TagCommercial Aviation(83)

What does it take to “play 3D chess at 250 miles an hour”? And how far will $12.5 billion of “Big, Beautiful” funding go toward modernizing the F.A.A.? (Part two of a two-part series.)

Flying in the U.S. is still exceptionally safe, but the system relies on outdated tech and is under tremendous strain. Six experts tell us how it got this way and how it can (maybe) be fixed. (Part one of a two-part series.)

By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times business reporter Alaska Airlines introduced a new loyalty program and premium credit card Wednesday, marking another step in the airline’s effort to transform into a global carrier and compete with larger international airlines. The new loyalty plan will combine Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines’ existing frequent flyer programs under one umbrella, after

Denver International Airport (DEN) has opened two security screening lanes in which eligible passengers can move through checkpoints using biometric facial recognition as their sole form of identification, becoming the latest U.S. airport where the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trialing a PreCheck Touchless ID program. TSA has been rolling out the pilot program across

arlier today Alaska Airlines unveiled its new joint loyalty program with Hawaiian Airlines. Buried in that announcement was the fact that the Seattle based carrier is planning to add Starlink high speed wi-fi onboard all of its aircraft. In this post: Alaska is Adding Starlink Wi-Fi to Mainline and Regional Aircraft Alaska Will Offer Free Starlink

By  JACK BROOK and LISA BAUMANN A technology issue prompted United Airlines to ground planes at major U.S. airports Wednesday and more than 1,000 flights were delayed. The impacted system, called Unimatic, houses flight information that is fed to other systems including those that calculate weight and balance and track flight times, according to United. It’s not clear

A 90-second failure of Newark Airport’s air-traffic safety systems, which blacked out communication to planes carrying thousands of passengers, has exposed a new level of crisis in air travel. Kate Kelly, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, explains what the problems at one of the country’s biggest airports tell us about air-travel safety

Is the F.A.A. really ensuring safety by disqualifying pilots who receive a diagnosis or treatment? Troy Merritt, a pilot, sought professional help for his mental-health challenges and then had to go through an arduous process to regain his certification to fly… Troy Merritt, a pilot for a major U.S. airline, returned from his 30th birthday

By Alexander Mitchell Published Mar 6, 2025 Alexander (Alex) Mitchell comes to Simple Flying with a background in finance and strategy consulting. He has covered airlines and aerospace at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, and served major industry clients as a Summer Associate at the Boston Consulting Group. With a lifelong passion for aviation, Alex

By  Chase Hutchinson Special to The Seattle TimesHeads up, budget travelers: Starting June 2, Seattle Paine Field International Airport will add three new routes from Frontier Airlines, which will fly to Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix thrice weekly. The new routes, announced Tuesday morning at Paine Field, connect the Everett airport to Denver International Airport (where