The most talked-about aviation moments in 2019

Maureen O'Hare
By Maureen O'Hare, CNN
Updated 6:55 AM EST, Mon December 23, 2019
<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="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/india-fake-lufthansa-pilot-arrest/index.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="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jewel-changi-airport-singapore-guide/index.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="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/berlin-brandenburg-airport-opening-date/index.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="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/boeing-transonic-wing-scli-intl/index.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="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airbus-single-aisle-long-range-plane-scli-intl/index.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."
© AIRBUS S.A.S 2019
Aviation's most exciting moments of 2019
CNN  — 

The year 2019 was another year of high drama in the world of aviation.

It was a record year for bankruptcies, as travel giant Thomas Cook went bust, and close to 20 other airlines besides.

There were bad times for Boeing, with its 737 MAX grounded since March after being involved in two fatal air crashes.

New mega-airports opened around the world, with Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport – complete with indoor waterfall – the most spectacular of all.

More flights were taken than ever before, and the industry faced a shortage of both pilots and airport slots – but at the same time a global “flight shame” movement, spearheaded by a teenage climate activist named Greta Thunberg, gathered steam.

Here’s a look back at the year’s most talked-about momen