Dots, Lines & Destinations

Picking routes for a new airline is a major challenge, with significant unknowns. Unless you just take an existing airline and copy its core operating plan. That's what Connect Airlines appears to have in mind for an October 2021 launch, shadowing the Porter Air transborder model.

Also in this episode:

* JetBlue's new A321LR economy class product details are out, including a funky meal service approach* Avelo has a new route map based in Burbank* LATAM is dumping its A350s* Radisson Rewards is "enhancing" the program by splitting it geographically* Flight load planning software matters a lot, and when "Miss" gets flagged as a child rather than an adult bad things can happen * Air Canada got a bailout from the government, conditional on delivering cash refunds to customers* Australia-NZ quarantine-free bubble launches

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* New Airbus visitors center at Finkenwerder* Kayak launching its own hotel in Miami Beach

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

We've got a special guest on the show this week, talking about a very special topic. There's a new aviation-themed children's book out, Aya and Avi's Airplane Adventure, and we've got the author on to talk about his inspiration for pulling it together and a few other things.

The book follows an ambitious young girl named Aya with a dream of being a pilot, and a shy boy who learns to love the magic of flight named Avi, as they take an airplane adventure with Dad and Papa and learn that you can be anyone you want to be.

Also in this episode:

* Alaska Airlines joins Oneworld* Delta Air Lines is ending its middle seat blocking policy* The CDC altered its guidance about vaccinated travel* Air Canada and Transat's merger is off

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* The MAX 8200 is now certified and should be flying across Europe soon.

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Perhaps it was a mistake to let an outsider take the lead on one of our episodes. But what follows in nearly an hour of spectacular conversation about, not surprisingly, travel and pent-up demand and what the return to normal will be like.

This week we've got Ed from Miles To Go leading the party and, well, it is interesting.

Some of the topics in this episode:

* Cancun is raising taxes on visitors, trying to cash in on relatively strong tourism demand* Iceland is open again for US tourists* Lots of talk about routes, with Ed choosing to focus on Dulles* Deicing is important* Rental cars are strange

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Meth is a helluva drug* Hong Kong is playing favorites for pilots

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

A mistake fare brought back some excitement we haven't felt in a long time, even if it eventually cancelled. Plus Iceland to Antarctica and much more!

Also in this episode:

* UA 328 lost an engine and that was all sorts of exciting, plus the flight number matches our episode number, assuming we counted correctly* US Airport transit funding rules change and it could be a major win, though probably not a LaGuardia* ATR testing single pilot operations with FedEx* United adds bus service in Denver* Icelandair went to Antarctica* Boeing talking about possible safety issues at Airbus doesn’t look good, even if it might be vaguely accurate, plus EASA said it first* Lufthansa is ready to ground the A380 permanently* Air Sinai (which we talked about a year ago) could be going away for good?* Some follow-up on the Boston-London market and slots

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Frequent flier account data was compromised because of a leak at SITA* IranAir as some interesting aircraft acquisition processes* TAP’s mistake fare

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Sometimes travel is about new and different adventures. Sometimes it is about repeating the most boring or ridiculous habits. And, when done right, it is often a great blend of both. We close out this week's episode with some discussion of travel souvenirs that we're constantly collecting, or at least that we did back when we traveled more. And that we're looking forward to resuming soon enough.

Also in this episode:

* Potential for Amtrak preclearance in Montreal* The BA Baby Bus gone, and we're not all that sad about it* DeHaviland “pauses” Q400 assembly, and has to move the factory, too* United Airlines signed on to a deal with eVTOL maker Archer, except it isn't nearly as big a deal as the headlines might suggest* American Airlines and JetBlue have their first codeshare routes and expanded markets tied to the Northeast Alliance, even as the partnership continues to draw opposition from competitors. Details here and here.* United will eventually launch BOS-LHR in "retaliation" for JetBlue's expansion* Some listener questions:* Is it ethical to travel one I’ve finished the vaccine regime? The data says that I’m protected, but not that I can’t infect someone else. Would you feel ok traveling if you had the vaccine, but the vast vast vast majority of people do not?* I’ve been looking at what countries have what requirements for entry of Americans and I can’t find any policy changes for people that can prove vaccination. Do you guys know a central site that tracks what the entry requirements are at any given time? Seth suggests TIMATIC as a solution.

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Finnair selling their meals in grocery stores* Do you have a common souvenir you always bring home from a particular place on a trip?

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

An aviation podcast talking about driving? Sometimes that's the only viable option, and it is strange. Plus, so are we.

Also in this episode:

* New Dutch airport delayed again

* 777X delayed to late 2023 at the earliest

* Alitalia might really finally die

* Canada closing its borders

* HNA bankruptcy affects about a dozen airlines, 600+ planes and more. Plus $9B+ in embezzlement.

* New Mint suite (including front row Studio)

* Boeing’s next attempt at a new plane

* AA plans MIA-TLV starting this summer

* Dodge Neon as baggage tug

* Allegiant New Routes

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Nunavut bathroom idiocy (and Seth's poor geography)

* Rolls Royce summer shutdown

* $AAL riding the squeeze

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

First the policies change. Then they change again. Keeping up with that back and forth is incredibly challenging. But we're trying.

Topics in this episode:

* The US announced plans to relax restrictions, and then just hours later that was countered. Now the rules are even more strict, including quarantine requirements.* KLM Indicated it would halt long-haul flights following proposal of strict testing requirements that would affect crew. Again, a change of policy saw that averted.* Canada's airlines face continued challenges, including more service cuts as test and quarantine rules are strengthened.* Norwegian's long-haul operation is dead, and with that some changes to the TATL marketplace are already being seen.* Alaska Airlines will offer a new status tier at 100k miles starting next year, but no one really knows what it will include* A man lived in O'Hare for 3 months.* British Airways has a new grocery partner for Avios earn and burn.* Chengdu has a new mega airport slated to open soon.* The Ghanaian government really doesn't want to fly to Gatwick

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Allegiant has some fun in Portland* United Airlines has less fun in long-haul ops

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Huge thanks to our newest patrons:

* Matthew H.* Arthur L.* Megan J.* Jeff A.* Ben B.* Mike R.

We start 2021 with an unplanned trip down memory lane to Malta, because happy travel memories are a good thing

Also in this episode:

* Boeing settled with the US Department of Justice, and it seems the price was cheap* With the new CARES Act extension in play the rules for where airlines have to fly have been revised a bit* Spirit Airlines was defrauded to the tune of $150k by a group issuing fake pass travel tix* Marriott is among the companies changing its policies on political contributions in the wake of last week's insurrection at the US Capitol* A Sriwijaya 737-500 crashed just after takeoff over the weekend

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* New York City's new Amtrak terminal

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

We definitely don't recommend eating it, but the 2,000 year old street meat discoveries in the ruins of Pompeii are all sorts of awesome.

Also in this episode:

* Montenegro Airlines is dead, but it will likely return soon* A lawyer involved in representing 737 MAX victims stole payments intended for them* After years of battles a Delta pilot won their case regarding whistle-blower retaliation, and the now-head of the FAA is implicated* The EPA finally adopted aircraft emissions standards so Boeing can sell planes internationally but it won't really help reduce emissions* Alaska Airlines will continue to block middle seats in its Premium Class cabin, at least most of the time* Azores Air will fly an intra-Atlantic route from Puerto Delgado to Bermuda and that's a seriously sexy line* The book Seth mentioned, Empires of the Sky

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Some thoughts on the increased Alaska Airlines 737 MAX order book

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

As has happened several times since the pandemic began airlines are shaking up their route maps with idea so crazy they just might work. So which new destinations will work this time around??

Also in this episode:

* JetBlue has some interesting ideas about new markets that can benefit from its presence, particularly Miami and Raleigh-Durham, which just happen to be an American Airlines hub and a Delta focus city.* American reacted with some new routes of its own from Fort Lauderdale, though it is also cutting TATL markets and otherwise trying to find a path to stability.* US Congress finally passed another COVID recovery plan that probably isn't the best use of money, especially with respect to how airlines are being treated.* A new strain of COVID detected in London saw brisk reaction from much of the world, though the US is keeping its border open.* Brexit is just around the corner and Ryanair is among the airlines feeling the pain after its plan to skip local ownership rules got busted by the UK CAA.* The US Senate says Boeing coached its test pilots inappropriately around the recertification flights, which is definitely not good.* Starlux is planning to fly to the USA in 2022.* JetBlue makes some changes to Mosaic elite status in 2021.* A passenger on a United flight died from COVID and the industry is struggling to handle it well.* Stephan took a trip last week and was not impressed.

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

* Do you get bonus points for finally deciding to stop traveling now that it is dangerous despite taking many leisure trips throughout the rest of the year??* All sorts of interesting happenings in India with potential changes of airline ownership.

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!