Russian surveillance plane soars over the Pentagon, Capitol and other Washington sights

A Russian surveillance plane soared through secure airspace over Washington on Wednesday, presumably collecting intelligence as it traveled near the Pentagon, the Capitol and other government buildings, two U.S. officials said. The Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft made the flight through the Treaty on Open Skies, which Russia, the United States and 32 other nations have signed. The treaty established criteria under which countries can make unarmed observation flights over the soil of… (www.msn.com) More...

Saudia Airlines refuses to fly passengers who expose arms or legs

Saudia Airlines has issued a strict dress code for passengers and stated that it will refuse to fly people who deviate from it. The airline is the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, a country which follows a conservative interpretation of Sunni Islam, Wahhabism. On the passengers code of conduct section of their website Saudia asks that travellers are not “clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offence to other passengers. Women exposing legs or arms, or wearing too thin or too tight… (www.msn.com) More...

Virgin Australia begins codeshare with Air Canada

Virgin Australia has switched on its codeshare agreement with Air Canada, adding its VA airline code on flights from Los Angeles to Calgary, Montreal and Toronto. Similarly, Air Canada has added its AC airline code on Virgin domestic flights from Sydney and Brisbane to 10 destinations across Australia and New Zealand, including Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. The codeshare flights became available for booking on Friday for… (australianaviation.com.au) More...

Israeli Air Force 707 arrives in Perth

An Israeli Air Force Boeing 707 tanker has touched down at Perth on Monday morning. The otherwise unmarked aircraft wears the serial ‘272’, and arrived at Perth a little after 11am using the callsign ‘IAF401’. (australianaviation.com.au) More...

Passengers vent over accommodation after Rarotonga-Auckland flight VA90 forced to turn back

Kiwi travellers stranded in Rarotonga say they spent several hours in the dark on hard, metal benches before they were offered water or food after their flight was forced to return to the island early this morning. Virgin Australia flight VA90 was heading to Auckland from Rarotonga and had been in the air for about two hours when had to turn around because of a technical issue. The plane left the Cook Islands at 11.10pm on Thursday local time (9am Friday NZ time) and was scheduled to land in… (www.nzherald.co.nz) More...

Here's why you should never clap when a plane lands

The plane has just touched down after a particularly turbulent flight You've spent the last hour gripping your seat white-knuckled and the sense of relief you feel as the plane makes contact with the ground is palpable. You bring your hands together, ready to clap - but before you do, know this: pilots hate it when you clap when the plane lands. In a recent Quora thread, someone asked the question, What do airline pilots think of passengers who applaud after a landing? Multiple pilots… (www.msn.com) More...

The worst airline in the world has a new name – but will it ever fly?

What made Baltia Airlines the worst carrier in the world? In 27 years, it didn’t manage to fly a single passenger. Not one. And it did not, therefore, manage to make a single penny of revenue (it did, however, accumulate debt of more than $119 million, reports claim). Recommended for you:Cathay Pacific Flight Tickets - Enjoy Award Winning Comfort cathaypacific.com | Sponsored Now, after countless setbacks, the airline is making a last-ditch attempt to get a paying passenger off the ground. But… (www.msn.com) More...

25 Facts About Air Force One That Will Blow Your Mind

The most recognizable aircraft in the world has tons of secrets, or at the very least, tons of untold facts. Air Force One is more than just a big, fancy looking private jet for the POTUS, it’s an advanced aerial security mechanism—almost like a floating fortress. Here’s some stuff you probably didn’t know… (www.historyinorbit.com) More...