There are a few places on a plane that are best avoided, and if you’re looking for a few ideas, some experts have shared their top tips for finding a seat that’ll make your trip more comfortable.
Nicola Roy Spare Time writer
10:30, 04 Nov 2025
There’s one area of the plane that can be more problematic than the rest(Image: Getty)
Jetting off on holiday is always exciting, especially during the chillier months when the idea of swapping the UK for somewhere warm and sunny is enough to lift anyone’s spirits. However, even if you’re simply heading to a European destination, the journey there isn’t always plain sailing.
We’ve all endured the horror of a dreadful flight before. Whether it’s down to discomfort, fellow passengers’ antics, or something else entirely, it can cast a shadow over your holiday before it’s even started.
So, to help travellers kick off their trips on the right foot, I decided to consult some experts about the worst spot on the aircraft to reserve your seat – and they all had very similar answers.
Nearly all of the specialists I spoke to agreed that the very last row of the aircraft might not be your best bet if you’re after a peaceful journey, reports the Express.
Nicholas Smith, Holidays Digital Director at Thomas Cook, warned that anyone who struggles with turbulence will want to steer clear of this section. He explained: “Seats at the very back are typically less desirable. They are close to the galley and restrooms, service can be slower, food choices may be limited, and it is also the area where movement during turbulence feels strongest.”
He also emphasised the importance of being organised when reserving aircraft seats. This often comes at an extra charge, but if you’re anxious about securing a decent seat, then there’s a good chance it’ll be money well spent.
The expert continued: “Thinking about your priorities in advance also makes a difference – nervous flyers will be more comfortable over the wings, those with a tight connection should choose an aisle near the front, while couples booking a row of three might secure the window and aisle, leaving the middle free for a chance at extra space.”
Izzy Nicholls, a travel expert and founder of road trip blog The Gap Decaders, agreed, saying: “Seats at the back are best avoided. They’re typically noisier because of engine proximity and galley activity, and you’ll be among the last to board and leave the plane.”
Unsurprisingly, the front of the aircraft proved to be the best location for the smoothest experience. Izzy explained: “Travellers who want a calmer journey should book seats at the front of the plane. This area is away from restrooms and heavy foot traffic, so you’ll experience fewer interruptions.
“Choosing an aisle seat here also gives you the freedom to stretch your legs and get up easily without disturbing others. Select these placements to make long flights more comfortable and reduce the effects of motion.”
The rear section of the aircraft isn’t just problematic for comfort – it’s also less ideal when it comes to storage space, particularly if you’re late boarding. Jacob Wedderburn-Day, CEO and Co-Founder of luggage storage firm Stasher said: “Avoid sitting near galleys and toilets, where staff members often store their things in overhead bins, leaving less space for passenger baggage.
“The last few rows are a concern because if you board late, the bins above you may be filled, which means you may have to store your luggage several rows away. Also, stay away from seats that are located behind bulkheads, as these spaces often have limited storage.”
Travel expert Andrea Platania from Transfeero also warned passengers to avoid the back row when flying, explaining: “The very last row is typically the least desirable: limited recline, proximity to bathrooms, and more cabin noise. Middle seats anywhere are usually least popular unless you’re traveling in a group.”
However, for those seeking maximum legroom, there are two areas offering the most space. Andrea said: “Exit-row and bulkhead seats offer more space, but they come with trade-offs: fixed armrests, limited recline, or restrictions for passengers traveling with children.”
And for travellers prone to airsickness during turbulence, one specific location is recommended. The expert added: “Sit over the wings. This area is closest to the aircraft’s centre of gravity, so you’ll feel less turbulence compared to the back, where bumps are magnified.”
Pretoria Drever and Rhonan Kelly said they were “absolutely gutted” to miss their trip to Amsterdam but felt they “probably would’ve died” had they stayed on the KLM plane
05:16, 30 Oct 2025Updated 06:03, 30 Oct 2025
Pretoria Drever and Rhonan Kelly have shared their experience(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A British couple claim they had no choice but to leave their aircraft and miss their holiday despite boarding — as staff “ignored” their nut allergies.
Pretoria Drever and Rhonan Kelly say KLM flight attendants continued to hand out free almond-topped cakes, even though they had told employees of their airborne allergies. Despite again raising their concerns after boarding, the couple decided they had no option but to disembark and miss their holiday to Amsterdam booked for Rhonan’s 25th birthday.
KLM says it “cannot control or prohibit other passengers” from eating products that contain — or may contain — nuts during flights. It did, though, state staff do request tourists refrain from doing so by delivering onboard announcements upon boarding.
But the situation at the gate at Edinburgh Airport on Saturday October 25 became so concerning for the couple, they felt “backed into a corner” and left the aircraft.
Rhonan, who recently got engaged to Pretoria, said: “I’ve never felt so discriminated against in all my life. I honestly believe if we took off on that flight and they served the nuts they’d have taken an emergency landing in London or we’d have probably died on the flight.
“When we book a holiday, we always double check with the airline [about our allergies]. We asked if they’d put an announcement out to ask passengers not to open anything if they do have nuts in them and if they could not sell nuts on the plane.
“Even the menu for that day was meant to be a cookie but when we got on the plane it was a banana loaf with almonds and nuts on it. The manager on the plane was saying ‘we’re not going to stop selling [nut products]. We spoke to KLM Amsterdam and they’ve told us to go ahead with selling the nut products and they can’t put an announcement out’. They said if we don’t like it, we have to basically not fly.
“I was angry but it was very embarrassing. I felt as if I was backed into a corner because no matter what we said or did, we knew we weren’t going to win.
“The pilot said that basically they need to carry out a service for what everybody’s paid for but I paid for it as well. I feel quite disgusted that an airline would do something like that.”
Although staff allegedly told Pretoria and Rhonan EpiPens were onboard, the couple felt this was not sufficient because it is only a short-term measure and typically effective until paramedics help.
Now, having missed the two-day trip, Pretoria and Rhonan, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, hope to get a refund from KLM, the flag carrier of the Netherlands. They say they declared their allergy to nuts and peanuts on an online form, and arrived two hours early to Edinburgh Airport so they could alert staff on Saturday.
“I was absolutely gutted [to miss out on the trip] It’s put me off using that airline again and it’s actually putting the fear in me flying. I have to build myself up to be able to go on a plane. I know the air is circulated and I know that’s the chance I take,” Rhonan added.
Pretoria, who works in car insurance, admitted she could go into anaphylactic shock within just two minutes of nut exposure because of her airborne allergy and the experience has put her off flying.
Pretoria said: “Before we got on the flight, I had such bad anxiety about flying but I thought ‘it’s only an hour and a half’. But it was the worst experience ever.
“It made me feel I was different to everyone else. It was humiliating getting off the plane and as if we were less than everyone else, as if we’ve paid less so we should be leaving.
“But we obviously paid the same as every other passenger. It made me feel rubbish and unwanted. No-one even stuck us for us or said ‘I won’t eat that so they can fly’.
“They were putting our safety at risk. There’s two of us but 190 passengers so that’s the whole air with nuts in it, it was horrible. I’ll never fly with them again and it’s put me off flying ever again.”
A KLM spokesman said: “We are sorry to hear about the experience Mr. Kelly and Ms. Drever had prior to their flight from Edinburgh to Amsterdam.
“We understand how serious nut allergies can be and how distressing this situation must have been for them. When a passenger informs our crew about a nut allergy, we can make an onboard announcement kindly requesting fellow passengers to keep nut-containing products sealed for the duration of the flight.
“However, we cannot control or prohibit other passengers from consuming products that may contain nuts during the flight. While we do our utmost to support passengers with allergies, we unfortunately cannot guarantee a nut-free environment on board.
When booking a flight, most people will always choose between window or aisle — but one of these choices is actually significantly better than the other for a couple of reasons
One seat is ‘always a winner’(Image: Getty)
When it comes to booking a flight, there are typically two preferred seating options. No one fancies being sandwiched in the middle of a row, so most passengers will always opt for either window or aisle. However, one of these choices is significantly superior to the other for a couple of reasons.
One key reason is that this seat is more likely to be thoroughly cleaned between flights, reports the Express.
According to Andrea Platania, travel expert at Transfeero, the aisle seat is “always a winner”.
She explained: “Cabin crews have limited time between flights to clean every row, and reaching window seats properly is tricky.
“The aisle seats tend to be wiped more thoroughly simply because they’re easier to access.”
In addition to likely receiving a more comprehensive cleaning, the aisle seat also feels a bit fresher during long-haul flights. This is due to the way air circulates within the plane’s cabin.
Andrea clarified: “Air in the cabin circulates from top to bottom and side to side. So while the whole plane shares the same filtered air, being in the aisle gives slightly more exposure to moving air, as it can feel fresher, especially on older aircraft.”
Those who favour the aisle seat often mention more freedom to move as one of the reasons they prefer it. You don’t have to scramble over other people to get to the loo, or stretch your legs.
Andrea stated: “You can move when you want without asking anyone to stand up or doing that awkward shuffle past strangers. Being in the aisle means you can stretch, go to the loo or grab something from the overhead bin whenever you please.”
Those lucky enough to snag an aisle seat are also typically among the first to disembark the flight.
Andrea added: “When everyone stands up at once, you’re already halfway to the door while the window seat passengers are still waiting to squeeze out.
“For business travellers or anyone catching a transfer, those few minutes can be priceless.”
ALASKA Airlines was forced to ground all planes across the US on Thursday after being hit by an IT outage.
It’s the second time in three months that the carrier has been forced to halt all operations.
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The Alaska Airlines outage has left passengers strandedCredit: KOMO-TVPassengers seen looking at their phones in Seattle airport as they wait for informationCredit: KOMO-TV
The outage has since sparked widespread travel chaos across the US.
More than 200 Alaska Airlines flights were delayed on Thursday, and more than 100 canceled, according to FlightAware data.
More than 300 flights heading out of Dallas and Chicago were delayed.
Over 140 planes jetting out of Seattle airport were delayed, according to FlightAware.
Federal aviation chiefs issued a ground stop for Alaska Airlines’ entire fleet just after 7:30pm local time on Thursday.
Passengers in Seattle airport were seen lounging on their suitcases in the terminal as they waited for information.
Luggage was piling up in the airport’s baggage reclaim area.
Airport staffers had to check labels to reunite passengers with their bags.
Others managed to get onto their planes but were left sitting on the tarmac.
Pilots told passengers on board jets they would be taking off but planes didn’t move.
“They were like, okay, we’re going to be taking off, it’s an hour fifty-eight to Burbank, and then we didn’t move,” Wilder McCullough, who was heading to California, told KOMO-TV.
Travelers in Austin, Texas, said gates were jammed, as reported by CNN.
Airline bosses have since spoken out and have apologized for any disruption.
“We apologize for the inconvenience,” the carrier posted on X.
Alaska Airlines statement
ALASKA Airlines has issued a statement after an IT outage grounded all flights on Thursday.
“An IT outage has affected our operations and has resulted in cancellations of some of our flights this evening and into tomorrow,” the carrier said.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and ask that you check your flight status before heading to the airport.
“A flexible travel policy is in place to support guests.”
Alaska Airlines, which operates regular flights across both the United States and Mexico, says passengers should check before they travel amid heavy delays today
PLUGS with USB ports feel like a godsend when travelling abroad, as you don’t have to worry with adapters.
But it turns out that they risk doing more harm than good – and could end up costing you a fortune.
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Travellers have been warned to not use USB ports at airports as it could lead to ‘juice jacking’Credit: Getty
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has warned passengers that using USB ports in airports can potentially make your phone vulnerable to a cyber attack.
In a Facebook post, TSA said: “Hackers can install malware at USB ports (we’ve been told that’s called ‘juice/port jacking’).
“So, when you’re at an airport do not plug your phone directly into a USB port.
“Bring your TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in there.”
Juice jacking is essentially a form of cyber attack, where public USB ports are used to steal data from or install malware on a device.
The issue isn’t just limited to airports either, as any sockets with USB ports in a public place could be at risk – on board the plane, at train stations, in hotels and in coffee shops.
Through juice jacking, hackers can gain access to sensitive information such as passwords, emails and financial information.
Malware could also be installed, which allows hackers to track online activities – or even fully take over your device.
Firmware could also be impacted, meaning that the security measures on a device could be rendered useless.
The TSA also warned that travellers should not use public Wi-Fi, especially if planning to make online purchases.
So how do you protect your device?
According to cybersecurity company McAfee, “the most straightforward way to avoid juice jacking is to use your own charging cables, plugs and adapters.
They said: “By plugging into a standard electrical outlet rather than a public USB port, you eliminate the risk of data theft or malware installation through compromised USB ports.”
You could also carry a battery pack with you, but make sure to check your airline’s regulations as some do not allow power banks on board planes.
You can also use a USB data blocker, which is a small adapter that attaches to the end of your wire and blocks any transmission for a USB port.
This then only allows power to go through the cable to your phone.
Airport officials were left facing a real ‘mystery’ after discovering a plane that had veered off the runway onto a patch of grass, and the pilot was nowhere to be seen
Airport officials were baffled to discover an abandonded plane “resting nose-down in the grass next to a runway” this week.
Bizarrely, the pilot was nowhere to be seen, and it became clear that the damaged plane, a small 1972 Cessna Skyhawk, had veered off the runway after having made a hard landing on Tuesday.
The empty Cessna N20392 was discovered at approximately 5am at Naples Municipal Airport in Florida, while the airport’s traffic control tower was closed from 10pm right up until 6am.
As staff were left to decipher the mystery, yet more questions emerged after security personnel reported spotting two people leaving the plane at the airport shortly after the plane landed right in the middle of the grassy field. They appeared to be unharmed.
Airport communications director Robin King said, via FOX4: “We came in at about five o’clock this morning and realised we had an aircraft in the middle of the field. Our security released two people from the airfield overnight. They were fine. They walked away, and that’s really all we know.”
FlightAware data shows that the plane circled several times over Fort Myers and again in Naples before touching down at Naples Airport, in Florida, just after 2:40 am. An airport runway had to be shut down after the unexpected discovery was made; however, normal airport operations resumed after the disabled plane was removed from the field at approximately 6:30am.
In a separate interview with WINK News, King said: “It’s unusual. It’s really unusual, and it was a mystery.” The pilot has since been identified as 24-year-old Brianna Brown, who, as reported by Local 10, “returned around midday”, by which point the aircraft had been removed from the scene by a crew and placed in a hangar for inspection. Brown has since spoken with the Naples Police Department, as well as a member of the airport operations team.
Lt. Bryan McGinn, a spokesperson for the Naples Police Department, issued the following statement: “We have since learned that the pilot slid off the runway … the pilot stated they notified staff.”
According to King, it appears that Brown rented the plane, which she flew from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, in the Fort Lauderdale area. Police officers have since filed an incident report, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been notified by airport authorities. King said: “The FAA will be investigating. It’s totally out of our hands at this point, and so we’re going to find out why it happened.”
Brown, of Fort Lauderdale, wasn’t injured during the incident and is understood to be cooperating with the investigation. At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether or not Brown or the other person on board, who has not been identified, faces any charges.
The pooch went missing during a journey from Buenos Aires to Barcelona, prompting a claim for losses from the owner. Now the European Court of Justice has handed down its ruling
The ruling is a blow for pet owners (stock photo)(Image: Getty Images)
Pets on flights can be classified as baggage, the European Court of Justice has ruled.
In a blow for pet owners, the ruling means that airlines are not required to pay higher compensation if the animal is lost.
The ruling was handed down by Europe’s highest court, the ECJ, after it was asked to intervene in the case of a lost dog. The pooch went missing during a journey from Buenos Aires to Barcelona, prompting a claim for losses from the owner.
Mona, the dog, had been put in a special pet crate, only to escape on the way to the plane. Mona was never found, prompting a claim of €5,000 (£4,340) for “non-material damage” by the passenger, and a six-year court case.
The airline involved, Iberia, accepted liability for the loss of the pet but not the size of the claim.
The Spanish court that heard the case then referred it to the ECJ, asking whether the concept of “baggage” in the Montreal Convention governing air travel incorporated or excluded pets traveling with passengers.
“According to the Montreal Convention, other than carriage of cargo, aircraft perform international carriage of persons and baggage,” the ECJ wrote, summarising its judgment.
“The concept of ‘persons’ corresponds to that of ‘passengers,’ with the result that a pet cannot be considered to be a ‘passenger,'” it said. “Consequently, for the purposes of air travel, a pet falls within the concept of ‘baggage’ and the compensation for the damage resulting from the loss of a pet is subject to the liability rules for baggage.”
A key point was that the passenger had not submitted a special declaration of interest in delivery. That is a formal step that involves paying an additional fee, which would have allowed them to increase the liability limit for the precious cargo.
The Spanish airline argued it exceeded the liability for lost luggage without any special declarations as to the crate’s contents.
“The dog got out of the carrier, started running near the plane and could not be recovered,” the ECJ papers say.
It was heard at the earlier court hearing in Spain that despite an intense campaign on social media launched by Mona’s owner, the dog has never been recovered.
The dog owner’s lawyer in Madrid, Carlos Villa Corta, said he disagreed with the arguments made in the Luxembourg court. “I believe that a great opportunity has been missed to continue raising awareness of the rights of animals and the people who care for them. Ultimately, the ECJ considers that pets do not deserve special or enhanced legal protection compared to a simple suitcase,” he said, the Guardian reported.
According to Spanish reports on the first court case, it was ruled that because a special declaration about the animal was not made before the flight, the pet owner was entitled to only €1,578.82.
In a statement, the ECJ said: “The fact that the protection of animal welfare is an objective of general interest recognised by the European Union does not prevent animals from being transported as ‘baggage’ and from being regarded as such for the purposes of the liability resulting from the loss of an animal.”
Josie North, who has a nut allergy, faced a “very scary situation” on a flight from Los Angeles, California, to Heathrow Airport and complained to the Virgin Atlantic team
04:08, 11 Oct 2025Updated 07:27, 11 Oct 2025
Josie North recounted her experience on the flight(Image: Jam Press/@josienorth988)
A tourist with a severe nut allergy was left terrified after a pecan pie was primed to be served as a dessert on her flight.
Josie North alerted Virgin Atlantic attendants of her allergy and was assured no nuts would be served on the plane from Los Angeles to London Heathrow. However, just 15 minutes into the 10-hour journey Josie spotted the nutty dessert offering on the menu, and immediately called over an attendant.
The 28-year-old Brit, who is allergic to all types of nuts, said today: “I felt sick to my stomach. There was a chance I could die if that many people around me were eating nuts all at once.
“I told him [the attendant] there was just no way this pecan pie could be served. This was a very scary situation for me. If I was told they were serving actual nuts, and everyone around me is going to be eating nuts, I wouldn’t have got on the flight.”
But Virgin Atlantic staff had spoken to Josie to assure her flight attendants would accommodate her needs ahead of the flight last month. Josie, who runs a party card games business, was told Virgin is a peanut-free airline only, and so she insisted on speaking to another member of staff on the plane.
“I was very adamant that this was a very, very dangerous situation for me, especially as we were already in the air at this point,” Josie, from London, said. Eventually, the captain was involved and agreed the pie should be removed from the menu and replaced with Oreos and KitKats.
But Josie wants to raise awareness of her experience, and remind large organisations of the dire dangers of allergies. When she boarded the flight, the entrepreneur asked the attendant to make an announcement to let other passengers know someone on board had a nut allergy. She claims the employee only announced someone had a peanut allergy – while Josie is allergic to all nuts.
A “persistent” Josie insisted they do a second announcement, which they did, but shortly afterwards, she was horrified to see the nut dish on the menu.
Josie said: “I understand it might not be easy to eliminate anything that may have been contaminated by or made in the same factory as nuts.
“But to actively include food items that contain nuts on a flight is extremely dangerous and unnecessary. I’m sure most people go hours and if not days without having a single nut on land so why is it so necessary to have nuts mid-air with no access to emergency hospital treatment?
“I’m sure people would be equally as happy with a chocolate brownie or an apple crumble for their dessert! And there may even be children on the flight who don’t even know if they have nut allergies yet ” so what is the point in serving such a common allergen?”
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise to Ms North for any incorrect information she may have received prior to her recent flight with us.
“We would like to reassure her that a full investigation is taking place. The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority and for any special requirements including allergies we ask that customers inform our Accessible Travel Services teams in advance of their flight.
“For the safety of any customers travelling with an allergy we would strongly encourage customers to take all necessary precautions including bringing their own subsistence on board and to prepare for the possibility of inadvertent exposure.”
Venezuelan government calls on US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to cease ‘thrill-seeking and warmongering posture’.
Published On 3 Oct 20253 Oct 2025
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Venezuela’s government has blasted an “illegal incursion” near its borders by United States warplanes and accused the US of “military harassment” and threatening the “security of the nation”.
Venezuelan Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino said on Thursday that at least five F-35 fighter jets had been detected, in what he describes as a threat that “US imperialism has dared to bring close to the Venezuelan coast”.
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“We’re watching them, I want you to know. And I want you to know that this doesn’t intimidate us. It doesn’t intimidate the people of Venezuela,” Padrino said, speaking from an airbase, according to the Agencia Venezuela news outlet.
“The presence of these planes flying close to our Caribbean Sea is a vulgarity, a provocation, a threat to the security of the nation,” Padrino said.
“I denounce before the world the military harassment, the military threat by the US government against the people of Venezuela, who want peace, work and happiness,” he said.
The presence of the US combat planes was detected by the country’s air defences, air traffic control systems at Maiquetia international airport, which serves the capital Caracas, as well as a commercial airliner, Venezuelan authorities said.
In a joint statement, Venezuela’s foreign and defence ministries said the US combat planes were detected 75km (46.6 miles) “from our shores”. If the planes came no closer than the distance mentioned by Venezuelan authorities, then they would not have violated the country’s airspace, which extends about 12 nautical miles, or 22km, off the coast.
Still, the ministries accused the US of flouting international law and jeopardising civil aviation in the Caribbean Sea.
Venezuela “urges US Secretary of War Peter Hegseth to immediately cease his reckless, thrill-seeking and warmongering posture”, which is disturbing the peace of the Caribbean, the statement added.
Venezuela denuncia incursión ilegal de aviones de combate de EEUU en sus costas: «Provocación que amenaza la soberanía nacional» (+Comunicado)https://t.co/GnR4wLRDzz
The Pentagon has yet to respond to requests for comment from media organisations.
US media reported earlier on Thursday that President Donald Trump has notified Congress that the US is now engaged in “non-international armed conflict” against drug cartels, members of which would now be considered “unlawful combatants”.
Trump’s move to a more formal war footing follows on from the US administration’s rebranding of Latin American drug cartels as “narco-terrorists” who are seeking to destabilise the US by trafficking illegal drugs across US borders.
The move follows weeks of tension with Venezuela after Trump dispatched US F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico, a US territory in the Caribbean, as part of the biggest military deployment in Latin America in decades and which has already seen air attacks on boats off the Venezuelan coast that the US president alleged were involved in drug trafficking.
So far, 14 people have been killed in the US attacks off Venezuela that officials in Caracas and several independent experts have described as extrajudicial killings.
Eight US warships and a nuclear submarine have also been deployed to the region as part of Trump’s so-called operation to combat drug trafficking, but which Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro says is a covert bid to bring about regime change in his country.
Oct. 2 (UPI) — Two planes operated by Delta Air Lines subsidiary Endeavor Air collided Wednesday night on the tarmac of New York City’s LaGuardia Airport, according to reports, which said one person was injured.
Delta Air Lines described the incident in a statement as a “low-speed collision” between Endeavor Air Flight 5047 and Endeavor Flight 5155.
Flight 5047 was arriving from Charlotte, N.C., while Flight 5155 was to depart for Roanoke, Virginia.
Delta said preliminary information shows that the wing of Flight 5155 made contact with Flight 5047’s fuselage.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the collision occurred at a gate at 9:58 p.m. EDT.
Delta said a flight attendant suffered a minor injury in the collision, while the port authority said they had been transported to a nearby hospital as a precaution.
“Delta teams at our New York-LaGuardia hub are working to ensure our customers are taken care of after two Delta Connection aircraft operated by Endeavor Air were involved in a low-speed collision during taxi,” Delta said in the statement.
“Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologize to our customers for the experience.”
The incident is the first to occur during the government shutdown, which has shuttered programs and left federal workers furloughed.
Earlier Wednesday, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned that government shutdowns “reduce the safety and efficiency” of the National Airspace System and erode safety.
“During a shutdown, critical safety support staff are furloughed, and support programs are suspended, making it difficult for air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals to perform at optimum levels,” it said in a statement.
Sharp words were exchanged after a mother forced a seat swap aboard a flight so she could be situated closer to her kids. But the impacted passenger was not having it
Stern words were exchanged (stock photo)(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A woman was shamed and insulted after refusing to give up her seat on a flight.
“Last month I took a flight back home after visiting my parents. Boarding time, I walked to my seat, 23A. There was already someone sitting there,” the woman explained on the subreddit Entitled People.
“I had to double-check to make sure it’s the 23rd row. Yep, I was right.”
Rather than accepting that she’d been dealt a bad hand and would be occupying another perch for the flight, the wrong passenger decided to speak up – for principle’s sake, and so she could sit in the seat she had reserved.
“So I told the lady sitting there, it’s my seat. Suddenly, a man on 23D offered me a 23E seat. It turns out they are a family, and the mother didn’t want to be separated from her children (who were in 23B and 23C), so she took my 23A,” the spurned aviator went on.
“I was confused. It’s not like she will be long separated from her children. The children were in 23B-23C, and she and her husband were in 23D-23E—only separated by an aisle! Obviously, I refused. I specifically booked a window seat. It could help me feel at ease looking at the clouds and fall asleep.
“The seat they offered me to trade was a middle seat, 23E. Trapped between the dad (23D) and a random man (23F) in a narrow airplane seat? Nope. I feel suffocated already.”
When the woman explained that she would not accept the wrong seat, tense words erupted.
“I flatly replied, ‘No, I booked the window seat’. The mother immediately felt offended. She replied harshly ‘So you don’t mind we, a family, sitting separately?’ Well, why didn’t YOU book the right seats in the first place? Didn’t say this out loud though, I was only replaying my words ‘That’s my seat’. I was adamant with my answer.
“Finally she’s up, walking away from my seat with angry words she whispered silently towards me. I chose to not pay any attention to them. However, things changed afterwards. Her children were still sitting on the 23B and 23C seat, obviously I could not walk into my seat.
“I asked them politely to get out of their seat so I could get in. What did the mother do? She body shamed me. ‘Kids, get up. Her body is HUGE, she could not get in’.
“My height is above the women’s height average in my country, plus I gained like 10 kgs in the pandemic.”
The woman said the comments hurt her “feelings badly”. According to the passenger, the daughter apologies to her for her mother’s comments.
“The angry tirade stopped around five minutes later, when the mother told her kids to move seats a few rows away. Once more, the daughter pleaded for an apology to me. It’s crazy to think that a 12-year-old was way more emotionally mature than her entitled 40s mother. The whole time her mother spouted insults at me, the daughter looked pale and rigid. Her gaze was fixated on one spot. I assume she was very embarassed. Poor kid,” the woman concluded.
A female pilot has shared her experiences of breaking into the ‘challenging’ industry as a woman and has some words of advice for those who are considering the same journey as her
She shared her story to encourage others (Stock Image)(Image: yacobchuk via Getty Images)
A female pilot has urged women to chase their dreams when it comes to their careers and not be deterred by male-dominated industries. Jenna, from Manchester, shared her inspiring journey on the ‘Update Aviation’ Facebook page, hoping to motivate others to follow their passions, even if they do feel like they’re chasing an impossible dream.
She emphasised the need for resilience but reassured that there’s “always a way” to make dreams come true. She penned: “My aviation journey began from a young age when my dad would take me to the Manchester airport pub every weekend to watch the planes! After we went on our first family holiday and my first time on a plane, I knew that was a job I had to do. Ever since, I have never given up on that dream.
“I have recently completed flight school and just got my first job flying the 737! (It still doesn’t feel real.)
“I started my flight training in January 2023 on an Integrated ATPL. I went over the Phoenix AZ for 8 months to learn how to fly and can honestly say it was the most amazing time I have ever had.
“I don’t think anything will beat flying all over the desert in a little PA28 every morning.”
She added: “Although I had the time of my life at flight school, and made memories that will last forever, I think it’s important to add that it does come with its challenges, and to get to the point it took rejection, determination and a whole lot of resilience.
“My advice to lady aviators is if you have a dream of being a pilot, you owe it to yourself to pursue it! Aviation can be a challenging industry to get into, both financially and mentally. But there is always a way!
“The flight deck has a place for anyone who has the passion to be in there, regardless of who you are!
“As a female who felt nervous about going into a male-dominated industry, I have to say how welcoming I have found the aviation industry!
“I’ve made lifelong friends and feel part of a community that always helps each other out!”
In the comments section, people shared their own experiences.
One mum wrote: “My daughter’s dream is to become a pilot. She has flown two small planes from Barton airport, Manchester, and absolutely loves it. She is only 12, nearly 13, and next week she is joining the air cadets to experience that side of aviation”.
Another added: “Well done and congratulations. My son has just started with Tui as a Pilot and will be based in Manchester. It has made me realise how hard the training is and how dedicated you have to be. It’s a wonderful industry to be in. Enjoy every minute,” a dad praised.
Someone else chimed in: “Well done to you. Absolutely fantastic. You show those stripes with pride, hun. Hard work pays off.”
Whilst another penned: “Well done Jenna you will never look back to what you have achieved I just love flying. Hope you’re flying one of my holidays”.
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\",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"\\\"I don't think anything will beat flying all over the desert in a little PA28 every morning.\\\"\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"She added: \\\"Although I had the time of my life at flight school, and made memories that will last forever, I think it's important to add that it does come with its challenges, and to get to the point it took rejection, determination and a whole lot of resilience.\"]}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"BoxStyles_box-container__Qk3WH BoxStyles_commercial__Wo6Z4 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src=\\\"https://connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1\u0026version=v23.0\u0026appId=APP_ID\\\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\\n\\n\u003cdiv class=\\\"fb-post\\\" data-href=\\\"https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1207999678038461\u0026amp;id=100064853194109\u0026amp;mibextid=wwXIfr\u0026amp;rdid=7OOAPdW46Xt3iyKu#\\\" data-width=\\\"500\\\" data-show-text=\\\"true\\\"\u003e\u003cblockquote cite=\\\"https://www.facebook.com/updateaviation/posts/1207999678038461\\\" class=\\\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\\\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hello! My name is Jenna and I am from Manchester in the UK\\n\\nMy aviation journey began from a young age when my dad...\u003c/p\u003ePosted by \u003ca href=\\\"https://www.facebook.com/updateaviation\\\"\u003eUpdate Aviation\u003c/a\u003e on\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href=\\\"https://www.facebook.com/updateaviation/posts/1207999678038461\\\"\u003eSaturday 27 September 2025\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\",\"rightHandRailEnabled\":true,\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"dataTmDataTrack\":\"content-unit\",\"dataTmdatatrackType\":\"facebook_post\"}]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"\\\"My advice to lady aviators is if you have a dream of being a pilot, you owe it to yourself to pursue it! Aviation can be a challenging industry to get into, both financially and mentally. But there is always a way!\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"\\\"The flight deck has a place for anyone who has the passion to be in there, regardless of who you are!\"]}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"BoxStyles_box-container__Qk3WH BoxStyles_commercial__Wo6Z4 undefined\",\"data-testid\":\"commercial-5\",\"children\":[\"$\",\"$L76\",null,{\"location\":\"article-body\",\"position\":5,\"hide\":false,\"features\":\"$207\"}]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"\\\"As a female who felt nervous about going into a male-dominated industry, I have to say how welcoming I have found the aviation industry!\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"\\\"I've made lifelong friends and feel part of a community that always helps each other out!\\\"\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"In the comments section, people shared their own experiences.\"]}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"BoxStyles_box-container__Qk3WH BoxStyles_commercial__Wo6Z4 undefined\",\"data-testid\":\"commercial-6\",\"children\":[\"$\",\"$L76\",null,{\"location\":\"article-body\",\"position\":6,\"hide\":false,\"features\":\"$207\"}]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"One mum wrote: \\\"My daughter's dream is to become a pilot. She has flown two small planes from Barton airport, Manchester, and absolutely loves it. She is only 12, nearly 13, and next week she is joining the air cadets to experience that side of aviation\\\".\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"Another added: \\\"Well done and congratulations. My son has just started with Tui as a Pilot and will be based in Manchester. It has made me realise how hard the training is and how dedicated you have to be. It's a wonderful industry to be in. Enjoy every minute,\\\" a dad praised.\"]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"Someone else chimed in: \\\"Well done to you. Absolutely fantastic. You show those stripes with pride, hun. Hard work pays off.\\\"\"]}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"BoxStyles_box-container__Qk3WH BoxStyles_commercial__Wo6Z4 undefined\",\"data-testid\":\"commercial-7\",\"children\":[\"$\",\"$L76\",null,{\"location\":\"article-body\",\"position\":1000,\"hide\":false,\"features\":\"$207\"}]}],[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \",\"data-testid\":null,\"data-tmdatatrack\":\"content-unit\",\"data-tmdatatrack-type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[\"Whilst another penned: \\\"Well done Jenna you will never look back to what you have achieved I just love flying. Hope you're flying one of my holidays\\\".\"]}]]]}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"data-testid\":\"content-tags\",\"className\":\"ContentTags_content-tags__ITC5g\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$L27e\",\"0\",{\"linkUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/careers-advice\",\"linkText\":\"Careers advice\",\"dataTmDataTrack\":\"more-on\",\"dataTrackName\":\"Careers advice\"}],[\"$\",\"$L27e\",\"1\",{\"linkUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/air-travel\",\"linkText\":\"Air travel\",\"dataTmDataTrack\":\"more-on\",\"dataTrackName\":\"Air travel\"}],[\"$\",\"$L27e\",\"2\",{\"linkUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/planes\",\"linkText\":\"Planes\",\"dataTmDataTrack\":\"more-on\",\"dataTrackName\":\"Planes\"}]]}],[\"$\",\"$L27f\",null,{\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"webAlertsConfig\":\"$200\",\"tags\":[{\"id\":\"tag:[email protected],2011:Careers%20advice\",\"name\":\"Careers advice\",\"scheme\":\"tag:[email protected],2011\",\"term\":\"careers-advice\",\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"isPrimary\":true},{\"id\":\"tag:[email protected],2011:Air_travel\",\"name\":\"Air travel\",\"scheme\":\"tag:[email protected],2011\",\"term\":\"air-travel\",\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"isPrimary\":false},{\"id\":\"tag:[email protected],2011:Planes\",\"name\":\"Planes\",\"scheme\":\"tag:[email protected],2011\",\"term\":\"planes\",\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"isPrimary\":false}],\"oneSignalEnabled\":true,\"disableAirship\":true}],[\"$\",\"$L280\",null,{\"publication\":\"mirror\",\"domain\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk\"}],[\"$\",\"$L281\",null,{\"analyticsData\":{\"allTags\":\"Careers advice|Air travel|Planes\",\"articleAuthor\":\"Danielle Kate Wroe\",\"articleId\":\"35990340\",\"articleSubtype\":\"news_story\",\"articleType\":\"article:news\",\"canonicalUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/im-female-pilot-theres-piece-35990340\",\"cleanUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/im-female-pilot-theres-piece-35990340\",\"cmsPlatform\":\"nationals\",\"headline\":\"'I'm female pilot and there's piece of advice I have for anyone entering industry'\",\"isEvergreenStory\":false,\"natRegLookup\":\"Daily Mirror\",\"noIndex\":false,\"originalPublicationTime\":\"14:55\",\"ownerSite\":\"Daily Mirror\",\"pageDomain\":\"www.mirror.co.uk\",\"pagescreenType\":\"article\",\"pageSection\":\"lifestyle\",\"pagesecondarySection\":\"\",\"pagetertiarySection\":\"\",\"pageType\":\"article: news, news_story\",\"primaryTag\":\"Careers advice\",\"projectName\":\"GutenBot,gutenbot_v2,prospero,social_newsdesk,under_35s_content_hub\",\"publicationName\":\"Daily Mirror\",\"publishedDate\":\"2025-09-30\",\"updatedPublicationTime\":\"14:55\",\"updatedPublicationDate\":\"2025-09-30\",\"webPlatform\":\"Navigator\",\"hasNewsletterHeadline\":false,\"hasHtmlPageTitle\":false,\"htmlPageTitleValue\":\"none\",\"newsletterReferralHeadlineValue\":\"none\",\"socialHeadlineValue\":\"'I'm a female pilot and there's advice I give to anyone entering industry'\",\"isExcludedfromYahoo\":true,\"isExcludedFromApp\":false,\"isExcludedFromAppleNews\":false,\"isExcludedFromFBIASiteMapAndRSS\":false,\"isRemovedFromAmp\":false,\"isClearedForPublishing\":false,\"packageName\":\"\"}}],false,false,[\"$\",\"$L282\",null,{\"converseServiceProps\":{\"platform\":\"nationals\",\"endpointURL\":\"https://get-latest.convrse.media\",\"articleUrl\":\"https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/im-female-pilot-theres-piece-35990340\"}}],[\"$\",\"$L283\",null,{\"jwClickToPlayGeos\":\"$26a\"}]]\n"])
A man shared how he went through a horrifying flight experience, and it was all down to the piece of jewellery he had been constantly wearing since the start of this year
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He was denied boarding (Stock Image)(Image: Getty Images)
A man was left vowing to “never” wear a piece of jewellery again after he was denied boarding a plane thanks to it. Wearable smart rings have become all the rage as an alternative to the sometimes clunky smart watch. But when Daniel Rotar noticed his ring wouldn’t come off his finger just before he was meant to board a flight, he was left incredibly stressed.
Sharing a picture of the ring stuck on his finger, he wrote on X: “Ahhh…this is…not good. My Samsung Galaxy Ring’s battery started swelling. While it’s on my finger. And while I’m about to board a flight. Now I cannot take it off, and this thing hurts”.
He shared another picture, writing: “You can see the battery expanding. Not great for something that’s now stuck to my finger”.
Some asked how long he’d had the device, and Daniel explained he bought it in January 2025. Some Samsung rings retail for £399, depending on the model.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
He wrote: “Had it since January 2025. No clue on the battery health (never checked it and not even sure if that’s visible in the app).
“I think it definitely had some battery issue before, as it stopped lasting for more than 1.5 days. When I first got it, it was close to the advertised seven days, so I even stopped charging it regularly because of this. When it swelled, it had no battery juice left in it”.
Somebody shared that the same thing happened to them with a smart ring, saying: “I cut it off with a Dremel. If you do this, be sure you do not cut the battery, and slide a file underneath so you don’t slice your finger. I just saved you four hours in urgent care! Good luck”.
Another urged: “Go up to the nearest restaurant and tell them you need a stick of butter warmed for 30 seconds. Finger the butter and then wiggle that thing off”.
One man seethed: “This is so messed up. It’s one thing for a battery in a phone or even smartwatch to expand like this (at least you can take it out of your pocket or off your wrist), but a ring…very glad to see you got it removed ok”.
Daniel then shared an update, saying: “I was denied boarding due to this (been travelling for 47 hours straight, so this is really nice). Need to pay for a hotel for the night now and get back home tomorrow”.
He also shared that he “was sent to the hospital, as an emergency,” and “the ring got removed”.
“You can see the battery all swollen. Won’t be wearing a smart ring ever again,” he fumed.
Someone wrote: “Dude, I’m sorry you had to go through this”. Daniel said he was just glad his finger was “fine”.
Another person suggested they should be designed with a gap in them instead to get on and off easier.
A spokesperson for Samsung said: “The safety of our customers is our top priority. This is an extremely rare case, and we are in direct contact with Mr Rotar to retrieve the product and learn about the concerns”.
Turkish Airlines confirmed an order for 225 Boeing planes, including 75 Dreamliners and 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The deal, years in the making, was sealed after talks between Presidents Erdogan and Trump. Deliveries are scheduled for 2029–2034.
Why It Matters
The deal strengthens Boeing at a time of fierce competition with Airbus and bolsters Turkey’s aviation ambitions. For Ankara, it also deepens economic and political ties with Washington at a moment of strained relations.
Turkish Airlines: Framed the purchase as central to its plan to expand its fleet to 800+ aircraft by 2033, aiming to become one of the world’s top carriers.
U.S. Government: Trump presented the order as proof of improved U.S.-Turkey ties and as a win for American manufacturing jobs.
Boeing: Welcomed the order, which comes as the company works to recover from safety and delivery setbacks.
Airbus: While not commenting publicly, the European rival remains part of Turkey’s fleet expansion, having secured a 355-plane order in 2023.
Turkish Economy: Business leaders highlighted the deal as a sign of Turkey’s confidence in long-term growth despite current economic volatility.
Investors: Turkish Airlines’ shares edged higher on news of the purchase, showing cautious optimism.
Future Scenario
If the plan goes smoothly, Turkish Airlines will become one of the largest carriers worldwide. But the deal depends on engine agreements and political stability between Ankara and Washington. Any renewed tensions over sanctions, defense, or Russia could complicate deliveries.
Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels but her brother-in-law tragically died the day before and she now claims that she has been denied a £380 refund
Mary, with her husband Colin, claims she has been refused a refund by Ryanair(Image: Jam Press)
A woman says she is “fuming” with Ryanair for a lack of “empathy” claiming the airline refused a £380 refund after she cancelled a booking due to a family bereavement.
Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels for a girls weekend away in December last year but sadly, one day before she was due to fly, her brother-in-law Alan McHale, passed away suddenly, aged 61. The 54-year-old claims she reached out to Ryanair immediately to request a cancellation and was told via online chat that she needed to provide a death certificate before the flight took off.
She claims she couldn’t get her hands on a death certificate that soon and was also busy supporting her husband, Colin, 55, in his grief, which led to Ryanair refusing her £380 refund.
“I’m absolutely fuming,” Mary, from Dublin, told Need to Know. “There’s no empathy. It didn’t matter how sad my case was, they weren’t interested. I’ll never fly with Ryanair again. Alan passed away suddenly three days before I was due to fly.
“The funeral service would be on the morning of the holiday. There was no way I was leaving my husband. A death certificate is a very official document and we couldn’t get it in time. Even if we could, there was no way I was going to ask the family for it while they were grieving so I could get a refund.
“I tried to appeal to Ryanair and said it wasn’t physically possible to get the certificate. We didn’t get it until January.” Mary says battling Ryanair while grieving only added to her heartbreak and made an already difficult time even more stressful.
She said: “Alan had Motor Neurone Disease and ended up getting an infection and pneumonia so it was quite sudden in the end. We were trying to organise the service. I couldn’t ask my sister-in-law for it while she was grieving her husband.
“I was grieving too. This was the last thing we needed. It was so stressful and I’m so frustrated by it. I didn’t even mention it to the family because I didn’t want to make them feel any worse. I kept chasing Ryanair up but they stopped talking to me and closed the case. There needs to be a management review. There need to be some discretion.”
In a online chat message, a Ryanair worker allegedly told her: “I wish to inform you that Ryanair tickets are non- refundable. This is clearly stated in our Terms and Conditions, agreed to at the time of purchase.
“Changes to flight dates, routes, times and customer names can be made online or by contacting our Customer Services Department prior to the initial date of travel. Change fees and possible fare difference will apply.
“I sympathise with your circumstances but I am not in a position to process your refund request and recommend that you contact your travel insurer with regard to this matter.”
In a follow-up message she claims was told: “Whilst I have noted your continued dissatisfaction, I regret that the position remains unaltered. As per our previous correspondence, as the Terms and Conditions state clearly.
“You must make your claim before the date of the flight and provide a copy of the death certificate”, therefore I cannot accede to your refund request.”
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “All Ryanair air fares are non-refundable.
“This passenger was correctly advised that she is not entitled to a refund for her Dublin to Brussels return flights (18 December 2024) as per Ryanair’s T&C’s, which this passenger agreed to at the time of booking.”
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Air Force is currently looking toward a single next-generation airlifter to supplant both the C-17A Globemaster III and the C-5M Galaxy, starting in the mid-2040s. The service is still in the early stages of formulating its requirements for a Next Generation Airlift (NGAL) platform, but has already put emphasis on greater speed and operational flexibility, as well as the ability to better defend against growing threats when on the ground and in the air.
Air Force Gen. John Lamontagne, head of Air Mobility Command (AMC), discussed the current state of NGAL with TWZ and others at a roundtable on the sidelines of the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2025 Air, Space, and Cyber Conference yesterday. As of the start of Fiscal Year 2025, the Air Force had 222 C-17As and 52 C-5Ms in its inventory.
A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III. USMC
The C-17A, which first entered service in 1995, has a top speed of around 520 miles per hour and a maximum payload capacity of some 82 tons, according to the official Air Force fact sheet. The much larger C-5Ms, which started their careers in the 1980s as C-5Bs and Cs, can carry up to 135 tons of cargo and/or personnel at up to around the same speed. Both types do typically cruise a slower speeds. They can also be refueled in flight to extend their range. Neither the C-17 nor the C-5 are currently in production.
A C-5M Galaxy. USAF
As it stands now, NGAL is “basically a two-for-one to replace both the C-17 and the C-5,” Lamontagne said. “Driving that towards the mid-2040 timeline.”
“When I say two-for-one, we’re probably going to procure one aircraft,” he further clarified later on in the roundtable. “We won’t get a C-5 replacement and a C-17 replacement. There’ll be one airplane that does strategic airlift.”
When it comes to what the Air Force wants in that aircraft, the service has been working through what it calls a capabilities-based assessment (CBA) for NGAL.
“That capabilities-based assessment takes a look at what kind of defense systems do we need? What kind of tactical agility do we need? What kind of servicing do we need?” Lamontagne explained. “So we’ll see what that looks like.”
USAF personnel load cargo onto a C-17 during training. USAF Tech. Sgt. Joel McCullough
“As far as what we want in the next[-generation airlift] platform, we want agility, we want speed, we want to be able to operate in a higher threat environment,” he added. This includes “countermeasures that are effective against those threats that are coming from increasingly longer ranges.”
Lamontagne also highlighted the growing threats American airlifters face on the ground, which are magnified by the time it can take to load and unload payloads, as well as refuel. Last year, AMC notably put out a call for options for future defensive systems that could be integrated directly into its cargo planes, along with its aerial refueling tanker fleets, to help shield them from ever-expanding drone threats, as you can read more about here.
“We’re obviously at a lot of risk on the ground, sitting on the ground somewhere,” the head of AMC explained. “So, [we] don’t want to sit on the ground for three hours. If we could refuel in a lot faster timeline than that, not that it takes three hours to refuel a C-17, but, you know, three minutes would be better than 30 minutes.”
A C-17 is refueled on the ground. USAF Senior Airman Shelimar Rivera-Rosado
“Right now, we know what we need to do and where we need to go,” he added, referring to the development of new defensive capabilities for aircraft across the command more generally. “We’ve got to develop the defensive systems, continue to develop them, and we’re doing a lot of tests and experimentation on that now, so that we can spiral it [out].”
Lamontagne also noted that the kinds of capabilities, in general terms, the Air Force wants for NGAL don’t necessarily “mix really, really well, and, so, what you prioritize and what you cherish will help define where we go” in terms of a future design.
The potential for NGAL to be a ‘system of systems’ rather than a single platform has been raised in the past. There are immediate questions about how a single aircraft would be able to supplant both the C-17 and the C-5, which are very different aircraft in form and function.
For instance, the C-17, despite its size, offers significant short and rough field performance, allowing it to deliver heavy payloads even in the absence of improved runways. The aircraft was designed to be able to bring in combat-ready forces, including tanks and other heavy armor, to landing zones at or at least near the front lines, as well as drop paratroopers into those same areas.
The C-5 can load cargo and personnel from the nose and tail ends, and do so simultaneously. In addition to just being able to carry larger payload volumes overall compared to the C-17, the Galaxy also offers a unique capability within the U.S. military for moving outsized and unusual payloads by air, including satellites and other space-related items.
NGAL is also currently limited to meeting next-generation strategic airlift requirements. Lamontagne said yesterday that the Air Force has at least two other lines of effort, NGAL-Little and Next Generation Intra-theater Airlift (NGIA), geared toward fulfilling future tactical airlift needs. C-130 variants are the service’s current tactical airlift platforms. Strategic airlift is generally described as being intertheater in nature, while tactical airlift is primarily focused on intratheater missions.
A US Air Force C-130 in the foreground and one of the service’s C-17s behind. USAF
Above all else, Lamontagne stressed the importance of the Air Force being able to eventually retire the C-17 and the C-5 on its terms.
“The C-17 and C-5 … served us well for decades, but they’re not going to fly forever, and so we’d like to recapitalize those on our timeline,” he said. “If we look at what happened with the [C-]141 [Starlifter] after the Gulf War, it basically told us when it was done. We’d like to have a plan in place so when the service life starts to erode on the C-17, whether it’s wings, engines, or more, we’ve got a competition already going.”
One of the last C-141B Starlifters in active-duty US Air Force service heads into retirement in 2004. USAF
A wind tunnel model of a design concept for an advanced tanker and/or cargo aircraft that the Air Force explored as part of a project called Speed Agile in the late 2000s and early 2010s. USAF
During yesterday’s roundtable, Lamontagne cited AMC’s role in the deployment of air and ground-based air defense assets to locations across the Middle East on several occasions last year and earlier this year as examples of the critical importance of strategic airlift and the need to modernize those capabilities. Those movements helped bolster the ability of U.S. forces to defend American interests in the region, as well as Israel. They were key to setting the stage for the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran in June. The C-17 fleet has already been under particular strain for some years now due to heavy demand as a result of a succession of major crises.
“Strategic lift is very critical, as you know, and that is the way that we at TRANSCOM usually initiate our most responsive force. We rely heavily on both the C-5 and the C-17, both of which are aging, both are very capable,” Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, head of that command, also told TWZ and others at a separate roundtable yesterday at the Air, Space, and Cyber Conference. “I am grateful to the Air Force for looking at any and all possible ways to invest in weapon system sustainment to make sure that we can continue to fly those for the near and the midterm.”
“It is also important that we start looking at what comes next. The environment is changing. We will need aircraft that have capabilities that we don’t have today, specifically to make sure that we’re connected,” Reed added. “And the Air Force is working real hard to provide that for us.”
A quartet of C-17s. USAF
Until NGAL is ready, in whatever form it ultimately takes, the C-17, in particular, will continue to be the Air Force’s strategic airlift workhorse. AMC is already in the process of adding new beyond-line-of-sight communications capabilities to those aircraft. As noted, the command has already been exploring new defensive capabilities for all of its fleets, including protecting them with drone wingmen, as well.
“Right now, I don’t think we’ll need to before the 2040s, but we might need to after that,” Gen. Lamontagne said in response to a question about potentially re-engining the C-17 fleet. “If we do a service life extension or something along those lines, we will certainly need to do something along those lines.”
“Right now, I think the C-17s we have, you know, working with the manufacturer, they’re working on improving, you know, both the efficiency and the performance, so getting a little more fuel efficient with the ones that we have, and a little more time on the wing with the ones that we have,” he added. “Right now, I think we’re in a pretty good place.”
Earlier this year, Boeing said it was in the very early stage of talks with at least one potential customer about restarting production of the C-17, or starting to produce a new derivative of that design. The C-17 line was shuttered in 2015.
“There are no current plans to restart the C-17,” Lamontagne said, but acknowledged it is something that has been discussed. “I think one step at a time, capabilities-based assessment, analysis of alternatives, competition.”
“[I’m] hoping, in the near term, next couple of years, few years, I’d say, [to] have another analysis of alternatives, this time on the next generation airlifter, instead of the next generation air refueling system,” he also said during the roundtable.
Overall, the Air Force is still in the early stages of the NGAL effort, but a path forward to a successor to the C-17 and the C-5 is now starting to take greater shape.
Two more airlines have implemented strict regulations around the use of power banks onboard aircrafts, following in the footsteps of other major carriers concerned about lithium battery safety
Power banks will still be permissible onboard aircrafts, but must be visible during the flight(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Two airlines are introducing bans on a common travel item, following the lead of other major airlines.
The bans are a heightened measure to ensure the safety of passengers following previous lithium battery-related incidents. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air are the latest air carriers to ban the use of power banks and portable chargers.
The new regulations mean passengers will no longer be able to use power banks while onboard a flight. The new ban also prohibits passengers from charging their power banks using the inflight ports.
Passengers can bring power banks onboard in limited quantities(Image: Getty Images/Blend Images)
From now on, passengers are required to remove power banks from their carry-on luggage prior to boarding and keep them in a visible location throughout the flight.
That said, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air passengers are still permitted to carry power banks on to aircrafts in limited quantities. But power banks are strictly prohibited in checked luggage.
The ban is a result of growing concerns over the safety of lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries onboard aircrafts. These batteries are highly sensitive to heat, impact and rapid changes in air pressure.
Because of this sensitivity, there is a heightened risk of battery malfunctions, including short circuits, overheating, and in severe cases, fire or explosion.
These dangers are amplified when batteries are stored in the cargo hold, which is less closely monitored and where temperature and pressure can fluctuate dramatically. This is why power banks are banned outright from checked luggage.
Devices with a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours (Wh) are allowed in quantities of up to ten per passenger. For larger power banks, with capacities between 100 and 160 Wh, the limit is two per person.
Air Busan banned in-flight power bank use after a fire broke out on one of their flights(Image: YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images)
Any power bank that exceeds 160 Wh is not permitted on board under any circumstances. Both Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet insist passengers check the specifications of their devices before travelling.
In addition to the new ban, the airlines also introduced new heat-resistant gloves and fire- containment bags onboard.
Air Busan banned the use of power banks onboard after a fire broke out on one of their flights this past January. The Air Busan plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport on January 28—causing three people on board to sustain minor injuries.
Following the incident, South Korea’s transport ministry said that interim investigation results indicated the fire may have started because insulation inside a power bank battery had broken down.
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The last MC-12W Liberty turboprop surveillance aircraft under U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) umbrella have been retired. This is part of a plan to free up resources to help with the fielding of the new OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft, which has also been set to involve the retirement of the U-28A Draco, another turboprop surveillance plane. At the same time, AFSOC insists that the OA-1K is not a direct replacement for the MC-12Ws or the U-28As, which has prompted concerns about capability and capacity gaps.
AFSOC confirmed the divestiture of its last MC-12Ws to TWZ last week. The 137th Special Operations Wing, part of the Oklahoma Air National Guard and aligned with AFSOC, conducted a retirement ceremony for the Liberty aircraft last month. The event was held at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, which is co-located with Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City. The 137th has also been working closely with the active-duty 492nd Special Operations Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona to train the initial cadre of OA-1K pilots.
An MC-12W receives a water salute at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base during the retirement ceremony on August 2, 2025. Air National Guard/Staff Sgt. Caitlin Carnes
“During the time it was assigned to 137th Special Operations Wing, the MC-12W logged 50,725 flying hours and 2,501 combat and combat-support sorties across six locations outside the continental U.S.,” according to a brief press release from the wing on August 3.
A modified Beechcraft King Air 350ER twin-engine turboprop, the MC-12W first entered Air Force service back in 2009. The year before, then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had directed the service to acquire the aircraft to help meet the massive surge in demand for aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support during the Global War on Terror (GWOT) era, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Liberty name is a reference to the Liberty Ships of World War II fame, and the speed with which those vital logistics vessels were built and put into service. The first of what eventually became a fleet of around 40 Air Force MC-12Ws began flying operational missions eight months after funding for their purchase was approved.
The MC-12W configuration included a sensor turret with electro-optical and infrared video cameras and a signals intelligence (SIGINT) suite. Each aircraft also had satellite and other communications capabilities to share video feeds and other data with friendly forces in near-real time.
Amid the scaling back of U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the early to mid-2010s, regular Air Force units stopped flying the MC-12W. At least a portion of the remaining Liberty aircraft fleet was passed to AFSOC, as well as the U.S. Army. The Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 137th Air Refueling Wing transitioned to the 137th Special Operations Wing in 2015, and subsequently received 13 MC-12Ws.
ISR-configured Beechcraft King Air variants with varying sensor suites and other capabilities have been and continue to be very popular globally, including with the U.S. military and other branches of the U.S. government. Contractor-owned and/or operated examples have often been part of the mix supporting U.S. operations, as well. For decades, dating back to the Cold War, the Army has been a particularly prolific operator of these planes, but the service is now set to stop flying turboprop surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft of any type by the end of this year. The U.S. special operations community has also utilized other variations beyond the MC-12W, and what might happen to those planes as part of the fielding of the OA-1K is not entirely clear.
An MC-12W Liberty, in front, shares the flightline at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base with an AT-802U being used to train future OA-1K pilots, seen behind, in November 2024. Air National Guard/Senior Airman Erika Chapa
The two-seat OA-1K, which U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) declared the winner of its Armed Overwatch competition in 2022, is based on the Air Tractor AT-802 single-engine turboprop crop duster. AFSOC is expecting to eventually receive 75 Skyraider IIs, though there have been questions in recent years about whether that fleet size might shrink.
As designed, the OA-1K can carry up to 6,000 pounds of ordnance and other stores on up to eight underwing pylons, but the aircraft for AFSOC have typically been shown with no more than six fitted. The planes also have a “robust suite of radios and datalinks providing multiple means for line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications,” L3Harris, the prime contractor for the conversion work, has said in the past.
The first fully missionized OA-1K, which was delivered to the US Air Force earlier this year. USAF
OA-1Ks can carry camera turrets and other sensors in underwing pods, but these provide limited capability compared to the integrated ISR suite found on the MC-12W. As noted, SOCOM and the Air Force have themselves stressed repeatedly that they do not see the Skyraider II as a direct replacement for the Liberty aircraft or the U-28A, the latter of which also has a mix of electro-optical and infrared video cameras and SIGINT capabilities.
A U-28A Draco. USAF
“The MC-12W Liberty’s real-time intelligence and surveillance capabilities complement the OA-1K Skyraider II’s precision strike support, making their collaboration a powerful asset to Air Force Special Operations Command’s mission,” the caption to a picture released by AFSOC’s 1st Special Operations Wing of the two types flying together back in June reads, somewhat ironically now given the divestiture of the former.
An MC-12W, at left, flies together with an OA-1K, at right, off the coast of Florida in June. USAF
What plans SOCOM and AFSOC might have now for a more direct replacement for the MC-12Ws and U-28As are unclear. A slide on crewed ISR platforms that SOCOM’s Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing programs (PEO-FW) presented at the annual SOF Week conference in May, seen below, simply says the current “driving operational needs” are “maintaining platform effectiveness throughout anticipated remaining lifecycle of the individual programs,” and provides some general comments on possible upgrades to existing platforms. The slide notably shows the U-28A, as well as an image reflecting SOCOM’s fleet of ISR-configured twin-engine Dash-8 turboprops, but not the MC-12W. The uncertainty has already prompted concerns about potential ISR capability and capacity gaps.
SOCOM
“SOCOM plans to divest two ISR platforms. Subsequently, some personnel and resources from the platforms will be used to support Armed Overwatch,” the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, wrote in a report on the Armed Overwatch program released in September 2024. “However, GAO found that SOCOM has not taken steps to plan for, or add, critical ISR capabilities provided by soon-to-be divested aircraft. Also, SOCOM has not addressed risks associated with the loss of these capabilities if the new aircraft does not provide them.”
An MC-12W and a U-28A together. Air National Guard Andrew LaMoreaux
Broader questions have been raised about the overall operational utility of the OA-1K given the Pentagon’s current stated focus on preparing for future high-end fights, especially one against China in the Pacific. The stated purpose of the Skyraider II is to provide “a deployable, affordable, and sustainable crewed aircraft systems [sic] capable of executing Close Air Support (CAS), precision strike, and armed reconnaissance requirements in austere and permissive environments for use in Irregular Warfare,” according to the most recent proposed defense budget for the 2026 Fiscal Year.
A key driver behind the Armed Overwatch program in the past was also to help free up tactical combat jets, bombers, and other higher-end aircraft that had been performing CAS and armed reconnaissance in permissive airspace over countries like Afghanistan and Iraq for more demanding and/or higher-priority missions. At the same time, this would reduce wear and tear on those platforms from flying constant and often short-endurance sorties. A light attack aircraft like the OA-1K would have the additional benefit of being able to operate a minimal logistics footprint at far-flung locations closer to actual operating areas. In turn, this would reduce the time it would take them to get on station and increase their ability to loiter in a particular area once they arrived, all without adding to the strain of already heavily in-demand aerial refueling tankers.
Furthermore, the Armed Overwatch program, which formally began in 2020, followed years of abortive light attack aircraft programs and other tangential test and evaluation efforts, all driven heavily by the demands of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) era. By the time the OA-1K was picked as the winner of the Armed Overwatch competition in 2022, the U.S. military had withdrawn from Afghanistan. Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration has been working to further reduce American commitments in Syria and Iraq, as well as in various parts of Africa.
“The way that the OA-1K will look on day one is not how probably the OA-1K will look on day 1,000,” A high-ranking Air Force official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss planning issues, toldTWZ in an interview earlier this year. “As we field it, it will continue to iterate based on the requirements that our supported forces articulate to us. We’re intimately involved with all of those forces, even as we speak, on shaping the initial and then also the growing requirements that I’m sure that we will find for that platform going forward.”
The Skyraider II “was designed to be very flexible. A big element of the platform is, again, this notion of modularity, [and] open systems architecture,” they continued. “What that does for us is, on a given mission, you might put certain types of capabilities [on the aircraft] – those could be ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] capabilities, … strike capabilities – you may have more of one than the other, depending on the day or the mission requirement of the supported force. But then the next day, that may change, and you can rapidly swap out what the capabilities are of the platform on a given mission.”
“How could we support them [friendly forces] if it’s in the Pacific or anywhere else? The OA-1K certainly has some roles and missions that can [provide] support there. And then in a large-scale combat operation, we are looking at, in partnership with other components of SOCOM [U.S. Special Operations Command], what are some of the things that it could do,” they added. “Can it employ air-launched effects, at range, at standoff, in a flexible way that would provide value?”
‘Launched effect’ is a catch-all term that the U.S. military currently uses to refer broadly to uncrewed aerial systems that can be launched from air, ground, and maritime platforms. These systems could be configured as one-way attackers or to perform other non-kinetic missions, including electronic warfare, ISR, and signal relay. AFSOC has also been looking into new standoff capabilities of AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, including the integration of new Black Arrow Small Cruise Missiles (SCM) and existing AGM-48 Harpoon anti-ship cruise missiles, as a path to ensuring the relevance of those aircraft in future high-end fights.
“From when OA-1K was conceptualized and decided on until now, the world’s changed a little bit,” Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, head of AFSOC, also told TWZ and others at a media roundtable on the sidelines of the Air & Space Forces Association’s main annual conference last year. “But as we move forward, I think there’s opportunity to look at, again, some novel mission sets. …how quick can we get the wings on and off it so we could use it in some sort of crisis response, if we needed to? Where does the role of SIGINT [signals intelligence], or ELINT [electronic intelligence] or… some sort of ISR collect [factor in] there. I think there’s opportunity for that. Again, not anything we’ve committed to yet.”
Air Force and SOCOM officials have also continued to stress that lower-intensity missions, as well as cooperation with allies and partners facing those types of threats, are not going away despite the focus on China in the Pacific region. The possibility of employing OA-1Ks at least in a surveillance role along the southern U.S. border with Mexico has been raised multiple times, as well.
Much about the OA-1K’s future still looks to be settled, but AFSOC has now gotten rid of its MC-12W Liberty aircraft to help make way for the new light attack aircraft.
A mum was left fuming after a recent flight with her two children, as the behaviour of the passenger sitting in front of her completely ruined the experience for her kids
The mum was furious with another passenger on the plane (stock photo)(Image: Getty Images)
If you’ve ever taken a flight with young children, you’ll know how much of a headache it can be at times. Rushing them through airport security, making sure you all get to your boarding gate on time, and hoping that they don’t cause a scene when you’re on the plane can leave you feeling drained.
Many people have sparked discussions in the past about how they don’t like flying with “screaming” children on board, but the parents of those children are likely even more exhausted – and we should all be more compassionate. But one mum didn’t receive any sympathy on a recent flight she was on with her two children, as the passenger in front of her chose to do something “rude” in the middle of their journey.
Matilda Norton shared a video on TikTok of herself sitting with her two children on the plane, where the family was happily minding their own business. Matilda had her youngest child on her lap, while her older son was standing up in the seat beside her, playing with a toy plane.
But her problem came when the man in front of her decided to recline his seat – meaning she had very little room for herself and her young baby, who was already getting restless and starting to cry.
The mum also explained in her video that the seat next to the man in front of her was empty, meaning he could have moved across and reclined that seat, which was in front of her older child.
Although that still would have encroached on their space, it would have given the mum enough room to properly look after her younger child.
In the video’s caption, she said: “He had an empty seat next to him. He could have moved over and put the other seat back … where there was no baby behind him.
“Or when he lay down across both seats, he could have at least put his seat upright since he wasn’t even using it. I know everyone has the right to put their seat back, but where is the common courtesy? We had no space.”
Commenters on the post were split over the issue. Some said that the mum was right to be annoyed, as even though the man was within his rights to recline his chair, he could have been more respectful of her situation.
Others, however, said the man did nothing wrong. They also argued that the mum could have swapped seats with her son so that she took the window seat and he was in the middle, meaning she would still escape the reclined chair.
One person said: “You could literally swap with your other son, and the issue would be resolved. People are allowed to recline their seats on a flight.”
Another added: “Why do people think they are entitled to special treatment? He’s allowed to recline his seat without any question or explanation.”
However, someone else defended the mum, stating: “This comment section isn’t it. It’s so rude to recline your seat on a short flight. It’s entirely unnecessary, and you know that it makes the person behind you uncomfortable.”
Matilda also later shared in the comments why she refused to swap seats with her son, as she said she would rather make sure he has a good time and enjoys his flight.
Responding to one commenter who told her to swap seats, she wrote: “He likes the window seat and I would rather him happily look out the window than be grumpy in the middle. You’ve clearly never travelled with kids!”
