Edward Russell
@ByERussell
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Journalist. Words @washingtonpost , @TravelLeisure , @Gothamist , @FlightGlobal , and more. Runner, cyclist, transit and cities. He/him.
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Joined June 2009
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Spoke to a source at United Airlines, Senator Ted Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for this afternoon at around 6 a.m. today (Thursday). He was originally scheduled to return on Saturday.
And just like that, Ted (Rafael) Cruz seems to be on his way back to Texas.
"CRU, R." is on the upgrade list on this afternoon's flight from Cancun to Houston. He was on the list on yesterday afternoon's flight down to Cancun, too.
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Following
@jonostrower
's scoop on United finding 737-9s with loose door plug screws, a source sent this image of one of the door plug's lower hinge bracket with a note that 2 screws are not screwed all the way in.
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"As the pickup truck reached the grade crossing, the grade crossing the gates had already lowered and the flashing lights and bells were on. The pickup truck drove around the lowered gate and entered the grade crossing."
Don't. Drive. Around. The. Gates.
NTSB issues preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the Jan. 12 grade crossing crash between a pickup truck and a Brightline passenger train in Melbourne, Florida:
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Southwest cancellations are up to 64% of its schedule, or 2,609 flights, at 15:15 ET Monday, per
@flightaware
.
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DC’s public pools are one of the city’s more under appreciated assets.
“Other cities don’t do pools like we do in DC,” a lifeguard once told me 🏊♂️🏊♂️🏊♂️
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America is not known for its fast or nice trains.
@GoBrightline
wants to change that with its new $6 billion train to Orlando that opens Friday and, maybe by 2028, a high-speed train to Las Vegas.
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EXCLUSIVE:
@AmericanAir
is the latest to offer an on-the-ground alternative to flying amid the pilot shortage and high oil prices.
@ridelandline
will begin operating buses-as-flights for American from its
@PHLAirport
hub in June.
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.
@BrightlineWest
is set to break ground on its 218-mile Las Vegas-Southern California high-speed rail line on Monday
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Can we have a frank discussion about travelers taking luggage with them during an emergency evacuation?
Video shows frantic moments passengers make their way out of RedAir flight 203 after landing gear collapse & fire at MIA…some use emergency chute
@WPLGLocal10
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Southwest Airlines is in full meltdown mode. 56% of its schedule, or 2,266 flights, cancelled Monday (as of 14:20 ET), per
@flightaware
.
If you're flying Southwest: Be prepared for crowds and delays, don't go to the airport if your flight is cancelled, or find another option.
Big mess at BWI this morning. Over 100 flights cancelled so far this morning. People have been waiting in line at the Southwest ticketing counter for hours. Some people tell me they’ve waited since 2:30 this morning. People are sleeping all over the airport.
@wbaltv11
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Interesting chart on United's rationale behind selecting the A350-900 as its 777-200 replacement.
787-10 barely enough range, A350-1000 and 777-8X too large.
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.
@GoBrightline
will begin passenger train service to its new Aventura and Boca Raton stations in South Florida on Dec. 21.
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I have issues with how the US has handled the 737 Max situation.
Whether or not it should have acted sooner, Trump should not be announcing this. Safety officials should be.
This is an air safety issue, not a presidential issue.
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Americans don't ride trains 🙃
From 2001-2020,
@Amtrak
's share of DC-New York travelers jumped to 80% of the air+rail market from 45%.
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The combined Alaska-Hawaiian North America route map in September 2024. (📷 Cirium Diio)
And it's done:
@AlaskaAir
has closed its purchase of
@HawaiianAir
.
"Alaska and Hawaiian share tremendous pride in connecting communities with award-winning service, and we look forward to inviting more guests on board to experience what makes both brands unique." $ALK $HA
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I’m sorry, anyone who bought their home in 2020 or ‘21 knew Dulles Airport was there. They moved under the airport’s arrivals/departures pattern, not the other way around.
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United's new pre-boarding announcement:
“We would like to take a moment to recognize the tireless efforts of any medical professionals who may be flying with us today. Thank you for all you are doing.”
Way to go
@united
👏👏
#ThankYouHealthCareWorkers
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Fun Fact:
@GoBrightline
is already America's 2nd busiest intercity passenger rail line behind Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It carried ~150K riders in August — on just its South Florida segment — compared to an average of ~136K on the 3rd busiest line, Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.
America is not known for its fast or nice trains.
@GoBrightline
wants to change that with its new $6 billion train to Orlando that opens Friday and, maybe by 2028, a high-speed train to Las Vegas.
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JetBlue unveils new ‘streamers’ tail for its Airbus A321LRs that will take it to London:
#avgeek
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BREAK: Delta Air Lines is retiring it’s 777 fleet due to the coronavirus crisis.
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To paraphrase former American CEO Doug Parker after he orchestrated the merger with US Airways in 2013: Passengers don't buy tickets based on the exterior look of the planes.
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NEW: Alaska Airlines to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion, operate it as a separate brand.
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What a story. After Delta pilot Karlene Petitt raised safety concerns to her superiors, she was grounded and deemed mentally unfit to fly. A judge ruled for Petitt Friday, finding Delta "weaponized" the mental screening process.
via
@dominicgates
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Some personal news: I'm joining the team at
@skift
covering airlines in December. It's been a real pleasure working with
@benmutzabaugh
,
@GlobeTrotScott
and all of The Points Guy team.
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Love this: A "subway" map of
@united
's international network. Admittedly, it gets a bit tough to read in places — is that O'Hare or Dulles to Geneva? — but the aesthetic is 👌
cc
@transitmap
(📷
@miller22
)
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United has found at least 5 Boeing 737-9s with loose door plug screws in its initial inspections, via
@theaircurrent
.
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$7 Uber rides were a private equity-funded subsidy to disrupt transportation systems in favor of ridesharing. $22 is closer to what it should cost to take a private car downtown.
"When I used to catch Uber, it was $7. Not I can't find anything from Ward 8 that's less than $22. Now we're going to add more to get downtown?" says White. "We're setting ourselves to be Detroit if we're not careful."
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Airlines have said they are seeing little passenger reluctance to fly the
#737Max
.
Why? Because most travelers, like my husband, have no idea what kind of plane they are flying on. He only realized it was a Max after I told him.
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NEW:
@GoBrightline
carried 205,745 passengers in October — more than double the number a year earlier. That includes 79,686 on the line to Orlando that opened in September.
That’s an average of 2,571 daily Orlando pax.
Background:
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Secretary
@PeteButtigieg
and
@VaRailXpress
at Washington Union Station, the secretary voiced the Biden administration’s plans to invest in and expand rail infrastructure.
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100% for high-speed rail in the Charlotte-Raleigh corridor.
But, using air traveller numbers on the route is misleading. 99% are connecting at American's Charlotte hub. US DOT data shows an avg of just 14 people/day fly on trips between just Charlotte and Raleigh.
Last month, 80K+ passengers flew between Raleigh & Charlotte, just 130 miles apart. Bologna & Milan, with a similar combined population and distance, have 60 daily trains each way. Imagine connecting 40% of NC's population in 90 mins via high-speed rail?
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.
@GoBrightline
ridership since the Orlando extension opened:
June - 223,369
May - 231,883
April - 223,227
March: 258,307
Feb: 228,138
Jan: 236,263
Dec: 237,069
Nov: 205,607
Oct: 205,745
Sept: 143,053
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This is a great map of what the A321LR and A321XLR will do for
@Icelandair
's network.
Icelandair expects its first LR this year and XLR in 2029.
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.
@Amtrak
plans to award contracts for a new $1.5 billion Susquehanna River Bridge in Maryland next year. 2 tracks will expand to 4 and the project will eliminate the need for trains to slow to 90mph.
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I checked Uber before I left this morning and was, frankly, not surprised to see it $60+ from Fremont to Sea-Tac. Transit was $3.
I hope the pandemic help's people realize the value of good transit.
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Today is my last day at
@FlightGlobal
. It's been a great seven years, with countless articles, numerous flights, unforgettable moments and many friends. Here's to a great team, thanks for everything!
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The Port Authority has unveiled 14 potential transit options for LaGuardia: 2 subway, 5 light rail, 5 bus, ferry, and "emerging technologies."
Check out all the potential options:
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And what of the American citizens onboard? United CEO Scott Kirby warned of just such a scenario.
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The Senate just voted to confirm
@PeteButtigieg
as the next Secretary of Transportation.
Senator Cramer of North Dakota just put him over the minimum 50 votes needed. Waiting on final tally.
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"I believe the aerospace industry needs a [737] Max or a [A320]neo replacement as soon as possible," former Airbus Americas CEO Barry Eccleston says at
#TRBAM
.
Airbus and Boeing need to start now to debut a new plane in the 2030s, and to stop the loss of engineering know how.
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Look forward to reading how Frank Lorenzo did not drive Eastern into the ground, and bankrupt Continental.
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Flew on my first
@united
A321neo the other day. Solid economy product, big IFE screens, and the snack bar — though small — is a nice bonus. Not to mention the small gauge increase United gets over the Max 9s (and eventually Max 10s).
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Air New Zealand's fleet simplification plan. Long-haul all 787s by 2027.
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Yikes, and no wonder some foreign 777 operators cancelled U.S. flights: Boeing warned them "not operate 777 airplanes on approach and landing to U.S. runways” with 5G band notices.
via
@jonostrower
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The new Reservoir Park Rec Center is open in
#BloomingdaleDC
! Nice playground (needs more shade though), 3-lane 25 yard lap pool, and a new splash park.
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New memo to
@united
pilots outlining its Boeing 737 Max 9 door plug inspection process, and aim to return the aircraft to service in the "next several days".
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EXCLUSIVE:
@Delta
is eyeing a possible cabin rebrand. Out are lighter blues and the white-ish checkerboard bulkhead, in are darker grays and navies.
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Run down of confirmed airline staff furloughs occurring today.
American - 19,000
Envoy - 1,000
United - 13,432
Total: 33,432 people (will update)
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Highlights from
@Delta
's Q4 earnings call:
• Up to 40 A350-1000s
• An “uptick” in Seattle bookings due to Alaska 737 Max cancellations
• Stable US demand, and an "exciting" outlook for transatlantic
• Large corporate volumes at ~90% of 2019
$DAL
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I love airlines, I do.
But if the U.S. is going to spend trillions more in aid the priority needs to be supporting the most Americans through the crisis. That's unemployment, states/municipalities where most get benefits, transit, healthcare, in essence the social safety net.
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Huge news for Baltimore: Maryland governor-elect
@iamwesmoore
promises to build the east-west Red Line light rail in his term.
“We are going to get it done in our term. It is not a compromise," he told
@kristoncapps
.
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NEW: A US District Court judge has blocked the JetBlue-Spirit merger. $JBLU $SAVE
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California's proposed passenger rail operating plan for 2030, when the first section of its high-speed rail line opens.
Merced becomes a key transfer point. h/t
@the_transit_guy
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It’s a pleasure to join
@jonostrower
and his team writing for
@theaircurrent
!
My first piece: United CEO Scott Kirby expressed support for Boeing on Tuesday but not necessarily its leadership as it pulls the 737 Max 10 from future planning.
#staycurrent
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EXCLUSIVE: Delta will use its Boeing 757s and 767s as "flex" fleets for the next decade, to meet demand and wait for clarity on new mid-market airplane options. $DAL
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BREAKING: Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines announce plans to merge. $ULCC $SAVE
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Airbus "has inquired with jet leasing firms and airlines, proposing to buy back slots for [its] popular A321neo ... where it can over coming years" in order to sell more planes to United.
via
@juliejohnsson
@AirEVthingTRNSP
@sidyoutwit
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The U.S. DOT is fining Virgin Atlantic for operating flights with a Delta code in prohibited airspace (for U.S. carriers) over Iraq.
Didn't realize the DOT's jurisdiction here extended to codeshares on foreign airlines.
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"What a difference leadership makes! We welcome President Biden’s nationwide approach to crushing the virus and lifting us out of this pandemic."
@FlyingWithSara
doesn't mince words on Biden's new mask mandate on planes.
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Looks like the number one engine on the Southwest 737 at
#PHL
is missing the cowling. Likely uncontained engine failure. h/t
@AirlineFlyer
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Amtrak shows off updated long-distance carriages and food options for New York services
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The FAA has issued a new AD that finds radio altimeters on all Boeing 777s and 747-8s can "experience interference" from 5G C-band wireless towers. Yikes.
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BIG: Azul wants to create a South American giant with plan to acquire all of LATAM Airlines Group. A combined carrier would control half of the continent's airline capacity.
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And it's done:
@AlaskaAir
has closed its purchase of
@HawaiianAir
.
"Alaska and Hawaiian share tremendous pride in connecting communities with award-winning service, and we look forward to inviting more guests on board to experience what makes both brands unique." $ALK $HA
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🚨 $8 Billion in new passenger rail funding unveiled by the
@USDOT
Friday 🚨
• $3.1bn
@CaHSRA
• $3bn
@BrightlineWest
• $1.1bn North Carolina S-Line
• $729mn Potomac Long Bridge (Virginia)
• $144mn Harrisburg-Pittsburgh upgrades
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“It seems crazy that a 300-hour [first officer] can land a Lufthansa A350 into JFK flying over Queens, and a U.S. pilot can’t do the same thing."
Mesa Airlines CEO blames the 1,500 hour rule for the U.S. pilot shortage, via
@munnikrishnan
.
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Icelandair's first aircraft in its new livery, a 737-8 (TF-ICE), arrives in Reykjavik in a little under 30 minutes.
Follow it on
@flightradar24
:
#avgeek
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“Linking SunRail to [Orlando] airport and tourism stops would increase ridership from the current 1 million annually to 6 million annually, is likely to be an underestimate.”
Funding for the ~$4 billion rail line shared with
@GoBrightline
is still TBD.
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“Californians aren’t that different from the rest of America," but you are 60% less likely to die of gun violence in the state than the rest of the country.
"The one thing that is different is the policy."
@ShawnHubler
on The Daily.
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Qatar Airways has released a video of the surface defects to its 21 A350s. The release comes a day after Airbus terminated the airline's order for 50 A321neos, which Qatar says was in response to its lawsuit for more than $600 million in damages from the airframer.
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The latest on the New Terminal One at
@JFKairport
. The $8.39 billion Phase A currently under construction will feature 14 widebody gates (one temporary) and five hardstands when it opens around June 2026. Once fully built out it will feature 37 widebody-capable gates.
#JFK
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Cape Air shows off brand-new Tecnam aircraft that will replace its Cessnas
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NEW: JetBlue terminates merger agreement with Spirit $JBLU $SAVE
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