Our next big reveal for 2026: the Dreamliner is joining our fleet ✨
From larger cabins to better fuel efficiency, tap the link to learn how this new addition will bring you more unforgettable experiences in the air. https://t.co/YrhaROZgKq
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) January 13, 2026
Celebrate the Year of the Horse in Las Vegas
2026 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac. And the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is celebrating with fresh over-the-top horticultural displays on view through February 28 in the Botanical Gardens in the hotel’s lobby conservatory.
The displays are laid out in four beds, with three gold horses in the West Bed, representing ambition, strenght and momentum. The North Bed features Ajla the Cheerful Child, made from thousands of preserved roses and seeds and while juggling golden coins – a symbol of good luck.
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In the east garden bed, Caishen, the God of Wealth, invites abundance and good fortune with shimmering coins, gold ingots and a radiant money tree. And in the south garden bed, pandas play and gold dragons offer protection and wisdom.
There is no charge to visit Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Garden.
Stuck at The Airport is Seattle-based, and we’re planning trips on Alaska to Tokyo, Seoul and, starting this summer, to London, Rome and Reykjavik, Iceland. We can only imagine (and float wishes) where they’ll take off for next.
To make its expansion plans reality, on Wednesday Alaska Airlines announced it largest aircraft order ever.
The airline now has new orders for a whopping 110 Boeing planes to be delivered between now and 2035.
“These planes will fuel our expansion to more destinations across the globe and ensure our guests travel aboard the newest, most fuel-efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft,” said Alaska Air Group CEO and President Ben Minicucci.
The order includes the purchase of 105 737-10 aircraft and options for 35 more of the Boeing’s largest 737 MAX planes. And that’s not all. Alaska is also purchasing 5 additional 787 widebody aircraft.
The future’s so 😎 The first @Boeing widebody 787 Dreamliner ft. our new aurora borealis-inspired global design has arrived. It’s one step forward in our bold vision as the country’s fourth largest global airline. Plus, our fleet expansion continues with 105 Boeing 737 aircraft… pic.twitter.com/7FHr6quV7h
At an event announcing and celebrating this major order, Alaska Airlines revealed this brand new Boeing widebody 787 Dreamliner.
The 787-9’s exterior design draws inspiration from the natural wonder of the Aurora Borealis, the airline said, and features a palette of deep midnight blues and lush emerald greens.
Here’s a great time-lapse video of the livery being applied.
1,000 artist hours. 13 days. 1 epic reveal. Introducing the first @Boeing widebody 787 Dreamliner ft. our new aurora borealis-inspired global design. This stunning aircraft pays tribute to Alaska’s rich history and proudly reflects our bold vision as the country’s fourth largest… pic.twitter.com/nMTG3qKDZa
German flag carrier, Lufthsansa, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
And the carrier is marking the milestone with special liveries, events, a book, a film, and a variety of events.
Six Lufthansa aircraft are spoting the 100-year livery: an Airbus A380, an Airbus A350-1000, an Airbus A350-900, an Airbus A320, a Boeing 747-8 and a new Boeing 787-9 named “Berlin,” which was delivered shortly before Christmas.
Holland America Line leans into America’s 250th anniversary
In the past few years, the Stuck at The Airport cruise team has joined Holland America for some unique adventures.
We were on the the first U.S. cruise ship to stop in Canada after the pandemic. And were joined one of Holland America’s 150th anniversary cruises from Rotterdam to New York City.
After a scary and stressful few months here at Stuck at the Airport headquarters, we were fortunate to cruise with Holland America from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand at this time last year.
Now we’re keeping an eye on what the company has cooked up for America’s 250th anniversary.
For starters, they’ve got a Stars and Stripes voyage that starts in Boston on July 4, 2026 with a late-evening departure that will offer great fireworks viewing.
Holland America has also teamed with the Pendleton Woolen Mills to mark Alaska Statehood Day (January 3). The two companies have created a limited edition Alaska-themed throw blanket that will only be available to purchase on board the cruise line’s ships sailing in Alaska in 2026.
That may be what gets us to take our first cruise from Seattle to Alaska.
Bonus: What happened to letters for Santa left at airports?
Icelandair’s ode to the kinda creepy Christmas cat
Iceland can be a wonderland and a mystery.
There are the elves and other supernatural “hidden people” whose well-being are embedded in Icelandic culture and beliefs.
And there’s a dark Christmas folklore that stars a menacing Yule Cat that, Icelandair reminds us, teaches people to work hard and give gifts by devouring anyone – especially children – who does not recieve new clothes for the holiday.
Harsh, right?
Icelandair has created a holiday video that features the Yule Cat and a young boy making friends. After a makeover for the cat, the pair go on a Christmas journey.
Take a look.
Austrian Airlines’ AI holiday song
You don’t really need any translation to catch the spirit of Austrian Airlines’ holiday music video.
It features a catchy AI-generated electro-pop song, but uses real airline employees as actors.
It’s been a tough year for many parts of the aviation industry, with plenty to worry about in 2026 and beyond.
But the International Air Transport Assocation (IATA), a global airline trade group representing about 360 airlines, expects passenger numbers to reach 5.2 billion in 2026, up 4.4% from 2025.
IATA is also forecasting a record net profit of $41 billion next year, up from $39.5 billion in 2025.
“That’s extremely welcome news, considering the headwinds that the industry faces,” said IATA Director General, Willie Walsh, citing rising costs from bottlenecks in the aerospace supply chain, geoplitical conflicts, sluggish global trade and growing regulatory burdens.
While the consumer demand for flying continues to go up, so does the record backlog of deliveries of aircraft that would be more fuel efficient and less costly to maintain.
“Compared with the pre-pandemic trend, the market has received roughly 5,340 fewer aircraft, essentially a ‘missing fleet’ representing several years of production,” said IATA.
According to IATA, the average airline fleet age has risen to around 15 years, while the share of aircraft in long-term storage is unusually high, “not because carriers wish to park them, but because forced groundings linked to engine availability and reliability issues leave operators uncertain about future supply.”
And end to the government shutdown may be closer to reality.
But the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet lifted mandated flight reductions at the busiest airports around the country that in place to try reduce stress on the air traffic control system.
As a result, massive flight cancelations and delays are still a major issue.
As the day begins, Flightaware.com is reporting more than 1,100 flight cancellations for today (Tuesday) and about 600 delays.
But that is likely to increase over the course of the day, especially with weather issues in some parts of the country.
Updated airline refund/change fee waiver policies
Airlines are updating their travel advisories and travel alerts on a rolling basis to reflect the flights they have canceled in response to flight reduction mandates.
Refunds are available if you choose not to fly. Be sure to read the details about rebooking, as there are restrictions about when your flight was booked, and when you choose to fly.
And of course, keep checking back, as the policies are being updated each day.
Alaska Airlines: policies apply for flights scheduled through November 17. If you’re not requesting a refund, you can rebook to fly by November 24.
An update on the FAA-mandated flight reductions affecting Alaska Airlines and @HawaiianAir. Swipe for details.
Due to the ongoing federal shutdown and ATC staffing shortages, the FAA has directed all U.S. airlines to reduce flights at select airports. Please check your flight… pic.twitter.com/xzMKafGxM5
American Airlines is offering refunds and waiving changes fees for travel to/through or from more than 20 airports for flighs sheduled through November 15. The change fee waiver applies to rebooked flights through November 17.
Delta Air Lines: If you were scheduled to travel by 15, 2025, the change fee waiver applies to rebooked flights that occur by November 17.
Delta is temporarily reducing flights at 40 US airports to comply with federal directives. All planned FAA-directed flight cancellations through Nov. 12 have been completed.
To check your flight status, please use https://t.co/yQj0bzerMw or the Fly Delta App, where you can also…
Our schedule changes through Wednesday, November 12 are in place. You can find a list of canceled flights, at as well as additional information on how to rebook or request a refund, at: https://t.co/CxKTsRZZxu
On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation announced a decision to reduce air traffic by 10% at 40 “high-volume” markets across the country starting Friday.
Unless, that is, the government shutdown concludes before then.
Which could be a stretch.
The FAA didn’t say which markets would be affected, but not long after the announcement, airlines began sharing how they planned to respond to the directive.
“United’s long-haul international flying and our hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by this schedule reduction direction from the FAA,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in the memo, “Instead, we will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs.”
He added that customers traveling during this period will be eligible for a refund if they do not wish to fly – even if their flight isn’t impacted. That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation have directed every airline, across 40 U.S. airports, to meaningfully reduce their schedules during the government shutdown. The goal is to relieve pressure on the national aviation system to keep us…
“While we are awaiting additional information from the FAA to determine which flights will be impacted, we expect the vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected. As schedule changes are made, we will proactively reach out to customers who are impacted,” the airline said on Wednesday evening.
Due to the ongoing government shutdown and nationwide air traffic control staffing shortages, the FAA has directed airlines to reduce flight schedules to maintain safe airspace operations starting Friday, Nov. 7.
We expect the vast majority of customers’ travel will proceed as…
Southwest Airlines said it is evaluating how the planned FAA flight reductions will affect its schedule. “We know that these FAA-imposed cancellations can impact an important moment in your life. We appreciate your understanding,” the airline said in a statement.
Other airlines are making plans as well and we’ll no doubt learn a lot more on Thursday.
In the meantime if, like us, you have a flight scheduled in the next few days, keep an eye on your inbox, your airline app and on the news.
If you fly on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a Business Class passenger on an intercontinental flight, you’ll get to choose a tiny Delft Blue house from a cart rolled down the aisle towards the end of the flight.
Don’t pass up the offer.
KLM has been gifting these miniature gin-filled houses representing special buildings in the Netherlands and beyond to business class passengers since the 1950s. And the small buildings have become treasured and collectible souvenirs.
Many travelers are determined to collect them all. Of course, there’s an app to help with that. And some of the very early houses and limited edition issues can fetch quite a lot of money.
Since 1994, the number of houses matches KLM’s age. And each year on October 7, KLM’s birthday, a new house is added to the collection.
This year is KLM’s 106th birthday, and the newest KLM miniature Delft Blue house portrays the former sexton’s residence, Villa Reameau, located next to Lieden’s Pieterskerk church. The Pilgrims stayed here for twelve years before they set sail on the Mayflower to America in 1620. And the building is now the home of the Pilgrim Museum.
U.S. government shutdown is affecting air travel. Already.
The U.S. government shutdown is beginning to take a toll on air travel.
TSA workers, air traffic controllers and others – already working longer hours due to staffing shortages – are now working without paychecks and the fallout is clear.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there’s been a slight increase in the number of sick calls from TSA workers and air traffic controllers since the shutdown began.
Take a look at the FAA’s National Airspace System Status chart. You’ll notice under that the cause for many of the delays is currently listed as “staffing.”
If the shutdown continues, this list will grow.
DEVELOPING: Nashville’s air traffic approach control will go dark for five hours tonight due to short staffing—the second FAA facility in as many days to shut down over shortages. pic.twitter.com/bThZ3zSIxi
The 2019 government shutdown lasted 35 days, during which time employees of TSA, the FAA and Customs and Border Protection (among others) had to work without pay.
During that time, airports and airlines and community groups set up food pantries and free meals for those unpaid workers.
It’s happening again.
During the shutdown, the Allegheny County Authority (ACAA), the operator of Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is providing free meals to working U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees.
The first meals were provided at both Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Allegheny County Airport (AGC) on Friday, Oct. 3. The plan is to provide meals twice a week for the duration of the shutdown.
According to PIT officials, airport concessions partners are contributing by helping to prepare the meals at a discounted rate. Participants include Air Ventures, Beer Code, Bruegger’s Bagels, Chick-fil-A, Jimmy John’s, Local Craft, Shake Shack, and Wellington, with more to come.
Currently, the meals will be distributed across all shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays at PIT and AGC.
If the shutdown continues, starting October 11, 2025, TSA workers will be offered several benefits, including complimentary parking during their shifts; two meal vouchers per shift (one voucher per shift for part-time workers); and discounts or special meals from ATL concessionaries.
Any other airports doing this? Let us know.
JetBlue’s new special celebrating Puerto Rico
One of JetBlue‘s Airbus A320s now bears a special livery, Isla del Bluencanto, designed by Puerto Rican artist Juan Gutiérrez Rovira, also known as The Stencil Network.
The design was chosen by a public vote and celebrates Puerto Rico’s rich culture and spirit and showcases iconic symbols of Puerto Rican heritage.
Look for the jibaro figure on the tail; fruits and flora of the island, on the body of the aircraft; and the phrase “Somos Boruca” – We are Puerto Rico – on the plane’s underbelly,
Air New Zealand’s Prime Day deals
Amazon’s October Prime Days include some travel deals, including some great fares to New Zealand with Air New Zealand’s Prime Day fares.
From October 7 to 9, the airline is offering round-trip flights to Auckland for as low as $825 in the economy cabin. There are tempting fares in Premium Economy and Business Premier as well, and with departures from major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York and more.
On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada said it was suspending its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge after striking flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) defied the government’s back-to-work order.
Instead, the airline says it now plans to resume flights on Monday evening.
Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to operate as normal, but for passengers with flights on other Air Canada flights, the carrier has this advice:
Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and are strongly advised not to go the airport unless they have confirmed flights on other airlines. Air Canada will offer those with cancelled flights options, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other carriers, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season.
Cute Korean Air kits for kids
Korean Air has rolled out a charming new collection of amenities for kids that include a hooded beach towel, a memory foam neck pillow, slippers, socks, and an airplane keyring, as well as a coloring pack, a doodle book and a paper airplane.
The items available are adjusted by route length and season across short, medium, and long-haul flights.
Art tour of SEA Airport
The art collection at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was started back in the 1970s and is now one of the more extensive and valuable airport art collections in the United States.
Here’s a fun video put together by Seattle’s Museum of Flight that includes a tour of just a few of the pieces you’ll see when you visit the airport.
