general

Boeing has lost more than US$1b since its 737 Max plane was grounded earlier this year following the deaths of 346 people in 2 similar crashes in October and March, according to the company's most recent earnings report. While many have placed the blame for those crashes on faulty Boeing software, a damning report from The New York Times Magazine published Wednesday points to "inexperienced pilots" in both crashes. The magazine's writer at large, William Langewiesche, detailed how the push for international, low-cost air travel had allowed newbie pilots to fly international routes — putting at risk the lives of dozens aboard their jets. After a heady analysis of the pilots' actions, Langewiesche, a former pilot, wrote that these crashes showed "a textbook failure of airmanship." <br/>

Welcome to the latest airline passenger cabin conflict: Window shades up or down As more travellers bring screens onto planes and airlines offer more in-flight entertainment, throwing shade on open-window enthusiasts has become more common. Airlines and travellers say the proliferation of individual devices has led to more pressure to stay dark. More narrow-body planes have joined wide-body jets in offering individual entertainment system screens on the backs of seats. Many daytime flights cruise in cabin darkness to avoid glare and allow sleep. Some travellers say they have switched seating preference from aisle seats to window seats to control the shade—either up or down. On some daylight Boeing 787 trips, passengers report flight attendants routinely darken all windows electronically right after take-off. <br/>