Flight

IF you‘re already thinking about next year’s holiday and want to bag a bargain then set your alarm for tomorrow.

easyJet is set to put lots of flights on sale for summer 2027 in its next Big Seat Release – and they’ll be cheap too.

From tomorrow, the airline will put flights on sale for travel between June 14 and September 26.

Talking to MoneySavingExpert, easyJet revealed that almost 14million seats will be available to book – that’s more than 78,000 flights.

But if you want to get cheap deals, you’ll need to start early as when demand goes up, so do the prices.

A time for the release hasn’t been confirmed yet, but usually it’s around 6am or sometimes earlier.

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An easyJet spokesperson told the publication: “We encourage customers to book early to get the best fares.

“Fares are demand-driven so they start low and rise as more seats on the aircraft are booked.”

Talking about the easyJet seat release, Martin Lewis described it as “the most predictable time to get cheap flights” – which means there’s likely to be a sharp increase in flight prices.

In its last release, which was in March, millions of seats were available for holidays in winter 2027, including February half-term.

Some of its deals included one-way flights to Paris from London Gatwick from £31.99.

There were also flights to Agadir in Morocco from London Gatwick on February 23, 2027, for £37.99 one-way.

A couple have shared the game-changing hack they used to guarantee they get a full row to themselves on a plane – but there’s one big catch that means it doesn’t always work

A savvy booking trick could see you snapping up an entire plane row for yourself. Let’s be honest – flying is rarely a comfortable experience, particularly when you’re wedged next to strangers for hours on end in a cramped seat with minimal legroom and precious little room to breathe.

However, if you’re travelling with a companion, there’s a nifty hack worth trying that could leave you both with the whole row to yourselves. One woman and her partner recently put the trick to the test on social media, and ended up with considerably more space than they’d ordinarily have had.

In a TikTok video, Lucy-Emma revealed that she and her partner had each booked the window seat and the aisle seat in the same row, deliberately leaving the middle seat vacant. They were banking on no one else claiming that middle spot, effectively bagging an extra seat without spending a penny extra – and it came off brilliantly.

She said: “We decided to do the thing where you book the aisle and the window seat and hope that no one sits here [in the middle seat]. Especially because I dislocated my toe this morning, and I want somewhere to put my feet up.”

Lucy-Emma later captured herself and her partner on film once all passengers had boarded, confirming that the middle seat remained unoccupied. This meant she could use it to rest her injured foot, while also taking advantage of the tray table to give herself extra room to watch her favourite show on her laptop.

Viewers of the video were left gobsmacked, with many having no idea that booking two seats and leaving the middle one empty was even an option. Others, however, admitted they were petty enough to deliberately book the middle seat just to scupper couples attempting to use this trick to their advantage.

One person said: “I didn’t know you could do this!”

Another added: “Wow, so lucky!”

But one argued: “And I’m the a**hole who sits in the middle seat and refuses an offer to swap seats. S*** goes both ways.”

A fourth also shared: “I’m that person who purposely books the middle seat just to miff people off.”

Numerous other commenters were quick to flag that this method is far from foolproof. Certain airlines may not permit you to leave the middle seat vacant, while on fully booked flights, the seat could simply be assigned to another passenger.

One person pointed out: “Doesn’t this only work if the flight isn’t full? If the flight is full, the booking system will automatically put someone there who hasn’t booked a seat.”

As such, this isn’t a reliable method of securing extra space on board, as you could find yourself with a complete stranger wedged between you and your travel companion – and they may well refuse to budge so the pair of you can sit together.

If you’re looking to guarantee more room on a flight, the only surefire solution is to book the middle seat yourself, which some airlines may offer at a reduced rate compared to your actual seat.

July 24 (UPI) — SpaceX on Friday had a successful 13th flight test of Starship, the space vessel and rocket duo that is expected to help NASA return humans to the moon.

Starship lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas around 6:45 p.m. on a suborbital trajectory — just barely getting to space while performing a number of key maneuvers — before a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Both SpaceX and its owner, Elon Musk, said in posts on X that the test was a success, most notably because of the significant improvement in performance for the ship’s heat shield during reentry.

They also said it was notable that after mimicking the way Starship will eventually land upright, the vessel did not explode upon landing in the Indian Ocean and was still transmitting telemetry data and video.

The test of Starship’s third iteration had been pushed back several times because of weather concerns, which would have interfered in parts of the SpaceX team’s test goals.

The flight was the second for the third version of Starship and its Super Heavy V3 booster, and accomplished — with updated systems — a similar set of test objectives as the 12th flight, SpaceX said.

“A key objective for the flight test is to get clear imagery from the ground of Starship’s heatshield as it flies at a higher dynamic pressure during ascent, which won’t be possible with today’s weather conditions,” SpaceX said in an update on X after scrubbing Thursday’s launch attempt.

“Visibility is forecast to be ideal for a Friday attempt,” the company said.

SpaceX said that upgrades to Starship for the 13th flight test have included changes to the vessel’s startup sequence and adjustments to Raptor engines on both its booster section and the ship itself.

The upgrades were meant to address issues with a small number of engines during boost back and relighting in space during the 12th flight test.

Starship also will be carrying 20 Starlink V3 satellites into space during the test flight, which SpaceX said “aim to greatly expand the network’s capacity and user speeds.”

IF you’re jetting off to any beautiful Red Sea resorts this summer check your passport before travelling.

Unlike countries in the EU, Egypt requires more time left on your passport and it’s catching Brits out with some missing out on their holidays altogether.

There are two very important requirements to get into Egypt for Brits.

The first is that your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least six months after the date you arrive.

The second is that it must have at least one blank page to be stamped.

Most countries only require three months left on a passport after the date of arrival, so it’s not surprising that some Brits are being caught out.

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One woman recently missed out on a £6,500 holiday to Egypt.

Victoria Vigors was headed on a two-week ‘holiday of a lifetime’ with her family but was stopped before boarding.

Her nine-year-old daughter Roxie’s passport was being scanned and is was then they discovered Roxie’s passport did not have the required period of validity remaining for travel to Egypt.

Roxie’s passport technically expired on January 4, 2027, but with Egypt requiring at least six months left on them, it meant it wasn’t valid.

Talking to creatorzine.com, Victoria said: “I wasn’t aware of the rules. For people like me who don’t always travel and it’s the first time with my children, I didn’t know.

“I would have thought when I put her passport details in to check in that would tell me it wasn’t valid.”

Victoria added: “That would be a simple system to install so save this agony and heartbreak.”

The family are now trying to get an emergency passport to try and enjoy the last few days of the trip they’ve paid for, as they were unable to get a refund.

Also check visa requirements into the country as they vary depending on the location.

For example if you are staying for less than 15 days at a resort in Sharm El Sheikh, you don’t need a visa.

However, if you’re heading to Hurghada you’ll need a visa which you can apply for online or on arrival.

If you apply online, e-visa applications must be submitted a minimum of seven days.

Another country to be aware of the entry rules is Turkey which needs at least 150 days left on passports from the date of arrival.

If you find your passport is technically out of date shortly before your holidays, then you can look at getting a fast-track renewal.

Before travelling this summer, here are all the new rules you need to be aware of, from eGates and passports to visas and power banks.

RYANAIR boss has warned Brits not to be late for their flight as planes will takeoff without them.

The news comes after reports of hour-long delays at border control as a result of the introduction of the EU’s new Entry/Exit system (EES).

Talking on The Telegraph’s podcast, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said: “We will not wait for anybody.

“Our priority is to those passengers who are at the boarding gate when boarding starts. If you’re not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you.”

He further added that it is the responsibility of the traveller to leave enough time to get themselves through the airport on time.

It comes after reports of up to six-hour long queues at passport control and in some cases, passengers have missed flights as a result.

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At the beginning of June, 150 Ryanair passengers missed their flight from Toulouse to the UK due to the queues.

In another case, British passengers who were still in the airport queuing through passport control missed their Ryanair flight from Athens to London Luton.

One passenger told the BBC at the time that there had been a “mega queue” at Athens International Airport where hundreds of people were waiting at both security and passport control.

The plane took off without around 50 of its passengers.

However, Michael O’Leary said that planes cannot wait for anyone caught up in the chaos.

He added: “We’re not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues.

“They have to show up at the airport earlier [and] be at the boarding gate, otherwise they’re not flying.”

Ryanair had previously called for EES to be delayed until September to save the summer holidays – but it has continued to go ahead.

With EES still in place, airlines are advising Brits to leave arrive three to four hours early for your flight to Europe this summer.

HEADING to Turkey for your summer holiday in the next few weeks? Make sure to double check your passport before flying.

Brits are repeatedly being caught out before they travel by things like passport expiry dates and leaving blank pages for stamps.

Thomas Cook has found that travel to Turkey is up 37 per cent year-on-year with Brits heading to places like the sparkling Turquoise Coast.

For those heading on holiday soon, it’s important to have a reminder of the entry rules as they are different to countries in the Schengen Area.

Brits heading to Turkey need at least 150 days left on their passport from the date of arrival.

This is different to the EU rules which requires three months, compared to Turkey’s nearly five months.

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If you don’t have the right amount of time then you may be denied entry by your airline before flying, or at the border on arrival.

Even worse news is that if this happens, travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of cancelled accommodation, missed flights or return travel.

Another requirement to enter Turkey is that passports need to have one completely blank page.

This is to allow room for entry and exit stamps or full-page visas.

Airlines may check this before passengers even board the plane, as they could face fines if a passenger is later refused entry.

So if you’re a frequent flyer, check how many blank pages you have remaining in your passport before booking a trip.

The UK Foreign Office currently states: “To enter Turkey, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 150 days after the date you arrive and at least 1 blank page.

“You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document.”

If you need a new passport for your holiday, you may want to look at applying now as typical renewals can take around three weeks.

There is a fast-track service if your passport isn’t valid and you need to travel soon.

For more information on passport rules, visas and items you need to pack in your hand luggage this summer – head here.

Claire Howard, 48, flew from Birmingham to Beauvais, northern France, for a day of food, sightseeing and sunshine — she was back in the UK by midnight and said the whole trip cost just £70

A teacher hopped on a plane to France for lunch and claims it was more affordable than a standard day out in the UK.

Claire Howard jetted off to Beauvais, France, for a leisurely day of dining, exploring and sunshine and was back home before midnight. The 48-year-old woman found return Ryanair flights for merely £27 and secured them a month beforehand.

The early morning flight departed Birmingham at approximately 7.30am, with the homebound journey leaving at 11pm. Her husband gave her a lift to the airport, and she caught a £1.80 bus to Beauvais that took 15 minutes. Claire, who is a mum, believes the entire trip, including flights, buses, food, and drink, came to roughly £70.

Claire, from Birmingham, said: “I’ve been to Paris a few times and didn’t want to travel in from Beauvais as Paris is really pricey and busy.

“I just wanted to see what was actually in Beauvais itself for a relaxing day of wandering, eating, and drinking. I just saw on Skyscanner that return flights were only £27, so I went for it.

“It’s exciting to go to a different country just for lunch or to explore for a day. The bus from the airport to the centre is very cheap. It’s just a different feeling abroad.

“It makes it feel much more like an adventure than just going somewhere at home. I don’t want to pay £50 to go to the cinema and lunch here in a shopping centre when I can go and experience so much more abroad for a very reasonable price.”

The English teacher spent her morning exploring the city’s weekly Saturday market, treating herself to a coffee and a pain au chocolat for just £4. She then unwound with a drink in the town square, soaking up live music before hopping in a £10 Uber to Plan d’Eau du Canada, a beloved lakeside destination.

For lunch, she put together an £8 French-style picnic featuring a supermarket baguette, cheese, and a small bottle of wine, which she enjoyed while reading and sunbathing beside the water. Her packed itinerary also took in Beauvais Cathedral and the neighbouring Musée de l’Oise, both of which were completely free to enter.

The day wrapped up with a Pad Thai supper at a nearby Thai restaurant for roughly £10, before she made her way back to the airport for her evening flight home. She also picked up an £8 bracelet as a memento of her trip.

Claire said: “I’d say it could probably be done even cheaper. I do stay over in some places depending on flight times but it wasn’t necessary for this trip as the flight times fit and I could still have an evening meal and a full day.

“There’s no point in staying over to get a flight home the next morning as it’s a waste of accommodation money.” Claire admits she’s become completely addicted to budget day trips overseas after stumbling across bargain flights from Birmingham Airport, jetting off to a new destination almost every month.

Just this year alone, she’s already ticked off Bergamo in Italy, Malaga in Spain, Valetta in Malta, Poznan in Poland, and Porto in Portugal. She’s already snapped up return flights to Poland and Berlin in August for just £70.

Claire said: “I’m just led by what is possible and affordable. I can’t take time off at all in term time but I have Tuesdays off so I do like to make use of them.

“I just love the way you can do and see so much in the same time that you might waste a day at home just watching Netflix and doomscrolling. I usually find the best prices four to six weeks in advance. My husband doesn’t like short trips so he’s not jealous.”

Picking the right plane seat can make all the difference to your journey – and one flight attendant says there’s a simple strategy that could leave you with a much more comfortable flight

Whether it’s a weekend break or a long-haul holiday, most travellers spend at least a little time trying to pick the best seat on the plane that they can find. Now, one flight attendant has shared the plane seats she always recommends booking in economy – along with the ones she avoids at all costs if you want a more relaxing flight.

Air hostess Sandra Jennie Kwon, who posts as @jeenie.weenie on TikTok, explained how she worked out her ideal seat after years of working onboard aircraft. In the video, she says: “The first elimination should be a no-brainer – the middle seats suck.

The back row of every section doesn’t recline. I’m not a tall person, so I don’t need the emergency exit rows. There’s also nowhere to store your personal belongings there. They also have those flimsy tray tables and seats, so let’s scrap them.”

The travel expert then revealed why she prefers sitting towards the back of the plane, explaining that airlines typically fill seats from the front first to help with weight distribution.

Because of this, she believes passengers at the back are more likely to end up with an empty seat next to them.

“For those odds, I prefer the back,” she said. “Seats near a toilet really stink, so I recommend a five-row buffer just to stay in the safe zone.”

She also ruled out window seats for one simple reason.

“I hate asking people to move so I can use the toilet,” she explained. “So I eliminate all the window seats.”

However, she admitted there’s one advantage to sitting closer to the front.

“Meals are typically served from front to back, so you have a higher chance of getting your first meal choice.”

After weighing up the pros and cons, Sandra revealed her ideal economy seats are 49 C, D, F or G.

Her advice quickly sparked debate online.

One person joked: “No! Now everyone will rush to these seats and they’ll become more expensive than business class.”

Another wrote: “I was listening right up until you scrapped the window seat.”

A third added: “The amount of people that’ll be fighting for seats 49 C/D/F/G after watching this… omg.”

While someone else commented: “Me taking notes even though I probably won’t be on a plane for another year.”

AN airline has temporarily axed one of its routes until the end of August.

Skybus has announced there will be no services between Newquay and St Mary’s Airport on the Scilly Isles with existing customers being rerouted.

Passengers received the news yesterday of the cancellations with Skybus.

The airline explained the route has been suspended due to “a combination of a shortage of both aircraft and qualified pilots”.

Skybus continued to say: “We have explored every available option to maintain the Newquay service, but with a limited fleet and crew availability, we would be unable to operate the route reliably throughout the remainder of the summer.

“Our priority is to provide certainty for our passengers.

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“We want to assure passengers booked to travel between Newquay and St Mary’s, you will be transferred onto a Skybus flight departing from Land’s End Airport on the same date.”

They said that by “concentrating” available aircraft and crews on services from Land’s End they can “provide greater reliability and reduce the risk of further disruption during the peak travel period.”

Customers will be contacted soon with dates for alternative flights.

They will also be offered free parking at Land’s End Airport, a refund of any fare difference between their original and revised flights, and a voucher to spend at the airport café.

Skybus operates year-round to the Isles of Scilly, but only from Land’s End Airport – and flights take about 20 minutes.

Flights from Newquay and Exeter usually operate seasonally between late March to October.

The Exeter route will continue as normal.

July 16 (UPI) — SpaceX on Thursday scrubbed the planned 13th test light of its massive Starship megarocket just seconds before it was set to lift off from the company’s Texas Starbase.

The launch was abruptly canceled just before the “Super Heavy” booster was about to ignite its multiple engines.

“Standing down from today’s flight test attempt,” launch commanders posted on X, without immediately offering a further explanation.

It remained unclear when another launch would be scheduled.

In the build-up to the planned launch, the company says it is aiming to fine-tune the performance of third version of the most powerful rocket ever built with Thursday’s mission — specifically the Super Heavy booster.

During the 12th test flight May 22 it encountered several hiccups, including slight differences in engine startup at separation stage causing the directional flip of the booster to be off by approximately 90 degrees.

The booster was supposed to perform a sustained burn to a controlled landing in the gulf, but the engine failure meant it fell back to Earth instead in a “hard splashdown,” SpaceX said in its launch report.

The Federal Aviation Administration said there were no reports of public injury or damage to public property from the mishap.

In response, SpaceX said in a blog post that “the startup sequence has been modified to be more robust to timing variability and more reliably flip in the desired direction, which is done to increase overall performance.”

Also during Flight 12, the Super Heavy booster encountered problems when attempting its boostback burn in which five of its 33 engines malfunctioned when attempting to re-light. This caused the boostback burn to end early.

“The Super Heavy on this upcoming flight has hardware modifications to improve re-light reliability along with updates to engine alarms and aborts to match the conditions seen in the multi-engine flight environment,” Space X said.

The Starship system has two parts: the Super Heavy booster and the spacecraft itself, also called Starship, or sometimes just “Ship.”

Flight 12 was the first launch of the third version of the system, which is the first capable of deep-space flight. Plans call for Starship to carry Artemis 4 astronauts to the surface of the moon in a mission set for late 2028.

In another notable element of Thursday’s Flight 13, Starship for the first time will carry V3 Starlink satellites to space as the company aims to “greatly expand” its communications network’s capacity and user speeds.

As part of this initial test, Starship is set to deploy 20 satellites which will extend solar arrays and antennas in a bid to connect with the larger Starlink constellation via high-capacity lasers as they will be on the same suborbital trajectory as Starship.

Those satellites are designed to burn up on reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere approximately 20 minutes after deployment.

EastEnders star Tracy-Ann Oberman claims she was refused boarding on a Ryanair flight to Spain, as she was told her passport was not valid under new European rules

Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman has issued a passport warning to fellow travellers after claiming she was turned away from a Ryanair flight. The 59-year-old star, best known for her role as Chrissie Watts in EastEnders, said she had a year remaining on her passport. However, due to new European regulations, she was denied boarding.

Taking to X earlier this month, she wrote: “Just tried boarding a flight to Spain. My passport runs out June 2027. Was refused boarding because apparently it ran out in 2026 according to new European rules. Can anyone explain this to me ?I’m now stuck.” She later added: “I had a whole year [on my passport] but they said it didn’t count.

“Ryanair people said that they get fined for people travelling with the extra year on their passport and they don’t want to pay the fine is that illegal.”

One person replied: “It doesn’t matter what date is expiring, it’s only valid for 10 years from issue,” as Tracy-Ann replied: “I wasn’t aware of this. It doesn’t flag it up massively when you book the ticket.”

While another wrote: “Clock runs from issue date. Chances are you renewed yours early. The EU doesn’t recognise the ‘bonus’ months.”

Ryanair has been approached for comment.

What are the new European passport rules?

If you renewed your burgundy UK passport early, the most crucial point to bear in mind is that your passport must be less than 10 years old on the day you enter an EU country, meaning any “extra months” added to your expiry date from your previous passport are completely invalid for EU travel.

The burgundy colour and the words ” European Union ” on the cover do not matter; the document remains entirely valid as long as it meets post-Brexit requirements.

However, because the UK Passport Office used to add up to 9 months of unused validity onto early renewals prior to September 2018, your passport’s expiry date can deceive you into thinking it is valid when it is not.

Mandatory EU entry criteria

To travel to the EU and the Schengen Area, your passport must pass two independent tests:

1. The 10-year issue date rule: The passport must have a ‘Date of Issue’ that is less than 10 years ago on the day you arrive in the EU.

2. The 3-month expiry rule: The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the EU, based on its official expiry date.

Millions of England supporters up and down the country are gearing up for the big match tonight, but what happens if you are due to be flying while the match is being aired?

British Airways has issued an improtant update for passengers hoping to watch the World Cup match tonight.

England will take on Argentina in the semi-finals with a place in the World Cup up for grabs. England supporters up and down the country are gearing up for the big match tonight, with a number of celebrities looking forward to backing their country – incluidng Joe Wickes.

Joe Wickes, widely known as “The Body Coach,” is a British fitness expert, author, and television presenter famous for his high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and recipe books. He gained international prominence as the “PE teacher to the nation” by hosting free daily online exercise classes for children and families during the global pandemic lockdown.

But, now Joe is asking the all important question. Will British Airways passengers be able to watch the match? He took to X yesterday to ask the airline. He asked: “Hey @British_Airways will I be able to watch the @England match on my flight tomorrow?”

British Airways responded: “Hi Joe, for legal reasons we’re unable to stream live sporting events, unfortunately. However, I’m sure the crew will keep you informed of the score throughout your flight.” They added: “We’re sure the crew will be just as eager to keep an eye on events. Have a safe flight.”

Around 30,000 Three Lions supporters will pack in to the 67,382-capacity Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta, US, hoping to see Thomas Tuchel’s boys win one of the nation’s biggest games in recent memory. Back home, an audience of up to 25 million will tune in on TV, and thousands more will flock to hospitality venues or join crowds across the country for the potential grudge match.

The match has been classed as the “highest risk in the tournament” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They issued their warning fearing trouble between the set two sets of fans in one of the biggest rivalries in world football.

Hundreds of extra police were drafted in to Atlanta on Monday and there will be a much bigger presence inside the stadium and at the sold-out fanzone. Police have designated some bars as “England only” or “Argentina only” to try to prevent any confrontations.

Michael Owen has explained why he believes both England and Argentina will find it tough to beat Spain should they reach the World Cup final. In a post on X he wrote: “Brilliant performance from Spain. France had the individual stars but this Spanish team never looked like getting beat.England or Argentina will have to up their game massively to beat this lot.”

Follow our live blog for all the latest World Cup updates by clicking here.

BLUE singer Lee Ryan could face jail for racially abusing a black flight attendant in a drunken plane attack.

The Blue star, 43, sunk half a bottle of port and tucked into cheese in the BA lounge before boarding the flight at Glasgow.

Ryan previously avoided jail for racially aggravated common assault by beating, which carries a maximum seven-year jail term.

The singer was also convicted of behaving in an abusive way towards the cabin crew member and admitted being drunk on an aircraft.

He was handed a 12 month sentence suspended for 18 months at a sentencing hearing in September 2023.

But the singer’s punishment was rescinded pending a bid to overturn his conviction at Isleworth Crown Court.

A judge rejected that original appeal so Ryan instead took the case to the High Court.

Ryan could now face a jail term for his crimes after Lord Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Johnson rejected his claim and sent his case back to the crown court, which impose more serious punishments.

The court heard previously how Ryan left cabin crew worker Leah Gordon in tears after calling her a racial slur during the drunken plane attack.

The court was told he called her “beautiful” before grabbing her wrists and commenting on her “complexion”.

Ms Gordon said: “It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour.”

He was also “slurring his words and staggering around” as he asked: “Do you know who I am?”

Ryan claimed in his evidence he had no recollection of the flight other than an “annoying” a passenger next to him.

He said his actions were “playful” and denied being racist.

The singer added: “I’m sorry.

“My band member is black, I’m not racist, I’ve had black girlfriends, mixed-race girlfriends.

“It was banter, just drunk banter I suppose, there was no malice or intention to upset anyone.”

Ryan was arrested at London City Airport by armed cops following the attack on July 31 last year and spent the night in the cells.

He later told police he would give Ms Gordon Blue tickets for their next tour as an apology.

At an appeal at Isleworth Crown Court in November 2024, Ryan denied he had grabbed hold of the victim’s wrists.

He complained adverse inferences were drawn against him because his account about whether he took the woman’s wrists in his hands had changed between police interview and court.

Giving judgment, the judges said: “It was a case where the defendant had given one account at interview – an admission that he had grabbed Ms Gordon’s wrists, albeit without menace – but then gave an inconsistent account at trial – a denial that he had grabbed her wrists.

“His explanation for the inconsistency was rejected by the court.

“The central task for the crown court was to assess the reliability and credibility of the competing accounts given by Ms Gordon and Mr Ryan.

“In doing so, it was entitled to rely on the inconsistency between Mr Ryan’s account in interview, which coincided with Ms Gordon’s allegation that he had grabbed her wrists, and the account he gave in evidence.

“The essential reasoning of the court was that it believed Ms Gordon, who had been sober at the time and who was a consistent and compelling witness, and they disbelieved Mr Ryan, who had been drunk at the time and had been inconsistent. That was sufficient for the court to dismiss the appeal.

“It follows that the court was right to regard the application to state a case as frivolous. There is no error in its decision to decline to state a case.

“The claim is dismissed. Mr Ryan will therefore now be sentenced by the crown court.”

Ryan was arrested at London City Airport by armed cops following the attack on July 31 last year and spent the night in the cells.

He later told police he would give Ms Gordon Blue tickets for their next tour as an apology.

Ryan formed boy band Blue in 2000 with Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe. 

They have since sold 14million records and had three Number 1 albums.

Their biggest hits include songs All Rise, Too Close, One Love and U Make Me Wanna.

ALWAYS dreamed of turning left as you board the aeroplane, but don’t have the cash to splash on business class flights?

Airlines will rarely dish out a swish upgrade for birthdays or weddings nowadays, but there are some clever ways of bagging one without spending a penny.

Or if you do have a little cash to spare, there are more affordable ways of doing it.

The below hacks have been tried and tested by regular travellers, including myself – and anyone can give them a go.

Here are the five best ways to score yourself a flight upgrade WITHOUT spending thousands.

1. START COLLECTING POINTS

Most people think airline points are just for frequent flyers, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

And if you accumulate enough points, you’ll be able to upgrade yourself essentially for free.

I’ve been collecting Avios for a couple of years now and I’ve accumulated enough points to upgrade on every one of my upcoming flights to both short and long haul destinations.

They can be spent on a fair few mega airlines, including British Airways, Qatar Airways and Iberia.

There’s truly no big secret, or catch, you can just collect points by doing your weekly shop, catching the train or filling up with petrol.

Start by reading my comprehensive guide on how to maximise your points.

Once you start incorporating points collection into your daily routine, you’ll be raking them in in a matter of months.

When it comes to Avios upgrades, you can only bump yourself up one cabin class (so if you’re flying economy, you can move up to premium) and not all flights can be upgraded.

There has to be availability, too. So if the flight is looking chocka block, you may not get the chance.

You won’t have to pay any cash for the actual upgrade, but you will have to pay the difference in taxes as it costs the airline more in mandatory charges to fly passengers in upper class cabins.

2. ALWAYS BOOK PREMIUM ECONOMY

If you have the money to book a premium economy seat, this massively boosts your chances of moving up. 

According to a cabin crew member: “It’s the smallest cabin and the most likely to get oversold. 

“And if you hold airline status or a credit card linked to the airline then you are typically the one that gets the operational bump up.”

The leap in price from premium economy to business can be pretty hefty if you’re paying for it outright at the beginning of the booking.

But by comparison, the price jump from economy up to premium economy is much smaller, so it’s certainly a more affordable way of doing it if you can spare that extra cash.

Get yourself an airline credit card, especially if you tend to fly with one specific airline (I have the British Airways AMEX), and climb the status ladder.

If you’re travelling solo, this only boosts your chances for logistical reasons. Airlines won’t just upgrade one member of a party.

If the flight is overbooked and there is only one seat left in business, the person travelling on their own is most likely to get the bump if several travellers have status.

It’s the easiest and most simple solution for the airline.

3. PLAY UPGRADE CHICKEN

Sometimes it pays to play the risk game, but it is a gamble.

If you’ve got a bit of spare cash and the flight is relatively empty, it might be worth leaving your upgrade until the last possible moment.

Regular traveller and boss of PR firm Florence & Fable, Florence Bate tried this hack when flying from Bermuda to London Gatwick with British Airways – and it paid off.

She said: “It was about four or five years ago. I asked to upgrade at the check-in desk when I first arrived at the airport.

“I think I remember it being around £200 at that time.

“Then I waited until the gate, just before boarding the plane, and it was £60. I upgraded there and then to premium economy, nothing fancy. 

“I just think if you never ask, you’ll never know. Ask at all check-in points and hope for the best!”

4. FLY AT QUIET TIMES OR BE FLEXIBLE

Having some movement to your travel plans, or intentionally selecting a less popular time to fly or month to visit that destination can sometimes pay off.

If your flight is overbooked and you volunteer to take a later flight, the airline and ground staff will be extremely grateful – because you’ve put yourself out, they’ll be more likely to put you at the top of the list for a space available upgrade, or at the very least give you a free glass of champers on board.

If there’s plenty of space, then your chances are higher, too.

Skyscanner’s travel expert Laura Lindsay said:  “There’s no hard or fast rule and it will all depend on the airline operator and availability.

“Travelling at quieter times, arriving early, or maintaining airline loyalty may help your chances.”

5. KINDNESS IS KEY

Although it’s far rarer these days to see spontaneous upgrades, it still pays to be kind. You never know how your generosity may be rewarded.

Frequent flyer Sally Jones is a regular at this hack and claims she’s benefited from it every time she’s flown.

She said: “Bringing chocolate, sweets or a gift for the cabin crew always does the trick.

“It might not necessarily get you the full upgrade but it does regularly get you perks. 

“My family does this a lot and we often get a free glass of bubbly or special treatment.”

One Sun reader reports to have actually bagged the upgrade, but only after doing some extensive digging.

They said: “I found out which crew were on board the plane and had gotten some advice from a friend.

“This friend does work at the airline I was flying with, so I’d had a tip off that one particular staff member liked those Tony’s chocolate bars.

“I asked for them my name when I stepped on board and handed them the chocolate, next thing I know I was being whisked to the front of the plane. It was only a very short flight, but it still felt glam.”

One of the two pilots onboard a commercial plane made a personal announcement over the tannoy ahead of a flight, which left people in tears and feeling overwhelmed with emotion

Passengers who had just boarded their flight were in tears after the pilot of the plane made an announcement over the tannoy before take off. Once passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight found their assigned seats and got comfortable ahead of an upcoming flight, two pilots came out of the cockpit of the plane to make an announcement to all the passengers and crew.

The pilot, Captain Svein, explained how he was “very excited” ahead of the upcoming flight as it was a “very special day” for him personally. He turned around and then explained how he had a brand new pilot on board with him who had “just finished training”.

In the video, which was posted on social media by Southwest Airlines, the pilot said: “I’m very excited today is a very special day for me personally and I would like to use this moment to introduce to you our latest addition to Southwest Airlines pilot group.

“She is right behind me, she just finished training and today is her very first day flying for Southwest Airlines.

“Just one more thing, she is my daughter.”

The video, which has been viewed over half a million times on social media, showed the entire plane started clapping and cheering after the dad made the announcement.

The dad continued: “I’m so glad you folks are coming with us today to enjoy this little party. Thank you so much for flying Southwest Airlines thank you folks thank you.”

Southwest Airlines a major U.S. low-cost carrier headquartered in Dallas that serves over 100 destinations across 10 countries.

People in the comments section of the video that appeared on Southwest Airline’s TikTok page were thrilled for the father-daughter duo on their first flight co-piloting together.

One person said: “The safest flight to be on, he has his most precious cargo at the helm with him.”

A second said: “Probably his proudest dad moment for him, no doubt about it.”

A third simply said: “You should not make us cry.”

A fourth added: “The father has passed his legacy wings to his daughter on her first flight. As a qualified aviator, she’ll make a fine captain of her own aircraft someday.”

Southwest Airlines said: “Like father, like daughter! Hanna recently joined Southwest as a First Officer, following in the footsteps of her dad, Captain Svein.

“He inspired her to start flying at the age of 15, and she was immediately hooked. She made it her mission to one day fly alongside him!.

“Just 8 years later, she accomplished that mission serving as her dad’s First Officer on her very first Southwest flight. Welcome to the Southwest Family, Hanna!”

WASHINGTON — President Trump flew home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an old baby blue Air Force One plane instead of the new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet he arrived in, a surprise swap that came as the U.S. and Iran once again began trading strikes.

Trump offered little clarity on the swap, instead saying he would fly on the legacy aircraft “for old time’s sake,” and indicating that both aircraft would make a previously unscheduled stop on the way back to the U.S. at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, a base used by U.S. troops.

The travel switch raised fresh security questions about the new aircraft that the U.S. spent $400 million to retrofit. Images of the Qatari-gifted jet captured since its unveiling show it is not equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older jets.

The swap was also announced less than a day after the U.S. military conducted a series of large strikes in Iran in retaliation for its attacks on merchant shipping in the region. Iran shares a border with Turkey.

Trump first announced in a social media post that the gleaming new plane he had proudly shown off a day earlier would instead visit the U.K. base on the way home so military members could “tour the Aircraft.” Trump said he instead would be flying home in an older plane previously used as Air Force One.

When asked later during a news conference if security concerns had played a role in the switch, Trump didn’t directly answer but said that when it came to Iran, he was “No. 1 on the list for killing.”

When another reporter followed up, Trump said he’d be “going home by normal methods” while the new plane would be shown off to troops.

When asked if the missing countermeasures systems played a role in the jet being swapped out, the U.S. Air Force directed questions to the White House.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal— including distraction and misdirection— to address those threats.”

Trump departed Turkey aboard one of the older Boeing VC-25As that have carried presidents for three and a half decades. Consumer flight trackers were unable to monitor its transponder early in the flight after takeoff, suggesting it had been temporarily disabled by the crew — a security measure used when ferrying the president to and from high-risk environments like war zones, not a major NATO ally hosting a long-scheduled summit.

Other world leaders’ flights departed with trackable transponders, including those from Germany and the U.K.

The luxurious Boeing 747-800 gifted by Qatar, that was modified to carry Trump, departed earlier Wednesday from Turkey and landed at RAF Mildenhall on Wednesday afternoon, flight trackers showed.

Iran has several missiles and drones in its inventory with enough range to make the roughly 800-mile flight from its own borders to Turkey, including some of its Shahed drones and Shahab ballistic missiles.

However, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Iran does not possess weaponry that would be capable of effectively striking England at a range of roughly 2,500 miles.

The U.S. Air Force, which oversees the running of the fleet of aircraft used by every president, had previously said that they had to prioritize making only some of the necessary upgrades and changes in order to deliver the Qatari jet — also known as the “bridge” aircraft — into service.

The Air Force argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but did concede that “several highly complex engineering modifications required for the final (Air Force One aircraft) were intentionally excluded from the Bridge aircraft.”

Jeremiah Gertler, a senior analyst for Teal Group, an aviation and defense consulting firm, previously told The Associated Press that the absence of countermeasure systems, as well as a seemingly smaller number of communications antennas, suggested that the Qatari jet was better suited to only work as a domestic aircraft.

Trump’s first flight on the new Qatari jet was to North Dakota last week.

The original Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War and they were hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and included a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room.

The jets are also equipped with air-to-air refueling capabilities for contingencies, though it has never been utilized with a president on board.

The pair of Boeing jets that are currently being modified to act as the permanent upgrades to the Air Force One jets have been delayed, and are expected to be delivered in 2028.

Price and Toropin write for the Associated Press. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

A woman died in a brutal plane crash that killed over 100 people after “missing her original plane”. After a sudden flight change, everything altered in an instant

A woman missed her flight and, due to a drastic turn of events, ended up dying with dozens of people in a brutal plane crash. It’s reported the simple act of being late dramatically changed the course of her life, and she ended up plummeting to her death.

The woman’s story was recently highlighted on Reddit when a family member shared the travel tragedy in a heartfelt post, and people can’t believe what happened. A simple change in her schedule led to altering her path completely, and the devastating story has left so many people in total sadness and shock.

It’s not the first tale of its kind to be shared either. Previously, a woman opened up about what is was like when her husband died in a plane crash that killed over 200 people.

The story emerged after someone asked: “We’ve heard stories of people escaping death by being late. What are some tragic examples of people dying because they were late?”

To this, one person replied: “My aunt missed her flight out of Denver on July, 19 1989. She took United flight 232 instead, dying in a fiery crash in Sioux City, IA.”

To this, one person replied: “I am so sorry for your loss. That is a brutal way for things to happen.”

Another added: “I actually had a ticket on that flight when I was a kid, but I had gotten pretty sick the day before we had to leave, and my parents decided to cancel the tickets to Chicago. What is crazy is that we did an analysis of the emergency response to this crash when I was in college.

“It is a small world. I am sorry for the loss of your aunt.”

A third also replied: “My dad was on that flight. He fortunately survived and flew home to Chicago later that night and was at work first thing the next day.”

One more also noted: “I was supposed to be on that plane! Travel plans changed but, had they not, I would have been flying home on this flight.”

For those unaware, the United Airlines Flight 232 was a regularly scheduled flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, going on to Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, United States.

However, on July 19, 1989, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 serving the flight crash-landed at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa. This was due to suffering what has been described as a catastrophic failure of its tail-mounted engine.

It’s reported this led to the loss of all flight controls. Over 100 people died in the crash but the majority are reported to have survived.

The incident was said to be deemed “unprecedented” at the time and, though many people sadly lost their lives, the team onboard worked with professional calmness and extreme skill to pull off something some would have believed “impossible” to land the aircraft.

In fact, it has since been termed “The Impossible Landing“, as it’s often considered one of the most impressive landings carried out in the history of aviation.

A BRIT has been left devastated after she was refused boarding her flight to Spain due to a simple mistake.

Rachael Norton-Voysey, 33, was stopped before boarding her Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote.

The Brummie-based woman had a 1.5cm rip in her passport, though she claimed it did not impact any of the details in her passport or her photo page.

Rachael said: “We got to the gate and handed in my passport at that point to get onto the plane and he said it was ripped and they wouldn’t let us through.

“It was horrible – that feeling where your stomach just drops knowing we wouldn’t be going on holiday at that point.

“There’s no arguing with them once they do that.”

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Rachael and her friend were due to spend five days in Lanzarote, having spent £700 on the holiday but instead they both ended up heading home.

The duo were made to wait though, until the entire plane had boarded before they were escorted out of the airport.

Rachael added how she had travelled several times on the passport without an issue before.

She added: “I understand where they’re coming from but it is really petty in my opinion.”

She noted that when they went back through the airport, even the immigration officer mentioned it was harsh.

The UK Government’s website states: “If your passport is damaged you must replace it. You may not be able to travel with it.

“HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if: there are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage); you cannot read any of your details; any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing; there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover or the cover is coming away.”

“You may not be able to travel with it.”

Rachael is now hoping that her experience will warn other Brits to check their passports before travelling, and also calling out Ryanair to be clearer on the rules around damaged passports.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This passenger was correctly refused travel from Birmingham to Lanzarote as her passport was damaged and therefore not valid for travel.”

A mum who flew her two children to Barcelona on holiday has claimed her family were made to endure the flight from hell – but people have sided with other passengers

We all hope we win the lottery when it comes to scoring a peaceful plane journey, but some of us aren’t that lucky.

Travelling by plane in the early hours of the morning is never anyone’s idea of fun, especially when you know you have several hours of travel ahead of you in a cramped seat. That’s before you’ve even considered the possibility of external factors making your flight even more miserable – such as being lumped with a middle seat, having babies on board that won’t stop crying, or sitting next to someone who insists on not using headphones while scrolling social media videos.

But one mum who recently took her two children to Barcelona on holiday has claimed that her flight from hell wasn’t caused by one inconsiderate passenger, as multiple passengers did something she could have never anticipated.

Megan Fitzpatrick shared a video on TikTok which showed her sitting on a Ryanair flight to Barcelona, where the passengers behind her, who were not on camera, could be heard blasting loud music and singing along.

In her caption, she claimed that this took place at 5:40 am, had been going on for three hours already, and was happening while her children were trying to sleep. Megan did not indicate whether the flight attendants had tried to get the passengers to stop their disruptive antics, as the 11-second clip featured only the singing.

But commenters on the post were largely on the side of the other passengers. Some pointed out that it was “Off Week” in Barcelona when Megan was travelling, which is an annual celebration of electronic music that attracts ravers and music fans from across the globe, and blamed the mum for not doing her research before flying.

One person said: “You’ve travelled to Barcelona during Off Week, what did you expect?” Another added: “Can’t believe people book family holidays to Barca when Off Week is on.”

A third wrote: “Well, maybe if you do research before your holibobs, you would’ve known that it’s Off Week in Barca.”

Others also tried to insinuate that it was “karma” for the mum and her kids, saying her frustration is how other people feel when children “scream” during flights.

Someone commented: “This is how we feel when your kids are screaming the whole flight.”

But many people responded to that commenter, claiming their words were unfair, saying one child being disregulated on a flight is “often a lot less annoying than this behaviour”.

Megan later uploaded a response video in which she said she wasn’t actually as upset about the party-goers as commenters seemed to assume. She was just tired, and while she did find the singing and the music “a bit inconsiderate”, she was mostly just shocked to learn that you’re allowed to make so much noise on a plane.

She explained: “It’s not that deep. It was a wee daft video of me saying that was where I was at with the travel. Like, a f*** my life moment. Noisy plane, five in the morning, kids tired, that’s all I was doing. I wasn’t at all saying ‘How f****** dare they be so noisy?’, that’s not what I was saying at all.

“I didn’t realise that you were allowed to blare speakers on a plane. I didn’t realise that. I’ve seen people be told to turn music off on a train, so that’s what I meant by I was surprised.”

The mum also said that she believes that if she went on a plane and started blaring metal music, people likely wouldn’t be so quick to defend her, so she does believe that no matter what genre of music it is, it is “inconsiderate” to blare it out of speakers on a plane when not everyone on the flight is going to the festival.

Can you play music through a speaker on a plane?

While it is generally considered polite to use headphones to listen to music while on any form of public transport, there is no law or rule that says you have to.

According to Muzen Audio, speakers can be used on planes except during takeoff and landing, when all electronic devices must be turned off or switched to airplane mode. The website does state you should always consider the feelings of others around you by asking for permission before you start playing your music out loud.

For Megan’s specific flight, the Ryanair terms and conditions do not state that headphones or earphones must be used to listen to music or videos, but they do state that if you behave in a way that could “anger, upset, offend, intimidate, frighten or injure any passenger or crew member”, then they can take measures to deal with the situation, including removing you from the flight.

Ryanair has been contacted for comment.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747 worth $400 million gifted by Qatar that embeds his personality more deeply into the institution of the American presidency.

Gone is the trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky. The refurbished jet is painted to Trump’s preferred color scheme of a navy blue belly and red and gold stripes. It has the luxury features that the president believes a commander-in-chief’s entourage should have — plush carpets, lie-flat seats, wood paneling and a presidential seal on the seat belts, according to reported tours of the plane.

Trump told reporters that he was proud of the luxurious plane. “You can do two things: You can low-key it, or you can show it,” he said.

Reporters are generally not permitted to take photos on the plane unless Trump is present. But on Wednesday, Trump administration staffers posted images of the plane’s interior on social media.

White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a photo of aides gathered around a circular table that had off-white place mats and leather captain’s chairs. Monica Crowley, the chief of U.S. protocol, posted a picture of herself perched on a leather couch between a pair of Air Force One throw pillows. Mounted on the wall behind her was a framed photo of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

The jet carried Trump to North Dakota to see the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, its first official visitor ahead of its opening on the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The gift from the Middle Eastern power raised ethical concerns, but Trump saw the plane as a necessary replacement to the 35-year-old planes that had previously ferried him as president.

“This is a gift from a country that has treated us very well,” Trump said.

The new jet will only temporarily be in the nation’s service, as Boeing is expected to deliver in 2028 long-delayed planes that will permanently serve as Air Force One. Trump, a Republican, has said in the past that the Qatar plane would end up in a presidential library.

The Air Force has said that it did little to change the cabin layout of the plane and that it spent less than $400 million on security upgrades.

Nikhinson and Boak write for the Associated Press.

President Donald Trump is flying on the U.S. Air Force’s new VC-25B Bridge aircraft for the first time. The modified, Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8i is taking Trump and others to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and for other celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Air Force formally accepted delivery of the plane less than two weeks ago.

The White House has confirmed to TWZ that this is Trump’s first flight aboard the Bridge aircraft. The plane has been the source of controversy, including over its ability to adequately serve in the Air Force One role, something TWZ has questioned in detail in the past. The gifting of the jet from Qatar in the first place was also highly irregular, and the justification for needing it at all remains up for debate. The converted 747-8i has also been painted in a new scheme for U.S. executive aircraft preferred by Trump, which is a major departure from the Kennedy-era Air Force One livery that had been the standard for 60 years.

Decorative books, soft lighting, framed photos on new AF1, a gift from Qatar and retrofitted for presidential use by Trump. Some of the 1st images out publicly from @StevenCheung47, who is pictured with Ross Worthington, Natalie Harp, Karoline Leavitt, Meredith O’Rourke, Stephen… pic.twitter.com/jdVWNPvCmA

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 1, 2026

For the first time, the VC-25B bridge aircraft has flown over the Washington, D.C. area with the callsign “AIR FORCE ONE.” @POTUS is on his way to North Dakota today. pic.twitter.com/VVwTbsyAKi

— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) July 1, 2026

“This will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built. I said to Boeing, what’s the best one? They said this is the best plane ever built. And you’re going to have the privilege of flying it, and I have the privilege also of flying it,” Trump told reporters before boarding the plane at Andrews Air Force Base. “I’m excited about the first flight.”

One of the Air Force’s two existing VC-25A Air Force One aircraft is serving as a backup for Trump’s trip today.

VC-25B-Bridge Makes Maiden Flight as AIR FORCE 1

US Air Force VC-25B-Bridge #AF83F3 is in the air from JB Andrews as AIR FORCE 1 for the first time.

USAF VC-25A #ADFDF9 is serving as SAM47 for this trip, a role that this aircraft hasn’t been in for years. pic.twitter.com/8fblf7iA6h

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) July 1, 2026

Bloomberg was first to report that the trip to North Dakota would be Trump’s first flight aboard the Bridge aircraft. NBC News had previously reported that the inaugural flight of the Bridge aircraft might come later in the week, taking Trump on a planned trip to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on July 3. It is still very possible, if not probable, that the plane will take Trump to South Dakota, as well.

Reuters also reported back in May that the debut of the VC-25B Bridge jet might come during a July 4th flyover. The former Qatari jet was unveiled to the public on June 19, but it has been confirmed that it will fly over Washington, D.C. as part of the celebrations this weekend.

Significant questions do still remain about the Bridge aircraft’s ability to support the full spectrum of Air Force One mission requirements, especially given that the plane was modified for this role in just 10 months. U.S. officials and defense contractor L3Harris, which did the conversion work, have insisted that operational concerns have been addressed and have downplayed any potential risks.

“One of the first things we have to do on this aircraft, in conjunction with the U.S. government, is ensure it is safe. There was a lot of content and buzz on blogs and whatnot about is the aircraft secure? Is there anything that we wouldn’t want coming in on the aircraft? Somebody could listen in, something like that,” Jason Lambert, President of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) at L3Harris, told TWZ in an interview last week. “I can assure you that was very effectively managed to the highest degree. Experts from the U.S. government, experts from L3Harris, experts in cyber security, electronic warfare, ensured that every square inch of that plane was clean, not only on the exterior but interior of the plane and all systems within. So I’ll say, there’s just electronic scrubbing, is how I would describe it, to ensure that it was safe and secure. Frankly, that work took place even before we were able to do any real work on the plane.”

“Survivability of the aircraft was something that was absolutely thought of, but I can’t comment on the specific systems on the aircraft yet. That’s one I’ll have to direct you back to the Air Force,” he added. Lambert also deferred to the Air Force when asked about hardening against electromagnetic pulses, command and control capabilities, and other core Air Force One requirements.

Readers can find the full interview here.

The Air Force’s two existing VC-25A Air Force One aircraft remain in service, as evidenced by the one serving today as a backup. Boeing is still working toward delivering two fully-equipped VC-25B jets around the end of the decade. The VC-25Bs are set to replace the aging and increasingly difficult to sustain VC-25As, which were converted from older 747-200 models. However, that program has suffered repeated delays and cost growth. The Air Force is also now operating an additional 747-8i, acquired from Lufthansa, as a trainer for aircrew and ground personnel. A second ex-Lufthansa 747 will serve as a source of spare parts for the expanded Air Force One fleet.

Trump’s inauguration flight today aboard the VC-25B Bridge jet makes clear that it is now firmly in the Air Force One rotation.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com