This week: The Zozobra eliminates gloom; Flight caps for different reasons in Mexico City and at Schiphol Amsterdam; American's $4M fine for tarmac flight delays; Delta thriving at LAX and elsewhere with strong investment strategy; Allegiant adds Johnny Walker Blue to the menu. Listener input on Flight Attendant training, threats to safety and jobs from robot pilots.
This week: Special Report - Scott McCartney on the critical need for a "Second Manhattan Project" to improve the FAA, ATC safety & staffing problems, utilize the trust fund, and more; Plus Ben & Scott discuss: Turbulent weather patterns across America; Fares & fees in a Spirit/JetBlue post merger world; NY Times comprehensive story on near misses; Listener Q: Why is public anger stronger towards airlines vs other industries?
This week: Candace McGraw, CEO, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG); Mexico's new government owned & army operated airline ready for takeoff; Delta $20k pilot training incentive; "Pibot" - the humanoid robot that can fly an airplane; Listener Q's: A shortage of maintenance technicians?, Ben & Scott address a Spirit pilot's concern about management focus in time of potential merger.
This week: Celebrating 200 episodes! Our Guest is Doug Parker, Fmr CEO, American Airlines; Also: Hawaiian, Southwest, & others respond to Maui fires; NTSB report on United flight rapid descent; SWA starts offering free same-day flight changes on all fares; Listener Q's: Frontier's annual pass program odds for success? How are prices set on a new route?
This week: Susan Carey, former Aviation Industry Reporter, The Wall Street Journal; JetBlue, Spirit earnings update; Southwest pilot compensation; Spirit and JetBlue shares drop, is need for merger increased? Listener Q's on checked/carry-on bag fees, discrepancies on data sources, and could reducing executive pay help relieve the pilot shortage?
This week: Colby Harvey, Founder/CEO, Ultraview; Alaska and other earnings; a Q3 softening coming? Southwest: RASM drops, higher labor costs, CEO Bob Jordan says demand is still very strong; United cuts flights at Newark; Avelo and Breeze operating results; Listener Q's re: Where to reinvest profits during good times; Charters in the US vs Europe.
This week: Jens Kuhlen, President North America, Gategroup; The hot topic of Delta 555; Positive earnings at American & United; AA matches United pilots new contract rates; House bill raising pilot retirement age goes to Senate; Listener Q's on Delta Amex loyalty program revenue; What are the benefits of the Air France-KLM Merger? Advice on meltdown mitigation?
This week: Khalid Usman, Partner, Oliver Wyman; Also: Earnings Season; Delta sets record - CEO Ed Bastian is bullish on continued travel volume; AA / JetBlue Northeast Alliance ends but what about the Spirit acquisition? JAL's "Any Wear Anywhere" clothing rentals; Listeners: update Hertz EV rental policy, time for a LCC within an airline again?
This week: Rick Schifter, Senior Advisor, TPG Capital; Joseph S. Murphy Service to Industry Award recipient Ben Baldanza's reflections on learning from and working with top industry leaders and Scott's reflections on covering them as a journalist; Listener Q: Why no taxibots?
This week: Joanne Young, Managing Partner, Kirstein & Young; DOT Office of Inspector General scathing report of deficiencies and huge understaffing levels; USDOT Sec. Pete Buttigieg denies FAA fault for issues; United's turn for operational issues; Listener Q on fleet utilization.
This week: Can premium leisure travelers replace business travelers? Challenges at NYC area airports; Record number transatlantic flights over past decade; Listener Q's on EASA type ratings, and why did Alaska retire so many Virgin America airplanes? (photo: Eze, France)
This week: Charles Duncan, President, Norse Atlantic Airways; Initial summer travel results; DCA perimeter rule talks heat up; Lots of policy making this summer; JetBlue's new livery; JSX CEO Alex Wilcox responds to listener comments, and additional listener input on 1500 hour rule.
This week: Azim Barodawala, Co-Founder/CEO at Volantio; American changes attitude toward business travelers; United's Scott Kirby declares business travel recession; Delta rolling out a wheelchair accessible seat structure; Additional listener input on luxury airlines viability.
This week: Simon Hawkins, Head of Virgin Atlantic, Americas; Also: Ben & Scott talk about business mistakes made and lessons learned; Listener Q: Why did Delta do away with Northwest Cargo Airline? How about Alaska cargo?
This week: Barry Biffle, CEO, Frontier Airlines; Scott attempts to pass Professor Baldanza's end of term quiz; Listener comments on American's DFW expansion, Charter flight rules, Operations from FBOs, Thoughts on pilot training, and more.
This week: Ted Christie, CEO, Spirit Airlines - recorded live on stage at Aviation Festival Americas 2023; American comes to agreement with pilots; JetBlue/American Northeast Alliance struck down; In-person listener question: Why no all-luxury airline startups?
This week: Karen Walker, Editor in Chief, Air Transport World; ATW Awards, Follow up on J.D. Power satisfaction survey; American's operational issues; Airfare inflation numbers; Potential new regulation while major FAA issues persist; Will passengers pay more to fly a more sustainable airline?
This week: Jonathan Sutter, Sr Director - New J.D. Power Airline Rankings; Congratulations to Ben Baldanza, 2023 recipient of the Joseph S. Murphy Award for service to industry. FAA redraws high altitude route maps; SWA adds USB outlets, bigger bag bins; Vanessa Hudson named Qantas CEO; Listener input: A request for more interview push-back; Local flight subsidies.
This week: Tom Doxey, President, Breeze Airways; American's $10M Q1 profit & tops on-time departures; SWA loses a 1B in past 6 months; A focus on airline stock winners & losers; Capital Access Alliance calls for increased flight to/from DCA; Listener Q on stability & profits post-Covid,
This week: David Siegel, Senior Advisor, Apollo Global Management; Another SWA tech issue delays 2000 flights; Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun dealing with delivery issues; EUROCONTROL gets hacked; TSA gun confiscations at checkpoints increases; Listener input: Context to LAX $30/hr wage comments, Winning as an airport's #2 airline; Pilot seniority system; Spirit started as a trucking company?
This week: Randy Babbitt, Principal, Babbitt & Associates, Fmr FAA Administrator; Delta reports Q1 loss; Ed Bastian says consumers still prioritizing travel; Is a $30/hr minimum wage coming to LAX? Reflections on earnings season; Listener questions: What does Cross-Check actually mean? Did JetBlue miss a big Frontier opportunity?
This week: David P. Pekoske, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Update on schedule cuts at NY & DC; Serious FAA staffing issues; Dutch court blocks Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from reducing flights; ATL ranked busiest in the world; Future Air Taxi framework; Listener input: DOJ/JetBlue/Spirit/Frontier, basis for pilot pay, future flight restrictions in the name of climate change. .
This week: Alex Wilcox. CEO, JSX; Correction on AA fare distribution channels; FAA requests fewer flights in NY & DC; Mandatory car seats on planes; Subsidies for airports in smaller communities? Listener input: Need more guest diversity, how to deal with abusive passengers, response to Mo Garfinkle interview.
This week: Philip Ordway, Managing Principal, Anabatic Investment Partners LLC; Skytrax gives LGA 5 stars: We salute NY/NJ Port Authority's Rick Cotton and the late Bill DeCota; AA Shrinks Corporate sales department/restricts lowest fair purchase options; Listener input on DOJ actions, pilot recruitment & diversity pathways;
This week: Mo Garfinkle, Chairman, CEO, & Founder, Tailwind Consultants; A different opinion on JetBlue/Spirit; United projects Q1 loss; What might 2023 year look like & is 2019 a fair comparison? Southwest announces post-meltdown followup plans; Schiphol adopts NATS technology; Flair Air sues over 4 repo'd planes; Listener Q: Why the Repo?
This week: John McDonald, Founder, Caeli Communications; DOJ suit to block JetBlue/Spirit merger & Scott McCartney provides context and price comparison details; JetBlue plans NYC-Paris service; Listener Q: Do some personality types fit better at a particular airline? Do certain beverages taste better at 30,000 feet?
This week: Atif Elkadi, CEO, Ontario International Airport; Forbes article follow-up: Ben's "Airline Monopoly" analogy explored in detail; How Delta Pilots 34% wage hike will affect others; American updates family seating policy; Explosive material in bag discover by TSA;
This week: Josh Marks, CEO, Anuvu; AA Chairman Doug Parker steps down; United and Frontier change family seating procedures; Max crash victims case vs Boeing dismissed; Private industry sustainable fuel initiative-how impactful?; Significant summer schedule cuts from AA and Lufthansa; Listener input: PRIA data transparency
This week: Geoff Hunt, Sr. VP Engineering & Technology, Pratt & Whitney: Another close call: United departing Maui; Air India orders 470 new planes; JetBlue says Spirit deal will result in big South Fla expansion; Scott's take on the deal; Listener feedback: 1500 hour rule discussion/pilot training.
This week: Mike Swiatek, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer at Avianca and Chairman, Accessibility Working Group at IATA; Focus on Safety & Accessibility; United's Super Bowl ad swipes at Southwest; Biden SOTU attack on industry seating practices & Issues with A4A response statement; Listener follow-up on Colgan Crash comments.
