Simple Flying

It should surprise no one that the companies we buy from and interact with collect, analyze, and use that information to keep us as customers and subliminally urge us to spend more of our money with them. Airlines are no exception. Our frequent flyer profiles tell airlines everything they need to know about our travel-buying habits and allow them to target sales and perks on an individual level.

American Airlines is reportedly flying several of its new Airbus A321XLR jets with some business class suites blocked from sale after suffering repeated failures involving the seats' control systems. The problem causes the lie-flat seats to get stuck in an upright or reclined position, forcing the airline to mark them as inoperative and leave them empty for the flight.

Etihad Airways is taking a more targeted approach to deploying its widebody fleet, placing larger aircraft on routes with the strongest demand rather than spreading capacity evenly across its network. The strategy is particularly visible in several key markets, where the Abu Dhabi-based carrier is using its Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s to respond to changing passenger demand. That strategy is particularly visible in the summer 2026 flight schedule.

Boeing appears close to rescuing a major Turkish Airlines order after a dispute over CFM engine maintenance and pricing put the agreement at risk. Four people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Boeing is nearing a final agreement for 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with the deal potentially signed as soon as next week. Boeing, CFM International, and Turkish Airlines have not publicly confirmed the development.

Korean Air has finalized its largest aircraft order in history, officially signing for 103 Boeing aircraft as the South Korean flag carrier prepares for a major fleet transformation following its merger with Asiana Airlines. The deal, officially announced September 16th in Seoul and worth $44.6 billion, consists of the Boeing 777X, 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX 10, fulfilling an intent to order announced in August 2025.

The premium side of aviation is currently going through a substantial overhaul. Traditionally, this class was reserved for corporate flyers. These people needed the additional comfort to get work done and to ensure they were fresh for meetings, conferences, and events they had to attend after landing. Now, the market is shifting toward leisure travelers, particularly due to corporations' reluctance to spend heavily on business class flights amid the difficult economic environment.

Singapore Airlines has announced that it will permanently deploy its double-decker Airbus A380-800 to Auckland Airport (AKL), a change from the otherwise temporary seasonal upscale to the superjumbo that was first announced earlier this year. Singapore is one of the largest foreign international carriers to New Zealand, with it serving both Auckland and Christchurch with daily flights.

Not every US military installation looks like a typical airport, with a terminal, a couple of runways, and a fence line a mile or two around the perimeter. Some airbases are more like small, self-contained cities, while others sprawl across hundreds of thousands of acres of desert, coastline, or forest because their mission leaves no other option.

Air New Zealand operates some of the world’s longest scheduled nonstop commercial routes. The airline’s position in the South Pacific means many of its long-haul services cover ultra-long distances, with some scheduled to last up to 16 hours. Using aviation analytics provider Cirium, Simple Flying examined Air New Zealand’s longest scheduled routes between October 2026 and July 2027.

The Embraer E195-E2 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1900G geared turbofan engines with a 73-inch (190 cm) fan diameter and a 12:1 bypass ratio. The fan is approximately 21 inches (53 cm) wider than the General Electric CF34-10E it replaced on the first-generation E195.