Looking through menus for local restaurants and once again I am reminded that the French for "blancmange" is "blanc manger", because of course la perfide anglais ("three very light-fingered languages in a trenchcoat") didn't nick the word properly.

no but why would you put your new branding on the objectively worst plane nobody is looking at a CRJ and saying "ah yes, such excellent passenger experience I've had on board those planes, definitely had the space to take advantage of satellite wifi"

Got my annual flu jab letter from the French healthcare system (100% free, here, just give them this letter). Wryly amused/depressed at how all the official info online is "non non please have the vaccine" and "the vaccine, he is safe for you" and "ne pas die of le flu s'il vous plaît".

Good thread but mostly this

In this week's The Up Front Update: big news for little planes. Regional aircraft startup Maeve gets serious with SkyWest and Delta, ATR and JSX talk premium, there's better IFC on DHC, and much more. Plus: we look into Air Tahiti Nui's premium "upgrade". theupfront.media/update-17-ma...

Just the latest strange turn in the history of 9H-MIP, which was supposed to be the first Global "Airlines" A380. To note also: it will also need an entirely new cabin of business class seats, because the ex-Singapore ones are Koito and have exceeded their EASA grandfathered safety period.

Interesting regarding AI and Kpop Demon Hunters 1/2

nothing says you're a big tough man like being afraid of The View

This was an absolutely fascinating 4,000+ words of research, interviewing and writing — Air Côte d’Ivoire is trying something new, with strong seats and impressive trim. For other airlines, even those who aren't flying anywhere near Abidjan, it's also a new bar for seats and cabins. Read more:

In London, hate will never win.

In the latest edition of The Up Front Update: Air Canada to send its first A321XLR to Mallorca, Lufthansa's Group Function Boards, "schedule slip" on the 777X, Delta sees premium revenue hit 50%, and there's more from the FAA this week too… theupfront.media/update-16-ai...

@journodannyaero.bsky.social Welcome, friend!

In which I wonder: Why is Air Canada's A321XLR only operating 4x a week YUL-PMI when it could do dailies? What is Lufthansa centralising with its Group Function Boards, and why doesn't it sound like it includes the FICE/Allegris/Swiss Senses seats? Many more questions (and some answers):

Spent the morning trying to reassure someone from Peru that the march only represents a small minority of Brits as he sends me horrible TikToks from the march and it’d be really fucking nice if there was a video of the prime minister of my country condemning that behaviour I could show him.

Hope I don’t get banned from Bluesky for wishing ill upon Himmelstreppe…

Austria is like the worst of France and Germany: you have to pay €0.50 to pee in a train station, but you need coins because they don’t take cards.

Well, I guess it beats Cockfosters.

Dear hotels: No. Regards, —everyone

Boeing last year filed revenues of $66.5 billion. That fine is 0.004% of its revenue just for last year.

To be clear, I have nothing to do with the presence or absence of any supernatural demonic force. I do, however, have a lot to do with this episode running to over an hour. @theupfront.media gonna The Up Front. #longform

Yikes desu ne…

…perhaps I am now too French, but when did American tourists in Europe start wearing these horrifically ugly combat sandals? Tevas are one thing, but these are like hiking boots with a cold shoulder right at the base of the toe, which I have never seen before.

*Austrianity intensifies*

Please, the U.S. Open asked us not to share any video of the president being booed heavily by an entire stadium, please respect their wishes, please

Landing gear is TUCKED though

I had forgotten the extent to which every major road in Vienna (and many minor ones) are both signposted for Graz and Linz, two cities that are very much not near each other.

I dunno, man. "Our hub functions mostly ok because we cut back flights, except when there's any sort of weather, or ATC tech and/or staffing issue, or runway construction" is a weird thing to celebrate but you take that win.

Just how cheap is it for airlines to maintain the ability to screw consumers? It only cost Airlines for America $5.7 million in campaign donations in 2024 to get enough support in the administration to roll back the consumer protections that took years to develop and approve. #PaxEx

Well I guess they finally found the answer to “is there anything that would make you LESS likely to travel by rail in Japan?”

Love to visit my local Lexus dealer! …except that this is actually the Brussels Airlines and Star Alliance Schengen lounge at SN’s hub in BRU. I just. I know the Meassels Airlines brand isn’t great, but god, this is a bit much.

Saw this fabulous creature doing a flyby over the Starnberger See years and years ago. Glad to hear it's doing OK on the ground.

Air Côte d'Ivoire's A330neo looks great in first, business, and economy — but in premium economy, two of the three rows are blocked off by regulators. Seat certification problems are a common theme across aviation, but this is an unusual situation. Here's why: theupfront.media/air-cote-div...

Another busy week at The Up Front Towers — and on the road in Toulouse — as we keep track of what's going on that affects the passenger experience world (and you, the traveller) with our weekly roundup, The Up Front Update: theupfront.media/update-15-ry...

Jason: “still, it might be called off, right?” Me: “among other things, the government is trying to take away two public holidays. How chill do you think French unions are gonna be about that?”

TikTok was right: “nothing” beats a Jet2 holiday.

More like AE-NAH am i right

This is utterly beautiful. As a small, very vocal bunch of far right assholes hog the headlines, eagerly egged on by a complicit media, a reminder of what it really means to be British. Feels a little late for hay-fever season, but my eyes are a little raw for some reason.

We’ll have a full write up of the Air Côte d’Ivoire A330neo’s four cabins — La First, business, premium and economy — but here is un petit sneak peek…

I mean, if *I* were an aircraft engine manufacturer, *I * would consider it a bit too on the nose to have an enormous advertising banner covering the entire side of the *parking* building at Toulouse Airport, but good on GE for the subliminal there I guess

Lots of activity around Lufthansa's 787s this week — so we went straight to the airline (and a few other sources) for updates on the whole Allegris/FICE programme, some of which certainly raised my eyebrows. Here's what we learned: theupfront.media/pro-readout-...

Lufthansa Group’s Allegris is really more of a state of mind than an airline seat product. It exists, kinda. But it has no single form.

The Business Suite Stands Alone: Lufthansa is blocking every business seat on its 787s when they start flying, except the Business Suites for which it usually charges $500 or so extra. Also, some *fascinating* updates on plans to Allegris the 747-8… and Lufthansa has "disintegrated" its FICE team…

Can’t tell if this says more about Reform’s status or that airport lobbying wars are back. Back in 2015 Heathrow/Gatwick were both throwing so much £££ around that they basically funded most internet UK political media. “Oh yeah… we have a podcast… two MPs have listened to it… £200k for sponsorship”

Some weeks, I write our weekly news and analysis roundup — The Up Front Update — and it makes it out on Friday. Some weeks, there's a Friday news dump like Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy filing, and the big news changes. Join us for what that means, and much more: theupfront.media/the-up-front...

The American mind cannot comprehend, etc… For reference, here's what Amtrak's old Acela experience is like, accessibility-wise: wheelchairtravel.org/review-wheel...

I want to explain a few things and then it might be clearer why UK trans people are upset. In 2001 I married my wife, Sylvia. In 2005 I started medical transition. (1/13)

Authors, please do make sure that you are part of this class action if you are affected and eligible!

Oh, this one hurts — the blogging site that helped me build the writing portfolio that got me my first aviation journo gig fifteen years ago.

This is a GREAT story thread 🤣