The Next Trip - An Aviation and Travel Podcast

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Doug is back from London and Drew gets to sit in the tower for a snow event.

• The ROTOR Act fails in Congress
• Violence in Mexico leads to flight chaos 
• Trouble for Air New Zealand 
• Update on Spirit’s bankruptcy 
• Listener feedback 

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Doug is back from his new “usual”, Brisbane, Australia, and Drew discusses an ATC flow program as they transition from paper to electronic flight progress strips. 

• Paper to Electronic ATC flight progress strips
• New routes for February
• Lufthansa Allegris business class seats 
• Will Airbus launch the A350-2000?
• Canadians avoiding travel to the US
• Las Vegas Slump? 

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Drew is happy to finally be above freezing in DC and discusses runway closures and Doug is playing nonrev travel agent for family, We discuss:

• Ski jumping (and other extreme sports) versus the Wright Brothers first flight
• Drones, lasers, airspace closures and confusion in El Paso
• Southwest’s shaky assigned seat rollout 
• Employee unease over American’s current leadership
• JetBlue and United further expand partnership 
• History of e-Tickets
• Listener feedback

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Doug was able to rendezvous with his parents in Brisbane and Drew managed through multiple irregular operations at work. We discuss:

• Follow ups on grounding Canadian aircraft and DCA helicopter routes
• Airbus is close to launching the A220-500
• BWI expands with 142,000 sq ft of new space
• DEN airport sees record traffic
• Bay Area airports bracing for Superbowl traffic
• Runway conditions from an airport and pilot perspective 
• Delta, American, and United accomplishments over 100 years

Links from this episode:

Denver Stapleton Tower Tour

FAA Field Condition Chart

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Drew survives Winter Storm Fern, and the longest shift of his career, and Doug flew one of the last flights out of EWR before Fern shut down operations. We discuss:

• Travel checklists
• American, Southwest, Boeing, and GE 2025 financial results
• Delta orders more Airbus widebodies
• President Trump threatens to ground Canadian aircraft
• NTSB preliminary report on January 29 midair collision
• Runway condition reporting
• Listener Gordon question - is the 777 a dinosaur?

Links from this episode:

NTSB Midair Collision Preliminary Report

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Drew is taping from the airport in DC, where he is bracing for snow storm Fern, and Doug is in Newark preparing to fly out during the storm. We discuss:

• The first 2 of the U.S. “Big 3” reported their 2025 results and projected 2026
• WestJet does a 180
• One of Drew’s predictions is already correct
• GLP-1 drugs and an impact on aviation
• WSJ 2025 Airline Rankings 
• Airport architecture 
• Listener feedback 

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Drew flew to SFO for happy hour and Doug did AF mission planning which didn’t go as planned. We discuss:

• Iran Airspace
• Our 2026 predictions
• Aircraft emergency FAA tower alerts
• Delta finally orders the 787
• Allegiant merges with Sun Country 
• Africa’s biggest airport begins construction
• Listener comments

2026 Next Trip Predictions

Doug:

• Geopolitical issues/airspace closures become the norm
• Big E2 orders. (Maybe United)
• Alliance changes (does EK finally join)
• Airbus hints at a new plane ahead of Boeing 

Drew

•  More 787-10s. American and United increase orders 
• Indigo recovers from crew scheduling and expands internationally
• Southwest orders 787s for international flights. BWI-LHR, OAKHND
• 797 is introduced….mini 787
• United makes good on A350 order with 50 -1000s

Links from the show - Drew’s recommendation for Peking duck in San Francisco:

Z and Y Peking Duck

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Doug is back from another transpacific flight to Taipei and Drew conducted airport movement area training for firefighters. This will will be the first episode we’ve taped in 2026 and we’re officially on a (takeoff) roll! We discuss:

• How good were our 2025 predictions?
• Military action in Venezuela disrupts Caribbean flights
• Avelo reduces flying and staff
• Alaska orders over 100 aircraft and gets its first widebody
• A Boom Overture update
• Listener comments 

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Doug and Drew look back at our travel for 2025 with friend of the show and world traveler, Ian. We discuss:

• Global roundup for 2025 (most delayed airlines and busiest routes)
• Jetway jesus
• Gate allocation
• Listener feedback 
• 2026 look-ahead 

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Aired on December 29, 2025

Doug and Drew are taking a week off. Enjoy this class episode from August 15, 2023 with Oscar Munoz of United Airlines. 

Doug and Drew interview Oscar Munoz, recent CEO and Chairman of United Airlines. Oscar talks about how he turned around a major US airline and put it on a path to success. We talk about his new book “Turnaround Time” which chronicles his life and career and fulfilling his American dream. Oscar discusses with us:

• How he put safety and people first as he turned United around
• Oscar’s thoughts on the Archer Midnight eVTOL and Boom Supersonic Overture
• Surviving a heart attack and the resilience to bounce back stronger
• Advice for people entering the airline industry
• Thoughts on the current state of the airline industry and its future

We don’t let Oscar leave without answering some avgeek questions! 

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