• Podcast

DLD 544: The Last Mile

• July 24, 2025
• Tagged as: Abu Dhabi, Aegean Airlines, AI, AirAsia, American Airlines, artificial intelligence, Avelo, Breeze, Breeze Airways, Bus, Condor, Contour Air, Delta Air Lines, DHS, EAS, Emirates, Essential Air Service, Fetcherr, first class, frequent flier, frequent flyer, GulfAir, immigration, JFK Airport, JSX, lounges, loyalty, MIA, Miami, premium cabin, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, visas, WAF25, WizzAir, World Aviation Festival

Can multi-modal transportation ever really take off in the USA? Plus mini-lounges, lots of plane orders, and more Macon.

• Podcast

DLD 533: Oh no you EWRn’t

• May 8, 2025
• Tagged as: 787-9, Air Traffic Control, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Archer, ATC, business class, Condor, DCA, Emirates, Etihad, eVTOL, EWR, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, first class, jetblue, New York City, Newark, Philippines Airlines, premium cabin, Riyadh Air, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines

All eyes are on Newark these days, much like gawking at a crash when driving by. But fear not; there are plenty of messes to behold around the aviation world.

• Podcast

DLD 527: Power Up!

• March 27, 2025
• Tagged as: Air France, Allegient Air, Canada, crash, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, Endeavor, first class, Frontier, GlobalX, Heathrow, Korean Airlines, lounges, Porter Air, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Southwest Airlines, Starlink, United Airlines, WestJet

Got power? That’s usually not an issue for airlines and airports, but this week is different.

• Podcast

DLD 514: Hub Plays: Alaska’s Long, Southwest’s Short

• December 19, 2024
• Tagged as: AAdvantage, Air Canada, AirTags, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, credit card, credit cards, drones, elite status, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, first class, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines, hubs, IFC, IFEC, in-flight connectivity, in-flight internet, inflight connectivity, inflight wifi, jetblue, PDX, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Qatar Airways, routes, SEA, Seattle, Southwest Airlines, Spain, United Airlines

Two very interesting and very different sets of route announcements caught our attention this week. Plus premium seats and lots more.

• 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 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 510: Riddled with trouble

• November 21, 2024
• Tagged as: A321XLR, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Bermudair, engines, first class, Iberia, premium cabin, Rolls Royce, slots, Spirit Airlines

Wayward bullets are bad. Ditto for rodents on planes and a handful of now infamous travelers.

• Podcast

DLD 507: Lounge Life

• October 31, 2024
• Tagged as: Air Canada, AirBaltic, American Airlines, Boeing, business class, Dulles, first class, flyDubai, Greenland, IAD, Nepal, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Qatar Airways, SAS, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, strike, union

Doing our best to prove that there’s no such thing as a quiet airport lounge anymore, and part of the problem, too.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 506: P(l)aying premium

• October 24, 2024
• Tagged as: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Avianca, bankruptcy, Boston, business class, Cathay Pacific, China, DCA, first class, Hainan Airlines, hyatt, Korean Airlines, MileagePlan, Norse Atlantic, Play, premium cabin, routes, Russia, SkyTeam, slots, Spirit Airlines, train

Lots of chatter this week about premium products, and which airlines are having success with them or not.

• 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?