The only airline in North America to serve free alcohol in economy on all flights
By Maureen O’Hare, CNN
(CNN) — In our weekend digest of travel and aviation news: air traffic control problems in the US, free economy-class alcohol in Canada, India’s much-delayed new mega airport, plus a European jetliner eclipses the Boeing 737 as the plane with the most deliveries ever.
Stressful skies
The US federal government shutdown is now in its second week and travelers are feeling the impact as air traffic controller staffing shortages have led to delays at major airports including Chicago O’Hare, Hollywood Burbank and Newark.
The air traffic controllers’ union has urged members to keep working during the shutdown, despite not receiving pay, but a rise in employee absences has been the unsurprising outcome as the stalemate drags on.
In July this year, CNN visited the Oklahoma academy where controllers are trained. At that time, it was “the busiest” it had ever been following a massive hiring push. The work is high-stress and high-stakes, with a rigorous application and qualification process before candidates can step through the door.
Should your flight get delayed or canceled, whether through staffing shortages, a technical meltdown or extreme weather (a nor’easter is expected on the East Coast this weekend), CNN Travel has some advice on what to do next. Watch here.
Free booze vs. free bags
Air Canada is offering free beer and wine to economy class passengers on all its flights — even short-haul domestic routes — making it the only North American legacy carrier to do so. This burst of bonhomie is not as altruistic as it might seem; it’s a sweetener following passenger pushback about additional fees for extra baggage and legroom, reports Reuters.
“Food and beverage just tend to have a disproportionate impact on customer satisfaction, more than any other attribute of our products and services,” said Scott O’Leary, Air Canada’s vice president of loyalty and product.
It’s not the first time Canadian hospitality has hit headlines recently. An ad promoting tourism in the land of moose and syrup went viral this summer for its compassion (and free hugs).
While the air traffic controller shortage was the biggest story in North American aviation this week, the Trump administration also had some other plane-related worries on its mind, such as the 1937 disappearance of Amelia Earhart. FBI employees were ordered to immediately search for records related to the legendary pilot as a priority request.
Boeing 737 loses its crown
The Airbus A320 family made history on Tuesday by overtaking the Boeing 737 as the most-delivered jetliner of all time, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company.
The 737 held that title for decades, but this week the handing over of an A320neo to Saudi carrier Flynas brought the total delivery of the Airbus model to 12,260 planes since it entered service in 1988.
The European A320 and the American 737 are both single-aisle workhorses beloved by low-cost carriers and the world’s top choice when it comes to short-range air travel.
Asia celebrated an aviation milestone this week, too. India’s new Navi Mumbai International mega-airport has finally opened, having first been conceived in 1997.
Hills were flattened and rivers were diverted in the accomplishment of this engineering feat. Its arrival eases the burden on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International, previously the only airport serving Mumbai, one of the world’s most populous cities.
Inside a ‘White Lotus’ resort
Season three of HBO’s “The White Lotus” was filmed at several hotels in Thailand, including the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket. CNN Travel’s Karla Cripps takes us on a quick tour.
In case you missed it
A neighborhood joint in Hong Kong has been named the world’s best bar.
The Italian owner says it’s inspired by “his grandmother’s living room.”
An American made history by winning one of France’s top cheese competitions.
The contest involved making 3-D cheese sculptures.
The world’s tallest bridge has opened in China.
It stands more than 2,000 feet above sea level. Watch here.
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