Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

One of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing fighter jets shot down an intruding drone over Lake Võrtsjärv in southern Estonia on May 19, 2026, after the Estonian Defense Forces issued an air threat alert covering six counties. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said debris fell on land near the village of Kablaküla, close to Põltsamaa, with no civilian damage reported. “We received advance information from our Latvian colleagues, and our radar also detected a drone moving into southern Estonia,” Pevkur told public broadcaster ERR. “We activated the necessary measures, and a Baltic Air Policing fighter jet shot the drone down.” As…

Ambitious airline startup Riyadh Air has just announced plans to launch regularly scheduled commercial flights that are available to the public. The airline has actually already been flying for months, but we just haven’t been allowed to buy tickets… that will finally be changing! Riyadh Air tickets on sale for flights as of July 1, 2026Riyadh Air is the new Saudi Arabian funded airline that has massive growth plans, as the airline has ordered up to 72 Boeing 787-9s, up to 60 Airbus A321neos, and up to 50 Airbus A350-1000s.While Riyadh Air was supposed to launch regularly scheduled operations in the…

Qatar Airways is to expand its presence in Africa with flight resumptions, frequency increases, and a new route to Sudan starting in July 2026. According to the airline, these changes are part of its efforts to rebuild a network to more than 160 destinations worldwide. Qatar Airways is expanding its African network, with flight resumptions and frequency increases launching from 16 June 2026 onwards: Seychelles, Kigali, Marrakesh, Alexandria, Cairo, Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Lusaka-Harare, and Maputo-Durban.Starting 2 July 2026, we are also… pic.twitter.com/xAaizatQCe— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) May 18, 2026 Resuming services Starting June 16, 2026, Qatar Airways will resume…

Air New Zealand will be introducing what’s arguably the biggest innovation we’ve ever seen in economy, even if only very few passengers will be able to enjoy this. The airline will be introducing bunk beds in economy, which is something we’ve never seen before. Air New Zealand first confirmed it would introduce this back in 2022, but the actual process of rolling this out has been delayed massively. Several weeks ago there was an update that this product would soon go on sale, and that has indeed now happened. We now have all the details, including how much it will…

VIENNA — Germany will deploy a Patriot air and missile defense battery to Turkey from late June through September 2026, the German Defense Ministry announced Monday, as NATO seeks to reinforce its southeastern flank in the wake of Iranian missile strikes targeting Turkish territory.The roughly 150 soldiers drawn from Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 1, based in Husum, Germany, will form a Patriot Air and Missile Defence Task Force (AMD TF) and will relieve a U.S. unit currently stationed in the country. The German contingent will operate under NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) framework in close coordination with Turkish and remaining American…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investing $26 million to develop the next generation of pilots, mechanics and aviation technicians, as demand for air travel continues to grow. US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the funding on May 18, 2026, describing it as part of a broader effort to strengthen the workforce pipeline for the aerospace industry. Where the money will go The FAA investment will support aviation training programs designed to equip future pilots with technical skills, as well as apprenticeships and internships to provide hands-on experience. Funding will also go toward student outreach efforts aimed at boosting…

WARSAW, Poland — Polish government leaders are concerned over the Pentagon’s abrupt cancellation of a deployment of more than 4,000 soldiers to NATO’s eastern flank, citing Warsaw’s status as a multibillion-dollar U.S. weapons client in their appeal to retain American soldiers.On May 18, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the country’s deputy prime minister and national defense minister, attended a ceremony in eastern Poland related to the launch of a new engine servicing hub for the Polish fleet of Abrams tanks. The event, designed to highlight existing trans-Atlantic defense ties, was overshadowed by Washington’s recent order to halt…

South Korean carrier T’way has received domestic approval from authorities for its planned company rebrand and name change to Trinity Airways. According to AJP News Agency, T’way confirmed on May 18, 2026, that South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had issued a revised license. T’way first announced plans to change its name to Trinity Airways in September 2025, after the carrier was purchased by Daemyung Sono Group in February 2025. The name change was subsequently approved by shareholders at the group’s annual general meeting in March 2026. The low-cost carrier must now wait for approval from foreign aviation…

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has presided over a defense handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on May 18, 2026, formally transferring a multi-platform package of strategic equipment to the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI).  The batch includes six Dassault Rafale multirole fighters, four Falcon 8X business jets, one Airbus A400M MRTT, and one Thales GM403 ground-controlled interception radar, plus initial deliveries of MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles and Safran AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions.  According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense, the six aircraft will form the inventory of Skadron Udara 12 (Air Squadron 12). During the ceremony, Prabowo unveiled the squadron logo on the nose of the lead aircraft and performed a traditional water blessing. Symbolically,…

Strategically buying points for premium travel can be a great value. Finnair Plus has just launched its newest promotion on purchased Avios, offering up to a 50% bonus. This is pretty average as far as promotions from the program go, and there’s even a trick to getting the lowest price possible. Finnair Plus is offering a bonus on purchased Avios, with an early bird offer available (so you’ll get the best price if you book ASAP). If you purchase Finnair Plus Avios between May 18 and May 22, 2026, you can receive the following deal:Buy 5,000-19,000 Avios, receive a 30%…