Are you concerned about airline data leaks?

Whether or not passengers should clap when a plane lands has long been a topic of debate in aviation. Some consider this to be condescending, as pilots do it multiple times a day. Similarly, Italian footballer Mario Balotelli once said, “When I score a goal, I don’t celebrate because I’m just doing my job. When a postman delivers letters, does he celebrate?” In this regard, I agree that during a normal landing, a verbal “thank you” to the pilot(s) and the cabin upon exiting the plane is sufficient, but that doesn’t mean there is never a time or place for applause. In my opinion, such a reaction is appropriate in situations such as emergency landings or perhaps a pilot’s last flight with a particular airline, but what do you think about it? Let us know in the comments!

Today it was announced that British Airways will be suspending its London to Beijing flights in October. This is the latest move in a series of market withdrawals by international airlines, with Virgin Atlantic and Qantas also cutting Chinese routes recently. In fact, the Chinese market as a whole seems to have become rather unattractive to foreign airlines in the post-pandemic era, with Air Serbia being the only non-Chinese airline to have increased its international offering to the country since the global health crisis. Many factors are at play in this market decline, such as the inability to overfly Russia and reclaim VAT, low demand and even overcapacity. In addition, the Chinese market in general has been one of the slowest to recover from the pandemic due to the longer-term coronavirus restrictions. This ultimately raises the question of whether or not there is a way back for the Chinese international market in the world of aviation, but

While flying can be stressful for some, for many members of the Simple Flying community, it’s something they look forward to. There’s nothing better than buckling up, sipping on an ice-cold beverage, and enjoying the view from above. One of my favorite parts of the experience is having a moment to myself and switching off from all the everyday demands on the ground. I like to use the time in the air to regroup my thoughts and plans while listening to calming music. What are you most looking forward to?

Whether a particular passenger prefers the aisle or window seat is an age-old debate, with both options offering various benefits. The window gives you the best view of the changing world below and lets you rest your head against a wall when you’re tired. However, some travelers, like me, prefer the freedom of the aisle seat, where passengers don’t feel so cramped and can stand up to stretch their legs without having to pass their seat neighbors. But which seat do you prefer? Let us know in the comments!

Boarding a plane is always an exciting moment, but can sometimes be stressful, with passengers jostling for seats to grab space for their hand luggage. For this reason, some airlines play music during boarding, with different operators opting for different types. In the UK, national carrier British Airways prefers classical music, while budget airline Jet2 welcomes passengers on board with Jess Glynne’s pop hit ‘Hold My Hand’. I personally prefer the former approach and would welcome the wider use of slower classical music on airlines around the world, while blaring pop tunes can be a little overstimulating at a time when there is already a lot going on around you. Would you welcome more boarding music being played, and if so, what type? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

As in-flight WiFi has become more widespread, airlines have increasingly experimented with bring-your-own-device in-flight entertainment offerings. Essentially, these allow passengers to access the airline’s audiovisual content via the aircraft’s WiFi, using their phones, tablets or laptops, rather than an integrated screen in the seatback. While this saves airlines money by not having to install special IFE systems, it is not an acceptable alternative to the real thing for me. Most passengers travel with just a phone, so the big screen experience is limited to those with tablets and laptops. It also consumes battery that would otherwise be saved by not using a phone in-flight, and only a small (though growing) number of seats have the ability to hold a phone or tablet at eye level, meaning passengers often have to balance their phone on the tray table and crane their necks down for hours. Therefore, the integrated IFE screen in the backrest of the seat