Airbus A340 crashes into wall during engine tests

by Grant Martin on

In another blow to the embattled EADS, an Airbus A340 slammed into a wall and injured 10 people during engine tests in Toulouse yesterday afternoon. AFP and the AP report that the Abu Dhabi-bound aircraft was in the final stages of testing before the accident occurred. According to an Airbus spokesman, “the aircraft began to roll and it climbed up the embankment in front of it” just before careening over and into the wall. Scary.

No word yet on what the cause of the accident was or the nature of the injuries, but the A340 is a proven, reliable aircraft that Airbus has been manufacturing for years.

Hopefully this doesn’t have any effect on sales or the performance of the struggling EADS. While Airbus isn’t my favorite airline manufacturer, it’s hard to see the company take the beating that its been getting recently.

Delta and United in talks to merge

by Grant Martin on

Looks like the number two and three airlines are thinking about joining forces. No surprise really, as rumors of Delta merging have been rumbling around the underground for the past few months or so. This time there appears to be a fair amount of market momentum behind the talks, however, as each organization’s respective shares surged by nearly 10% on the DJIA over the course of trading.

What does this mean for the lay traveler like you and I? Probably not much. The proposed new company would merge under the United banner, keep HQ in Chicago and the main hub in Atlanta. All of your favorite Delta and United routes should stay in tact in one form or another.

What I’m really curious about is how the alliance program will sift out. Delta is in the Skyteam while United is a member of Star. Will Skyteam partners no longer be able to redeem awards on Delta? Will Delta travelers lose their miles or be forced to spend them on a Star carrier? Frequent flyers start to get antsy when you mess with their miles.

Paypal offers 50$ rebates on NWA flights

by Grant Martin on

If you’re flying anywhere in the next few months (say, Thanksgiving or oh, Christmas) and Northwest Airlines is an option, check out the 50$ rebate that Paypal is offering on bookings. You have to book between November 13th and 21st, but the terms and conditions don’t stipulate when you have to fly.

As with most other rebates, you’ll have to wait 6-8 weeks for your money to show up, but the benefit here is that you don’t have to fill in any paperwork or cash a check — the money just shows up in your account in a few weeks. And if you’re like myself and most of the other people out there on the interwebs, you’ve already got a Paypal account that’s linked to your bank; all you have to do is select the Paypal option, the money comes from the same place and you get 50$ back.

Make sure you follow the booking link before you pay.

British Airways flying ghost planes across the pond.

by Grant Martin on

If you’re a carbon emissions activist, better close your eyes and plug your ears now. Word on the street from the Daily Mail is that British Airways (BA) has been flying ghost planes across the Atlantic strictly to conserve airline slots at the appropriate airports. They can’t load passengers because of crew shortages and nobody is sure whether or not any cargo is loaded.

Yes, these are the same people who were fixing fuel surcharges to gouge transatlantic customers earlier this year.

And the same people who are increasing fuel surcharges again November 15th.

In other news, the dollar is trading at, 1$ = 0.483£.

Spot on, old chap!

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A380 is fit for a prince

by Catherine Bodry on

If you’re looking to spend some cash on a status symbol, don’t even bother with yesterday’s Jaguar and Concord — instead be the first on your block to own the new Airbus 380. Having one of these jumbo jets is on par with owning your own island, and probably about as expensive.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal spent an undisclosed amount (though companies spend more than $300 million) to be the first person to own an A380. Bin Talal is the 13th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with assets adding up to more than $20 billion.

Bin Talal hasn’t disclosed any plans for the jet, but really the sky is the limit. Dubbed the “Flying Palace,” the A380 has 5,930 sq. ft of floor space and can be outfitted with cocktail bars, casinos, showers and sleeping quarters.

What would you do with a jet this large?

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