On Friday night, women's sports activists descended upon the Portland Thorns (NWSL) game wearing XX-XY Athletics T-shirts and holding a sign that said, "Save Women's Sports." They were peaceful. They simply wore shirts that recognized biological reality, but that led to pro-trans Thorns fans striking them with a flag pole, verbally assaulting them, and security physically restraining and throwing some of them out of the game.

It was an awful night for those who claim to be "tolerant" and "accepting," so when the team posted about appreciating their fans, "save women's sports" supporters let them have it.

After the game, the Thorns social team posted this:

"the 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 best fans in all the land 🫶   thank you for the best atmosphere, support and energy tonight and all season long! we couldn’t do it without you!"

MOM AND DAUGHTER TOLD TO COVER UP XX-XY T-SHIRTS, SAY THEY WERE THREATENED WITH EJECTION AT FEVER-DREAM GAME

There's a social media term called, "ratioed", which means a social media post receives significantly more replies than likes. That's exactly what happened here.

Columnist Dustin Grage said, "Your fans are violent and you cheered them on."

Journalist Andy Ngo said, "You allowed thugs to assault women and then had your security force the victims out."

X user Charlotte Welcker said, "Your fans assaulted a woman and then your security threw her out. DISGUSTING."

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SUPPORTERS OPEN UP ON ENCOUNTER WITH SECURITY, PRO-TRANS FANS IN LATEST WNBA CULTURE CLASH

Another user stated, "Unless you wear an athletic shirt with the wrong brand, in which case you'll be ejected from the game in a hurry."

One user highlighted one of the worst incidents of the night saying, "show the part where a male fan shoved a 57 year old lesbian down two rows of seats. disgusting fans."

WNBA FANS RECALL EJECTION THREAT OVER XX-XY ATHLETICS SHIRT AT FEVER-DREAM GAME: 'I WAS FLABBERGASTED'

Reporter, commentator, and "Save Women's Sports" activist, Brandi Kruse, who was physically restrained by security and eventually, picked up and thrown out of the stadium, shared details about what happened to her friend.

"Julie, a 57-year-old lesbian, was shoved down by a male @ThornsFC fan and tumbled over two rows of chairs. All for wearing an @xx_xyathletics shirt. He later apologized and said he didn’t know why he did it, he was just following the crowd. She has filed a police report," she reported on X with an accompanying video.

WNBA ADMITS SECURITY IN ATLANTA WAS WRONG TO MAKE FANS COVER SHIRTS AT DREAM-FEVER GAME

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE

Other replies included:

"Too bad you don’t support free speech."

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"I will never attend a game. You assaulted women wearing t-shirts representing science."

"Your fans are insecure, violent, and unreasonable."

WNBA WON'T NAME PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY INCIDENT OVER FANS' SHIRTS, AS DREAM BLAME LEAGUE

SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER

To be fair, as was pointed out by OutKick reporter Jackson Thompson on X, Friday night was Fan Appreciation Night, but the Thorns should have read the room, regardless of the theme night. The actions of their fans, especially their supporter group, was disgusting.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

If this incident proved anything in my mind, it's that the NWSL is more radical and intolerant than the WNBA.

Nine high school students in Florida have been arrested after allegedly beating a classmate who stood up to them and stopped them from picking on a girl in the cafeteria, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said. 

The post Video: 9 Florida High Schoolers Arrested After Beating Teen Who Stopped Them from Bullying Girl in Cafeteria appeared first on Breitbart.

• I booked two separate flight itineraries on different airlines for a family trip to Ireland.
• I realized this was a mistake after the first airline diverted, and the second left without us.
• The fix cost my family nearly $3,000 in new tickets and a day's worth of touring.

I'm a veteran traveler who has booked more long-haul flights than I can count. But earlier this year, I made a very expensive rookie mistake.

While planning a trip, I came across a deal I couldn't pass up: a $317 one-way flight on Icelandair to Ireland with a multi-day layover in Reykjavik. It was essentially a way to take a trip within a trip without paying extra airfare.

The catch? The flight departed from New York, not our home airport in Florida. I'd be in New York a few days early, but my family would need to fly up to meet me. Booking separate itineraries was far from ideal, but I figured a five-hour buffer would be enough.

It wasn't.

A storm in New York canceled my family's JetBlue flight from Florida, and their replacement flight then couldn't land and was diverted to Virginia. Their Icelandair flight to Europe was automatically canceled after they were marked as no-shows.

On the night we were supposed to fly together to Iceland, my family was stuck states away, and I was scrambling to find a solution.

With my family's original flight gone, we had to spend nearly $3,000 to get them back on track and navigate the complicated credit card trip insurance process. Here are 4 lessons I learned the hard way.

Booking separate itineraries comes with a pricey risk

Arriving in the city of your next flight at least 24 hours before may feel a bit extreme, but it's the minimum safety net you need.

Being already in the right location for your flight can be a huge weight off your shoulders. It also allows sufficient time for rebooking should something go wrong with your flight.

My last-minute whim to visit a few friends upstate turned out to be key. Those extra two nights in New York meant I was able to make the flight to Iceland. If I had booked my family of three on a flight the day before our long-haul flight, they would have made it too.

My family made it to New York the next morning and ended up taking a replacement flight to Iceland that evening, getting in about 24 hours later than originally planned. I bought two basic economy tickets for $734 each, and one standard economy ticket with extra baggage allowance for $1,105. In total, I spent $2,573 on new tickets.

The costly mistake made me realize that although an extra hotel night is an added expense and may mean using more PTO, it's a cheap investment compared to the cost of new international flights — and the cost of missed events — if things don't go to plan.

This is especially worth it if you have definite plans right after your arrival, such as a cruise or a concert.

Neither airline has to help in my scenario

When you book connecting flights on a single itinerary, the airline is responsible for getting you to your destination. If you miss that connection through no fault of your own, then the airline will put you on another available flight at no additional cost.

When you book flights separately, you're responsible for making each connection — or buying new tickets if you miss one. And generally, regardless of reason, the airline operating your next flight isn't obligated to accommodate you if you miss it because of a problem with your previous airline.

Our tickets to New York and Iceland were separate, so despite numerous calls to each airline, none were responsible for the missed connection. If you do miss a connection on a single booking, look up alternatives yourself and discuss them with the agent. It's not guaranteed, but they may be able to accommodate you on a partner airline at a more convenient time.

And remember, it's not the staff's fault for the disruption. You get more bees with honey.

I should have read the fine print

I didn't book the cheapest fare, but I didn't read the fine print either.

When things started to go wrong, I was shocked to see there was a $250 change fee per person on my original flight and no refunds. Changing the tickets would have cost nearly as much as the original flight, plus the fare difference.

At the time, it was uncertain when my family would actually arrive in New York and feasibly be able to catch the next flight to Iceland, so we didn't change the tickets. Missing the first flight on this stopover itinerary meant my family was marked a no-show and their onward leg to Dublin was canceled, which is standard airline policy.

While there were other ways to get to Iceland, there were few nonstop flights from Iceland to Ireland — a one-stop meant at least four extra hours of travel — so the best option was to book a new stopover ticket with Icelandair.

When I started booking the new tickets, I noticed that almost every fare class had punitive cancellation and change policies — and this time I was sure to be familiar with the terms of my booking.

I need to better understand my credit card's trip protections

Premium credit cards can have your back when flight plans go wrong, but they don't cover everything.

We used the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business' trip cancellation and interruption protection for the original Icelandair tickets and were reimbursed $952. The coverage typically reimburses covered unused, prepaid expenses — but not the cost of buying new airline tickets.

Trip delay coverage doesn't either, but it can cover other expenses for covered trips. However, credit card policies vary — and this is where I went wrong.

We booked the flights to New York on an American Express Business Platinum Card but used a different card for the return flights. That meant the Amex trip-delay protection did not apply: its terms require the full round-trip fare to be charged to the eligible card.

I had split the flights across cards to preserve Chase's bag-delay protection, but I didn't realize I was giving up the Amex protection in the process, so the $103 spent on dinner after the diversion wasn't covered. For future trips, I'll use only one credit card with good travel protections for all my trip expenses to reduce complications.

Airlines may also provide some compensation for flight disruptions. In our case, my family was reimbursed for a hotel stay ($185) on the night they were diverted. When delayed, I always keep receipts of all my added expenses to submit to the appropriate parties.

Overall, although our vacation had a rocky start and cost more than we planned, we had a great trip and are glad we pushed through it.

Missing a flight always seems avoidable in hindsight, and some things are beyond anyone's control, but with a few precautions, we can travel more confidently. Next time, I'm booking the extra hotel night.

• I used to work as a flight attendant, and I prefer passengers keep the shades closed during flights.
• Passengers are typically calmer and sleepier when the cabin is dark, which worked well for us.
• Shades should only be open during takeoff and landing, which is the best time for photos anyway.

There's a long-standing, quiet battle happening in airplane cabins around the world, and it's all about window shades.

Who actually owns control of the shade — the person sitting in the window seat, the cabin crew, or the row as a collective? (Opinions remain fairly divided.) Is it better for the shade to stay open or closed throughout the flight?

Between viral social media debates and endless discussions on flight etiquette, everyone seems to have an opinion, and so do I. For nearly a decade, I worked as a flight attendant with an international airline.

That means I've examined thousands of window shades before takeoff and landing to ensure they were open, just as I checked seatbacks were upright.

Many airlines require the shades to be open during these times, which makes sense to me from a safety standpoint. It's helpful to have a clear view outside in an emergency, and in case ground rescue teams need to see inside the plane.

However, once we hit cruising altitude, those safety rules pause, and my personal one kicks in: The window shades should be closed while we're in the air.

I've found that open shades can ruin sleep cycles and make a cabin rowdier

I honestly hate it when passengers keep their shades wide open, and it's especially bad on long, international flights. I know firsthand how crossing multiple time zones can be exhausting for the body.

Often, the best way to save passengers from severe jet lag is to help them get quality sleep in the air — and let's be honest, as a flight attendant, I definitely had a vested interest in keeping everyone happy and well-rested.

So, on long flights, my crew and I would intentionally dim the cabin lights to simulate nighttime and encourage everyone to rest. Even so, it only took one open window shade to ruin that peaceful environment for an entire section of the plane.

When blinding sunlight poured in, it didn't just wake sleeping passengers — it also created a terrible glare on laptops, tablets, and phones.

I've lost track of how many frustrated passengers rang their call buttons to complain to me about it, and how often I ended up having to mediate arguments about window shades.

Early on in my career, I also observed how ambient light seemed to directly change passenger behavior. Whenever we dimmed the cabin lights, travelers seemed to naturally settle down, read quietly, or go to sleep.

But when a flight stayed brightly lit, passengers more often stayed awake, chatted loudly, and ordered more alcohol, sometimes turning the flight into a party.

All in all, keeping the cabin dark tended to make the entire flight so much calmer, safer, and easier for us to manage. As my colleagues and I always used to say: A sleeping passenger is the best passenger!

If you're looking for good views and photos, you're better off waiting anyway

One of the most common reason passengers give for keeping their shades up is to take photos or enjoy the view. Although I completely understand the desire for a great aerial shot, the reality at 35,000 feet is usually underwhelming.

Most of the time, all you can see out the window is blinding white haze, cloud cover, or vast emptiness. The direct sunlight at high altitudes is often too harsh for a clean picture anyway.

If you really want great photos for your travel feed, the best time to take them is during descent and approach.

As the plane lowers toward the destination, you can actually get a clear, detailed view of cities, coastlines, and landscapes — and during those moments, the shades are already usually required to be open for safety reasons anyway.

Ultimately, though, the status of the shade is up to the passenger

Unlike takeoff and landing, where keeping shades open is often a mandatory safety rule, mid-flight shade policy is more about etiquette.

As flight attendants, we couldn't strictly enforce or mandate that passengers close them, as window-shade status isn't regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, many of us made a point of strongly requesting and encouraging the shades to be shut for the comfort of the whole cabin.

Now, whenever I'm sitting in the window seat as a passenger, I practice what I preach. The shade stays wide open for takeoff, goes straight down as soon as we hit cruising altitude, and pops back up on our final approach.

Pulling that shade down mid-flight is a tiny move, but it makes a world of difference. It can help keep the cabin dark and calm, let your fellow passengers sleep, and prevent a full-blown glare dispute at 35,000 feet.

• Alaska Air Group announced new premium economy seating on Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines flights.
• The large recliners will have leg and calf rests, 38 inches of pitch, and upgraded dining.
• It also announced upgraded business-class and lie-flat seats on some Boeing 737 Max 10s.

Alaska Air Group is the latest US air carrier to shore up its premium seating offerings — part of an industry-wide boom to cater to passengers who will pay more for premium perks.

In September, Alaska Air Group, which operates Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, unveiled a new premium economy cabin called "Premium Reserve" and upgraded business-class suites. The new cabins are planned for long-haul international flights and select domestic routes.

Since acquiring Hawaiian for nearly $2 billion in 2024, Alaska has been pursuing its "Alaska Accelerate" plan to expand its premium offerings and international presence from its Seattle hub, including two new routes to Japan and Tahiti starting in 2027.

With its upgrades and expansion, Alaska increasingly looks like a major global carrier rather than the largely domestic airline it was once known as.

"We believe premium is more than a seat," Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, said in a statement. "It's how guests feel from the moment they book their trip to the moment they arrive at the airport, to when they're in the air with us."

A new premium cabin and lie-flat seats on 737 Max 10s

Available to book on both airlines starting next summer, Alaska and Hawaiian's new premium economy will feature wide reclining seats with leg and calf rests and a pitch — or the distance from one seat to the seat in front of it — of 38 inches.

It will also include a 16-inch, Bluetooth-capable screen, outlets and USB-C charging ports, and upgraded in-flight dining menus.

Alaska already offers a premium-economy-like cabin called Premium Class, but the cabin type will be a first for Hawaiian.

Premium Reserve will be available on Alaska's 787 and select 737 Max 10 aircraft, as well as Hawaiian's A330 fleet, with flights beginning in 2028. Alaska doesn't yet have the Max 10, which was nearing the finish line for certification after years of delays tied to safety and quality concerns. But CNBC reported on Monday that regulators have again delayed certification due to a newly discovered software issue.

Beyond premium economy, lie-flat business class — called "Aurora Suites" on Alaska and "Leihōkū Suites" on Hawaiian to retain each airline's distinct branding — has gotten a refresh.

Hawaiian's Leihōkū Suite, its 787 business-class product, serves select routes to Asia, Oceania, and North America. It will be added to the A330 and feature "hotel-quality bedding and enhanced onboard amenities."

Alaska's Aurora Suites will be deployed on all 787 Dreamliners and include upgraded upholstery and materials. Both suites will have sliding doors, Bluetooth, big in-flight screens, and access to airport lounges.

Aurora will also be installed on 737 Max 10 planes flying select transcontinental routes, joining the increasing number of airline narrowbody planes with lie-flat premium seats.

These premium cabins won't be cheap. A round-trip business-class flight from Seattle to Tokyo in mid-March is about $6,500 on Alaska; the same seat to London is about $5,300. Basic economy is about one-fifth of each of those business-class fares.

Hawaiian Airlines' fleet of A330s will also offer new nonstop flights from Seattle to Osaka, Japan, and Papeete, Tahiti, beginning in May and June 2027, respectively. Introductory round-trip Main Cabin fares will start at $1,199 to Osaka and $999 to Papeete; the planes will have Hawaiian's existing business-class product until the fleet's new interiors begin rolling out in 2028.

Alaska is facing fierce competition. It's up against legacy US carriers with already massive widebody fleets, extensive international networks, and well-established premium products.

The airline knows it's playing catch-up.

"I think where you're seeing strength with the legacy carriers is in the premium space and in the international space," Minicucci said in an April 2026 earnings call. "And if you look at our strategy under Alaska Accelerate, that's exactly where we're leaning into."

Courting passengers who pay a premium

In post-COVID air travel, US airlines are moving away from packing as many people as possible into economy to increase revenue. Instead, they are pivoting toward customers who will spend more on premium travel experiences, such as airline lounges and higher-tier in-flight amenities.

A McKinsey analysis published in June found that on transatlantic wide-body flights, business-class cabins are earning almost as much as economy cabins, even though they carry far fewer passengers.

That premium demand has remained despite rising oil prices and soaring airfares amid the war in Iran, partly buoyed by continued spending from more affluent travelers.

"The folks who are more oriented towards purchasing into our premium cabins have been super resilient," Minicucci said in a 2025 earnings call.

United Airlines' director of onboard products and partnerships, Peter Wolkowski, told Business Insider during the UK's Farnborough Airshow in July that premium economy is its fastest-growing cabin on the company's 787 fleet.

In 2025, Delta's premium revenue increased 7% year-over-year, while its main cabin revenue decreased. On an earnings call in October 2025, then-Delta president Glen Hauenstein predicted that premium revenue was expected to exceed Main Cabin revenue by 2027.

"When you think about what's different and what's changed over the last 10 or 15 years, the premium products used to be loss leaders, and now they're the highest-margin products," he said.

No Dia Mundial do Combate ao Bullying, que se assinala a 20 de outubro, a Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV) divulga as Estatísticas APAV | Vítimas de Bullying | 2025, que dão a conhecer a realidade das vítimas de bullying apoiadas pela Associação em 2025. Ao longo do ano, a APAV apoiou 100 […]

A Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR), no âmbito da sua atividade de policiamento comunitário e do combate à violência, ofensas, ameaças e qualquer tipo de intimidação em contexto escolar, hoje, dia 20 de outubro, associa-se ao Dia Mundial de Combate ao Bullying, pela relevância que representa na vida das crianças e jovens.

No âmbito das suas competências em matéria de prevenção, a Guarda tem desenvolvido uma série de ações de sensibilização relacionadas com o bullying, num total de 1 845 no ano letivo de 2025/2026, tendo sido direcionadas para 67 117 crianças e jovens, maioritariamente em contexto escolar, um aumento superior a 23% face ao ano letivo anterior, tendo sido abrangidos vários dos estabelecimentos de ensino público e privado à responsabilidade da GNR.

Um estudo efetuado às ocorrências registadas na zona de responsabilidade da GNR, indicou que no ano de 2026, foram registados um total de 1 657 crimes em ambiente escolar na área de responsabilidade da Guarda.

Analisando a especificidade das ocorrências, a Guarda registou 78 ocorrências, em 2026:

• Bullying: Foram identificadas 72 ocorrências associados a práticas de bullying. Os distritos com maior número de registos foram Setúbal (10), Porto (9), Castelo Branco (8), Lisboa (8) e Santarém (7);
• Ciberbullying: Registaram-se seis ocorrências associadas a ciberbullying, distribuídas pelos distritos de Braga (2), Setúbal (2), Porto (1) e Santarém (1).

Salienta-se que os fenómenos de bullying e ciberbullying não se encontram tipificados de forma autónoma na legislação penal portuguesa. Como tal, os dados apresentados refletem as ocorrências criminais gerais registadas em meio escolar que, pela análise do respetivo modus operandi, foram associadas a estas dinâmicas.

O bullying é um conjunto de atos que servem para descrever atos de violência física ou psicológica, intencionais e reiterados, praticados por uma ou mais pessoas no contexto de uma relação desigual de poder, causando dor e angústia na(s) vítima(s). Atualmente, e associado ao recurso às novas tecnologias, nomeadamente às redes sociais, o bullying tem assumido novos contornos, dando origem à vertente virtual do ciberbullying.

Por norma os sinais de alerta são silenciosos, aconselhando-se os pais, professores e todos os cuidadores a estarem atentos a sinais, tais como alterações de humor, abatimento físico e/ou psicológico, sinais de impaciência ou ansiedade, queixas físicas permanentes (dores de cabeça, de estômago, perturbações no sono, nódoas negras), irritabilidade extrema, ou qualquer outra mudança de comportamento.

Tal como acontece com a saúde física, também a saúde mental exige cuidado e atenção. Promover o reconhecimento e a regulação das emoções, fomentar a capacidade de resiliência face a dificuldades e desenvolver a empatia, através da compreensão do outro e da criação de redes de apoio, são fatores determinantes para o bem-estar psicológico dos jovens. Neste processo, o papel da família, dos pares e das escolas é determinante. A presença constante de familiares e amigos, o acompanhamento atento por parte da comunidade escolar, nomeadamente professores e psicólogos, bem como a intervenção especializada dos profissionais de saúde, constituem uma rede de apoio essencial.

A normalização da procura de apoio psicológico e médico deve ser encarada como um gesto de coragem e autocuidado. Importa, por isso, promover uma cultura de escuta ativa, onde os jovens se sintam seguros para partilhar as suas experiências, e onde os seus sentimentos sejam validados, mesmo na ausência de soluções imediatas.

A Guarda pretende ainda alertar e sensibilizar a população em geral e, em particular, as crianças e jovens, os quais serão as mulheres e homens de amanhã, para a relevância da temática com o objetivo de apelar a uma estratégia de consciencialização, que visa contribuir para a mudança de comportamentos da sociedade e para a progressiva intolerância social face à violência nas escolas.

Pese embora o bullying não se encontre tipificado na legislação penal como crime, o mesmo está associado a vários crimes, tais como crimes de ofensas à integridade física, injúrias, ameaça e coação, correspondendo os dois primeiros aos comportamentos mais frequentes.

A GNR desenvolve um esforço significativo naquilo que são as iniciativas relacionadas sobre a temática em concreto, nomeadamente em ações de sensibilização e campanhas, com temas associados à violência, à cidadania, inclusão e não-discriminação, aos Direitos Humanos, e direitos da Criança ou regras quanto à utilização da internet.

Em casos de bullying a Guarda aconselha:

• Não sejas cúmplice, denuncia! Se presenciares ou souberes de atos de bullying, conta a uma pessoa adulta;
• Educa os que estão ao teu redor, promove o respeito e a inclusão entre os teus colegas;
• Adota estratégias de segurança:

• Ignorar o bully com indiferença;
• Manter a indiferença e mostrar sentimentos de confiança;
• Ser firme e dizer ao bully para parar com o seu comportamento;
• Evitar situações de confronto com o bully;
• Frequentar locais com muita gente;
• Andar sempre acompanhado/a.

Em casos de ciberbullying a Guarda aconselha:

• Nestes casos deves guardar as provas, e manter os registos das mensagens ou dos conteúdos ofensivos,
• Se fores a vítima, pede ajuda, contando a um adulto: Fala sempre com os teus pais, professores ou outro adulto de confiança e nunca interajas nem respondas diretamente a quem te está a magoar;
• Se vires alguém a ser vítima, não partilhes, dá apoio, incentivando-o a pedir ajuda ou denuncia partilhando com um adulto.

Para os encarregados de educação, a GNR alerta:

• Mantenha-se envolvido na rotina escolar e digital das crianças, estando particularmente atento indícios de bullying ou ciberbullying quer seja enquanto agressores como também de vítimas;
• Em caso de suspeita de situações de bullying ou ciberbullying, ameaças ou outros comportamentos de risco, informe de imediato a GNR, devendo ser guardadas todas as provas;
• A educação e segurança começa em casa.

A Guarda Nacional Republicana reitera que a segurança em meio escolar continua a ser uma prioridade estratégica. Através da ação diária das Secções de Prevenção Criminal e Policiamento Comunitário (SPC) e da implementação de ações de sensibilização junto da comunidade educativa, a Guarda continuará empenhada na prevenção, deteção e combate a todas as formas de violência, promovendo um ambiente escolar seguro e inclusivo. Importa acrescentar que a GNR possui militares com formação especializada, que desempenham um papel essencial no acompanhamento personalizado às vítimas, encarregando-se de encaminhar as mesmas para outras instituições com competência neste âmbito.

Se precisar de ajuda ou tiver conhecimento de alguma situação de bullying não hesite em contactar:

• Via telefónica, o SNS Prevenção Suicídio, através do número 808 24 24 24;
• Via telefónica, através do número europeu de emergência: 112

Estes serviços são anónimos, confidenciais e estão disponíveis para ouvir quem mais necessita porque, conversar pode mudar vidas.

• I flew on a "boutique" Taiwanese airline called Starlux, and it blew me away.
• The seat was like a private pod, and the food was some of the best I've ever had.
• The crew seemed rushed during boarding, but were impeccable inflight.

I'm a regular business-class traveler, having flown on dozens of airlines and hundreds of thousands of miles over the years.

I often get asked the same question: What's the best business-class seat you've ever flown in?

It's not the usual fan favorites of Singapore Airlines or Emirates. It's Starlux Airlines, a Taiwanese carrier many Americans have never heard of.

Starlux first flew in January 2020 and bills itself as a "boutique" international airline that operates nonstop flights from Taipei to several US cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.

My flight was on an Airbus A350-900 from Taipei to San Francisco, a nearly 12-hour overnight flight. It was the second leg of a trip that started in Kuala Lumpur, and the entire itinerary cost 85,000 Alaska Airlines miles.

The cash fare on this route ranges from $2,600 to over $5,000, depending on the season, so the points redemption — Alaska is a Starlux partner — was a very good deal. And the experience blew me away.

The whole idea from the beginning was to build a luxury airline from nothing with meticulous attention to detail and an emphasis on the small stuff.

After flying Starlux, those minor details made all the difference. Here's what my flight was like and why I'd easily book again.

The seat felt like a private suite

Every seat in Starlux's business class opens straight into the aisle, and every one has a sliding door. The cabin is decorated with faux marble finishes and shiny black panels. It honestly looks more like a boutique hotel lobby than the inside a plane.

This extreme attention to detail is what sold me most.

My favorite example: there's a little gap under the storage cabinet door, so you can leave a charging cable running out of it with the door closed. Exploring the seat illuminated several thoughtful design choices. The pod felt deliberate in a way some brand-new airline seats just aren't.

Some people call business class doors a gimmick, mostly because they don't go all the way up. I loved mine anyway. Once the seat was flat and the door was shut, it felt like my own little room, further emphasized by the warm mood lighting, pristine leather accents, and large seat walls.

A flight attendant handed me pajamas before we'd even pushed back, so I changed right away.

After dinner, the crew made up my bed with a thick mattress pad and one of the softest blankets I've ever been given on a plane.

The footwell angles inward slightly, which makes it feel a bit tight when you're lying flat, but I slept well regardless. On an overnight flight this long, that's what matters most.

The food was some of the best I've had in the air

Dinner is where Starlux left every other business-class flight behind.

It started with warm, fluffy garlic bread, which felt out of place alongside the Asian meal, but I was thrilled to see it. When the flight attendant came to clear my appetizer, she asked if I'd like more bread, to which I obviously said yes.

Then a creamy miso mushroom soup showed up, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of the best things I've eaten on a plane. It was rich and savory, the kind of thing I can still taste if I think about it today.

The main was beef with fried rice, which was flavorful and cooked to perfection.

Dessert was Italian gelato that was actually soft enough to eat straight away, which basically never happens with ice cream at 38,000 feet.

Breakfast before landing: waffles with figs were also notable. One of the few airline breakfasts I'd happily order again.

All of the food served looked as good as it tasted. Every course was properly plated, the flight attendant talked me through each dish, and she reset my table between courses without me noticing.

The crew truly elevated the experience

Starlux isn't perfect, and the first 20 minutes of my flight proved it. Pre-flight service felt as if the crew was simply going through the motions rather than trying to create a good experience.

But when the meal service started, it was like a switch flipped.

One flight attendant greeted me by name and knelt down next to my seat to take my order. At one point, my seatbelt locked up while I was reaching for my amenity kit; she saw it happen and handed me the kit before I'd said a word.

My main course came out a few minutes late, and she apologized profusely for it, which she really didn't need to do, but it tells you what standard this crew holds itself to.

By the time dinner was over, even the crew members who'd seemed checked out at first were warm and attentive. When I woke up and asked for tea, it was there almost immediately, with lemon and sugar on the side.

I love how fun Starlux is

The other thing I love about Starlux is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.

There's a space theme running through the whole airline, from the Galactic Lounge in Taipei to the COSMILE loyalty program. Since 2024, it's been working with Peanuts, so Snoopy turns up on themed flights and merch.

On my flight, the entertainment screen displayed a Snoopy welcome for me, and I still carry my things in a Starlux Snoopy tote bag.

Even the toilet paper is custom printed with a runway design. All of these things make the airline feel like it's enjoying itself.

Starlux got the three things that actually matter right: the seat, the food, and the crew. And it did it with a sense of fun that a lot of the big-name carriers have somehow lost along the way.

I've flown business class on dozens of airlines, including some of the world's most famous seats. If you're flying between the West Coast and Asia, I'd book Starlux.

Starlux did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Entre o 4º e o 7º ano do ensino fundamental, a escola perde parte do encanto que tem para os estudantes, indica a 3ª edição do relatório anual de Saúde Mental & Bem-Estar Escolar, da Great Place to Study Brasil. A parcela de alunos entrevistados que afirma se sentir feliz e empolgada ao ir para a escola cai de 79,9% para 50,8%. No mesmo período, a parcela que relata exposição à violência mais que dobra, de 16,6% para 39%.

O levantamento ouviu 89.744 pessoas, entre 41.958 estudantes, 9.347 educadores e 38.439 familiares no país por meio de questionários digitais específicos para cada público. As respostas foram coletadas de agosto de 2025 a agosto de 2026, e a base de famílias foi acompanhada de março de 2025 a outubro de 2026. Segundo a organização, a análise adotou nível de confiança de 95%, além de testes de correlação e consistência dos índices.

Vínculo com a escola diminui ao longo dos anos

Foi identificada uma mudança no vínculo com a escola ao longo da trajetória. Entre os alunos do 8º ano e do 3º ano do ensino médio, 57% citam bullying frequente ou violência física normalizada no dia a dia.

Outros dados mostram a diminuição do vínculo: 40,6% não se sentem valorizados pela escola, 40,1% dizem que professores não se importam com seus sentimentos e 44% das vítimas de bullying não creem em ação da escola.

Em ambientes de baixa violência, 27% dos estudantes dizem frequentar a escola apenas por obrigação. Em locais de violência muito alta, o índice chega a 60%.

João Hoeppner, diretor da Great Place to Study Brasil, afirma que a relação com a escola tende a diminuir à medida que o estudante avança e o foco no conteúdo e no vestibular ganha espaço. “O coletivo e a convivência tendem a ficar mais frios e a escola se envolver cada vez menos.”

Segundo o diretor, quem estuda apenas para evitar consequências negativas relata mais sobrecarga. “Mesmo no melhor cenário, 1 a cada 4 estuda ali por medo. Quando a gente está falando do fundamental, é mais ou menos 1 a cada 3”, afirma.

Violência e bullying afetam a convivência

A violência é um dos fatores que atravessam esse processo, segundo indicam as respostas. Dos 57% que relatam bullying frequente ou violência física normalizada, 1 em cada 5 se declara alvo direto de agressões.

Hoeppner chama atenção para o papel dos colegas que presenciam os episódios e afirma que a escola precisa trabalhar também a consciência de quem assiste. “O principal trabalho que as escolas precisam fazer é um despertar, uma provocação em relação à consciência da plateia. Se não tem plateia, não tem show.”

Para ele, campanhas contra o bullying também podem partir dos próprios estudantes. “As campanhas de bullying mais efetivas que a gente vêpartem dos estudantes mais do que somente da escola.”

Marina Ribeiro, diretora de comunidade da Great Place to Study Brasil, afirma que a participação dos pares pode favorecer essa reflexão. “É um processo de entender como esse adolescente funciona e ir buscando essas estratégias mesmo para fomentar a consciência.”

Foco em avaliações pode reduzir o sentido da escola

Para Maria Amélia Santoro Franco, doutora em educação pela USP e organizadora do livro “Pedagogias Emergentes: Princípios e Práticas”, a queda no entusiasmo ao longo da escolarização, não pode ser explicada apenas pela idade. Na passagem para os anos finais do fundamental, aumenta o número de professores e disciplinas, enquanto a convivência com os colegas ganha importância.

Segundo Maria Amélia, quando o conhecimento fica restrito ao que será cobrado nas avaliações, o aluno pode cumprir tarefas, mas deixa de se reconhecer nelas. “À medida que a transmissão de conteúdos, as metas e os rankings de desempenho passam a organizar a vida escolar, a escola pode perder sentido para os estudantes.”

A professora afirma que a violência compromete a aprendizagem. Um estudante que teme ser ridicularizado pode deixar de perguntar ou participar das atividades. “O sentimento de pertencimento se rompe quando o aluno passa a pensar: como me percebem aqui?”.

Professores também enfrentam desgaste emocional

No entanto, o sofrimento não se restringe aos alunos, segundo o relatório. Um em cada sete professores ouvidos relata sofrimento constante, com sinais de desgaste emocional severo, falta de alegria e incapacidade de descansar. Entre eles, 66,3% dizem que gostariam de ter escolhido outra profissão.

Além disso, 24,4% apontam cobranças excessivas e questionamentos à autoridade como principal desgaste mental. Para Hoeppner, o conflito pesa na rotina, mesmo envolvendo poucas famílias.

Famílias confiam na escola, mas diálogo é limitado

As famílias, por sua vez, demonstram confiança na escola. Mais de 95% dizem confiar na proposta pedagógica, considerar o ambiente seguro e avaliar que os filhos recebem uma boa educação. Porém, o vínculo não se traduz na mesma proporção em diálogo: são 54,6% os que dizem concordar plenamente que se comunicam com a escola para pensar em conjunto sobre a educação dos filhos.

Maria Amélia afirma que reconstruir esse vínculo passa por criar relações de confiança e não apenas por reforçar regras. Segundo a professora, o estudante precisa saber que situações de violência serão levadas a sério e que haverá adultos responsáveis por cuidar delas.

“Temos um costume de falar muito que a escola tem três funções: ser a vida de um estudante, preparar esse estudante para o futuro e para o mundo que ele vai encontrar, mas também trazer competências para que ele de fato consiga construir um mundo diferente, um futuro diferente.” (Lucas Leite/FOLHAPRESS)

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Recognizing the signs and taking practical steps to protect yourself.

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