American Airlines’ special livery, new coasters and more

Hello travelers! I and my other Travel Team colleagues get loads of story tips every week that we aren’t able to pursue, but we want to make sure avid travelers don’t miss out on anything. With that in mind, we’re rounding up these noteworthy tidbits for you in a digest that we hope you find useful.

As a true-blue avgeek, my favorite story from the past week was the news that American Airlines will paint one of its Boeing 777s in a special retro paint scheme to commemorate its 100^th year of service. I’ve written about airplane liveries before, and it’s always fun to see airlines leaning into their heritage.

Rendering of American Airline's retro 777 livery. — Rendering of American Airline’s retro 777 livery.

Here’s what else we heard about last week:

United Airlines flew its first mainline flight with Starlink internet. The airline already started equipping its regional jets with faster internet equipment, and the overhaul of its mainline fleet continues.
Southwest Airlines received its first Boeing 737 Max 8 with its updated cabin design, part of an ongoing refresh program across its fleet.
Dominican ULCC Arajet announced new fare bundles and a restructuring of its bag fees.
Qantas operated the longest-ever Boeing 787 flight, a nonstop from Perth, Australia, to Los Angeles, as a one-off charter for the WWE Smackdown.
Carnival’s Mardi Gras completed a drydock overhaul. The line also announced changes to its loyalty program for elite members.
Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth arrived in Miami for its Caribbean sailings this winter.
Universal Orlando Resort will open a pop-up Wicked inside the park on Oct. 31.
Universal Studios Hollywood performed its first test of the upcoming Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster.
Disney Parks announced Gordon Ramsey will open a new British-themed gastropub in the Downtown Disney District.