• Podcast

DLD 311: Farewell to the 580s

• October 1, 2020
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737MAX, airbnb, business class, co-brand, cobrand, Convair 580, COVID-19, COVID19, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, elite status, Emirates, Europe, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Korean Airlines, New Zealand, PC-24, Pilatus, podcast, premium cabin, routes, singapore airlines, transcon, United Airlines

No, that’s not a typo. We’re mourning the loss of the Convair 580s from commercial service, now slated for next year, among many other things in this week’s episode.

• Podcast

DLD 297: Pantsless Professionals

• June 25, 2020
• Tagged as: 747, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia, Changi, COVID-19, COVID19, Department of Transportation, DOT, electric aircraft, Frontier, India, jetblue, Lufthansa Group, MCO, Orlando, routes, SIN, singapore, South African Airways, TSA

As borders start to reopen the requirements for entry to some countries can be onerous. Or completely reasonable. But the inconsistencies make it really challenging for travelers to plan.

• Podcast

DLD 295: Vegas is back!

• June 11, 2020
• Tagged as: British Airways, COVID-19, COVID19, Heathrow, Las Vegas, podcast, Premium Economy, Trip Report

The Las Vegas strip is open again. Or at least open-ish. It is a far cry from the typical levels of action and activity, but things are starting to come back and it is very different. But also very the same. Here’s a first-hand report from the Strip on opening weekend.

• Podcast

DLD 293: Turn around or a turnaround??

• May 28, 2020
• Tagged as: Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Air Transat, BER, Berlin, Cape Town, COVID-19, COVID19, CPT, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Hertz, India, JNB, lounge, lounges, Lufthansa, merger, podcast, rental cars, routes, SXF, TATL, Tegel, Transatlantic, TXL

An airport closes, possibly forever. Another was already closed when the plane showed up. And airlines are still planning their financial turnarounds as demand starts to creep higher.

• Podcast

DLD 292: Where’s the stop button??

• May 21, 2020
• Tagged as: A220, Airbus, American Airlines, bribery, cargo, Cessna, codeshare, COVID-19, Garuda, Israel, Itihhad, NDC, podcast, prop, Qatar Airways, regional jets, SkyCourier, Thai Airways, TSA, turboprop, UAE, United Airlines

What does high school shop class have to do with our travel experiences? Absolutely nothing, but that’s rarely stopped us from talking about other topics, so why start now??

• Podcast

DLD 291: The Cheese Soup test

• May 14, 2020
• Tagged as: Avianca, bankruptcy, COVID-19, Department of Transportation, DOT, elite status, Emirates, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Iran, LifeMiles, lifetime, Mahan Air, Premium Economy, refunds, regulators, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia

We’re deep in the throes of learning what requirements will exist for passengers to prove they’re healthy and resume travel. This week’s episode has a very unlikely candidate for one such test.

• Podcast

DLD 290: Desert flyover

• May 7, 2020
• Tagged as: Abu Dhabi, Air Canada, Air France, AUH, Australia, cargo, COVID-19, Gatwick, IATA, Iran, LGW, Mahan Air, New Zealand, podcast, Project Sunrise, Qantas, seating, seats, special guest, ULH, ultra long haul, ultra longhaul, United Airlines, Vilnius, Virgin Atlantic, VNO, WizzAir

Thousands of planes parked, some permanently, make for stunning images. But it comes at a cost, with jobs lost and an economic hit that is hard to measure so far.

• Podcast

DLD 289: Regional consolidation

• April 30, 2020
• Tagged as: Air Sinai, American Airlines, Boeing, COVID-19, Delta Air Lines, Delta Flight Products, Embraer, Frontier, jetblue, joint venture, podcast, routes, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia

Is it time for airports to join the consolidation game? We talk a lot about airlines and mergers (and bankruptcies these days) but airports might also benefit from joining forces.

• Podcast

DLD 287: Is it time to book again??

• April 16, 2020
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737MAX, AAdvantage, American Airlines, Condor, COVID-19, Delta Air Lines, DoubleTree, elite status, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, hilton, LOT, podcast

When will it be safe to commit to big travel expenses? When will it be safe to travel? And do we really know the answer to those questions??

• Podcast

DLD 286: Back to the Future!

• April 9, 2020
• Tagged as: Aeroplan, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Altitude, COVID-19, Delta Air Lines, EasyJet, elite status, loyalty, marriott, MileagePlan, mileageplus, podcast, routes, SkyMiles, special guest, United Airlines

What will the future of airline route networks look like? We dig deep into the past with special guest Ned Russell as we look to the future.