• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 477: Playing the fool

• April 4, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, Air Malta, Basic Economy, Boeing, Breeze Airways, Brexit, British Airways, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, E175, Embraer, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Gatwick, hydrogen, Ireland, ITA Airlines, Japan, Knock, LAS, Las Vegas, LGW, London, Lufthansa Group, NDC, Norse Atlantic, overhead bins, routes, Scranton, Southwind, United Airlines, United Kingdom, Washington DC

We’re skipping April Fool’s Day in favor of some real news, including at least one story we were convinced should’ve been a joke.

• Podcast

DLD 475: A rough go

• March 21, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 10, 737 MAX 9, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Bilt Rewards, Boeing, business class, credit card, credit cards, E195-E2, E2, Embraer, ETOPS, EuroBiz, Frontier, NTSB, points, premium cabin, United Airlines

Well, that’s another week that Boeing probably wishes didn’t happen…

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 474: A shock to the system

• March 14, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, Air Europa, airbnb, Batik Air, Boeing, China Southern, Department of Justice, DOJ, electric cars, EVs, IAG, LAS, Las Vegas, MCO, merger, NTSB, Orlando, regulators, rental cars, routes, TSA, United Airlines

Hopefully not too shocking, of course. But maybe enough to keep you awake, unlike those pilots…

• Podcast

DLD 471: It still doesn’t make sense

• February 22, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737-200, A380, Air Canada, Air Serbia, Air Traffic Control, Alaska Airlines, Allegient Air, artificial intelligence, Barbados, Canada, Delta Air Lines, ETOPS, Global Airlines, Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines, jetblue, Lufthansa, merger, Nolinor, Qantas, regulators, routes, Spirit Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airlines

Revisiting a couple stories from the past few weeks, and they still don’t make much sense. Plus lots of new news, too.

• Podcast

DLD 470: Out of service

• February 15, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, A321neo, American Airlines, Chicago, China, Copa Airlines, Cuba, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Frontier, Heathrow, Houston, IAH, India, IndiGo, Korean Airlines, LCCs, lounges, Lufthansa, MCO, Orlando, Philadelphia, PHL, points, Qatar Airways, Raleigh-Durham, RDU, regulators, SAS, slots, ULCC, United Airlines, wetlease

What’s the silliest reason you’ve ever heard of for planes to be removed from service? We might have a new top contender for that title.

• Podcast

DLD 468: More MAX than you can shake a stick at

• February 1, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 10, 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, A321neo, Air Europa, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Dulles, Haneda, Hawaiian Airlines, IAD, IAG, ITA Airlines, lawsuit, Lufthansa Group, merger, Ryanair, slots, Tulsa, United Airlines

The MAX continues to dominate news cycles, but there’s lots more out there also worth talking about.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 466: It just rolls off the tongue

• January 18, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 9, AAdvantage, Air India, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Antwerp, AUS, Austin, Boeing, LATAM, livery, routes, United Airlines

We’re on the road this week, hanging out in Antwerp with some friends and talking travel.

• Podcast

DLD 454: Is there such a thing as real loyalty program enhancements?!?

• October 18, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, American Airlines, AMS, Amsterdam, ancillary fees, Beond, Bermudair, carbon offsets, Delta Air Lines, economy class, elite status, Emirates, engines, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Haneda, HND, ITA Airlines, Italia Trasporto Aereo, Japan, jetblue, JFK Airport, KLM, loyalty, Mosaic, points, Portsmouth, premium cabin, promotions, PSM, Rapid Rewards, Rolls Royce, routes, slots, Southwest Airlines, Tokyo, TrueBlue, United Airlines

Can loyalty programs actually make changes that seem to make things better for customers, without taking benefits away elsewhere? Tune in to find out.

• Podcast

DLD 453: Shuffling the deck

• October 12, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8200, 787, A321neo, Air Canada, Air France, Air Malta, Airbus, Allegiant, awards, Boeing, business class, Delta Air Lines, Dreamliner, EAS, economy class, Essential Air Service, ExpertFlyer, Global Airlines, Hi Fly, Ireland, KLM, LOT, MEX, Mexico, Mexico City, NLU, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Recaro, rewards, routes, SAS, seating, seats, SkyTeam, Southern Airways, Star Alliance, Sun Country, United Airlines, VivaAerobus

Thank goodness change is such a constant in this industry. Otherwise what would we have to talk about every week?

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 450: Wait, there’s now lounge elite status??

• September 21, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 8, 757-200, A350, Allegiant, American Express, Boeing, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, elite status, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, lounge, lounges, medallion, merger, Mexico, Mexico City, New York City, podcast, premium cabin, Premium Economy, seating, seats, Sky Club, SkyMiles, slots, Spirit Airlines, Swiss, Trip Report, United Airlines, Upgrade, Vietnam Airlines

Delta made waves with its SkyMiles/SkyClub rules changes last week. Plus, new seats, new routes, and an end to revenge.