I have started the ultimate digital photo library of the fascinating world of airliners and airlines. The goal is to have the complete history of all airlines and the various aircraft operated. I have been photographing airplanes since 1965. Join us in this adventure.
The disappearance and crash of Indonesia Air Transport’s ATR 42‑500 PK‑THT on January 17, 2026 quickly became a major aviation emergency in South Sulawesi. The aircraft was operating a government charter on the Yogyakarta–Makassar route for the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries when it lost contact with air traffic control at 13:17 WITA. Its last known position was in the rugged area between Maros and Pangkep Regencies, near the limestone formations of Leang‑Leang, an area known for steep terrain and rapidly changing weather. The sudden loss of communication triggered an immediate distress phase and the deployment of search‑and‑rescue teams.
Sister ship PK-TSZ (Michael B. Ing)
Authorities later confirmed that PK‑THT had crashed while on approach to Makassar–Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, with early indications pointing to an impact in the vicinity of Mount Bulusaraung, a prominent peak within the Bantimurung–Bulusaraung National Park. The aircraft was carrying 11 people—3 passengers and 8 crew members—all of whom were involved in government operations. Reports from local residents of an explosion and smoke on the mountainside helped narrow the search area, and SAR teams began navigating the difficult terrain under challenging weather conditions.
As rescue operations continued, officials emphasized that the aircraft had been on a routine charter flight and had not issued any distress call before disappearing. The combination of mountainous terrain, low visibility, and the aircraft’s deviation from its expected approach path suggests a rapid‑onset event, with controlled flight into terrain emerging as an early possibility. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee is expected to lead a full investigation once the site is secured.
JSX, the United States’ leading public charter air carrier, celebrated yesterday a milestone in their partnership with a special ceremony at Santa Monica Airport, showcasing JSX’s first ATR 42-600 aircraft.
JSX, winner of the “5-Star Regional Airline” award from the Airline Passenger Experience Association for five years in a row, began operating its first ATR 42-600 in December on the Santa Monica–Las Vegas route, marking an early milestone in its fleet expansion.
Building on this success, yesterday’s event celebrated the next step in this journey: JSX will operate four ATR 42-600s in early 2026, each featuring a premium 30-seat configuration.
Boeing and Aviation Capital Group LLC (ACG) announced today the airplane lessor has placed a new order for 50 737 MAX jets, including 25 737-8 and 25 737-10 airplanes.
Aviation Capital Group doubles its 737-10 order book with purchase of 25 additional jets as well as additional order for 25 737-8s.
The acquisition of 50 additional jets increases ACG’s Boeing 737 MAX order book to 121, including 50 firm order for the 737-10. With this purchase, ACG has the largest order book for the 737-10 of any lessor.
Air Inuit, which is wholly owned by the Inuit of Nunavik through Makivvik Corporation, today announced that its first newly re-engineered Boeing 737–800NG combi aircraft (C-FTUW) has been certified by Transport Canada, marking the arrival of the world’s first 737–800NG configured for both passengers and freight. The aircraft will officially enter service on Air Inuit’s Montréal-Kuujjuaq route on January 13, 2026.
Boeing 737 800NG combi (CNW Group/Air Inuit)
The Boeing 737–800NG combi represents a major advancement in multi–role aircraft capability to address Northern realities. Converted by KF Aerospace, the aircraft features a forward cargo compartment with space for five pallets and a 90–seat passenger cabin in the aft section.
This world-first is part of Air Inuit’s broader fleet–modernization strategy, which began with the acquisition of three Boeing Next–Generation 737–800s to eventually replace its 737–200 fleet.
The new aircraft offer improved passenger comfort, inflight wifi powered by Starlink, better fuel efficiency, modern avionics, and increased passenger-cargo capacity to respond to the essential needs of communities in Nunavik and beyond.
Combi conversion of the third of three 737-800s acquired by Air Inuit in 2023 is scheduled for completion in February 2026.
Founded by the Inuit of Nunavik in 1978, Air Inuit, a wholly owned subsidiary of Makivvik, was created to provide air connections between Nunavik’s 14 coastal villages and the South, to promote trade, and to preserve Inuit culture. With more than 1,175 employees and a fleet of 36 aircraft, Air Inuit is committed to the development of this vast territory and the prosperity of its people by supporting community organizations, cultural events, educational and sports programs, as well as employment access initiatives for Inuit people.
AirBorneo marked a historic milestone for Sarawak on January 2, 2026 as it launched its first flights under its own livery, linking Kuching with Mukah and Tanjung Manis.
The inaugural services—MH3421 to Mukah with 54 passengers and MH3711 to Tanjung Manis with 15—were operated by the dependable Twin Otter, an aircraft long regarded as a lifeline for remote communities. For many travelers, these flights represented more than transportation; they offered renewed access to family, essential services, and economic opportunities that had once required far greater effort to reach.
The launch also introduced AirBorneo’s new cabin crew uniform, designed by Ariff Shukor Atelier. Featuring vibrant red attire paired with yellow scarves inspired by the Sarawak flag, the uniform incorporates subtle keringkam motifs and a contemporary kenyalang design, blending cultural heritage with modern practicality. The unveiling added a ceremonial touch to the event, symbolizing a new era for the state’s aviation identity.
The airline describes its logo and purpose:
Our emblem, the “Wings of Unity,” is a dynamic symbol of motion and foresight, embodying AirBorneo’s core commitment to freedom, progressive development, and seamless connectivity. The graceful, flowing lines draw inspiration directly from the natural majesty of Borneo, its winding rivers, the sweeping wind, and the intricate beauty of native patterns. This design masterfully blends our deep-rooted cultural identity with our ambitious vision for the future.
This identity reflects a fundamental belief: that travel must be warmly welcoming, profoundly purposeful, and genuinely rooted in the welcoming spirit of the places we serve.
As we evolve into a full-service carrier, we carry this commitment aloft on every flight. Whether your journey is for business, a reunion with loved ones, or an exploration of new horizons, AirBorneo ensures every guest experiences the same exceptional care, connection, and comfortable community. With us, you are not just flying; you are coming home.
Route Map:
More airline news:
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
Delta Air Lines has announced a partnership as the Official Airline of Sphere, marking a new chapter in connecting customers to world-class experiences beyond flight.
As part of the multi-year partnership, Delta and Sphere will introduce the Delta SKY360° Club — Sphere’s first branded hospitality space — and provide premium experiences to SkyMiles Members through the SkyMiles Experiences platform, reinforcing Delta’s commitment to connecting customers to the moments that matter most.
“At Delta, our mission is to make every journey matter, and that extends beyond the flight,” said Alicia Tillman, Chief Marketing Officer at Delta Air Lines. “Just as we connect people to the places and experiences that matter most, this partnership allows us to bring that same spirit of connection and innovation to one of the most iconic venues in the world.”
The Delta SKY360° Club at Sphere, which is now open on the event level, offers guests an intimate lounge experience during live music acts, Sphere Experiences including The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, and special events at the venue.
The partnership also includes Delta’s presence on the Exosphere — the largest LED screen in the world — along with integration across Sphere’s onsite signage and digital platforms. And, through the SkyMiles Experiences platform, members will gain access to unforgettable packages and events at Sphere throughout 2026 and beyond, reinforcing Delta’s commitment to connecting customers to the moments that matter most.
“Delta and Sphere share a commitment to innovation, technology and connecting people through world-class experiences,” said Marcus Ellington, Executive Vice President, Ad Sales and Sponsorships, Sphere. “We are proud to welcome Delta as our partner on two firsts for Sphere – our first official airline and first branded hospitality space – and we look forward to building on this collaboration, offering guests an elevated experience and showcasing the best of each of our brands.”
Delta at CES
The Delta and Sphere partnership comes nearly a year after Delta CEO Ed Bastian delivered the first-ever CES keynote at Sphere, with visuals and immersive 4D effects developed by Sphere Studios, celebrating the airline’s Centennial anniversary and its commitment to using technology to enrich human experiences.
And, in 2026, Delta is gearing up for CES by offering new and increased flight options to Las Vegas, with nearly 700 flights connecting tech enthusiasts to the most influential tech event in the world. International customers travelling to CES 2026 will be able to enjoy nonstop service to Las Vegas (LAS) with new service from Shanghai (PVG) and returning Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Seoul (ICN) and London (LHR) services.
In 2026, Lufthansa marks a major milestone: on January 6, 1926, 100 years ago, the first “Luft Hansa” was founded, and by April 6 of the same year, it had its maiden flight. This anniversary is not only a reflection on the history of one of aviation’s most iconic brands but also a significant step into the future. It honors the pioneering spirit, innovation, and connection of people, cultures, and economies that Lufthansa has shaped for a century.
The story begins with the founding of the first Lufthansa, formed through the merger of Junkers Luftverkehr and Deutsche Aero Lloyd. This fusion laid the foundation for a success story in international aviation that continues to this day. However, the journey was not always smooth. Lufthansa’s history is marked by challenges, interruptions, and new beginnings, showcasing the company’s resilience and relentless spirit of innovation.
The darkest chapter in Lufthansa’s history was during the Nazi era, when the airline became part of the regime and played an active role within it. Lufthansa is using its 100th anniversary as an opportunity to critically examine its involvement during this time and further address it based on historical research. In reflecting on its history, Lufthansa does not limit itself to the post-war chapters. The years from its founding to the downfall of the first Lufthansa are equally part of the company’s story.
With the re-establishment of the “second Lufthansa” in 1953, the legal foundation of today’s Lufthansa was created. Once again, great pioneering spirit was required to embark on a fresh start after the war. In 1955, flight operations resumed, and the journey of the newly founded Deutsche Lufthansa AG began.
The 100th anniversary of Lufthansa is a moment of pride and reflection. At the same time, it represents a bold look into the future and the beginning of the company’s second century.
Anniversary Motto: “We are the Journey”
The anniversary will be celebrated under the motto “We are the Journey” – a message that highlights the shared journey of employees, passengers, and fans of the brand. Since its first flight 100 years ago, Lufthansa has not only written its own history but has also significantly shaped the future of aviation.
The anniversary is a tribute to the guests who have accompanied Lufthansa through a century of challenges, changes, and progress. Without their loyalty and trust, Lufthansa’s success story would not have been possible. The anniversary is therefore an expression of gratitude to the people who have shaped this journey.
This especially includes the employees: Lufthansa staff members. Since the company’s founding, they have been united by a unique spirit characterized by pioneering ambition, a passion for flying, and a commitment to excellence. Today, 40,000 people from 122 nations work for the Lufthansa brand, and 100,000 people from over 160 nations are part of the Group.
A Year of Experiences for Customers, Fans, and Employees
In the anniversary year 2026, Lufthansa will organize a variety of activities and events to honor the history and future of the aviation group. These include a permanent exhibition at the Lufthansa Group Hangar One, special events, a history book, film and video productions, employee celebrations, customer events, as well as marketing and product campaigns.
The anniversary year will be visible and tangible for Lufthansa customers starting in January. The special “100 Years of Lufthansa” emblem will appear on boarding passes, at airports, and onboard Lufthansa flights in many places. Outside of airports – for example, in many city centers – a poster campaign will tell Lufthansa’s story through iconic images and messages.
Flying Ambassadors: The Lufthansa Anniversary Fleet
A highlight of the celebrations will be the special aircraft liveries: the key sub-fleets of Lufthansa’s core brand will feature one aircraft with the new 100-year special livery. The Lufthansa anniversary fleet consists of six aircraft: an Airbus A380, an Airbus A350-1000, an Airbus A350-900, an Airbus A320, and a Boeing 747-8. Leading the anniversary fleet is the Boeing 787-9 named “Berlin,” (below) which was delivered from Boeing’s factory in Washington State, USA, to Germany shortly before Christmas and landed at its new home airport in Frankfurt. Soon, this state-of-the-art aircraft, registered as D-ABPU, will enter scheduled service.
Additionally, there will be two retro liveries. These designs combine tradition and progress, making each aircraft a unique flying ambassador of the brand. The iconic crane, designed by Otto Firle in 1918, remains Lufthansa’s global symbol.
American Airlines is delivering what customers have been asking for: free, high-speed Wi-Fi and on more aircraft than any other carrier in the world. Beginning this month, AAdvantage® members will enjoy free high-speed, satellite-based Wi-Fi¹ across more than 2 million American Airlines flights a year, sponsored by AT&T.
To make this possible across one of the world’s largest airline networks, the rollout will happen in phases. Starting in January, free high-speed Wi-Fi will begin rolling out across 100% of our narrowbody and dual-class regional fleets, and by early spring, it will be available on nearly every American Airlines flight.
Easy access at 35,000 feet
Accessing free Wi-Fi is easy through the upgraded aainflight.com portal. Customers can simply log in using their AAdvantage® number and password, then select “Free Wi-Fi” to start browsing. The new portal is designed for speed, reliability and simplicity, making it effortless to stay connected in flight.
Not an AAdvantage® member yet? Joining is free and easy — sign up before your trip at aa.com or right from your seat during your flight at aainflight.com. Membership in our industry-leading loyalty program unlocks more than just Wi-Fi. Members can enjoy benefits like priority boarding, earning miles toward elite status and redeeming miles for award travel, upgrades and vacation packages.
100% of American’s narrowbody and dual-class regional fleets will offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi, sponsored by AT&T, for all AAdvantage® members.
American’s new Boeing 787-9 and 787-8 aircraft will also feature free Wi-Fi. Once rollout is complete, American will offer free Wi-Fi on more aircraft than any other airline in the world.
A partnership built for connection
As a long-standing AT&T business customer, American found a natural opportunity to join forces with AT&T. Both brands share a belief that people should be able to stay connected anywhere, anytime — even at 35,000 feet.
Leading the industry in high-speed Wi-Fi coverage
American has invested for more than a decade to deliver one of the most expansive inflight connectivity networks. The airline has long been a leader in inflight connectivity, beginning with air-to-ground innovation in the mid-2000s.
But the airline isn’t done innovating the onboard journey. Today:
American has more satellite-equipped Wi-Fi aircraft than any other carrier in the world.
More than 900 mainline aircraft are equipped with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi connectivity through Viasat or Intelsat.
American was the first U.S. airline to offer streaming capabilities across 100% of its mainline fleet.
As American looks ahead, free Wi-Fi creates the foundation for future innovations in personalization, digital service and a more seamless, premium travel experience.
1Complimentary inflight Wi-Fi will be powered by Viasat and Intelsat.
In 2026, we mark a momentous milestone – our 80th anniversary. Over the last eight decades, our shared journey has been woven from the threads of thoughtfulness, progressiveness, and the unique can-do spirit of Hong Kong. As we look to the future, we remain committed to our vision of becoming our customers’ most-loved service brand.
Join us as we honour our legacy of connection and celebrate 80 Years Together.
Born with a purpose From a single aircraft and a big dream, we’ve expanded our network to over 100 destinations and evolved from an airline into a premium travel lifestyle brand.Discover our 80-year journey – defined by moments of progress and passionate dedication to moving our customers forward in life.
80 years of Cathay
Be part of the celebrations
We invite you to celebrate 80 years together throughout 2026, packed with special events and initiatives to commemorate the journey we’ve shared.
Service in style
For 80 years, our uniforms have been more than simple attire – they’re enduring symbols of our service and identity. We’re bringing back our vintage uniforms, modelled by some of our cabin crew and ground staff throughout the year.
How Cathay Pacific’s aircraft liveries communicate our story
The colours of Cathay through the years: a history of identity and drive
By Ophelia Lai
The jade-green tailfin, our brushwing logo – these design elements immediately distinguish the Cathay Pacific fleet on the tarmac. These now-iconic details didn’t always grace our aircraft – our liveries have evolved over the past 80 years, simultaneously charting Cathay Pacific’s growth into one of the most recognisable airline brands in the world.
Our story began in 1946, with a converted Douglas DC-3 affectionately nicknamed “Betsy”. Roy Farrell purchased this wartime aircraft to transport goods between Australia and China, with fellow wartime pilot Sydney de Kantzow soon joining the partnership. They had grander ambitions from the start: the name of their company, Cathay Pacific Airways, originated from Farrell’s belief that their planes would one day cross the vast expanse of the Pacific. The original Betsy aircraft had a bare-metal body with “Cathay Pacific Airways” emblazoned in red cursive lettering on the fuselage.
In the 1960s, Cathay Pacific entered the Jet Age with an expanded fleet of midsized Convair 880 Jetliners sporting smart green-and-white liveries. The airline name printed on the fuselage was shortened to “Cathay Pacific” in red, upper-case lettering. These elements were retained in our legendary “lettuce leaf sandwich” livery, which defined our upgraded fleet of Lockheed L-1011 TriStars and Boeing 747s from the 1970s to the early 1990s. The tailfin was painted in alternating stripes of white and Brunswick green, resembling a stack of salad leaves.
Former Cathay Pacific pilot Captain Colin Couch remembers flying these aircraft into Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport: “When you saw that iconic livery, you knew it was Cathay Pacific,” he says. “It must have been thrilling for the passengers as well, to fly in those green-and-white planes over Hong Kong’s buildings and land right in the heart of the city.”
As our route network expanded across Europe and North America in the 1990s, we needed a new look anchored to our proud identity as Hong Kong’s home carrier. In 1994, we debuted our brushwing logo, a symbol of flight rendered in a swooping calligraphic stroke that honours our Chinese heritage. We also swapped Brunswick green for the modern, elegant Cathay jade.
In 2015, we unveiled a sleeker version of this livery, removing the red stripes from the tailfin and nose.
“Cathay’s story is inextricably tied to the history and people of Hong Kong,” says Edward Bell, General Manager Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications at Cathay. “Our signature brushwing livery is an expression of our deep roots in Hong Kong, being proudly part of the Chinese Mainland, and our role in connecting people to the rest of the world.”
Credit: South China Morning Post/Getty Images
We’ve also celebrated our home city through special liveries over the past two decades. To mark the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997, we launched the Spirit of Hong Kong livery, depicting the city’s famed skyline. In 2002, we introduced our Asia’s World City livery in support of Brand Hong Kong ’s campaign of the same name. This design featured a teal body printed with Brand Hong Kong’s fiery dragon logo as well as flowing lines representing the city’s flair and vitality.
As we commemorate our 80th anniversary, we’re introducing two new Cathay Pacific liveries: versions of our classic lettuce livery, giving you the chance to fly on a piece of aviation history. We’ll also be unveiling a third special livery later this year – stay tuned.
STARLUX Airlines of Taiwan has taken delivery of its first of 18 A350-1000s, becoming the 11th global operator of the largest version of the A350. The new A350-1000 will join a fleet of 10 A350-900s already in service with the airline, deployed on premier long-haul services from Taipei to Europe and North America, as well as selected destinations within the Asia-Pacific region.
Photo: Airbus
To mark the arrival of its newest fleet member, STARLUX has unveiled a striking livery that reflects both innovation and identity. The design integrates the airline’s signature visual elements with a carbon-fibre motif, representing the advanced composite materials integral to the aircraft’s construction. The prominent ‘1000’ emblazoned on the fuselage highlights the aircraft’s designation as the largest in-production Airbus model, now serving as the airline’s new flagship.
STARLUX currently operates an all-Airbus fleet comprising the A321neo, the A330-900, and the A350-900 aircraft. The new A350-1000 will seamlessly complement the airline’s existing fleet. Furthermore, the airline has ordered 10 A350F freighters to develop its future cargo network.
More airline news:
RSS Error: Retrieved unsupported status code "404"
You must be logged in to post a comment.