

Airlines Confidential Podcast
Scott McCartney
Hosted by Scott McCartney, Fmr. Travel Editor/"Middle Seat" Columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Top Stories, C-Suite Guests, Listener Q's. The Leading Podcast Reaching Travel Industry Insiders, Frequent Flyers, & Aviation Geeks. Created by & Dedicated to Ben Baldanza.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 8, 2022 • 48min
139 - Peter Robison, Author, Flying Blind
This week: Peter Robison, Author, Flying Blind: The 737 MAX Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing; Delta floats big positive news but is lower capacity/higher fares an issue? KLM: Don't bring luggage through Amsterdam; FAA tightens oversight on Boeing; Listener suggestion on FAA pilot medical standards; plus shout-outs.

Jun 1, 2022 • 47min
138 - Jonathan Sutter, Sr. Dir., J.D. Power Travel Practice
This week: Jonathan Sutter, Senior. Director, J.D. Power Travel Industry Practice; Aligning summer capacity with staffing; ALPA strike authorization at Alaska; Update: A4A Rest Rules Case; Listener Q: Are turboprops set for a resurgence? ALPA says no pilot shortage? Shout-out to those who serve.

May 25, 2022 • 55min
137 - Sean Donohue, CEO, DFW International Airport
This week: Sean Donohue, CEO, DFW International Airport; AerCap predicts a shortage of Aircraft; Congressional UFO hearings; AA v. Sabre: Jury awards $1 to AA, not $300MM; Listener Q's on discontinued routes and subsidized service; Shout-outs.

May 18, 2022 • 55min
136 - Daryl Taylor, VP/GM, FAL USA at Airbus America
This week: Daryl Taylor, VP/GM, Airbus, America - Recorded LIVE on location from the Airbus assembly line, Mobile AL for a major announcement; Also, is Delta leading the industry with expanded FA pay? Listener Qs: Does Southwest have a halo around its brand? Shoutouts to ATC at PBI, and to Braniff.

May 11, 2022 • 54min
135 - Jay Sorensen, President, IdeaWorksCompany
This week: Jay Sorensen, President, IdeaWorksCompany LLC; The passing of Fmr Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta; Boeing moving HQ to DC - Why?; The need for 13,000 pilots each year; Listener Q's involving pilot scope clauses, outsourcing, the 1500 hour rule; Shout-out to Delta Club employees.

May 4, 2022 • 55min
134 - Chris Sloan Reports on Flying in Alaska
This week: Chris Sloan reports on the unique experience of flying in Alaska and quizzes Ben & Chris on Ultra Av Geek trivia; Southwest bullish on business travel; Avianca merges with Viva; Chaos at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport; Frontier's high ancillary revenue; Listener Q: Financial risk to buy a ticket on AA? Complaint involving Spirit & Carnival-Fine or Whine? Shout out to Tuskegee Airman Sgt. Victor Butler for his 100th Birthday.

Apr 27, 2022 • 56min
133 - Gautam Thakkar, CEO, Unifi
This week: Gautam Thakkar, CEO, Unifi; Plus: Q1 earnings; Mask mandate dropped; Union organizing actions at start-ups Avelo and Breeze; Listener reactions to last week's guest comments; Tips on applying for an airline position; A non-airline Fine or Whine; Shout-outs

Apr 20, 2022 • 49min
132 - Kathryn Creedy, Future Aviation/Aerospace Workforce News
This week: Kathryn Creedy, Editor In Chief at Future Aviation/Aerospace Workforce News; Plus: Airfares are up; 3 profitability indicators; Quarterly earning call previews; European summer demand; Listener feedback on international air rights, ULCC sector in Canada, & Ed Bastian's statement that federal dollars were not a bailout.

Apr 13, 2022 • 52min
131 - Bart Biggers & Kevin Lewis, Partners, Sidley Austin LLP
This week: Bart Biggers & Kevin Lewis, Partners, Sidley Austin LLP; Plus: Planes are starting to fill up; A JetBlue offer for Spirit; Start-Up Canada Jetlines focuses on Toronto; A DHL 757-200 breaks in half on emergency landing; Listener Q's on international air service rights & DCA signage; Shout-outs.

Apr 6, 2022 • 1h 3min
130 - John Heimlich VP/Chief Economist, Airlines For America
This week: John Heimlich VP/Chief Economist, Airlines For America. Plus: Change at the top of UPS & the legacy of FedEx's founder; Pilot picket lines popping up; The new labor shortage & who has leverage in the upcoming restructuring; Another IT meltdown at British Airways; Listener Q: A fundamental change in loyalty programs?