United Airlines
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United Airlines grounds Airbus A321neo fleet over antiquated no smoking sign law
United Airlines has grounded a fleet of planes due to a 1990 that requires all no smoking signs to be operated by the crew. These aircraft have software that automatically turn the sign on during flights.
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.
A 5G deadline could ground some US flights starting July 1st
Planes without compatible altimeters won't be allowed to fly in low visibility.
United is putting 4K displays and Bluetooth on its planes
United is installing almost 300,000 units of Panasonic Avionics' Astrova in-flight entertainment (IFE) screens on select new Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
United and Archer will open an air taxi route to Chicago’s O’Hare airport in 2025
Archer Aviation and United Airlines announced a partnership today to launch a commercial air taxi route in Chicago. The companies plan to launch the flight path between downtown and O’Hare International Airport in 2025.
United Airlines plans to buy up to 500 electric flying taxis
The company also invested $15 million into eVTOL maker Eve Air Mobility.
United Airlines plans to add 15 Boom Supersonic jets to its fleet
he carrier plans to purchase 15 of Boom's Overture planes once the aircraft meets its "demanding safety, operating and requirements."
United Airlines unveils plan to fund more sustainable jet fuel made from trash
(Reuters) -United Airlines said on Tuesday it has partnered with global firms including Nike Inc and Siemens AG in an "Eco-Skies Alliance" to finance use this year of about 3.4 million gallons of low-carbon, sustainable aviation fuel derived from trash. Though tiny compared with the 4.3 billion gallons of jet fuel that United consumed in 2019 prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount triples the roughly 1 million gallons of sustainable fuel it has used each year since 2016. Airlines have used sustainable fuel since 2008 as part of efforts to reduce outright emissions, but so far this represents barely 1 percent of the fuel used worldwide, industry groups say.
United Airlines offers easier biometric clearance for frequent flyers
United Airlines is joining the likes of Delta and British Airways in using biometric security to speed up your airport visits. The airline has forged a deal with Clear that will bring speedy facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to its frequent flyers, helping them skip the usual document checks. Clear will be available in United's hubs at Newark Liberty International and Houston George Bush Intercontinental this summer, and there are "efforts" underway to make Clear lanes available at Chicago O'Hare in the moths ahead. Many passengers will get discounts on Clear as well, although the amount depends on just how devoted you are.
United covers over the cameras on its in-flight entertainment systems
Just because airlines don't want passengers video chatting from phones while they're in the air doesn't mean there was never a thought of selling it as a service, and as a result some airplanes have seat-back entertainment systems with a camera embedded. However, even if they're not plugged into a service, privacy-conscious fliers have raised enough concern -- the idea that someone could be watching, or that it could enable facial recognition is admittedly creepy -- that United Airlines has used stickers to cover up cameras that exist in some of its systems. In a statement to Buzzfeed News, a United spokesperson said "None of these cameras were ever activated and we had no plans to use them in the future, however we took the additional step to cover the cameras. The cameras are a standard feature that manufacturers of the system included for possible future purposes such as video conferencing." However, United isn't the only airline with such hardware installed, as the report points out, much of the uproar over these cameras occurred after fliers spotted the devices in systems on American Airlines and Singapore Airlines flights (both said the cameras are disabled on their planes).
United Airlines providing iPhone 6 Plus to more than 23,000 flight attendants
The iPhone 6 Plus has been dominating the phablet market since its release, but thanks to United Airlines the device is about to become omnipresent on certain flights. Today United announced they will be equipping more than 23,000 flight attendants with the devices for company use and customer service. Flight attendants will start getting their iPhone 6 Plus' in the second quarter of 2015. United says the phones will allow attendants to make retail transactions, access company email, view airline manuals, and access the company's internet network. Attendants will also be able to report and follow-up on cabin issues, including needed repairs, through the phones. There's no word yet on how transactions will be handled, but it would be simple and inexpensive to equip the phones with card readers. Sam Risoli, United Airlines senior vice president of inflight services, had this to say on the iPhone program. We are thrilled to make this investment in our flight attendants. iPhone 6 Plus will enable them to deliver an even higher level of flyer-friendly service and will offer our flight attendants simple, one-touch access to valuable work information, enabling them to better serve our customers. In addition to giving its employees the iPhone, United announced plans to develop tools for customers using the iPhone 6 Plus. Whether this will be some version of Apple Pay or simply allowing transactions on the United app, we'll have to wait and see.
The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for March 13, 2014
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
United Airlines launching in-flight iOS movie service, and other news for March 13, 2014
United Airlines is about to launch a brand new in-flight entertainment services for iOS users. The service will let anyone with an iPhone or iPad launch the United app in-flight and get immediate access to over 150 movies and 200 TV shows. The news first appeared on PatentlyApple: Starting this April, United Airlines will roll out a new personal device entertainment system onboard select aircraft for Apple's iPhone and iPad running iOS 7 exclusively at launch time. With the new service United Airline customers will be able to choose from over 150 movies and nearly 200 TV shows and watch them free of charge. According to United, "Most planes will be equipped with the new system very soon, and we'll have it installed on most domestic aircraft by the end of 2014. We'll begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and select 777-200 aircraft, followed by additional fleets. In the end, all United-operated flights will have some form of entertainment. On the smartphone side of things the program will only support iOS devices at launch, but fliers with both Mac and PC laptop will also be able to access the new in-flight entertainment system via a browser plugin. The United Airlines app can be downloaded now, although the new functionality will not launch until April. In other news: The new Apple TV software update released earlier this week also allows for AirPlay discoverability over Bluetooth. The Nation and Green America have launched a campaign to get Apple to eliminate more toxic chemicals from its products and improve factory workers' conditions. Microsoft has launched a new iOS app: My Apps – Windows Azure Active Directory.
Boeing prepares to deliver United's 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video)
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is the hottest bird in aviation, and while the American-made airliner has already taken flight with passengers aboard, it has yet to land with US-flag air carrier livery along the fuselage. Japan's All Nippon Airways was the first to take delivery, with the premier pair making their way from the assembly line in September of 2011. Last year Japan Airlines made its first scheduled voyage across the Pacific in a Dreamliner of its own, and we were fortunate enough to fly roundtrip on a domestic ANA flight leaving from Tokyo a few months later. But now the 787 is making its way to an American carrier. As the first US airline to operate the plane, United Airlines is about to take delivery of its first of 50 Dreamliners, which will join the carrier's fleet to service both existing and new routes, such as Denver to Tokyo, which is set to launch in late March of next year. We traveled to Boeing's Everett, Washington factory today for a first look at United's aircraft. While the Dreamliner looks physically identical to ANA's plane, the on-board experience is decidedly different from what we saw in Japan. Though the Dreamliner has a very similar layout to United's bigger 777, it feels roomier thanks to larger windows with dimmable shades, expanded overheard bins and higher ceilings. There's plenty more to see, though, so jump past the break for a video tour of United's new mid-size flagship, and a closer look in photos. %Gallery-161666%
United 787 Dreamliner emerges from Boeing factory, complete with golden head-to-tail 'swoop'
The first US-based 787 carrier is inching closer to its Dreamliner service launch. United Airlines celebrated the plane's rollout today at Boeing's Everett, Washington factory. The aircraft, which is set to begin international service later this year, received a custom livery, which includes a curved "swoop" -- which oddly enough appears to be the focus of design chatter. That may just be because the public has yet to take a peek inside, though we did have an opportunity to hitch a ride on ANA's variant last year, which has been flying throughout Japan since late 2011. Despite All Nippon's head start, United's flavor has garnered much attention domestically, marking a massive milestone in the Dreamliner's delayed launch. Hit up our source link below for a few more (exterior) views, courtesy of United.
United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps
It won't be enough to cancel out the Engadget editor using in-flight WiFi to upload photo galleries (sorry, guys), but it should make web surfing from coach a little less tedious. United has just announced that it will be upgrading its Gogo in-air WiFi service to take advantage of Gogo's enhanced ATG-4 service, which promises to bump speeds from the current 3.1 Mbps to 9.8 Mbps using directional antennae, dual modems and EV-DO Rev. B. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that United has so far only committed to retrofitting its premium service fleet, which includes 13 planes that fly between New York's JFK and either LAX or SFO.
The Engadget Interview: ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg on Exede and the future of in-flight WiFi
When you think about satellite internet, dismal speeds, ridiculous latency and astronomical fees are likely first to come to mind. But the only technology capable of blanketing our entire planet in connectivity is now able to provide a fast, consistent and affordable experience, thanks to one market-leading company, and the vision and leadership of Mark Dankberg. Launched from Dankberg's home in Southern California, ViaSat lit up on the map in 1986, and spent the first two decades focused on government and corporate contracts. Last year's launch of ViaSat-1, however, beamed the company straight toward the top of the North American satellite broadband market, bringing high-speed internet to the rural masses. Pair the company's Exede household product with airline contracts for in-flight WiFi, and you have one ever-growing infrastructure giant. We sat down with Dankberg -- ViaSat's CEO since inception -- at the company's Carlsbad, California headquarters, learning about the Exede service launch, a portable newsgathering rig and what the future of in-flight WiFi may look like on airlines like JetBlue and United. Join us past the break for the interview in full, and an inside look at how ViaSat plans to transform the entire satellite internet experience.
Reports: American Airlines wins FAA approval for in-cockpit iPads, will launch Friday
If you fly as an American Airlines premium passenger, you'll get to play with a Galaxy Tab. If you actually fly the plane, though, you'll have to make do with an iPad. According to ZDNet, the carrier has already won FAA approval to use iPads "as electronic chart and digital flight manual readers," making it the world's first airline to be totally tablet friendly. A source close to the situation tells ZDNet that AA "will begin iPad operations on B-777 aircraft" before expanding to other planes, and that both first and second generation devices have been cleared for cockpit use. An AA pilot, meanwhile, tells TechCrunch that the company's tablets will feature JeppTC (a flight chart app available in the App Store), and that all onboard slates will be required to fly with an extra battery. The program, slated to kick off this Friday, could also offer substantial savings in paper and fuel costs. According to Seattle Pi's estimates, a single iPad would replace some 35 pounds of paper per year, translating to approximately $1.2 million in saved fuel costs. Insiders say United and Delta are pursuing similar initiatives, with the latter reportedly looking for an Android-specific solution, though at the moment, only American Airlines has won the FAA's seal of approval.
In-flight WiFi coming to 300 United and Continental aircraft beginning in mid-2012, entire fleet covered by 2015
Planning to fly on United or Continental at any point over the next few years? Then it looks like your odds of having in-flight WiFi will be getting increasingly better. United Continental Holdings announced today that it's signed an agreement with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring satellite-based WiFi connectivity to more than 300 of its aircraft beginning in mid-2012. Those aircraft will include Airbus 319 and 320 and Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777 and 787, and the company says it expects its entire mainline fleet to be covered by 2015. No specific word on any additional content or services that will come with it (or a cost, for that matter), but the company promises that the system will "enable wireless streaming of video content."
Daily Update for August 23, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
