Brooke in the Air

The Official Review

Flight 713

Airline: United Airlines

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Seat 5F (Five-Foxtrot) - Polaris Transcon Business

Departure: 10:40 AM, San Francisco International Airport, International Terminal gate G4

Route: SFO-EWR

Where to start. We had a late departure from gate G4 but that hardly mattered in Polaris business class. This was not United's fault, SFO had 98 people call off shift during the rainy morning. The seat was incredibly comfortable, though the foot-well was a bit narrow, with the 777-300ER having a bit bigger room but still cozy to lay down while in bed mode (controlled through a rotary-style side-console button). As soon as I sat down, it was absolute paradise, and a mimosa was served as a welcome drink upon request in lieu of the standard champagne or water or orange juice. The Saks Fifth Avenue bedding was immaculate and the exact same as they provide on long-haul international flights. By far it is among the best in the sky. It is AMONG the best, not THE best, please understand. The now-famous United gel pillow was included and definitely earned its fame and comfort. The food was stunning, with the linguine being incredibly flavorful even at 38,000 feet. The bread was warm and melted the cold butter in a heartbeat which made the garlic bread especially fantastic; they offered five different types of bread. Hot towel service was included and did not disappoint, it was incredibly refreshing. The cabin crew was delightful and very friendly; they were mostly based in Denver (DEN) but commuted in. I even got a personal view of the cockpit, which is a testament to their friendliness. Really, I rank this flight as a 8.5/10.0, a Brooke In The Air Travel review

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1 week ago | [YT] | 1

Brooke in the Air

On the 21st, I'll be reviewing a very special United Airlines 787-9 Dreamliner from San Francisco to Newark and a specially configured 757-200 from Newark to San Francisco! Keep an eye on Brookeintheairtravel.squarespace.com for updates!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 1

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More than 11 years after the plane vanished without a trace, authorities have announced that the hunt for Ocean Infinity will resume on December 30, 2025. The deep‑sea mission will target a newly identified 15,000‑square‑kilometre zone of the southern Indian Ocean deemed most likely to contain the wreckage of MH370.

Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, 39 minutes after take‑off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, carrying 239 people. Contact was lost when the transponder and communication systems shut off. Military radar later showed the aircraft deviating from its course over the Andaman Sea, heading west before vanishing entirely over remote Indian Ocean waters.

Despite the most extensive undersea search in aviation history, covering over 120,000 sq km between 2014 and 2017, only scattered debris, such as a wing piece, washed ashore on Réunion Island, and parts found along the east African coast led to no conclusive recovery of the main wreckage or victims.

Malaysia approved a fresh contract with Ocean Infinity under a “no‑find, no‑fee” agreement, meaning the firm only gets paid if it locates the wreckage. The new search is being billed as the last best shot at solving one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.

Observers hope that debris patterns, drift analysis, and new underwater maps will finally reveal the resting place of the 777.

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Brooke in the Air

Spirit Airlines Launches Fort Lauderdale-Belize Flights



Spirit Airlines has inaugurated new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Belize City's Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE). Operating three times weekly with Airbus A320 aircraft, the route provides the only direct connection between South Florida and Belize. The schedule facilitates long-weekend travel with morning southbound and afternoon northbound flights. Introductory fares start at approximately $85 one-way, consistent with Spirit's ultra-low-cost model. This expansion enhances leisure and diaspora travel options while supporting Belize's tourism economy through improved accessibility to its reefs and rainforests.

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

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Bill Shields Air Traffic Controllers from Shutdowns

A bipartisan group of House transportation leaders has introduced the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, designed to protect air traffic controller pay during government shutdowns. The legislation would authorize using the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund—containing approximately $2.6 billion—to cover salaries and essential FAA operations for 4-6 weeks if regular funding lapses. This proposal responds to the recent 43-day shutdown that forced controllers to work unpaid and caused significant flight disruptions. Supported by industry groups and labor unions, the bill aims to maintain aviation safety and reliability by depoliticizing critical workforce payments.
#ATC #fyp #Youtube #avgeek

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Brooke in the Air

Ukraine’s Fire Point defense company has announced plans to launch mass production of its newest ballistic missile, following successful tests and strong frontline demand. Engineers say the weapon will be produced in large quantities and “will roll out like hotcakes,” signaling high confidence in its performance and ease of manufacturing. The system is designed for deep-strike missions against Russian military infrastructure, complementing Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike arsenal. The move strengthens Kyiv’s ability to hit targets far behind enemy lines and supports NATO’s broader strategy of pressuring Russian logistics, air-defense sites, and command nodes.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

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Pokrovsk: Russia Burns Manpower for Micrometers as Ukraine Holds the Terrain That Decides the Battle

Russia continues grinding forward around Pokrovsk, but the movement is microscopic and brutally expensive. The latest DeepState maps show only a slight creep toward the railway line — and nothing beyond it. That railway is the decisive defensive belt Ukraine has spent weeks reinforcing. Every Russian attempt to break through it has collapsed under concentrated fire.

Local commanders confirm it: Russian troops tried to push through the fog into the central district and were wiped out. This is the familiar Russian model of urban assault — throw bodies into a kill-grid and hope something sticks. So far, nothing is sticking.

Ukraine still holds all decisive terrain.
Two axes matter more than any other:
• The north of Pokrovsk, still fully under Ukrainian control.
• The south of the railway, where Ukrainian units remain firmly dug in.

If either of those breaks, the city becomes tactically vulnerable. Neither has broken. Commanders describe the positions as “important for future deoccupation,” a phrase you only hear when the defense is stable and confident, not collapsing.

Russia tried maneuvering around the city instead. Small assault groups were pushed toward Hryshyne in an attempt to force a Ukrainian redeployment. Those groups were destroyed — not pushed back, destroyed. That points to strong Ukrainian ISR and rapid reaction units doing exactly what they’re supposed to.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have started cutting Russian logistical routes near Pokrovsk. This rarely happens in urban defense unless the situation has stabilized enough for defenders to shape the battlefield rather than simply brace against it. New mine belts, roadblocks, anti-vehicle traps, and fresh Ukrainian supply routes into Pokrovsk and Mirnograd show a defense preparing for sustained operations, not retreat.

Russia’s manpower problems are now so severe that they are shifting toward armor-heavy assaults. This lines up with the T-72 situation — infantry shortages force Russia to gamble with tanks, even in terrain where tanks die quickly. Drones dominate the city’s approaches, and Pokrovsk’s dense urban layout is tailor-made to kill armor. Yet Russia has had to pull in operational reserves simply to maintain pressure.

And even with those reserves, Russia isn’t breaking through.

Pokrovsk is the single largest concentration of Russian troops on the entire front. They’ve thrown airborne units, Storm-Z convicts, motor rifle brigades, armor, and massive waves of FPVs into this one sector for more than a month.

What do they have to show for it?
A few hundred meters of shattered ruins — and a cement railway line that continues to act like a medieval stone wall.

The pattern is now unmistakable:
• Enormous Russian casualties
• Bloody, inch-by-inch advances
• No operational breakthroughs
• Ukrainian stabilization and counter-engineering

Pokrovsk is becoming another attritional trap — a place where Russia spends lives, equipment, and reserves faster than it gains usable ground, while Ukraine holds the positions that shape the outcome of the battle.

The fight is brutal, but the math is clear:
Russia is bleeding for territory it cannot exploit.
#Ukraine #war #fyp

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1 month ago | [YT] | 2

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The core of the dispute revolves around Scott Kirby's public assertion that the future US market will coalesce into only "two large, revenue diverse, full service, brand loyal airlines" (implicitly United and Delta), with his controversial claim that American Airlines is losing approximately $800 million annually at its O'Hare hub. While this figure is widely disputed by industry analysts, it underscores the aggressive nature of the competition.

Actions at ORD have been a primary battleground, with the City of Chicago initiating a gate redetermination process based on utilization metrics. This process, contested legally by American, resulted in a significant shift in operational footprint:

Gate Reallocation: United was slated to gain approximately five to six gates, while American was set to lose roughly four gates, with changes effective October 2025.

Market Share Shift: United's strategic growth is evident in its expanding lead in annual seat count over American at ORD, increasing from 9.3 million to 13 million between 2019 and 2024. United currently handles around 52% of O'Hare's departures, compared to American's approximately 37% (based on 2024 data).

Legal Conflict: American Airlines filed a lawsuit, arguing the redetermination violated the 2018 Airline Use and Lease Agreement (AULA) and was prematurely triggered. However, a Cook County Circuit Court Judge dismissed American's request for an injunction, allowing the gate changes to proceed.

American's Resolve: Despite these setbacks, American CEO Robert Isom remains defiant, stating the airline will maintain its position, targeting approximately 500 daily departures at O'Hare and reiterating its commitment as a major hub carrier.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Brooke in the Air

United Airlines has requested a federal judge in San Francisco to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging that the airline misrepresented "window seats" that actually had no view due to being adjacent to walls.

The airline argues that the term "window seat" refers to a seat's position on the fuselage, not a guarantee of a view, and that such claims fall outside breach-of-contract remedies under federal law.

The plaintiffs, represented by Carter Greenbaum, seek damages, claiming that millions of passengers were misled about seat features.

A similar lawsuit targets Delta Air Lines, highlighting how airlines label seat attributes on certain aircraft models.

The outcome could set a precedent for how airlines market seat locations and handle consumer contract challenges related to ancillary fees.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Brooke in the Air

The US government is considering a request from Saudi Arabia to acquire up to 48 F-35As, as Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman prepares to visit Washington shortly. This would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab nation to get the F-35, with Israel currently being the only country in the region operating the aircraft, albeit the customised F-35I 'Adir', which utilises Israeli electronic warfare systems and other modifications to Israeli requirements.

There has been a long-standing US policy to maintain Israel's 'qualitative military edge', which in practice means that Washington ensures that none of Israel's neighbours have a technological edge over the weapons systems fielded by Israel.

Other Gulf nations had expressed interest in the F-35, but were quietly declined, with most of them now invested in 4.5 Gen fighters. However, with other countries developing their own 5th-generation fighters for export, including Turkey, South Korea and China, the United States finds itself in an awkward position of either offering the F-35 or losing regional influence to potential rivals.

Photo: Mark Zerafa, 9H Media
#defense #NATO #fyp #avgeek

1 month ago | [YT] | 1