In the past, several airlines were already moving towards removing seat back screens (especially on narrow-body aircraft) and offering content for passengers to screen on their own devices. However, as more airlines around the world are introducing / or looking to introduce Starlink connectivity onboard, or similar high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity (e.g. Delta Air Lines plans to introduce Amazon LEO), the question arises - will there be traditional IFE available in the future? I personally think the traditional IFE and seat back screens are here to stay, due to two industry trends. The key reason is competition. While Starlink allows passengers to stream pretty much any content they wish, some airlines might still opt to retain their traditional IFE because they are forced by their competitors in the market, who also offer both Starlink connectivity and traditional IFE. This is also why some airlines with Starlink are bringing back seatback screens on their new aircraft / new cabins. The

While now largely obsolete, widebody double-decker quadjets such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 have captured the imagination of both avgeeks and the general public for years. Their upper decks typically house exclusive premium cabins, but have you ever flown upstairs on one of these aircraft? I'm not personally lucky enough to have done so yet - my only 747 flights were in economy class on United Airlines. However, it would be great to hear from those who have - what were the aircraft, airline, route, and cabin class involved? Would you recommend it to other flyers? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Simple Flying recently took a look at easyJet's longest flights by block time, finding that the British budget carrier has routes that are close to seven hours in length. With low-cost carriers not exactly being known for their comfort at the best of times, is this too long a flight for such an airline to be operating? The longest LCC flights I've taken have been around four hours long, from the UK to Tenerife with Jet2, and to Crete with Norwegian and Ryanair. This is about as long as I'd want to spend on a high-density narrowbody, but, if others are willing to buy tickets and fill the flights up, there's no reason why low-cost carriers shouldn't target longer services, as long as passengers understand what they're getting themselves in for. What's been your longest flight on an LCC? How much further would you be willing to fly on such an airline? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

In April, Hawaiian Airlines became the latest carrier to join the oneworld alliance, and is the third US carrier to do so after American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. oneworld is the third largest airline alliance after the Star Alliance and SkyTeam, when measured by passengers carried. For travellers, an airline being part of an alliance has a broad range of benefits including reciprocal frequent flier programs, round the world ticketing, seamless transfers, and lounge access. Hawaiian is the latest airline to join the alliance, and it got me thinking, who could be next to join this alliance? Can you think of any airlines that would make a good fit for oneworld that aren't part of it yet?

Everybody likes a good comeback story. At no place is that more true than at JetBlue, with the airline hoping to push past years of financial underperformance. Frankly, with merger speculation highlighting JetBlue's endless operational assets and strength in key markets, it may be surprising to imagine a world where someone (at some point in time) does not attempt to buy the airline. However, the carrier in recent months has made a pretty reasonable argument for why it does not need outside assistance in order to help it out. The carrier's long-term growth plan looks stronger than ever, and investors were recently quite impressed with how the carrier decided to allocate its capacity. The airline could be well on the pathway towards generating a profit for the first time in years. What do you think? Do you believe in JetBlue's turnaround story?

Earlier today, Simple Flying took a look at some of the major runway expansion projects that are changing hubs all around the world. These will make the facilities in question bigger, but does this mean that they will be better? While I appreciate the convenience and connectivity of larger hubs, as well as the greater variety of airlines and aircraft on show, I always prefer to use smaller airports where possible. They tend to make for a more relaxed and personable experience, which I feel plays a big role in getting a trip off to a good start or ending it on a high note. What do you think? Which small and large airports are your favorite? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments! 

Simple Flying recently reported that Vietnamese carrier Sun PhuQuoc Airways is acquiring eight ex-American Airlines Airbus A330s. The carrier withdrew these jets in 2020 amid the onset of the coronavirus pandemic despite having only acquired them through its merger with US Airways in the mid 2010s. With this in mind, was it too hasty to retire the type? While 2020 was an uncertain time for aviation, particularly on the long-haul side, I would have liked to have seen AA stick with its A330s for longer. Aside from this giving it more capacity to work with in the recovery era, the A330 is a great jet from a passenger perspective thanks to its 2-4-2 seating, and it also looked great in AA's livery. What do you think? Did you ever fly on an American A330? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Countless airlines operate around the world today, and many compete for the top spot, with each offering its own advantages. But which is your favourite to travel on? The likes of Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates are often among the favourites for most flyers, but some may argue there are better options! Which is your favourite airline to fly with and why? Are there any particularly underrated carriers out there? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.

US-based low-cost carriers have struggled in recent years due to higher fuel prices and more aggressive competition from legacy players like United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Because of this, many have turned to consolidation as a valuable strategy to improve scale and better compete with the scale of large network carriers. Two such low-cost carriers, Sun Country Airlines and Allegiant Airlines, have decided to merge, believing that additional value for shareholders can be unlocked by bringing these two airlines together. It is with this in mind that the United States' regulators now have to evaluate the impact that this merger could have on customers, especially those who will now have to handle a market with noticeably fewer low-cost options. What do you think? Was this merger a good idea for customers across the board?

Qatar Airways, which is considered by some to be the world's best airline, currently has a strong economy class cabin and a famous business class offering known as the ‘Qsuite’. However, unlike long-haul airlines elsewhere, it lacks a premium economy offering. This cabin is becoming a large market as more passengers are willing to pay more for a nicer experience without having to splash out on a business class fare. With this in mind, should Qatar Airways introduce premium economy to compete more directly with its neighbour and rival Emirates, or should it work to further improve its economy class offering? Have you ever flown with Qatar Airways? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.

Virgin Atlantic currently operates out of London Heathrow Airport (LHR) as its main base, with limited routes from Manchester (MAN). However, as demand for transatlantic flights is growing from airports with fewer transatlantic flights, such as Glasgow (GLA), Newcastle (NCL), and Cardiff (CWL), should Virgin Atlantic consider opening a new base outside of London? With a growing Airbus A330neo fleet and refurbished 787s at its disposal, could, or more importantly, should the airline operate flights from other UK airports? Where else would you like to see Virgin Atlantic fly? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Simple Flying.

There are arguably few, if any, better ways to fly commercially than in Etihad's 'Residence' suite. Located on the top deck of its Airbus A380s at the front of the first class cabin, this three-room suite features a seating area, a shower room, and even a bedroom with a double bed. The sheer size of the A380 makes cabin innovations like this possible, but will we ever see anything like it again? I personally don't think so, given that new widebodies are only getting smaller than double-decker quadjets like the Airbus A380 once were. As such, with space at a premium, airlines will likely pivot towards improving their conventional premium seating offerings in order to make more money through better space efficiency. What do you think? Have you ever flown in Etihad's Residence? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

The Iran War has fundamentally changed the demand environment in the United States commercial aviation industry. Over the last few years, legacy carriers have continued to expand capacity, opening routes to new kinds of markets. International markets, especially, have seen more growth than ever before over the last few years. However, the Iran War-induced demand environment, as well as historically high fuel prices, has led airlines to manage capacity in a much more careful manner. Legacy carriers have had to cut back on capacity expansions. While most have chosen not to eliminate routes that they planned to launch, they did choose to scale back capacity growth in all kinds of key markets. As a result, there is certainly a much more conservative growth outlook for the industry this year. But what do you think? Which US legacy carrier is in the best position to continue growing this year?

As aviation authorities in Qatar have now allowed limited airlines to fly into Doha, including Flydubai, Air Arabia, Oman Air, and Royal Jordanian, just to name a few, which airlines could next gain approval and which could be last on the list? Could we see the resumption of Etihad, Saudia, or Gulf Air next, or could we see the resumption of European airlines like British Airways and Iberia? Personally, I think Gulf Air, IndiGo, and Flynas, which all operate flights around Doha that don’t exceed five hours, could be next on the list, with Delhi, Bahrain, and Jeddah all coming back soon. I also think that Western carriers such as American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair could be the last to resume, as we have seen in previous airspace closures. Who do you think will be next? Do you think it will be a lot of airlines or just a few? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed here are not necessaril

Since the US and Israel began their military offensive in Iran, one of the main impacts on the aviation industry has been a rise in fuel costs due to a shortage of oil. As Simple Flying reported earlier this week, some carriers are looking to offset this increased expenditure, with United Airlines reportedly considering hikes as high as 20% over the summer. But have you seen this impact when booking flights of late? I personally haven't: the only flights that I've booked since the conflict began have been short-haul Ryanair sectors within Europe. However, I do wonder if I may see more of an impact in the long run, particularly for intercontinental flights. What do you think? Have your flying habits changed as a result of higher ticket prices? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Throughout airline earnings season, analysts and airline executives alike have made it clear that it is the consumer who will be paying higher fares to help account for increased airline fuel costs. United Airlines and American Airlines have both indicated that fares will stay elevated by double-digit percentages, with both legacy carriers citing around 20% fare increases until at least the end of the year. United's Scott Kirby was quite confident that he would be able to pass through pretty much all the airline's higher fuel costs to consumers, while American's Robert Isom shared the same opinion. As a result, passengers are now in a tricky position where they can expect exceptionally high fuel prices to cause higher passenger fares, especially on high-demand summer leisure routes. In premium cabins, fares may be even higher as a result. What do you think?

Yesterday, Hawaiian Airlines officially joined the oneworld alliance in conjunction with its adoption of Alaska Airlines' AS flight designator. The alliance has recently also welcomed Fiji Airways and Oman Air as members, so which airline should be next to join the world's third-largest alliance? Starlux Airlines of Taiwan has previously announced its intention to join the alliance, which would give oneworld a major presence at Taipei airport alongside Skyteam (China Airlines) and Star Alliance (EVA Air). Other than that, I think that the alliance should prioritise regaining a South American member, which it has lacked since LATAM's exit in 2020, and maybe some more European members, since it only has three European members compared to Star's eight and Skyteam's six. Which airline do you think should be oneworld's next member, and why do you think that airline would be a good addition to the alliance? Share your thoughts in the comments! This is user-generated content. The views and

Among other things, British long-haul airline Virgin Atlantic is famous for matching its aircraft registrations to their names. You can see the full list at Planespotters.net, but which is your favorite, and why? Mine would have to be the incoming Airbus A330-900 that will be named 'Champagne Supernova' and registered as G-VMAN. After all, 'Champagne Supernova' is a legendary song by the Mancunian band Oasis, and Manchester Airport's code is MAN, so, all in all, it's a great fit. I've also flown on a Boeing 787-9 registered as G-VWHO and named 'Mystery Girl,' and an Airbus A330-300 registered as G-VLUV and named 'Lady Love.' What's your favorite Virgin Atlantic name and registration combo, and why? How many of its aircraft have you flown on? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), the largest and busiest airport in the state of Alaska, had lived in hope with the prospect of New Pacific Airlines (now defunct) on its grand plans to transform Anchorage into a one-stop hub for travel between North America and Asia. Unfortunately, the airline ultimately never got off the ground with international services and has since gone bust.  ANC offers strong incentives for airlines to operate services to and from the airport, there is low demand for direct passenger travel from Asia to Alaska, which has stifled any major developments at the airport for many years. Despite this, the airport remains a popular cargo hub and one of the busiest in the world. This got me thinking, do you think that airlines will ever look to launch international services from Alaska? And if you could pick an Asian airline to start flying there, who would it be? 

The world's three major airline alliances (oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance) have brought the world closer together by integrating their member airlines' networks to allow more connecting itineraries through various hubs and across different carriers. Each has its own special livery, but are these paint schemes doing enough to highlight their brands? Personally, I think that all of the current offerings are a bit on the plain side, and I would love to see more color and space devoted to showcasing the benefits of alliance membership. What do you think? What's your favorite alliance to fly with? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!