plane

April 29 (UPI) — Two people are dead and 10 are injured after a small plane crashed into a hangar Wednesday at an airport in Adelaide, South Australia.

News.com.au reported that the two people killed were in a Diamond DA42 two-engine plane, while one person who’d been in the hangar sustained life-threatening injuries, two were in serious condition, six others had smoke inhalation and one sustained minor injuries.

The plane burst into flames after it crashed at Parafield Airport, the BBC reported. Photos of the scene showed a large plume of black smoke rising from the area, and other witnesses reported seeing the plane struggling overhead before the crash.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has started an investigation into the incident.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said on social media that the fire had been extinguished and the airfield was closed.

He said his “thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who have passed away, and with everyone affected by this devastating event,” the BBC said. He also thanked first responders for their response.

The airport has several flight training schools and has a large amount of aircraft traffic. News.com.au said the plane involved was used for student training, but Chief Inspector Andrew McCracken could not say if the pilot Wednesday was a student.

In January, a student pilot crashed during takeoff at the airport, but although the plane caught fire, the pilot escaped unharmed.

SHERIDAN Smith has today revealed how she was once kicked off a plane for being “too drunk”.

The I Fought The Law actress, 43, also revealed how she annoyed the cabin crew so much, they “left her behind” in Florida.

Talking on Alan Carr‘s Life’s a Beach podcast, the host asked the much-loved star: “Have you missed flights before and all that?”

Replying, Sheridan, who is currently starring in BBC One’s The Cage, said: “Yeah. I went to Florida to watch my mate boxing.

“And they wouldn’t let me on the flight Alan.”

The Chatty Man star then asked her: “Why? Too drunk. Oh, God.”

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A mortified Sheridan then admitted: “I was too drunk. But I don’t drink now, so I can say this now.

“I can say it now and I can look back and laugh.

“But at the time, it was a nightmare because everyone else got on the flight.

“Oh, my God. I was left there!”

Meanwhile, in the same chat with Alan, Sheridan also made a saucy confession.

The star revealed she had a fling with a hunky stuntman when she filmed the drama The Castaways.

The actress played Erin, a woman who goes to Fiji to investigate the disappearance of her sister Lori, in the 2023 drama that aired on Paramount+ and was filmed in Greece.

Now she has confessed that she had a romance with Alex Anlos while filming, and it came after she split with the father of her child, Jamie Horn.

Spilling the tea, she told host Alan: “I did have a holiday romance actually. I was filming in Greece and the stuntman – I’m giving so much away – he taught me to swim, so he was holding me.

“And the next thing we did have a bit of a romance – it’s an exclusive!

“It’s so romantic and it’s the heat and the bodies are all out!”

At the time of filming, Sheridan posted a picture with Alex, which she shared on her Instagram stories.

In the cosy snap, the pair were all smiles as they posed for the behind the scenes picture.

She had penned over it: “Hanging out after stunt rehearsals with @that_stunt_dude Greece. This guy has made me look bad ass.”

Sheridan also shared another photo of them both on her feed as she captioned it: “Love filming here in Greece. With my set bff @that_stunt_dude. I was a non-swimmer till we met!”

The Gavin and Stacey star split from fiancé Jamie in 2021 after three years together.

The pair had welcomed their son Billy in May 2020 and had got engaged back in 2018, shortly after meeting on dating app Tinder.

A flight attendant has shared several plane safety tips that could make your next trip more comfortable – including the one item you should absolutely never wear

You could be picking up all sorts of germs by wearing the wrong clothes on a flight.

When travelling by plane, whether it’s for a work trip or holiday, you usually want to be as comfortable as possible. No matter how long your flight is, sitting in a cramped space surrounded by strangers isn’t ideal, so you normally want to make sure your outfit is something you can feel relaxed in for at least a few hours, if not longer.

But one flight attendant has said there’s one thing you should absolutely never wear on a plane, regardless of how comfortable you think it is. Charity Moore is a flight attendant who regularly posts travel tips on social media, and in a recent video, she shared several things she wishes more people did on flights.

Among her tips, Charity said there’s one thing you should absolutely never wear on a plane, as it puts your body in direct contact with the seats – which aren’t always the most hygienic things to be sitting on.

1. Wear the right clothes

Charity insisted you should never wear anything that exposes your legs on a plane, including shorts and skirts. She advocated for wearing trousers at all times, because she’s seen some “diabolical” things happen on plane seats that aren’t always cleaned as thoroughly as you might like.

She said: “I am letting you know, from a flight attendant, the amount of things I have seen on the seat. Wear pants. Shorts, skirts, dresses, absolutely not. Wear full pants. None of your skin should be touching that seat. I don’t care if you come on board and disinfect it. Nope, nope, nope. Wear full pants. Trust me, I have seen some diabolical things.”

2. Disinfect the seatbelts

The flight attendant also said that while she often sees passengers using antibacterial wipes on things like the tray table, she hardly ever sees anyone clean the seatbelt – which she believes is the most important part.

She explained: “You guys all come on board with your little Clorox wipes and your little disinfectants, and you start wiping everything down. That little tray table in front of you [and] the back of your seat. I don’t really get why you’re wiping the back of your seat, because if you’re wearing clothes, nothing really touches that.

“What you should be wiping that nobody wipes is that seatbelt. The metal part, because everybody touches it, but also you should be wiping the fabric part of the seatbelt, because everybody pulls on that. The amount of throw up, baby vomit, bodily fluids, liquids that have spilt, and random stuff that ends up on those seatbelts. Wipe them down, babe.”

3. Exercise proper toilet hygiene

Charity claimed that not enough passengers have proper toilet etiquette when using the bathroom on a plane. This includes washing your hands once you’ve done your business, making sure you flush the toilet, and even closing the door behind you once you’re finished.

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While these might seem like obvious things you would do after any toilet visit, whether it’s on a plane or not, the flight attendant insisted a large portion of passengers don’t do them.

She also said if you’ve taken your shoes off at your seat to make yourself more comfortable, you should not go to the toilet without putting your shoes back on.

The attendant noted: “It is never ever water on the floor in the lav. And your socks are like two big sponges.”

4. Bring food

Charity’s final piece of advice is to bring food with you. She said it’s a “huge misconception” that you can’t bring food through security, and encouraged people to bring snacks or even a fully prepared meal with them to help them survive their plane journey.

In the UK, food items and powders are allowed in your hand luggage, but may obstruct images on X-ray machines, so your bags might need to be checked again manually by security, which could cause you delays.

You are generally not allowed to bring liquid or gel-like foods such as soup, sauces, jams, and yoghurts in your hand luggage, and may not be able to bring certain fresh produce, like fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy, across some international borders, so always make sure you check the rules before you fly.

In most cases, you will be able to bring snack boxes with things like sweets, chocolate, and crisps onto a flight. You should usually avoid packing nuts into your snack box, as you may be asked not to open these if a passenger has an allergy.

FORGET going off the grid next time you board a flight, with new designs suggesting entire phone booths could soon be on planes.

Phone booths are quickly becoming a thing of the past across the UK, seeing as most of the population has a mobile phone now.

But Boeing wants to bring them back, this time in plane cabins.

The new designs were revealed in the Aircraft Interiors Expo earlier this month.

The compact booths would be found in economy, with space for a single person to stand or sit.

There would be privacy doors, as well as sound dampeners to avoid you disturbing the other passengers.

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There would even be standing desks so people could work in there too, along with power sockets and coat hooks etc.

The airline manufacturer said it would make the most of unused space in the cabin, and make it easier to stay connected especially on long haul flights.

Boeing chief designer Tom Eaton said it could become more like a “mini office”.

He explained: “A space like this can offer so much versatility to help people communicate and remain connected.

“And it is nice to be in a space where you don’t feel like you’re disrupting people.”

It comes as a number of airlines have started rolling out superfast Starlink onboard.

Virgin Atlantic was the first UK airline to launch Starlink WiFi onboard, followed by British Airways.

Emirates confirmed last year that they were rolling out the Starlink WiFi this year, along with Qatar Airways.

The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski recently tried it out for herself.

She said: “I didn’t need to pay a penny extra to use it on board my British Airways plane – nor will any other customers.

“The new WiFi model operates differently to its current one. On its typical internet-enabled aircrafts, passengers currently have to create a British Airways account in order to gain access to free messaging services, but that’s not the case for its Starlink aircrafts – a simple click of a button will get you online in seconds.

“Downloading your Netflix shows ahead of travel will become a thing of the past, with high speed streaming enabled, and pre-ordering your Uber ahead of landing will make the overall process of travelling much smoother.

“Personally, I’m most pleased that I could catch up on boring home and work admin, so that it didn’t eat into time in my holiday destination.”

The Aircrafts Interior Expo also had a number of other interesting cabin designs.

There is the newest iteration of the double decker economy seats, which were first revealed back in 2020.

A unique business class seat was also revealed, which had a wraparound TV more like a surround sound cinema.

An air passenger found a handwritten note in the pocket of her seat and shared it on social media, as she admitted she “couldn’t stop smiling” after spotting it

A traveller who found an adorable note in the pocket of the seat on their flight admitted she “can’t stop smiling” after posting it online. Taking to Reddit, she shared a snap of the sweet handwritten letter from a “kid who wants to make the world a nicer place”.

“Hello, I don’t know who you are but I sat in this seat before you,” the note began. “I hope you have a good day and a good flight. However, if you are vomiting in this bag I feel for bad for you. I’m writing this message because I am a kid with a goal to make the world a nicer place”.

The child’s note proceeded to request that the “act of kindness” be passed on to create a “chain” of goodwill, meanwhile.

“So please, do an act of kindness today out of the good of your heart and tell the person to pay it forward,” it continued. “This way we can start a chain of good in this world. Have a good day.”

The note clearly struck a chord with numerous other Reddit users.

“This is absolutely adorable, that kid has an amazing goal!” one person declared. “It’s one of my goals too.”

A second exclaimed: “What a great kid! That is the most wholesome note. Hats off to the parents. The world needs more of this.”

A third individual agreed: “Very sweet. Even the kids feel that the world is rotten. Let’s all regardless of our origin heal the world. Let’s all be nice and kind, and it won’t hurt or take anything away from any of us.”

Whilst a fourth gushed: “That’s lovely and also good to see when we live in a world where there is so much selfishness and evil.”

Indeed, the note inspired others to do the same including on Reddit who shared snaps of their own similar gesture.

“Hopefully this helps someone in a bad spot at 30K feet,” they penned. “I was inspired by the internet (thanks Reddit) and wrote a letter on a Barf Bag. Hopefully someone eventually sees this and it makes someone’s day.”

They later added: “It felt really good to put positive vibes out there. Hopefully someone sees it and it brightens whatever mood they are in.”

The note comprised words of wisdom for those suffering difficult times, encouraging any readers to “hang in there”. It continued: “This sucks but will be over soon. Everyone will be able to relate to the misery you are going through. You can do it.”

Long-haul flights can cause in-flight circulation stiffness and fatigue, especially for older travellers

Anyone who’s flown long-haul will be acutely aware of the stiffness, exhaustion and sluggish circulation that can develop, potentially marring the start of your holiday. And this is particularly relevant for older passengers.

With this in mind, Inspiring Vacations has teamed up with Melbourne-based Pilates instructor Brittany Tatterson to reveal some movements anyone can perform while still aboard their flight.

She explained: “Seated movements every 30 to 60 minutes are ideal, with the opportunity to stand and walk every one to two hours where possible. Many people wait until they already feel stiff, but by that point the body has already tightened and circulation has slowed.

“The good news is you don’t need to stand in the aisle or take up extra space. The most effective movements are often the smallest and can be done entirely within your seat.”

The discreet in-seat exercises you can do (without anyone noticing)

The first movement Brittany suggests is gently tilting your pelvis forward and backwards, as this can help engage your core and relieve pressure from your lower back.

“You can also keep your toes on the floor and slowly lift your heels up and down to encourage circulation through the legs, which is particularly important on long-haul flights,” Brittany added.

“Breathing is another big one. Inhaling through your nose and allowing your ribs to expand, then exhaling slowly, can help improve both your breathing and overall energy levels.” She also notes that even minor neck movements, such as gentle nods, turns and slight tilts, can alleviate tension that accumulates from screen time and poor posture.

Meanwhile, simply clenching and releasing your glutes can help support your pelvis and ease strain on the lower back without drawing any attention from those around you.

How to move without annoying your neighbour

While these movements are vital for a comfortable journey, Brittany emphasises that they should never come at the expense of those around you.

“Move slowly and mindfully; there’s no rush. Slower movement is not only more considerate, it’s actually more effective for the body,” she says. “The key is to keep everything small and controlled, staying within your own space wherever possible.”

A few simple etiquette rules can make all the difference:

• Keep movements small and within your seat space
• Avoid wide arm stretches or anything intrusive
• Move during quieter moments, not meal service
• Only walk the aisle when it’s clear

THE latest bizarre plane seat concept has revealed it’s ‘final’ design – but won’t be one if you’re claustrophobic.

First revealed back in 2020, the Chaise Longue Economy Seat would see two layers of seating – essentially double decker rows.

It’s been designed by Núñez Vicente, who as a then-21-year-old student, created it as a college project.

He was inspired after a flight to Europe, slamming the lack of legroom on offer by budget airlines.

The unusual seating design would – in theory – allow more legroom for passengers as there wouldn’t be a seat directly in front.

Not only that, but reclined seats would also causes fewer problems, as they wouldn’t invade the space of the passenger behind them.

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Overhead lockers would be replaced with compartments under each seat – so no battling for space there either.

Other future designs could include lie flat beds even in the middle.

However, some have cited concerns over the claustrophobic designs, as well as it being just another way airlines will cram more seats into the cabin.

Despite this, Mr Vincente said that the designs were not “a joke on the internet” but a real project he wants to get rolled out.

His latest designs were revealed at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany, a huge aviation show that takes place every year.

He told CNN Travel that this was their “best” design and would be as much as they could design as a small start up.

Not only that, but he said he was often consulting with airline bosses in regard to one day rolling these out – last year Airbus said they were “exploring early stage concepts”.

Despite this, the latest design has added slightly more legroom – meaning they are unlikely to remain as a basic economy prospect.

He added: “We have been moving the concept towards more of a premium economy experience.

“We have met directly with airlines and airline executives, CEOs and their customer experience departments, and they told us exactly what they wanted – and they wanted this seat to be something more than just economy.”

Tests conducted by fake passengers earlier this year praised the product, with some saying the lower level seats were closer to a business class seat.

He also maintains that if it did get rolled out – perhaps as an option in the middle of the plane, with other standard premium seats on either side – it could trickle down to economy,

Another airline is launching their own version of double decker economy seats – but as bunk beds.

Air New Zealand’s long-awaited Skynest beds are being rolled out later this year, with booking open from May 18.

The concept – initially only on New York-Auckland routes – would see six bunk beds that economy passengers can book for four-hour slots.

Passengers will need to pay an additional $495 (£365) on top of standard economy seats.

Here are some other unusual plane seat concepts.

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Anyone planning on boarding a plane with hold luggage has been urged to make one change to their suitcases before they fly – as it will help keep belongings safe

Plane passengers need to make one crucial change to their hold luggage. If you’re jetting off and you’ve got bags destined for the plane’s cargo hold, you’ll know just how nerve-wracking it can be to be parted from your belongings. There’s always that nagging worry that your luggage could be lost or stolen before you reach the baggage carousel at your destination, leaving you stranded without clothes, toiletries and other essentials during your holiday.

To tackle this, most travellers will attach luggage tags to their bags. These hold small pieces of paper where you can jot down vital information, such as your email address and phone number, so that should your bag go missing or end up on the wrong flight, airport staff can reach out to you if and when it’s located.

However, one woman on social media has flagged that these tags might not be the most secure option when you’re separated from your bags, particularly as some people inscribe their full name and home address on them.

In a TikTok video, Sammy urged fellow passengers to do something different with their tags, claiming it would help safeguard their personal details from anyone who might attempt to sneak a peek at their information.

She said: “This is something I’ve never seen anyone talk about, and I had to figure it out on my own. This is not safe for you for a plethora of reasons. You have your full name on there, you have your phone number, you have all of your contact information.

“These will flip over. You’re going to have your luggage, and it’s going to flip over, and anyone who sees it can not only take a photo of it, but also anyone who sees your content online that shows your luggage can get all of your information.”

Sammy described the risk of having your details stolen from your luggage tag as “so dangerous” and “so not worth it”. In its place, she advised opting for a luggage tag featuring a full cover. These typically open like a book and fasten with a popper or Velcro, ensuring nobody can access your personal details without deliberately taking your luggage.

You can also accomplish the same outcome by removing the piece of paper from your tag and flipping it around so your details aren’t visible from the outside. You could then write something along the lines of “information overleaf” or “please turn over” on the blank side facing outwards, so airport staff know exactly where to look should they need to get in touch with you.

Those commenting on the post put forward further alternative solutions, such as listing a dummy email address that you can monitor should you ever lose your luggage, but don’t use for anything else.

One person said: “I have a fake name with my spam email that I’ll check if I ever lose my bag.”

Another added: “I write my name and flight number on the front, then put ‘see reverse for personal details’ with my address.”

A third wrote: “Thank you!! I’ve been saying the same thing for years, and people think I’m nuts. Same with names on kids or pets clothing!”

Should you opt to include only your email address without your name, ensure the email itself doesn’t contain your name within the address.

Using a false name, as one commenter proposed, is not recommended, as should your bag go missing, you won’t be able to verify it’s yours if your ID fails to match the name on the luggage tag. That said, you can choose to display only your surname or initials on the card to safeguard as much of your personal details as possible.

Anyone who has jumped out of a plane with a parachute deserves respect, but to do it 36 times, that’s worthy of a salute.

Saul Pacheco, who turns 88 in November, is sitting in a lawn chair at the Arcadia Invitational with his friends, the starters dressed in red suits who fire pistols to begin races.

That’s when he mentions how he was in the 82nd Airborne Division and jumping out of planes in the 1960s after graduating from Wilmington Banning High and UCLA.

“I was a jump master who became in charge of the parachute troopers,” he said.

Then he talks about becoming a teacher and wanting to return to his alma mater, Banning, which had no openings, so he ends up at rival Carson and coaching the offensive line for Hall of Fame coach Gene Vollnogle for more than two decades. Vollnogle was football coach from 1963 to 1990, winning eight City titles.

Pacheco also became a track starter in 1977. He was already well trained to fire a pistol. It was learning all the rules required in track and field that needed to be mastered.

He apparently did just that, because he’s been at it for 49 years and plans to retire as a track starter this spring. For 25 years, he was a starter for the Arcadia Invitational. Then he became the meet referee to settle any disputes. The respect he has earned can be seen in the way other starters appreciate him for helping them learn the ropes.

He’ll be inducted into the Carson Hall of Fame this fall for his contributions as a coach and athletic director.

His story is pretty amazing. He was one of 13 children. His parents apparently wanted enough siblings to form a football team. His father was a carpenter helping build minesweepers at Terminal Island for the Navy. His mother stayed home and took care of everyone. The first seven kids born were boys. He was No. 5. Imagine the competition for food at dinner time.

“Everbody came in to eat at different times,” Pacheco said. “My mother did a great job having stuff ready.”

But what about 13 children together for Thanksgiving?

“We had a lot of laughs. We all got along.”

Five of the brothers are still alive, including a 90-year-old. All three sisters are alive. One of his brothers, Henry, was football coach at San Pedro for 12 years. Henry was drafted and ended up in the Vietnam War, where environmental issues might have led to the illness, lymphocytic leukemia, that took his life in 1991.

Two of his brothers worked for the LAPD. Two other brothers became firefighters. He has a grandson who’s a deputy sheriff in Riverside.

Pacheco has worked five state track championships and numerous City Section championships.

Like an umpire in football who calls a holding penalty, the only time anyone notices a starter in track is when there’s a false start.

“If there’s a false start, someone complains,” he said.

So why spend 49 years as a track starter?

“The fun part is watching all the athletes compete and being around all the other officials,” he said. “The officials are tremendous and dedicated trying to do a good job.”

All this came out by just happening to stop by and say hello to the starters who are always pleasant and enjoy talking. Unless you ask a question, you’ll never find out about someone’s background.

So why wasn’t Pacheco wearing a red suit like the rest of his friends at Arcadia?

“I brought it just in case,” he said. “I was an alternate.”

Pacheco is always prepared, whether jumping out of planes or teaching life lessons to football players.

If anyone deserves a salute, it’s Saul Pacheco.

THE world’s longest non-stop flight is taking off next year – with new images revealing a first look at the aircraft with anti jet lag cabins and private suites.

Qantas’ Project Sunrise will be a non-stop 20-hour-plus flight between London and Sydney.

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Expected to launch in the first half of 2027, the Airbus A350, from Australia’s flagship carrier, will serve two routes – one between the East Coast of Australia and London and the other between the East Coast of Australia and New York.

With flight times up to 22 hours, this makes it the longest nonstop flight in the world – beating the current 18.5 hour flight from Singapore to New York.

Inside, passengers can expect First Class suites, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy seats.

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There will also be a Wellbeing Zone onboard, which will be a space where passengers can get up and move about and tune into with guided wellbeing content as well as grab a healthy snack or drink.

The space is open to all passengers too.

Passengers will also benefit from free Wi-Fi in all cabins and Bluetooth connectivity.

In First Class, there will be six enclosed cabins each with a two-metre-long bed that lies flat.

If you want to stay seated, there will be a separate reclining armchair as well.

In comparison, the 52 Business suites will feature sliding doors to create some privacy.

The 40 Premium Economy seats come with a 20.3cm “winged privacy headrest” and a calf rest, to keep comfy on the 22-hour flight.

Economy passengers haven’t been forgotten either, with 140 seats offering 83.8cm of legroom each.

Rather cleverly, the entire plane features 12 lighting scenes which include Sunrise and Sunset.

Each scene will be played at specific times to help passengers’ circadian-rhythm sync with their destination’s time zone, ultimately helping to reduce jet lag.

In total there will be 12 aircraft, with one aircraft entering the final stages of production this week before two months of testing.

Via social media, Qantas also shared on April 13 that engines had been installed in the first Project Sunrise aircraft.

In a separate post, Qantas said: “The first Airbus A350-1000ULR rolled out of the hangar in Toulouse this week, with its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines fitted and ready to start final ground checks and a two-month flight testing campaign.

“From next year, these aircraft will carry our customers non-stop from Sydney to London and New York for the first time ever – reducing flying time by up to four hours.”

The airline also teased that “its first test flight is just around the corner”.

When the flight route eventually launches, it is expected to cut four hours off of current flight times, which also usually involve a stop to refuel.

This will be possible due to an extra 20,000 litre fuel tank at the rear of each plane.

Qantas first announced plans to launch Project Sunrise back in 2017, though the ambitious project has faced delays as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain issues.

Details of how regularly the flight will travel between London and Sydney are yet to be announced, as are the prices.

In other flight news, the UK is getting a new flight route to world’s best airport – under four hours away.

Plus, the secret tool British Airways uses to launch new airline routes – and the little-known months they announce them.

Mere hours after gracing the “Euphoria” Season 3 premiere red carpet, disrobing to reveal a sheer top, beige corset bottoms and lace stockings that became the talk of the town, then jetting over to LAX to catch a red-eye to New York, Natasha Lyonne was reportedly removed from her Delta flight.

According to Page Six, the “Poker Face” star hadn’t changed out of her red carpet look before taking her seat in first class, where she promptly dozed off. Flight attendants tried to rouse Lyonne and asked her to close her laptop and fasten her seatbelt, but the outlet reports she was incommunicado and appeared to be zonked out behind her shades.

Onlookers said that, as several flight attendants tried to stir Lyonne, removed her laptop and asked if she needed medical attention, she seemed out of it, and asked, “Where are we?”

Attendants ultimately had to tell Lyonne the plane wouldn’t be going anywhere until the actor got off, to which she reportedly obliged.

Due to the series of events, Lyonne missed her scheduled Wednesday morning appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

“My heart is with all the unpaid TSA agents at our airports,” she wrote on X alongside a pink heart emoji. “Sure was looking forward to speaking honestly with @DrewBarrymore yesterday but guess wasn’t in the cards.”

Fans of Lyonne commented on the post, worried and checking in with the actor, who has long been candid about her battle with addiction. After 10 years of sobriety, the “Orange Is the New Black” star revealed that she relapsed earlier this year in a social media post that has since been deleted.

In March, she checked in with her online followers again, reassuring fans she was on the mend.

“Proud to report this kid is doing a whole lot better & back on her feet. Want to thank our recovery communities & the fans who stood by & were so supportive,” she wrote on X. “Aiming to keep the journey somehow private, but look forward to sharing my experience, strength & hope as makes sense. My heart is with everyone ever going through it.”

Representatives for Lyonne have not responded to a request for comment.

The woman jumped out of her seat as soon as the plane hit the tarmac and ignored flight crew instructions to return to her seat while the seatbelt sign was still on

A pilot has been praised as a “hero” for ridiculing an entitled woman who rushed down the aisle in an attempt to be the first passenger off the aircraft. A fellow traveller recounted how the woman leapt from her seat the moment the plane touched down and bolted towards the exit.

Despite the seatbelt sign remaining illuminated, she disregarded the cabin crew’s requests to return to her seat until the aircraft had come to a complete stop. Recounting the incident on Reddit, the passenger explained: “The woman in the back unbuckled and darted to the front of the plane to get off first.

“She did not make any eye contact and felt that she was special. I’m talking about going from the very last seat on the plane, down the whole row, and past first class, basically standing at the little kitchen thing in the front.

“The seat belt sign was still on and we were still rolling down the runway. The flight crew had asked her to return to her seat until we reached the gate but she was not even responding.”

The passenger went on to describe how everyone aboard shifted their focus to the woman following the gruelling eight-hour journey. But that’s when the pilot chose to intervene personally.

“Suddenly the captain announced we had a special guest onboard and he would be coming out to greet them after we were settled at the gate,” they continued.

“The woman stood there awkwardly until we did the whole rolling into the gate thing, and whatever planes do when they land, for about 15 to 20 minutes.”

They went on: “Everyone sat there waiting to see what the captain was talking about. Eventually, the captain came out and asked the lady to please move back a little to get to his special guest, then a little more, then a little more.

“He was looking from row to row trying to find a specific person. Everyone is watching and looking around to see who it could be. “

The pilot kept ushering her back one row at a time until she reached the very back of the plane.

Finally, as they approached the rear of the plane he asked her to sit for a second while he grabbed the intercom at the rear of the plane.

The person recalled: “The pilot said: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to announce our special guest sitting in seat 42C. Let’s give her a round of applause’. The whole plane went wild with laughter and applause. I loved every moment of that.”

Responding to the pilot’s power move, one user remarked: “That pilot is a hero to the people.”

Another user added: “I was hoping that the special guest was a federal marshal coming onboard to arrest the woman for refusing to follow safety-related commands given by members of the flight crew.”

One passenger said: “Sometimes when a plane is late getting in there are people that have a connecting flight that will be very tight to make. They need to get off the plane quickly to have any chance at their connection.

“The best way to handle that is to inform the stewardess and they can make a general announcement. Of course, sometimes people ignore that announcement and block the aisle for those people anyway.”

United States President Donald Trump said early on Sunday that an American soldier who went missing in Iran after the downing of his F-15E jet has been rescued following what observers called a dramatic firefight between Iranian and US rescue forces.

The US and Iran were racing to find the airman for about two days, with Tehran calling on the public to hand over the soldier to the authorities in what appeared to be attempts to capture an American prisoner of war as the US-Israel war on Iran entered its 37th day.

That scenario would have delivered a significant win to Tehran amid the ongoing pummelling of its territory, and for Washington, a stunning blow, analysts say. It could have been the moment that parts of Trump’s support base, which has so far supported the war, started to rethink their stance, they say.

“It was a major test for the American military because they really don’t want to leave any of their servicemen behind enemy lines,” Amin Saikal, a professor of Middle East and Central Asian studies at the Australian National University, told Al Jazeera.

But this rescue “also really frees up President Trump to pursue whatever strategy he has in mind”, Saikal added, referencing Trump’s 48-hour deadline for Iran to make a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz “before all Hell will reign down on them”. Trump has already threatened to bomb energy plants in Iran. Targeting of civilian infrastructure is seen as a violation of the laws of war.

At least 2,076 people have been killed, and 26,500 have been injured in Iran since February 28, when the US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and several other senior military and political leaders.

The conflict has since escalated into a regional war with Iran retaliating against Gulf countries hosting US military and commercial assets.

What happened to the missing airman?

The F-15E jet carrying two members was flying over southern Iran when it was shot down on Friday morning local time.

According to Tehran, the aircraft was shot down by Iran’s “new advanced air defence system”, which it said remained effective despite claims by the US that it had been destroyed.

It was the first time during the war, and the first time since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, that a US aircraft had been shot down.

Washington immediately launched a rescue mission. Although US forces rescued one crew member hours after the crash, the second pilot, believed to be a colonel-rank weapons system officer, was yet to be found.

At least one Black Hawk helicopter was hit in the initial rescue, but US officials said it managed to stay airborne.

Trump suggested that the US appeared to have the location of the airman and was tracking him as the rescue mission unfolded in an area with difficult, mountainous terrain that made physical recovery challenging.

An A-10 Warthog aircraft was also hit near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time as the F-15E, but its pilot was able to eject before the plane crashed and was subsequently rescued. Iranian media reported that this aircraft was also hit by Iran’s defence system.

How did Iran react?

Following the downing of the F-15E, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cordoned off some parts of the mountainous southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province because they believed the airman went down in the vicinity.

Iranian media also reported that parts of the southern Khuzestan region, an important energy hub, were being scrutinised. That region was the focus of heavy US-Israeli strikes on Saturday that killed at least five people and injured dozens.

Iranian authorities, in a rare move, called on the public on Friday to help find and capture the missing American soldier. State media reported that Tehran offered a $60,000 reward for the airman as clips on state TV repeatedly played footage showing the remnants of the downed US aircraft.

Nomadic tribes in the area, appearing to heed the calls, set about searching for the US airman. Footage from state media showed men carrying rifles and Iranian flags moving in between the mountains of the country’s southwest region.

Some successfully shot at two US Black Hawks that were part of the rescue mission, Iranian officials said. The BBC also verified footage appearing to show Iranian men firing their rifles at US helicopters.

Nomadic groups in Iran, and elsewhere, usually carry rifles to protect their cattle from wildlife and bandits.

The IRGC on Sunday claimed that Iranian forces destroyed two C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the operation to rescue the US pilot in southern Isfahan.

What did the US do to retrieve the soldier?

Early on Sunday morning, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that the missing soldier had been rescued in “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S History”.

“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue,” Trump said in his message.

The president revealed some details of the high-risk operation. He had ordered that dozens of aircraft carrying “lethal weapons” be sent in to retrieve the airman who had managed to evade Iranian forces for two days. All the while, the US was tracking the airman.

Although Trump did not reveal details of the firefight believed to have ensued when the US closed in on the airman and went to retrieve him, he confirmed that the officer “sustained injuries” and added that “he will be just fine”.

Al Jazeera’s John Hendren gathered that there was a “heavy firefight” as what was meant to be a “get-in and get-out” rescue operation dragged on.

While US forces had aimed to use the cover of night to conduct the rescue mission after closing in on the airman, enemy fire prolonged the mission into daylight, making it more dangerous.

“We’ve heard it described to us as a heavy firefight,” Hendren reported. “In the end, they managed to spirit that airman out of the country … and into safety, but it didn’t come without injuries, including injuries to that airman himself, but in the end, the US was allowed to avoid a situation where they would have a prisoner of war inside of Iran.”

Hendren added that the US had earlier started a disinformation campaign in Iran, according to officials, claiming the airman was already rescued, to jeopardise Iran’s search.

Iran has not yet confirmed the incident. Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said the firefight appeared to have occurred in the Kohgiluyeh Boyer-Ahmad region, and that nine people have been reported killed in “strikes”, although it is unclear if it was related to the US rescue mission.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities said on Sunday morning that yet another US aircraft – a Lockheed C-130 Hercules – had been downed.

The US has not responded to those claims. At least one such aircraft was spotted flying low over southwest Iran, along with two smaller refuelling helicopters, during the rescue mission effort of the last 48 hours.

A scenic train journey from London to Geneva via Paris offers some of Europe’s best views – and can cost half the price of a plane ticket at around £135 return

A rail journey linking three capital cities boasts some of Europe’s most breathtaking scenery—and could set you back half the price of a flight.

The Eurostar and France’s TGV whisk passengers from London to Geneva, making the very most of a trip that spans three nations. The train departs from St Pancras with a change in Paris before heading onwards to the Swiss capital.

It’s a nearly six-hour journey in total, passing through Montbard, Dijon and Bourg-en-Bresse, offering stunning vistas of national parks and rolling countryside. Passengers can hop off in Paris to discover the city—with landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Champs-Élysées, Sacré-Cœur and the Louvre.

Once the train pulls into Geneva, visitors can take in Lake Geneva, Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre, the Palais des Nations, the botanical gardens and the Brunswick Monument.

From there, it’s also a brief trip to the nearby Alps, with day excursions available from the city to ski or snowboard on the slopes and savour the local restaurants. The train can be half the price of a plane ticket. According to Skyscanner, return flights this month cost up to £394.

During the same period, return train tickets cost around £135, half the price of a flight, according to Trainline.

Families can also cut costs by purchasing Interrail passes—£482 for a family of four to travel on four days within one month, plus seat reservation charges. And expense isn’t the sole advantage.

According to the Times, four passengers journeying from London to Geneva and back by rail produce approximately 44kg of carbon emissions, compared with 108kg by car and 1,608kg by plane. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that, to maintain climate change within sustainable limits, each person has a carbon “budget” of 1,500kg of carbon emissions per year.

Although there are a number of factors that determine how polluting different forms of travel are, such as the type of electricity production used to power trains, riding the rails is typically greener than flying.

Back in 2023, carbon calculations made by the Rail Delivery Group found that travelling by rail from London to Edinburgh creates 10 times fewer carbon emissions than by car and 13 times fewer than by plane.

One of the tricky considerations for passengers is generally cost, with budget airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air typically offering cheaper plane tickets than the equivalent train tickets.

The route from London to Geneva shows that it is not always the case. The price gap between the two forms of transport may also be getting smaller.

Travellers are facing rising airfare costs and reductions in flight schedules as the conflict in the Middle East causes oil prices to soar, with concerns that ticket prices could remain elevated for months even if the war de-escalates. Cathay Pacific, AirAsia and Thai Airways are among a growing number of airlines increasing fares to offset the hikes.

While train services are also impacted by rising oil prices, fuel tends to be a much smaller proportion of their operating margins than with airlines.

Two pilots were killed and several passengers and crew were injured when an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia airport.

BBC Verify has been using air-traffic-control audio and flight-tracking data to piece together what happened on the runway on 22 March – as Jake Horton explains.

Produced by Aisha Sembhi. Graphics by Mesut Ersoz. Verification by Daniele Palumbo.

At least one person is confirmed dead while dozens have been pulled alive from the wreckage of a Colombian air force plane that crashed on the border with Peru.

A woman who found a secret compartment in a plane toilet was left gobsmacked by what she found inside – as some said other public toilets should do the same

Your next flight might be concealing some vital items in a “secret compartment” within the toilet. We’re all aware that air travel can be an uncomfortable affair. You’re squeezed onto an aircraft alongside a host of strangers and informed you can only bring a small bag containing all your essentials – and you’re likely to overlook something important.

While nothing will truly enhance the experience unless you splash out thousands of pounds for first class, one woman on social media has revealed that a hidden door in the bathroom could hold something which at least makes the journey tolerable for some passengers.

Rhonda Abdalla, from Florida, US, was travelling on a Southwest Airlines service from Tampa to Houston, Texas, en route to Las Vegas, when she unexpectedly started her period. She consulted a flight attendant who pointed her towards a small compartment in the aircraft toilet, which was stocked with tampons and sanitary towels.

The woman admitted she had no clue the compartment existed, and suspected other women would be equally unaware, so she turned to Threads to share the discovery and spread awareness.

She posted: “I’m a girls’ girl, so I have to share. Ladies! Did you know there’s a secret compartment in the airplane bathroom that has tampons and pads if you need them?! Because nobody wants to be caught off guard at 35,000 feet.”

Speaking to Newsweek, Rhonda revealed the flight attendant instructed her to take as many tampons as required, and even thoughtfully disclosed she had additional supplies if the stock in the lavatory proved insufficient.

Rhonda detailed that whilst the compartment does feature a sign indicating it can be opened, it “isn’t very noticeable”, so she believes she never would have considered looking there had the flight attendant not informed her about it.

Southwest Airlines has confirmed that sanitary products are something they ensure are stocked on all aircraft for any passenger who might require one urgently.

They told Newsweek: “Sanitary products are available on all Southwest aeroplanes in all lavatories. These items are supplied in case a customer needs one. Whilst we do supply them, they are not a relatively high-use item.”

Both flight attendants and passengers have reacted to Rhonda’s social media post, with numerous people expressing gratitude for her sharing the information, whilst others mentioned they always carry spare tampons for circumstances like hers.

One flight attendant commented: “The amount of times someone has come up to me in tears because on top of a stressful travel day, they started their period and all their products are in their checked bag. Baby, I got you. Tampons, chocolate and a glass of wine will be brought to your tray table immediately.”

Another contributed: “And if you don’t find them in the lavatory, ask a flight attendant. We always have some on board!” One grateful passenger responded: “That’s actually a really useful travel tip! Appreciate you sharing that with everyone.”

Rhonda later expressed her satisfaction at the positive feedback to her post, as she believes it’s important for everyone to be aware of the resources available to them when needed.

She stated: “The response has been really positive, and I’m glad it’s helping spread awareness. Getting your period mid‐flight is already stressful, so knowing there are resources available makes a big difference.”

However, it’s worth noting that some airlines may not stock sanitary products in their lavatories. You can always enquire with a flight attendant who may be able to assist, but it’s advisable to always carry a few emergency tampons or pads – either for your own use or to help someone else in need.

Footage has emerged that purportedly shows a Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft operating over Ukraine. If legitimate, this would be the first time that the radar plane has been seen in Ukrainian service, as far as we know, and would mark an important new capability for Ukraine, and one that we have discussed in depth in the past.

The video in question appears to have been first posted to a Russian Telegram account and clearly shows one of the aircraft, with its distinctive ‘balance beam’ radar fairing on the upper fuselage, in level flight during the daytime. The date and location of the video cannot be confirmed. It should also be noted that we cannot verify the footage itself, but there is nothing to immediately suggest it may have been doctored.

As mentioned, this appears to be the first time we have ever seen one of the Ukrainian Air Force’s two Saab 340 AEW&C planes, although there are suggestions that the type has been flying in Ukrainian skies for some time.

In April of last year, open-source flight-tracking platforms suggested that a possible Ukrainian radar plane was operating in the Lviv region, in western Ukraine, flying circuits and using the callsign WELCOME. Before that, an unidentified aircraft with the same callsign was observed operating in airspace near Poland and Hungary. If true, that suggests that the track over Lviv may have been a post-delivery acceptance or calibration flight. It’s also worth noting that transponders can be manipulated to provide false aircraft tracks, too.

Stockholm’s transfer of two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft to Ukraine was announced in May 2024, as we reported at the time. The donation was part of the biggest Swedish military aid package for Ukraine up to that point, worth around $1.25 billion.

At the time, it was said that it would take around a year to train the aircrew and maintenance personnel, as well as prepare the ground facilities for the new aircraft.

The Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft is known in Swedish military service as the ASC 890 and alternatively as the S 100D Argus. The Swedish Air Force operated two of these aircraft, with both understood to have been provided to Kyiv. Another two ex-Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft are operated by Thailand, and another pair were sold to Poland, having previously been operated by the United Arab Emirates.

Royal Thai Air Force Gripen and Saab 340 Erieye AEW

For Ukraine, the significance of the Saab 340 AEW&C is hard to overstate.

It brings an entirely new capability for the Ukrainian Air Force, which has never operated any type of AEW&C platform.

The core of the aircraft is its Saab Erieye active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Carried atop the fuselage, this can detect air and sea targets at ranges of up to around 280 miles, with the aircraft typically operating at an altitude of 20,000 feet. Reportedly, the AESA system can track up to 1,000 airborne and 500 surface targets simultaneously.

Erieye explained

All this data is handled by three mission crew: a mission control officer, a combat control operator, and a surveillance operator. It can also be downlinked to ground stations and to other aircraft, at least in theory, of which more later.

Unlike a surface-based air defense radar, the Erieye provides a ‘lookdown’ capability. Without the line-of-sight limitations of terrain, the radar will be especially useful for detecting low-flying Russian drones and cruise missiles. These are otherwise notably tricky targets, due to the low altitudes at which they fly and their small radar signatures. With that in mind, the aircraft should provide Ukraine’s air defenses with a huge situational-awareness boost.

Within its layered air defense network, Ukraine relies heavily on crewed fighter jets (as well as other aircraft platforms) to intercept drones and cruise missiles. Adding the Saab 340 AEW&C to the equation, the radar plane should be able to work as a fighter controller, detecting targets, prioritizing them, and then assigning them to the fighters for interception. Equally, this data could be provided to other air defense assets.

Especially useful in this regard would be the NATO-standard Link 16 datalink communications system. This would, in theory, be compatible with Ukraine’s F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters, as well as Western-supplied ground-based air defense systems.

Український пілот про ефективність Mirage2000/Ukrainian Pilot on the Effectiveness of the Mirage2000

However, in late 2024, it was reported that the F-16s donated to Ukraine have had Link 16 systems removed or disabled, due to U.S. worries that they could end up in Russian hands.

This would deprive those fighters of a real-time air defense ‘picture’ sourced from the Erieye radar, and, at this point, it’s unclear if the Link 16 connectivity is available to Ukraine.

As of March 2025, it was reported that the delivery of the radar planes was on track, and they would be able to operate effectively with Ukraine’s F-16s.

“The timing of ASC 890 deliveries is linked to when certain modifications to F-16 fighters will be ready. There is no delay in the transfer of airborne early warning aircraft to Ukraine,” the Lithuanian Delfi news agency reported. This sounds very much like a reference to enabling the Link 16 connectivity.

However, even without Link 16, the Saab 340 AEW&C is able to provide much-enhanced air and sea surveillance for Ukraine.

Later versions of the Erieye radar also have a synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indication (SAR/GMTI) capability, although it’s not clear if Ukraine has received that either. While SAR provides detailed image-like mapping of the ground at standoff ranges, GMTI detects and tracks movements on the ground over time, which would allow monitoring of Russian troop movements.

Should Ukraine’s ambitious plans to buy Saab Gripen fighters in the future materialize, the combination of these jets and the Saab 340 AEW&C could make a tailor-made solution for air defense and other missions.

For all its capabilities, the Saab 340 AEW&C will also be a prime target for Russia.

Russia’s own A-50 Mainstay AEW&C aircraft have been repeatedly targeted by Ukraine, in recognition of their value as force multipliers.

Russia was estimated to have nine A-50s in active service at the start of the full-scale invasion. Since then, there have been two combat losses, and another of these aircraft was damaged in a drone attack while on the ground at a base in Belarus, and its current status is unknown. More recently, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed an A-50 had been hit in a strike on a maintenance facility in the Novgorod region of Russia.

This reality almost certainly means Ukraine operates the Saab radar planes from the far west of the country, likely moving them between airfields to reduce their exposure to airstrikes. Similar tactics are also employed by Ukrainian F-16s. With a maximum of two aircraft, round-the-clock coverage is also impossible, so one aircraft may well be kept on permanent ground alert to respond to particularly intensive Russian drone and missile barrages.

It is likely for this reason, too, that we have not seen anything of the Ukrainian Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft since their delivery.

With time, we will hopefully learn more about what these secretive assets are bringing to Ukraine’s air defenses and what kind of effect they are having on countering the near-constant Russian drone and missile attacks.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

The Pentagon said the airmen on board the KC-135 plane were: John Klinner, 33, from Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, from Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, from Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, from Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, from Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, also from Ohio.