#Middle East Airlines Flights

[jacksjames]

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[trendynewsnow]

Middle East Airlines Continues Operations Amidst Ongoing Conflict in Lebanon

Middle East Airlines Operates Amid Conflict in Lebanon Since the onset of Israel’s military offensive against Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), has continued its flight operations. The airport, situated along the coast where numerous Hezbollah activities occur, remains functional—a stark contrast to the 2006 war when Israeli…

[familythings]

WizzAir Launches Travel Passes: A New Era of Affordable Air Travel

In the ever-evolving landscape of air travel, WizzAir, Europe’s rapidly expanding low-cost airline, has recently made a bold move with its new travel pass. This innovative offering, unveiled in August 2024, is set to transform the way passengers book and experience flights, reflecting a broader industry trend towards flexible and cost-effective travel solutions. Here’s a deep dive into WizzAir’s…

[roosterforme]

Scenic Route | Rooster x Reader

Summary: You can't wait to head back to the east coast for Christmas with your husband and your parents. But when your travel plans start to unravel, Bradley shows you what's really important. And you remember you already have everything you really need no matter where you are.

Warnings: Fluff, angst and mentions of smut

Length: 4300 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

This was written to accompany my series Is It Working For You? along with a bunch of my one-shots and other series! (But it can be read on its own) Check my masterlist in my profile for the reading order!

"All I want for Christmas is four days off from work, a little bit of snow, and your dick with a bow on it," you told your husband with a smile as you got in bed. You had an early flight to Maryland to visit your parents the next morning, and you hadn't seen them since your wedding last month.

Bradley shook his head. "No way I'm putting a bow on my dick at your parents' house."

You pouted at him as you took your glasses off and set them on your nightstand. "Wow. Next you'll be telling me that Santa Claus isn't even real."

"Oh, Sweetheart," he rasped, pulling you close. "I've got some bad news for you."

"Don't you dare say it!" you scolded, holding his lips shut. "I won't stand for that! When we have kids, are you going to try to ruin it for them, too?"

You released his lips while he burst out laughing. "I was going to say that the bad news is there's no snow in the forecast in Maryland."

"Oh," you sighed, cuddling up with him. "Well, I can deal with that as long as Santa is still real."

A handful of hours later, when your alarm was going off, you moaned and practically crawled into the bathroom.

"Hurry up," Bradley kept urging as you washed your face and brushed your teeth. "Airport parking is going to be a mess."

You rolled your eyes at him in the mirror, but he kept following you around until you were walking out to the driveway with your luggage and a travel mug of coffee. The only time he would agree to taking your car anywhere was when it was in an effort to protect the Bronco. So you drove him to the airport in your little car so the Bronco wouldn't 'get dinged up in the parking garage'. 

"You know what I'd love to get you for Christmas, Sweetheart? A new car." 

You smiled as he shifted around in the front seat. It was almost amusing how much he hated your little car, but you loved it.

"This one is perfectly fine," you promised as you pulled into the parking garage at the airport. 

He shot you a playfully unamused look as he unfolded his legs to climb out of the car and start gathering the luggage. But the look of displeasure was no longer playful as you followed him into the airport. 

"Our flight's delayed," he said with a sigh as he looked up at the departures screen. 

"No!" you groaned. "I'll text my parents and let them know while you check the bags."

But as soon as you hit send and watched your suitcase disappear from view, you noticed that your flight had been cancelled. 

"Bradley!" you called, pointing to the screen as he walked back over to you.

"Oh, fuck," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Stay here, Baby Girl." He turned back toward the airline agent while you called your parents. 

------------------------------

Bradley managed to sweet talk a new itinerary out of the young woman who worked for the airline. And he wasn't necessarily proud of himself. 

"Hi, Ava. That's such a pretty name," he said with a smile, watching her blush a bright shade of pink. "Is there anything you can do for me about this flight to Baltimore?"

She looked flustered now as she checked her computer screen. "There aren't that many options. This is because of all the snowstorms in the middle of the country, sir."

"You can call me Bradley."

"Bradley," she said with a smile. "I could reroute you to Denver first and then Atlanta and then into Baltimore?"

"That would be great," he said smoothly. "Anything you can do to make Maryland happen." He glanced over his shoulder to where you were talking on the phone and pacing around. The line behind him had started to grow with people dealing with cancelled flights, so he knew he needed to rebook these seats while he still could. 

"I would be happy to do that for you, Bradley," she replied with a grin. "Oh, you have two seats under your reservation?"

"Yes," he told her as he watched you pace away again with your phone pressed to your ear. "For my wife and I."

"Oh," she said with a sigh before printing him out new boarding passes and handing them to him without another word.

"Thanks, Ava. Happy holidays."

Bradley rushed over to you and laced his fingers with yours. "Let's go. Only have a few minutes to get on our flight to Denver."

You sputtered but started to walk briskly along with him, smiling up at him as you spoke into your phone. "Dad, Bradley got us on a new flight! I'll call you back, okay?"

"Come on," he urged, and then you and he were rushing toward security before it started to get crowded. 

"How did you do that?" you asked, wrapping your arms around his waist as you waited in line for your turn. 

He kissed your forehead and whispered, "You don't want to know."

But you just laughed and nuzzled your face against his neck. "You either threatened someone or flirted with someone. Either way, good work, Roo."

"Honestly... the things I do for you."

When the two of you were the last passengers to board the flight to Denver before they closed the gate, you looked at him in surprise and went all the way back to your seats in the last row. "That was close," you whispered, taking the middle seat and snuggling up against his shoulder. 

"I just hope our luggage gets there," he replied. 

But soon enough, that was the least of his concerns. Because halfway through the flight, he was jolted awake by an announcement. 

"This is your captain speaking. Because of weather related issues in Colorado, we will be rerouting to Dallas/Fort Worth."

"Shit," Bradley hissed as you and he shared a look of annoyance. "It's okay. We'll figure it out."

"Get ready to start flirting some more," you mumbled, taking his hand in yours. 

When you and he deboarded in Texas, the entire airport appeared to be packed wall to wall with people. The flight announcement boards were all flashing with DELAYED or CANCELLED. 

"What should we do?" you asked, but he was already calling the airline. 

"Get ready to start sweet talking, Baby Girl," he told you. "It might take both of us."

"But that's your specialty," you said with a sigh. "I'll go search for something to eat, you stay here on the phone." Bradley kissed you before you wandered off through the crowds. He was tired. He knew you must be as well. But the most important thing was getting you to Maryland to spend the holiday with your parents. They were the only close family either of you had. 

After talking to three different people on the phone, Bradley managed to get two middle seats on a flight to Memphis. He reasoned that at least you'd be heading in the right direction, as most eastbound flights were being cancelled for snow. 

When you eventually returned with two coffees and a bag with sandwiches and snacks, he waved you over to the single seat he claimed. "Come here," he told you, patting his thigh so you had somewhere to sit. "We're going to Memphis, but we have a bit of a wait."

As soon as you were in his lap, he felt better. And when you handed him a sandwich, he felt great. "That's all they had left," you told him as you opened a bag of chips.

"It's perfect," he told you as he finished it in four bites. "You know there's a house for sale two streets behind ours, right? Get your parents to move there. It would be easier than this shit."

You sipped your coffee and then smiled at him. "You think my mom hasn't mentioned that to me already? She checks the San Diego real estate listings online all the time."

"Huh," Bradley said. He had been half joking, but he didn't hate the idea of having your parents nearby, in or around San Diego. It would certainly cut down on this kind of stress. And he could tell that you were getting antsy now as your eyes kept looking up over his head to see which flights had been cancelled. 

"There's an elderly man standing over there," Bradley told you, patting your hip. "Why don't you go tell him he can sit here, and we can walk around instead."

"Okay," you replied, and Bradley watched as you walked up and introduced yourself to the older man with a cane and hearing aids. When you helped him make his way over to the seat, Bradley stood so he could sit down.

"Are you alone, Marvin?" you asked, letting him hold your hand until he was settled down into the seat.

"No, my daughter is with me. She went to wait in line for food a while ago. We're trying to go to San Diego."

You laughed and dug around in your bag. "Figures. We just left San Diego. And you can have the other half of my sandwich while you wait for her. The food lines are getting outrageously long."

"Thank you," he mumbled, taking the wrapped up sandwich and turning to Bradley. "Your wife is very sweet."

Bradley nodded at him and said, "She's everything," earning a brilliant smile from you in the process. "Happy holidays, Marvin."

---------------------------

You fell asleep in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport while you were standing up in Bradley's arms. It wasn't a very good nap, but you didn't get to sleep at all on the flight to Memphis which was filled with irate travelers and miserable children. You shoved your headphones in to avoid listening to the woman next to you complaining. This flight had been delayed several times, and you were happy to just be in the air again.

Bradley was a few rows in front of you, in between two people who did not look happy to have someone so tall between them. But he occasionally turned around to smile at you, and you mouthed I love you to him each time.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," you gasped when you arrived in Memphis late on Christmas Eve only to find that all outbound flights had been grounded for the night. You felt the panic rise up inside you. "We were supposed to arrive in Baltimore yesterday," you said softly as Bradley wrapped his arms around you. 

"It's okay," he said calmly. "It's late, but let's just text your dad and let them know where we are."

"We don't even have another flight booked, Bradley. We are going to have to spend Christmas in the Memphis airport." You could feel tears in your eyes, and you felt ridiculous as one of them fell to your cheek. "It's our first holiday married."

"I know, Sweetheart," he said as he wiped your tears away. But he was already on the phone again as he pointed you to an empty seat across the walkway. "I'll take care of it."

You carried your bag to the lone empty seat and plopped down while you sent a text. Your stomach was growling loudly, but there was nothing around except for shitty vending machines. Your phone rang as your dad called you, and you answered with a sob.

"Hi, dad."

"You're in Memphis now?"

"Yeah. It's almost midnight here. Merry Christmas," you told him softly. 

"Listen, when you get here, you get here. Just be safe, and call when you're in Baltimore, okay? We're only thirty minutes from the airport, so whenever you land, I'll leave to come get you."

"Okay," you said, already crying again. "I love you."

When Bradley walked over and scooped you up out of the seat, he looked pleasantly happy. "Why are you smiling so much?" you asked as he settled down with you curled up on his lap. 

"Because I have all good news, Baby Girl."

"Okay. Spill."

He kissed your temple and said, "We have a flight to Raleigh that leaves at noon. And we have some sort of rental car waiting for us there. And then it's just a five hour drive to your parents' house. I also got us some Doritos to enjoy together along with a Wild Cherry Pepsi."

You laughed and wrapped your arms around his neck. "Was the vending machine almost empty?"

"Sure was. There were zero options, but I'm fucking starving."

"Thanks for taking care of everything," you whispered as he fed you a chip. "You're wonderful."

"I'm only wonderful because of you," he replied, kissing your nose. "Now eat your fancy Christmas Eve dinner and try to get some sleep."

-----------------------------

Bradley held you in his lap all night as you dozed on and off. His left leg was asleep, and he hadn't been able to relax enough to get a nap, but that was fine. It was noisy here, even at two in the morning. This somehow reminded him of his first time on an aircraft carrier; he was dying to sleep but just couldn't. But he didn't have anything as nice as you in his life when he experienced that twelve years ago. 

You sighed and pressed your lips to his neck as you slept, and he closed his eyes, memorizing how fucking good this felt. He was sure you'd disagree. The two of you were smashed between two families who were also trying to get a little rest, and there was an announcement going over the intercom. It was a little chilly in here, and Bradley was hungry enough to eat those nasty unsalted pretzels you liked so much. This wasn't the nicest way to spend Christmas morning. Not when you'd been expecting to be with your mom and dad.

But Bradley was so happy. You and he were married. You were together. He wasn't deployed. And you had your left hand planted against his chest where he could look at the rings he had given you. This was great. He'd be happy to do this every year with you.

You stretched and arched your back, and Bradley was finally able to shift his left leg to try to alleviate the sensation of pins and needles. "I had a dream," you whispered, "that Tramp ate Penny's turkey off the kitchen counter and they said they were never going to dogsit for us again."

Bradley laughed as he held you tight and kissed your hair. "Nah, he'll be a saint for Amelia. She takes him on a beach walk every day when he's there."

"That's true," you whispered before kissing his lips. "I'm sorry I've been cranky, Roo."

"Don't apologize," he said softly as you switched to sit on his right thigh. "This is not ideal."

"I know," you agreed, running your fingers along his mustache and his scarred cheek. "But we're together. Merry Christmas."

He pulled you close so your forehead rested against his. "I thought up a fun idea. Wanna hear it?"

"Yes."

He smiled and told you, "Let's walk around to all the vending machines and see what we can find. It'll be like opening presents together next to the tree at your parents' house."

Your laughter was so loud, you had to cover your mouth as you nodded. "Sounds so fun. Let's go."

The two of you scoured every corner of each of the terminals in the Memphis airport together until you had located eight different vending machines. Bradley watched you jump up and down when you found a bag of unsalted pretzels. "I love these things!" you said biting into one and then feeding him the rest of it. 

"We got some good shit, Baby Girl." Then you and he sat side by side and ate everything as you watched a light snow falling outside. When Bradley finished drinking a bottle of ginger ale, he said, "If we have to sleep here again, those benches over in Terminal A looked classy as hell."

You nodded as you finished a bag of popcorn. "Just like our bed at home."

"You know it," he said, kissing your cheek before he stood to throw away all of the trash. Then he heard an announcement for your flight to Raleigh to start boarding, and he pulled you up to your feet. "Let's get out of here while he still can."

He carried your bag for you, and with a little luck, this flight actually took off on time. And Bradley fell asleep on your shoulder while you ran your fingers softly through his hair.

-----------------------------

"I love it!" you shouted in the freezing cold rental car lot in Raleigh. "It's just like my car!"

Bradley groaned and tossed your bag onto the backseat. "Every time we get a rental car, we just get the newest model year of your little shit mobile!"

"It's even red!" you said, laughing right at him. "I'll drive. I'm going to like it so much, I'll just get a new one to replace my car when it dies in like ten more years."

"No," he said. "I'll drive. I don't want you getting any ideas." He steered you around to the passenger side door and opened it for you before he buckled you in. Every time you tried to complain, he kissed your lips until you were sighing and digging your fingers into his hair. 

"Are you trying to get me to fuck you in the backseat or something?" you whispered against his lips before he stood and looked down at you in the passenger seat.

"First of all, no, I'm trying to get us to your parents' house. And second, no, because we wouldn't both fit. I don't even think you could get a car seat back there," he said with a pointed look before he closed the door and walked around to the driver's seat.

"A car seat," you muttered as you adjusted the radio to play some Christmas music as he pulled out onto the road.

"You heard me, Baby Girl."

You were hopeful. You really were, but you were trying not to dwell on it, at least not today. Bradley drove for a few hours into the dim evening dusk, and you offered so many times to switch seats with him. But he just kept telling you to feed him some of the vending machine snacks and keep the Christmas music playing. 

When you texted your parents to let them know what was going on, you knew they would be waiting for you. But they really went above and beyond. You texted them when you were about twenty minutes away, and when Bradley pulled the little red car into the driveway at eight at night, they came running outside. 

"You must both be so hungry!" your mom said, rubbing her hands together, brow pinched with stress. "Dinner is ready. I just took it all out of the oven."

"You didn't have to wait for us to eat," Bradley told her as she hugged him. 

"Nonsense! We'd wait until tomorrow if we needed to!" she told him before kissing both of your cheeks. "Now get inside, it's freezing."

---------------------------

Bradley managed to sneak into the bathroom and into the shower with you around midnight. The four of you had enjoyed one of the best dinners he could ever remember eating. Then your parents had spoiled the two of you with gifts, including a new bed for Tramp. And now you and he were about to change into some borrowed pajamas after finally getting showered.

"I really hope our luggage shows up back at home at some point," you said as you removed Bradley's shirt. 

"It will," he said, helping you strip down and climb under the stream of steamy water. Both of you groaned in pleasure and then laughed. 

"I already feel so much better," you muttered as he started washing your body, paying extra attention to your breasts. 

"Wash my hair?" he asked you, flashing his big, brown eyes. 

"Always," you promised, and he melted into your touch. "You know, Roo, this day was actually kind of fun. The vending machine Christmas gifts, and the rental car sing along. And then finally getting to eat dinner."

"It was perfect," he told you.

You laughed. "Well, that might be a stretch, but I think-"

"It was perfect," he insisted. "I spent my day with you. And we got to see your parents. That was all I was really hoping for. But on top of that, you're my wife. And marrying you has been the best thing that happened to me this year. So today was perfect."

Bradley could tell even as the shower spray wet your face that you were starting to cry. "I love you."

"I love you, too. And even though we only get to spend one day with your parents before flying back to San Diego, I wouldn't change being with you for anything else." 

The two of you were wrapped up in towels and stumbling out of the bathroom, laughing quietly together when you almost bumped right into your mom.

"I thought you were in bed!" you told her, holding your towel in place, and Bradley had never felt as naked as he did with this damp towel around his waist. 

"Your dad needed his blood pressure medication from the kitchen," she replied with a smirk on her face. "Why are you looking at me like that? You're married. I know you two are having sex."

"Oh, god," you groaned, leaning back against Bradley, covering your eyes. 

"We didn't..." he started. "Not in the bathroom..." he added. "Good night!" he said, slipping past you into the room you and he were going to be sharing. And when he looked back at you and your mom before he closed the door, you looked scandalized. 

He laughed quietly to himself as he pulled on the random assortment of clothing your dad was letting him wear since the luggage was currently lost. When you came in a few minutes later, still in your wet towel, he was laying in bed waiting for you. 

"You bailed on me!" you hissed, tossing the towel at him and standing there naked. "We made wedding vows, Bradley!"

He caught the towel and tossed it onto the floor as he reached his hands out for you. "Why don't you come over here, and I'll make everything better?"

You climbed into bed next to him, and he wrapped his arms around you to keep you warm. "Roo, she asked me if you and I are having unprotected sex." Bradley snorted as you groaned. "She wants to know if you're giving me creampies, because she wants grandchildren!"

Bradley burst out laughing. "She actually said that?"

"Not those exact words, but you know what I mean!"

"Well, Merry Christmas, mom," he said softly while he tried to contain his laughter. "We're working on it."

You buried your head under the pillow, and Bradley had to coax you out with some kisses. "Can I have my Christmas present now?" he asked once you were draped across his chest with your fingers in his hair and your lips on his neck.

"Yeah," you whispered. "I'm about to give it to you."

Bradley stroked his fingers along your cheek so that you were looking at him. "You already give me everything, Baby Girl. You know that, right?"

You pressed your lips together and nodded. "Me and you."

"I love it," he promised as your lips met his again.

-------------------------

"Okay, so this has kind of been a disaster," you told Bradley as you finally boarded your delayed flight back to San Diego the next night. "But also, I sort of loved this?"

"Best Christmas ever," he whispered, slipping into the seat next to yours and grabbing both ends of your seatbelt. Then he snapped them closed and tightened the strap, just like he always did. He even always buckled you in the Bronco. You were so used to all these little things now. You just looked at him for a few moments, and he looked back as a smile found his lips. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Well, I learned a lot about you over the past few days," you told him as the flight attendants closed the overhead compartments. 

"And?" he prompted, linking his fingers with yours. 

"I think you might be perfect," you informed him seriously. "You took care of everything in all the airports so I didn't have to worry. You made sure that sweet, old man had somewhere to sit."

"Marvin," Bradley interjected. 

"Yes, Marvin. You held me while I napped. You made sure we ate. You played vending machine Christmas gift roulette with me. You drove the rental car. You made my parents happy. And, plus, you keep doing all the little things that you always do. Like hold my hand the perfect way so my wrist doesn't hurt, and buckle my seatbelt for me. You're perfect."

He looked at you. "You take care of me all the time, Sweetheart. I like taking care of you, too. That's just... what I always do."

You nodded and snuggled against his arm as the plane took off, taking you home to San Diego. "Keep on doing it, Roo. Please." 

"I'm planning on it, Baby Girl."

---------------------------

Roo takes care of BG, and BG takes care of Roo. Thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls.

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[girlactionfigure]

🚨 ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU AND CABINET TO REMAIN IN BUNKER; ISRAELI AND US LEADERSHIP TAKE EMERGENCY MEASURES AMID HEIGHTENED TENSIONS 🚨

‼️Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will stay at the Kirya tonight, accompanied by his cabinet. The Kirya houses a bunker system built to withstand a nuclear attack, equipped with satellite communication systems and sufficient food storage for at least a month. It can accommodate senior Israeli leaders and military leadership.

‼️In response to recent developments, Israeli Minister of Energy Eli Cohen convened an emergency meeting, deciding to increase coal and diesel stocks.

‼️The Israeli General Staff has ordered reinforcements for forces affiliated with the Northern Front Command and has raised the alert level.

‼️The Israeli top brass is preparing for a response that could last at least three days

‼️US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the Iranian response. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Blinken is currently holding a phone call with the Iraqi Prime Minister.

‼️In a related move, the UK has evacuated the families of staff members and non-essential staff from its embassy in Lebanon with other Countries expected to follow suit.

🟢 SUNDAY night - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

▪️CROSS BORDER SMUGGLING TUNNELS.. Gaza to Egypt, orders to NOT blow up, because doing so is doing damage to Egyptian border wall defenses.

▪️US CENTCOM COMMANDER.. will arrive in Israel tomorrow to complete the coordination with the IDF in preparation for a possible Iranian attack.

▪️AIR TRAVEL - MIN OF TRANSPORT SAYS.. Those who want to fly should fly - keep in mind that the return flights will be delayed due to the cancellations and because there is no room on the Israeli airlines.

❗️HOME FRONT COMMAND SAYS.. activating EMERGENCY CELL BROADCAST system, which will send an emergency pop-up SMS-like message to EVERYONE, with an alert sound.  This is a standard government emergency capability, and I personally saw this while in California earlier this year with an earthquake warning.  It is NOT a substitute for a Red Alert app - but a quick way to get an emergency message out to everyone.  

.. HOWEVER, Home Front says it ONLY works for Cellcom and Pelephone customers, and only 4th generation on Cellcom and 3rd generation on Pelephone phones at this time.  It DOES NOT include kosher phones. (We asked Home Front.)

💩IRANIAN FEAR CAMPAIGN - propaganda from all social media channels

.. Wall Street Journal: Iran has refused many requests from Western diplomats to moderate its response against Israel.

.. Report: Iran will respond in a way that crosses Israel's red lines.

.. The US asked European governments to warn Iran that a major attack against Israel would trigger a response.  Iran, for its part, told Arab diplomats that it did not care if the reaction against Israel led to an outbreak of war.

▪️ISRAEL OUR HOME MK LIBERMAN.. wrote on X: "In the jungle of the Middle East, we must conduct ourselves differently. A situation in which an entire country panics and waits for a multi-arena attack must not be allowed. The initiative must always be in our hands"

⭕ ROCKET ATTACK from HEZBOLLAH at Snir, northern border town.

⭕ ROCKET BARRAGE from HAMAS at Bitzaron, Gan Yavne, Hatzor, Azrikam, Sdeh Uziahu, Shtulim.

[sgiandubh]

Jottings: Season 7, Episode 2. Nothing compares to them

A tiny, but welcome disclaimer: I have not read all the OL books yet, so do not expect witty repartees and connecting the dots with the current book follow-up by the series. In fact, I am still struggling right now with Voyager, after I gave a resolute middle finger and an excruciating amount of time to Dragonfly in Amber, which bored me to death with its sketchy depiction of eighteenth-century Paris. Unpopular opinion, I know: I can't help it, since I consider Paris, for many personal reasons, as my second, beloved home.

There go my two cents, with little to no spoilers. There is much to savor in there:

I thought I couldn't bear to watch one more single time Sinéad O'Connor's rendition of ye olde Skye Boat Song. I was wrong. I think it is exactly what this season needs: a bit bruised & battered & breathless. The perfect tinge of rough around the edges. This is no walk in the park and hers is the right cue, setting the tone for all the rest.

Vlachos. Excellent. Loved every second of it.

I suppose everybody will talk about the Look Jamie gave Claire right after Insufferable Bree gives birth to wee Mandy. I cackled all by myself, which is not even surprising. And so will you, Shippers United. Mark me.

SS upgraded a bit her game, to the extent she doesn't sound all the time like reciting United Airlines' flight schedule. She and Rankin finally manage to pull off a decent rapport (chemistry will always be at a deep-frozen 0). So, rejoice: at least they don't look like the mean troop leader forced them to share the same tent at Camp Sunrise. It's all fine and dandy, until she relaxes and slips back into that horrific, East Coast wannabe accent. Sorry, not sorry.

Did Lizzie say ”Fraser's Fridge”, when reading the birth announcement, or am I hearing things again? Now that's an earworm, sheesh...

Vandervaart looks promising enough, but what do I know, after a two-minutes scene with SS? Court is adjourned.

LJG & JAMMF, what a powerful, ambiguous, elegant scene. Tension is mounting, and this is when you crack open the Netflix & Chill'd ice cream bucket. It will come in handy, trust me.

The fireflies' scene was the death of me. There is something extraordinary about S's superb ability to speak volumes without uttering a single word. There is so much love and such despair to capture Bree's face, Bree's voice, Bree's alien joy when she mentions damn Mickey Mouse, and keep them forever. Did I ugly cry? I let out a sincere Fuuuuuck and couldn't help it. This is when the box of tissues came in handy, and you know, damn the consequences.

Dear (?) Diana Gabaldon: GET THAT WONDERFUL MAN THROUGH THE STONES, WHERE THERE'S PENICILLIN AND A HOT BATH AND A HIGHER AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY, STAT.

Yeah, sure. She missed that point five seasons ago, why do I even bother?

Spoiler: "What was it like.... there? It was.... magical". BOOO-HOOO-HOOO (I have no qualms).

Jeremiah's wooden toy plane in the streets of Wilmington and then the real thing across the sky, just after the little family gets through the stones. Clever reminder of that plane landing in Boston, with Claire, Bree and TMcG... ho-hum ... Frank Randall, after Culloden.

And finally, since I would really like to let you enjoy the wonderful last quarter of it, Jamie and Claire. That unspeakable tenderness that keeps us all completely spellbound. This is S&C acting, how could it be otherwise: and splendid, at that. But their acting, since that chemistry test, is informed by clear, present, deep feelings. We know. They know we know.

And they got their mojo back. I always hoped and prayed they will go out with a bang, not a fizzle. And it seems I was right. Fingers crossed. I trust them and, as always, I trust my gut.

[usafphantom2]

VF-103 F-14 crew member tells the story of TARPS IR photo of Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

F-14 Tomcat TARPS equipped

The F-14 equipped with Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) … or Peeping Tom.

According to Home of M.A.T.S., until introduction of a replacement on the F/A-18, the TARPS was the only possibility for the Navy to get tactical information about an area or target via a fast flying aircraft, the F-14. Since the retirement of the RF-8, the RF-4B and various A-3 Skywarrior variants, the F-14 was the only aircraft for this role (and can carry at the same time a complete range of air-to-air weapons!) until the introduction of a F/A-18 recce aircraft with reconnaissance equipment instead of a gun!

Taken in 1985 by a TARPS equipped VF-103 Sluggers F-14 Tomcat the IR photo featured in this article shows the Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying the Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella.

During CVW-17’s August 1985-1986 Med deployment, CVW-17’s aircraft were responsible for the successful intercept and forced landing of the Egyptian airliner carrying the infamous Achille Lauro ship hijackers.

More details on the operation are featured in Mike Crutch’s book CVW: US Navy Carrier Air Wing Aircraft 1975-2015.

VF-103 F-14 crew member tells the story of TARPS IR photo of Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

VF-74 F-14

As Crutch explains in fact, CVW-17 embarked aboard USS Saratoga (CV-60) entered the Sixth Fleet’s area on Sep. 2, 1985, and air wing Tomcats met their first Soviet Tu-95 BEAR three days later west of Gibraltar. During this period, VF-103 sent their TARPS F-14As on a long range recce mission to photograph ships of the Soviet battlecruiser Frunze surface action group.

MS Achille Lauro hijacking

After turnover with USS Nimitz (CVN-68, with CVW-8 embarked) on Sep. 13, the ship and air wing returned to the massive, ongoing NATO wargames and took part in Exercise DISPLAY DETERMINATION ’85. It was as the final phase of that exercise ended – on Oct. 8 – that the Italian passenger liner MS Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) terrorists off the Egyptian coast.

As contingencies were drawn up by the Pentagon, Saratoga sailed eastwards from the Ionian Sea that same day – promptly running into two prowling Soviet Il-38 MAYs operating out of Syria, both of which were intercepted by F-14s. The following day, Saratoga was southeast of Crete and launched S-3 Vikings from VS-30 Diamond Cutters to locate the cruise liner, only to receive word that evening that the Achille Lauro had made Port Said in Egypt at the orders of PLF leader Abu Abbas. After the ship docked, the terrorists fled in one of the harbour vessels, and the Achille Lauro’s crew and passengers were free to disembark; the brutal murder of passenger – and US national – Leon Klinghoffer some hours beforehand was not apparent to Italian and US government officials until later that night.

Despite intelligence to the contrary, the Egyptian government stated that the terrorists had already left the country and no prosecutions would be possible. President Ronald Reagan was not going to let a second American’s murder at the hand of Middle East terrorists go unpunished, as had the killing of Navy diver Robert Stethem – a passenger aboard hijacked TWA Flight 847 earlier that year at Lebanon’s Beirut airport.

VF-103 F-14 crew member tells the story of TARPS IR photo of Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

VF-103 F-14s

Egypt Air Boeing 737 SU-AYK

US intelligence – almost certainly aided by Israel’s Mossad – soon learnt of the Egyptian government’s deception and that Cairo’s Almaza airbase would be the point from which the terrorists would depart the country. An Egypt Air Boeing 737 (registration SU-AYK) was observed making an unusual positioning flight for such an airliner to the base from Cairo’s main airport, and a flight plan filed with a destination of Tunisia – a country with close Palestinian connections and known haven for Abu Abbas’ PLF terrorists.

At the direction of the National Command Authority, Commander Sixth Fleet in Naples was ordered to intercept and divert the Boeing to the US base at Sigonella, Italy where US forces would take the terrorists into custody. On course for a port call in the Yugoslav city of Dubrovnik, Saratoga was tasked to carry out the intercept; CAG of CVW-17 – CDR Bob Brodsky – planned to launch seven F-14s (drawn from both VF-74 and VF-103, including a TARPS bird from the latter), supported by KA-6D tankers of VA-85 Black Falcons and three E-2Cs of VAW-125 Tigertails. Knowing that the Boeing would route around Libyan airspace to the north, an airborne ‘gate’ was established south of Crete through which all traffic was monitored. The CO of VAW-125 – CDR Ralph Zia – was airborne in one of the E-2Cs, callsign TIGERTAIL 603 (BuNo 161547), and led the efforts to identify all airborne contacts.

One VF-74 Tomcat pilot would later remark “It was amazing how many aircraft were flying without lights over the Mediterranean that night – from Russian Il-76 transports to even a pair of USAF C-141s that we later realised had onboard members of the special ops teams waiting to capture those onboard the 737.”

Photos taken by VF-103 F-14 Tomcat TARPS equipped fighters

VF-103 F-14 crew member tells the story of TARPS IR photo of Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

Egypt Air Boeing 737

Intelligence assets had reported that around 2200hrs local time, the Egypt Air Boeing 737 had taken off from Almaza (using the callsign EGYPTAIR 2843) and had set course for Tunisia as flight planned.

After a number of intercepts, one of the VF-103 Tomcats (reportedly CLUBLEAF 205 – F-14A BuNo 160904) finally visually identified the Egypt Air Boeing 737 – cruising at 34,000 feet – and confirmed its registration as SU-AYK back to Zia onboard TIGERTAIL 603. They were soon joined by the other F-14As and, after conducting visual intercept manoeuvres to ‘follow me’ as well as a brief radio exchange between Zia and the 737’s captain, all headed for Sigonella.

After some one and a quarter hours under Tomcat escort, the Boeing 737 touched down at 0040hrs local time on 11 October. TARPS imagery (taken from CLUBLEAF 214 – F-14A BuNo 161134) recorded the stand-off on the ground between US special forces – intent on capturing the terrorists – and Italian security forces, who were acting on the orders of their furious government who had received no prior briefing on the USA’s actions and use of Italian territory. The US forces were eventually withdrawn after a long standoff, and the terrorists passed into the hands of the Italian authorities.

Larry Neal, former VF-103 F-14 crew member who took part in the intercept, explained to me: ‘The day prior to the intercept, we had in fact tracked down the Achille Lauro and using a stand-off LOROPS TARPS system had imaged the ship in anticipation of a rescue attempt. When the ship pulled in and was surrendered, the rescue mission was canceled and we reassumed Alert 60, and headed to Dubrovnik.

Looking for a civilian airliner

VF-84 F-14 model

This model is available from AirModels – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS

‘Later that day, the 1MC launch order came about 7pm. Crews were scrambling to jets in a “fast as you can get there” mode. There was no brief. All I was told prior to launch was “you’re looking for a civilian airliner and you may be cleared to fire.” As I manned up Hummers and tankers were launching. The first F-14 airborne was a Devil (VF-74), but in their rush to be first, they’d launched without a system. CDC decided they couldn’t participate and parked them overhead for the duration.

‘The next 4 aircraft airborne were Sluggers (VF-103). I was in that bunch and was airborne about 7:25 or so in a TARPS jet. We tanked overhead then proceeded to CAP stations, two aircraft at the eastern end of Crete and two at the western. Several intercepts were made of passing comm air. Two bogies popped up to the east. One Slugger was sent out to id. Midway through the intercept the pilot realized that the bogies had their lights off. Ours were immediately turned off as well. That intercept went as described…lights out.

‘Final id with a flashlight and then using the engines as a distinguishing indicator. Four under the wings. We saw these guys again later. The Slugger was called off and told to return to station. About that time, I was given a vector for a bogie climbing NE out of Benina. We were all still midnight. Early contact on the bogey. Id’ed as a Flogger. Ran the intercept to about 35-40 mi, when he turned and RTB’ed.

Lights out Slugger

‘I reset to the western CAP station. We waited a bit. A new contact was detected coming north out of Egypt. It turned west and was immediately joined by a lights out Slugger. The pilot reported the tail number and unusual tail design back to CDC. As the 737 turned and proceeded west, the other three Sluggers all joined up still lights out and basically surrounded the 737. Zia spoke with the 737 on VHF and us on UHF. The conversation and the lights on went as described [in our previous article].

VF-103 F-14 crew member tells the story of TARPS IR photo of Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

VF-103 F-14 TARPS IR photo showing Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying the Achille Lauro hijackers after landing at Sigonella

‘Once the 737 pilot had been convinced to proceed to Sig, it became pretty quiet. One of the Slugger jets had been loaded with 20mm tracers but they weren’t necessary. The Italian controllers did at first refuse entry but one of the Slugger back seaters declared “emergency fuel” as a ploy to get us clearance. It worked. We’d left the descent too long not realizing the limitations of the 737. The 737 was too high on its first approach to the westerly runway (27?) and took it around. Over shot the second approach and finally landed on his third attempt.

‘As he landed, two lights out 141s landed behind him and turned their lights on as they rolled out. I was overhead taking pictures at 4K’. We all rtb’ed. No F-14s landed at Sig. Called Hotshot on the way back…straight in. OK 3 NC. It didn’t count towards the line period because it had officially ended. Pissed me off. 5 hrs of night time.’

Another attempt to intercept the 737

Noteworthy as Crutch points out in his book, some sources paint a picture of another attempt to intercept the 737 – confirmed as carrying PLF leader Abu Abbas – as it positioned to Rome on Oct. 11. Some reports even state that F-14s tried to disrupt escorting Italian F-104 Starfighters in an attempt to secure the Boeing airliner. Saratoga had anchored off Dubrovnik earlier that day, and no other US carriers were in the Mediterranean at the time, so a work of fiction or a still-classified incident involving forces of a fellow NATO member? Perhaps we will never know.

VF-74 print

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. F-14B Tomcat VF-74 Be-Devilers, AA101 / 162919 / 1993

Photo credit: Larry Neal, SRA Chris A. Putnam, PH1 William A. Shayka and Lt. Cmdr. Dave Parsons / U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force

Dario Leone

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

[athena5898]

LEBANON (PrR)(Al-Akhbar) — Washington and the US embassy in Lebanon did not allow Iraqi Airways to land at Beirut airport to establish an air bridge to provide aid for the displaced, insisting that the aid must pass through Jordan for inspection first.

Washington also threatened to sanction Middle East Airlines (MEA) if it transported wounded patients from the Israeli pager attacks, on 16 and 17 September, on its flights to receive treatment abroad.

The US embassy also reportedly receives a list of all passenger names traveling through Beirut International Airport from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

[aviaposter]

Boeing 747-400F Kalitta Air

Registration: N782CK Named: Scott Liechty Type: 747-4HQERF Engines: 4 × GE CF6-80C2B5F Serial Number: 37304 First flight: May 16, 2009

Kalitta Air, an American cargo airline, is based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The airline was founded in 1967 by Conrad “Connie” Kalitta, initially operating as Connie Kalitta Services. It started by transporting car parts with a twin-engine Cessna 310, piloted by Kalitta himself. The airline’s call sign “Connie” is a tribute to its founder. In January 2003, Kalitta Air launched scheduled cargo flights from the United States to Europe. It now operates regular cargo services between the U.S. and Hong Kong, the U.S. and Korea, as well as between Los Angeles and Honolulu. Kalitta Air also operates scheduled and charter cargo flights from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Poster for Aviators aviaposter.com

[zvaigzdelasas]

Azeri flights to an Israeli air base spiked in the run-up to a military campaign launched by Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Tuesday, flight tracking websites show.  Earlier this month, five flights flown by Azerbaijan's Silk Way Airlines landed at Ovda airport, a military air base in southern Israel near the city of Eilat, Haaretz reported last week. There have been eleven such flights since March. Since then, Middle East Eye found another flight which landed in Ovda from Baku on Thursday at 10am local time. It departed Israel two and a half hours later, returning to the Azerbaijani capital. The recent uptick in flights adds to 92 cargo flights flown by Silk Way Airlines to Ovda in the past seven years, according to a Haaretz investigation in March. That included a spike during violence between Amerian and Azeri forces in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020.

19 Sep 23

[airsllides]

airsLLide No. 1925: N229EA, Airbus A300B4-203, Eastern Airlines, Miami-International, March 21, 1988.

Eastern Airlines' order of 34 Airbus A300 for its domestic trunk routes as well as flights to the Carribean marked a turning point and milestone for the European planemaker. Eastern was the first major airline in the US to buy the newcomer's aircraft. It was a much desired and needed boost to the program that had hitherto sold slowly within Europe (where the A300 back in its days simply was too big for many routes) and with carriers in the Middle East and Asia.

Other US airlines would follow a few years later, with the A300 also making its entry at Pan Am and Continental Airlines in the mid 1980s.

[head-post]

Beirut airport cancels flights over fears of Israeli attack

Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) cancelled or delayed some flights to Beirut on Monday, attributing it to insurance risks related to tensions caused by Israeli artillery and rocket attacks on Lebanese territory.

Two flights on Sunday night were cancelled by Turkish Airlines. SunExpress, Aegean Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines also cancelled flights that were scheduled to land in Beirut on Monday.

Israeli Air Force planes carried out a series of raids on southern Lebanon last Sunday and bombed four Lebanese towns, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported, citing Lebanese media.

Local media reported that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) “carried out massive artillery fire on targets in different areas of Lebanon.”

The Israeli attacks were in response to a rocket attack on the settlement of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The rocket exploded on a football field. At least 12 people were killed – children aged 10 to 16.

The Israeli army blamed the Lebanese group Hezbollah for the shelling, Hezbollah representatives deny the accusations. They told the UN that a missile from Israel’s missile defence system hit the football field.

Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport is Lebanon’s only airport. It has been targeted many times in the country’s civil war and previous hostilities with Israel, including in the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.

Hezbollah and the Israeli military have escalated cross-border skirmishes since the Gaza war began. The conflict has disrupted air traffic and shipping in the region, including during mutual drone and missile attacks between Israel and Iran in April.

Read more HERE

[betweenthings2]

8 in september prompts 🫶🫶

Thank you for the ask!! The September prompts are here and the October prompts are here =)

September prompt 8- a coat draped gently over a sleeping form

Matty's not actually sure how long they've been in the airport. They should have known better than to schedule tour dates like they did because now it's six days before Christmas and they're trapped in Chicago O'Hare in the middle of a blizzard. The airline had been handing out hotel vouchers, but they (Matty) wasted enough time being concerned about everything they'd checked and trying to rebook on a flight that would at least get them to somewhere on the East Coast that the hotels had filled up. All Matty does know is that he's cold and tired and wide awake and he desperately wants to be home. He desperately wants to sleep next to George again.

George, who's asleep on the floor, head resting on his backpack. He looks a little bit uncomfortable, but Matty doesn't dare wake him up. He was exhausted before he fell asleep, too, forced to not only take care of himself and his own worries about getting home, but also Matty's anxieties that spiraled until he cried and almost hyperventilated. It was stupid to panic, Matty knows, just like he knows they'll get home and everything will be fine. He knows his panic is part of the reason they're not asleep in hotel rooms now, knows that he's part of the reason George was so exhausted, knows that he's probably the problem, but he just can't help it.

Unable to sit still and feel guilty any longer, Matty clamors to his feet walks through the concourse. It's quiet and dim and there are more unlucky people asleep at other gates, arms looped through the straps of their bags, and feet propped up on their suitcases in fear of theft. Matty feels bad for them, too. When he gets to the point where the concourse meets the central part of the terminal, he turns around, walking back to the gate he'd been at. There's a chance they'll have to move gates, but this is the gate their connecting flight was supposed to leave from, the gate the plane that was supposed to go back to London is at, and, after going on a wild goose chase around the airport to find out what would happen to checked luggage, the gate they returned to.

George is still asleep when Matty gets back, along with everyone else, and he turns to walk back down the concourse, but he pauses before he goes, gaze fixed on George's sleeping form. It's freezing in the airport, Matty thinks, and George is in nothing but a long sleeve shirt since Matty is wearing his sweatshirt, so before he can second guess himself, Matty takes his coat and carefully drapes it over George. It doesn't do much for his guilt, but that's not the point, Matty knows. The point is care. The point is kindness and the point is love. He rests his hand on George's shoulder for a moment, then goes, walking back down towards the main terminal.

Everything is quiet and still and Matty would believe that he's in some kind of alternate reality, some kind of dream world where he's the only person in the world. Outside, the tarmac is covered with a thick layer of fluffy slow that glows an kind of orangey-pink color from the lights and snow continues to come down. Matty wants to go home. He wants to sleep. He wants to be comfortable, not freezing cold in an airport. He stops his wandering to sit on an empty bench by the big windows in the terminal and just watch the snow come down.

Matty's not sure how long he sits there, but after a long time, George sits down next to him. He looks a little like he's just woken up and drapes his own coat over Matty's shoulders and lets the quiet continue.

"Thanks," Matty says quietly after a while. "Love you."

[the-outer-topic]

1929 Armstrong Whitworth Argosy Airliner - Shigeo Koike

The "City of Glasgow", one of only seven Argosy biplanes built, is seen here flying over one of Imperial Airways ' Middle East destinations. This pioneering airliner, equipped with three engines for safety, was interesting because the crew controlled the plane from an open cockpit, and passengers rode comfortably in a relatively spacious cabin. Argosy was also one of the first airliners on which passengers could enjoy a meal served by a flight attendant. It was in operation from 1926 to 1935. Koikea liked early planes with rectangular lines, and Argosy is certainly a typical example of this genre. Foggy skies and abundant rigging instantly transport you to a completely different era of aviation.

[mumanddadgoglobal]

Cruising past a Prada shop darling on our buggy ride through Dubai International.

A gold shop in the Airport that was 20 times the size of what you can see.

We flew with Emirates airline to get to Vienna, because they have a flight direct to Vienna from their hub in Dubai.  For this reason, we had a four hour stopover at Dubai airport, which gave us a chance to experience the league of nations traipsing through the 38km of shops and air terminal ‘gates’.

Due to its location close to the equator, Emirates is able to hoover up people from north and south, Africa, India, the Middle East, Europe and of course Australia.  The massive airport terminal was filled with a cross section of humanity – or at least those who can afford to fly overseas.  There was an old Arab, who looked like he had parked his camel outside; families big rollie bags from India; more sandaled Arabs, with wives following behind; fat businessmen from India; a lone nun in a habit of Arab white; skinny men from India; overloaded Aussies; busy mothers from India; a couple of tidy lesbians with matching: buzzcuts, yellow sneakers and yellow wheelie bags; old shuffling women from India; colourfully clad tall Africans; young single men from India; and a Chinaman or two.

Dubai is an entrepot, though not in the normal sense: a port where goods are brought for import then export, such as Singapore or Hong Kong.  Instead, it is a city where millionaires are brought to avoid taxes, and store wealth that may be suspect or otherwise subject to sanctions.  According to the Economist magazine Dubai was forecast to add 4,000 millionaires in 2022, as criminals and Russians (not necessarily analogous) moved to secure their wealth, and Indians moved for lower taxes.  This is understandable, since there are no questions asked about whence the money came and there is no taxes on income and capital gains, as it inevitably arrives.

The lack of time and absence of inclination, meant that we did not venture out to experience this Gucci entrepot of the desert.  But the fly in got me sufficiently curious to read up on how rapidly this city has expanded.  In 1950, it had 20,000 people rising to 3.6 million today.  90% of the population are expatriates, so not citizens, most of whom are the help from India and Pakistan.

In some respects, the free-for-all method of expanding this city has created opportunity and employment for people from poorer countries, that enables them to send money home.  But this laissez-faire approach to growing a metropolis has a dark side.  It is home to a lot of shady money owned by shady people.  It is also the home of no choice for at least 20,000 Nigerian women who have been trafficked into the city, had their passports and phones taken, and then enslaved as prostitutes to minister to the needs of shady people that no taxes and no questions attract.

I wonder if they have a community library.