Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

The Airbus A330 is a widebody airliner that first entered service with Air Inter in January 1994. Airbus received orders for the aircraft as early as June 1987, and since its release, the manufacturer has delivered 1,643 examples as of September 2025, making it a fairly popular and widespread passenger twinjet. However, the slightly older A320 was much more popular, and with over 12,000 produced, the A320 is the most widespread jetliner ever made. 4,157 of the A320s are of the re-engined A320neo variant, standing for ‘new engine option’, which feature modern high-bypass turbofans. Like the A320, the A330 also…

One of the oldest online tools that frequent flyers relied on has finally shut down. I guess this shouldn’t be surprising, but I also can’t make sense of why it had to be this way… After nearly 25 years, SeatGuru shuts downSeatGuru was launched all the way back in 2001, and I think just about any frequent flyer is familiar with the tool (well, maybe some young people are less familiar with it, but at least a decade ago, everyone used it). SeatGuru would show you the seat maps of most aircraft types, with notes about which seats are good…

Over the years, the commercial aviation industry has changed significantly. In the early 20th century, commercial air travel was utilized only by the wealthy as a niche mode of travel. However, as the decades passed, the commercial aviation market has evolved into a global network that connects billions of passengers and thousands of tons of cargo. As jet engines and long-range aircraft were introduced, airlines became capable of linking continents and revolutionizing global transportation. Along with the deregulation of the airline industry, carriers could compete freely on routes and pricing. In recent decades, the commercial aviation market has been dominated…

It’s not unusual to see airlines give loyalty program members the opportunity to buy up to the next elite tier if they don’t quite qualify naturally. Along those lines, the Delta SkyMiles program has just launched such a promotion, with an interesting twist (thanks to Joe for flagging this). Delta SkyMiles members have the opportunity to qualify for a higher Medallion elite status tier in 2026, with the new Elevate Your Status promotion. This opportunity is available between November 1 and December 31, 2025, and it’s intended for US-based SkyMiles members. Specifically, eligible members can make a one-time purchase of…

There are a lot of choices for business class when it comes to the commercial aviation market today, however, some truly stand out above the competition. Some boast class-leading service quality, luxurious cabin seating, or unique in-flight amenities. The top names in the business are in a race to the top, staking their airline’s success on a brand name renowned for quality and luxury. Qatar Airways is consistently named one of the world’s best business class carriers, most recently winning the title at the Skytrax World Airline Awards in 2025. This reputation is built on its flagship Qsuite product, which…

Ultra-long-haul flights, as categorized by Simple Flying, are services exceeding 8,000 nautical miles in length, take more than 15 hours to travel from gate to gate, and they are the ultimate operational stress test for an airline. Only a handful of carriers actually fly these services routinely, each choosing to do so for a different strategic reason. This allows them to link financial centers nonstop, tap deeper into diaspora flows, defend fortress hubs, and even capture high-yield premium traffic that will not tolerate the inconveniences of a connecting flight. New kinds of long-haul aircraft make this possible, with next-generation, long-range…

An unclassified U.S. Air Force report, mandated by the 2025 NDAA, included figures of the required combat fleet, calling for an increase of nearly 300 jets. The U.S. Air Force needs a total of 1,558 combat-coded jets, nearly 300 more than its current fleet of 1,271 in fiscal year 2026, which could be supported by U.S. aerospace majors hiking their production numbers. These figures, and a host of industrial and operational preparedness recommendations were a part of an unclassified U.S. Air Force report, mandated by the 2025 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) and to be submitted every year until 2029.…

Across the US Air Force, (USAF) squadrons are steadily transitioning to the F-35 Lightning II as F-16 Fighting Falcons are retired. Meanwhile, the other variants of the F-35 have also replaced fighters in the Navy and Marines. The same pattern is unfolding in Europe, the Pacific, and the Middle East, where allies like the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Australia, Japan, and Israel are already flying the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35). Still others, like Poland, Switzerland, and Greece, have more orders pending. A direct, head-to-head comparison of the F-35, aka “Fat Amy” as it is nicknamed, and the F-16 “Viper” highlights…

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has placed an order with Sikorsky for two additional S-70i Firehawk firefighting helicopters. In a year that brutally demonstrated the threat that wildfires pose to the cities and towns of Los Angeles County, USA, the County’s Fire Department has chosen to expand its existing fleet of firefighting aircraft with two brand new Sikorsky helicopters. Announced by Lockheed Martin, parent company of Sikorsky, on Oct. 29, 2025, the helicopters will join the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) fleet of five existing Sikorsky S-70s and three Bell 412s. “The  Firehawk helicopter has been the cornerstone of…

The commercial aviation industry has changed drastically over the past several decades. In the early-to-mid-20th century, air travel was recognized as a niche mode of travel reserved for the wealthy. However, in recent years, the industry has evolved into a global network that connects billions of passengers and tons of cargo each year. In the early days of air travel, airlines operated small fleets of propeller aircraft that could only fly direct to a limited number of destinations. However, over the years, the commercial aviation industry has expanded rapidly. As jet engines and long-range aircraft were introduced, airlines became capable…