Boeing's whistleblower, American Airlines pilots' warning, and the best airports on Earth: Airlines news roundup
The American Airlines pilots’ union is really concerned about a pattern of “problematic” things it has noticed happening at airports, suggesting that United Airlines soon might not be the only carrier having safety problems. A Boeing whistleblower continues to beat his drum about alleged defects with the 787 and 777 planes. And Boeing’s Wisk division is maybe taking its flying autonomous taxis to Asia by the end of the decade.
Take a moment to catch up on what’s been happening in the world of airlines.
American Airlines pilots are sounding the alarm about ‘problematic trends’ in air safety
Though United Airlines made headlines last month for its industry-leading number of Federal Aviation Administration-noted incidents, it seems like it’s not the only airline having trouble maintaining high safety standards. — Melvin Backman
The 10 busiest airports in the world — including 1 airport new to the list
Every year the Airports Council International, an industry group that represents airports around the world, releases a top 10 list of the busiest airports in the world. The group’s 2023 list is out now. Tracking the activity of an estimated 8.5 billion trips — 93.5% of pre-pandemic levels — this year’s rankings include a familiar name at the top: Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport. In fact, all the names are familiar ones, with the exception of No. 5. — Melvin Backman
A Boeing whistleblower says 787 Dreamliner production should stop because it could ‘fall apart’ in midair
Ahead of his testimony before the Senate Wednesday, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour gave an interview to NBC News once again sounding the alarm about issues he found with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner plane. He alleges that the model has fuselage flaws that could cause it to rip apart mid-air due to problems with how the metal skin is affixed to the rest of the aircraft. — Melvin Backman
A Boeing whistleblower says there’s a ‘criminal coverup’ at the company
As Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour testifies to the U.S. Senate about his experience struggling to be taken seriously about fuselage flaws in the company’s 787 and 777 models, he’s holding tight to his claims. Salehpour repeated his assertions — which he said are based on analysis of Boeing’s own manufacturing data — that the planes’ skins are not being fastened correctly on a systemic level, and that over time the attachments might weaken to the point that the planes could rip apart in mid-air. — Melvin Backman
The 20 best airports in the world
These are the best airports in the world, according to Skytrax, an “air transport rating organization.” By surveying travelers across more than 570 airports, the ranking tracks satisfaction across categories like check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, and security through to departure at the gate. — Melvin Backman
Boeing wants to have flying cars in Asia by 2030
In 2022, Boeing invested in $450 million with Wisk, a company working on a flying car. The next year, it fully absorbed Wisk. By 2030, it hopes to have Wisk’s autonomous flying taxis operating in Asia. Boeing Chief Technology Officer Todd Citron revealed the plans to Nikkei, the Japanese news publication. — Melvin Backman