Drew couldn't escape thunderstorms and diversions this week and Doug becomes a KC46 trainer. Doug and family brave the summer load factors and nonrev to Denver. We discuss: Basic Business? Delta may unbundle Business, eliminating perks like lounge access United sunsetting their inflight magazine, Hemispheres Starliner astronauts stuck on the ICC wait for a flight home Cathay Pacific investing in its product and ordering A330-300neos Delta vs Crowdstrike…who's to blame for Delta’s exten...
Aug 12, 2024•48 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Amsterdam and Drew has a new flight instructor and, phew, he’s great. A listener said that we were ahead of the curve with our discussion about supertugs and then about mentioning “rawdogging” before it became an avgeek household word. Well, we did it again because the new Pan Am is considering branded airline lounges which we suggested last week, AND, the new Boeing CEO will be based in Seattle to focus on making better planes, which we suggested months ago. We also discuss: B...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 245•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from New Zealand and Australia and Doug is just off a triangle route, going from San Francisco to Tokyo to New York and back. We recap our trips and discuss: Paris Olympics causes Delta and Air France financial losses. Crowdstrike strikes the airlines. Farnborough airshow orders. Southwest Airlines low flying planes, seat assignments, and premium seating. Doug going to Amsterdam next week and Drew’s back to Cessna 172 school. Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Jul 29, 2024•54 min•Ep 244•Transcript available on Metacast Drew made it to New Zealand but it wasn’t without some drama. Doug gives the 767 simulator a workout with some dangerours scenarios. We also discuss: Carriers increase service to New Zealand from the US. FAA grants Boeing a TIA (type inspection authorization) for the 777-9, giving it the green light for certification. We compare the 777-9 to its predecessor, the 777-300ER. Pan Am rising again? We talk about a new company trying to reimagine the legendary carrier. Join the discussion! Check out o...
Jul 22, 2024•46 min•Ep 243•Transcript available on Metacast Joe, Drew's flight instructor, joins us to talk about teaching people to fly. His last lesson as a CFI happened to be Drew's solo flight! We discuss: Drew's still on cloud 9 after soloing What got Joe into aviation Boeing pleads guilty of fraud Lufthansa purchases 41% of ITA TSA breaks a passenger screening record of over 3 million Joe gives advice to prospective pilots Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Jul 15, 2024•59 min•Ep 242•Transcript available on Metacast Special guest, Ryan, joins us to talk about becoming a private pilot and supervising the Move Team. Doug is back from a domestic 777 circuit including SFO, IAH, DEN, and OGG (Maui). He talks about landing a huge plane on a tiny runway. We also discuss: CRJ200 hate speech is exposed Boeing brings Spirit Aerosystems, that makes 737 fuselages, back in-house Are Air Force uniforms as uncomfortable as they look Drew is planning to solo for the 1st time. Will he be cockpit blocked again? Join the conv...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 241•Transcript available on Metacast Rawdogging is the challenge of taking a long flight with no IFE, books, music, or sleep. Rawdoggers sit there staring at the cabin, out the window, and at the airshow map - basically what avgeeks do everyday. We’re calling cultural appropriation! 🤣 We discuss this and: Drew’s prepping for his private pilot solo. Doug flies the triangle: SFO-EWR-HND-SFO. Aer Lingus pilot strike complicates Swifties' concert plans. IATA declares that the industry has recovered from COVID. Record TSA screenin...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr•Ep 240•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from 777 simulator training at Denver and Drew is getting ready to solo a (real) Cessna 172. Doug is also choosing patio furniture and guess what… we’ve got an aviation patio furniture story! We discuss: Short runway, big planes at Maui. When did rocking chairs make their way into airports? Boom Supersonic completes its Overture factory in Greensboro. Archer Aviation partners with Signature Aviation to bring electric air taxi service to United hubs. American Airlines flight attendan...
Jun 24, 2024•52 min•Ep 239•Transcript available on Metacast Virgin Atlantic celebrates 40 years of service this month. We reminisce about the groundbeaking airline's growth and how it's looking to rejuvenate with new management. In other news, Doug is summering in Breckenridge and, for balance, Drew's operations center is flooded. Spoiler…it was a crappy situation. Also on this episode: Alaska loses to the Virgin Group in a $160 million trademark case. FAA reports unruly passenger incidents remain high. Lufthansa and IAG being asked for mo...
Jun 17, 2024•52 min•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from steamy hot and bustling Manila, and Drew’s still getting cockpit-blocked on his Cessna 172 training flights. This time Drew's training was canceled when a Yak 52 gear collapse caused the single runway airport to close. On this episode we discuss: We got featured in the New York Times! IATA predicts bigger airline profits in 2024 than 2023 NASA and Boeing’s CST - 100 Starliner “Calypso” docks with the ICC. SpaceX launched and successfully landed, Starship, a reusable satell...
Jun 10, 2024•54 min•Ep 237•Transcript available on Metacast Doug thought he was flying a 777 to Frankfurt but ended up in Barcelona (sorry, Barthelona) while Drew was playing avgeek tour guide again in DC. We discuss: We broke a US air travel record on Friday . American changing course after weaker business travel numbers. El Al making profits despite the war in Gaza. Gol and Azul talk merger. Brazil's Varig 2.0? Travel boom or bust coming….it’s complicated. Drew is finally planning a vacation with his partner after their last trip in 2017. Doug is ...
Jun 03, 2024•56 min•Ep 236•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from another Osaka trip and Drew is off for Memorial Day weekend…possibly the busiest in history. We discuss: (Airline) Summer has started with the TSA expecting almost 3 million passengers on Friday, a new record Airfares are down and passengers are finding deals Bark Air launched on Thursday and is providing “white paw" service to our furry friends Archer Midnight receives FAA airworthiness criteria on the path to certification Frontier and Spirit reduce fees We analyze what ...
May 27, 2024•50 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Drew got some good Cessna 172 training in with his first landing at an airport which wasn’t the one he took off from. Martin State Airport to Easton, MD was the route which was short but only 15 miles shy of a “cross country” training flight. Doug is home this week and has been dance dad (vs. soccer mom) . We discuss: Do customers like preordering meals? Customers and airlines love the Embraer E jets. We discuss why. The Embraer E190 and E195 gain ETOPs 120 certification which may open up transa...
May 20, 2024•53 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Paris after a triangle routing of SFO-EWR-CDG-SFO. He basically has no idea which time zone his body clock is in! He talks about the Olympic buzz already being felt around the city. We discuss: Paris airports prepare for the Summer Olympics. Dutch startup Elysian working on what could be the first electric airliner, the E9X Shots fired across the bay as SFO is not happy about OAK changing its name to San Francisco Bay Oakland Airport. ADS-B is used by aircraft, ATC, Flightradar...
May 13, 2024•57 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from an airport ops summer planning session in Chicago and Doug visited Amsterdam (not just the airport) for the first time. Drew also had a visit from, Aaron, our favorite podcast critic. We discuss: Boeing 767 slide falls near house of lawyer suing Boeing for a plug door falling out. Turkish orders up to 235 planes from Airbus and Boeing. Air China orders 100 COMAC C919s. Is Embraer working on a 737/A320 beater? We discuss the bipartisan FAA funding bill. Doug talks about flying o...
May 06, 2024•53 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Raleigh Durham after flight simulator training on the KC46 and Drew is getting better at landings on a Cessna 172. We discuss: Lara from Non Rev Lounge Podcast visits DC. Will Gen Z, the Toolbelt Generation, fill aviation's need for skilled technicians? Southwest cuts service and expects to lose 2,000 employees this year. American has a loss in the 1st quarter but sees record revenue and a strong 2nd quarter ahead. IndiGo orders up to 100 A350s. New DOT rules for refunds a...
Apr 29, 2024•58 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast Would you pay 30,000 miles for a flight to a mystery destination? We would, and so did several lucky passengers who got to fly on SAS to Athens. We discuss this and: Delta and United report 1st quarter performance. Southwest and United reduce schedule due to Boeing 737 delivery delays. Floods in Dubai shut down the airport. You're never too old for a new chapter….in aviation! Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/podcast/episode-231- https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Apr 22, 2024•52 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast Science journalist, Jeff Wise, joins us to share his views on how Boeing lost its way after it acquired McDonnell Douglas. We also look back at one of aviation's biggest unsolved mysteries - the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370 just over 10 years ago. Check out Jeff’s recent article on Boeing and his intriguing podcast uncovering the latest clues to what happened to MH370: Boeing Nosedive Deep Dive MH370 Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from Hong Kong and Doug is about to do domestic legs from Chicago, to Denver, and then to Maui. How does he pack for this? We discuss: US adds 303,000 jobs, more than forecast, promising a strong summer travel season. Doug and Drew love to name lounges according to their themes. Is the “Captain Cook “ lounge at SFO related to Pan Am’s Clipper Club lounges? Alaska Airlines reveals how much Boeing paid them in damages for the 737-9 grounding. SAS’ bankruptcy filing has been approved b...
Apr 08, 2024•53 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from a nonrev family adventure to Santiago, Chile while Drew was busy getting snowbirds to the Caribbean. We discuss: Jetblue/Hawaiian/Alaska merge into Blue Pacific? Boom Overture tester, the XB-1, takes flight! Leadership shakeup at Boeing Spring Break volumes and airspace bottlenecks Do crews on turns to Canada and Mexico need to clear customs? We finish with Drew taping from Seattle and planning to fly to Hong Kong via SFO. Join the conversation https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Apr 01, 2024•50 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast Doug had 3 trips since the last episode - DC to SFO, SFO to Osaka, and an out and back KC46 flight at Travis AFB in California. Drew had a quiet week with a flight lesson and a smooth week managing the a hub operation. We talk about what may be the biggest airplane ever, the WindRunner by start-up Radia, which will transport wind turbines. We also discuss: United expects its busiest Spring Break ever. JAL and Korean Air order A350s. NASA;s Artemis II plans to take astronauts around the moon next...
Mar 25, 2024•57 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast Doug and Drew meet up in DC with a crew of avgeeks that give us a lot of material. Two of them, Drew's coworkers Andy and Patrick, have been on the show. Doug definitely got an earful. We also discuss: Southwest slashes capacity due to Boeing 737 Max delivery delays. Cathay Pacific is back in the black with huge profits. Delta CEO says they're seeing record demand over the next few months. We do an update on Boeing’s issues. Latam incident between Sydney and Auckland. Join the conversa...
Mar 18, 2024•46 min•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Paris while Drew couldn't get off the ground in Baltimore. It’s Doug’s turn to talk about how his pilot work day starts. We also discuss: Jetblue/ Spirit merger drama ends. A United 777 departing SFO loses a wheel and diverts to LAX. American orders 737 Max 10s AND A321s. Why is pilot hiring slowing. It's not necessarily the economy. Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Mar 11, 2024•59 min•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast Drew talks about how he begins his work day and how an airline hub operations begins. Doug is back from Beijing, where the 737 Max is flying again, and where eating shrimp isn’t as easy as it sounds - he explains. We discuss: Solar Eclipse travel and Delta’s flight along the path of “totality” . Chinese airlines can add another 50 flights to the US, further thawing relations. American is about to place an order for 100 narrowbody planes and it looks like Airbus is the victor. The FAA’s Mike Whit...
Mar 04, 2024•59 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Hong Kong and we discuss the city's ups and downs as an aviation hub. We talk about how US airports are seeing billions of dollars of investment which are resulting in magnificent new facilities. Also on this episode: Winds over the North Atlantic propel airliners over 800mph. United plans to reinstate Tel Aviv service. Airport investments. Aircraft type ratings. Join the discussion! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Feb 26, 2024•45 min•Ep 222•Transcript available on Metacast Drew recaps his round-the-world (kind of) trip and Doug is back from 777 landings training in Denver. We discuss: Finnair pivots after Asia flights are complicated by Russia airspace issues Finnair asks customers to weigh in Russia buys previously leased planes Thai Airways buys 45 787s Engines engines engines Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/
Feb 19, 2024•51 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is in Hong Kong, with return guest Ian, while Doug is in North Carolina for KC46 training. Ian and Drew are fresh off flights from LAX where they met up with avgeek friends. We discuss: Lara of Nonrev Lounge has her birthday at LAX…of course Getting from LAX to HKG via MUC and ZRH? It’s complicated 4 engines for long haul. We discuss the A340 737 Max update Lufthansa ground workers strike Maybe they’re Vince Peterson stairs, not DB Cooper? What’s KLM Asia? Join the conversation! https://www...
Feb 12, 2024•52 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back in the air and working on perfecting landings in a Cessna Skyhawk. Doug is home from work and spending way too mcuh time figuring out if Taylor Swift will make it from her concert in Tokyo. We discuss: Doug gives Drew tips on how to grease a landing Jetblue and Spirit appeal the decision denying their merger Should Boeing “sunset” the 737? Contributor Steve laments the current state of travel attire and we agree Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Feb 05, 2024•57 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back in the sky working on a private pilot’s license while Doug is in Houston on the “V" part of his “W" assignment of SFO-LHR-IAH-LHR-SFO. We discuss: Sending a 767 to San Diego with rampers to work it Late Senator Dianne Feinstein gets an SFO terminal and the Ontario Airport named after her American, Southwest, and United reported earnings Jetblue may be changing it's mind about merging with Spirit El Niño pushes flights across the Pacific at record speeds The 737 Max 9 ...
Jan 29, 2024•52 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast Drew had 2 deice events this week as El Niño brings in the promised precipitation. Doug is back from sunny Taipei after riding some bad turbulence on the way home. We discuss: Air Florida 90 and deicing hold over times Boeing 737 Max 9 grounding update Everyone’s jumping on the India band wagon (Mumbai rush hour train) with more flights Spirit/Jetblue merger failure. What now? Boeing and Airbus order books are packed! Joint the Av-rants! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Jan 22, 2024•54 min•Ep 217•Transcript available on Metacast 
