Two major aviation incidents to start the year is not a good look for 2024. Here’s hoping things calm down in a hurry.
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.
DLD 462: Cool connections and an unlikely airspace plan
- December 14, 2023
- Tagged as: A330, Airbus, airports, American Airlines, Barcelona, Beluga, Cancun, cargo, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, elite status, engines, Goose Bay, Greenland, hyatt, Japan, Las Vegas, NATS, Nuuk, San Francisco, SEA, Seattle, South Africa, Taipei, TPE, Trip Report, United Airlines, United Kingdom
Maybe it’ll work, but there are some half-baked plans being bandied about. And we’re not a fan of that unless they’re our half-baked plans.
DLD 461: Aloha, Alaska!
- December 7, 2023
- Tagged as: 787, 787-9, A321neo, Air Transat, AirAsia, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, China, Department of Transportation, DOT, E195-E2, Embraer, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, GEO, Georgetown, Gyuana, Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines, immigration, India, joint venture, Malaysia, merger, podcast, Porter Air, regional jets, routes, Tulum, United Airlines, wifi
Alaska Airlines is buying Hawaiian Airlines. There are lots of reasons the deal makes sense, but more than a few questions we have about how it will play out.
No, really, I have no idea what to put here.
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?
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.
DLD 449: Trademarks and diversions
- September 14, 2023
- Tagged as: 737 MAX, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Biman Bangladesh, business class, catering, CFM, China, Condor, Delta Air Lines, diversion, engines, JAL, jetblue, New Pacific Airways, New York City, Northern Pacific Airways, Pratt & Whitney, premium cabin, routes, singapore airlines, Thai Airways, Trip Report, United Airlines
Intellectual property is a very real thing. So are weather-induced diversions these days.
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.
Unlikely this episode will be, but is it worse than the odds of a new MAX delivery to China anytime soon??