Dots, Lines & Destinations » Podcast

Cutting money-losing programs makes sense in many cases; airlines around the world have trimmed first class cabins from their fleet, for example, to control those costs. Selling off a profitable segment of the business is a little less normal, especially when it might just be the last bit that is consistently making money. Topics in this week's show include: * Initial thoughts on the Aeroflot SSJ crash on Sunday that resulted in 40+ deaths.* Aer Lingus adding the AerSpace EuroBiz product that isn't quite business class or even really eurobiz, but it is better than economy in a few ways.* Bombardier selling off its aerostructures division, the last profitable part of its commercial aviation division.* Etihad taking over Jet Airways slots in London, squatting on them until it can find someone to buy or lease the valuable assets* Delta launching Mumbai service from JFK* Korean Air slashing its first class cabin from many routes* A Delta Air Lines SkyMiles redemption experience that was truly dumbfounding* More thoughts on the Heathrow expansion plans Enjoy the show!

United Airlines launched a revised livery for interesting reasons. Does Stephan really hate it or just not care? And do the explanations around why it launched make any sense? Also in this week's show: * United plans to fly to Cape Town. Who wants in on that fun line, and will South African Airways care? * The Embraer E195-E2 is now certified and should enter service in the second half of the year. * Mitsubishi is stepping up test flights on its MRJ product line and we're not really sure why. * Allegiant wants to fly to Mexico. Can it bring the leisure-focused package tourism product it is so well known for south of the border? * SAS is dealing with a huge strike from crew, causing many flights to be cancelled. Including a few that Fozz was booked on this past weekend. But he booked them through United, creating extra challenges in fixing the mess. * Hong Kong Airlines is dealing with financial issues but also more than a little drama. Among the problems, no one seems to be sure what the ownership structure is or where the money is coming from; law suits are part of the fallout. Danny Lee is doing a great job of tracking the soap opera for the SCMP and is worth a follow on Twitter to keep up. * Speaking of airlines with unfortunate financial circumstances, Korea seems to be a pretty challenging place to do business these days. Asiana is up for sale and Korean Air isn't in a particularly great situation either. Enjoy the show!

JetBlue finally confirmed the worst-kept secret in commercial aviation: The company will convert some of its aircraft to the A321LR and launch service to Europe, with London the first stop. That service will also feature a new seat for the Mint business class cabin. Lots of additional details on the service remain to be seen. Also in this episode: * Is the 737 MAX production slowdown tied to an engine shortage? * Why is a HiFly A380 headed to Senegal? * A new world's largest plane took flight over the weekend. But why?? * Can Midwest Express make a comeback? With or without cookies?? * Jet Airways continues to slide into oblivion, though it isn't quite dead yet. * Avianca Brasil is similarly collapsing but fewer people seem to care. * Norwegian deferred some of its A320neo orders. * An American Airlines A321 had a VERY scary departure from JFK.

As award charts disappear is loyalty following them out the door? United Airlines will drop its award charts later this year for flights operated by the carrier and there's a whole lot of discussion about what's good and bad there. Including an interesting take on the "Excursionist Perk." Also in this episode: * Boeing cut its 737 MAX production rate as the investigation into recent crashes continues. Work on fixing the software mistakes is ongoing as well. * Virgin Atlantic unveiled its new A350 cabin and Fozz thinks Delta might've had something to say about its design.* A listener asked us about travel insurance. We had very bad answers. Don't be like us. Also, we're going to work on getting better answers soon.* An Austrian Airlines plane was robbed on the runway at Tirana International Airport on Tuesday afternoon in a scene reminiscent of the Brussels Heist of 2013 and, to a lesser extent, the Lufthansa Heist of 1978.  Enjoy the show!

We're back in Hamburg for the 2019 edition of Aircraft Interiors Expo, talking about the new and fun developments in the industry and what passengers can look forward to flying with in the coming years. Seth was joined by frequent guest Jason to talk through the fun stuff from the show. Among the cool bits: * A 28" pitched seat that wasn't particularly horrid* A return of the lower berth modules* Elements: A successor to the phenomenally popular Super Diamond seat from Collins Aerospace* RAVE Ultra, now with bluetooth for everyone* New antennae that should improve the on board wifi experience…eventually* Lots of fun with new moving maps options* USB charging in the ceiling* Funky lighting with LEDs

A pair of airlines under massive financial pressures faced different investment outcomes this week. Still, the long term prospects for WOW Air and Jet Airways both remain unclear. Also in this episode: * Will the Amsterdam – Brussels route see flights banned? And could integrated rail service help address connecting issues?? Maybe even a hyperloop play involved.* Jet Airways finally had its founder step aside, helping pave the way for a fresh round of capital to be invested. But with so many planes grounded – including the international fleet – the outlook is bleak.* WOW Air's future is even more tenuous. Multiple investors have walked away and odds of finding the additional $41mm needed to keep flying seem low.* Kansas City is getting a much needed new airport terminal, with the groundbreaking held this week. Yes, it is expensive. Seth makes the argument that it is a smart investment. * Does the grounding of the 737 MAX spell the beginning of a decline for the commercial aviation world? A recent piece in The Air Current argues yes. We're less convinced.* Oh, and a British Airways flight went to the wrong airport.

Is it the why or the how that's more impressive here? Putting together a 53-day itinerary to cover more than 40 pro sports events across North America is not easy. But Rich O'Malley pulled it off as part of the push to make One Lucky Fan happen. And he's on our show this week talking about that travel experience and how things changed in the past 25ish years as he sought out a home game at every pro stadium in the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB. The book comes out on June 4, 2019 and is available now for pre-order. It is a fun read, mixing the crazy of trying to match up schedules across multiple sports with the mundane of laundry on the road. And plenty of insight into the cities and sports vibe that are engrained in the fabric of America.

Lots of 737 shop talk in this episode, recorded on Sunday evening after the ET302 crash outside Addis Ababa. Our condolences to all those affected by the tragedy. Plus, we're joined by Jerry who heard us ask if any listeners want to join for a chat and he signed up. You can, too! Also in this episode: * AirBnB bought HotelTonight and Seth thinks that might be a good thing (though the $400mm price tag is stupid high)* A first officer for South African Airways forged his license more than 20 years ago and flew for the carrier anyways* American is switching up some benefits on its Barclays Aviator card* A brand new Vietnam Airlines A321neo had an engine failure on the delivery flight from Toulouse* United is getting an updated livery and branding with more colors* Lots of other rumors, anecdotes and digressions, as always

New airport terminals are relatively rare. Terminals that are truly new, not just upgrades of existing facilities are even harder to find. And a new terminal that instantly bring 24 daily flights to an area that previously had zero are like unicorns. This week we found that unicorn. https://twitter.com/WandrMe/status/1102633449741926401 Paine Field is not a new airport but the commercial passenger terminal opened this week and it is all sorts of swanky. This week's episode is focused entirely on the new terminal and service, and also features a somewhat different format than usual. We joined up with Ed from Pizza In Motion and the Miles To Go Podcast to record a joint episode because we were on the trip together and both really wanted the content.  And there really wasn't any value in doing the same thing twice. https://twitter.com/pizzainmotion/status/1102723448630116352

Remember that Norwegian 737 that diverted to Shiraz, Iran a couple months ago with an engine issue? She's finally back after the embargo restrictions were relaxed enough to get a replacement installed. Also in this episode: * Expedia and United are fighting over fare display and fees and who really wins other than the lawyers??* OTA Kiwi will help passengers out when booking throw away tickets. Maybe. In some form or another. Oh, and it might not tell them that's what they're booking. * Haneda opened up a dozen new slots for US carriers. The airlines wanted 19. Who and where and what are going on there?* Southwest Airlines is seeing an unusually high number of flights delayed or canceled due to maintenance issues. Management is, unsurprisingly, not happy about the situation. Is it a work action or a real problem??* American Airlines added some luxury options for passengers in the terminals, upping its Five Star service to include a Flagship Dining option. Real luxury or just a way to grab better ancillary revenue than selling checked bags?? And, as always, plenty more inside. Enjoy the show!

What's in store this week?? Perhaps it is a surprise for everyone. Owing to some excitement in the recording and editing process we're all about to find out together! Among the topics we think are included: * British Airways is celebrating a big birthday* An Air New Zealand plane was not allowed to land in China* SFO has a new viewing deck* Cathay Pacific continues to face pilot union challenges* Air Canada also oversells flights and someone just discovered that this may be a thing and is EXCITED!* The A380 is officially dead after many efforts to revive the line Enjoy the show!

We're big fans of all things travel so when a couple of friends launched a new destination guide site we were interested. Welcome to the Statesider, a new take on US travel. Born from the goal of helping explore more within the United States and discovering the "foreign" available so very close to home, the Statesider is an email newsletter/website combination that highlights destinations within the United States. This episode we chat with the founders, Pam and Andy to get a feel for just what the new concept is all about. That the interview happened while Seth was sitting in the lounge prior to a(nother) trip to Europe created an interesting dynamic for the conversation. Can we find new and different and unique and special experiences without spending 10 or 20 or 30 hours en route? Just how different are we, despite being very much from the same country? https://vimeo.com/254059194 And it is not just list telling you where to go and why. Indeed, the Statesider is pretty much anything but lists. Stories like The Bikes of Wrath – a modern take on the Steinbeck classic – or just hanging out in the Mississippi Delta, waiting for the Blues to reassert its power, are the fabric of the site. And it is really, really interesting stuff. Give the episode a listen then go sign up for the newsletter and give the_statesider a follow on Twitter. And maybe travel a little more inside the USA.

Access to Tokyo's Haneda Airport is a big deal for airlines. The US military just helped everyone out with some changes to the way that airspace is managed (and surprised the heck out of Seth along the way). Slots for US airlines remain a sensitive topic for further negotiation. Also in this episode: * Is the Emirates A380 order dead again? Or can the carrier come up with an engine deal to save it?* Speaking of engines, ANA suffered a double engine out, but at least the plane was on the ground.* Rolls Royce is moving some of its engine design and engineering out of the UK to avoid Brexit issues.* Routehappy made a nice play in the codeshare space, clearing things up a little.* Qatar Airways wants some A321LRs and we're not really sure why.* Southwest is progressing on its plans for Hawaii service, operating its first flight to the islands (for certification purposes, not with passengers) this week. * JetBlue appears to have a better plan for getting into London than buying slots at Heathrow or Gatwick. And it just might work. Enjoy the show!

The US government shutdown finally took its toll on a pair of inaugurals, and a few others are giving up, too. Among the topics we've got this week: * Delta Air Lines pushed its A220 inaugural back a week, hoping that the FAA certification pulls through in that time.* Alaska Airlines also had to delay its service inaugural out of Paine Field north of Seattle.* British Airways is finally giving up on its hopes of buying Norwegian and selling the ~5% stake it took.* Seth flew on WOW Air and the carrier didn't go bankrupt during the trip, which is a win.* United Airlines had a 777 stuck in Canada while en route to Hong Kong and it was pretty frustrating for everyone involved.* Brexit uncertainty is causing all sorts of problems, including a catering company stockpiling some sundries.

Mid-January means a trip to Europe for the crew, with creative flight routings and adventures along the way. This year the trip brings us to Zagreb, Croatia. Also in this episode: * Norwegian is slashing crew bases and a few benefits as it tries to shore up its expenses. Can the company survive?* Avianca Brazil is fighting to keep control of 10 aircraft that lessor GECAS wants to reclaim* United Airlines beat analyst earnings estimates for 2018 and showed a bit of sass in celebrating that accomplishment* A guy in China made his own A320. For real. * Marriott renamed its loyalty program to "Bonvoy" and there are questions around how well that will age.* Air India is reportedly dropping first class service. Hardly enough to save that operation, but maybe it'll help?* Who is buying food for TSA and ATC employees while they're not being paid by the US government? Seemingly everyone! And, as always, plenty more rambling, tangents and anecdotes. Oh, and a beer tasting live in this episode. The best part of that is Seth trying to say the names of the different brands.