• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 560a: Melting Down

• November 13, 2025
• Tagged as: A330, A330-200, A330-300, Aer Lingus, Air Asia, Air Asia X, Air Traffic Control, AirAsia, ATC, Bahrain, Boeing, British Airways, business class, crash, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, Delta Flight Products, Department of Transportation, DOT, FAA, FedEd, Federal Aviation Administration, fees, first class, GulfAir, IAG, Iberia, IFC, IFEC, in-flight connectivity, in-flight internet, inflight connectivity, inflight wifi, Level, lie-flat beds, Lufthansa, MD-11, Premium Economy, Premium Select, seating, seats, Sixt, Starlink, Trip Report, UPS

The US ATC situation is bad and getting worse. Plus another Starlink deal, Bahrain as a hub, and credit cards could cost you more.

• Podcast

DLD 534: In the Studio

• May 15, 2025
• Tagged as: Aer Lingus, Air Traffic Control, Airbus, American Airlines, ATC, Boeing, British Airways, business class, Contour Air, Delta Air Lines, EWR, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, IAG, Iberia, International Airline Group, jetblue, joint venture, Juneyao, Korean Airlines, Level, livery, Newark, Polaris, Polaris Studio, premium cabin, Qantas, Real ID, routes, Spirit Airlines, Stansted, United Airlines, WestJet

There’s lots to unpack this week, including a new premium seat, a new paint job, and new route plans galore.

• 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 504: Reading the fine print

• October 10, 2024
• Tagged as: A321XLR, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air China, Australia, bankruptcy, Boeing, Cathay Pacific, Chase, China, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, FAA, Japan, Lebanon, lounge, lounges, Qatar Airways, regulators, Spirit Airlines, strike, United Airlines

Details matter, and a few of this week’s topics dig in to that fine print.

• Podcast

DLD 489: Well and truly screwed

• June 28, 2024
• Tagged as: A220, Aer Lingus, AirBaltic, Alaska Airlines, Amazon, American Airlines, ancillary fees, Archer, Basic Economy, Boeing, Boom Supersonic, cargo, codeshare, Department of Transportation, DOT, engines, eVTOL, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Global Airlines, GTF, Iberia, jetblue, JSX, Mexico, OKC, Oklahoma City, Pratt & Whitney, regulators, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country, union, Volaris, WestJet

The US DOT seems keen to rewrite the rules – or at least how they’re enforced – in a way that’s liable to significantly impact the US market.

• 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 457: Awkward in Austin

• November 9, 2023
• Tagged as: A220, A321, Aer Lingus, Africa, Alaska Airlines, Allegient Air, American Airlines, AMS, Amsterdam, AraJet, Asiana, AUS, Austin, Delta Air Lines, Department of Transportation, DOT, earnings call, greenwashing, Halifax, Haneda, HND, Icelandair, KLM, MIA, Miami, PIT, Pittsburgh, podcast, routes, SAFs, Schiphol, Siam Reap, slots, Titan Air, YHZ

Is there at least maybe, hopefully a good reason for American Airlines slashing its mini-hub in Austin?

• Podcast

DLD 455: Well, that was unexpected

• October 26, 2023
• Tagged as: 767-400, A321neo, Aer Lingus, Air France, Air Greenland, Air India Express, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Boeing, codeshare, Delta Air Lines, Delta Flight Products, Haneda, Hawaiian Airlines, HND, Horizon, live television, livery, MEA, Qatar Airways, routes, slots, United Airlines, ZipAir

A couple major unexpected events this week caught us off guard, but we’re doing our best to get through it all.

• Podcast

DLD 447: Too much red

• August 31, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 787-10, 787-9, A350-1000, Aer Lingus, Airbus, American Airlines, Atlantic Airways, Avios, Boeing, China, El Al, elite status, FAA, Faroe Islands, Federal Aviation Administration, Finnair, frequent flier, frequent flyer, jetblue, merger, Monarch, Porter Air, Qantas, revenue-based, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Trip Report

How much money can a one-plane airline lose in just two months? More than just about everyone involved expected.

• Podcast

DLD 429: To sleep, perchance to dream

• April 20, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, A330, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Avios, awards, British Airways, business class, FLL, Fort Lauderdale, Italy, Japan, JR Rail Pass, rewards, Silver Airways, Sudan, train, Trip Report

What matters most on long-haul flying? And why isn’t it a good night’s sleep??