The Sunday Five: May 16th - 22nd

1. EgyptAir Flight 804 Crashes in the Mediterranean Sea 

An EgyptAir A320 carrying 56 passengers and 10 crewmembers from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cairo crashed in the middle of the night last Thursday, killing everyone on board. The cause of the crash is unknown though authorities have located debris from the aircraft and reportedly found the flight data and cockpit voice recorders. For more information visit our live blog. 

2. Delta Air Lines Flight Intercepted by Greek Fighter Jets 

A Delta Air Lines 767 flying from Frankfurt to Kuwait was intercepted by Greek F-16 fighter jets after the crew failed to communicate with Greek ATC. After the intercept, the pilots were able to establish communication with ATC. (Aviation Herald) 

3. American Airlines to Ease TSA Wait Times by Hiring Contractors 

In an effort to limit long wait times that have become commonplace at TSA checkpoints around the country, American Airlines will be spending $4 million dollars for private security contractors at its major hub airports such as Dallas Fort-Worth and Chicago O'Hare. TSA checkpoint wait times have increased greatly in the past month due to a shortage of staff, enraging passengers facing up to two hour wait times. (Dallas Star-Telegram) 

4. Delta Air Lines Adds More Shuttle Flights From Seattle 

As its battle with Alaska Airlines in Seattle grows ever more fierce, Delta is adding two more daily shuttle frequencies between Seattle and Los Angeles in an effort to poach business travelers from Alaska. Delta Shuttle flights feature extra amenities such as meals and a separate check in area. With the new frequencies, Delta will now offer 10 daily flights between Seattle and LAX. (Puget Sound Biz Journal) 

5. Hawaiian Airlines Awarded a Tokyo Haneda Slot 

Hawaiian Airlines has won a nighttime slot for service to Tokyo Haneda from Hawaii. Hawaiian will use the slot to operate service from Kona, Hawaii to Haneda three times weekly and service from Honolulu to Haneda four times weekly.  Hawaiian was the only U.S. airline to apply for the nighttime slot with the other carriers battling for the more lucrative daytime slots. (ATW) 

The "What the Heck?" Story of the Week 

Two tarantulas  were on the loose on an Air Transat flight from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic to Montreal. The tarantulas, which measure around 4 to 8 inches in diameter, were spotted scurrying along the floor of the cabin. The passengers, in an effort to be as far away as possible from the tarantulas, stood on their seats and began screaming. One passenger had the good fortune of having one of our furry friends crawl onto her skirt. Her husband was able to catch the spider with a plastic bag while the other tarantula wasn't caught until the plane was on the ground. The spiders are believed to have escaped from a suitcase. (Mirror) 

Video of the Week