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United Airlines grounded flights for an hour after a bad software update
United Airlines briefly grounded all flights in the US due to a "computer issue." The cause of the problem is not yet clear.
Virgin Galactic postpones space tourism flights again
Virgin Galactic has announced that its commercial space tourism service has been delayed yet again, from the end of this year until Q2 2023.
Google adds some useful features for finding flights and hotels
You can now track flights between cities for six months to find the best prices.
This livestream of planes landing in a storm has derailed our day
Landing in a strong crosswind is no joke, as any pilot (or passenger) can attest.
Spotify is taking over Delta's entire in-flight audio section
Spotify is taking over the audio section of Delta's in-flight seatback entertainment by offering select playlists along with 42 podcast series.
London City is the first major airport to control air traffic via a digital tower
London City Airport has become the first major international airport to launch a remote air traffic control system.
NASA wants to play a big part in the development of electric aircraft
NASA is working with the aviation industry to develop Electrified Aircraft Propulsion tools and designs in a bid to introduce the systems to commercial flights by 2035.
Europe's aviation safety agency is planning an eco ranking for flights
The EU's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plans to create eco-ranking labels labels for the airline industry.
Norway’s first battery-powered plane crashed into a lake
Norway's first battery-powered airplane crashed into a lake yesterday, Reuters reports. While no one was harmed in the crash, the incident could be a set back for the country, which hopes to electrify all domestic flights by 2040.
Google Flights will refund the difference if prices drop unexpectedly
Just after shutting down its Trips travel-planning app, Google has announced a raft of travel-related features for other products, including a flight price guarantee. For a limited time, when it tells you prices won't drop on a trip you book through Google Flights, it'll refund the difference if it's wrong and the cost does get lower before you take off.
Google Assistant will warn you when it predicts flight delays
Google has predicted flight delays for a while, but only if you've searched for a flight yourself. Wouldn't it be better if it warned you before you packed your bags? It will soon. In addition to bringing delay predictions to Assistant, Google is rolling out proactive warnings over the next few weeks. If your post-holidays return trip is likely to start late, Assistant will both let you know and provide a reason if one is available. You'll know to grab an extra book or TV episode for that longer wait at your gate.
Get your hotel rooms and flights right from Google search
Google Flights is already a great place to search when you're headed out on vacation or business trips. It uses AI to predict possible flight delays, too, and helps you find rate information on hotels and airline tickets based on peak travel times. Now some new updates will help you find and book hotels and flights right in a Google search.
Hopper app uses predictive pricing tech to find NYC hotels
You always hear about the best time to book your travels for big savings, but do you ever follow up? Hint: You're better off nabbing Thanksgiving flights now. That's according to Hopper, a startup that relies on big data to help you purchase cheap airfares through its app. Now, it's applying its predictive smarts to hotels, starting in NYC.
US won't ban laptops on European flights, at least for now
After weeks of discussions, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said it won't enforce a ban on laptops and other personal electronics on flights to the US from Europe. While officials remain keen to "implement any and all measures necessary to secure commercial aircraft" flying into the US, airlines and European officials appear to have sufficiently stalled negotiations on the blanket ban mooted earlier this month by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
Airbnb reportedly working on a flight-booking feature
Bloomberg reports that short-term rental listing service, Airbnb is looking to get into airline reservation game as well. According to unnamed sources within the company, Airbnb's plans are still in the formational stages. The company could either acquire an online travel agency outright or simply license the booking data.
Google Flights adds price-tracking notifications
Booking the cheapest flight can be daunting. Should you book from an airline's site or go with something like Expedia? Plus, there's the trick of using Chrome in Incognito Mode can usually save you a few bucks. Of course none of those tell you when is the best time to buy tickets. That's what Google Flights is hoping to do.
Google helps you find deals on flights and hotels
Planning a vacation often revolves around the delicate art of booking flights and hotels at just the right moment to get a great deal, and Google knows it. The internet pioneer is rolling out a slew of updates that, for the most part, are focused on getting you the best possible bargain. To start, you'll see automatic "deal" labels in searches whenever a hotel rate goes below the norm, and tips when tweaking the dates of your stay could save you some cash. You can also filter hotel searches for very exact criteria -- if you want to look for four-star hotels in Chicago that allow pets, you can. The tips and filters are only now rolling out (filters are limited to the US at first), but they'll be available worldwide over the course of the year.
Don't even think about vaping on a plane
There are a number of public places where smoking is banned but the use of e-cigarettes is not. Well, you can take commercial flights off of that list. The US Department of Transportation banned the use of the smoking devices on planes that are leaving from or coming to the States. In other words, the no smoking rule that was already in place for tobacco products was expanded to include electronic cigarettes as well.
FAA says a buggy software update grounded flights
Ever got a bad smartphone update? Now imagine that your phone controls air traffic on the Eastern seaboard, and you have some idea what happened to flights on Saturday. The FAA said that a software update that was supposed to help controllers see frequently used info at a radar facility ended up bringing down the overall system. That caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights in Baltimore and Washington, DC, reducing capacity up to 28 percent. The agency said everything's fine now that it's disabled the new function, and it's working with Lockheed Martin to figure out why the bug wasn't caught in testing. Meanwhile, you can now factor software glitches, hacking and bad routers into your flight plans.
Google knows if your flight has WiFi
Google Flight Search can send you to a random spot on the globe, and now it'll tell you if that fare offers WiFi too. Through a partnership with flight-rating service Routehappy, the search giant will populate your queries with amenity information like the aforementioned internet availability, in-seat power outlets, media streaming to your own device and seat type. Since trips on Virgin America's kitted out planes aren't exactly feasible for every trip, Google's new tools should make it easier to see what flights offer a somewhat comparable experience before you board. [Image credit: Jupiterimages.com]
