One of the most risky parts of any airline merger is the reservations cutover when any hiccup could disrupt the travel of tens-of-thousands of fliers. Alaska is working to ensure this is "a non-event" in its merger with Hawaiian. My latest for @fastcompany.com: www.fastcompany.com/91437759/ala...

The latest flight reduction cancellation numbers from Cirium. On Saturday, US airlines cancelled 814 flights — still numbers akin to a winter storm — totally just over 4% of those scheduled.

I vote:

My takeaway of this headline is that a multimodal nation is a resilient nation. We deserve good air, rail, and ground #transportation. When a mode or system is down, you can rely on others to get you where you need. And also it gives more choice to users/consumers. 🚲🚗🚋🚅🚁✈️ #mobility #resilience

Except Spirit doesn’t have 737 jets… it’s an all A320-family airline. Though it is selling and returning planes to lessors: thepointsguy.com/news/spirit-...

It’s fall y’all 🍂 www.instagram.com/p/DQz-uqAjY3...

“Test, test, test,” as @trufelman.bsky.social said.

Had no idea that the idea of layering coats came out of WWII. Really good Articles of Interest pod.

Wait, I totally missed that Trump and Grenell are painting the Kennedy Center’s columns white among other renovations. Despite being a die-hard KC hater I will say this: this is reasonably a violation of Section 106 of the NHPA and also a breach of NCPC and CFA review.

The more I sit with @pitairport.bsky.social's new terminal by Gensler, HDR and Luis Vidal + Architects, I keep returning to the exterior. I maintain that the side walls below the 3rd floor ticketing hall are dull but, as I ponder it, maybe that’s the point. byerussell.substack.com/p/pittsburgh...

“We’re not political pawns for posturing. We’re members who are showing up every day to work and doing our part. Now, do yours and find a solution.”

SHUTDOWN FLIGHT CUTS, DAY 2 Cancellations across the board at US airlines and airports. Most airports are seeing ~3% of flights cut as of 8am ET Saturday, per FlightAware.

BREAKING: Boeing confirms recommendation to ground MD-11 fleet “while additional engineering analysis is performed” (via ⁦‪@theaircurrent‬⁩.com)

All Fedex and UPS MD-11s are grounded after the crash of a UPS freighter on Wednesday

❗️UPS is grounding its MD-11(F) fleet with immediate effect at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer. There are currently 26 MD-11s in the UPS fleet of 294 total aircraft. www.flightradar24.com/data/airline...

Love when cities reclaim their waterfronts for people. via @nateberg.bsky.social

NYC Mayor-Elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social “plans to expand the city’s network of bike lanes, add more car-free streets in front of schools, and wants to pedestrianize more areas in Manhattan as congestion pricing has reduced traffic.” 👏👏 via @adelepeters.bsky.social

The Orlando Airport is raising $258mn to finance a new United Airlines maintenance facility on the airport’s west side, a new bond prospectus shows. The new maintenance base will have hangar space for 6 narrowbody aircraft and will primarily serve United’s Boeing 737 fleet when it opens in 2027.

Petty sunset tonight from the 9th Street NW cycletrack 🏙️ #washingtondc #bikedc @capitalweather.bsky.social

“The people who ran the Kennedy Center in the past tried to keep politics out of it. The board was bipartisan and the audience was, too. Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg used to go see the same operas and sit on opposite sides of the same aisle.” My kind of institution.

“Honestly, it’s a mix of politics and safety.”

Things change fast folks. I've heard from several sources air traffic control staffing at #DCA is going down to one — yes, one — controller this evening. Expect significant flight delays and maybe cancellations tonight. @washprobs.bsky.social #washingtondc

US airlines cancelled 780 flights, or 3% of total scheduled, on Friday, Nov. 7, the first day of the FAA’s shutdown-related flight cuts. Cuts will step up to 10% of flights at 40 key airports over the next week. Safe travels everyone. www.instagram.com/reel/DQxDlXR...

Love to see a busy Bikeep rack at #DCA www.fastcompany.com/91201179/was... #bikedc

An airport people mover is, by @thetransitguy.com's analysis, the 11th busiest rail system in the US. "Cities like Miami, Denver, Portland, San Diego, and Las Vegas all see less transit ridership than Atlanta’s airport train." thetransitguy.substack.com/p/the-busies...

Democratic members of CO's congressional delegation are calling on the FAA to approve Denver International Airport's plan to use its funds to pay air traffic controllers. #copolitics

The departures board at Dulles this morning with flights through about 1pm. Handful of cancels, all related to the airspace restrictions. If you’re flying today or this weekend, check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport!

Air France-KLM CFO Steven Zaat described the situation at Amsterdam Schiphol – where charges are rising by a cumulative 33% over the next three years – as “very terrible” for KLM. “We cannot go on like this." SAS at Copenhagen growth valve anyone?

Copenhagen, Terminal 3 corridor mural (installed 2024), by Ruth Campau. 📷 Københavns Lufthavne A/S. #airportart www.instagram.com/p/DQwgGVlERk...

Limiting commercial launches to only overnight hours should help mitigate ATC impact for aircraft flow, especially around Florida. It'll be interesting to see what scheduled launches are impacted, as the launch time is tightly tied to orbital slot locations.

Wizz Air has slashed its A321XLR orders from 47 to 11 (including 5 already delivered). This is the latest confirmation that the XLR, while good for network carriers like Iberia and American, does not meet the mark for ULCCs. More: thepointsguy.com/news/airline...

US airlines have cancelled 3% of flights today, Friday, Nov. 7, in response to the FAA flight reduction mandate, per Cirium. This is only the 72nd worst day for flight cancellations in the US since January 2024 — or as I’m told, akin to a bad winter storm. More: www.instagram.com/reel/DQuhGGV...

Thanks to the Illinois’ massive investment in transit, Chicago has a bright transit future, with the dawn coming next year: —50% increase in every-10-min bus routes to 30 citywide —8-minute midday headways on rail lines —24-hour Orange Line service (Red & Blue already have it)

Qantas’s first A350 for Project Sunrise shows its face. This plane is one of 12 that will fly ultra long-haul nonstops, initially from Sydney to London and New York. Delivery is expected in late 2026 with flights due to begin in the first half of 2027. #AvGeek

As one source described it to me, the cancellations will be akin to a winter storm — that hits the entire country all at once.

NOT GUILTY!!! www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

There are now cement trucks entering the White House construction site, which is not what you'd expect for a project that hasn't been reviewed by anyone yet. The White House has previously said no NCPC approvals are needed yet because they're just doing demo, not construction.

The UK gov't has rejected requests to list Norman Foster's Stansted Airport. "20th century architecture has proved particularly unpopular among successive ministers, despite being as eligible for listing as any other period of architecture." - @c20society.bsky.social c20society.org.uk/news/44698

This actually an IAG wide move. British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL will all receive Starlink infight connectivity from early 2026. h/t @airlineflyer.net

I'm starting a clean thread on what the FAA's imminent 10% reduction in flights at 40 US airports. Updates to come 🧵

IAG's British Airways and Iberia are the latest airlines to adopt Starlink for free, fast inflight wi-fi. Roll out will begin in 2026. Iberia says the addition is part of its Flight Plan 2030 growth plan.

“United's long-haul international flying and our hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by [the FAA’s] schedule reduction direction... Instead, we will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs.” - United CEO Scott Kirby

The EU’s transport commissioner proposes a “a faster, truly European high-speed rail [network] by 2040.” 100%, absolutely, do it. Now to find the €546 billion — or more than the annual budget of a mid-sized European nation — needed to build it.

Investigators have recovered the black boxes from the crash of a UPS MD-11 in Louisville on Tuesday, they also confirmed that video shows the left engine detaching from the wing during takeoff.

“Today, DEN submitted a request to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking whether airport revenue could be used to fund wage support for the air traffic controllers working at DEN.” Good move, Denver Airport 👏👏

"The [10% flight traffic] reductions take effect Friday. Details about which [40] markets would be affected will be announced Thursday." via @loriara.bsky.social

We’re talking more than 5,000 flights here.

BREAKING: The U.S. Department of Transportation announces it will reduce scheduled airspace capacity by 10% starting Friday morning if the government shutdown has not ended, citing "growing pressure" in the NAS as controllers and other personnel continue to go unpaid. Developing story.

Denver voters on Tuesday approved a $950 million bond package, known as “Vibrant Denver,” to fund a number of multimodal transportation, sidewalk and park improvements. @denverite.bsky.social

Still some finishing touches before it's completely done/open, but the MBT #biikeDC extension up to Takoma alongside Blair was quite lovely to ride this afternoon.