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Melvin Backman

Melvin Backman

The New Yorker

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Hawaiian Airlines will now let you check a surfboard as luggage

Hawaiian Airlines is increasing its flexibility towards the items that passengers bring on its planes. The company announced Wednesday that flyers...

09.01.2025 5

Quartz

Melvin Backman

How hot is too hot on a plane? FAA launches safety study

Aircraft cabin temperatures, long a source of passenger complaints but largely unregulated, will now be the subject of a federal safety study as...

08.01.2025 10

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Delta Air Lines is ditching Lyft for Uber

Members of SkyMiles, the Delta Air Lines (DAL) loyalty program will soon have a new way to earn miles. The company is partnering with Uber to let...

08.01.2025 9

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Here's what to expect with Delta's fourth-quarter earnings

Delta will reportfourth-quarter earnings on Friday that will give a sense of how its 2024 went. According to the finance data platform FactSet...

08.01.2025 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Airplane cheap seats are getting classier

Air travel costs have been on a roller coaster since 2020. After “revenge travel” drove ticket prices to record highs in the post-pandemic...

08.01.2025 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The airline pilot shortage could worsen as hiring pipeline shrinks

Despite the surge of new commercial airline pilots after the COVID-19 pandemic, an industry-wide labor shortage will likely persist — and may even...

07.01.2025 6

Quartz

Melvin Backman

United Airlines settled a discrimination complaint alleging slur, manhandling

United Airlines (UAL) just settled a racial discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The company had been sued by...

07.01.2025 1

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Spirit Airlines is trying to convince flyers that it's cheap and fancy at the same time

Spirit Airlines may not have a lot of money at the moment, but it hopes it can at least get some attention. Ad Age reports that the bankrupt...

07.01.2025 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Pete Buttigieg says Boeing needs 'a pretty profound culture change'

Boeing (BA) is coming in for a bit more last-minute criticism from outgoing members of the Biden administration. Soon-to-be-former Transportation...

07.01.2025 10

Quartz

Melvin Backman

United is rolling out Starlink internet service sooner than expected

United Airlines (UAL) provided an update over the weekend suggesting that it will be bringing free satellite-connected internet to its flights more...

06.01.2025 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Wall Street is suddenly very excited about American Airlines

After a difficult 2024, American Airlines (AAL) is getting a big tailwind as it launches into 2025. The company received upgraded stock...

06.01.2025 1

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Winter Storm Blair has led to hundreds of flight cancellations in Midwest and on East Coast

Winter Storm Blair, the massive snowstorm that has been dumping snow throughout the U.S. in recent days, is not leaving America’s airports...

06.01.2025 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

These 10 routes are seeing the hottest air-fare inflation in America

After a couple years of falling air fares, the price of a plane ticket is suddenly going up. In the most recent consumer price index inflation...

06.01.2025 20

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The Boeing jet in the Jeju Air crash is popular. These airlines bought the most

After the deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea this week killed 179 people, the South Korean government said that it would be inspecting every...

04.01.2025 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Airline stocks had an incredible 2024

Despite opening the year with a door plug blowout whose fallout reverberated throughout the industry, U.S. airlines had a pretty good year in the...

27.12.2024 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing's space business could experience liftoff in 2025

Boeing (BA) has one trick up its sleeve that could help its stock blast off in 2025. The Motley Fool reports that there’s significant investor...

27.12.2024 10

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Japan Airlines hit by major cyberattack, leading to massive delays

A cyberattack disrupted Japan Airlines’ operations Tuesday, with Nikkei reportings extensive delays as the carrier works to restore normal...

26.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

American Airlines is cutting international flights next year — and blaming Boeing

American Airlines (AAL) will be doing a little less international travel next year, apparently because it won’t have the planes it needs to do so....

23.12.2024 5

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing is about to get 'aggressive' in building more 737 Max planes

After a particularly difficult 2024, Boeing (BA) is looking to hit the ground running next year. Aviation news site The Air Current reports that...

20.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

American Airlines settled a lawsuit by 3 Black passengers kicked off a plane

American Airlines (AAL) has settled a lawsuit filed by a group of Black flyers who said theyfaced discrimination from the carrier while flying out...

20.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

10 major airline routes that could have the longest delays this Christmas

When people take off for their holiday travels this year, the last thing they will want to deal with will be a delay at the airport. But the delays...

20.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Frontier's all-you-can-fly, Boeing's future, and a big 2025 for the Big 3: Airlines news roundup

Frontier Airlines sold its all-you-can-fly passes for their lowest price ever. Boeing announced a big investment in its 787 Dreamliner plant, and...

20.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Airlines see a lithium-ion battery fire at least once a week

Lithium-ion batteries are causing lots of problems in the skies. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows that there has been a fire or...

19.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing is back to making 2 more plane models after its long strike

Boeing’s (BA) slow manufacturing restart in the wake of its nearly tw0-months-long machinists’ strike is continuing to pick up steam. The company...

18.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The effects of the Boeing strike will be felt for a while

The nearly two-month-long machinists’ strike at Boeing (BA) had a big immediate effect on both the planemaker’s bottom line and the economy at...

17.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Walmart is putting body cameras on employees

As the holiday shopping season comes to a frenzied peak, Walmart is introducing a new tool that it hopes will help reduce tensions for frenzied...

17.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

All those mysterious done sightings? The government says don't worry about it

A string of mysterious drone sightings over the East Coast of the U.S. has provoked a lot of anxiety about where they’re coming from and who’s...

17.12.2024 1

Quartz

Melvin Backman

One Boeing factory has been safe from layoffs and is about to start hiring

Although Boeing (BA) has been slow to restart production of the planes built by its unionized workforce and has been laying many of them off amid a...

16.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Drone sightings might be partially FAA's fault, says DHS secretary

The mystery of who is flying the drones that have been showing up along the East Coast continues, but there might be a partial answer behind why...

16.12.2024 6

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The airline industry's 'Big 3' will get even bigger next year

Although many airline executives have been openly excited about what they think the next Trump administration has in store for them, the spoils...

13.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Frontier Airlines is selling all-you-can-fly passes for their cheapest price ever

Frontier Airlines just opened up enrollment in its all-you-can-fly Go Wild Pass for 2025. The budget carrier said Wednesday that it will be opening...

13.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Southwest's CEO says the Trump years will be good for airlines

The leader of Southwest Airlines (LUV) is looking forward to the incoming administration of Donald Trump. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, CEO...

13.12.2024 10

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing's 737 Max restart, record passenger volumes, and a fancy new Delta lounge: Airline news roundup

Boeing is restarting 737 Max production. An airline industry group says more than 5 billion people will take to the skies next year. Delta is...

13.12.2024 6

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The 10 airlines that use the most jet fuel in America

Airlines need a few things to conduct business. Most importantly, they need planes to fly their passengers. They also need pilots to fly those...

13.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Pete Buttigieg says Trump can't get rid of new airline refund rules

Outgoing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says that the Biden administration’s new refund rules will likely remain in place under Donald...

12.12.2024 40

Quartz

Melvin Backman

United Airlines will let passengers share AirTag locations to find lost baggage

United Airlines (UAL) is rolling out a new update to its app that could help passengers track down their bags after landing. The company announced...

12.12.2024 5

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Nvidia is on a hiring spree in China

Despite mounting trade restrictions, Nvidia (NVDA) is significantly expanding its presence in China, focusing on artificial intelligence chips for...

12.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Check out Delta's fancy new lounge at Boston's airport

Delta Air Lines (DAL) unveiled its latest premium airport lounge on Wednesday, expanding its bid to capture luxury travelers. The Atlanta-based...

12.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Heathrow Airport is expecting a right jolly Christmas

The United Kingdom’s busiest airline hub says that Santa will be far from the only person taking to its airspace this Christmas. London’s...

11.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Airfares are going up faster than rent now

In the latest inflation report, an unexpected category has surged past even rising rents: airplane tickets. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports...

11.12.2024 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

JetBlue shifts to premium service strategy after Spirit deal collapse

JetBlue (JBLU) has a lot of work to do to succeed as a standalone airline following its abandoned merger with now-bankrupt Spirit Airlines....

11.12.2024 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

The FAA approved of an Airbus plane capable of incredibly long flights

American fans of long-distance airline travel may soon have a new option to look out for when booking their tickets. Read more...

11.12.2024 10

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing is restarting 737 Max production in the nick of time

Boeing (BA) is looking to get things going again after its operations were brought to a practical halt by a nearly two-months-long machinist...

10.12.2024 2

Quartz

Melvin Backman

More than 5 billion people will be flying next year

Record numbers of travelers will take to the skies next year, an industry group is expecting. The International Air Transport Association (IATA)...

10.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

American Airlines will stop flying to Haiti indefinitely

American Airlines (AAL) is suspending service to Haiti indefinitely after what it initially telegraphed as a temporary pause. CBS News reports that...

09.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing still isn't building 737 Max planes — a month after its machinist strike ended

Machinists at Boeing (BA) ended their strike a month ago, but the company still isn’t back to building its key 737 Max model. The head of the...

06.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

NASA has delayed its first manned moon mission in 50 years

The U.S. is facing a setback in its plans to send an astronaut to the moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. NASA said...

06.12.2024 5

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Taylor Swift's private jet didn't stay anywhere longer than a week this year

Taylor Swift was a busy woman in 2024. Between her Eras tour and trips to watch Travis Kelce play for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, her private...

06.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Seat fees, Frontier thieves, and Spirit's last hurrah: Airlines news roundup

A Senate investigation revealed the extent of the airline industry’s proliferation of fees. The CEO of Frontier Airlines accused some of his...

06.12.2024 3

Quartz

Melvin Backman

Boeing's 737 Max plea deal was struck down for having too much DEI

Boeing (BA) suffered a major legal setback Thursday when a federal judge struck down the plea agreement that the company had hoped would bring a...

05.12.2024 4

Quartz

Melvin Backman