Airlines

US man gets entire flight to himself, parties with crew after 18-hour delay

On Sunday, Phil Stringer was traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Oklahoma City on his way home, but unfortunately to experience an 18-hour flight delay. By that time, the majority of the passengers had either made alternative arrangements or decided against leaving that day, but Mr. Stringer remained and as a result, he was the only person on board when the plane finally took off.

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The lone traveler told Insider that he felt terrible for making the American Airlines staff show up solely for him — but the flight attendants laughed it off and eventually turned it into a “private party” in the sky, which Stringer marked and shared to TikTok.

“When you buy every single ticket on the plane so you don’t have to deal with people,” Stringer wrote on TikTok. “(Just kidding, it was delayed 18 hours and everyone else gave up).”

@phil.stringer

18-hour delay turned this flight into a private party! ✈️🥳 Watch how the amazing crew and I made the most of it! #americanairlines #flightattendant #airplanetiktok #privateparty #FlightFun #delayedflight #fyp #viral ♬ Makeba – Jain

“When I arrived at the gate, nobody was there. “I asked, ‘Did you guys already board everyone?’” he said.The flight attendant “was like, ‘No, honey, you’re the only passenger’,” he said. And claimed that he attempted to change his flight numerous times without success and waited in the airport for 18 hours since he had to get home to resume his duties as the COO of a real estate agency.

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They were sort of making fun of me, he stated, asking, “Really, bro, you couldn’t have left a few hours later?” “I firmly believe that your attitude influences where you end up. Yes, the day was terrible. No one likes to spend 18 hours in an airport, but with the right attitude, it can be a lot of fun,” he added.

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Airlines

S7 Group Begins Fan Blade Production for Western Engine Models

The privately-owned Russian aerospace giant S7 Group has reportedly commenced production of blades for Western-built aero engines at its subsidiary, the Berdsk Electromechanical Plant (BEMZ), located in Novosibirsk.

This development, reported by the Russian aviation publication ATO.ru, marks a significant step for the company amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.BEMZ has started manufacturing composite fan blades compatible with jet turbine engines, including the CFM International CFM56, which powers popular aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family.

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The technology for restoring blades of gas turbine engines used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft was previously developed by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and is now being implemented in the production of new aircraft parts at BEMZ.

Currently, BEMZ focuses on producing parts essential for maintaining the airworthiness of civil aircraft. Over the past year and a half, the plant has manufactured approximately 3,500 structural elements and components for replacement on foreign aircraft, which are utilized by airlines such as S7 Airlines, Pobeda, Aurora, and Aeroflot.

The facility is undergoing expansion, with two stages of an investment program totaling 2 billion roubles already completed. These developments are likely geared toward producing blades for the CFM56 engines, which equip more than half of S7’s operational fleet, including 28 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 19 Boeing 737-800s.

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Vasily Yurchenko, CEO of Berdsk Electromechanical Plant, emphasized the shift in focus towards maintaining the airworthiness of the Western-made fleet. The plant has delivered thousands of components to S7 and other Russian carriers since 2022. Notably, according to Russia’s Air Operators Association, 89% of the country’s passengers in 2023 traveled aboard foreign-made aircraft.

Future plans include serious investments to transform the plant into a modern, high-tech aircraft manufacturing facility. In addition to engine blades, BEMZ is also known for producing various spare parts for aircraft, reinforcing its role in the Russian aviation industry as it adapts to new manufacturing needs.