Airlines Confidential Podcast

This week: What does the new American/JetBlue partnership mean to you?; 3 passengers behave really badly; Listener question: How do airlines keep track of mentally ill pilots?; and a customer complaint-is it fine? or just a whine?

This Week: JetBlue's major West Coast service change; MIT study: Do your odds of dying from Covid-19 change if the middle seat is filled? Passengers Behaving Badly: 1 with a gun. The other a US Senator; Listener question on credit card use for inflight purchases; and who do those masks protect?

This week: Empty middle seats-Healthier or just marketing? 7000 literally take a trip to nowhere; Are seatback screens worth the cost to the airlines? A private jet lands in Italy and officials won't let the American's off - Fine or Whine?

This week: Middle seats and masks on planes; Listener question: is Delta yesterday's genius? How can 30,000 passengers stop behaving badly?Customer complaint: I booked then had to pay more later- Fine or Whine?

This week: How do the cruise lines affect the airlines? Will an MBA get you a job in airline management? Complaint: The worst seat on the plane "Fine or Whine?"; No Mask or MEGA hat got him banned from AA?

This week: Why seemingly similar airlines are taking different business approaches; A look at July airline schedules; A listener question about saving fuel while taxiing; and passenger behaving badly...involving alcohol.

This week: What year will the airline industry recover?; Ben's 2-airport adventure; AA CEO's noteworthy experience on a Southwest flight; The status of regional airlines; and this week's customer complaint: "Fine or Whine?"

This week: Airline employee buyout and layoff options; Frontier, Southwest announce new routes; Passengers Behaving Badly; and "Fine or Whine?"

This week: The biggest airline bankruptcy yet; Who are the 3 best airline execs of all time?; Passengers Behaving Badly with women's underwear; and is the complaint fine? or is it a whine?

This week: Exclusive Stats! Scheduled vs Actual Operating flights data; One Airline says it's laying off older workers to "keep the workforce young"; A listener complaint in "Fine or Whine" on a Southwest boarding incident.

This week: Avianca goes Ch 11; Is United getting leaner or just meaner?; Is this a good time to start a new airline? and in "Fine or Whine" was it really going to get choppy or did the crew just want a break?

This week: Flying? You'll now be wearing a mask; Big cuts come to United and others; Passengers Behaving Badly-on Spirit-and this time things got bloody.

This Week: How airlines are handling elite status and refunds; A crackdown on using "hidden cities"; in Fine or Whine: A Qantas complaint; and Seth sings again (at the end)

This week: Virgin Australia enters Voluntary Administration (essentially Chapter 11); How can governments get bailouts right? Are middle seats gone forever? and this week's "Fine or Whine" complaint: Why is Southwest keeping my money?

This Week: Is Coronavirus the fault of airlines? Who currently has the leverage on aircraft purchases? A Passenger Behaving Badly misinterprets Spirit's Bare Fares marketing; and in "Fine or Whine" - Why can't my dog fly Delta?

This Week: Are airlines now an acquisition target? RavnAir files Chapter 11; Is there currently an opportunity to reinvent the airline business? Passengers Behaving Badly (in a bathroom); and this week's passenger complaint in "Fine or Whine".

This week: Some airline news not involving Coronavirus; Huge bailout for Singapore Airlines - what about USA Airlines?; Passengers Behaving Badly; and Seth sings (at the end of the podcast).

This week: Is there a case to be made for optimism? Which airlines may be best able to weather the storm? Restrictions on government financial assistance; Passengers Behaving Badly, and more.

This week: A global crisis for the airline industry; Fuel hedging; A passenger behaving *very* badly; and this week's complaint in "Fine? or Whine?"

This Week: How some airline CEO's are thinking about the current challenges in the industry, including the effects of Coronavirus; One passenger behaving very badly; This week's complaint- Fine? or Whine?

This week: How big should your under-seat bag be allowed to be? JetBlue makes a change in their refund policy; and this week's complaint from a listener in Hawaii about Alaska Air..Is it fine? or just a whine?

This Week: An airline is going out of business but you might not even notice; More on the effects of the Coronavirus on travel; another installment of Passengers Behaving Badly; and this week's passenger complaint-is it fine? or is it a whine?

This week: Reclining in your seat-what space is really yours? Alaska Airlines joins Oneworld; Why does Delta seem so good? New segment: passengers behaving badly!

#017 This week: Are American Airlines employees getting too good a deal in the new compensation agreement? Get ready for America's exciting new start-up airline - can it succeed? and in this week's "Fine or Whine" customer complaint segment Ben and Seth seem to be in complete agreement.

016: This week: The Coronavirus and how it might affect your travel; Is a Southwest safety response concerning?; A listener question about airline regulation; and in "Fine or Whine" a customer complaint about her gift card not being valid.

This week: Is that poisonous snake really a support animal? (new rules coming); Who should be examining the black box following an incident? How much profit does an airline make from each flight? "Fine or Whine?" listener complaint segment: How come there's no window next to my window seat?

This Week: Does Boeing need to change their aircraft branding? How do low cost airlines keep the cost low? A customer complaint begs the question...When does it make sense for you to purchase frequent flyer miles?

This Week: Tips on what to look for if an airline might be going out of business; Will the Iran situation affect air travel? How do airlines decide which flights to cancel? Customer Complaint: Did the credit card holder deserve to get charged for bags? Find out in "Fine or Whine".

This Week: Do frequent fliers increase the carbon footprint? High vs Low cost airports, what is the Airline Rat Pack, a customer complaint (about Spirit!)"fine...or whine?"

This Episode: What the Congo Airways plane purchase tells us, Delta's maintenance advantage, Flashback: Keith Olbermann calls Ben the 2nd worst person in the world, and which airlines get the most complaints?

This Week: Delta stops certain auto-upgrades. Is Southwest really a low-cost carrier? Is the A380 on it's way out? Plus this week's customer complaint - Fine? or Whine?

This Week: More delays around the holidays or just seems like it? The 3 hour rule. How long is "too long" a flight? Plus this week's listener complaint - "Fine? or Whine?"

This Week: Change at the top of United. A peek behind the scenes at an airline CEO change. Are "on-time" stats meaningful? and...hear from a customer upset that his airline "stole" his miles. Did they?

This week: Is pilot training currently the most difficult issue facing aviation? An airline worker labor dispute update. And...Seth volunteers to be bumped, gets a flight +$1500...so what's his issue?

This episode: Is the FAA looking more closely at safety? The most/least expensive airports to fly in/out of...and why? Industry job talent needs. And Viktor the 22 pound cat takes a flight...with consequences.

This Week: What exactly do you get (and NOT get) with a "Basic Economy" fare? Are Frequent Flier Miles becoming extinct? plus... is boarding from the rear of the plane any faster?

Boeing & Airbus: Fleet commonality and profitability. More about when to purchase your ticket at the best price, and is a listener's pricing complaint fine or just whining?

This Episode: International Airlines Group (IAG) owner of British Airways and many more, buys another airline, is buying your ticket via Hotwire/Priceline/Expedia a great deal?, and ESPN's Randy Moss flies to Bristol...sort of.

What's next for the 737-Max & Would you fly on it? Is your airline telling you the truth about your flight delay? This week's customer complaint: Is it fine...or is it a whine?

This Week: Why do airlines bump paying passengers? What's the deal with all these annoying fees? Are planes without pilots coming soon? Complaint of the week - is it fine? or is it a whine?