
The Air Show
Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder discuss the business of the sky on this aviation podcast.
Latest episodes

Apr 18, 2025 • 30min
Some China news, United's earnings, and your questions
Jon Ostrower and Brian Sumers talk about United's earnings call, and the challenges surfacing for Boeing now with delivering aircraft to Chinese airlines. Plus: Brian and Jon answer your questions about ultra-long-haul flying, OEM's commitment to sustainability, and where Avelo Airlines is "cooked."We would like to thank Intelsat for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Apr 10, 2025 • 27min
Uncertainty reigns and this industry feels the pain
With economic uncertainty casting a shadow over the U.S. economy, Brian Sumers, Brett Snyder, and Jon Ostrower dive into the impact this will have on both the aircraft manufacturers and the airlines themselves. (Spoiler alert: it's not good news.)We would like to thank Intelsat for supporting The Air Show.

Apr 3, 2025 • 28min
The homework years
Jon Ostrower brings the latest news from Airbus’s recent summit in Toulouse: planned innovations in aircraft, efficiency and sustainability, despite an increasingly fragmented global economic and political world. Ostrower tells Brett Snyder the next decade will be “the homework years” — when a lot of work gets done and technology developed to inform a more productive future. And in the U.S., as Boeing continues its push to reshape its culture and industrial operation, there are early signs of progress.We would like to thank Rokt and Intelsat for supporting The Air Show.

Mar 27, 2025 • 28min
What's certain is uncertainty
Amid economic and political uncertainty in North America, everyone is trying to read the tea leaves, memes and booking data to figure out what's going on, and that includes the leadership of Canadian and Mexican airlines. Brett Snyder and Brian Sumers talk about what executives are saying and doing about transborder flying in North America, going into the summer season and looking ahead to the '25-26 sun season.We would like to thank Rokt and TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Mar 21, 2025 • 29min
The next leader of the FAA + Spirit's growing debt
This week, Brett Snyder, Jon Ostrower and Brian Sumers discuss President Trump's pick for FAA administrator: Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways. They also discuss Spirit Airlines' turnaround plan as it emerges from four months of bankruptcy protection, and what it did (and did not) accomplish during that period.We would like to thank TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Mar 13, 2025 • 33min
Demand is softening
Amid uncertainty in the U.S. economy and political climate, airlines say they're seeing softness in domestic demand. How bad is it? Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder followed the J.P. Morgan Industrials conference this week and they discuss whether airlines are taking this seriously enough or whether they are in denial, and whether Southwest has any real strategy, or whether it's just coasting on its reputation.We would like to thank TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Mar 7, 2025 • 27min
It's sexy to be nominated at the CNAs
Brett Snyder's annual Cranky Network Awards is the event of the year and the place to be for the airline industry professionals that some people (possibly his co-hosts on this podcast) think are the nerdiest of the aviation nerds: network planners. In all seriousness (well, not all...), Brian Sumers, Jon Ostrower and Brett talk about the winners, what makes routes sexy or not, and the behind-the-scenes (and grooming routines) of this year's prestigious bash.We would like to thank TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Feb 26, 2025 • 34min
Change is hard
Southwest Airlines is in a major transition — layoffs, an activist investor, and a changing product. Of course, it's an especially major transition for this airline because of its conservative culture, strategy, and history. Brett Snyder, Brian Sumers and Jon Ostrower debate the impact of Elliott Management's involvement, former CEO Gary Kelly's legacy, and the potential for new leadership to drive change.We would like to thank TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

Feb 20, 2025 • 23min
United Makes a Move to Dominate Chicago
United thinks it has found a way to once and for all make the airline Chicago's dominant player, but American is still standing in the way. Jon and Brett talk about exactly what United has found, and then discuss what American's options are. It's going to be a roller coaster of a decade at O'Hare.We would like to thank TCG Digital for supporting The Air Show.Visit www.theairshowpodcast.com to get in touch with us.

17 snips
Feb 13, 2025 • 33min
Now Boom moves on to the hard part
The podcast dives into Boom's ambitious quest for supersonic flight, celebrating recent test flight successes while grappling with skepticism about market demand. It discusses the financial hurdles of developing a new airliner and the crucial need for a proprietary engine. The conversation also critiques the marketing strategies of major airlines and debates the lessons learned from the Concorde experience. Listeners will find insights on the operational challenges and the role of team culture in shaping the future of supersonic aviation.
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