Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Hilton and YOTEL are joining forces, which I’m happy to see, as I’m kind of a sucker for the YOTELAIR concept. YOTEL & Hilton enter exclusive franchise agreementHilton and YOTEL have announced a new exclusive agreement. With this franchise agreement, all YOTEL properties will join the Hilton Honors portfolio, meaning members will be able to book through Hilton channels, and to earn and redeem points.All 23 YOTEL properties across 10 countries are expected to join Hilton Honors later in 2026. With this partnership, the goal is to more than triple the portfolio in the coming years. The company is known…

A Russian Su-30 fighter jet briefly entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island on March 18, 2026, prompting a response from an Italian Air Force unit deployed to Ämari Air Base as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the aircraft remained inside Estonian airspace for about one minute. On March 19, 2026, Tallinn summoned the Russian Embassy’s chargé d’affaires to hand over a diplomatic protest note. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the incident posed no threat to Estonia’s security. According to Estonian authorities, the violation took place in the area of Vaindloo Island…

It has been a wild few weeks for global aviation, particularly for airlines based in the Middle East. For many years, carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have been transporting passengers traveling across the globe, and their success with this has largely been due to the safe image these destinations have. Suffice it to say that recent times have really challenged that. We’ve seen Gulf carriers frequently have to suspend operations due to incoming missiles, and one imagines that this conflict won’t end overnight. Along those lines, could the major Gulf carriers be considering a more creative strategy to keep…

Singapore Chang Airport (SIN) has been crowned the world’s best airport at the Skytrax awards in London as Hamad International Airport (DOH) announced it was withdrawing from the competition. The award was presented to Singapore Changi Airport CEO Yam Kum Weng on March 18, 2026, in front of industry stakeholders at Passenger Terminal EXPO (PTE World) in London. Singapore Changi beat off stiff competition from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) which came second and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) which claimed the third spot. Singapore Changi had previously been named the world’s best airline 13 times including in 2025. The…

For many people, alcohol is an aspect of traveling by air that they enjoy. I’m not just talking about first or business class travel, where a glass of champagne might be part of the fun. Airports are also one of the few places where you can have a drink at 5AM and not be judged (too hard). Admittedly customs differ around the globe, based on culture, religion, etc. In this post, I thought it would be interesting to talk a bit about dry airlines, as there’s a bit of nuance to this. Which airlines don’t serve alcohol onboard? Which airlines…

A study commissioned by Sydney Airport has shown that Australians strongly support the development of a domestic Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry.  The research, published on March 12, 2026, highlights the public’s recognition of the potential benefits, including the creation of regional jobs, support for farmers, and the retention of Australia’s natural resources and manufacturing capabilities. Australia is already a producer of many of the feedstocks required to make SAF, such as agricultural crops, residues, used cooking oil, and household waste. However, much of this material is currently exported overseas for processing into fuel. Scott Charlton, CEO of Sydney Airport,…

SAVE THE DATE for EASA’s Annual Safety Conference 2026, which will take place as an in-person event in Dublin, Ireland on November 18-19.The theme for this year’s conference is “Safety Together: Turning Priorities into Action”. The event is being held in conjunction with Ireland’s EU presidency and in cooperation with the Irish Aviation Authority.The 1.5-day event will begin early in the afternoon on Wednesday November 18 and continue for the full day on Thursday November 19. There will be a moderate fee charged to cover the conference costs. A networking get-together, open to all participants, will be held on the…

In November 2025, International Airlines Group (IAG) announced plans to introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi across the brand’s airlines, including British Airways. At the time, there were almost no details about the timeline, so there’s a positive update, as the first aircraft is already flying with Starlink. British Airways installing free Starlink Wi-Fi British Airways is partnering with SpaceX to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet, including on long haul and short haul aircraft. Best of all, British Airways is offering Starlink Wi-Fi for free for all passengers. With this system, it’s possible to connect with multiple devices, including laptops, tablets,…

René Armas Maes is a strategic advisor specializing in commercial development and strategy, with a focus on revenue optimization and margin enhancement.   As part of founding teams, he contributed to building a VIP business aviation operation from inception in the UAE and supported restructuring initiatives in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.  The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AeroTime.  In 2025, UAE-origin airlines deployed first and business class capacity across 395 city-pair markets spanning eight global regions. The top 254 corridors account for 7.2 million…

The iconic 70-year-old spy plane is receiving updates to its AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System. Despite ever changing plans to retire the type in the next few years, the U.S. Air Force’s U-2 Dragon Lady continues to play a crucial role in providing vital ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) to U.S. top military leaders. With the U.S. involved in combat operations in the Middle East and, previously, in the Caribbean, the aircraft, 70 years after its first flight, now more than ever before needs software updates to ensure its EW (Electronic Warfare) system can detect and counter emerging threats in contested…