A small but significant moment in aviation history took place over San Francisco Bay on 13 March 2026, when Joby Aviation completed the first piloted flight of its electric air taxi. The aircraft, which takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter but flies more like a plane, is the first of its kind to meet the standards set by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This milestone brings the era of quiet, zero-emission urban air travel one step closer to reality.
Boeing’s beleaguered 777X programme took a tentative step forward on 4 February 2026, when the manufacturer confirmed that the first flight of a production-standard aircraft — one built to the exact specification intended for commercial service — had been targeted for April of this year. The announcement, welcomed cautiously by an industry that has grown accustomed to the programme’s repeated setbacks, marked the beginning of what Boeing hopes will be a decisive final push towards FAA type certification and, eventually, entry into commercial service in 2027.
Continue reading Boeing 777X First Flight Targeted for April
On 27 January 2026, Southwest Airlines made history by ending its 54-year-old open seating policy. For the first time since the airline began flying in 1971, passengers now choose an assigned seat at the time of booking. The change, driven by shifting customer preferences and intense pressure from investors, marks the end of one of the most recognisable traditions in American aviation.
Continue reading Southwest Airlines Ends 54 Years of Open Seating
A Dassault Falcon 50 business jet carrying Libya’s most senior military leadership crashed on the evening of 23 December 2025, killing all eight people on board, including Lieutenant General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces. The aircraft, which had departed Ankara Esenboga International Airport bound for Tripoli, disappeared from radar just 26 minutes after take-off following a rapidly developing electrical emergency that left the crew with insufficient time to return to the airport.
Continue reading Falcon 50 Crash Kills Libya’s Army Chief Near Ankara
On 6 November 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that scheduled flights at 40 of the United States’ busiest airports would be reduced by up to 10 percent, citing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers caused by the ongoing federal government shutdown. The decision — among the most consequential peacetime interventions by the FAA in the modern history of commercial aviation — triggered widespread cancellations across the national airspace system and reignited a long-running debate about the vulnerability of critical aviation infrastructure to political dysfunction in Washington.
Continue reading FAA Cuts Flights at 40 Airports During US Shutdown
Airlines around the world tightened their rules on lithium batteries and smart luggage in October 2025, making it harder to carry power banks and electrically powered suitcases on board. The changes follow a growing number of battery fires on aircraft, which can be extremely difficult to control in flight. On 15 October, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched a global campaign to help passengers understand the new restrictions before they travel.
Continue reading Airlines Tighten Lithium Battery Rules for Passengers