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.
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??
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.
DLD 265: A luxury CRJ200 experience
- October 24, 2019
- Tagged as: 777X, 787-9, A220, A350, Airbus, Boeing, business class, Companion Pass, CRJ200, CSeries, Delta Air Lines, elite status, frequent flier, frequent flyer, LAX, London, Los Angeles, loyalty, Lyft, New York City, PaxEx, premium cabin, priority boarding, Project Sunrise, Qantas, routes, SkyMiles, SkyMiles Select, Southwest Airlines, subscription, Swiss, SYD, Sydney, Uber, ULH, ultra long haul
Is there such a thing as a nice CRJ200 ride? And why might a new world’s longest flight be a bad idea?? Plus another top tier got harder to realize and LAX is moving its pickup zone outside the terminal loop.
DLD 243: Smisek FTW!
- May 16, 2019
- Tagged as: Alaska Airlines, BER, Berlin, Delta Air Lines, El Al, elite status, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Gold Passport, hyatt, medallion, Norwegian, Turkish Airlines, union, wifi
Who is a strong airline leader these days? What are the qualities that it takes? And why do so many seem to do it so badly??
Lots of 737 shop talk in this episode, recorded on Sunday evening after the ET302 crash outside Addis Ababa. Our condolences to all those affected by the tragedy.
DLD 218: Smoothing connections
- November 8, 2018
- Tagged as: 787-10, A330-800, A330neo, Alaska Airlines, alitalia, American Airlines, Brexit, Delta Air Lines, EasyJet, elite status, engines, Ethiopian Airlines, EXP, IATA, Icelandair, lawsuit, LFW, Lome, merger, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, SEA, SIN, singapore, singapore airlines, Togo, United Airlines, WOW Air
A smooth connection in Seattle was unexpected. Smoothing connections in Africa might be useful. And Brexit likely means rough connections for millions. Hooray!
DLD 214: A new Number 1 and new numbers for 1K
- October 11, 2018
- Tagged as: A380, American Airlines, British Airways, China, elite status, Emirates, high-speed rail, HSR, JFK, marriott, Marriott Rewards, merger, mileageplus, New York City, Norwegian, OTG, OTG Experience, podcast, spg, train, United Airlines, upgrades
United has new elite rules, Marriott still struggles, new A380 engines are stalled and Primera is dead. Rough week, huh?
It is an interesting time to be a 3rd party loyalty program operator. Air Canada is now trying to buy back Aeroplan and Aeromexico made a move, too. Plus, the TSA might be tracking you for no good reason, a 787 got lost at Narita and Delta is downgrading passengers when upgrading some aircraft.
DLD 198: The AA +UA + Rolls episode
- June 21, 2018
- Tagged as: 787, American Airlines, AvGeek, Dreamliner, elite status, engines, PaxEx, Rolls Royce, United Airlines
Does it feel like this trio of topics come up too often? Maybe if they weren’t always doing silly things we’d venture out more. But not this week. Because American, United and Rolls-Royce continue to dig themselves into holes. Ouch.
