What would happen to the HawaiianMiles frequent flyer program after a merger with Alaska Airlines?

Although several factors go into choosing a flight, many people tend to choose a particular airline. This may be because they live near a base, have frequent flyer status, or simply prefer the service offered. I track all my flights on the Flighty app, and today I looked at my most used airlines. I was a little surprised to see British Airways take the top spot with 49 flights, compared to 41 flights on Ryanair (which I expected to be at the top)! Equally cool is Air Astana, with 7 flights from a single trip to Kazakhstan last summer. Which airlines do you fly with most often? Join the conversation below!

While lounge access, priority check-in with more baggage allowance, and a more diverse in-flight food and beverage offering are all positive aspects of the business and first class experience, arguably the most important factor is a larger and more comfortable seat. While there is typically no room for reclining seats on short-haul narrow-body flights, airlines in North America at least offer premium passengers spacious reclining seats arranged four abreast rather than six. In contrast, many European airlines simply block off the middle seat in their short-haul narrow-body premium cabins, effectively resulting in a 2-2 arrangement but with the dense arrangement of six abreast. This gives them greater operational flexibility in terms of handling different sized business class loads, but at the expense of passenger comfort. Personally, this sometimes makes European short-haul business class a relatively disappointing experience, although it is

Low-cost and ultra-low-cost airlines are hard to disappoint, at least when everything goes as it should. After all, they have a stripped-down approach, which means expectations are usually low. Then it’s easy to meet or even exceed them. The same cannot be said of the “full” service airlines, which often overpromise and underdeliver. It’s hard to name one airline that disappointed me the most, because some aspects of the experience might be good, others not. One flight might be less than desirable, while the next – if there is a next time – might be noticeably or at least acceptably better. Such inconsistencies only make the problem worse. Which airline disappointed you the most and why? For me, it’s Ethiopian Airlines. I’ve flown with them four times, which isn’t really enough to have a fair impression. Still, the food was unusually bad, even by airline standards, and the cabins, even on nearly new

I was at Heathrow Airport to welcome JetBlue’s first flight to London in summer 2021. Since then, the airline has added flights to Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Dublin and Paris! This shows great ambition from the hybrid airline, which has grown rapidly across Europe. Where in Europe should the New York-based carrier fly next? The airline’s new Airbus A321XLRs will help it push further east on the continent, leading to some new long-haul connections! What do you expect? Let us know below!

If you have several airlines to choose from, what influences your decision? Ticket price, airline reputation, in-flight WiFi… during COVID, cabin cleanliness was the most important factor for a while. Since I’m several hours away from a major international airport, departure time is a big factor in my choice of airline. Early flights mean hotel rooms have to be factored into the cost, and if the whole family is flying, that can get expensive. How about you? What’s the most important factor for you when choosing a flight?

Late last year, Emirates executives told Simple Flying that the Dubai-based mega-airline would continue to fly the massive Airbus A380 into the 2040s. At the recent Dubai Airshow, the airline’s CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told me that the airline would continue to buy aircraft from lessors at the right price to make this possible. How long do you think Emirates will continue to fly the Airbus A380? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!