Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

At the moment, airlines are in a really tough spot, given the impact that higher oil prices are having on their operating costs. The issue is that the cost of airfare isn’t based on the cost of providing transportation, but instead, it’s determined based on what consumers are willing to pay, which is why many tickets are sold at a loss.So generally speaking, the upside or downside of fluctuating oil prices is a risk for the airline. That’s not the case at every airline, though, as flagged by PYOK. Volotea adjusts ticket costs based on fuel costsSpanish low cost carrier…

Lufthansa is adopting a new policy for ticket flexibility that I can’t help but find to be a little questionable, as flagged by FrankfurtFlyer… Lufthansa makes flexible tickets inflexible with new feesGenerally when you book an airline ticket, there are many tiers of fares you can book, which offer varying levels of flexibility. While it’s often outrageously expensive, airlines typically provide the option to book a flexible fare, which is refundable to the original form of payment up until close to departure. Sometimes airlines will have a very small administrative fee to cancel these tickets, but the idea is that…

In July 2025, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi, an announcement that coincided with plans to overhaul the Boeing 787 cabins. There’s now an additional update, as Virgin Atlantic has just moved forward the timeline with which it will introduce Starlink Wi-Fi, and that’s great news. Virgin Atlantic will soon offer free Starlink Wi-Fi Virgin Atlantic has signed an agreement with SpaceX, to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet. Best of all, Virgin Atlantic plans to offer Starlink Wi-Fi for free for all members of its Flying Club loyalty program (which is free to sign-up for), and members…

American Airlines pilots will finally be able to offer airplane trading cards to passengers, though it’s proving to be a bit controversial. American pilots now have access to airplane trading cardsAirlines try to create brand loyal customers (or so they claim), and also like to encourage people to be aviation geeks, so it’s common for airlines to give their pilots airplane trading cards. The idea is that passengers can ask for these trading cards, and then they typically feature the aircraft being flown, so that passengers can collect different cards.It seems the general popularity of airplane trading cards has increased…

“There’s a whole list of things that they’ll rule on, but I’m expecting findings of noncompliance regarding the ban, and findings of noncompliance regarding many of the restrictions. We find the same issues at airport after airport.” Source: From comments made by local Yuba County ultralight pilot David Shelton, filed in October 2025. It accuses the county of violating federal grant assurances by discriminating against certain groups of pilots while accepting more than $1 million in funding since 2022.

“Over the past three years, the EAA Aviation Foundation has tripled the number of scholarships we are able to award to students. We are grateful for our donors who contribute to our goal of helping more students achieve their aviation dreams.” Source: Rebecca Greskoviak, scholarship and fund stewardship coordinator, describing how the 2025-26 cycle of Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) Aviation Foundation scholarships gave 127 students a financial boost toward pursuing their aviation goals. With the support of the foundation’s donors, the scholarships total more than $800,000 in value.

A longtime OMAAT reader who asked to remain anonymous shared an interesting story with me. I have my own thoughts on this, and I’d be curious to hear how others feel… Four Seasons spa offers happy ending massage A frequent Four Seasons guest who has stayed at 20+ of the brand’s properties shares an experience with me, which caught him off guard. Specifically, while getting a massage at the spa of an unnamed Four Seasons in Asia, he was offered a happy ending: Not to get into any grimy details, but she pointed at my, yeah, and said the price…

In late 2021, Air India was privatized by Tata Group, which was Air India’s initial owner when the company was first founded. Since then, executives at the company have been working hard to transform the airline. Suffice it to say that this is no small task, given the state of Air India’s fleet (and that says nothing of the June 2025 crash of AI171, which was another major setback). In late 2022, Air India revealed that it would refresh the interiors of its Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, with all-new cabins, including fresh premium seats. On top of that, in…

The new Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) is part of the Digital GPS Anti-jam Receiver (DIGAR) system installed in the F-15E Strike Eagle following a contract to BAE Systems in 2022. Defense observers have noted the appearance of a new Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) on U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles photographed during Operation Epic Fury. The circular array is visible on top of the fuselage, on the starboard (right-side) right next to the speed brake. ‘Abd’, a popular military aviation analyst on X, said the CRPA is connected to the Digital GPS Anti-jam Receiver (DIGAR) system, “which is…

The visibly patched-up KC-135R Stratotanker that arrived at RAF Mildenhall on Apr. 12, 2026 was among the aircraft deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base when it was struck by Iran in March. After KC-135 Stratotanker 59-1444 arrived at RAF Mildenhall as REACH 717, spotters at the fenceline immediately noted its unusual appearance. Small unpainted patches of bodywork could be seen across the airframe, a telltale sign of battle damage repairs (BDR) made in the field. The spread of the small repairs is indicative of shrapnel damage from nearby explosions.  The aircraft had been noted deploying from the U.S. to the Middle…