Dots, Lines & Destinations

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Dots, Lines & Destinations episodes

July 04, 2024DLD 490: The search for more fees
Airlines love ancillary fees. But is there a point at which shifting charges out of the base fare will finally be too much?
Also in this episode:
Lufthansa’s New Environmental Surcharge
Men are “Rawdogging” flights
Southwest’s takeoff from PWM’s closed runway
AA catering at PHL/CLT
Google Credit Card Links Killing Bloggers?
May on-time performance, top airlines all dropped 5%
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
How Delta made itself America’s luxury airline — and what United wants to do about it
Delta One Lounge at JFK
PQI Drama
Breeze ramping up at ISP
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
41 min
June 28, 2024DLD 489: Well and truly screwed
The US DOT seems keen to rewrite the rules – or at least how they’re enforced – in a way that’s liable to significantly impact the US market.
Also in this episode:
Public Charters (i.e. JSX) are about to get screwed
Volaris and Iberia agreement to expand connectivity between Spain and Mexico
AA FAs close negotiations without a deal, while AS FAs have a framework for a new TA.
Aer Lingus strike likely
WestJet Mechanics returned to bargain, avoiding more flight cxls
JetBlue brings carry-ons back to Basic Economy
Global Airlines punts to 2025
X-66A delays at Boeing
Boom building built
Sun Country picks up more Amazon freighters
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Archer “plans” eVTOL network for Bay Area
WN/OKC
A220 GTF complaints from airBaltic
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
37 min
June 20, 2024DLD 488: Blame Taylor Swift
We finally managed to work a pop culture reference into the show…only took a decade.
Also in this episode:
JetBlue at ISP
Frontier’s “competition” play
Virgin Atlantic, eh!
Starlux maybe into OW?
Southwest’s activist investor
Delta adding PremY on transcon 767s
Bonza officially gone
Online passport renewal returns
Dublin getting a spotter park
Dutch roll, and 787 fasteners, and WN roller coaster in Hawaii, And titanium issues for Airbus & Boeing, and a 3 month slowdown for 737 prod finally reported to suppliers
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
New b(r)ag tags for Qantas
EK/B6 codeshare consent order
United’s “Get me close” plan
Alaska Airlines loses on Virgin licensing suit
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
41 min
June 13, 2024DLD 487: Unreasonable expectations
Mostly by us, but also perhaps from an airline or two…
Also in this episode:
FAA extending NYC slots waiver through Summer 2025
American’s FAs open strike command center
Sir Tim wants 1500-seat planes for Emirates
Air India/Vistara formally approved
Fiji Airlines to become a full oneworld member
AA/DFW is the world’s largest airline hub by departure count, and 2nd largest by destination count
A travel update from Seth‘s exploration of Europe
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Starlux offering sim time as FF redemption
Mexicana buys planes, plans routes
Cathay makes a Belt and Road play
British Airways goes multi modal
Seth’s foray into politics
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
36 min
June 06, 2024 DLD 486: Searching for our App-y place
Something a bit different this week as Stephan and Fozz take a closer look at some airline apps.
For our Patreon subscribers we have some additional discussion on American Airlines and Vasu Raja’s departure from the company.
Enjoy the show!
30 min
June 04, 2024DLD 486AIX: The future of travel, as seen at AIX 2024
We’re back in Hamburg for another go at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024, taking a look at what the future will be for commercial aviation.
As always, Jason joins Seth for this episode talking about the myriad new bits that will maybe eventually one day be flying, including:
The Maya concept seat from Panasonic Avionics and Collins Aerospace
Accessibility ideas from Collins, Delta Flight Products, and others
Efforts to squeeze seats a bit, and how manufacturers are responding
A new approach to the IFE world, including caching of streaming services on board to make sure they work better
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Origami in the cabin
Nifty ways to make business cabin seat storage more efficient
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
Also, check out the rest of Seth’s coverage from the show here.
28 min
May 30, 2024DLD 485: Getting there eventually
Maybe taking five flights rather than just two, and adding an extra overnight en route, was a mistake.
Also in this episode:
An absurd airplane bathroom story
Follow-up to Fozz’s ORD taxi times
JetBlue/BA codesharing
SQ Turbulence
Spirit putting a pilot base at EWR
Breeze/PVD growth
DCA perimeter slots update
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Lounges as the new hot thing for airline ancillary revenue
Seth’s journey to Europe
Saudia/flyadeal Airbus order
CRJ550 @ DL Followup
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
34 min
May 23, 2024DLD 484: Board games
Why do executives have so much trouble making tough decisions? Or are they just blind to the challenges?
Also in this episode:
Qantas shifting capacity from Shanghai to Philippines [while Philippines Airlines is forced to lease Wamos Air A330s]
New Frontier model
Automated Singapore immigration is now open to all
Austrian’s 787s are not quite ready
DCA slots from the FAA bill
Swiss completes AeroSHARK rollout (More on AeroSHARK)
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Breeze Adventures
Boeing’s annual meeting
United can (maybe?) resume growth, but trimming Australia ops next Winter
Lisbon might get a new airport in 2034
A few bits from AvFest Americas
Fozz loves O’Hare
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
37 min
May 16, 2024DLD 483: Change is coming
Is change good? Is it bad? Should you get a refund? Or fly the new routes? Come join us for these conversations and more…
Also in this episode:
DOT Rules and Schedule Changes
Updated Lufthansa Group/ITA proposal for merger remedies
JetBlue’s new SJU routes and Mint moves (plus some cuts, too)
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport’s new terminal: When it will be built and how big it will be
Delta adds the CRJ550 to its fleet (some Scope Clause details)
DOJ has until August 5th to decide on AS/HA merger
Expectations on domestic carriers and the gap between LCCs and full service
Dorkfest and Braniff Show
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
MHT-GSP on Avelo
New Zoom airlines (previously dubbed Air Flo)
AI for airlines: Alaska Airlines Tests AI for Loyalty and Flight Search, United integrating into SHARES
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
50 min
May 09, 2024DLD 482: Plane problems
Who will be the first to fly the A321XLR? And when will the 777X ever fly? At least now we have some A350 confirmed flight times and an A380 on the move…
Also in this episode:
Aer Lingus confirms it won’t be launch customer for new Airbus XLR jet
Lufty now sees 2026 for 777X
TPA-AMS coming back on DL in October (A333)
Bonza is dead in Australia amid fraud claims against 777 Partners
Global’s A380 made it to Europe
Qantas settles with regulators over selling already canceled flights
Emirates announces A350 routes
Spirit sees a need to pivot the on-board product
Frontier adds Frontera as a brand name, but probably not tortas on board
For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:
Boite Noire
United’s App Update
Boeing locked out its firefighters, while WestJet reached a TA with maintenance techs
Southwest is bringing back last-minute fare sales, or maybe not
Southwest should buy Breeze to solve its missing MAX 7 problem
BermudAir’s funky bond
€50mn Push for more Chunnel traffic
“Bubble” concept for views from a plane
And plenty more. Enjoy the show!
31 min