• Podcast

DLD 550: Chapter 22 – A New Hope

• September 4, 2025
• Tagged as: 737 MAX 10, 777-9, 777X, 787-10, A320neo, A321neo, A321XLR, A350, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, Allegris, bankruptcy, Boeing, Brussels Airlines, BUR, Burbank, business class, Condor, Edelweiss, Finnair, Florida, jetblue, Korean Air, Lufthansa, premium cabin, Qantas, Saint Martin, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, SXM

Spirit Airlines is back in bankruptcy court, once again planning a restructuring in hopes of finding profitability. Plus more orders, 787 progress, and some aviation idiocy in Florida.

• Podcast

DLD 516: Back at it

• January 9, 2025
• Tagged as: A350, Alaska Airlines, awards, Azerbaijan Air, British Airways, crash, DCA, elite status, Emirates, Executive Club, frequent flier, frequent flyer, JejuAir, jetblue, loyalty, revenue-based, rewards, slots, United Airlines

A new year brings new topics to the fore, including new routes, new IFE, new status rules, and more.

• Podcast

DLD 515: Droning on and on

• December 26, 2024
• Tagged as: 787, A220, A320neo, A350, Air Canada, Air India, Air Traffic Control, Allegris, ATC, business class, dining, ExpressJet, Heathrow, LHR, Lufthansa, Malaysia, Pegasus, premium cabin, SIN, singapore, United Airlines

Fortunately not too much drone chatter this week; we’ve got more important stuff to talk about.

• Podcast

DLD 512: Branching out

• December 5, 2024
• Tagged as: A350, A350 XWB, A350-900, A380, Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, Asiana, Atlanta, British Airways, Bus, charter, Delta Air Lines, DFA, Eastern Airlines, EasyJet, elite status, Emirates, Etihad, ETOPS, Europe, Eva, first class, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Frontier, Heathrow, Korea, Korean Air, LHR, merger, Norse Atlantic, Orly, Paris, premium cabin, regulators, slots, Spirit Airlines, T'way, United Kingdom, Virgin Atlantic, visas

It was Thanksgiving week in the US, so we shifted our gaze to Europe and the Middle East, with plenty of news being made.

• Podcast

DLD 500: Or something like that

• September 12, 2024
• Tagged as: 787, 787-8, 787-9, A350, A350 XWB, A350-1000, A350-900, Boeing, business class, Cathay Pacific, DCA, Department of Transportation, DOT, engines, frequent flier, frequent flyer, LATAM, Malaysia Airlines, Paris, premium cabin, R7, Recaro, Rolls Royce, routes, SCASDP, strike, Virgin Atlantic

A strike avoided, an engine fire, and new routes as we hit another arbitrary milestone.

• Podcast

DLD 499: Ramble on

• September 5, 2024
• Tagged as: A321neo, A321XLR, A350, Air China, Air India, Alaska Airlines, Bilt Rewards, Boom Supersonic, C919, China Eastern, China Southern, Delta Air Lines, Department of Transportation, DOT, elite status, Frontier, Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines, Ireland, ITA Airlines, Japan, jetblue, JFK Airport, KLM, Lufthansa Group, Malaysia Airlines, merger, Mint, New York City, Norse Atlantic, pilot shortage, Rapid Rewards, regulators, Russia, SAS, SkyTeam, Southwest Airlines, Star Alliance, TAP Air Portugal, TATL, Transatlantic, United Airlines, Vistara, XB-1

Another week, with plenty of random thoughts from the guys…

• Podcast

DLD 482: Plane problems

• May 9, 2024
• Tagged as: 777 Partners, 777X, A220, A321XLR, A350, A380, Aer Lingus, Bermudair, Boeing, Bonza, Breeze Airways, Emirates, Frontera, Frontier, Global Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, regulators, Southern Airways, Spirit Airlines, union, United Airlines, WestJet

Who will be the first to fly the A321XLR? And when will the 777X ever fly? At least now we have some A350 confirmed flight times and an A380 on the move…

• Podcast

DLD 481: A dash of regulatory oversight

• May 2, 2024
• Tagged as: 787, A350, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Avant, Avelo, Beond, Delta Air Lines, Department of Transportation, DOT, Dubai, Ethiopian Airlines, ife, in-flight entertainment, IndiGo, inflight entertainment, jetblue, personalization, podcast, regulators, routes, Southwest Airlines, Thales, union, United Airlines

Regulators are forcing airlines to do good things for passengers, which is refreshing. Plus maybe a new Dubai airport a decade from now, and lots more.

• Podcast

DLD 465: This week was a hell of a year

• January 11, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX 9, A350, AAdvantage, accident, Air Asia, Air Asia X, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Avios, awards, British Airways, crash, JAL, points, rewards, Starlux

Two major aviation incidents to start the year is not a good look for 2024. Here’s hoping things calm down in a hurry.

• Podcast

DLD 463: Looking to lose weight (restrictions)

• December 21, 2023
• Tagged as: 787, 787-9, A220, A321neo, A350, Air New Zealand, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Austin, Brisbane, British Airways, business class, JSX, lie-flat beds, Lufthansa Group, Mexicana, Phoenix, podcast, Porter Air, Qantas, routes, Scottsdale, Seoul, slots, Southwest Airlines, Stansted, Starlink, Tel Aviv, Turkish Airlines, union, United Airlines, WestJet

Long flights come with challenging performance requirements. Delta looks to shed some weight restrictions and United may be adding some next year.