<strong>China's starfish: </strong>The multibillion-dollar Beijing Daxing International Airport opened in September to accommodate soaring air traffic in China and celebrate the Communist government's 70th anniversary in power.
China's starfish: The multibillion-dollar Beijing Daxing International Airport opened in September to accommodate soaring air traffic in China and celebrate the Communist government's 70th anniversary in power.
STR/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Goodbye to the A380:</strong> In February, Airbus announced that it would be ceasing production of the A380, the world's largest passenger plane.
Goodbye to the A380: In February, Airbus announced that it would be ceasing production of the A380, the world's largest passenger plane.
Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>A cunning disguise:</strong> Jayesh Patel, 32, was caught at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport trying to board a flight while impersonating a senior citizen.
A cunning disguise: Jayesh Patel, 32, was caught at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport trying to board a flight while impersonating a senior citizen.
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
<strong>Fake pilot:</strong> 48-year-old Rajan Mahbubani <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Findia-fake-lufthansa-pilot-arrest%2Findex.html" target="_blank">donned the uniform of a Lufthansa pilot</a> in order to fool airport workers into letting him bypass security lines and get seat upgrades.
Fake pilot: 48-year-old Rajan Mahbubani donned the uniform of a Lufthansa pilot in order to fool airport workers into letting him bypass security lines and get seat upgrades.
Delhi Police
<strong>Star of Singapore: </strong>Following four years of construction, Singapore's long-awaited <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fjewel-changi-airport-singapore-guide%2Findex.html" target="_blank">Jewel Changi Airport</a> officially opened in April.
Star of Singapore: Following four years of construction, Singapore's long-awaited Jewel Changi Airport officially opened in April.
Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Boeing 737 MAX:</strong> Boeing grounded its 737 MAX plane in March and halted production in December.
Boeing 737 MAX: Boeing grounded its 737 MAX plane in March and halted production in December.
David Ryder/Getty Images
<strong>Boeing 777X:</strong> The Boeing 777X made a muted debut in March and it hasn't been smooth sailing for this jet either. It failed a safety test in September.
Boeing 777X: The Boeing 777X made a muted debut in March and it hasn't been smooth sailing for this jet either. It failed a safety test in September.
Courtesy Boeing
<strong>Record-breaker: </strong>Flight QF7879 became the world's longest passenger flight by a commercial airline both for distance, at 17,800 kilometers (about 11,060 miles), and for duration in the air, at 19 hours and 19 minutes.
Record-breaker: Flight QF7879 became the world's longest passenger flight by a commercial airline both for distance, at 17,800 kilometers (about 11,060 miles), and for duration in the air, at 19 hours and 19 minutes.
James D Morgan/Qantas
<strong>Machu Picchu: </strong>Work has begun on a controversial new airport that will make Peru's Machu Picchu more accessible.
Machu Picchu: Work has begun on a controversial new airport that will make Peru's Machu Picchu more accessible.
Courtesy G Adventures
<strong>LaGuardia Airport: </strong>New York's LGA -- known for its threadbare atmosphere, constant delays, never-ending construction and all-around inefficiency -- is undergoing a $8 billion overhaul.
LaGuardia Airport: New York's LGA -- known for its threadbare atmosphere, constant delays, never-ending construction and all-around inefficiency -- is undergoing a $8 billion overhaul.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
<strong>Berlin's long-delayed airport: </strong>After a nine-year delay, more than 8 billion euros and thousands of complaints over the budget and construction, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fberlin-brandenburg-airport-opening-date%2Findex.html" target="_blank">Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt </a>finally announced an opening date: October 2020.
Berlin's long-delayed airport: After a nine-year delay, more than 8 billion euros and thousands of complaints over the budget and construction, Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt finally announced an opening date: October 2020.
Günter Wicker / Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH
<strong>Would you sleep in the cargo hold?: </strong>Airbus picked up a Crystal Cabin Award for its Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules -- sleeper berths designed to fit in the cargo hold.
Would you sleep in the cargo hold?: Airbus picked up a Crystal Cabin Award for its Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules -- sleeper berths designed to fit in the cargo hold.
Courtesy Crystal Cabin Award
<strong>The stand-up airplane seat:</strong> CNN Travel's Francesca Street tried out Aviointeriors' stand-up airplane seat at Hamburg's Aircraft Interiors Expo.
The stand-up airplane seat: CNN Travel's Francesca Street tried out Aviointeriors' stand-up airplane seat at Hamburg's Aircraft Interiors Expo.
Francesca Street/CNN
<strong>A new approach to the middle seat:</strong> Molon Labe Seating's staggered layout, putting the middle seat slightly behind the aisle and window seats, and at a slightly lower height.
A new approach to the middle seat: Molon Labe Seating's staggered layout, putting the middle seat slightly behind the aisle and window seats, and at a slightly lower height.
Molon Labe Seating
<strong>It's a wing thing:</strong> In January, Boeing unveiled its <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fboeing-transonic-wing-scli-intl%2Findex.html" target="_blank">Transonic Truss-Braced Wing</a> concept, an extremely thin, folding wing with an extended span of 170 feet that, it says, will offer unprecedented aerodynamic efficiency.
It's a wing thing: In January, Boeing unveiled its Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept, an extremely thin, folding wing with an extended span of 170 feet that, it says, will offer unprecedented aerodynamic efficiency.
Boeing
<strong>Airbus A321XLR:</strong> In June, Airbus unveiled designs for the <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fairbus-single-aisle-long-range-plane-scli-intl%2Findex.html" target="_blank">A321XLR</a> -- an aircraft it claims will be the world's "longest range single-aisle airliner."
Airbus A321XLR: In June, Airbus unveiled designs for the A321XLR -- an aircraft it claims will be the world's "longest range single-aisle airliner."
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