
Airlines Confidential Podcast
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.
Latest episodes

Jun 24, 2020 • 39min
036 - Cruise-Airline Co-Dependancy
This week: How do the cruise lines affect the airlines? Will an MBA get you a job in airline management? Complaint: The worst seat on the plane "Fine or Whine?"; No Mask or MEGA hat got him banned from AA?

Jun 17, 2020 • 50min
035 - Same Issues. Different Tactics.
This week: Why seemingly similar airlines are taking different business approaches; A look at July airline schedules; A listener question about saving fuel while taxiing; and passenger behaving badly...involving alcohol.

Jun 10, 2020 • 36min
034 - A Noteworthy CEO Experience
This week: What year will the airline industry recover?; Ben's 2-airport adventure; AA CEO's noteworthy experience on a Southwest flight; The status of regional airlines; and this week's customer complaint: "Fine or Whine?"

Jun 3, 2020 • 34min
033 - Employee Buyouts & Layoffs
This week: Airline employee buyout and layoff options; Frontier, Southwest announce new routes; Passengers Behaving Badly; and "Fine or Whine?"

May 27, 2020 • 41min
032 - Top 3 Execs of All Time
This week: The biggest airline bankruptcy yet; Who are the 3 best airline execs of all time?; Passengers Behaving Badly with women's underwear; and is the complaint fine? or is it a whine?

May 20, 2020 • 33min
031 - Just the Facts, Folks
This week: Exclusive Stats! Scheduled vs Actual Operating flights data; One Airline says it's laying off older workers to "keep the workforce young"; A listener complaint in "Fine or Whine" on a Southwest boarding incident.

May 13, 2020 • 44min
030 - Avianca, United, Startups
This week: Avianca goes Ch 11; Is United getting leaner or just meaner?; Is this a good time to start a new airline? and in "Fine or Whine" was it really going to get choppy or did the crew just want a break?

May 6, 2020 • 52min
029 - The Mask Mandate Begins
This week: Flying? You'll now be wearing a mask; Big cuts come to United and others; Passengers Behaving Badly-on Spirit-and this time things got bloody.

Apr 28, 2020 • 46min
028 - How to Treat the Elites
This Week: How airlines are handling elite status and refunds; A crackdown on using "hidden cities"; in Fine or Whine: A Qantas complaint; and Seth sings again (at the end)

Apr 22, 2020 • 42min
027 - Government Bailouts
This week: Virgin Australia enters Voluntary Administration (essentially Chapter 11); How can governments get bailouts right? Are middle seats gone forever? and this week's "Fine or Whine" complaint: Why is Southwest keeping my money?