It’s the final day of 2024 which means it’s time for the December 2024 Monthly Recap. The month started off fairly calm with a quick trip up to New York and preparing to spend the holidays with family. Unfortunately, a string of accidents and incidents in the last week have made it a dark end to the month and the year from an aviation standpoint.
SWISS Airbus A220 Emergency Landing Turns Deadly
Commercial aviation is remarkably safe but, the last week of December put a black mark on the year with three high profile incidents. First, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 was shot down by Russian air defenses while attempting to land in Grozny, Chechnya. A few days later a Jeju Air Boeing 737 slid off the runway and impacted a wall in South Korea, killing 179. Yesterday marked the first fatality for the Airbus A220 family when a SWISS crewmember succumbed to injuries sustained during an emergency landing in Austria after smoke filled the cabin.
Silver Airways Declares Bankruptcy
Florida based turboprop operator Silver Airways filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection on December 30, 2024. In an open letter to customers, the airline stated that it expects to have the bankruptcy process completed in the first quarter of 2025. While this seems fast, the most important information is that the carrier is expected to continue operations as normal.
Flight Review: Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 Go Big (DFW-MSY)
One of the things I set out to do in 2024 was try out some new airlines. While I didn’t get as many as I would have liked, I finally took my first flight on an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC). I flew Spirit on a short hop between Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and New Orleans (MSY). The flight was better than most expected from Spirit but it has the potential to be so much better, especially for the Go Big premium option.
Lounge Review: Escape Lounge Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP)
I reviewed a few different lounges this month but the Escape Lounge is one of the more off the beaten path ones I visited. It is the only lounge available for passengers travelling out of Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) and, while the space gets busy at peak times, the staff does a great job of accommodating guests. If there isn’t a line out of the door, I’d recommend dropping by the Escape Lounge for a brief visit prior to departure.
Hotel Review: Aloft New York Chelsea
I needed to make a quick trip up to New York City earlier this month and, due to the holidays, hotel prices were insane. With my go to hotel, the Renaissance Chelsea, charging well over $1000/night, I called an audible and selected the nearby Aloft Chelsea. While this wouldn’t be my first choice when staying in the area, it had everything I needed for a quick stay.
2024 Travel Year in Review
The last month of the year means it was time for my favorite post of the year, my travel year in review. We took some absolutely amazing trips this year and also had a long pause on flying as we welcomed ATX Jr. into the world. While 2024 was great, 2025 is shaping up to be an epic year for travel and I can’t wait to share our adventures with you all!
Summary
I want to thank everyone that has followed along over the past month and beyond. 2024 was our best year yet and December 2024 may finish as our best month ever. I love sharing our travels and travel related news with everyone and want to wish you all a Happy New Year. Thanks for checking out the December 2024 Monthly Recap and we’ll see you in 2025!
