Qatar Airways, named World’s Best Airline 2025 for a record ninth time by Skytrax, is continuing to set new standards in passenger experience with the launch of its next-generation in-flight entertainment system, powered by Panasonic Avionics’ new Converix platform on its Boeing 777-9 fleet, during the 55th International Paris Air Show. The announcement marks an important step in advancing the airline’s vision for a digitally-enabled, personalised and smart onboard journey.

Samson Sky, inventors of the Switchblade Flying Car, which had its historic First Flight in November 2023, is revealing details of its new manufacturing program. Company officials announced their new program reduces the cost of their carbon fiber parts production by half, and also enables the company to make their parts eight times faster than that of traditional carbon fiber parts manufacturing. "This is a historic manufacturing shift - this is what people write books about," stated Samson R&D Chief Michael Maxwell, noting how this will allow Samson to maintain competitive pricing through built-in process efficiency.

The Holidaypirates Group, the leading social - driven online travel marketplace that offers value-for-money travel packages in 10 different countries, and TourRadar, a leading organized adventure platform, are joining forces to integrate more than 50,000 bookable multi-day adventures into the company’s U.S. offering, TravelPirates.com.

DerbySoft, a travel technology company, today announced its strategic partnership with Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline. Under this partnership, DerbySoft has been named an “Approved OTA Aggregator.” This marks a significant step forward in DerbySoft’s expansion into flight technology, following its acquisition of PKFARE, a specialist in air content and hotel inventory aggregation and distribution. Under the agreement, DerbySoft is authorized to distribute the exclusive fares and ancillaries of Ryanair to its network of distribution customers, enabling their customers to book Ryanair’s market-leading fares across more than 230 destinations and delivering a seamless travel experience — all via a trusted and authorized channel.

Phocuswright Europe 2025 kicked off in Barcelona last week, welcoming over 600 attendees from 20+ countries to discuss the future of travel. The event highlighted the booming travel industry, tempered by geopolitical and economic concerns. A key theme was the disruption in travel distribution, with technology reshaping customer loyalty and content control. Speakers emphasized AI’s growing role, with insights from TripAdvisor, Expedia, Accor, Booking, and Google. The conference also featured startup pitches, investment trends, and exclusive research on traveler behavior, AI adoption, and sustainability. Sustainability and AI remain top priorities Sustainability remained a priority, with Trip.com Group sponsoring carbon offset initiatives for the event. Attendees engaged in interactive polls and networking, reinforcing Phocuswright’s commitment to industry collaboration. Research presentations covered AI-driven consumer trends, startup funding, and ski travel insights.

Stay22, the travel tech company that offers affiliate revenue generation opportunities for travel bloggers and media, has integrated its software solution with Riot Games to provide a seamless accommodation booking experience to Riot’s global community of esports fans.