• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 526: Not so express

• March 20, 2025
• Tagged as: 787, Allegient Air, American Airlines, ancillary, ancillary fees, DCA, earnings, elite status, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Frontier, IndiGo, Korean Airlines, lifetime, livery, Los Angeles, Marrakech, NTSB, PAE, Paine Field, routes, Seattle, Southwest Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Transatlantic, United Airlines

Marrakech remains a mess for connections. And there are plenty of other messes around the world. But we find some good news, too.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 513: We Try Harder(ish)

• December 12, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 757-200, A321LR, A321XLR, Air Canada, Allegris, American Airlines, ancillary, ancillary fees, Avis, Basic Economy, Boeing, business class, Citi, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, Department of Justice, Department of Transportation, DOJ, DOT, first class, Frontier, Icelandair, Lufthansa, premium cabin, privacy, rental cars, routes, Swiss, TAP Air Portugal, Tulum

Is it finally time for some passenger rights in the USA? And why does air travel feel more unbundled than ever, in every class of travel?

• Podcast

DLD 490: The search for more fees

• July 4, 2024
• Tagged as: American Airlines, ancillary, ancillary fees, Breeze Airways, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, fees, Islip, ISP, JFK, JFK Airport, lounges, Lufthansa, Lufthansa Group, moving map, New York City, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines

Airlines love ancillary fees. But is there a point at which shifting charges out of the base fare will finally be too much?

• 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
• Trip Reports

DLD 485: Getting there eventually

• May 30, 2024
• Tagged as: A321neo, A380, Airbus, American Airlines, ancillary, ancillary fees, Breeze Airways, British Airways, codeshare, CRJ550, DCA, Delta Air Lines, EWR, flyadeal, jetblue, lounges, Lufthansa, Newark, O'Hare, ORD, Providence, PVD, Saudia, singapore airlines, slots, Spirit Airlines, TATL, Transatlantic, Trip Report, Washington DC

Maybe taking five flights rather than just two, and adding an extra overnight en route, was a mistake.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 484: Board games

• May 23, 2024
• Tagged as: 787, ancillary, ancillary fees, Austrian Airlines, Boeing, Breeze Airways, bundles, China, DCA, FAA, fares, Federal Aviation Administration, first class, Frontier, Lisbon, O'Hare, ORD, Philippines Airlines, Qantas, regulators, Shanghai, slots, United Airlines

Why do executives have so much trouble making tough decisions? Or are they just blind to the challenges?

• 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 448: ¿Cual Aeropuerto?

• September 7, 2023
• Tagged as: A380, ancillary fees, bankruptcy, China Southern, Corendon, Cuba, Delta Air Lines, El Al, elite status, Ethiopian Airlines, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Haneda, HND, jetblue, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Mexico, Mexico City, Monarch, Oneworld, PDX, Portland, Qantas, Qatar Airways, routes, Tokyo, Virgin Australia

Picking an airport in Mexico might be a bit more challenging later this year. Plus flying whales and more Tokyo.

• Podcast

DLD 427: Scrounging around

• April 6, 2023
• Tagged as: ancillary, ancillary fees, Breeze Airways, business class, buy-on-board, China, China Eastern, China Southern, Colombia, dining, EasyJet, economy class, Eva, Finnair, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Hello Kitty, hotels, ITA Airlines, Lufthansa, Mexico, Paris, Really Cool Airlines, Red Way

Fares are up, and revenues are strong in many markets. But that doesn’t mean everyone is doing great, financially or otherwise.

• Podcast

DLD 307: We’re adding change fees

• September 3, 2020
• Tagged as: 787, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, ancillary, ancillary fees, Boeing, Bus, business aviation, Celera 500L, Delta Air Lines, fees, frequent flier, frequent flyer, jetpack, loyalty, podcast, Thai Airways, United Airlines

Change fees, jet packs, massive corruption and a fun new private plane. C’mon in and learn a bit in this week’s show!