Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained

Andrew starts this episode by talking about how much airliners weigh and important takeaways from recent aviation incidents. Then he looks at the international organizations that exist to keep the world of air travel functioning seamlessly. 

• It’s no secret that the aircraft that we fly on are massive, but how much do they actually weigh? Andrew delves into aircraft weights to give you an idea of how heavy the objects that we fly on are. 
• Did you know that Gibraltar International Airport has a road that intersects the runway? Yes, you can walk or drive right across the runway! 
• How do pilots safely operate all around the world? How do bags transfer seamlessly across airlines and airports? The answers to these questions show how we have created a miraculous system of standards and practices that keep global aviation functioning. The main segment of this episode delves into the international organizations that makes this interconnectedness possible. 

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In this episode, Andrew starts by looking at how you can fly on the world’s largest airliner – the Airbus A380 – these days. The main segment features Expedia travel expert Christie Hudson who is here to share data-driven air hacks and travel trends.

• Have you ever wanted to fly on the Airbus A380? Nicknamed the superjumbo, it’s the largest passenger aircraft ever built. Find out more about where the A380 currently flies in this episode and then check out Episode 26 for more about this engineering marvel.
• Christie Hudson shares data-driven tips and trends from Expedia’s air travel hacks. She reveals the cheapest days to book a flight and to fly and how far in advance to book to get a good deal.  
• What are some trending destinations for air travel (and travel more broadly) in 2024? Christie shares the findings of Expedia’s 2024 travel trends report. From “set-jetting” to “dupe” destinations, tune in to this episode for lots of travel data and inspiration.  

Christie Hudson is a travel expert, data correspondent and Head of PR for Expedia US. She is a pro at turning travel data into tips and advice to help travelers get the most out of their travels. You can find Expedia’s latest Air Travel Hacks and Travel Trends reports online (links provided to the United States versions). 

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This is the second part of our 2023 year-in-review. Our guests from throughout the year are sharing their travel tips and insights in a series of previously unaired clips. 

•  What are some essential items to pack according to a flight attendant? Episode 30 guest Lara Ketterman shares her thoughts. What is the Southwest Companion Pass? Episode 36/37 guest Kendyl Grender talks about this great budget travel tool. In this episode, you’ll hear from five of our 2023 guests.  
• Have you ever wondered where Flying Smarter’s listeners are located? Or what the most popular episodes have been? Andrew pulls back the curtain to share some behind-the-scenes statistics and insights. 
• In celebration of the holiday season and 50 episodes of Flying Smarter, we are holding a giveaway for a Flying Smarter luggage tag and a $100 gift card for the airline of the winner’s choice! Enter on our Instagram page throughout the month of December. Plus, check out the Insights section of the Flying Smarter for stories from Andrew’s travels, articles about air travel, and more.  

 Our 2023 guests featured in this episode:

• Dave Grossman – founder of MilesTalk and creator of Your Best Credit Cards (Episodes 27 and 28): Facebook (group and page) | Instagram | (X) (Twitter)  
• Lara Ketterman – flight attendant and Non-Rev Lounge podcast co-host (Episode 30): Lara: X (Twitter) and Instagram |Non-Rev Lounge: X (Twitter) and Instagram 
• Mark Ross-Smith – loyalty expert and CEO of Loyalty Status Co (Episode 32): LinkedIn 
• Kendyl Grender – budget travel blogger, travel hacker and content creator (Episodes 36 and 37): Instagram |www.kendyltravels.com | Southwest Companion Pass Trick: Earn it Quickly! | How I’m Earning the Southwest Companion Pass 
• Tyler Crook – ramp agent and Non-Rev Lounge podcast co-host (Episode 47): Tyler: Instagram and X (Twitter) |Non-Rev Lounge: X (Twitter) and Instagram

Thank you for a fantastic year! Flying Smarter will be back with an episode on travel hacks and trends on January 1, 2024. 
 

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Flying Smarter is celebrating 50 episodes! This episode contains some special announcements as well as the first part of our 2023 year-in-review. 

• What training do flight attendants get for dealing with panicked passengers? Former flight attendant and Episode 45 guest Carrie Bradley answers this question in this episode. Air traffic controller Andy Watson shares a story about Air Force Two. In this episode, you will find unaired clips from some of our amazing 2023 guests. 
• In celebration of Episode 50 of the podcast and the holiday season, we are holding a giveaway for a Flying Smarter luggage tag and a $100 gift card for the airline of the winner’s choice! Enter on our Instagram page throughout the month of December. Plus, check out the Insights section of the Flying Smarter for stories from Andrew’s travels, articles about air travel, and more.  
• Thank you to all our listeners and friends for your ongoing support. Flying Smarter has grown tremendously over the past 50 episodes and it’s all thanks to our wonderful listeners.  

Our 2023 guests featured in this episode:

• Andy Watson – air traffic controller and author of The Pilot’s Guide to Air Traffic Control (Episode 39): www.atcandy.com  
• Joey Gerardi – aviation writer, photographer, video producer (Episode 42): AirlineGeeks | X (Twitter) | Instagram | YouTube
• Carrie Bradley – family travel expert, founder/editor of Flying with a Baby, former flight attendant (Episode 45): www.flyingwithababy.com | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter). 
• Ganesh Sitaraman – law professor and author of Why Flying is Miserable and How to Fix It (Episode 49): www.ganeshsitaraman.com | X (Twitter) 

The next episode of Flying Smarter will be the second part of our 2023 year-in-review. It will feature travel tips from the rest of our guests from this year, so stay tuned!
 
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Andrew starts this episode by talking about why we board and deplane from the left side of the aircraft. Afterwards, the main segment of this episode features law professor Ganesh Sitaraman, who joins Andrew to talk about why flying is miserable and what we can do about it from a regulatory perspective.  

• In the last episode, we talked a lot about boarding. One question that came up is why we always board and disembark on the left side. Learn more in this episode. 
• Did you know that there are some airlines that don’t fly on Christmas Day? The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for the air travel industry, but some airlines don’t fly on December 25th itself. 
• In the main segment of this episode, law professor Ganesh Sitaraman shares his insights about airline regulation and deregulation in the United States. From delays and cancellations to poor service, there’s no shortage of reasons why flying isn’t always fun. Ganesh brings a regulatory perspective to the podcast, looking at the impacts of deregulation on the travel experience today, what potential changes in the regulatory regime could look like, and much more. 

Ganesh Sitaraman is a law professor at Vanderbilt University and the director of the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator for Political Economy and Regulation. He teaches and writes about constitutional law, the regulatory state, economic policy, democracy, and foreign affairs and is the author of numerous books. In addition, he is a member of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee. His latest book, Why Flying is Miserable and How to Fix It, offers insight into the state of air travel in the United States from a regulatory perspective. You can learn more about Ganesh and his work and books on his website and find him on X (Twitter) .

The next episode of Flying Smarter is Episode 50 and we have some things announcements planned, including a giveaway. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow Flying Smarter on social media so that you don’t miss anything!

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In this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about whether you can sleep overnight in an airport terminal. Then he looks at the different ways we board and deplane our flights. 

• Can you sleep overnight in an airport terminal? The answer depends on where you are and there are a lot of factors at play. Some airports have facilities to help travelers nap, while others close overnight. Learn more in this episode.  
• Some airlines allow you to bring skiing and snowboarding equipment on the plane for free, above your regular checked baggage allowance. As winter approaches, Andrew takes a look at airlines that are particularly friendly towards winter sports. 
• What is the most efficient way of boarding an aircraft? Airlines have a lot of different options. This main segment delves into the different options for boarding, comparing their efficiency and talking about why they are or aren’t used. Plus, Andrew looks at the physical methods that we use for getting on and off aircraft. Jetways are the most common, but there are some other ones out there as well. 

 Other material mentioned in this episode:

• Sleeping in Airports – A website with tips, advice and guides for sleeping in airports around the world. 
• Optimal Boarding Method for Airline Passengers – Jason Steffen’s 2008 study on boarding methods.
• Comparative Study of Aircraft Boarding Strategies Using Cellular Discrete Event Simulation – Shafagh Jafer and Wei Mi’s 2021 boarding methods study.
• The Better Boarding Method Airlines Won’t Use – CGP Grey’s video on boarding methods. 

Episode 50 of Flying Smarter is coming up soon and we have some exciting announcements planned. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow Flying Smarter on social media so that you don’t miss anything!
 
Connect with Flying Smarter:
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This episode starts by looking at how to ensure that you are within your baggage allowances so that you avoid surprise fees at the airport. Andrew then talks to ramp agent Tyler Crook to get a look at what goes on outside your plane on the airport ramp.

• Have you ever been surprised by extra bags fees at the airport? Or have you had a carry on that is allowed on one airline but doesn’t fit in the bag sizer for another airline? Learn about baggage allowances and how to find them in this episode. 
• Tyler Crook talks about life on the airport ramp in this episode of Flying Smarter. He chats with Andrew about different parts of the job, interesting cargo that he has handled, how ramp agents ensure that aircraft don’t hit each other, and much more. 
• There’s always a small risk of your checked bag getting lost or damaged. However, there are some simple things that you can do to help avoid damage to your bag and to help the airline reunite you with your bag if it gets lost. In this episode, Tyler shares insider tips and advice about your baggage. 

Tyler Crook has worked as a ramp agent for a major airline in the United States for over a decade and a half. He is one of the co-hosts of Non-Rev Lounge, a travel and aviation podcast. In addition to being a ramp worker, he is an avid traveler and aviation photographer. You can find Tyler on Instagram and X (Twitter). Non-Rev Lounge is also on Instagram and X (Twitter) and you can find the show wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episode 50 of Flying Smarter is coming up soon and we have some fun surprises planned. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow Flying Smarter on social media so that you don’t miss anything!
 
Connect with Flying Smarter:
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In this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about where airliners are assembled. Then he looks at schedule changes and how to deal with them. 

• The planes that we fly are on are huge and aircraft manufacturers therefore have massive facilities to produce them. Find out where these aircraft assembly facilities are located around the world.  
• Did you know that Lufthansa has a series of collectible rubber ducks? You don’t have to take a bath to get one, but you do have to be part of a very exclusive group of travelers. Learn more in this episode.   
• Schedule changes can be annoying and stressful. Whether they happen in advance of your travels or on the day of your flight, they can create problems for your travel plans. In this episode, we explore what you can do about them. Join us as Andrew looks at various tips and tricks to handling changes to your flights. 

Do you have a particularly nasty schedule change story? Or have you encountered a delay or cancellation that ended up working out in your favor? Andrew would love to hear your story. Reach out on social media or on our website!
 
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Andrew starts this episode by talking about airline seat map websites. The main segment for this episode features family travel expert and former flight attendant Carrie Bradley. 

• Where can you find airline seat maps? The ones provided by the airlines often don’t have much information. Learn about third-party websites that provide valuable details about the plane that you’re flying on.
• Some airports allow visitors to access their post-security areas without a boarding pass? Find about airports that allow airside access to non-passengers, allowing them to spend more time with family and friends, enjoy airport shops and restaurants or surprise an arriving passenger.
• Carrie Bradley joins Andrew as this episode’s guest. She is the owner and editor of Flying With a Baby, a website dedicated to helping parents fly with young children. Carrie talks about everything from booking considerations to packing and special baggage allowances to how to handle crying babies (both as a parent and fellow passenger).   

Carrie Bradley is a family travel expert and former flight attendant who runs the family travel site Flying With a Baby. The website covers all aspects of family travel, including family holiday destination guides, hotel and airline reviews and comparisons, as well as attractions and trip plans. There are also tons of resources and tips for family vacations, flying and travel in general. She previously worked as a flight attendant and her and her work with family travel has been featured in media outlets like USA Today and the BBC. You can find Carrie and Flying with a Baby at www.flyingwithababy.com as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or X. 

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In this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about why airplane cabins are so dry and what you can do about it. Then he looks at the lasting impacts of the 9/11 attacks on air travel today. 

• Why do aircraft cabins feel so dry? If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not wrong. Find out why this is the case and what you can do about it in this episode. 
• This episode has been released on September 11 and it is fitting to talk about the 9/11 attacks and its impacts on aviation. Andrew starts off by recapping the event and its immediate aftermath, before looking at longer term effects on air travel.   
• There once was a time where family and friends could accompany passengers to the gate and children could visit the cockpit in flight. This episode looks at how the September 11 attacks changed aviation forever. We also explore some of the subsequent developments in airport security that weren’t directly the result of the attack but were implemented in a post-9/11 context. 

Other materials mentioned in this episode:

• Zero Hour: A History of 9/11 – This is a narrative nonfiction limited podcast series that looks back on the people and events that led to the September 11 terror attacks and their consequences. (Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts) 
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum – Located at the World Trade Center site in New York City, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum remembers and honors the 2,983 people killed in the horrific attacks of September 11 and those who risked their lives to save others. 
• Come from Away – This heartwarming musical tells the story of the 7,000 passengers who ended up stranded in a small town of Newfoundland, Canada as a result of the 9/11 attacks. 
• Talking About Trusted Traveler Programs – Episode 41 of Flying Smarter covers TSA PreCheck, including what it is, what the benefits are and how you can get it. Learn more about how to skip the line at airport security and get expedited screening.

Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on social media for additional content, updates, sneak peeks, and more!
 
Connect with Flying Smarter:
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Website: www.flyingsmarter.com