More from Brisbane Airport

Anticipating the arrival of two 767 freighters in Brisbane on Friday afternoon, my wife, daughter, and I made our way to Brisbane Airport for the afternoon. One was expected to be a DHL 767, and the other an Astral 767. Unfortunately, the DHL aircraft did not arrive, but we nonetheless had an enjoyable time.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHW (MSN 485)
SQ236 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 3 YEARS  

ALLIANCE FOKKER 70 VH-NKQ (MSN 11572)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-7FE VH-VBZ (MSN 34322)
VA641 OFF TO LAUNCESTON (LST) 19 YEARS

AIR NIUGINI BOEING 737-81M P2-PXB (MSN 40067)
PX4 OFF TO PORT MORESBY (POM) 10 YEARS

GLOBAL JET INTERNATIONAL BOMBARDIER GLOBAL EXPRESS
VH-8MJ (MSN 9385) 15 YEARS

ALLIANCE EMBRAER E190AR VH-A2U (MSN 19000219)

ASTRAL AVIATION BOEING 767-338 5Y-SVR (MSN 24146)
ACP7005 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 36 YEARS

EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EOD (MSN 168)
EK435 OFF TO DUBAI (DXB) 10 YEARS

ALLIANCE FOKKER 70 VH-NUU (MSN 11532)
VA1265 OFF TO EMERALD (EMD) 30 YEARS
FLYING FOR VIRGIN AUSTRALIA

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-7K2 VH-NHW (MSN 39257)
VA1498 ARRIVING FROM HAMILTON ISLAND (HTI) 13 YEARS

REX SAAB 340B VH-ZPN (MSN 340B-384)
ZL5727 ARRIVING FROM ROMA (RMA) 29 YEARS

LINK AIRWAYS FAIRCHILD METRO 32 VH-VEK (MSN DC-845B)
FC7714 ARRIVING IN FROM INVERELL (IVR) 31 YEARS

MACHJET CESSNA CITATION CJ2 VH-SUY (MSN 525A0167)

TEXEL AIR BOEING 737-8BK ZK-TXA (MSN 33013)
TFX98 ARRIVING FROM DARWIN (DRW) 22 YEARS

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 605 N605JL (MSN 5828)

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-251N VH-A5C (MSN 12374)
JQ818 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 6 MONTHS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZX (MSN 34188)
QF620 ARRIVING FROM MELBOURNE (MEL) 13 YEARS

QATAR AIRWAYS BOEING 777-3DZ A7-BEQ (MSN 64085)
QR898 ARRIVING FROM DOHA (DOH) 7 YEARS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8FE VH-VUK (MSN 36602)
VA957 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 17 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-NND (MSN 8629) 
NZ271 ARRIVING FROM WELLINGTON (WEL) 6 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-232 VH-VFV (MSN 5858)
JQ935 ARRIVING FROM CAIRNS (CNS) 11 YEARS

SOLOMON AIRLINES AIRBUS A320-232 H4-SIB (MSN 2445)
IE700 ARRIVING FROM HONIARA (HIR) 20 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-XZA (MSN 39367)
QF126 ARRIVING FROM AUCKLAND (AKL) 12 YEARS

Spirit Airlines passenger missed his flight, then made a bomb threat to delay it

SPIRIT AIRLINES AIRBUS A321-231 N664NK (MSN 7021)

One day after missing his flight to Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX), a Spirit Airlines passenger landed in federal court for allegedly taking his travel frustration to extremes: He called in a bomb threat, causing chaos at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW/KDTW) on the 5th of June and triggering federal charges and a warrant for his arrest, prosecutors say.

According to a criminal complaint filed on the 6th of June in U.S. District Court in Detroit, the bomb threat that led to a Spirit Airlines flight NK2145 being evacuated and delayed by six hours at Metro Airport on Thursday the 5th of June was a hoax. The person behind the hoax, the complaint says, is 23-year-old John Charles Robinson, of Monroe, who prosecutors say was headed to Los Angeles on Thursday morning when he missed his 7 a.m. Spirit Airlines flight and was told at the gate that he had to rebook.

Robinson, though, had another idea in mind: he'd call in a bomb threat with the hopes of the flight being delayed long enough so that he could still make it on the plane, court records state.

According to an FBI agent's affidavit on file in federal court, here is what Robinson did after being turned away from the gate: At about 6:25 a.m. Thursday, a person called Spirit Airlines and stated the following: “I was calling about flight 2145 … because I have information about that flight.” The caller continued: "There’s gonna be someone who’s gonna try to blow up the airport,” and “there’s gonna be someone that’s gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145.”

The caller gave a description of the alleged bomber, then stated: “They’re going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,” and “they’re still threatening to do it, they’re still attempting to do it, they said it’s not going to be able to be detected. Please don’t let that flight board.”

According to the FBI, the phone call was recorded and reported to law enforcement, who responded to the gate where Spirit Airlines flight 2145 was set to depart. At this point, the doors to the plane had been closed by the flight crew. The plane was ordered to taxi to a remote location where passengers were deplaned and bussed back to the Evans Terminal.

Bomb-sniffing dogs and FBI agents then swept the plane. Passengers went through additional screening, including several who were interviewed by the FBI and Wayne County Airport Police. The investigation found no bombs on the airplane, or in any luggage.

But what authorities would eventually discover was a hoax, with cellphone records leading the FBI to Robinson, who had rebooked a 6:28 p.m. flight to Los Angeles.

But he didn't make that flight either.
Robinson did arrive at the terminal on time, only FBI agents showed up to arrest him.

According to the complaint, Robinson initially denied making any phone calls to Spirit Airlines. Though after he gave consent to have his cellphone searched, the complaint states, the agents discovered the hoax.

Robinson then reportedly fessed up:

"(He) stated that he made the call with the hope that it would delay the flight long enough for him to make it in time so he would not have to take a different flight," the complaint states.

Flight NK2145 was scheduled to depart at 7:00 a.m. local time but was delayed and did not depart until 1:21 p.m. 

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Spirit Airlines

Code: NK/NKS

Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX

Registration: N744NK

Serial Number: 12425

Engines: 2 x PW PW1133G

First Flew: May 2025

Age: 1 Month

British Airways bans cabin crew from taking layover photos

British Airways has introduced stringent new social policies that prohibit cabin crew from taking photographs of layover accommodation sites in popular destinations such as the Maldives, Cape Town, and Singapore.

BRITISH AIRWAYS EMBRAER E190LR G-LCYV (MSN 19000255)

The London Heathrow-based airline has attributed its comprehensive ban to security concerns regarding potential AI-driven location identification. The latest social media policy imposes strict measures than previous regulations, mandating crew members to remove existing photos and videos from their personal accounts, including private ones.

This policy affects all British Airways employees, including pilots and cabin crew, who previously shared content from layover accommodations. British Airways justified the sweeping policy by explaining that sophisticated computer software could analyze seemingly innocent background details to identify specific hotel locations and crew accommodation patterns.

The airline emphasized its commitment to “eliminate all risk” associated with revealing crew lodging information through social media platforms. The comprehensive ban prohibits several popular content categories previously allowed under existing guidelines. Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos filmed in hotel rooms and bathrooms now face complete restriction.

Outfit of the Day (OOTD) content showcasing uniform preparation before flights is similarly banned. Additionally, recreational photos at hotel pools, private beaches, and grand lobby areas are strictly forbidden under the new policy.

This latest restriction builds upon previous social media policies implemented by British Airways in February 2023. The earlier guidelines prohibited crew members from posting content while “professionally engaged” in their duties, including security checks, passenger service, and operational activities.

That initial clampdown targeted growing trends of cabin crew documenting their work lives and inadvertently disclosing sensitive operational information. The 2023 policy specifically banned iconic photos of crew sitting inside aircraft engines, galley time-lapse videos, and any content revealing secret crew bunk facilities.

Following employee backlash, British Airways clarified that crew could still share photos in uniform when not actively working, provided uniforms were worn correctly. The new layover hotel photography ban places British Airways at odds with most major international carriers’ social media policies.

While airlines traditionally maintain strict confidentiality around crew accommodation locations, few implement such comprehensive content restrictions. The policy echoes historical approaches by carriers like Qatar Airways (QR), which previously banned all uniformed crew photos before recently adopting more relaxed social media guidelines.

Hotel location confidentiality has long been standard practice across the aviation industry, with crew members prohibited from publicly discussing specific accommodation names and addresses. However, these locations often remain poorly concealed secrets, as major cities typically feature one or two hotels securing the majority of airline crew contracts.

More from Tuesday's day of plane spotting

NAURU AIRLINES BOEING 737-86N VH-8TG (MSN 33003)

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-UYE (MSN 19000034)
QF1904 ARRIVING FROM CANBERRA (CBR) 19 YEARS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8SA VH-IJW (MSN 44224)
VA366 ARRIVING FROM TOWNSVILLE (TSV) 10 YEARS

CHINA AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 B-18907 (MSN 105)
CI53 ARRIVING FROM TAIPEI (TPE) 8 YEARS

ASIANA AIRLINES BOEING 777-28E HL-7755 (MSN 30861)
OVER FLYING BRISBANE FROM SYDNEY TO SEOUL

AIR NEW ZEALAND BOEING 777-367 ZK-OKV (MSN 39237)
NZ145 ARRIVING FROM AUCKLAND (AKL) 12 YEARS

QANTASLINK EMBAER E190AR VH-XVT (MSN 19000072)
QF1964 ARRIVING FROM NEWCASTLE (NTL) 18 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND BOEING 777-319 ZK-OKQ (MSN 40689)
OVER FLYING BRISBANE FROM AUCKLAND TO SINGAPORE

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRBUS A350-941 B-LQC (MSN 393)
CX165 ARIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 3 YEARS

JETSTAR BOEING 787-8 VH-VKE (MSN 36230)
JQ53 OFF TO SEOUL (ICN) 11 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBA (MSN 508)
QF51 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 22 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OYW (MSN 12183)
JQ567 OFF TO MELBOURNE (MEL) 6 MONTHS

QANTASLINK AIRBUS A220-300 VH-X4A (MSN 55253)
QF1265 OFF TO MELBOURNE (MEL) 1 YEAR

EMBRAER PHENOM 300E VH-NJR (MSN 50500774) 1 YEAR

AERLINK ATR 72-500 VH-FVY (MSN 840)
HT783 ARRIVING FROM TOWNSVILLE (TSV) 16 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-232 VH-YXS (MSN 5732)
JQ485 OFF TO NEWCASTLE (NTL) 11 YEARS
RETURNING TO THE GATE DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VYK (MSN 34183)
QF524 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 19 YEARS

GAM AIR AERO COMMANDER 500 VH-YJJ (MSN 3178)
ARRIVING FROM BARCALDINE (BCI) 51 YEARS

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A350-941 B-309W (MSN 334)
CZ382 OFF TO GUANGZHOU (CAN) 5 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHQ (MSN 439)
SQ236 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 4 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBN (MSN 1094)
QF535 OFF TO SYDNEY (SYD) 15 YEARS

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR BEECH KING AIR 360 VH-8FD (MSN FM-111)

AIR NIUGINI BOEING 767-383 P2-PXW (MSN 25365)
PX 3 OFF TO PORT MORESBY (POM) 33 YEARS

NATIONAL JET EXPRESS DASH 8 Q400 VH-8QB (MSN 4323)
WO388 OFF TO MORANBAR (MOV) 15 YEARS

 

A rare visitor called into Brisbane

On Tuesday morning, Brisbane Airport welcomed a rare and remarkable visitor, an Atlas Air Boeing 747, affectionately known as the Queen of the Skies. N418MC, with a callsign of Qantas 7580, was scheduled to depart Sydney (SYD/YSSY) at 6.25 am local (20.25 UTC) but got away at 6.55 am, and arrived in Brisbane (BNE/YBBN) 1 minute early at 8.09 am (22.09 UTC). The queen was supposed to be on the ground for two hours before departing for Taipei (TPE/RCTP) and had a departure time of 10.10 am (00.10 UTC), but as freighters go, they don't usually run to schedule. Qantas 7580 finally got airborne at 11.47 am (01.47 UTC).

Now readers around the world might be thinking what's with all the fuss, we see Queens every day. 

Well, Brisbane doesn't get any 747's at all, and the last Queen we got, which again was an Atlas Air, was about 6 months ago, and it was late at night.

Sydney and Melbourne get 747 freighters daily, but we don't, so it was great to see this aircraft on Tuesday.

Following recent developments, a weekly 767-freighter service from Astral Aviation has commenced, which will increase to twice weekly starting in July. The freighter that come into Brisbane started its life with Qantas as VH-OGA.

Additionally, beginning Tuesday, the 17th of June, Brisbane will receive a weekly 747-8 service from Cathay Pacific. This freighter currently operates through Toowoomba's Wellcamp (WTB/YBWW) but will transition permanently to Brisbane from the 17th.

ATLAS AIR BOEING 747-47UF N418MC (MSN 32840)
QF7850 OFF TO TAIPEI (TPE) 22 YEARS

ASTRAL AVIATION BOEING 767-338 5Y-SVR (MSN 24146)
ACP7003 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 36 YEARS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-MAX 8 VH-81E (MSN 66644)
VA45 OFF TO DENPASAR (DPS) 11 MONTHS

JETSTAR ABOEING 787-8 VH-VKH (MSN 36233)
JQ9 OFF TO TOKYO (NRT) 10 YEARS

QANTASLINK DASH 8 Q400 VH-LQM (MSN 4450)
QLK451D ARRIVING FROM MORANBAH (MOV) 11 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-NNB (MSN 8542)
NZ142 OFF TO AUCKLAND (AKL) 6 YEARS

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES AIRBUS A321-271N RP-C9934 (MSN 8484)
PR221 ARRIVING FROM MANILA (MNL) 6 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHQ (MSN 439)
SQ256 ARRIVING FROM SINGAPORE (SIN) 4 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-232 VH-VGD (MSN 4527)
JQ834 OFF TO PROSERPINE (PPP) 14 YEARS

LINK AIRWAYS SAAB 340B VH-VEB (MSN 340B-425)
SP34 ARRIVING FROM BUNDABERG (BDB) 27 YEARS

ALLIANCE FOKKER 70 VH-NKU (MSN 11555)
QQ5940 OFF TO GROOTE EYLANDT (GTE) 29 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS AIRBUS A330-343 DQ-FJW (MSN 1692)
FJ921 ARRIVING FROM NADI (NAN) 9 YEARS

AIR CANADA BOEING 787-9 C-FVLU (MSN 38360)
AC36 OFF TO VANCOUVER (YVR) 7 YEARS 

ALLIANCE FOKKER 70 VH-NUU (MSN 11532)
QQ8510 OFF TO MORANBAH (MOV) 30 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-303 VH-QPC (MSN 564)
QF81 OFF TO TOKYO (NRT) 21 YEARS

Terrifying reason why young woman suffered mystery stroke mid-air - warning to all

An international flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a young woman suffered a near-fatal stroke. Marciela Hernandez Quezada, 35, was on a 14-hour flight from Turkey to Mexico on the 30th of May when she realized she hadn't moved for almost 8 hours.

Soon after, she noticed she could no longer speak to the people sitting near her when they started asking questions. She then collapsed mid-flight, causing the doctor on board to give her oxygen and urge the crew to make an emergency landing in Houston.

Upon arriving at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, doctors found Hernandez Marciela was completely paralyzed in her right leg and partially paralyzed in her right arm.

She also 'could not comprehend what was being told to her.'

Doctors believe her failing to get up for several hours on the plane and not drinking water caused her blood to thicken and pool in her legs.

This most likely triggered a blood clot in her leg that traveled to her brain, cutting off blood flow and causing a stroke, which is on the rise in young healthy people like Hernandez Quezada.

She said in a video from the hospital: 'I was kind of in shock because I knew I was healthy and I don't smoke. I don't think. And I thought, "Wow, how is this possible?"

'I realized the problem was I didn't move in the airplane. I didn't even go to the toilet. I didn't stand up the whole flight.'

Experts believe sitting for four to six hours or more without getting up causes blood to collect in the legs instead of flowing back to the heart due to muscles not moving as much as they would from getting up and walking around.

Cramped airline seats also restrict blood flow to the legs.

Meanwhile, dehydration caused by either not drinking enough water or opting for soda or alcohol on a plane can thicken the blood. All of these factors make blood more prone to forming leg clots, called deep vein thrombosis, and travel to the lungs or brain.

Health authorities recommend getting up every two to three hours on a long-haul flight to regulate blood flow to the rest of the body.