• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 552: Fuming mad!

• September 18, 2025
• Tagged as: Aegean Airlines, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Antitrust Immunity, Avelo, Boeing, Breeze Airways, codeshare, Delta Air Lines, E195-E2, Embraer, India, IndiGo, jetblue, joint venture, Korean Airlines, Lufthansa Group, Mexico, Mexico City, premium cabin, Premium Economy, routes, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines

Unwinding joint operations is not easy, but it must happen thanks to a DOT ruling. Plus fumes in the cabin, a hilariously low fine and some questionable funding in play.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 548: From Addis to ZorkFest

• August 21, 2025
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, A320, A320neo, ADD, Addis Ababa, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air India, Airbus, Antitrust Immunity, ATI, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Ethiopian Airlines, first class, joint venture, MEX, Mexicana, Mexico, Mexico City, premium cabin, Southwest Airlines, special guest, strike, TQO, Trip Report, Tulum, union

Strikes and travel tales and routes, oh my! With special guest Michael Trager from TravelZork.

• 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

DLD 476: Giving away Newark

• March 28, 2024
• Tagged as: Air Traffic Control, AirBaltic, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, ATC, Avelo, Boom, Boom Supersonic, British Airways, business class, Dominican Republic, EWR, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Frontier, jetblue, JFK Airport, LAX, Los Angeles, Malaysia Airlines, Mexico, New Haven, New Pacific Airways, Newark, points, routes, seating, seats, Southwest Airlines, supersonic, United Airlines, XB-1

Newark is on the move. Plus XB-1 takes flight, United dives into pooling, and Avelo looks to grow internationally. Plus plenty more.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 473: Huh, so now what?

• March 7, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX 10, A321neo, Aeromexico, Airbus, American Airlines, Antitrust Immunity, ATI, AUS, Austin, Australia, awards, Boeing, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, E175, Embraer, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Hawaiian Airlines, IFC, IFEC, in-flight connectivity, in-flight internet, inflight connectivity, JV, Mexico, New Pacific Airways, points, Qantas, regulators, rewards, routes, SpaceX, Starlink, strike, Turkish Airlines, union, United Airlines

American has a bunch more planes on order, while JetBlue and Spirit officially call it quits. Plus lots more…

• Podcast

DLD 456: Seasonal Shift

• November 2, 2023
• Tagged as: Air Greenland, Boom Supersonic, Breeze Airways, CDG, DUB, Dublin, EDI, Edinburgh, Frontier, inaugural, jetblue, Lufthansa City, Lufthansa Group, Mexico, NFTs, Palau, Paris, Qantas, routes, Saudi Arabia, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Swoop, TAP Air Portugal, Tulum, United Airlines, WestJet

Once again the IATA seasonal change brings about new routes and kills off others.

• Podcast

DLD 453: Shuffling the deck

• October 12, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8200, 787, A321neo, Air Canada, Air France, Air Malta, Airbus, Allegiant, awards, Boeing, business class, Delta Air Lines, Dreamliner, EAS, economy class, Essential Air Service, ExpertFlyer, Global Airlines, Hi Fly, Ireland, KLM, LOT, MEX, Mexico, Mexico City, NLU, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Recaro, rewards, routes, SAS, seating, seats, SkyTeam, Southern Airways, Star Alliance, Sun Country, United Airlines, VivaAerobus

Thank goodness change is such a constant in this industry. Otherwise what would we have to talk about every week?

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 450: Wait, there’s now lounge elite status??

• September 21, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 8, 757-200, A350, Allegiant, American Express, Boeing, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, elite status, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, lounge, lounges, medallion, merger, Mexico, Mexico City, New York City, podcast, premium cabin, Premium Economy, seating, seats, Sky Club, SkyMiles, slots, Spirit Airlines, Swiss, Trip Report, United Airlines, Upgrade, Vietnam Airlines

Delta made waves with its SkyMiles/SkyClub rules changes last week. Plus, new seats, new routes, and an end to revenge.

• 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 445: Ghosts in the sky

• August 17, 2023
• Tagged as: 767, Air India, Air Peace, Antigua, Australia, China, Department of Transportation, DOH, Doha, DOT, Frontier, Mexicana, Mexico, NTSB, Qatar Airways, routes, slots

Empty flights typically suck, but sometime airlines still fly them and make money doing so.