Regulators are forcing airlines to do good things for passengers, which is refreshing. Plus maybe a new Dubai airport a decade from now, and lots more.

Also in this episode:

• New DOT rules on refunds for changed/canceled flights
• Airline systems still have a two-digit year problem
• New IFE on JetBlue tries for real personalization
• AA, WN both lost money in Q1
• IndiGo A350 order
• Avianca brings back biz on A320neo fleet
• Ethiopian adds ATH-WAW, but no local traffic rights
• Listener Q about the terrible experience at AUS
• Is DWC really finally going to be built and Emirates move there?
• You might want to delete your OpenTable reviews
• JetBlue’s anti-union play
• Austrian puts the 787 on BER/FRA from 17 May, adds DUS 17 June, before TATL comes over the summer

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• United finally refunded the Chase UR points for phantom inventory
• United charter with pax on flight deck
• New T&Cs for travel to the T&Cs
• States Attorneys General get power to investigate airlines
• Beregional might be a (very stupid) thing
• Avelo adding MIA-MCO
• Maybe bags passing to final destination for inbounds from Japan
• Beond 5th freedom rights on ZRH-DWC

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 479: A deviation
• DLD 476: Giving away Newark
• DLD 469: First, make a roux

Aircraft orders shifting, service types are switching, and one major airport is underwater in this week’s show.

Also in this episode:

• Spirit fleet deferrals
• United’s earnings, fleet adjustments, and eventually segmented “Polaris Plus”
• American’s Flagship Business Preferred
• Provo is American’s Future – Cranky Flier
• Aegean A321LR play
• Norse to CPT

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• CapOne travel portal
• Allegiant trip report (and mess of buying the tickets)
• DXB storm and recovery

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 479: A deviation
• DLD 475: A rough go
• DLD 477: Playing the fool

Often times the shortest distance between two airports is defined by politics more than geography. Last weekend that was more the case than usual.

Also in this episode:

• Iran and the joys of geopolitics in aviation
• SAS leaving Star Alliance end of August
• Breeze says it found profitability for March 2024
• LH cabin crew contract
• New Boeing whistleblower
• Stephan finally gets another PDX-LAX option
• Lufthansa finally has an Allegris plane (sans new F)

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• Kirby envies DL’s brand
• Polaris Plus
• Tennessee chemtrails thing really became a law
• A319 as a school library

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 480: Defer, deflect, but don’t drown
• DLD 423: Are you aware??
• DLD 475: A rough go

Join us on another jaunt through the juicy world of aviation gossip, airline route news, and loyalty relaunches.

Also in this episode:

• OAK wants San Francisco in its name
• Turkish Airlines adding DEN
• Hainan A330neo order potential
• Four more A380s being scrapped
• UA canceled investor day
• NYC Earthquake

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• New AI FF program
• BAM: Credit Cards & Loyalty
• Mexicana faces massive lawsuit
• JetBlue multi-city booking woes

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 414: Aviation’s First Class Podcast
• DLD 475: A rough go
• DLD 448: ¿Cual Aeropuerto?

We’re skipping April Fool’s Day in favor of some real news, including at least one story we were convinced should’ve been a joke.

Also in this episode:

• Boeing leadership
• United dealing with the FAA, fewer planes than planned, and new E175 bins
• FAA halts Sequim wing-walking flights, revokes owner’s pilot license
• Breeze launches NDC integration with Priceline, a co-brand credit card, and Basic Economy
• Japan plans new jet, possibly Hydrogen-powered
• Air Malta relaunch as KM Malta Airlines
• Southwind banned in Europe (and UK by default)
• EU officially objects to LH Group/ITA deal
• British Airways is 50

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• UK citizens learning about passport rules for visiting EU/Schengen
• Bulgaria and Romania are now in the Schengen zone
• Norse LGW-LAS starting in September
• WeatherPromise guarantees rain-free trips
• Knock Airport to Scranton flight will happen, says Weir
• Air & Space visit

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 475: A rough go
• DLD 474: A shock to the system
• DLD 473: Huh, so now what?

Newark air traffic is on the move, in a sense. Control of traffic to and from the airport will shift later this summer from the NYC-area’s “N90” controllers to Philadelphia. Can that solve the ATC delays?

Also in this episode:

• Big Airbus orders from East Asia
• JetBlue kills off LAX focus city, but not completely
• Redeyes coming (eventually) to Southwest
• XB-1 first flight
• New biz seats for Malaysia Airlines (and no more A350 F)
• Avelo headed to Mexico, Dominican Republic
• BA JFK-LGW diversion due to incapacitated pilot
• BA First Wing check-in (no more liquid restrictions)

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• New Pacific dropping Reno
• airBaltic applies for US authorities
• United mileage pooling
• Frontier to JFK/EWR
• Tennessee tries to ban chemtrails
• Alaska Access subscription (and a new route at STS)

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 402: Three planes you’ll probably never fly. Or maybe four.
• DLD 478: Deep fried and delicious
• DLD 475: A rough go

Well, that’s another week that Boeing probably wishes didn’t happen…

Also in this episode:

• More bad news for Boeing from the NTSB
• UA MAX 10 conversion to MAX 9
• UA 737 panel falling off and maintenance overall
• LATAM 787-9 incident
• Former Global Crossing chief to start up Florida-based A220 operator
• Frontier UpFront Plus eurobiz play
• Embraer E2 ETOPS-120

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• Bilt trades AA for AS
• Another AS Award Change

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 480: Defer, deflect, but don’t drown
• DLD 476: Giving away Newark
• DLD 466: It just rolls off the tongue

Hopefully not too shocking, of course. But maybe enough to keep you awake, unlike those pilots…

Also in this episode:

• Batik Air pilots suspended for falling asleep on a flight
• IAG/Air Europa deal on ice again
• NTSB is pissed at Boeing, and lobbyists aren’t really helping
• New United routes
• China Southern to Mexico

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• Electric cars
• Self-service TSA
• AirBnB cameras

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 471: It still doesn’t make sense
• DLD 477: Playing the fool
• DLD 475: A rough go

American Airlines placed a sizable single-aisle aircraft order this week. Perhaps the biggest surprise: Neither Boeing nor Airbus came out on top, at least in terms of total aircraft committed.

Also in this episode:

• An absurd trip to try Starlink on Hawaiian
• BA adding inflight messaging
• JetBlue/Spirit deal is dead
• More Eclipse flights (DL 2nd frequency, WN contest with Omni)
• Qantas new A220 in service
• TK’s first flight to MEL

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• Mexico objects to the DOT’s suspension of DL/AM ATI
• Boeing’s 90 day deadline from the FAA
• United award pricing
• New Pacific trip report
• BA-B-Q sauce
• First Allegris route is MUC-YVR
• Verdi strike

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 472: Bags and buses and out of business
• DLD 463: Looking to lose weight (restrictions)
• DLD 470: Out of service

More baggage talk, plus buses, and an airline is out of business.

Also in this episode:

• Lynx out of business in Canada
• Landline for AC @ YYZ
• AA files JFK-HND to start 28 June, UA files GUM-HND for 1 May
• AA agrees with the DOT on DL/AM ATI suspension
• AA FF changes (and bag fees, too)
• Avelo STS base: new routes and a LAS closure, plus a profitable quarter
• Spirit suspending MHT

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• TK Wallet and other airline-proprietary payment systems
• UA back to TLV
• Breeze goes all A220 by EoY, and free Wi-Fi
• Qantas delivery delays, but also finally adding international Wi-Fi (for free)
• Other Singapore Air Show stuff

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!

Related Stories

• DLD 478: Deep fried and delicious
• DLD 473: Huh, so now what?
• DLD 448: ¿Cual Aeropuerto?

Revisiting a couple stories from the past few weeks, and they still don’t make much sense. Plus lots of new news, too.

Also in this episode:

• Nolinor Ramps Up Capacity for Rising Northern Demand
• Air Canada’s chatbot gave a B.C. man the wrong information. Now, the airline has to pay for the mistake
• Silly carry-on bag thoughts
• Qantas domestic ETOPS
• Icahn buys in to JetBlue
• HA shareholders approved buyout
• Allegiant starts loading MAX flights
• UA swapping EWR for IAD starting June 27 for four Pennsylvania markets: AVP, MDT, PHL and SCE.

For our Patreon subscribers we have bonus content, including:

• Fake ATC in Mogadishu FIR
• A380 maintenance in MHV and MNL
• RegioJet seats like SkyRider
• A4A Threatening to pull out of DUB
• Spirit killed Tulum already
• DL BOS-HNL, MIA-SEA
• Battle for Barbados
• Air Serbia E195 incident

And plenty more. Enjoy the show!