In our roundup of travel stories this week: The families who were ripped apart by Italy’s new citizenship laws, why some travelers say airport lounges are no longer worth it, plus more woe for the Boeing 737 Max.
Airplanes up to 45 years old are safely flying commercial routes around the world, but airlines invest a lot to make sure travelers aren’t aware they’re taking to the skies in a decades-old aircraft.
This starts with maintenance and includes brand-new interiors — everything from seats to sidewalls and inflight entertainment — to keep fliers happy. One example is United Airlines’ fleet of Boeing 767s, which feature all the carrier’s very latest cabin comfort experiences, but four of which entered service way back in 1991.
“Airplanes are built incredibly durably,” says Nathaniel Pieper, chief commercial officer of American Airlines. “Nobody’s going to know what the hull says.” Read our full story for more of Pieper’s trade secrets.
The Boeing 767, introduced in 1982, is regarded as a reliable workhorse of the skies, in contrast to the beleaguered reputation of the Boeing 737 MAX, which lost faith with customers early, after two fatal crashes.
