Airlines Confidential Podcast

Chris Sloan, an expert on aviation and the creator of The Airchive, discusses the potential acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Airlines and the impact of the GLP1 weight loss drug revolution on travel. The podcast also covers cockpit recorder upgrades, the origins and growth of AirCive, aircraft trivia and firsts, the shortage of air traffic controllers in Europe and the US, and the role of CIOs and CTOs in the aviation industry.

This week: Thanksgiving travel recap; Can't Make This Up covers "dog food" in China Eastern Business Class & Striking an anti-strike law; New Saudi passenger rights; Problems with the author's ideas in the book: Why Flying is Miserable & How to Fix It; Was there ever a Golden Age of travel? Listener Q: Is the SWA model broken?

This week: Rick Cotton, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; AMS slots update; Focus on the safety report & FAA training; Passenger ordered to pay for flight disruption/diversion; Listener Q: Do airlines shop around for better fuel prices?

This week: Ben & Scott go in depth on next generation airplanes; United loyalty program revisions; Some business travel numbers; SUX and other interesting identifiers; Listener input on premium seat value.

This week: Ginger Hardage, Fmr SVP of Culture & Communications at Southwest Airlines/Founder of Unstoppable Cultures; Is ATC ready for the holiday season? JetBlue loses $153MM, is frozen out of AMS, and Spirit merger trial gets underway; SWA potential expansion in Dallas; Listener input: Sun Country, Scott Kirby & ULCC statements.

This week: Jeff Tolkin, Co-CEO, World Travel Holdings, Michael Whitaker confirmed as FAA Administrator, Spirit blames discounted fares for Q3 loss; Southwest makes significant schedule changes; The Alaska off-duty pilot incident; Qatar Airways' "Chief" resigns; Listener Q's: Industry employment potential & Ben's reaction to Chris Sloan's Air Inuit report, and a term paper help request.

This week: Chris Sloan takes us aboard Air Inuit; Also: Increasing industry financial pressure; Airlines stocks taking a beating; Ed Bastian's SkyMiles modifications; Listener Q re: DOT Air Travel Consumer Report & regional carrier on time performance.

This week: Mark Nasr, EVP of Marketing/Digital, Air Canada & President of Aeroplan; Air service in Tel Aviv; Middle East ramifications for travel; Delta's increased profits; Beond Air launches; Support for scheduled charter carriers; Boeing deliveries off pace;  Listener Q re: Price gouging, Newark Terminal A; Aviation Manhattan Project committee.

John Heimlich, VP/Chief Economist at Airlines for America, discusses recent developments in the industry like hydrogen fuel, supersonic flights, and Boeing's selection of Pratt & Whitney's engine. They explore airline decision-making, fleet upgrades, and marketing advantages. John Heimlich also provides an assessment of airline finances, debt situation, and analyzes United Airlines' recent aircraft order.

This week: Steve Dickson, Fmr. Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration; Delta CEO Ed Bastian says SkyMiles changes went too far; Spirit & Frontier announce larger than expected Q3 losses; Future of low cost carrier business model? John Redmond resigns as Allegiant CEO & Founder Maury Gallagher returns in position; Alaska & JetBlue offer Delta status matches; Scott quotes Taylor Swift lyrics; Listener Q: Is SWA 50% off sale a sign of trouble?