutionises passenger experience at Royal Jordanian

Just three months ago the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner joined the Royal Jordanian fleet and now the airline has announced it has concluded the delivery of the first wave of five craft. Under the airline’s strategic plan to renew its long-haul fleet, the five new airliners are working on RJ’s medium and long haul routes - replacing the airline’s four Airbus 340s and single Airbus 330.

NEWS Ruili Airlines celebrates first Boeing 737-700 purchase

Boeing and Ruili Airlines today celebrated the arrival of the airline’s first direct purchase Next-Generation 737-700. Ruili is a newly established private airline based at Changshui International Airport in Kunming, the capital city of China’s Yunnan province.

NEWS Germanwings revitalises homepage with new booking options

Clearly structured and with high user value, Germanwings has gone live with a redesigned homepage. The new website now offers visitors even more information and services. The new homepage has gone online gradually one region after another over the last few days.

NEWS Heathrow to welcome new American Philadelphia flight

American Airlines will give customers another choice for trans-Atlantic travel when it launches new daily daytime service from Philadelphia International Airport to London Heathrow Airport on March 29th, 2015. The new flight complements American’s existing PHL-LHR service and underscores the airline’s commitment to serving Philadelphia and creating the best network in the world with the most convenient options to get customers where they want to go.

ALERT Photo: Planes damaged when severe storm hits Archerfield Airport near Brisbane, Australia - @C_K_7


ALERT Plane carrying 42 people lands safely with landing gear problems in Wichita, Kan. - @KWCHMichael

ALERT Regional jet believed to be carrying 42 people approaching Wichita, Kan., with landing gear problems - @KWCHMichael

ALERT Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle makes emergency landing in Billings, Mont., due to medical issue - @KIRO7Seattle

ALERT More than 730 US flights canceled, 4,300 delayed, as people attempt to travel for the holidays - @cnnbrk

ALERT TSA says a 94-year-old Queens, NY, man was arrested at JFK airport after officers found weapons including 2 crossbows, 2 BB guns and a stun gun in checked luggage - @NBCNews

ALERT Photo: A snowplow clears runways at the airport in Manchester, NH - @flymanchester


ALERT Photo: NOAA satellite image of Noreaster that may impact East Coast Thanksgiving travel - @JLeslieNOAA


ALERT 497 flights have been cancelled across the US as of noon ET, with 280 of those either scheduled to fly into or out of NYC area airports - @flightaware

ALERT Dozens of flights cancelled in the New York City area ahead of forecast bad weather - @ABC7NY

NEWS Etihad Airways boosts stake in Virgin Australia

Etihad Airways – considered the World’s Leading Airline by the World Travel Awards has upped its stake in Virgin Australia to the maximum allowed by the Foreign Investment Review Board in Australia. The Abu Dhabi based carrier now holds a 22.9 per cent stake after spending another AU$28.34 million last week.

NEWS Search for missing #MH370 has now covered more than 7,000 square kilometres yet without trace of any wreckage

The underwater search for missing Malaysian passenger aircraft MH370 has now covered more than 7,000 square kilometres yet without trace of any wreckage, according to the latest report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released today.

However lead investigator and director of the MH370 search Peter Foley told media in Canberra the team remained very confident the search would not be in vain, Bloomberg reported.

While scouring for the remains of the aircraft ATSB is also mapping a wider debris field, primarily to locate the flight recorders or black box.

ALERT 2 people are trapped on cliffs below Torrey Pines Gliderport just north of San Diego - @nbcsandiego

NEWS United Airlines expands trans-Atlantic route network

United Airlines has announced new trans-Atlantic summer-season service between New York and Venice, Italy, along with new service between Chicago and Dublin, both subject to government approval. In addition, the airline will offer a second daily non-stop flight between Washington Dulles and Paris for the summer season.

EMERGENCY Bird Causes Plane to Make an Emergency Landing at San Jose’s Airport

It was at 2pm Monday when a pilot reported a problem with one of the engines, a possible explosion in a turbine, forcing the aircraft to return and make an emergency landing.

The plane, an Airbus 319 owned by Avianca airlines (still with the TACA logo), had just taken off from the San José airport bound for El Salvador.

After a safe landing, firefighters inspected the engines and determined there had been non fire, but one of the two had been damaged because a bird got caught in one of the turbines.

ALERT At least 226 flights in the US have been cancelled due to wintery weather in the Northeast, with 180 of those either originating from or flying through NYC airports - @flightaware

NEWS Etihad Airways boosts stake in Virgin Atlantic

Etihad Airways – considered the World’s Leading Airline by the World Travel Awards has upped its stake in Virgin Australia to the maximum allowed by the Foreign Investment Review Board in Australia. The Abu Dhabi based carrier now holds a 22.9 per cent stake after spending another AU$28.34 million last week.

NEWS Passengers had to push the UTair Tu-134 frozen to the ground in -52 degrees (Russian)

Passengers had to get out and push their plane in temperatures of minus 52C after freezing weather brought it to a standstill. Transport officials in western Siberia are investigating the incident, which took place in the town of Igarka on Tuesday. The plane, which had 74 passengers on board, was being operated by Katekavia, a Siberian airline belonging to UTair group. The airline's technical director, Vladimir Artmenko, told the Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily: "That morning it was minus 52C (minus 61F). "The plane had stood on the runway for 24 hours and the pilots forgot to take off the parking brake. "That caused the brake pads to freeze up."
 

NEWS Airbus to deliver first A350 in mid-December

Airbus appears set to deliver the first Airbus A350 to launch customer Qatar Airways in mid-December, according to Dubai-based Gulf News.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said on Tuesday "everything is perfect" with the A350 and that he expected delivery of the widebody jet between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15.

VIDEO Emirates overhauls its first A380 (largest maintenance check)

ALERT Lambert-St. Louis International Airport spokesman says 6 outbound flights were cancelled Tuesday morning, largely because the planes were among the 10 cancelled or diverted during overnight flight restrictions - @AP

VIDEO Second Air Strike Hits Airport in Libya's Capital

NEWS Emirates to launch third daily flight to Malé, Maldives

Emirates has announced a third daily service to Malé, the capital of the Maldives. Commencing Monday, December 1st, Emirates flight EK656 will depart Dubai International Airport at 02:10, and arrive in Malé at 07:15, adding seven more inbound flights a week to the Maldives, increasing passenger and cargo capacity on the route by a third.

NEWS Myanmar takes step out of the cold with Garuda Indonesia deal

Garuda Indonesia and Myanmar Airways International have concluded a codeshare agreement. The signing of the agreement was carried out by Garuda Indonesia executive vice president, sales and marketing, Erik Meijer and Myanmar Airways International managing director Si Thu. Under the agreement, Garuda Indonesia will place its GA marketing code on Myanmar Airways International’s flights between Bangkok-Yangon and Singapore-Yangon.

NEWS Germanwings signs partnership with booking.com

Germanwings has announced a joint partnership with hotel broker booking.com. In the next three years, Germanwings guests will be able to access Booking.com’s entire product range, including, apartments, guest houses, resorts, B&Bs and hostels. Boomerang Club members will also be able to collect miles on the Germanwings bonus scheme.

ALERT All flight restrictions at Lambert St. Louis International Airport have been lifted, airport says - @NBCNews

NEWS Norwegian urges United States to approve transatlantic air carrier permit

Norwegian chief Bjørn Kjos has called on the United States department of transportation to once and for all approve the application for a foreign air carrier permit for the company’s Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International. “We are doing exactly what the Obama administration wants: create American jobs, bring tourists to the United States and offer Americans cheap flights,” he said.

ALERT Swedish spyplane “caught” flying off russia’s kaliningrad oblast

A Swedish Air Force Gulfstream IVSP Electronic Intelligence plane could be tracked as it flew in the airspace off Kaliningrad Oblast, where some of the most active Russian bases in the Baltic region are located.

The Swedish Air Force operates a pair of S102B Korpen, modified Gulfstream IVSP aircraft used to perform ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) missions. These aircraft are equipped with sensors capable to eavesdrop, collect and analyse enemy electronic emissions.

Korpet jets conduct routine surveillance missions over the Baltic Sea, flying high and fast in international airspace close to the area of interest.

As last month, the Swedish spyplanes are almost always intercepted by Russian armed fighter jets on Quick Reaction Alert at the Russian airbase in the Kaliningrad exclave; even if this is pretty routine stuff, the Russian Su-27 Flankers have become a bit too aggressive as proved by the incident occurred on Jul. 16, when a Russian Air Force interceptor flew as close as 10,7 meters of the intelligence gathering aircraft.

VIDEO Single engine Beech plane made an emergency crash landing at Barnstable Municipal Airport on Monday

A single engine Beech Bonanza airplane made an emergency crash landing at Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis on Monday Nov 10, 2014. The pilot was the only soul on board and was uninjured after landing the plane with no front landing gear Emergency crews from the airport ARFF and Hyannis fire department stoodby as the plane circled to use up fuel prior to making the final approach and safe landing. Video by Britt Crosby.

ALERT Update: FAA says Temporary Flight Restriction issued over Ferguson, Mo., due to reports of gunshots fired into the sky, in effect until 4:15 am CT; media aircraft operating at 3,100 feet - @FAANews

ALERT More: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport spokesman says the FAA has imposed temporary flight restrictions for all flights into St. Louis - @ChristinaKSDK

ALERT FAA: No-fly zone over Ferguson, Mo.; impacts media choppers, commercial flights - @mattdpearce

ALERT 1 dead in plane crash near Las Cruces, NM, airport - @KOATLiveUpdates

ALERT Water-main break leaves parts of Los Angeles International Airport without water; Portable toilets delivered to Terminal 2 - @latimes

ALERT City officials confirm a plane has crashed at Las Cruces International Airport - @abc7breaking

ALERT Air raid has targeted the runway of the Libyan capital's only working airport, witnesses and an airport security source say - @AFP

ALERT Power has been restored at BWI airport; passenger and TSA screening operations expected to resume shortly - @BWI_Airport

ALERT Photo: No injuries were reported after this small plane made an emergency landing on Davis Islands off Tampa, Fla. - @WFLA


NEWS O’Hare appointed to senior marketing role with Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the appointment of Shane O’Hare to the position as senior vice president, marketing. O’Hare brings an unrivalled mix of experience in airline marketing and management, having held a range of senior executive positions in the Gulf and internationally.

ALERT Photo: Passengers line up at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter during a power outage at BWI airport - @RectorSun


ALERT More: Security checkpoints A, B, and C at BWI airport currently closed due to power outage - @BWI_Airport

ALERT Electricians are working to restore power at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after disruptions in some terminals @BWI_Airport

NEWS New leadership for Royal Jet as O’Hare steps aside

Abu Dhabi-based private charter company Royal Jet has announced that long-serving chief executive and president Shane O’Hare has left the company by mutual consent. He will be replaced by captain Patrick Gordon, who will take on the roles of chief executive and acting president.