Layovers - Air Travel podcast

157 KMJ - 17 hours to Perth, the uniqueness of flying within Japan, tensions and airfare rising, uniforms and identity, Qsuite ganache

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:54 +0000

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly 17+ hours straight? Matt Drinkwater comes to share his experience with Qantas on the near-Kangaroo route to Perth (we talk the past and present of that route), and more, onto Brisbane.
Matt and Paul share a deep bond with Japan, and discuss the beauty, and quirkiness, of flying within Japan, from small airports, to the smell of Kansai International (yes, airports have a smell!).
Qsuite to Bali, it doesn't get much better than this (especially with that chocolate ganache).
There's a certain allure in epic journeys, a remnant of our forefathers' explorations, this also requires you to get lost, something that Japan or China still offer (don't resist, do let go).
Do you research the food you'll have on-board? Matt does (that salt and pepper squid at the Heathrow Qantas lounge!).
Can one love British Airways in 2026? Matt does, and makes a great case why it stays relevant, in spite of its IT woes (but, do you smash into people at Heathrow?!).
When technology meets emotion (Star Wars, anyone?), and when it doesn't (that gimmicky hologram… IYKYK).
The same goes with crew uniforms, and Matt works in fashion (also, American Airlines, please watch Forks, the episode of The Bear).
The global tensions, jet fuel woes, and the inflation of air travel fares in the very near future (a sensitive topic …and book that trip now!).

Follow Matt on his instagram: @matthewdrinkwater
Learn more about his work
(Matt, let go, and learn to love The Last Jedi!)
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Reach out to the creator of Layovers, Paul
On Instagram: @paulpapa.io and @papadimitriou (for his photography)
Or on LinkedIn

For video, subscribe on YouTube or Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts or search for 'Layovers' wherever you get your podcasts

156 JFK T1 - Lufthansa Allegris Tetris, Air Canada A330, JFK faster than fast-track, 100th liveries, JetClock, how to choose a seat

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:08:48 +0000

The road that Lufthansa took to get to their new business class seemed somewhat long and convoluted, Paul is finally able to tell you if it was worth the wait (choosing a seat on Allegris might be as long and convoluted a process though).
And hey, there are no less than 5 outside cameras on their 350!
How to strike gold after gold at JFK Terminal 1 and be faster than fast-track.
Vinod finally gets the satisfaction of flying aboard an Air Canada A330, do the nuances of in-flight service and crew dynamics hit him then?
We opine on a few anniversary liveries, there's one we love ("DEADLY"), there's one we're not sure about.
Ever wanted a flight tracker on your desk? Jetclock is a pretty cool one.
What Vinod prioritizes when he chooses a seat in business class (which he kinda goes against when he chooses a seat in premium economy!)
Tasting thousands of wine for an airline? Where do we apply?
Air Canada, please introduce those lesley stowe raincoast crisps on-board (and for the love of God. someone import them to the UK, says Paul!)

We mentioned: JetClock
(The link Paul promised is here, but the live ATC feeds sadly do not seem to work anymore: https://listentothe.cloud/ )

See you in the next one, happy flying!
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Listen and review: Apple Podcasts - search for 'Layovers' wherever you listen

Reach out to Paul on Instagram (his photography Instagram), or LinkedIn

155 FLIGHTY - Flighty: Reinventing Flight Tracking and the air travel experience, with Ryan Jones, Founder CEO at Flighty

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:27:30 +0000

Flighty has changed how we experience air travel.
The flight tracking app, which obsessively focuses on the user experience and data accuracy, has been mentioned in nearly all our episodes since Paul got on the beta in early 2019, and we're so pleased to welcome Ryan Jones, the Founder CEO of Flighty, for an entertaining chat on everything Flighty, and more.

Ryan shares the journey of creating this epic app, the importance of design, the challenges of data acquisition, the commitment to providing real-time information and how the three founders prioritize new innovative features.
We learn who uses Flighty the most (can you guess?) and the role of the community in shaping the app's development and future directions for Flighty (Ryan loves feedback!).

We realize how intricate it is to track a flight, and the challenges of providing timely information and flight statuses (and what to surface when, during our flying journeys). Not everything is equal, some territories are better than others, some airports or airlines better than others (there's one that doesn't seem to care).

And yes, Paul asks Ryan about his favorite airport, and he tells us which one he hates hahaha (Paul and Ryan find a commonality in hating carpets!), and his plan to change the IATA code for Austin.

We had tremendous fun talking to Ryan, and the two hours flew by.
Thank you, Ryan, and your two co-founders, for creating such a beautifully designed experience.

You should try Flighty:
https://flighty.com

Flighty on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/flighty/
Flighty on X: https://x.com/Flighty
Flighty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightyapp/
Flighty on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flightyapp/
Flighty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flighty/

This episode is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5DttBKTF-g
Happy flying!
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Reach out to the creator of Layovers, Paul
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/paulpapa.io
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpapadimitriou/

More links on our website: https://layovers.to

154 LGA - United fairly tale, Qatar-ish premium economy, SeatGuru farewell, Hanoi underground tension, ORD forever taxiing

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 10:16:23 +0000

Alex finally boards a Qatar Airways flight, and finds how to get a premium economy seat in this airline that doesn't have premium economy (not through that ethernet port though). Paul completely changes his mind about United, a true Christmas miracle (and a possible playbook for BA), what an incredible crew. Farewell to SeatGuru, nothing truly replaces you (AeroLOPA is the nearest). When your boarding pass gets denied at Hanoi airport, and you unwillingly discover the bowels of Hanoi airport (a gripping tale by Alex!). And more.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all. See you in 2026!

Creators & Guests

Paul Papa (Paul Papadimitriou) - Host
Alex Hunter - Host

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153 ROLLS-ROYCE - Inside Rolls-Royce: engineering excellence, how airplane turbine blades are born at the edge of science

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 18:38:05 +0000

We are at Rolls-Royce, exploring the engineering marvels behind aviation engines, the inner workings behind the quiet hums of those incredible machine.

We dive into the importance of expertise, heat management, and innovation in ensuring engine durability and performance.

Most importantly, we talk to the people, as this is as much craftsmanship as it is the absolute edge of science — and the people are absolute gems, it has been such a highlight listening to them all talk about what they do with such enthusiasm and love for what they do.

We also take a voyage through the intricate support systems in place for engine operations, the real-time monitoring of all those engines that fly you around, and the collaboration with aircraft manufacturers and airlines.

We delve into the future of aviation, focusing on the development of next-generation engines, the importance of efficiency, the importance of research and development, the collaboration within the industry to tackle sustainability issues, and the role of sustainable aviation fuels.

Our thanks to all of you at Rolls-Royce, your dedication to the craft is why we, the traveling public, tend to forget about engines (they always work, which is why a podcast like ours where we mostly talk, or moan, about a seat or a choice of food instead!).

Special thanks to Ben Todd for having welcomed us with open arms, you're a star — it is connections like those that fuel the passion for air travel that we, and the audience, share.

Learn more about our discussion here.
Check Veritasium's video at Rolls-Royce for the science of this all: Veritasium on YouTube
You can follow Rolls-Royce here: LinkedIn - Facebook - X - Instagram

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Listen anywhere: website (most reviews are on Apple Podcasts)
Watch us: Spotify or YouTube
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If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

152 ZNZ - Is Premium Economy premium, when BA was Emirates, Precision Air approximation, caravaning Cessna, Emirates A350

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:05 +0000

Paul & Paolo are guinea pigs, they enter a bar, only that it's Paul's living room (but there's actual beer!), to talk, in length, about the state of BA, what is premium about their premium economy, and if it can compare to Emirates' one (or Virgin's for that matter).
Paul calls BA the Emirates of the 80/90s (he felt inadequate flying them back then!) — were there enough headphones and food in that era?
Paolo flies a brand new Emirates A350 (that includes the water cannon baptism!) and defines what is a part-time terminal.
What do you do when ill in an aircraft with sickness bag available?
And is there anything precise about Precision Air?

Happy flying!

(The next episode should be epic, be ready!)

—
For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)
Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts
Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X
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Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website)
If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

151 WDH - Skeleton Coast driving, Canada wide-body bingo, Namibia airfields, Airlink Embraer, SWISS chocolate, ZRH dance

Paul Papadimitriou, Vinod Viswalingam — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:21:29 +0100

Paul goes to Namibia to check the cute WDH airport, and drive 3000km+ — and yes, before you all ask, driving the Skeleton Coast is everything you dream it to be (this country is stunning, and the NamibRand is perhaps the most beautiful place he has ever seen). He falls in love with Airlink (from their Embraer to their extensive safety talk, and they serve something called food, a forgotten art in Europe/North America), maybe with JNB a bit less (but that lounge there, woah!). Should you board when an aircraft is refueling? Maybe better than staying in front of it like Paul wanted (but the words of the catapion overrule him). Vinod does wide body bingo in Canada (there's one route always on time, listen to discover which!), and shares his South African Airways memories (the current one is a shadow of its former self). The last 777-300ER has left the factory, meanwhile the 777x is delayed, again (dire when compared to the speed of delivery of earlier designs), but it will be a success. SWISS is selling its famous on-board chocolates in stores, but be quick, it's only temporary (you can always dance the extra chocolate off at the Zurich Airport wave, which seems easier to access than the Narita raves we discussed in 149). Hacking the airplane wifi? Well, not really, but... And yes, like in every episode, we talk BA, and we mention FRA haha.

We're on video if you listen to us to Spotify, or YouTube (this is nearly 3 hours, our record, so prepare to see our faces for that long!)

Thank you to long time listener Garett Gaudet for his insights, here's his latest (excellent) MixCloud

See you in the next episode, happy flying!

150 CND - cookware security, voltage chaos, airline excellence truths, boarding Tetris, the one real European business class

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 22:23:21 +0100

Thanks to everyone who have stuck with us for 150 episodes, you're the air beneath our wings — as a gift to you, and since so many have asked for it, we've brought you VIDEO: subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)

Landing at an abandoned primary school netball court. Power banks safety, because nothing says "relaxing flight" like monitoring your electronics for spontaneous combustion. A true business class in Europe (but via LHR? We're too old for this lol). The never-ending boarding experience, aka playing angry Tetris. 380 landing interrupted, and a Beluga. When life gives you lemons (oranges, in that case), make it a Swiss stopover (listen to the end of the episode!). The soft and hard truth or airline customer service (that chat bot flight rebooking, woah). An AvGeek is always and AvGeek, even in holy places (what would you have said, if anything?). Iberia premium economy and the infinite legroom. A beautiful ode to airlines' years past (and that one technical stop that should still be one haha). The incredible growth of Istanbul Airport. Would you cook mid-flight?

And yes, Paul could not remember the title of the movie "Airplane!", wtf.

The website Paul mentioned: Tickets to Everywhere

The book Alex mentioned: Airline Maps: A Century of Art and Design

149 TYO - Narita rave, airline soundtracks, arrivals hell, Tokyo's airport of tomorrow, LEGO MUC, pre-recorded captain

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

From raves at Narita, airline sonic signatures, to the sound of engines (and a car alarm) during the recording — this episode is music to the ears of Paul and Vinod, unlike the arrivals hell of some airports (should I write which one Vinod will talk about? Nah, you'll find out!). Vinod's way back from Costa Rica, or when nothing goes your way. The beauty of Munich, built straight like a LEGO brick, satisfyingly clear and tidy, and one of Paul's favorites. Is JAL better than Qatar Airways? (Bring your own air vent?). As Japan is seeing increased numbers of international visitors (is that ouvertourism, we talk about it), will it be again Narita's time to shine over Haneda? The old Kenzo Tange dream of NRT might actually come true (in a modern, less striking form). EES, or the rise of machines, taking over airports in the Schengen Area. Are Airbus aircraft of the masculine form?

148 JTR - double upgrade bug, Hoper islands copters, BA transatlantic variance, 747s of the seas, easyJet Plus, Air India tragedy

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Paul and Alex compare notes on their transatlantic British Airways experiences — from the really bad, to the truly great, the airline needs to dig for those latter gems, its future foundation is here (the IT bugs don't help however, trust ground staff). The cot strategy of the bulkhead seat (not if you're lucky to get a double upgrade though). Do not use the US mobile passport (well, do, but we don't want more people in those queues haha). Alex sees himself at the airport, watches a Hong Kong movie and stares at sad packet of crisps and an old banana (the pantry!). Paul says adieu to an old aircraft seat, celebrates a captaincy, and smiles at a pilot with fat fingers ("Ground, do you copy?"). Do not speculate on the causes of that Air India tragedy, please (or at least, do it in private). Island hopping with Hoper (on a Ferrari-red Robinson R66), and the wonders of high-speed crafts, the super fast ferries of Greece (think of a 747 on water).

We mentioned:
https://flyhoper.com
https://www.welcomepickups.com

147 LIR - new JAL 350 to Haneda, ode to the 757, cockpit cigars and whisky, ATL golden hour, exclusive airline statuses

Vinod Viswalingam, Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100

JAL takes Paul on a wonderful flight to Haneda in their new 350-1000 business class (that amenity kit too!). The new HND approach is everything (but HND T3 isn't). The aircraft guide for kids, by Vinod (and how wonderful are those Delta pilots!). An airborne Wifi setup that is so long, it will get you sober. An ode to the 757, they really don't make planes like those anymore (but Delta does a great job refreshing them). Want to invite 8 people to the lounge? Be an Ultimate baller (if you have one of those super exclusive statuses, get in touch!). The battle of the Guanacaste Airport carts (and the battle of gate PA announcements). Even ATL looks nice in a golden hour. JAL Euphony, or the only valid excuse to listen to content without headphones! That time when Paul got to drink whisky in the cockpit with a disheveled Fidel Castro (well, not exactly, but close enough).

146 CUR - KLM timeline, Starlink is airborne, Doha First ceilings, Heathrow fire, UK ETA, bubbly for the pilot

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Here's the trick on how to forget you don't have a window seat: spend an entire flight doing speed tests on Starlink. Another trick? How to actually get a mobile boarding pass on BA's ever-buggy app. When business becomes first, or the final trick to access the Al Safwa First Class lounge in Doha. KLM gives you a timeline of service on the IFE, and a LOT of (good) food. CDG T1 is the Circle of Doom, but there are views on the 11th floor if you can find it. Heathrow shuts down after a fire, earning its "operational challenges" nickname. The UK has introduced the electronic travel authorization (ETA), no questions asked. The bonus of not having doors in business class: the gossip, here whether a pilot should be allowed to drink champagne or not. The rather surreal experience of airport hotels, and the reset of coming back to commuter airports.

Check-ins, touchdowns, unexpected connections, with turbulent weather and turbulent IT — Happy Flying!

145 KUL - AF001 fragrance, long-haul family, blue liveries, Jewel bathtub plug, hidden runways, what is premium economy

Paul Papadimitriou, Vinod Viswalingam — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is it like to travel with a kid on long-haul journeys to Asia, from Singapore, to KL, to Taipei and more (and the secret bathrooms, which one would you choose?). AF001, the Air France fragrance (only the French!). Should KLM talk to Korean about the new livery? (And where is the red? LH kept a Pantone code at least). The runways hidden in plain sight (we have one in Singapore, one in Switzerland). CDG T1 (again) shortcomings — compare that to the magic of Singapore Changi and the big bathtub plug at Jewel (Changi, where no one can hear your child scream!). Is Air Canada better than JAL?! (not everything coming out of Japan has unicorn status, you know). What is premium economy (a slightly better economy, or a business class minus, no airline seem to agree). When should service happen on long-haul flights? (Bad timing is everything). What on Earth is going on at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (there's a lot of dust on that Aerotrain).

We mentioned our friends at Plane Talking UK, here's how to listen/watch them

Happy flying!

144 10Y — A Decade on the Air, Emirates Zero-Gravity First-Class pinnacle, Virgin Avgeek fan, Finnair joy, BA loyalty controversy

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A decade on the air and in the air, thank you all for your loyalty (we don't offer Tier Points).

Loyalty is what we start with, as British Airways shakes the world of revenue based loyalty with a rather abrupt shift (meh it was coming, says Alex, whilst Paul defends BA), but what program should we now put our miles in?!

Alex flies to peak pollution Delhi with Virgin Atlantic, to meet his brothers (and his Attache brother, Greg). He then goes to New York via Helsinki with Finnair, an airline that wants you to believe a 330 is a 350, but that he'd fly again and again.

IFE privacy and self-consciousness, that's a thing (is it for you all you too?)

Paul finally narrates the pinnacle of air travel, the best First Class in the world (no contest!), 12 hours in supreme zero-gravity comfort aboard the Emirates 777 First (he touches all the buttons, creates a night club in the sky in one cabin, a hotel in another).

Is the middle seat the best option? You might need binoculars to believe it.

Again, thank you all for tuning in every time we release a show (including the crazy ones binge-listening to the entire catalogue of episodes!).

Happy flying until our next episode (When? Like at airports, patience is a virtue haha)

143 LBG - De-icing YVR, from Air France panache to roomy Ryanair, the retro-future of CDG T1 & the Concorde

Vinod Viswalingam, Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A European flying tour from North America, a symphony of alcohol (with two specific colors), a flight sim in an airport (well, nearly), the Paris Olympics from the inside (Paul is jealous), the alternative timeline of CDG T1 and Concorde (we want to switch to it!), an appreciation for Ryanair (nope, we're not in another timeline). getting sea sick whilst taxiing (included in your expensive ticket), the tiny ground dots of Charles de Gaulle and Zurich (bring them back!), the dark underground link between Orly and Luton (ok, not really, but you'll get it), the fabulous Musée de l'air et de l'espace at Le Bourget (does it get any better than this?) — Vinod is back (and not only for the insane Spotify numbers he brings along).

Happy New Year everyone & Happy Flying!

142 KTM - From Ukraine to Nepal, war zone and sky trails

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Two tales of adventurous (and at time turbulent) travels: Paul embarks on a long train ride to Ukraine, while Alex soars above the Himalayas.

One ventures into the heart of a conflict-stricken Kyiv, the other navigates the heights of Annapurna aboard a Ukrainian-built plane.

A blend of sobering exhilaration and uplifting challenges that come when traveling in unique and sometimes demanding circumstances — we were both taught lessons in resilience and perspective.

This could very well be our favorite episode ever.

141 OKA - When building a flying itinerary to Japan and beyond is like building a LEGO set

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:05:00 +0100

Alex tells us all about flying to Okinawa's Naha airport (via Tokyo), Hawaii (717s being flown like NYC cab drivers), the Philippines (that loop to Clarke airport), and more. We have one more Concorde to visit (next, a Millenium Falcon), we dream of Japanese airlines on-board experience (that "Italian" food, though?), we calculate the length of DXB concourses (it can be a long walk), we ponder the future of Manila airports (they'll end up with no less than THREE massive international airports), we wonder if selling guitars in an airport yields any results (Cebu has seen a lot of improvement though), we discuss legroom (bulkhead FTW), and admire Emirates' consistency (the new business class is the old business class?).

Here's Ed Parsons photo store, check it out: https://store.edparsons.com

More travels to come, more episodes to come (if Paul makes it back), but we won't promise when (SORRY!)

Happy travels!

140 AKL - Everything flight planning, future fares, premium leisure growth, BA Fly no more, LHR T1 secret, the return of the 380?

Hakan Yilmaz, Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0100

What's next for the aviation industry?
The post-pandemic rejigging of air travel with less business travel, and more leisure travelers in the front (who want, like most of you, to experience the full array of premium travel), more often off-season.
Will fares keep increasing (it's the economy, stupid!), the unstoppable rise of ancillary revenues (gotta keep those nice margins), and were airlines underpricing their miles up to the pandemic (Emirates believes so)?
Where is the next aircraft, it seems neither Boeing nor Airbus has anything on the drawing board (the great Embraer might not dent the market, Comac on the other hand?), and Airbus softening's stance on the future of the 380 (the Emirates pressure could be working).
What about single pilot aircrafts (touchy subject!).
Greener tech for greener aircraft, and the question of incentives versus punishment (do you know where the term carbon footprint come from?) — and more from the great Hakan Yilmaz (Paul, meanwhile, just spends his time quoting Tim Clark).

Everything you wanted to know about the intricacies of flight planning (choose your wind provider right!).
Did you know what purpose does the seemingly abandoned T1 LHR serve? (the guys at the new IST could really teach a thing or two to Heathrow…).
BA Fly no more (well, you'll see), and European Single Sky not yet (or ever?!).
Flying down under to Brisbane and Auckland, and an Air New Zealand who punches above its weight.
And we should really do an episode about the best business seats for tall people (the "old" Turkish one is fabulous for that, we both agree).
Oh, and what's your favorite aerobatic display team? (A loaded question, Paul goes for the lunatics).

Follow Hakan on X/Twitter: @LAFlyr

Follow Paul on X/Twitter: @papadimitriou, Instagram: @papadimitriou

Follow Layovers on X/Twitter: @lay_overs, Instagram: @lay_overs

Layovers will return ;-)

139 YEG - From ground crew to flight attendant, via two pandemic Olympics: Vinod's AvGeek chronicles

Vinod Viswalingam, Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:05:00 +0100

Ever wondered about the life of a flight attendant (and ground crew)? This is the episode for you. Paul welcomes his good friend Vinod for an episode full of fun aviation and travel stories — a long episode, with the laughs taking quite some of that length.

From Edmonton to Vancouver, via Calgary (and its keys!), the many airports he worked at (Paul still hasn't been to Canada), Martinair, British Airways, Air Berlin, or WestJet, amongst the many airlines he worked for (and in a world of crew camaraderie around the world, BA really seems like a big family).

Is there something about the uniform that transcends trends? And Vinod's secret to treat cabin crew well (Paul is inspired).

The experience of turbulences in the air (and yes, we discuss that fateful Singapore Airlines flight), but also the video game of driving a jet bridge.

Can you get Covid from an aircraft wing: flying during the pandemic to (and working at) Tokyo 2020 (NRT, a game of chairs) and Beijing 2022 (PEK, calcifying under sanitizing spray).

Does each airline have a specific smell, or is that a neurotic avgeek thing? (dried fish seems like a bad omen though).

Vinod attempts to convince Paul that Frankfurt and Heathrow are great airports, and he nearly succeeds (his definition of LHR is just the best, and Paul softens on FRA), and we (kinda) agree on Singapore's carpet.

And many more stories (Vinod's most memorable flights are quite something).

Listen to Vinod Viswalingam's podcast (hosted along with the great Geoff Dahl), Seat 1A:

Seat1A on Apple Podcasts

Seat1A on Spotify

Seat1A (website with more links)

138 AUH - Chic new Abu Dhabi, all business BeOnd, MAX flying challenge, humane low cost, wireless lavatory IFE

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 14 May 2024 00:05:00 +0100

It's Alex and Paul, and it's another Alex (you've met her in 133!). She tells us all about BeOnd, the new all business class airlines that flies ex-EasyJet (!) 319s (!) to get you to the Maldives (did she enjoy the plane more than the beach?!). Humane versus non-humane low cost carriers: a new definition for IATA? The MAX flying challenge, or how to overcome the unhealthy relationship with a plane. Airport design and signage, another potential unhealthy relationship (it shouldn't be that hard!). Backpack travel, the way to avoid being made to check your carry-on. Make airport buses great again: do not put stickers on windows, do not darken the windows too much (WE WANT TO SEE THE APRON VIEWS!). Wifi naming: has anyone who implemented them actually flown an aircraft? Etihad 3.0, a new growth chapter (there will be doors in the forthcoming EY business class, but Paul does not think doors are very necessary). The new AUH is gorgeous, and a success: was its design process so long thought that it led to some quirks though? (whilst the path to the Etihad lounge is awkward, the delicious design of the gates is a win!). Lavatories breaks with the airline wireless headphones (and PLEASE add green noise—rain and thunder—as a feature on IFEs!!!).

Follow Alex on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/alexandravukolova

Listen to her podcast, Sky Lounge: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

And since Paul mentions it, here's the very good Air Show podcast (weekly and short, the opposite of this pod haha): Apple Podcasts, Spotify

See you in 2-3 weeks for another episode (hint: closer to where Paul has never been)

137 SAI - The Great Tour of Cambodia and Vietnam, with a cup of water from Cambodia Angkor Air

Paolo Orezzi, Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:01:48 +0100

Paul is joined by Paolo, one his best friends, to compare notes on a big tour of Cambodia and Vietnam (Paul flew to Cambodia, Paolo flew to Vietnam and Cambodia) with many airports, and airlines along the way (not sure about the water on-board a Cambodia Angkor Air). Paul had his worst fly ever (it was no fault of Etihad, just his own!!) and circles the 380 lounge table forever like an animal, whilst Paolo has the most epic security check experience at Sihanouk International Airport (he's a giant, after all). Cambodia is building huge airports, the future Phnom Penh (still in construction), and the just-opened massive Siem Reap International which we both were pretty staggered with. Are turbulences getting worse, and should the pilot give more explanation when we hit them (Paolo compares them as being rock cradled to sleep in business class!). Does landing at SGN remind you a little of Kai Tak ("dodging the washing lines across the apartments"). Paul and Paolo disagree on BKK, but, yeah, a bit of window cleaning would be good (but the Thai government agrees with Paul, it needs a refurb!). Do you really want to board a Wamos Air?

- Cambodia Tuk Tuk driver in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat: Mr Kat, tuktukcambodia.com

136 DXB - Vegan First Class, lounge bouncers, jet stream rush, intermittent flying fasting, improper JFK

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:44:31 +0000

Is Emirates low key encouraging membership to the high mile club? (And how Alex and Layovers saved Paul's Emirates First upgrade. The controller goes "oh that sucks", or why Alex keeps listening to ground whilst traveling (but he always gets the last bag delivery ever). Lounge bouncers (not exactly, but lounge double dipping is a thing). Going against the jet stream when it reaches record speeds (and against an unbelievably bad customer representative at JFK). Wife or work wife, who gets lounge access? Plant-based food choices are increasing in quality, Emirates saw the trend early (and why some flight attendants have had enough of special meals). BA is investing billions, but could they spare some to fix their Manage My Bookings on the app? No more miles or status for non-direct bookings, a new trend?

Happy flying to you all!

135 RAK - Epic tropical lounge, composite burn, full row downgrade, going veg, MAXed out Boeing rant

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:21:50 +0000

Qatar'd? No, that new Al Mourjan Lounge at Doha is stunning — one thing we can't say about that RAK one.
Turkish'd? Not really, when a downgrade gets you full emergency exit rows — though that 333 seat made Paul act like an animal.
Boeing has gone full MAX for its windows openings (ok, ok, poor one, but come on Boeing, do better!) — the new 350-1000 goes for a dimmable shade instead.
The JAL 350 crash, a miracle for many (but not all), a testament to the crew, the industry, that aircraft, and Airbus.
Alex and Paul agree, the best eye masks stays the Emirates F one (the previous version!).
Go around grinning? YES.

And Happy New Year to all (this was recorded on Jan 31, just in time!)

134 HKG - All business class 321neo, biometrics AI airports, Qatar 2.0, boarding group 0, IFE gold standard

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 22:31:11 +0000

Alex tells us all about his return to Hong Kong, with Cathay setting a new gold standard in IFE over Emirates (Greg flew China Southern, and, errr, well). Paul flies the all business class 321neo from La Compagnie from Orly to Newark (road traffic was key to that story, but traffic there is none to board, how crazily fast is that, kudos La Compagnie!). Choose your BA seat on Jordanian (neat trick), but it might come with a free infant for you. After 27 years, Qatar Airways replaces Al Baker (would some call him the Jeremy Clarkson of the airline industry?). Can reward/award finders help you spend air miles faster than they devaluate? The biometric airport experience is upon us, and AI is rising (but robots do strike in London when they drive trains). Is British Airways' customer service seeing a renaissance after having listened to Layovers? (at least they're investing quite massively in it, hopefully in IT -capital letters- too). Will we see boarding group -2 arise (group 0 is here)? ExTime, beautiful third party lounges thanks to a je ne sais quoi (the French flair surely). The bucolic murals at that -4 walkway.

We did travel quite a lot, pardon the delay in getting this one out. We'll be back in December!

Happy flying, all.
—

Paul is on Instagram, Threads, and Twitter.
Alex is on Instagram, and Twitter.
Layovers is on Instagram, and Twitter.

133 ALA - Bundling the unbundling, Condor Brewdog, BER secret door, overhead bin booking, inaugural JetBlue, LH sneakers, with Alex Vukolova

Alex Vukolova, Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 19:00:54 +0100

So small, cozy, cute, a very special airport, that was Tegel, not BER: can the finally (nearly) finished Berlin Brandenburg measure up to the "poor but sexy" German capital? At least the cleverly named lounges have an even cleverer backdoor (and, hey, it's not a poor bus station like Schoenfeld).

Bundling the unbundling: a (great) rant by Alex (Hunter, but Vukolova chimes in, and Paul got confused having two Alex on the show).
Do the Adidas Lufthansa sneakers give you extra status (you can now buy them, unlike the staff limited editions that Paul bought off from an employee a few years ago, in order to pair them with the Family Mart socks he just got).
Condor offers you a branded beer (another Brewdog airline brew!), but also booking your …overhead bin?? (Alex tested it, and we look at everything that could go wrong).
JetBlue and the inaugural massive dog.
The admirable journey out of fear of flying.
Air Astana is amazing, Almaty airport not so much (the former gives you amenity kits, and slippers, in economy, for 3 hours!! The latter does not have free water in its lounge WTF).

Thanks a million to Alex Vukolova for having joined us (and for having waited FOREVER to be on our podcast).

You should follow Alex on LinkedIn (she posts great avgeek stuff!): http://linkedin.com/in/alexandravukolova

On Instagram (Paul messed up her username all this time!!): https://www.instagram.com/avixalex/

Give a listen to her aviation podcast, Sky Lounge: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/sky-lounge-podcast/id1678045129

And here's the Ladies Beyond Flying group she mentioned: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12451302

(See, there are links in our show notes for once).

Apologies for the audio quality, we had to work around a ton of glitches, and preferred recording than postponing.

See you in the next one! Happy flying!

132 BLQ - Finnair hippos, IST hugeness, fast track lounge, Super NES passport, Midfield Tom Cruise run

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 12:06:59 +0100

Paul tries multiple Italian airports, Alex finally visits the new Istanbul (and flies Turkish for the first time!). The passport blowing border official trick (it doesn't work better than the Super NES cartridge blowing). BA will soon introduce water bottles the size of mini bar vodkas (at least it seems so). The Magical Finnish hippos, another first in a long line of firsts by Finnair. The perma-scaffolding of a rather joyful Birmingham airport. Italian really do duty free differently (from currency to cars). Alex visits what is easily the biggest third party lounge he's ever seen in his life. Tom Cruise runs over the new Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi (and of course, WE ARE TOP GUN MAVERICK). When the fast track is in the lounge. Creatively naming the airline Wifi (send us your favorites). Imperial Airways lives on (on the IFE). Luton LOL. Do airlines realize people usually need to have a bag when they fly? Are Ryanair pilots of drinking age? Don’t ask Apple Maps for Bologna Airport.

131 NRT - The Amazing Zipair Race from London to California to Tokyo to Osaka and back

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 19:41:01 +0100

Combini, tamago sando, Skyliner, vending machines, ekiben, baseball Suica cards, yes we discuss Japan, where Alex was earlier this summer.
And yes we talk (err, Alex talks) about air travel too, British Airways, Southwest, Hawaiian, ANA, and, drumroll, Zipair — not in that order, and with hops at London Heathrow, San Jose, San Francisco, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Itami, and some shinkansens (and lots of Pocari Sweat, Alex is a fan, Paul isn’t), on a few 787s, a 777 (should have been a 380, but …BA), a 737, a MAX (and Alex has thoughts on that one), and a 717 (a great beat up commuter bus!).

A new acronym for BA, Belated Airways (are they ever on time these days?). JAL used to advertise: we don’t economize in economy, so what about their long haul low cost ZipAir, the “new basic airline”, do they economize? And would you ditch your luggage completely, and rent your clothes at destination, for the duration of your trip? Jerks being jerks, but, really, do you need to complain for hours to no end (aka, the rise of disruptive passengers, Alex had one, could have been two). ANA domestic is like flying United in the 90s, golf highlights included, only announcing turbulences are coming in exactly 30 seconds. Would you rather be clocking in and out of lounges, max duration 30 minutes, or looking at nothing but the Pacific for 10 hours? The beer robot at lounges, the perfect good bye to Japan (or is it the soothing sound of Live ATC?). The two dings, the ominous two dings, they will make robots of people.

130 MSP - Cheap travel and the hamster wheel of miles and status in the post-Covid devaluation times, with Kyle 'Hello Kitty' Potter

Kyle Potter, Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:16:03 +0100

Kyle Potter, Executive Editor at Thrifty Traveler, all-around awesome(ly smart) dude, Hello Kitty enthusiast (well, it's that EVA Air flight, you'll see!), and (very) long time Layovers listener and friend, tells us all about why MSP is the best thing ever, like everything in Minnesota — but also whether cheap travel is still possible in the current era of airfare inflation (yes!), whether passenger rights will ever be a thing in the US (maybe), whether boarding groups will ever be abandoned (forget it). We debate the wilderness where having no status means real freedom (that status, the warm blanket you're sure you need, right?), the crazy valuations of US loyalty programs (and airlines wanted to spin them off? HOW WOULD THEY MAKE MONEY lol, it's as if they're banks that happen to own planes), the devaluation of those programs (non-travel Covid has something to do with it), the importance of alliances and joint ventures in the current air travel era. And yes, for once, we touch upon the world of air miles programs a bit more, and its nearly MLM-esque ecosystem in the USA. As Kyle is a Delta fan (and captive!), we ask him: Why are they so good (that padding!), and how is that new Delta One seat (hint: we're all aligning in saying doors aren't really something we value).
Oh, and ORD doesn't get a lot of love, LOL.

Nearly two hours of great fun, whilst learning quite a bit (Alex and Paul learnt a lot).

You can follow Kyle on Twitter (please do):
https://twitter.com/kpottermn

His writings are on:
https://thriftytraveler.com

Of note, he wrote about the EVA Air Hello Kitty flight he took here:
https://thriftytraveler.com/reviews/flights/15-hours-eva-air-hello-kitty/

and a great guide on how to find cheap travel via Google Flights:
https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/google-flights/

Layovers will return in August (when Alex does).

129 GVA - Attaché bromance, Air Force Ones, 777X windows, fly with film, Covid weight, Vomit Pro, Brian Shul

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 19:00:30 +0100

We flew to Geneva to record an episode of Attaché (now on YouTube, link below), so how were our flights, and what did we think of the airport (the new C-Gates are excellent, the time at immigration not always). Does too much info add unnecessary travel stress? (Aka Flighty is Paul's IFE of choice in lounges). Is Covid wear and tear a thing? Some aircraft interiors look older than they should. Dublin airport can be frustrating, but it's pretty much forgiven when you can see one of the most famous airplanes in the world next to you. The 380 is an absolute winner in those times of constraints, the 777X could be too (come on, when???), but its new window dimming is what we'll have to settle for now. The new security machines are awesome, unless you shoot film (yes, you know, rolls of film in cameras, the youth won't know what we're talking about), and a photographer friend has some update on that front. Some LCY & Cityflyer love, but "that stupid goddamn piece of crap building that I'm sure is really important to the operation of the airport blocks the view" (HAHAHAHAHA). We both sing in unisson: BA is improving. Undercover flight attendant CEO, whilst Starlux's saves the day (but might get a fine). Did passengers gain weight during Covid? We have the answer (for Europe at least). Apple Vision Pro, the new IFE (Vomit Pro or not?). Remembering Brian Shul.

Lots more stories, from Japan to terminal pubs (morning beer anyone?).

And whilst we always forget to link stuff in those show notes, for sure go watch Attaché with Alex and Paul:

https://youtu.be/0z4pNTXEN3U

128 AUH - Etihad 2.0, Midfield mirage, Swiss cheeseboard, 40000ft silent floating, Louis Vuitton lounging

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:13:50 +0100

Do you have a number? The saga of Alex trying to beat boarding time at Lisbon (you won't believe he, of all people, made that mistake). A completely charming SWISS cheese board on-board (and cows in the Zurich airport train). Etihad 2.0 are quietly great, a tasteful experience we appreciate (and flying over the Arabian Gulf is a sight to be seen), plus they're now about making money (err, shouldn't it have been the case since the start?). The "Etihad Lounge, The House of the Name of the House of the Lounge of Etihad and Other Airlines that are associated with us, but not really, and we are a good lounge, Lounge" is no more, but Alex isn't sure where he was anyway. A prescient Careem driver takes Alex to the Midfield Terminal, a mirage in a Star Wars movie (will it finally open this December??), but for the moment, the 1970s airport stays your only choice (T3 was opened in 2009, but feels way older). Saudi Arabia is launching a second flag carrier, and another airline, and expansion of airports, and like wow. Floating at 40'000 feet in silence (but with Flightradar). A new A380 UK-based carrier, are they for real? A lounge within a lounge, but it's Louis Vuitton. Super Mario Bros Warp Zones in Madrid.

127 JFK T8 - Mint Studio wow, airfare inflation, BEY dual time, increased turbulences, why do you go to a lounge?

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Alex gets lost at JFK T8, only to encounter crazy turbulences over the Atlantic (a future worsening trend). But how did he get there? Finally testing what Paul did in 2021, the Mint Studio — a hope for the future of long haul narrow bodies. Airfare prices are way up from 2019 (more than inflation!), is that temporary, or what prices will be, and should always have been (that's the opinion of AirAsia's founder), so, please, JetBlue, don't Norwegian it! When you call BA, you will get quoted different fees and taxes every time, just keep calling (but who calls in 2023??). Also, DO YOU KNOW WHAT AIRLINE YOU WORK FOR?

Our proposal: play musical chairs in lounges and every five minutes, you have to get up and give somebody else your seat (just keep the ceiling intact, unlike in Paul's sound studio).

126 MAD - Mad dash at MADrid, skip the JAL banana, BA/LHR chagrin, Lufthansa seat Tetris, Emirates is Apple

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

How is it we had never actually done MAD as an episode title? This ends today, however the mad MADrid dash from T4S to T4 never does. Alex has lots to say about BA and it's …not great (he's not alone to think like this). Paul calls it, the better London airport is definitively Gatwick (stop being a wannabe posh by preferring LHR). Lufthansa introduces a grand new First Class, and a super complex Tetris business class with 14+ options (Swiss introduces the same, but in bordeaux). Will Dolomiti be folded into ITA (the ever growing Lufthansa Group realm of the European skies). Emirates is the Apple of airlines, you might not love them but they offer incredible consistency at massive scale, truly admirable (DXB could do with a bit of a refresh though). You know what, you can fly the 747-400 to Palma (BE QUICK, BEFORE THE 744 ERA ENDS).

We mentioned (and promised to link) those two:

The worst airport in the world (by Jo Ellison, in the FT, paywall possible, I'M SORRY, JO, FOR MISNAMING YOUR LAST NAME!!!!), and
The DISGRACEFUL State of British Airways (by Nonstop Dan, on YouTube).

See you again for 127, and, in the meanwhile, please give us any feedback on Twitter or Instagram (and Apple Podcasts if you're inclined to give us a nice review).

125 CDG T2 - The 747 is forever, a London NY bridge at JFK T8, Air France lounge joie de vivre, 777 guillotine, the airport game

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 13:49:26 +0000

The airport you think is overrated, the airport you like, the airport you love, the airport you feel yourself in, the airport you need to visit — play the airport game with us (and feel free to tweet us your answers!).
The new Air France lounge at CDG T2F is beautiful, as can be CDG …when it works (you'll probably need to taxi on a country drive to get there haha).
The new lounges at JFK T8, the new of BA in New York, feel like a success (and clever naming!).
The end of the 747 production line triggers memories for the both of us (a crazy typhoon for Alex, a cramped Combi for Paul, a sense of place for both).
A renewed joie de vivre by flying Air France (is Transavia the legitimate child of KLM though?).
Flying the OG Norwegian, riding the good old Acela, and a French guillotine in the 777.

124 LAX — In and out LAX, the rise of Turkish Airlines, frequent flyer free agents, airline consulting, LA celebrity handling, with Hakan aka LAFlyr

Hakan Yılmaz, Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 00:05:00 +0000

Friend of the show, and very long time listener (since episode 1!), Hakan Yılmaz, aka @LAFlyr on Twitter, grew up wanting to go early at the airport to see the planes, and collect avgeek paraphernalia, and never stopped being a kid, by still going early to the airport to see the planes, and a career that led him to American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Atlas, etc., with millions of miles under his belt, and tons of stories to share — from the admirable rise of Turkish Airlines (fascinating SAS story on the invention of the hub and spoke model), to the celebrity stories at Virgin (do you carry money when traveling but nothing else? Or lots of LV luggage instead? Reach out to us!), from over-complicating airline operations (which airline is it, do you reckon?) to the uncomplicated life as loyalty programs free agents (the three of us are becoming so, though it's a mental fight to let go), we geek out and rant and laugh, we get the in and outs of LAX (that's Hakan's pun), and thank you all for still listening to us in 2023.

Follow Hakan on Twitter: @LAFlyr

123 BRR — Flying the Concorde, visiting all the Concordes, accessing the Concorde Room, a Concorde episode with GGL Ed Parsons

Ed Parsons, Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Ed Parsons, the Google Maps guy, is our guest today. He's heard the Concorde prototype noise as a kid, flown on the Concorde before it got retired, explored all the Concordes in existence around the world since — a true fan — and we discuss it all, from the history to the conspiracy theories, to a certain nostalgia about a future that's now in the past.

He is also a GGL, Gold Guest List, the (almost) top tier British Airways status, which gives him access to the exclusive Concorde Rooms (yes, there's more than one), and we learn about more the extra perks, whilst we discuss the not-exactly-great state of current BA, and Heathrow.

Ed tells us about the many Air Shows he's toured (and photographed!), and of the amazing BRR beach airport (Otter it is, but no Maldives temperatures). Thank you SO MUCH, Ed!

You can find Ed on:
https://www.edparsons.com
https://twitter.com/edparsons

And check his photographs on:
https://photos.edparsons.com
https://www.instagram.com/edparsons/

Thank you all for your graciousness in 2022, we love having you as listeners.
Happy New Year, and see you in 2023!!

122 FLR — Joyful Norse, Doha Changi Gardens, in-flight 5G, A380 returns, Avios loot boxes, limitless UK liquids, nacho cheese lounge

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:34:24 +0000

Alex has a joyful experience to Oslo with Norse Atlantic Airways (he flies to Stockholm too, the Nordics know how to handle snow, whilst the UK clearly doesn't). Finland sees record traffic to meet Santa Claus, whilst Air Greenland celebrates a new 330neo. France says NO short haul flights, the EU says YES to mobile networks in flight, the UK says NO MORE to liquid security limits. Doha opens a massive new airport garden, says Singapore stole their idea. Can someone remember Florence Airport, or Pisa Airport, for us? (The Pisa lounge is miserable, no need to tell Paul). Is there a fast track trick at Heathrow transfers? The revolution: a lounge with a nacho cheese dispenser!!

Be excellent to each other.

(We covered Oslo OSL in episode 032, and Stockholm ARN in episode 99)

121 JED — Flying to Saudi Arabia to see AlUla, Jeddah airport aquarium, Emirates cost cutting, desert driving, Indy travel philosophy

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 20:47:57 +0000

"What are you going to Saudi Arabia for?" asked the puzzled flight attendant — Paul was flying to Jeddah, to then drive 8 hours, to reach one of the places of his dreams: the Nabataeans tombs of Al-'Ula. From sand to copper, the massive new Jeddah terminal is impressive, and big, and really big, and has the highest airport tower in the world, and they even built an …aquarium (!?)

No champagne, broken seat and flimsy IFE — is Emirates still what it used to be? (Yes, and no).

An X never marks the spot, how travel is about dealing with ambiguity too (and …“we named the dog Indiana”).

(Yes, we talk about the World Cup too)

120 YUL — World Cup flights, Avios stash, Alaska royalty, Nein to AirTags, Upper First Class, Trudeau Dorval or Mirabel

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 18:47:46 +0000

Alex needed to be in Quebec City, so he obviously flew to Montreal — that made him try Air Transat (is that a controversial airline, Canadian friends?). Our friend Greg sadly never got to fly WestJet however …and Paul still hasn't been to Canada. Qatar is getting ready for a massive amount of daily shuttle flights for the FIFA World Cup (1.5 million fans expected, they're a country of barely 3m!). IAG wants Avios to go beyond BA and QR, but would any other airline be really interested? No AirTags allowed: Lufthansa wants to be left alone losing your luggage. Virgin and Alaska are fighting over a trademark that isn't being used (huh?). Virgin does a Upper First class with the Retreat Suite on the 330-900neo, a perfect bed for Presidents and Prime Ministers ;-)

119 KHI — Flying in and around Pakistan, Queen NOTAMs, Japan rush, United x Emirates, ticket inflation, Virgin plusgrade, Argo escape

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:11:51 +0100

Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, three cities, three cultures, and three airports that correspond them well — Paul flies in and around Pakistan (flying out was not a given on one of those trips!). The retro liveries of PIA and QR. Japan opens up on October 11th, ticket prices skyrocket, also as the USD rises against pretty much every other currency, making flying more expensive to many. The NOTAMs for the Queen passing (LGW went full radio silent!). United and Emirates integrate, and Virgin finally joins SkyTeam. Alex gets plusgraded to Upper Class (just after a status match, HOW DOES HE DO IT?!)

118 LAP — Victorville overfly, 2bn Emirates refresh, Star losing Lufthansa, taxiing EWR for 9hrs, Windsor Suites, smuggling McMuffins

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 16:18:50 +0100

No, the other La Paz — the Southern/Baja California Alex Hunter 2022 Tour, with Megan as a VERY supporting avgeek act (aka Alex is the supporting act, Megan is the star, but you all knew that already). Emirates refreshes its fleet on a crazy tight clockwork upgrade schedule. Air France reveals its PORTE FRANCAISE* business seats (*French door). Lufthansa loses a star, and its general shine in a summer of strikes and chaos (those Philippines Airlines aircrafts won't be enough, guys). Don't try to smuggle McMuffins in Australia, even if you had to wait hours to no end in Bali. No more fuel after United taxies EWR for 9.5 hours (is that worse or better than Vueling?). Yes, yes, Paul knows, it was a 350 on the pic he posted on Instagram, not a Dreamliner (he's going to hear about this until the end of time, won't he?).

117 VLC - Summer of discontent, Alitalia hit-and-run, AirTag anxiety, A380 comeback, so long Comair, Vuelinggedon

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 17:30:59 +0100

Alex lives and sweats the travel chaos, trying to get to Valencia with Vueling (what was he thinking?!) with an epic (FAIL) journey that ended up with Easyjet saving the day. Paul develops some Apple AirTag anxiety. The A380 is back with a vengeance, though Tim Clark wishes he had a two-engine 380, or a 350-2000, or anything BIG (meanwhile his ticket prices are soaring faster than aircrafts). COVID is kinda back too (it never left) but the travel world won't use that C-word to not jinx it all. Alitalia pilots mistake JFK for Naples at rush hour. No more BA livery in South Africa after the demise of Comair, but BA has more issues to think about for now (ground personnel strikes, fuel delivery strikes, and more strikes, on top of staff shortages). Also, in which country is Corsica?

Enjoy nearly two hours of #avgeek stories between Alex and Paul — not sure when we'll record next, Alex being in holidays, but hopefully sometime before end-July.

116 MDE - Brace for travel chaos, turbulence forecast, Medellin missed approach, 747-200m fine, air-bus routes, cascading wet leases

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 16:17:34 +0100

Brace brace brace, travel chaos ahead — from staff shortages, to strikes, to supply chain issues, to a global recession, it's going to be a messy year (and more) ahead. The mess will however make for an interesting wet-lease global puzzle (Mel Air for Air Nostrum as Iberia??), and the experience of using buses instead of airplanes (not sure how we think about that one). Tim Clark is becoming increasingly impatient with the ever-expanding delays at Boeing, and Al Baker wishes he didn't have to put the 380s back in service (that makes us happy!). Alex sleeps his way to Bogota and back, and tells us all about flying to Medellin. Also, did you know there's a 747 parked in Valencia airport that has racked up over 200 million Euros in fines? And that there's a Pret Index?

The turbulence forecast website is: https://turbli.com

115 RTW - Mark Vanhoenacker: Imagine a City, a (787) Pilot Sees the World

Mark Vanhoenacker, Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 12 May 2022 07:00:00 +0100

A Round the World conversation with our friend Mark Vanhoenacker for the launch of his new book 'Imagine a City, A Pilot Sees the World', a sequel to 'Skyfaring'.
We talk about our love for cities, the small ones of our birth, the big ones of our dreams, the ones visited once (even only at the airport), the ones we feel home at, the ones that shine bright, afar from an aircraft window or from a walk on their streets.
We even geek out on public transport (including the Yamanote Line, whilst Alex isn't sold on the Elizabeth Line haha).

Mark also tells us about moving from his beloved 747 to the 787 (we ask: why that one?), and the strange feeling of flying through the pandemic (for British Airways, if you didn't know it already).

We also go through some fire alarm (thrice) and decide to stay put, after all, it had been 2.5 years Alex and Paul hadn't seen each other in person, and nearly 5 (!) years since we had last had a beer with Mark (yes, we went to a pub after this recording).

Learn more about the Imagine A City on Mark's website: http://markvanhoenacker.com/imagine-a-city

And buy the book on Amazon, Waterstones and in any good bookstore — it's a must for travelers, we both can attest to that! (US friends, you'll have to wait until July 2022!).

Listen to our previous conversations with Mark:

060 to Nairobi NBO
040 to London Heathrow LHR

And follow Mark on Twitter: @markv747

See in our next episode, whenever that is (Alex goes to Medellin, Paul to Karachi, Lahore, and Corsica, but 116 MDE it will be, PAUL IS VERY JEALOUS).

114 UVF — Losing Virgin(ity) from sunset to sunrise, SLU, Airbus Ecureuil, ever late 777X, who pilots Air France?

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 18:12:54 +0100

From sunset to sunrise: Virgin Atlantic to the Caribbean and back, Paul is finally no longer a Virgin virgin. Flying from SLU over St Lucia, its Pitons, in an Airbus Helicopter (well, Aerosptiale). The (mysterious) Cathay white liveries. The 777X is delayed for the 500th time. Who's flying the Air France 777?

Also, Paul has an echo, Alex has trees being trimmed — just pretend those sound artefacts are aircraft engines :-)

113 MLE - Seaplanes, A380s and (not) remembering DXB. A220 flying through the biweekly BA IT mess.

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:14:08 +0100

Emirates, Emirates and more Emirates, in First, in Business, on 380s or 777s. To Male and seaplanes for Alex, to Dubai with a blank at deplaning for Paul. But also some SWISS (the savior), some BA (when it's not cancelled), the new longest route in the world (who's currently flying it??), the QR Airbus saga, Athens airport (Alex, not Paul, this time!) and more. And yes, Alitalia, because it was never going to be ITA, wasn't it?

Thank you all for still listening to us, everyone, we REALLY do appreciate all the love.

112 JFK T5 - JetBlue Mint Studio, SFO for 3 hours and back, powered 747 relic, non-reclining Finnair, Airpotle

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 17:54:52 +0000

We're back, Alex having taken the time to hack a 747 seat belt sign, Paul having played too much Airportle. We talk about the non-reclining business class from Finnair (it's divise, but we think it might be a winner), the new Qatar Q suite which isn't a Q suite, and the big winner of this pandemic world: premium economy (non-operable seats notwithstanding haha). Whilst there's no love between Airbus and QR, there is love in our show: Paul with the JetBlue Mint Studio (but where's the butter!??), and Alex with, well, just listen to the show (hint: he flew to SFO for 3 hours and back). And much more, for nearly two hours (post-credits included).

111 LIH - Touring the US in the pandemic-ish era, the MAX is back, the recovery not yet

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:51:55 +0100

Alex tours the US, from Denver to San Francisco to Las Vegas to Oakland to Hawaii, and gets to experience his first 737MAX, and the Great Pacific (aka lyrically talking about ZOA KZAK Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center). We discuss the state of travel in this weird era, not yet post-Covid, still pandemic-ish but not yet endemic, a weird middle where international flying is depressed, but with clearer skies ahead for some.

We're back (again!), still in a live format, thanks everyone for your kind comments since our last recording, you're the BEST!

We mentioned Sherpa, the tool to learn about travel restriction: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions
And this book, Pacific, by Simon Winchester, about the Pacific Ocean: http://www.simonwinchester.com/pacific

110 SIN T4 - Vaccine tourism, supersonic Boom, Mi(g)nsk detour, Covid passports, plague terminal

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:55:15 +0100

Alex gets cancelled (not him, the flight!). Duty free to nowhere (and no good pricing anyway). No kidnap fee, a new product by Ryanair. Plague terminal at LHR. Amber, the color of confusion. Genomics quarantine. Digital health visas (aka Covid passports, what a silly name). The travel bubble that refuses to happen. BOOM, our supersonic hopes, the PR reality. The timing of corporate travel taking off. Chicken broth cocktail (try it!).

Recorded live, no edits, with a pinch of static (but hey, adequate for an airplane-like PA experience).

109 DIVERSION - Storminess reroute, Steampunk Singapore, (AL)ITA(LIA), pandemic fleets

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 12 May 2021 15:27:44 +0100

Alex outsmarts a diversion, using all the on-air WiFi.
Paul talks Scrabble (he clearly spent too much time on the ground).
Flights to nowhere and airplane food to your door are not for us, even if it's BA First.
2 Boeing 2 Airbus, Pandemic Drift.
ITA, Italy's Troublesome Arrangement (we've come up with a better acronym in the episode).
The Singapore Airlines 380 First STEAMPUNK experience, before all the 380s disappeared.

Recorded live, no edits, aka "podcast vérité" (or whatever you call Paul being too lazy to edit this).

The episode is 2 hours, folks, press Pause for a Kit Kat.

(DIVERSION isn't an IATA airport code, we googled it for you ;-))

108 WFH - We Meet Again

Paul Papadimitriou, Alex Hunter — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 19:40:42 +0100

Paul and Alex meet again. They haven't seen each other in a year.

Recorded live, no edits, no music, no notes.

Mentioned in the show: Seat 1A podcast, episode 038, with Paul

107 - A Golden Era of travel ends, another will rise

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 19:08:39 +0100

Flight 107. We might have been in a Golden Age of travel, and didn't see it — it's now time to reflect, and think about the next one, a different one, with perhaps more friction, and certainly some pain in the process. From the economical hurt, the airlines at risk, to the new borders to travel (green zones versus red zones of infection?), from health as the new visa to less interaction (more automation?), all the travel futures we might see. For now, we're in this together. The World won't stay closed. We will fix this. — For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music) Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X Comment, like, review, and rate us, on Facebook Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website) If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

106 OGG - The 2020 Virus Crash, the world is shutting down, keep healthy, cheer up, we will beat this (and, guys, that Kahului final will make you smile!)

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 20:45:01 +0000

Flight 106. The 2020 Virus Crash, the world is shutting down, no one is flying — this could become the biggest downturn ever in aviation history and perhaps the biggest global recession since World War II (we certainly do not hope so, we all need to beat this damn Covid-19!). Our thoughts are with all the people in the wider travel industry. Tons of airlines are now at risk around the globe, with bankruptcies and bailouts a certainty, following absolutely massive drops in demand, insane border closures (those are accelerating, and it's only the start), routes suspensions at an unprecedented scale, forced quarantines, fear and uncertainty. But hey, come on, we have good upbeat stories for you (airline bunk beds are a thing!), flight reviews (that turbulent landing!), and, as always, a good banter. Cheer up, keep healthy — we will get through this.

105 DCA - Covid19, 787 raffle, LHR Volunteers, business+, Ben's Chili Bowl, with Elizabeth, Dan & Ed

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 18:37:30 +0000

Flight 105. Everything you wanted to know (or not know) about the coronavirus (aka Covid19, Sars2, or World War Z) and its short-term effects on the world of air travel — from the hassles to the precaution to think about.

Followed by the fan episode, with longtime listeners Elizabeth, Ed & Dan. Two out of three agree FRA is a disaster (not Elizabeth haha). The Heathrow volunteer program. The battle of the travel apps (and the bizarre TripIt strategy, and UX, as Dan knows very well!). Do you want to win a Dreamliner? Can the BA 350 fly really long routes? SWISS introduces an airline …scent (WTF). American Google translate (and we were hosted at Google, thank you Ed!!!). Ed has seen the future: a robot barista! Someone's been at Southend airport (Elizabeth!). Is there such a thing as too close a livery between airlines? Business premium (no that's not First!) on the Lufthansa 777X. Saving private FlyBe. Willie Walsh leaves IAG. And more avgeekery!

104 MSP - KC-10 flying gas station, cheese cubes and hummus, why Delta, alliances no more, A220+

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 20:01:19 +0000

Flight 104. The cheese cubes and hummus episode, with Doug Zschoche, aka OfficerWayFinder: everything you ever wanted to know about why flyers love Delta so much.
What it is to fly the KC-10, the flying gas station, and to play with flight simulators (the serious ones!) around the US.
Who owns the window? Airbus goes 787 dimming, and pulls a book (too many scandals?).
A 737 MAX update, from revelations, crazy quotes to management reshuffle (what will come first: the re-certification or BER actually opening?).
The future of alliances (not disappearing, but there are other ways).
KLM retires its 747 and Qatar goes train (buses will be the way to go in the US).
Delta introduces Iron Man, a multi-view screen at DTW, some jet fuel over schools, and promises more flexibility.
The A220 will get stretched (900? 1000??), though no single pilot planes are on the horizons.
Paul chose the wrong lounge at MSP (yes, he actually did go!), thanks to Doug for letting him know.
LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEXT TRIP PODCAST (seriously, they release faster than we do).
Also, this is our 5th anniversary, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO LOYAL ALL THOSE YEARS, EVERYONE.

103 DEN - Fish, Chicken, Beef, Lasagna, the flavors of the airlines …and the lizards conspiracy

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 18:42:36 +0000

Flight 103. It's always fish, chicken, beef and lasagna, airplane food, airport food and more food: airline Christmas menus, First class samplings, FRA hunger games, fake meat, Air Yoshinoya. The healthiest US trays, the best global airline for your taste buds. The Bali pigs could lead to the next airline epidemic, its epicenter actually being US catering. From airline beers (yes) to jet lag powder drinks (nope). The lizards übermensch that took over the hidden bowels of Denver airport (and haunt United's lavatories). — For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music) Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X Comment, like, review, and rate us, on Facebook Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website) If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

102 DFW - United Jedi Force, 380 misjudgment, coffee pan pan, BA door review, mad MAD, BLLegoland

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 22:42:09 +0000

Flight 102. Paul reviews the BA Club Suite (no door was hurt in the making of this podcast). Alex and the secrets of meeting rockstars in flight (mark them down!). The A380 misunderstanding: it should live on (and don't listen to the French, they just strike anyway). United will decide your fate: dark side or light side of the Force (United also ghost Force'd Munoz). Food pan pan, coffee pan pan, but chocolate delight (edible cup though?). BLLegoland. Paul kneels down in front of Madrid e-gates (they don't work) whilst Alex believes it being a social experiment: it's truly mad MAD (and a new fortress by IAG). Boeing will soon sell a negative number of planes. Hong Kong airlines lives to see another day, Avatar airlines might never be born (low-cost 744s, really?). Tim Clark has had enough of beta-testing aircrafts. DFW innovates, a lot, but it's still not sexy (Alex's posh voice however...) — For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music) Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X Comment, like, review, and rate us, on Facebook Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website) If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

101 HAN - Emirates plans, Vietnam meat, Miles & Less, Aeromexico noise, Norwegian LHR coup

Alex Hunter, Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 07 Dec 2019 17:25:20 +0000

Flight 101. Everything you wanted to know about Emirates future. Vietnam Airlines has pizza, 350s, 20 million fines and some undefined (but good) meat. The 777X wings are automated. Lufthansa mulls rebranding its program Miles & Less (meaning, the new program rules are stupid). Aeromexico noise, can it be damped by the PowerBeats Pro (or pretending to be on the phone to enter the DXB First Class lounges?). KUL was hacked (they say they haven't, but come on…) time to call BA's IT department :-)). Seeing Ha Long Bay with a Cessna Gran Caravan hybrid seaplane (hint: Paul fell in love in Vietnam). 400000 miles for a cat. Carbon taxes are becoming a trend. Berlin has an opening date (YEAH RIGHT). Norwegian lands at Heathrow, or is it JetBlue? Catch me if you can at DEL. Quote of the month: being dragged in a washing machine backwards. — For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music) Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X Comment, like, review, and rate us, on Facebook Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website) If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

100 LON - Thank you everyone for being such great listeners, happy 100 to you all!

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 19:48:41 +0000

Flight 100. To all of you, thank you so much for tuning in repeatedly, we couldn't have done any of this without your help, your feedback, your reviews, your comments, your corrections, your criticisms (and yes, Delta fans, we're again on your case in this episode haha), your photos and incredible stories you share back with us. Thank you whether you started listening last week or in 2015, whether you always listen, or just once in a while. Thank you as well for bearing with us between episode releases at times, we know we often test the limits of your patience ;-) Thank you also to all of you who came to say hi in airports, lounges, and planes, we always appreciate it (Alex will have his resting bitch face, Paul will have his stupid noise cancelling earbuds, but do come forward, we'll both smile and chat). Thank you for your enthusiasm and your friendship. We appreciate you. Much love to all from Alex and Paul. Happy flying <3 — For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music) Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts Follow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/X Comment, like, review, and rate us, on Facebook Search for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website) If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Threads - Mastodon - Bluesky - Twitter/X

099 ARN - Facial boarding, Airways board game, epic Qatar, Emperor 747, AA flagship, Betsy beer 2.0

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 099. Airways, the board game & softball, an avgeek game. Food galore, from the AirMos burger manual to the LHR AA chorizo hot dog, to the not-really-parisian Admirals baguette. UA Polaris confusion and AA absent service (ok, more like hit-and-miss): Paul and Alex compare their US travels (there's also AeroMexico, JetBlue, and Paul flies the longest possible AA route with a pajama). From windows shades (down) to wearing shades at facial boarding (and we debate facial recognition at airports around the world and how we feel about it all). Is the US mobile passport worth it? How to spot you're in a 757: the fierce take off, and interior pieces falling off. Paul has his best flight since we started recording, on Qatar in a Q Suite, and then gets baffled by an epic customer service delight in Doha. What would you do with 28 million, buy the Japanese Air Force One 747 of fly the new ANA seats (with a MASSIVE HUGE SCREEN) continuously for the rest of your life? Stockholm ARN secrets: the underground lake that warms and cools the airport, and the transfer trick between T5 and T2. Betsy is back in a very cool beer can.

098 DTW - Extraordinary HK, experiencing Delta, AA B&O, mad MAX, Gran Class, LAX Eagles Nest, e-NRT

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 098. Shinkansen Gran Class, Four Seasons Mexico and Popeye Chicken sandwich, are we still an aviation podcast? The Eagle's Nest at LAX. Aer Pluto Lingus. SFO goes stupid with plastic. The 777x decompressed explosively. The 737 MAX is still wingless. Alex gets BA at the top of their game for an almost-diverted flight. NRT gets e-gates and Tokyo will get aircrafts over it (point your finger at HND). Qatar insists on business buses. Norwegian could get WOWd. WOW is reborn by the way of a Le Carre enigma. Paul finally flies AA, loves the B&O headphones. ANA goes BONX (and Alex goes ANA). Delevingne coffee at Heathrow. AA illogical re-re-refits. We meet listeners, thank you so much everyone (and for your patience!). Extraordinary times in Hong Kong, at HKG and for Cathay. Is Detroit DTW our #1 US airport? A magnificent Livermore Fest.

097 FAO - TWA love, underwater 747, Virgin Pride, Del(icious)ta, RIP Airbus father, AA MD80, BA cats

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 097. The TWA hotel is everything we wanted. Long haul narrowbodies, a new old debate. USB-A versus USB-C, a new new debate (we just want good power!). Delta goes all in for good economy food, the US goes all in for the Open Skies (fifth freedoms, please!!). The cool Virgin Pride flight. The not very cool alone-in-the-dark-forgotten-by-Air-Canada experience. The under water 747 (and a few others to dive into, pun intended). The Brussels airport Stella, the 747 Microsoft simulator cockpit (that's one option), the PW2000 engine BBQ. American retires its MD80 and Qantas goes domestic for the end of its 747s. The cheap ERJs and the gone CRJ. What is the S in A321S (not SSSS, that's another story). The new Istanbul has Segway wheelchairs and some surprising live indoor mapping help. Uber chooses Melbourne for its VTOL trials (no FREE-something stupid rebrand) and MEL goes 3 runways (with a wind situation). Singapore extends the A380, but Air France will not (AT ALL). The passing of Continental (this time for good), and the passing of the father of Airbus (what a man, what a legacy!).

096 IST - Emirates rejig, airport Lambo, Skytrax porn, Sunrise 4th zone, BA bubbly, Embraer nickname

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 096. Emirates fleet rejigging, 787 trashing, and basic business. The airport Lambo is nicer than the new Air Force One. What's in a name, MAX or no MAX, and other Boeing decisions. IAG steals the Paris Air Show PR. The A321XLR is amongst us. After beers and whisky, BA goes sparkling. What does Embraer actually stands for (it's a fun one). Space Jet gets a mystery sale. Do you need a door in your seats? Qantas retires its 747, pushes the 380 to its end. The Sunrise 4th zone, after the cabin, cockpit and lavatories, it's not a cargo nightclub. The LHR expansion finally revealed (for 2070 surely). A Turkish seat malfunction (the switches are amazing). The bespoke Airbus lettering (made by hand?). Germany blocks Norway (well, a Norwegian 737 MAX, haha). Lufthansa will also price its business seats. SkyTrax announces its 457th awards of the year (Qatar and Singapore are on top). A new way to enjoy Cathay First. The new IST is a big bet but impresses.

095 YYZ - Jewel WOW, EVA pizza, chipped E140, Airbus 50, Kulula, Finnair whisky, De Havilland, A220+

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 095. EVA bakes pizza. Finnair does whisky. Airbus goes 50. Uber goes NY copter. Alex flies to South Africa, misplaces stuff (angry breakfast and angry lounge shower follow). Paul flies the Q Suite to Singapore, marvels at the Jewel waterfall (rain vortex!). United goes green. AF/KLM goes V plane. Alex survives a chipped E190 with rocky suspensions to Toronto. Paul falls in love with Singapore Airlines (again!) but damages a bin. The future of Changi T5. The A220 becomes enhanced. De Havilland is back. Introducing the MRJ CRJ Space Jet (or something). VIP Terminals. Paul flies EVA, loves the lounge pizza, the rest, well… Alex gets a crush on Toronto. Why YYZ?

094 TLV - RIP Niki, First beer, Boeing distrust, 747 record, SWISS 77W, JetBlue treason, fly Nando's

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 27 May 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 094. Niki Lauda the legend who pushed death aside. Beers and more beers: Betsy makes a come back, BA adds a secret First Class bottled beer, and more on the Speedbird 100 (toilet clog, anyone?). From Nando's to Taco Bell, zeitgeist food in travel (and debating whether there is one or two Michelin star airport restaurants worldwide). BA goes whisky, JetBlue opts for treason (I mean, Pepsi, really?). United goes Spiderman, Avianca and women liveries. Alex flies the SWISS 77W, in 7A (Paul's favorite seat), but gets his wifi gobbled up (and Paul offers a trick to avoid paying for Swiss throne seats, and how to get an F experience on the cheap). None of us get thrown out of a plane (but one stupid passenger did in NZ, good!). Iberia measures your carry-on in augmented reality, and we measure the worst Aeroflot 1492 surviving passenger. Delta tests free wifi for all, no matter the seat back IFE comeback, and MUC tests what AMS already offers, seamless X-ray scanning. Cathay Move Beyond business, and attempts to move beyond a very murky HNA / HK Express situation (Alex wants to never move beyond the HK theme park however). Boeing fails to regain trust, whilst the 737 MAX is still thrustless. Google's superapp, Amazon's supperairport (and flight search!). Qatar reshuffles its fleet (and hates the 340, yay!) and goes Canada whilst Etihad goes Serbia. The South American game, some losers, some winners (a Ryanair of LatAm). Paul flies to a WeChat airport (in the midst of removing paper strips in its tower). The incredible LY001 747 history, along with a record that will never be broken. The TLV security measures, past and present, from VIP to sheruts.

093 INN - Speedbird beer, Superjet bounce, lavatory ratio, tricky airports, SQ farm, IFE privacy

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 14 May 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 093. Paul sounds like a robot (sorry, guys), Alex sounds authoritative (he's always right, no?). The BA Speedbird 100 beer (when need Glen to assess it!). Some on-board pop that foams too much (Alex is the worst passenger). On-board food: increasing portions, farm-to-plane, rooftop potatoes. After the on-board food: the toilet to passenger ratio revealed (but also how to cram gold in a lavatory). Don't get too much on-board food: getting weighted to board (do the 7 layers of clothing count?). The future of ISL Ataturk and Mexico's airports (and BER, the Fyre Festival of airports). The tricky category C airports in Europe, Innsbruck, LCY and others that require special training (and specific technologies). The continuing acts of customer experience contritions by BA (afraid of JetBlue maybe?) and United (but it goes only so far). JAL really did name its low cost Zip Air Tokyo (and used Word to create the logo). The best Priority Pass lounges awards. Tons of feedback. And the uncertain future of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, after the sad tragedy.

092 KUH - United love, JAL Zipair, BA coronation chicken, shoddy Dreamliner, Star Wars 738, IFE 56F

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 092. Alex loves Innsbruck 3000. Paul loves running in CDG 3000. We adore the new TWA infinity edge pool 3000. We love the new United livery 3000. We love tiny airports that behave like big ones, 3000. We love the BA coronation chicken 3000, the best shot haul airplane food in Europe. We love Emirates and Qantas IFE data 3000, and luxury brands love Emirates 3000. We're fascinated by the post Jet Airways Indian market, 3000. We do not love United crew who resell ticket, Emirates First passengers who steal bottles, or Cathay staff who steal cutlery, 3000. We're intrigued by the Japanese low-cost market, 3000, baffled at the Hong Kong Airlines infighting, 3000, and by the Taiwan airline heirs saga, 3000. Lufthansa loves Europe 3000. We're aghast at the Boeing Charleston revelations (3000?). We wish the US3 would actually stop whining, 3000. The new Japan era isn't 3000. United, 3000, Avengers, assemble …what? Yeah, Paul should really stop with those bad Endgame puns in those notes …3000.

091 DEL - Virgin half door, JetBlue Europe, BA First buttons, IST Big Bang, DME cheese, Grand STN

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 01:00:00 +0100

Flight 091. Warning, doesn't contain images of any aircraft in distress. BA pizza app delivery to Lagos (so many questions!). Risk of cheese smell upon landing at Moscow DME (does that make immigration go faster?). Virgin Atlantic unveils a half door (but it has nice colors). Paul flies BA First with round buttons (but fix that 789 IFE remote for Pete's sakes!!). Alex bids his Etihad way up (just to be jarred by the backward seating). JetBlue announces the worsts-kept secret in the industry: it's coming to Europe (and we devise their winning strategy for LCY). Flying in style: in-flight bars or lounges (more precisely, being alone or not). The DME Navigator lounge seat Paul and Alex fight over. The New Istanbul looks grandiose (congrats! And thank you for our ever-incredible listeners for the pictures just after opening). Ethiopia overtakes DXB (kinda) and DWC decides to wait for the Heathrow's third runway (kinda again). Grand Stansted Tour hilarious rant. Why is Jet Airways even trying anymore? We can't avoid discussing the 737 MAX. And DEL, well, we'll let you judge…

090 RIX - BA Club Suite, cockpit goals, bye WOW, Qantas cafe, bold StarLux, Sukhoi 380, 737 MAX bind

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 090. BA flies to the wrong destination (Ryanair mocks, but did worse) and introduces its shortest hop ever. WOW is gone, Jet Airways is close to be gone, but StarLux goes bold. AMS has a direct view on the luggage delivery system (WHAT?!). Astana is no more (just the name of the city, we recorded 079 just at the right time!). Cathay buys Hong Kong Express (did we call it?). ANA gets its first A380, and a very cute one. The Russia 860-seater double-decker escalator-filled plane that never was (but engineers designed folding wing tips). The Irkut MC-21 flies to compete with the 320/737. Qantas mulls crazy ideas for its ultra long haul flights (but, really, a space to stretch our legs is all we'd hope for). The LHR hawk is so smart (the Singapore stowaway too?). Cool flight deck stories at Delta (family goals!) and JetBlue (PA goals!). More to the 737 story. The RIX airfield that you can't miss. And yes, BA introduce the Club Suite …what do we think?

089 TSE - 737 MAX tragedy, A380 buyback, AirDrop WTF, skiplag fight, Air Astana joy, Southwest dress

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 089. The Ethiopian disaster, the 737 MAX grounding and aftermath. A dress, a baby and a stupid passenger enter aircrafts, who gets tasered? (Not the red badge!) Lufthansa fights skiplagging, on-boards doctors (amazing program!!), ditches four engines aircrafts (and Airbus is buying the 380 back!) The best wine and champagne in the sky (but where is Emirates?) Random AirDrop, the new in-flight game. United prepares a new globe (be careful, it's delicate!) and BA unveils its last vintage livery. Cathay eyes HK Express (and we eye the HKG Qantas lounge). Do not ever fly the SAS A340 LN-RKP (it sucks). Be careful with iPad stands that look like a knife (Paul knows). Air Astana keeps Diet Coke refrigerated just for Alex, whilst Paul embarks on a depiction of the sky color of beautiful Astana, Alex rocks the jacket on a (limo)bike whilst Paul explains fuel hedging — Paul clearly needs to up his game to catch up with being Alex cool.

088 MEX - So long A380, identity error anxiety, AFKLM fights, ETAs everywhere, red wings, Aeromexico

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 088. The end of the A380. Color printing is key to enter MEX. The new world of electronic authorizations of travel. The delicate art and science of aircraft forecasting (and everybody gets it wrong). The real prices of aircrafts. Rolls-Royce is losing a ton of money. Toulouse, both a name and a city. Wings can't be red anymore. Alex flies to SFO, or at least tries to, gets humiliated on the way before experiencing a comedy of errors. Paul flies to SFO via the long route, navigating the bowels of DXB, not sure his luggage would ever follow. Process versus experience, comparing two fantastic airlines, Emirates and Cathay. Did Cathay steal the Lufthansa seats at SFO? Alex tries Aeromexico and flies over the cancelled new MEX. SFO gets an observation deck, only for Star Alliance, which might mean Etihad too soon. Air France and KLM need couple counseling. Paul gets mistaken for Jason Bourne.

087 GMP - Ethiopian love, premium business, JAL shoe shine, FRA T3, Aeroflot hijack, stupid alcohol

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 087. The beeping T-shirt, A Star Wars Story. Paul falls in love with Ethiopian, reviews Asiana and JAL. IAG gives up on Norwegian. WOW has no more wow. FlyBe might be saved. NRT celebrates 40, expands new signage, offers no-nonsense security, but no more whisky. JAL's First shoe shine service. A snow globe crashes. The never-ending 787 Trent story: ANA incident, Norwegian replacements. BA announces 747 retirement plans (it's SOON!). FRA is building a new terminal (more stupid layouts?). Premium business, and more fare segmentation. Alcohol makes people dangerously stupid: a JAL pilot arrested and fired, a passenger hijacks an Aeroflot 737, and WestJet sues intoxicated passenger for diversion (we're rooting for WestJet!). BA plays the wrong track.

086 YTZ - Remembering Herb, cooking United, fancy dress lounge, shutdown pizza, A220-500, last B727

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 086. Remembering Herb Kelleher, how he changed the aviation world, his legacy, his lessons, his arm wrestling. The Miracle of the Hudson, as witnessed by Alex. FRA comes to its senses and asks passengers to not come to the airport. Tipping flight attends, for or against? United loves Pacific Blue, Premium Purple, Atlantic Amethyst, and Apple. Cook your own United food. Is there always a doctor in the plane? Gulf Air goes "boutique", British Airways goes vintage, Aer Lingus goes non-sense, S7 stays a very bright green horse. No fancy dressing, no noise, no food liberation, the lounge etiquettes. The last B727 passenger flight. Will the A220-500 be built in the USA? The US shutdown effects, from security lapses to Delta not getting its A220s, to pizza deliveries. The Amadeus exploit, no seat or the ATR oxygen, what's the worse safety lapse? With QR getting full EU access, should BA move to Qatar post-Brexit? BCN uses MS Paint to create the worse e-gates in the world. Does drone geofencing work? Do McNuggets in lounge work? Our best 2018 flight memory (cheeky and charming, maybe?).

085 USU - Drone frenzy, dumped MNL 737, CebGo ATR, Brexit IAG, turbulence gimbal, China Coast Pub

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Flight 085. HKG gates numbers, HKG electronic security, HKG landside shopping — a ton of HKG minutiae. A220 dividers debate, A220 sales success, A220 charcuterie board — a ton of A220 ingredients. MNL safety lapses, MNL domestic adventure, MNL abandoned Xiamen 737 — a ton of MNL mischief. Boeing longest range, Boeing sci-fi wing, Boeing Norwegian Iran jam — a ton of Boeing scores. Brexit IAG headache, Brexit German Rolls-Royce, Brexit remote stand — a ton of Brexit nonsense. BA turbulence fear, CX turbulence coffee gimbal, China high terrain — a ton of turbulence dread. LGW drone hysteria, LHR drone stoppage, eagles drone intercept — a ton of drone frenzy. LX cancellation, LH delays, FRA bus strike — a ton of stupidity. A Beech H18, Dan Dan Mien, the China Coast Pub — a ton of elegant delights.

084 AUH - Racing Etihad, Priority idiocy, Joon FML, Fog shutdown, Lufthansa Goose, Air France bread

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

083 CTS - C-3PO Star Wars plane, Q Suite, AI boarding, Samurai security, Lion Air, Aeroflot blogging

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

082 TXL - United fans, BrewDog 767, best First food, new IST, A3 fun, A220 dividers, HK Express EDTO

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

081 BUR - One World infighting, Emirates stalling, United manure, JFK refurb, TWA Connie bar, 777UA

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 01:00:00 +0100

080 ZRH - Accidental liveries, getting Rouged, Primera Air hubris, onboard Oktoberfest, PrivatAir XL

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 01:00:00 +0100

079 YVR - BA hack, jet lag gurus, Emiratihad, American coach, GVA runway, Qantas Sunrise, Canada!

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 01:00:00 +0100

078 MEL - Etihad First, 787 Studio, JetSuiteX experience, Swissair 111, Melbourne love, MEXit vote

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 01:00:00 +0100

077 HNL - ITA Matrix letdown, ANA inclusion, TSA powers, CDG Logan's Run, AF L seat, stolen Q400

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 01:00:00 +0100

076 SEA - Alaska verdict, Southwest is nuts, JetBlue Mint dog, Trent woes, Delta colors, CA fires

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 01:00:00 +0100

075 CDG - Boeing marries Embraer, The Turkish Job, A220 platform, Russia airspace, KLM beef disaster

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 01:00:00 +0100

074 MTY - Avroliner love, Lufthansa 748 First, SkyTrax debate, FRA disaster, LiveATC, BOG World Cup

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 01:00:00 +0100

073 MLE - Bourdain travel, ANA World Cup, 787 dimming speed, Americano ignorance, Maldives seaplanes

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 01:00:00 +0100

072 ORD - A320 CTRL-ATL-DEL, LHR Tatooine, US ME3 deal, the Airbus A200, pilot poaching, AF no more?

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 18 May 2018 01:00:00 +0100

071 TPE - Hello Kitty gates, standing-up seats, air bidets, grappa lounge, 737 beer, engine failures

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 01 May 2018 01:00:00 +0100

070 ICN - IAG wants Norwegian, cargo beds, China routes, Peach Aviation, Kitten IFE

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 01:00:00 +0100

069 CLT - United dog, Narita grows, Air Italy, ashtrays, sky diamonds, airport rocking chairs

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 01:00:00 +0100

068 CGK - Epic Garuda First, Lufthansa re-livery, US and Qatar Airways peace, budget Star Alliance

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

067 PHL - 380 lifeline, Lufthansa blues, Bombardier victory, emotional peacock, Google Flights

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

066 CPH - Airbus shaken not stirred, BA recline, Europe pilot chase, no more US 747, robot carry-on

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

065 BOS - Will Hunter, JFK Bomb Cyclone, ground handling revealed, Alaska Timbers, ANA brothers

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction, a Hunter family historical event

02:07 - Will Hunter: why Boston, past aviation career

09:12 - Safe 2017, soiling United, in flight ice-cream

17:21 - JFK bomb cyclone

23:43 - Ground handling revealed

Leading provider of air and travel services | dnata

31:11 - ANA bonus passenger, names mixup, Ryanair fast exit

40:46 - Worst airports, airport business models, MNL handouts

Which are the world’s worst airports? - Departure gates of hell

54:25 - Emirates 777 First, New Google Flights, Alaska Timbers

1:03:58 - BOS

1:10:24 - Next flights, DEN, Mastication Nation

064 LED - United 767, snowpocalypse, pizza lounge, A380 Xmas tree, 747 amenity kit, smart bag ban

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction

01:18 - Reviews, questions, window blinds, Star Wars planes

12:48 - Snowpocalypse, airline early warnings, Milan Linate

Snow causes chaos at Heathrow as British Airways flights are diverted 300 miles away to Newcastle

35:27 - The United verdict, Channel 9, Polaris, EWR

56:42 - United 747 amenity kit

New 747 Amenity Kits on United Airlines - Live and Let's Fly

1:00:26 - Business of lounges, smart luggage ban, fees disclosure

1:08:19 - St Petersburg airport, layovers through Russia

Pulkovo Airport (Saint Petersburg)

1: 16:38 - A380 Christmas tree (air freshener)

Airbus A380 draws giant Christmas tree over Germany - BBC News

063 ITM - Flying in Japan, ANA bliss, boarding uncertainty, Emirates shower, folding OpenSkies

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - Emirates new super First, virtual windows, new business & coach

21:37 - Alex's wife asks why they don't fly Emirates more

26:32 - Emirates buys Dreamliners

** 32:22 - Qatar buys into Cathay, Italy ambitions**

** 40:00 - Singapore offers hotel rooms in the sky**

** 46:39 - No 380 secondary market, 777 was the real revolution**

The first ever A380 superjumbo has gone into storage – so will it end up on the scrap heap?

** 51:10 - AF 380 uncontained engine failure, repatriation strategy**

** 57:22 - Airbus artful acquisition of Bombardier CS, massive 320neo order**

** 1:03:26 - Alex flies to LED, Attache, Paul flies to TIA, Bruce Dickinson book**

** 1:09:33 — Alex spots a drone on final

** 1:15:33 - BQH, flying private**

London Biggin Hill Airport

** 1:20:48 - Conclusion, next flights**

062 BQH - Emirates super First, Airbus artful Bombardier move, Qatar wants Italy, Air France scare

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - Emirates new super First, virtual windows, new business & coach

21:37 - Alex's wife asks why they don't fly Emirates more

26:32 - Emirates buys Dreamliners

** 32:22 - Qatar buys into Cathay, Italy ambitions**

** 40:00 - Singapore offers hotel rooms in the sky**

** 46:39 - No 380 secondary market, 777 was the real revolution**

The first ever A380 superjumbo has gone into storage – so will it end up on the scrap heap?

** 51:10 - AF 380 uncontained engine failure, repatriation strategy**

** 57:22 - Airbus artful acquisition of Bombardier CS, massive 320neo order**

** 1:03:26 - Alex flies to LED, Attache, Paul flies to TIA, Bruce Dickinson book**

** 1:09:33 — Alex spots a drone on final

** 1:15:33 - BQH, flying private**

London Biggin Hill Airport

** 1:20:48 - Conclusion, next flights**

061 MRS - Ryanair chaos, Air Berlin no more, airline ownership, Bipolar BA, Pan Am nostalgia

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 21:06:52 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

02:01 - Layovers fan mail, reviews, headphones

11:10 - Ryanair chaos, pilots shortages, Norwegian

25:57 - Air Berlin, Etihad retreat, ownership rules, China, EU structure

38:29 - PIT non-flyer access, Pan Am nostalgia, global security

43:42 - British Airways' future, comparing it to LH or B6

‘Anyone but British Airways’: turbulent times at the nation’s flag carrier | The Sunday Times Magazine | The Times & The Sunday Times

1:07:57 - MRS airport

Passengers & Visitors | Marseille Provence Airport

1:12:53 - Conclusion, next flights

060 NBO - How To Land A Plane, with Mark Vanhoenacker, British Airways 747 pilot and author

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

01:11 - How To Land A Plane

16:31 - Take-offs or landings?

24:19 - Mark's first 747 landing

31:12 - Flight simulator

34:01 - The climates of RUH, DFW, PHX

37:53 - Will Mark leave the 747 for the 787?

45:50 - Training for the 320

48:38 - Airplane!

50:47 - NBO

Jomo Kenyatta International | Kenya Airports Authority

53:59 - Watching over SDU, Decide v Minimums

The language of the cockpit is technical, obscure – and irresistibly romantic | Aeon Essays

56:23 - Buy the book, 747, Skyfaring photo gallery

window seat pics by readers of Mark Vanhoenacker's Skyfaring | Flickr

059 MNL - Asian super-airports, gate security, window blind policy, Qantas’ confidence, BA puke seat

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

01:14 - Alex's generally fine BA experience, disgusting seat

02:51 - 787 dimmable windows, night flight policies, food timing

15:41 - The Asian super-airports, China's rise

23:41 - Qantas ULR routes, DXB abandonment, PR seat

32:14 - Paul goes to MNL with Emirates and Cathay

Emirates’ super jumbo message against the illegal wildlife trade

33:58 - Rerouting: EK versus BA

36:14 - The Emirates experience, seat history, old CX 777

41:23 - Tighter security, the two-class EK 380, LGW

SeatGuru Seat Map Emirates Airbus A380-800 (388) Two Class

44:27 - E-gates: the bad LHR, the good LGW, the outstanding FCO

47:41 - Emirates champagne controversy

Emirates flight attendant pours champagne back into bottle | Daily Mail Online

49:28 - SQ versus CX, the strange Singapore amenity kit policy

Comparing Singapore Airlines' 70th Anniversary Amenity Kits - Black and Grey — The Shutterwhale

57:03 - ZRH E beauty, security at the gate, HKG transfer

1:02:05 - SWISS 700-300ER awkward seat, miles screw up

Boeing 777-300ER | The new SWISS flagship

1:07:24 - MNL airport, T3's checkered history

1:19:16 - Conclusion, Attache LA

Los Angeles Travel Guide - YouTube

058 BKK - JetBlue Mint, Air Canada near miss, Singapore 777s, Southwest love, Millennial Air

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction, Asia summer for Paul

02:26 - Alex flies his bike on JetBlue, Mint, Mosaic

15:59 - United dog, 747, seat nightmare

20:58 - US security confusion, books, TSA prize

28:40 - Southwest love, LAX helicopter

Alex Hunter on Twitter: "Flying on @SouthwestAir really is a joy. Friendly crew, efficient service, streaming IFE/live TV, free snacks. EasyJet could learn a lot."

32:25 - FAA shrinking seats, LGA expansion, supersonic regulation

35:53 - Air Canada SFO near miss

45:57 - Easyjet ecstasy, NRT fence, 787 drawing

49:56 - Layovers reviews, AnalyseAsia

Episode 192: Asian Airlines in Crisis & Rise of China Aviation with Paul Papadimitriou by analyseasia | Free Listening on SoundCloud

53:00 - Air France missile, VR, Joon

57:48 - Paul tries three Singapore 777, explicit IFE, Uber

1:10:51 - Qatar and AA, Al Baker apology, visa, creative accounting

1:20:23 - BKK

Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) – Official Airports of Thailand

1:29:17 - Conclusion, next flights

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057 ICN - 747-8i, laptop ban ending, A320 engine coins, security awkwardness, FCO praise

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

Tyler Mixa on Instagram: “Listening to the KIX episode of Layovers at KIX! Shoutout to Alex and Paul (@cubedweller and @papadimitriou) for an awesome show! #kix…” • Instagram

01:52 - Qatar buys some American, A350 cancellations, DL subsidy video

09:02 - FlyDubai with Emirates, Laptop ban almost gone

15:18 - Security awkwardness, EK facial boarding, Seamless airports, EK interlining

That Time the TSA Found a Scientist’s 3-D-Printed Mouse Penis - The Atlantic

Emirates to Use Face Scanners to Cut Waits as U.S. Ban Looms - Bloomberg

22:54 - HKG 380 bridge, Etihad free seat bidding, LCY Olympic stadium view

29:09 - Alex praises BA, BA uses Qatar planes, BA new brand director

40:30 - LCC vs train, Norwegian shortages, Price vs exprience

Man takes ridiculous route between Newcastle and London because it's cheaper than public transport | indy100

45:48 - Paris Air Show tally, Leahy retires, Airbus reorg, 797

49:06 - Swiss CS300 , BA CS100, LH iPad, Southwest 737th 737

54:29 - 1985 trip report, Bus crash into 737

57:13 - BA A321 exit seats, FCO praise, AF A318, CDG TGV

056 KIX - Attache book, Paris Air Show banter, A380plus, heatwave, GDS mismatch, Mordor MAD

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

00:41 - The Attache Guide to Travel

Attaché Guide to Travel by Alex Hunter — Kickstarter

04:20 - Cool projects, podcast reviews

08:16 - PHX LGW DXB heatwave

12:54 - Paris Air Show, 380plus, 747 end, supercars

20.36 - 737 MAX-10, A321neo, 797

23.56 - Virgin America 321neo, Alaska, United

PICTURE: Virgin America becomes first to take A321neo

27.34 - Embraer eagle, MRJ scope clauses

30:19 - Qatar, first 777 Q suite

Qatar Airways Qsuites Will Be Available To London As Of June 24, 2017 - One Mile at a Time

33:51 - Alex on EasyJet, luxury Luton

EasyJet offers private jet experience at Luton – without the private jet | World news | The Guardian

39:24 - Paul FRA mess, Finnair 350 Zodiac

Airbus to Swap Finnair's Zodiac Seats Amid A350 Quality Concerns - Bloomberg

44.17 - Alex BA seat mixup, 787, SFO security, 747, TSA

52.59 - Infuriating GDS, OTA price mismatch, TravelUp, EK

57:59 - SFO Burger, LoyaltyLobby, Air Koryo, CX

Flight Review: Air Koryo JS 222 Beijing – Pyongyang | LoyaltyLobby

1:02.20 - World Airline Awards, AirHelp rankings

1:11:54 - Stratolaunch

1.14.29 - KIX

Kansai International Airport Official Site

1:21:56 - Next flights

055 MCT - Qatar blockade, plane burgers, in-flight bluetooth, BA fallout, Oman Air

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

01:04 - Qatar blockade

Qatar Airways slammed by Arab blockade - Jun. 6, 2017

06:30 - Electronic ban extension, US air traffic privatization

09:46 - Bluetooth in flight, AirPods, Apple Maps

18:17 - Airport beacons, Bose scandal

Bose Headphones Secretly Collected User Data - Lawsuit | Fortune.com

21:57 - EK laptop ban, United ultra long haul

United To Fly Longest Ever Route by a U.S. Airline – Skift

25:06 - Level

29:24 - Morning cargo flights, IB 340 seat

A340-600 | Iberia | Seat Maps | Reviews | Seatplans.com

34:42 - IFE, air vents, flight boards

38:34 - Burgers in planes

42:32 - BA IT crash, status extension

British Airways Giving Complimentary Status For 2 Years - TravelUpdate

53:10 - BA isn't the worst airline, LHR slots

Oman Air Pays Record Price For Heathrow Slot - One Mile at a Time

1:00:42 - Muscat Airport, Oman Air

Oman Airports

1:08:33 - Conclusion: reviews, next flights

054 SXF - Cathay First, British Airways absolute chaos, eye masks, VVIP 380, LATAM

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 31 May 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

01:18 - Cathay Pacific First, reorganization

First | Flight Classes | Cathay Pacific Airways

13:01 - Favorite pajamas, eyemask, bad amenity kits

18:28 - Podcast reviews

20.45 - KLM King

Dutch king has been a KLM pilot for 21 years

22.07 - Alex rediscovers ORY, Paul aborts landing at LIN

27:24 - FRA tunnel, new MUC terminal, carry-on ads

31:33 - boarding e-gates, status boarding

36:43 - Expertflyer, EDI cargo bay, BA 767

Flight Availability | Upgrades | Frequent Flyer Information

40.33 - British Airways IT super crash

57:00 - VVIP 380, BA Comac, Boeing versus Bombardier

1:01:28 - JetLovers

JetLovers - Your Flight Club

1:02:34 - Berlin SXF, Tempelhof, BER

Berlin’s Airport Debacle: Five Years Late and Counting - Bloomberg

1:10:04 - Old ATH, FRA

Ellinikon International Airport - Wikipedia

1:11:02 - Next flights, LATAM 787, AF 787

01:14:54 - Mastication Nation*

Mastication Nation - Food without the fuss. | Free Listening on SoundCloud

053 BUD - Hackathon in a plane, disruptive passengers, Cathay Pacific, ANA banana

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 11 May 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction

01:58 - Disruptive passengers, Delta, social media

09:17 - United, conditions of carriage, culture

Contract Of Carriage | United Airlines

24:32 - Southwest kindness, Ryanair song

26:09 - LAX private terminal, ANA banana, C919

29:45 - Norwegian Germany, Alex's mom flies Norwegian

Norwegian evaluates long-haul flights from Germany | Airports & Routes content from ATWOnline

32:04 - LGW, e-gates

Gatwick airport unveils a new generation of biometric gates. | Planet Biometrics News

36:17 - Reviews

38.21 - Paul's crazy travel day, HEL, CDG

50:30 - Cathay Pacific, Betsy beer, The Pier

55:15 - HackHorizon, hackathon in a plane

Hack Horizon - TravelTech hackathon on a plane from Hong Kong to London.

1:07:25 - BUD

Budapest Airport

1:12:10 - Next flights

052 ISG - United entitlement, electronics ban, ANA Star Wars 787, Level, Finnair 350

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 02 May 2017 01:00:00 +0100

00:00 - Introduction, latest travels

02:54 - Trillions in the sky

There Is Almost 2 Trillion USD of Planes in Our Skies - Travel Stats Man

03:56 - Alex discovers the AY 350, new LHR CX lounge

09:14 - Paul flies BA business, First Wing, Iberia

19:56 - Qatar consolidates its UI, BA timeline view

21:55 - United re-accommodation, US airline market

38:40 - Electronics ban controversy

2017 electronics ban - Wikipedia

48:30 - Level, IAG strategy, M&S food, toilet roll

58:54 - Alitalia bankrupt, EY-EK rapprochement, LH Senator

1:03:06 - HackHorizon, hackathon in a plane

Hack Horizon - TravelTech hackathon on a plane from Hong Kong to London.

1:05:54 - ANA Star Wars

C-3PO Joins the ANA Star Wars Fleet - AirlineReporter : AirlineReporter

1:36:36 - ISG

Ishigaki Airport

1:17:04 - Next flights

051 DUS - Qatar suite, new A380, Worlds Best Airports, 737 MAX v 320neo, still no BER

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - BER pushed back, Berlin strikes, Layovers hiatus

03:33 - New QR business seat

06:37 - World's worst airports

08:28 - SkyTrax Best Airports, Terminals, Food, etc.

The World's Top 100 Airports in 2017

14:35 - CPT, Attache and taxis versus Uber

15:52 - US infrastructure, world busiest airports

17:18 - LH future business class, 350, CX 777 premium economy

20:20 - SWISS engine change in the cold

Replacing the World's Largest Jet Engine at 40-Below

23:13 - Cathay on-demand food, operating losses

27:28 - ME3 slower growth, QR Indian carrier, United against Emirates

31:31 - New A380

32:54 - Blanket rage, cash in the plane

34:40 - QR, Airbus NEOs, Boeing MAX, JetBlue, 777 glut

40:22 - 797, LX CS300

050 NRT - The crazy story of Narita, Cathay Pacific Beer, 10 Cent Fares, Open Skies rift

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction

01:24 - ANA 380, Special livery, Drone Inspection, JAL pilots

05:30 - Cathay Pacific Beer, bubbly in the air

08:32 - Air China Cathay Pacific merger rumor

Breaking News - Air China to acquire Cathay Pacific Airways | Dr Marco Pearman-Parish | Pulse | LinkedIn

10:54 - Aboslute low cost Spring Airlines, China strategy

14:55 - Qantas ultra long haul, ANA Mexico route

17:49 - Episode 049 feedback, reviews, chapters

Chapters available on those apps: OverCast, DownCast, InstaCast, PodCat, iCatcher, RSS Radio on iOS, and AntennaPod on Android.
Listen to layovers ✈︎ - air travel and commercial aviation online on TuneIn
acast - Layovers

21:41 - Aer Lingus, Norwegian, new US routes, Easyjet

25:28 - United, Munoz, 5th freedom routes, Open Skies debate

30:33 - New US travel ban, new TSA rules, EU travel ban

34:57 - Mouse ban, plane over-crowding

37:55 - Airmule, TripIt, Kayak, FlySMS, apps

42:50 - Paul flights, TripCase ADD, BA priority, Bluesmart ad, CS100 video

SWISS C SERIES - PATROUILLE SUISSE AIRSHOW on Vimeo

49:24 - AMS biometric boarding, Air France new low cost

52:55 - NRT, the extraordinary story of Narita

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Review, and rate us, on Apple Podcasts
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049 ORY - US border passwords, Breitling 777, Air Force One, United Polaris, Korean Air taser

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction, feedback, reviews

05:43 - US border asking for passwords

11:08 - Air Force One 747-8

Trump, Boeing CEO meet again to talk Air Force One price tag | Fox News

12:15 - Lufthansa 747-8, Fashion Week, 350-900, EU

15:16 - Lufthansa booking API, mystery bookings

19:05 - Jet Airways intercept over German airspace

German Eurofighters Intercept Non-Responsive Boeing 777 And It Was Caught On Camera – Avgeekery.com – News and stories by Aviation Professionals

20:55 - Boeing 787-10 rollout

Boeing: 787-10 Rollout

23:15 - SWISS Breitling 777-300ER watch, Bremont

25:18 - Alternatives to Airbus and Boeing, A320

27:51 - United Polaris, Saks amenity kits

31:00 - Delta food, profit-sharing, Fortune ranking, pilot meltdown

33:45 - Alex BA compensation

36:55 - Korean Air taser

Korean Air used electric stun gun on five passengers - BBC News

*39:29 - Alcohol in the air, Qatar longest flight, BA baggage handlers *

43:08 - Nuts allergy pre-boarding

048 CPT - US Travel Ban, Norwegian Airlines, 737 MAX 8, Air Canada, Bombardier CS100

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

00:00 - Introduction, Layovers reviews

02.51 - US Travel Ban

06:56 - US3 at the White House

American airlines want Trump to take on their Gulf rivals - Feb. 7, 2017

07:56 New Emirates 5th freedom route, Delta

09:19 - Norwegian US announcements

12:05 - 737 MAX 8 for intercontinental routes

13:53 - Alex flies Thomas Cook to CPT

Thomas Cook Flights – Fly Thomas Cook Airlines

18:00 - American drops IFE screens

American Airlines getting rid of in-flight entertainment screens

19:07 - Air Canada unveils new livery

23:06 - Etihad, its CEO and Lufthansa

25:45 - Emirates fleet change 2007-2017

Emirates' Fleet Changes, 2007-17

26:28 - Lufthansa app, Worldmate, Google Trips, Tripit

28:20 - Paul crazy flights to MAD via ZRH and FRA

31:52 - More on travel planning apps

33:28 - MAD T2 and T3

Terminals T1, T2, T3, T4-T4S Madrid-Barajas Airport. Distribution of terminals

34:08 - Paul tests the Bombardier CS100

36:18 - SWISS Fear of flying course

Fear of flying seminar | Swiss AviationTraining

37:55 - Schengen area, Momondo, Skyscanner

39:26 - No wifi on Ryanair, BA Cityflyer, plane food

41:28 - Paul continues to ramble about his loved Sony MDR-1000X

Bluetooth Over-Ear Noise Canceling Headphones| MDR-1000X | Sony US

42:36 - The must-have button on every IFE, Turkish interface

43:54 - Amazon, Superbowl, ATL drones, Airbus self-flying taxis

047 JFK - Bye Virgin America, supersonic Boom, noise-cancelling headphone king, British Airways food

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

046 GVA - Tony Tyler, fmr IATA & Cathay Pacific CEO, aviation is a force for good

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

IATA

GVA

[Genève Aéroport](http://www.gva.ch/en/

045 FCO - Airbus flying taxis, augmented reality Emirates, Cebu Pacific million miles baby

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Paul is on Aviation Xtended

Ep.63 – Layovers, Skyfaring and Flightchic | Xtended

The US National Aviation Day

Teen 'whirlwind' leads invasion of 10 US, UK airports - CNN.com

Cranky Flyer celebrates in style

Blogger flies to 8 airports in one day - Burbank Leader

How to be dumb in an airport

Airline passenger runs across tarmac at Madrid airport to catch flight | World news | The Guardian

The Emirates crash landing

The AR amenity kit

Emirates New Economy Class Amenity Kits Offer Augmented Reality Experience | TheDesignAir

Quantas soars

Qantas profit rises to record $1bn on back of overhaul and dip in fuel prices | Business | The Guardian

Cebu Pacific's loyalty

She'll go far: baby girl born on plane is given 1m air miles | World news | The Guardian

The state of US air travel

The JFK panic

Singapore Airlines celebrates Gold

Singapore Airlines Facebook

The BA Olympics plane, and the food uproar

044 PVG - Pokemon Go, Cathay Dragon, BA ex-BMI A321, new SWISS 777-300ER, motorized carry-on

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Pokemon Go makes you do stupid things

Airline warns against playing Pokemon Go in an airport - LA Times

Carry-on might make you look like an idiot

Modobag: World's First Motorized, Rideable Luggage | Indiegogo | Indiegogo

A beautiful AV Geek engagement

A Reagan Airport Engagement Shoot — Why Have We Never Seen This Before? | Washingtonian

Lufthansa sells seats on AirBnB

Lufthansa - AirBnB (link will expire at the end of the campaign)
Lufthansa is renting seats on its airplanes on Airbnb — Quartz

Mitsubishi also wants to enter Iran

Mitsubishi Regional Jet may take off in Iran- Nikkei Asian Review

Air Astana wants the Embraer E2

Air Astana considers Embraer E2s, additional AOC | Airlines content from ATWOnline

Farnborough 2016

The end of the 747?

Alex flies Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon

Singapore Airlines in rough air

Air France sees more strikes

Air France strike: travellers face week-long disruption as third of flights scrapped | World news | The Guardian

Unlimited flights Paris/London - NY

La Compagnie Selling Tickets for Unlimited Flights for Year

Game over for the US4 griefs (finally!)

Victory for Gulf airlines as US government ends Open Skies row with no further action | The National

The SkyTrax awards

Lots of words, almost no action for London airports

Drones

The photo app for BA pilots

BA unveils new flight deck photo app

Paul experiences lie-flat seats in short haul flights

043 SJC - Brexit, Air Serbia and Etihad, heir to the throne at Emirates, US EU open skies, Iran 747

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Alex flies the 787 to SJC

Boeing Airplanes on Twitter: "Congrats to @British_Airways on new 787 #Dreamliner service #BAinSanJose https://t.co/MwUsfXv2V6"

Iceland and the UEFA Euro

Flightradar24 on Twitter: "Icelandic pilot predicts the #ENGISL result (photo from WOW Air TF-MOM via https://t.co/ak0D39qOOr) #EURO2016 https://t.co/CRMmsWfYmy"

Sully gets a trailer

The FAA rules on drones

With 1 Announcement, the FAA Just Created an $82 Billion Market and 100,000 New Jobs | Inc.com

Brexit and the impact on UK air travel

Paul flies Easyjet from LGW

Solar Impulse

The solar-powered airport

The first world's first solar-powered airport is in Cochin, India - Mar. 14, 2016

Boeing solar-powered plane

Boeing patents first solar powered plane that can fly forever. It can replace costly satellites - PatentYogi

NASA wants to learn from American Airlines

NASA and American Airlines team up to improve cockpit displays

Boeing Centennial

Farnborough International Airshow Public 2016 - Boeing Centennial Experience

More hopes for the 747

The EU-US Open Skies must go deeper

Europe transport chief: Think bigger on EU-US Open Skies | Open Skies content from ATWOnline

Air Serbia launches new NY routs

Serbia connected to the United States again - Wandering Aramean

The US4 is losing its war against the ME3

U.S. Airlines Set to Lose Major Battle Against Gulf Carriers in Open Skies Debate – Skift

Mueller goes to Emirates

Malaysia Airlines' CEO To Work For Emirates - One Mile at a Time

Emireates has a new 777 business seat

Emirates reveals new Boeing 777 business class seat - Australian Business Traveller

Cobalt flies!

SWISS gets its new Bombardier

042 DOH - Flying Qatar A350, Tim Clark reality check, Hamad business class lounge, Singapore ULL

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 01:00:00 +0100

041 SOF - Paul flies round the world in First, Qantas women uniforms, Ryanair new route model

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Wifi chaos

Bourdain on plane food

Anthony Bourdain Thinks You're Crazy for Eating Airplane Food - Bon Appétit

A new kind of alliance

Will Air France and Singapore enter an alliance too?

Singapore Airlines, Air France in early partnership talks - ch-aviation.com

China

The dragon takes flight: China passes a milestone in business travel | The Economist

JetLovers 3D

JetLovers FlightClub on Twitter: "Exciting news! Now you can see all of your flights on interactive 3D globe (WebGL required). Check it out now! https://t.co/R2Cvzk3WGZ"

A new Ryanair era

Secret connections: Ryanair experiments with hub-and-spoke transfers | The Economist

TSA is getting worse

Crazy plane furniture

Plane-influenced hotels

Airbus VC

Lufthansa car sharing

More extras, more convenience: Lufthansa Express Carsharing | Lufthansa - YouTube

Pilot assaulted

Manchester flight delayed after woman 'punched pilot in face' | UK news | The Guardian

SOF

Sofia Airport

040 LHR — Mark Vanhoenacker, Skyfaring author, British Airways 747 pilot

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 25 May 2016 01:00:00 +0100

039 DME - Throne seat, Wow Air Snapchat, Solar Impulse, Malaysian loses CEO, US consolidation

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 08 May 2016 01:00:00 +0100

Congrats Solar Impulse!

Solar Impulse completes long-delayed flight across the Pacific | Ars Technica

Virgin America

WOW Air wants you to Snapchat

snaptraveler.wowair.com

US consolidation

Start-Up Airline Idles on a California Runway, Stymied by Bureaucracy - The New York Times

FlyerRights responds to our 038 leg room story

Alex flies Emirates Business Class and more

Business Class Cabin Features | Flying with Emirates

TripIt half-repaints its website

TripIt - Travel Itinerary - Trip Planner

Seats, seats and more seats

Another smart carry-on

FLOATTI - The World's First SUPER SUITCASE by Floatti Inc — Kickstarter

David Verch tells us all about LugLoc

David Verch - You guys talked about the luggage tracking... | Facebook

Amber and Eric mention us one more time!

Episode 17: Luxury #AvGeek Experiences |

We're on iTunes, give us a review, pretty please :-)

layovers ✈︎ by Paul Papadimitriou and Alex Hunter discuss aviation innovation and technology on iTunes

A new Matrix ITA guide

Matrix ITA Advanced Guide: Tips for Finding Cheap Airfare

Drones are made out of plastic too, you know

Mueller leaves Malaysian

Christoph Mueller bids farewell to MAB in September | Astro Awani

DME

Moscow Domodedovo Airport

038 BOS - Behind Virgin America and its death, TSA, KLM Facebook Messenger, Tesla races 737

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 01:00:00 +0100

The death of Virgin America

The 747 lives to see another day

Shoutouts

KLM expands Messenger initiative

Heathrow Airport on Twitter: "@papadimitriou Hi Paul, the e-gates in T3 are being updated for new generation ones, to improve immigration at Heathrow."

AF KLM CEO leaves for IATA

Air France-KLM says CEO to leave airline for top IATA post | Reuters

US Congreas refuses to legislate on legroom

Backed by Airline Dollars, Congress Rejects Effort to Address Shrinking Legroom

The state of air travel

Come fly with me | 1843

Passengers rights in the EU almost impound a plane!

An Airline Owed a Customer $680—and Its Plane Almost Got Impounded

Missiles on a commercial jetliner...

US missiles found on Air Serbia plane | GulfNews.com

Yet another smart luggage

Raden

A tracker with a twist

Facepalm for the TSA

A smart… pillow??

WOOLLIP Travel Pillow: Smart pillow for smart travelers! by DIANE & FRANCK LEVY — Kickstarter

A 737 races a Tesla

Tesla vs. Boeing: Which wins the ultimate drag race? - CNET

BOS

Massport - Logan Airport

037 LCA - Airbus Airspace, Boom, 777 saves the UK, a kinder Ryanair, Iron Maiden 747

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 01:00:00 +0100

The EgyptAir hikacking

Terror at BRU

Brussels: Islamic State launches attacks on airport and station – as it happened | World news | The Guardian

Smart security

Terrorism: Can you really stop a bomber by asking, 'Are you terrorist?' | Daily Mail Online

Pre or not Pre

The greatest review ever of Layovers

My Top Travel Podcasts — ORD TO ANYWHERE

Virgin America is for sale

Virgin Australia loses Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand considering Virgin Australia stake disposal

Virgin Atlantic going low cosst?

TTG Media | Travel industry, travel agent and tourism news, events and jobs - News - Virgin Atlantic mulls low-cost offshoot to counter growth in budget long-haul

The new Airbus experience

Airbus Airspace

A split level A350?

Airbus considers split-level layout for A350-1000 - Australian Business Traveller

The mile-high clubs

Tinder for airports?!

Meet Me At Airport: Tinder for the airport

Ryanair switches strategy

WOW the low cost disruptor

Interview: Wow Air CEO on Being Different in the Low-Cost Carrier Space – Skift

A french long haul low cost

La première low-cost long-courrier française s'appellera French Blue (compagnie soeur d'Air Caraïbes)

Qatar eyes low cost in India

Qatar Airways still keen on buying stake in Indigo - Livemint

Royal Brunei

Royal Brunei Airlines' first all-female pilot crew lands plane in Saudi Arabia - where women are not allowed to drive | Asia | News | The Independent

The great UK panic

The UK Is Flying Biscuits Over From Dubai Because There Is A Shortage - BuzzFeed News

A new age in supersonic travel?

Boom - Supersonic Passenger Airplanes

036 KEF - Bizarre Delta ads, EU fed up with US on Norwegian, a flaw in TSA Pre

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Alex narrates his LHR-JFK-BOS experiences

sleeping at JFK didn't go as planned
a weird TSA Pre flaw
TSA Pre✓® | Transportation Security Administration

Some Americans will need a passport to fly domestic

Driver Licenses From Five States Won’t be Valid IDs for Domestic Flights | Travel + Leisure

Paul narrates his LHR-GVA experience

GVA is starting to lag behind
Automated check-in | All you have to do is board | SWISS

Automated check-in for everyone by the Lufhtansa Innovation Hub

Another German Innovation Hub

Düsseldorf Airport’s Innovation Hub Wants a Bit of Startup Magic – Skift

Paul narrates his LGW-KEF experience

The LGW e-passport gates fail

The everywhere security future

Sensor system to speed up airport security screening

Shout outs

Andrew Hunter (LHR)
Chris Collins (NRT)
Iain Dewar (EDI) who went to see the Spirit of Australia 747
Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Museum- Australia - Hi My Name Is Iain
Adam Nowek (WAW)
Mbwana Ally (DAR)
Jon Bradford (LHR)

MAN asks for tax reprieve

Manchester airport calls for tax holiday on new long-haul routes - FT.com ($)

The strange AA versus Gogo lawsuit

The in-flight roaming market

In-flight mobile roaming revenues $3 billion by 2020 - Mob76 Outlook

Munoz is back at United!!

The EU wants the US to stop stalling Norwegian

The U.S. Should Give Norwegian Air Freedom to Fly, Says EU – Skift
Norwegian Air Offers New Low-Cost Flights to Paris – Skift
Norwegian shelves Cork transatlantic plans | Open Skies content from ATWOnline
Norwegian Air Flies in the Face of the Trans-Atlantic Establishment - The New York Times
Tip: pre-order food when you fly Norwegian (hat tip: Sasha Paleeva)

A new EU alliance

Five European airlines launch new alliance - Espaces

The Amazon fleet

Amazon has leased 20 Boeing 767s to carry out fulfillment services | ZDNet

Tracking luggage

Samsonite aquires Tumi

Samsonite’s Tumi Acquisition Spells Digital Challenges | L2: The Daily

MH370: two years on

The lasr minutes of the GermanWings flight

The Real Story of Germanwings Flight 9525 | GQ

Which airlines get love/hate on social media

These 3 Airlines Are the Most Hated In the World, According to Twitter - Fortune

The A350 promise

<...

035 OAK - Rimowa electronic tag, gettind rid of the A340s, American fights Gogo, banning calls

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Layovers is 27th on 100 most interesting podcasts

The 100 best, most-interesting podcasts for 2016 – DailyTekk

Aegean isn't as good a status fast track as it used to be

Aegean Airlines Clamping Down On Star Alliance StatusThe Points Guy

OK Go's Reddit IAmA

geekymama comments on We are OK Go! We're here to talk, Reddit, so Ask Us Anything!

With Husband in Tow's podcast

AA's app

Somalia's attack has been claimed

Al-Shabab 'carried out' Somalia plane attack - BBC News

MAN gets mega budget to evolve

Jacobs onboard for planned £1 billion transformation of Manchester Airport - Airport World Magazine

AA meets Uber

AA sues Gogo

American Airlines Is Suing Gogo Over Its Crappy In-Flight WiFi - BuzzFeed News

In-flight Wifi advertising

The Rise of In-Flight Wi-Fi Advertising -- Digital Marketing This Week – Skift

Banning calls in the air?

FAA bill: Will passengers be barred from making calls during flights? - CSMonitor.com

Qantas' Tech Talks

TSA Pre-Check extension

The TSA Wants 25 Million Americans Enrolled in TSA Precheck – Skift

Privatizing the US skies

US Airports order AirGrub for food delivery

AirGrub Partners With U.S. Airport Group for Speedier Pre-Flight Nosh – Skift

MIA's app integreates beacons

Miami Airport Becomes One of the First to Connect Consumers With Beacons – Skift

UA introduces 3-class on domestic trunk routes

GAME ON: United Adds 3-Cabin Service to Premium New York-West Coast Routes - View from the Wing

All you can eat flying

OneGo Provides Unlimited Flights Per Month

Re-inventing the luggage tag

RIMOWA Electronic Tag

Al Baker strikes again

We won't let SIA close the gap

Singapore Air Show

ANA goes First on A380

ANA's A380 Will Feature First Class (And More Details) - One Mile at a Time

The A340 is ditches left and right

LH can't seem to delivery on its new strategy

Lufthansa Still Struggles to Get Its Low-Cost Revolution Off the Ground – Skift

A Die Hard scenario

- DEAD BODY & MILLIONS OF SOUTH AFRICAN RAND FOUND ON PLANE

What if a pilot dies?

A Nervous Passenger’s Guide to Landing a Boeing 737 During an In-Flight Emergency

Jet lag and timezones

034 MAN - Turkish and Batman, new OK Go video, China blacklists, JetBlue, fuel surcharge

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 17:54:21 +0000

Paul reports on his Athens trip with Aegean & Alex talks about his quest for an Asia-bound ticket from London

The 2015 air travel stats

Demand for Air Travel Is the Highest in 5 Years, IATA Reports – Skift

JetBlue goes VC

Expedia, Google and the future of OTAs

Startups and plane routes

Direct flights are vital to startup success, says a major study - Tnooz

Somalia terror attack

Turkish & Batman & Superman

Turkish Airlines Takes Film Franchise Marketing to New Heights – Flight Chic

PDX's movie theatre

The newest airport amenity? Movie theaters - CNN.com

Emirates goes drone for its latest marketing campaign

OK Go in zero gravity

A smartphone-controlled IFE

airlinetrends.com » Panasonic’s Waterfront concept suite lets passengers customize their inflight experience with their smartphone

BA forced to enter the 21st century

Female British Airways cabin crew win the right to wear trousers | Business | The Guardian

Korean Air pilots bargain hard

Korean Air pilots are demanding a 37% pay raise—or else they’ll fly for China - Quartz

China cracks down on unruly passengers

- CHINESE AIRLINES TO SHARE DETAILS ON UNRULY PASSENGERS

The 747 can't die

Omega Tau talks NASA 747

195 – Flying the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft | omega tau

Delta's CEO retires

BA will fly to Iran

British Airways Will Resume Flights to Iranian Capital in July - Bloomberg Business

The real fuel surcharge cost

Is My Airline Overcharging Me For Fuel? – Hi, My Name's Dave (cached version)

NASA revives the X-plane program

NASA proposes X-plane revival with supersonic, subsonic designs

A new Russian competitor to the 737 and 320?

Could the Frigate Ecojet take on Airbus and Boeing? - CNN.com

MAN

Official website for Manchester Airport

—
For video, subscribe on

033 HND - Comparing JAL and ANA, not so smart carry-ons, new IranAir deal, best Star Alliance seat

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:59:04 +0000

Alex and Paul report on their trips

Alex flew to Tokyo with JAL
Paul flew to Tokyo with ANA, then LAX with Singapore Airlines, then LAS with Virgin America
Best Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class Seat? - One Mile at a Time

ANA and JAL profits

Japanese airlines report profits : TTR Weekly

Airbus sells A380s and more

EK 2016 orders

Emirates Is Spending $14.5 Billion on 21 New Jets – Skift

TAP and Azul share new interiors

TAP Portugal Announce Identical Interiors To Sister Company Azul | TheDesignAir

Boeing announces earnings and flies its new 737

The Swiss Laubehorn race in 360

SWISS A321 and Patrouille Suisse in 360°... - Swiss International Air Lines | Facebook

Wifi in the air

SWISS’s Boeing 777-300ERs to offer Internet in all three classes | IFE content from ATWOnline
Alex and Paul report on their Wifi experience

The longest commercial flihgts in the world

Those pesky fees won't come down

Smart carry-on absolute fail

The travel planning apps contest update

Our LoungeBuddy + TripIt Integration Is Live | LoungeBuddy

Intelligent bidding and booking apps

Has the Internet made air travel irrelevant?

Has the Internet Made Air Travel Irrelevant? - The New Yorker

When low cost is really low cost

Etihad

Terror or not?

032 OSL - Air France last 747, Qatar Airways entertaining CEO, drone avoidance technology

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:27:14 +0000

SAS

New cabin on intercontinental routes - SAS

Estonian Air suffers

Estonia's National Airline Is Officially Bankrupt – Skift

Airbus financial results

Al Baker is the most entertaining man in aviation

United needs to come around

United Airlines’ Quest to Be Less Awful

Etihad will finally deliver in the US

The ME3 in the US

Where will the ME3 expand into the US this year? : AirlineReporter

Air France says adieu to last 747

Largest operators of aircrafts

Largest Operators - Album on Imgur

Will commercial aircrafts be piloted by only one person?

Still no sign of the MH370

MH370 search team finds second shipwreck - BBC News

Flying with the door open?

Open Airplane Door on Flight to South Korea | Travel + Leisure

Animals creating chaoes

2015 was really safe

Long haul low cost to/from the US

Former Tech Exec's New Offering: $199 Flights To Europe From LAX And SFO - Forbes

An app to sawp seats

Ticketed passengers can now swap seats with new app | IT & Distribution content from ATWOnline

Uber to enter the travel planning game?

Uber Travel may challenge Expedia, TripCase, everyone - if it's serious - Tnooz

That crazy concept might be more real than we thought

SkyDeck Concept Creates the Ultimate Window Seat - AirlineReporter : AirlineReporter

A carry-on that follow you every step of the way

This smart suitcase literally follows you around so you'll never have to drag or carry a bag again | Business Insider

New airport expansions set to open

031 NCE - BA avoid France, ANA flies Star Wars, A380 maximum seats, texting Kayak

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 18:56:11 +0000

ANA Star Wars

Happy birthday Airbus

The timeline | Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer

App in the Air

App in the Air - We added new Profile Statistics

Kayak Snap

Kayak to Launch New Text-Based Travel Service – Skift

McKinsey's future of travel

Facebook and the future of travel | McKinsey & Company

Post-booking price checking app

FairFly: Rebooking your flight at a better price.

The miles addiction

Help, I’m Addicted to Frequent-Flier Miles -- The Cut

Turning an airplane

The Art of Turning Around an Airplane - The New York Times

ZRH gets a lots of Qatari jets

Qatari ex-emir’s broken leg sees 9 ‘emergency’ landings in Zurich despite night flight ban — RT News

Delta CEO is person of the year

No more hover boards

BA goes reward flight on iOS

BA on your mobile | British Airways

Why does British Airways avoid French airspace?

New LHR approach over continental Europe

Did Malaysian really fly in the wrong direction?

Beacons arrive at MUC

Lufthansa apps on your smartphone or tablet - Lufthansa ® United Kingdom

Airports hit record PAX numbers

Virgin Atlantic gets creative for its financing

Virgin Atlantic raises cash against Heathrow airport slots | Finance & Data content from ATWOnline

Virgin America gets new Airbus planes

Virgin America to lease 10 new Airbus A321neo aircraft | Reuters

Mistubishi delays aircraft

MRJ airliner delay won’t disrupt jobs here, says local partner | The Seattle Times

CityJet orders more SuperJets

The CS100 get the greenlight

Bombardier CS100 passenger jet is given the all-clear for take-off - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

The future of Sharm el-Sheikh is uncertain

Egypt plane crash: Airlines extend suspension of Sharm el-Sheikh flights - BBC News

A real fake bomb freaks Air ...

030 BEY - Changi goes Star Wars, abandoned 747s, Qatar A350, Airbus Kinder chocolate

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 16:15:56 +0000

Travel security advices

SIN meets Star Wars

The BA 767

Boeing 767-300 | About BA | British Airways

Qatar Airways fumbles A350 launch in New York

Emirates retires aircrafts and expands airline deals

Etihad wants to be there for the long run

Luxury seats …with a view

Opulent Air Travel Is Reaching a New Level of Lunacy with Seats On Top of the Plane

A chocolate egg with a plane

Kinder Surprise Airbus

The lunacy of designers thinking about air travel

Here's What Makes Flying Suck, and How Designers Would Fix It | WIRED

The battle of travel planning apps

Uncertainties over Egypt

Air India can't find enough cash

Air India's $4.5 Billion Bailout Fails to Avert Grounded 787s - Bloomberg Business

Good news for U.S. air travel

Toss the bag!

'Toss the bag' and other games airport staff play with your luggage - Telegraph

The abandonned 747s mystery

Drawing the experience of air travel

Artist Hilariously Illustrates His Flight From New York To Berlin | Bored Panda

LHR delayed decision angers UK businesses

U....

029 EWR - Jetblue and Amazon, 170 million air miles, crazy Airbus patent, wine carry-on

Paul Papadimitriou — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Women in the aviation industry

Air travel after the terror attacks

Proof that SIN is good for layovers?

S'pore couple camp at Changi Airport for 7 months: There's free Internet, electricity, water, AsiaOne Singapore News

Cathay returns at LGW

Cathay Pacific 'to return to London Gatwick with A350' - Business Traveller

Europe and the US versus the Middle-Eastern carriers

What is Qatar announcing for the US market?

Qatar Airways Set For "Historic" Announcement

JetBlue goes Amazon

JetBlue Launches Amazon Streaming on All Planes Equipped With Fly-Fi – Skift

Emirates adds bigger IFE screens in all classes

Emirates Introduces New Generation IFE That Is Best In Class | TheDesignAir

Pay for Wifi with United miles

United to Let Travelers Trade Miles for Wi-Fi in the Sky

170m USD worth or air miles!

Billionaire Charges $170 Million Painting to Get Airline Miles

Jetlovers

Layovers on JetLovers - Your Flight Club

Google creeps into travel

Startup lookout

Luggage weight sharing?

Edwin asks us if it would be possible for poeple to share the weight they're checking into the hold.

For wine lovers

The Easiest (and Cheapest) Way to Travel with Wine - Condé Nast Traveler

KLM goes Messenger

KLM confirms Facebook Messenger play

We don't know what Airbus is thinking

Airbus Crazy Patent Watch: Detachable Cabins Edition

The renaissance of supersonic planes

028 IST - Star Trek influences EasyJet, Twitter for airlines, Turkish IFE, Etihad upgrade bidding

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 16:26:24 +0000

Terror attacks

The new airport security reality: insoucring?

Paul narrates how liquids in his carry-on failed to be detected at TSE, IST and ZAG

Emirates goes 2 class and jetpacks

Happy 20, EasyJet (but are you sure about those uniforms?)

The Air Astana experience and its IFE

Etihad's upgrade bidding system

Is Twitter a better way to handle customer service?

Paul narrates his nightmarish Turkish flight cancellation incident

Paul and Alex both flew in the same "Pope plane" by Croatia Airlines

The state of maintenance

Paul narrates how a third of his SWISS flight wasn't allowed to board

Lufthansa experiences a very bad strike

Lufthansa cancels 1,000 flights as staff walks out - Nov. 9, 2015

The Norwegian experience

The modern Turkish experience

IST

TAV Istanbul Ataturk Airport

027 FRA - DXB beacons, Indigo, bye bye US Airways, Air France downsizing, carry-on ads

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 15:44:04 +0000

SHOW NOTES

Captains' Hat Tips

Thanks to Kendall (TXL) for stating that we were one of the best sources of industry news, to Greg (BRS) for his weekly contributions and Vicky (ATH) for her suggestions.

News of the week

The Russian airliner crash

Worrying working conditions for US Air Traffic controllers

Some U.S. Air-Traffic Controllers Found to Sleep for Three Hours - Bloomberg Business

The Future of Air France

The success of IndiGo

IndiGo IPO subscribed more than six times

Russia Sukhoi finds a client

Irish regional CityJet to lease 15 Sukhoi SSJ100s | Lessors content from ATWOnline ($)

China's Comec

How China is playing Boeing against Airbus to build its own airplane industry - Vox

WHo will order the B747?

Boeing Set To Lose Orders As Transaero Files For Bankruptcy - The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) | Seeking Alpha

Airbus ups and downs

A new crazy seat patent

The Residence, by Etihad

Great Finale: Etihad A380 – “Apartment” The Best F — Trip Reports Forum | Airliners.net

News rows in the US3 v ME3 debate

The passenger technologies at Dubai airports

The future of airports | SITA

Advertising on your carry-on

A smart travel lock

AirBolt: The Truly Smart Travel Lock by AirBolt — Kickstarter

Boaarding pass barcodes could be a security risk

What’s in a Boarding Pass Barcode? A Lot — Krebs on Security

CIA's advice: look cool

To Travel Like a CIA Agent, Keep Your Story Simple | Big Think

Google and the workplace

re:Work - JetBlue: Hiring crewmembers with the skills to thrive

Cathay refreshed its livery

New Livery

US Airways gets a send off

Final US Ai...

026 BOM - Poland LOT bitcoins, LHR Terminal 6, Pegasus Instragram, Virgin America Spotify

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 16:28:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

Wishing well to Oscar Munoz

United Continental CEO Oscar Munoz Suffers Heart Attack - WSJ

Alex & Paul's travels

BA and OneWorld to grow network?

Qantas to fly direct to Europe?

The future of London Heathrow

Heathrow Reveals a Vision for Its Third Runway Expansion – Skift

JetBlue farms potatoes at New York Kennedy

Hiroko Tabuchi's pictures of JFK TWA terminal

HKG delays third runway

Asia's Busiest International Airport Has to Wait 10 Years for a New Runway – Skift

Fly for 2 dollars around Asia!

- $2 FLIGHTS WITH AIR ASIA...CRAZY!!!!!

LOT goes bitcoin

LOT Polish Airlines now accepts bitcoins as payment

New websites to score flying deals

Virgin America introduces Spotify

Virgin America's A320 Inside View

Google Street View Your Next Mood-Lit Virgin America Flight

Netflix in the air

Wifi on the transatlantic route

Norwegian promises low prices to cross the Atlantic

Norwegian Air CEO Says $69 Flights From U.S. to Europe Coming Soon - NBC News

The different perception about the passenger experience

Compensation for delays

Money Saving Expert UK Flight delay com...

025 LGB - limiting leg room reduction, United iPhones and secret frequent flyer program

Paul Papadimitriou — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 18:03:01 +0100

SHOW NOTES

Captains' hat tips

Our thanks to Markus (STR), Cedric (CDG), Michael (FAB), Peter (BOH), Ivan (WAW), and Kendall (TXL) for their contributions to this episode and their feedback.
Note that due to the increasing incoming messages, we won't be able to thank everyone, nor reference all the news sent to us on each episode, for time's sake. please keep them going though! We really love the conversations and try to answer to each and everyone of you.

Special thanks to all those who hunted our last episode on Product Hunt.

News of the week

Disruption in air travel

LHR and pollution

Heathrow CEO Says Volkswagen Scandal Will Help Fix Airport's Pollution Problem – Skift

Air India announces world's longest flight

San Francisco to New Delhi flight could mark beginning of Air India’s turnaround | The Indian Express

Airline layoffs

Stop the leg room war

Regulations.gov - FlyersRights.org

Innovation in seat design

Europe Court challenges airline excuses for delays

Floodgates open for flight delay claims | Money | The Guardian

A lucky landing

Close call for valley-based Mesa Air Group flight - Story | KSAZ

United apologizes

United pampers

United innovates

A non-smart Bluesmart?

Luggage Review: Bluesmart Smart Carry-On

Quebec airport and the Apple Watch

Québec Airport Becomes World’s First to Use Apple Watch to Help Planes Take-Off – Skift

AirAsia is an internet company

Yes, AirAsia just called itself an internet company

Malaysian won't re-brand

Malaysia Airlines to ramp up services to help win back...

024 MRU - New wave of airplane food, Concorde to fly again, 777-9X foldable wings

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

Shout outs

Special thanks to Michael (FAB) who corrected us (LGW is not a BAA airport anymore) and for his contributions you'll hear throughout this episode, to Nic (LHR) for his endorsement, Mohd (KUL) for the kind words and his question, to the Flying Blue employee Paul phoned to whilst being at MRU for being so kind and efficient.

Paul would also like to thank Bernard who invited him on his Analyse Asia podcast to discuss the state of travel in Asia (show notes):

https://soundcloud.com/analyseasia/episode-60-startups-air-travel-in-asia-with-paul-papadimitriou

…and to Mark (LHR) whose book, Skyfaring, helped him enjoy a 12 hours flight.

News of the week

Air Mauritius

iPhone 6S and Apple Watch

MH370

Airplane Food

The Concorde to fly again?

Airbus

Mitsubishi

Japan Aims to Crack the Aviation Market With Its First New Passenger Plane in Four Decades - Bloomberg Business

Boeing

023 LGW - American First for pets, Iron Maiden 747, LoungeBuddy, sinking airport

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

Shout outs

Our thanks to all our listeners, we really appreciate your loyalty and your feedback! Special thanks to Neil (JNB), Zachary (SFO), Kendall (TXL), Michael (FAB), HhhHhm (AMS), Gen (PVG), Pieter (BOH), Markus (STR), Mica & Camille (LHR), Gray (TPA) and Mascha (AMS) for your messages.
And Don for episode 022, the feedback has been incredible.

News of the week

BA 777 on fire at Las Vegas

Don't be stupid in an emergency evacuation

British Airways unveils new First cabin

Paul's curation of First and Business class news

Seat 1A on Flipboard

First class for pets

American Airlines First Class Cabins for Pets Travel + Leisure

Be mentored at 30,000 feet

Mentoring flight | Information | British Airways

United CEO is fired on the spot

Iron Maiden embarks on World Tour on a 747

ANA unveils the Star Wars Dreamliner

R2-D2 and C-3P0 host 'Star Wars' aircraft unveiling

Don't believe Facebook flight hoaxes

Faceb...

022 JNB - Don Hunter, fmr Cathay Pacific and Kai Tak, debating the future of flying

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

Guest

Don Hunter. Chief Officer Airport Operations at Oman Air since 2010. Prior to that, MD Dnata Philippines and Vice President Operations Dnata Dubai. Managing director of Menzies Macau in 2007-2008. General Manager Airport Services Virgin Atlantic in 2004-2007. Cathay Pacific Airways in 1986-2004, posts included General Manager Kai Tak, Managing Director Hong Kong Air Terminal Services, and MD Hong Kong Airport Services, General Manager Africa and Airport Manager San Francisco. 10 years as commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force.

News of the week

The story of the HKG transfer, by Don Hunter

Other future airport switches

The rise of the Middle Eastern airlines

We've discussed about this topic in all our episodes so far. Of note, check episode 005 MUC on the origins of the Gulf airlines, 004 GVA on the US versus Middle-East debate, 008 SIN on Lufthansa's low cost strategy or 014 DXB where we talk about Emirates.

The future of flying in Africa

Low costs and the legacy airlines

We've also discussed the low cost model in various past episodes, including 008 SIN when we discussied RyanAir potential long haul low cost offering.

New modular fares and the Malaysia Airlines relaunch

BA keeps its 747 alive

British Airways just can’t kick its 747 habit

Check our various past episodes about our discussions on the future of the A380.

A different ranking of best and worst airports in the world

What Are the Worst Airports in the World?

The Shoreham Airshow disaster

2015 Shoreham Airshow crash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shoreham Air Show, England - Plane Crash - YouTube (video - warning: graphic footage)

Airport of the week

JNB

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021 LAS - Drone disruption, UK airports sales tax scam, Facebook aircraft, Tinder for the skies

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

News of the week

Singapore celebrates its 50th anniversary

Singapore Airlines' future

Emirates competes with Singapore, comments on Delta

Passenger chat apps

Too many air travel apps?

Be the Skyscanner CEO

CEO for the day! | Skyscanner

More apps

Wifi in the skies

Dangerous drones

Guns at U.S. airports

020 DUB - Airbus hypersonic, MH370 discovery, Delta, United hacking, LHR 3rd runway

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

News of the week

Mission Impossible — Rogue Nation

First clues in the MH370 mystery?

US3 versus ME3

Japan

China

TAP + Azul

CEO: TAP Portugal, Azul to become sister airlines | Finance & Data content from ATWOnline ($)

U.S. airlines systems hacked

Airlines ban game trophies

After Killing of Cecil the Lion, Delta Joins Airline Ban on Game Trophies - The New York Times

First class jets

019 GIG - Greg Annandale, La Guardia is bad, living in First Class, La Compagnie, SpaceX

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

Guest

Greg Annandale, freelance web developper. Website — Twitter — Instagram

I. News of the week

TEDx Haneda

TEDx Haneda
TEDx Haneda party, Andrew Shuttleworth (video)
TEDx Haneda afterparty at Haneda airport JAL hangar July 18th (Japanese)

MH17 1 year anniversary

Airbus confirms A380neo

Airbus commits to new A380 | The Sunday Times
Listen to our comments in episode 001, 007 and 014

Could Singapore retake the longest flight crown?

** Greg Annandale on his SpaceX experience**

The U.S. "Boeing" Bank faces uncertain future

LGA to be rebuilt

The JFK TWA hotel

JFK's Iconic Terminal to Become the TWA Flight Center Hotel - Checking In - Curbed NY

Reduced competition at U.S. airports

U.S. airports increasingly dominated by 1 or 2 carriers

The incredible business of ticket fees

British Airways fights hidden city trick

British Airways cracks down on travelers exploiting hidden-city ticketing

Collusion in the U.S. skies?

United CEO dismiesses A380, first class

United pilot ditches ammo in lavatories

Incident: United B764 enroute on Jun 24th 2015, captain disposes of ammunition into toilet

The summer of hell for United

The Making of United's Summer From Airline Hell - Bloomberg Business

Delta investing in Japan's bankcrupt SkyMark?

Delta eyes Japan market, seeks stake in bankrupt carrier Skymark

Delta ditches plans to buy jets after union negotiations fall apart

Delta's Failure to Secure Pilot Contract Leads to Cancelled $4 Billion Jet Order – Skift

Air France, its model, its unions

018 ATH - Emirates goes to Washington, LHR T1 closes, Iron Man safety video, Monarch Apple Watch

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. Industry News of the Week

II. Innovation News of the Week

017 MEM - 747 is alive, EasyJet drone maintenance, FAA pilotless plane, no A380 for United

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. Industry News of the Week

II. Innovation News of the Week

Paul and Alex shares their views on BA First, US Business Envoy, LX and OS wet leases and experiences at MIA
Etihad Airways finds a use for protected tweets - special stuff for VIPs
Qatar’s Cabin Confusion Creates Billboard Blunder at Paris Show - Bloomberg Business
OneGo Will Offer Unlimited West Coast Flights For $1,500 A Month | TechCrunch
Poland's LOT Cancels Flights After Hackers Attack – Skift
Paul shares his security experience at FRA
AeroMobil flying car set to take off in 2017, autonomous version to follow
Company: Pilotless passenger planes 5 years away - CNN.com
EasyJet UK uses drones for plane inspection - Business Insider
Watch The 787-9 Tear Up The Skies Like A Fighter Jet

III. App of the Week

JetLovers - Your Flight Club

IV. Airport of the Week

MEM

Memphis International Airport

016 VIE - KLM social media, Iberia ticket auctions, Delta bags, SouthWest good deed, ANA rebrand

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

II. Innovation of the week

III. Airport of the week
VIE

Vienna airport

015 ATL - Singapore A330 engine failure, Delta new safety video, TravelersBox, Emirates mocks US

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

Another report in the US4 v ME3 saga

U.S. Airlines Issue Report That Argues Gulf Rivals Are Doing a Great Job – Skift

The best U.S. airlines

And this year's best airline is ... - CNN.com

Delta likes profits and fees

Bye bye US Airways

American Airlines Exec Says the Chilling Words: 'US Airways Will Go Away in October'

U.S. pre-clearance expanded

Airlines for America Applauds DHS for Expansion of International Pre-Clearance Roll Out | Business Wire

Will Emirates fly to the U.S. from London?

Rumor: EK Has Plans For DXB-LHR-USA — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net

IAG backs the Middle-Eastern carriers

International Airlines Group (IAG) response to US Airlines Gulf Carrier Subsidy Claim Wrong: ...

Amsterdam doesn't want more Emirates flights

Dutch gov't blocks Gulf carriers' expansion at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

Malaysia Airlines fires every single employee

It will either be tears of joy or anguish for 20,000 MAS employees, News, News, AsiaOne Business News

A Singapore Airlines A330 sees two engines shut off midflight

Incident: Singapore A333 near Hong Kong on May 23rd 2015, temporary loss of power on both engines

II. Innovation news of the week

Hacking a flight: the story so far

United offers miles bounty to squash bugs

United’s big bug bounty could net you one million miles | Road Warrior Voices

The crazy new Delta safety video

Delta’s New Inflight Safety Video Is Memes On Memes On Memes

Paul relates his Emirates experience from MXP to JFK

American Continue To Improve Their TransAtlantic Fleet | TheDesignAir

Improving ATC through data commands

FAA launches datacomm messaging at Newark | Air Traffic Management | Air Traffic Management - ATM and CMS Industry online, the latest air traffic control industry, CAA, ANSP, SESAR and NEXTGEN news, events, supplier directory and magazine

Singapore Airlines shows its newest Premium Economy product

Emirates ad on the golden age of travel pokes fun at U.S. airlines

The video has been removed from Emirates YouTube channel

Skywards gives aways 15 million miles to celebrate anniversary

Emirates Skywards 15 members to win one million Miles prize draw | Emirates United Arab Emirates

Flying Blue's photo contest

SkyPicker offers new combinations for cheap travel

Skypicker: Czech startup that finds hidden cheap flights - Business Insider

III. Product of the week

IV. Airport of the week

ATL

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport | the official website of ATL Airport

014 DXB - Emirates A380 First showers, Rome FCO fire, Etihad reacts to US3, Asia needs pilots

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 15 May 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week
Another year of profits for Emirates

Subsidy? Tosh!

The International and Government Affairs Journal of Emirates Issue 21 | May 2015 (PDF)

Tim Clark talks on the Emirates in-flight radio

Emirates Interviews | Inflight entertainment | The Emirates Experience | Emirates

Etihad reacts to U.S. accusations

Etihad report alleges 3 major US carriers have received $71.5 billion in benefits | Open Skies content from ATWOnline

Frontier woes continue

David Siegel out as Frontier Airlines CEO - The Denver Post

Cyprus might get a new airline

Cobalt Air applies for AOC in Cyprus | Government Affairs content from ATWOnline

Rome FCO crippled by a fire

Major fire at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport leads to closure, delays | Safety content from ATWOnline

The magic of flying

In Flight - NYTimes.com

Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot: Mark Vanhoenacker: 9780385351812: Amazon.com: Books

Not enough pilots in Asia

Asia Is Running Out of Pilots - Bloomberg View

II. Innovation news of the week

Alex shares his Cathay Pacific experience

Travel Information | Inflights - Cathay Pacific

Paul takes about his Emirates experience, including a shower in the Emirates A380 First Class cabin

Free smartphone with unlimited data at a Hong Kong hotel

U.S. versus Asian airports

An anti-glare photo invention

This algorithm will remove the window reflection from your photos

III. App of the week

Hotel Quickly

IV. Airport of the week

DXB

013 LCY - 787 bug, American iPad bug, Germany parking robot, Four Seasons plane

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 08 May 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

The 787 Bug

Boeing 787 software bug can shut down planes' generators IN FLIGHT • The Register

The new FAA air traffic system

FAA: 2 million lines of code process new air traffic system | Network World

Planes grounded by an iPad app error

American Airlines planes grounded by iPad app error - BBC News

Happy 10th, A380

Airbus upbeat on sales as A380 marks bitter-sweet anniversary | Reuters

A private 747-8

Luxury plane firm unveils £400 million Boeing customised with restaurant and bedrooms - Mirror Online

U.S. airlines investing

Judge dismisses Skiplagged suit

Judge Tosses United Airlines Lawsuit Over ‘Hidden City’ Tickets - Bloomberg Business

MH downsizes, kills cargo

Malaysia Airlines fleet restructuring - Leeham News and Comment

TAP goes on prolonged strike

It's a Bad 10 Days to Be an Airline Passenger in Portugal – Skift

The 2015 Freddie Awards

2015 Annual Freddie Awards (27th) | Freddie Awards

The Nepal earthquake

Indian budget carriers take lead on fare cap after Nepal earthquake - Runway GirlRunway Girl
Paul will provide with more details of the program mentioned in the episode when they become available. Please also donate via the Nepal Red Cross Society or act via any other program of your choosing.

China v US airlines?

Chinese airlines overtake US carriers across the Pacific. The big dilemma: US-China open skies? | CAPA - Centre for Aviation

Qatar adds more capacity to the U.S.

Qatar Airways' plans to expand to America may threaten US airlines - Business Insider

II. Innovation News of the Week

The Apple Watch is released

An app to FedEx your suitcase

Dufl, A Service That Packs And Ships Your Suitcase, Is A Traveler’s Dream | TechCrunch

A new business class seat concept

The New Business Class Seating Concept That Does So Much More With Less – Skift

A valet robot at Dusseldorf Airport

Connected Valet Robot “Lights Up” Airport Parking

Four Seasons in the air

Four Seasons’ Private Jet Review: First Look Inside Newly Branded 757 - Bloomberg Business

#T1Lightsoff

Heathrow Airport on Twitter: "After 47 years #T1 will be closing its doors on 29 June. Share your favourite memories & photos with us! #T1lightsoff http://t.co/EMgVUZpL0B"

A bigger first class for Emirates

Emirates Is Planning a Bigger, Better First-Class Cabin – Skift

Airubs e-fan has a factory

Airbus give E-Fan electric project a jolt with factory in Pau - 4/30/2015 - Flight Global

III. The Airport of the Week

LCY

012 LAX - Dean Johnson, JFK epic building, iPad seat dock, 787 Star Wars, live sports IFE

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

Emirates massive engine order

Cyprus plans for a new flag carrier

New airline seeks to use Cyprus as a base (updated) | Cyprus Mail

Iconic JFK Terminal 5 building revived

United expels passenger for tweet

United bans researcher from flight after 'joke tweet' - BBC News

SkyJet and media sensationalism

A Skywest Regional Jet Suffers Loss Of Cabin Pressure At 38,000 Feet

Manston's future

Ukip manifesto pledge to re-open Manston

New UK Air Passenger Duty Taxe rate

II. Innovation news of the week

ANA Star Wars plans

Star Wars Boeing 787 R2-D2 Dreamliner Launched by Japan ANA — Layovers

Device charging safety

Experts flag concerns about charging devices on takeoff and landing - Runway GirlRunway Girl

Lufthansa introduces Wifi on short haul flights

Lufthansa signals intent to adopt terrestrial Wi-Fi for short-haul - Runway GirlRunway Girl

A truly global Wifi

Get Ready for Truly Global High-Speed In-Flight Wi-Fi | Flight Chic

Gogo's study on in-flight Wifi expectations

Global Passengers More Willing to Pay for In-Flight Wi-Fi Than U.S. Flyers – Skift

The success of in-flight live sports

Next-gen IFC driving onboard re-accommodation and live sport

Docking iPad seat

Could planes be hacked through wifi?

FAA Needs a More Comprehensive Approach to Address Cybersecurity [PDF]

Lufthansa frequent flyer system compromised

Lufthansa Frequent Flyer Accounts Hacked

Airport sleeping pods

At Helsinki Airport, a New Snooze Option - NYTimes.com

Business Lounge etiquette revised by Qantas

Going for a thong: Why Qantas are cracking down on scruffy frequent flyers - News & Advice - Travel - The Independent

III. App of the week

Kayak Flights Price Alerts (account needed)

Kayak.com

IV. Topic of the week

The future of virtual reality, smartwatches and gadgets in flight. With Dean Johnson, SVP of Creative Innovation at Brandwidth Group.

Mentioned during the interview

V. Question of the week

1st Class, Premier Class, Upper Class. Who truly has the top tier "pointy end product"? What product/services are necessary to be widely considered a 1st class product?by Will Hunter from Berkeley, California.

VI. Airport of the week

LAX

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011 SXM - Cramping coach, Narita running tracks, Emirates removes First, Google antitrust

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

The subsidies received by U.S. arlines

Emirates lets go of First in new A380

Boeing parks 787 in Mojave Desert as premium seat glut increases

Early overweight 787 finally find owners

Boeing said to have buyers for early overweight Dreamliners | The Seattle Times

777 improvements while waiting for the 777X

Boeing Rolls Out 777 Upgrade Plan | Advanced Machines for Aerospace Manufacturing content from Aviation Week

Virgin America tops U.S. customer satisfaction

E.U. airlines fined for mishandling passengers' rights

Aer Lingus, Jet2 and Wizz Air face legal action over flight delays | Business | The Guardian

Airport handler wakes up in cargo while flight en route

Alaska flight turns around after ‘banging’ reveals trapped ramp agent | Safety content from ATWOnline

TSA wins big on loose change

Airport Security Raked In Nearly $675,000 In Loose Change Last Year

II. Innovation news of the week

Google faces anti-trust proceedings in Europe

Air Malta draws hearts in the sky

LHR introduces smarter airplane separation for more landing efficency

Time Based Separation Goes Live At Heathrow, Should Significantly Cut Delays | The Cranky Flier

Angry Birds on IFE

Angry Birds are hitching a ride on airplanes | GamesBeat | Games | by Dean Takahashi

Delta offers a premium pet tracking service

Delta's Enhanced Package Tracker Helps Keep Your Pet Alive, For A Fee

AMS and KLM partner for airport wayfinding through beacons

NRT uses running track instead of airport signage

III. App of the week

SeatGuru

Airline Seat Maps, Flights shopping and Flight information- Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru

IV. Topic of the week

The future of economy is shrinking

The situation

The manufacturers plans for more economy seats

010 AMS - PaxEx, Virgin Galactic, aircraft Street View, US unions vs Nicole Kidman, SouthWest IFE

Paul Papadimitriou — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 01:00:00 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

Virgin into space

Human errors in the cockpit

Fear in the Cockpit: The Differences Between the Plane Crash in Taipei and the Miracle on the Hudson

The growing pains of the South East Asia airline industry

The elusive MH370

Inhabitants on Maldives island saw low-flying jet on morning MH370 went missing | Daily Mail Online

The Germanwings disaster

Allegiants pilots union disastrous letter

The unions don't like Nicole Kidman

American flight attendants union tells Nicole Kidman not to endorse Etihad | The Star Telegram The Star Telegram

A foamy salute to Virgin Atlantic

Inaugural Virgin Atlantic flight cancelled after firefighters spray plane with FOAM not water | Daily Mail Online

A shout out to Pieter Johnson and his Aviation Xtended

II. Innovation news of the week

KLM transforms a plane into an AirBnB

The sharing economy and travel

Austrian becomes myAustrian in new livery

Austrian Airlines Launches New Livery And New Brand Direction | DesignAir

British Airways' frequent flyer system hacked

Priceline buys Rocketmiles

Priceline Group CEO confirms Rocketmiles deal

Selling airline miles for bitcoins

Alex tests SouthWest IFE

WiFi Access - Southwest Airlines

Cathay looks into coffee

Google Street View goes into aircrafts

Google Street View Comes to Planes With SAS's Interactive Tours – Skift

How to take a good picture through an airplane window

Alex Hunter on Twitter: "@danrubin Dan, any tips for how to take smartphone pics f...

009 PHX - Dan Hamilton, secrets of SFO ATC, Germanwings disaster, Uber for lost luggage

Paul Papadimitriou — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 16:06:58 +0100

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week
The Germanwings crash

Ryanair refutes transatlantic plans

New fronts in the US vs Gulf airlines debate

Air India recruitment problem

Air India Held A Job Fair And No One Showed Up

Man jumps off plane in Mumbai

Security scare at Mumbai airport after man jumps off plane, walks away

II. Innovation News of the Week

A remote controlled airport tower

Uber allies with Bluesmart for lost luggage recovery

More airlines launch Apple Watch apps

Airlines Get Into Apple Watches In A Big Way | DesignAir

A cabin to simulate aircrft sound pollution

Heathrow sound simulator aims for a quiet take-off in central London | Business | The Guardian

Lufthansa flies entrepreneurs in India

Lufthansa - Runway to Success Season3

III. App of the Week

Google Flights

Google Flights

IV. Topic of the week

The secrets of SFO tower with Dan Hamilton, Air Traffic Controller at San Francisco Airport

VI. Airport of the week

PHX

Beyond the brutalist experience, what is there to know about Phoenix Sky Harbor: from the disappearing Terminal 1 to the highest airport train tr...

008 SIN - ITA Matrix, airports sensors, Ryanair transatlantic, Lufthansa strikes

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

SHOW NOTES

Ryanair ressucitates a ghost airport

Ryanair goes transatlantic

Qatar Airways Buys Heathrow Hotel

Qatar Airways Getting Into Hotel Business With Heathrow Purchase – Skift

Emirates addresses subsidies accusations

Korean Air's attendant strikes back

Ex-Korean Air flight attendant sues airline and executive after 'nut rage' incident | Travel | The Guardian

Virgin Atlantic announces profit

Virgin Atlantic soars back into profit | Business | The Guardian

II. Innovation news of the week

Better airport queue improvement via mobile tracking

The fastest U.S. airlines

Google Flights adds amenities data

In-flight smartcard payments

airlinetrends.com » HK Express lets passengers make contactless in-flight payments with their mass transit smart card

More Apple Watch flight apps

Battery causes fire on KLM flight

Spitfire interactive

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX Cockpit Interactive Panorama

Sky data drawings

3D visualization of all flights in the world

Flight Stream

III. App of the week

ITA Matrix

IV. Debate of the week

Lufthansa's low cost strategy

007 MIA - 747s are Forever, From The U.S. Airlines With Love, The Man With The Golden Apple Watch

Paul Papadimitriou — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

Alex and Paul are on a secret mission to uncover the latest in aviation innovation. Well, it's episode 007, expect Plenty O'Puns.

I. News of the week

The U.S. airlines release their white paper about the Gulf airlines

Full Report of U.S. Airlines to the White House Blaming Gulf Carriers — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

US-UAE Business Council Tells U.S. Airlines to Compete More and Complain Less — Marisa Garcia, Skift

Feeling the heat — The Economist

U.S Airlines Promise to Get More Aggressive Towards Gulf Carrier Rivals — Dennis Schaal, Skift

American Airlines asks to extend deferral on pensions — Michael A. Lindenberger, The Dallas Morning News

American Airlines' request for pension bailout draws criticism — Steven Mufson, Washington Post

Emirates Airline assembles top team to rebut US carriers' allegations over subsidies — Frank Kane, The National

Etihads Adds Residence Suite to New York Route in Open Skies Amenities Escalation — Marisa Garcia, Skift

Second A350 to up ante in Qatar's battle with Lufthansa — Michael Gubisch, FlightGlobal

Lufthansa Prepared to Battle Emirates by Slashing Fares — Richard Weiss, Bloomberg

Emirates really wants its A380-NEOs

Emirates Would Order Up to 200 A380neos — Jens Flottau, AviationWeek

Airbus assures on A380 break-even this year — David Kaminski-Morrow, FlightGlobal

MH370 interim report

MH370 Official Report (PDF)

Angry families reject report — BBC News

Incidents in series

Turkish A330 suffers nose gear collapse in Kathmandu — Firdaus Hashim, FligthGlobal

'Minor' injuries result from MD-88 LaGuardia crash: Delta — Jon Hemmerdinger, FlightGlobal

Spicejet DH8D at Hubli on Mar 8th 2015, runway excursion on landing — Simon Hradecky, Aviation Herald

Incidents reveal crucial need for passengers to leave bags behind — John Walton, RunWayGirlNetwork

Solar Impulse 2 starts its round-the-world trip

Solar Impulse

Qantas 747 lands for posterity

Historic Qantas 747-400 makes precision touchdown on its final journey — CourrierMail

Pilot's-eye view of 747-400's delivery flight to Illawarra — wave965fm (video)

Korean Air will fly its 747-8 to London

Korean Air Adds Boeing 747-8i London Operation from August 2015 — Airline Route

New Korean Air Prestige Suite Indicates A New Seating Trend In Business Class — Jonny Clark, TheDesignAir

II. Innovation in AirTech, PaxEx and Design

SITA's report on the future of air travel

The Future is Personal in Air Travel — SITA

Closing in on a 360-degree view for airports and airlines — Linda Fox, Tnooz

Airlines and Airports Turn to Apps to Improve Passenger Experience — Juliet Van Wagenen, Avionics Today

Automated technology to boost airport passenger spending: SITA — Jamie Freed, The Sydney Morning Herald

Uber suffers drawback in Japan

Uber Says Goodbye to Japan after Government Ruling — Ma Jie, Bloomberg

Uber pilots ride-sharing in Japan — The Star

Japan to Suspend Uber's Pilot Ride-Sharing Service — Juro Osawa and Takashi Mochizuku, Wall Street Journal

LINE Taxi leapfrogs Uber, now in over 90 cities across Japan — David Corbin, TechinAsia

SkyTeam goes all in for messaging apps

Dutch LCC Transavia first airline to use WhatsApp messaging for customer care — Raymond Kollau, AirlineTrends

Air France on WeChat in China — AirFrance.com

SkyTeam Gets Vocal on WeChat — SkyTeam.com

KLM Launches Android Smartwatch App — KLM.com

Thought-controlled piloting

Quadriplegic woman flies F-35 with nothing but her thoughts...

006 BCN - Google Flights, Bombardier CS300, mobile passport, Airwolf, MH370

Paul Papadimitriou — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

Two shout outs this week. First to TheDesignAir for going live with their brand new podcast, The Aviator, it's really great and you should all subscribe!

Second to our own Alex who just released the first episode of his video travel show, Attaché. Take a look at the London episode. Paul attended the filming of Barcelona this week—what fun we had!

I. News of the week

WOW goes transatlantic

Iceland's WOW air prepares fo new transatlantic routes — Alan Dron, ATW

Ryanair to add cheap transatlantic flights, WiFi and more in the next three years — Kayla Hertz, IrishCentral

The economic impact of Emirates Airlines in Europe

Emirates Airgues Why It's Good for Europe's Economy — Deena Kamel Yousef, Bloomberg

Boeing and FedEx support OpenSkies

Boeing, FedEx battle back vs US airlines on Gulf competition — Reuters

Bombardier flies its CS300

Bombardier schedules CS300 first flight for 26 February — Mavis Toh, FlightGlobal

SouthWest misses inspections

Southwest Airlines grounds 128 Boeing 737 airplanes for missed inspections — Terry Maxon, The Dallas Morning News

Southwest for Now Can Use Planes That Missed Inspection — David Koenig, ABC News

United is brutally honest with its pilots

United Airlines Officials Highlight 'Near-Misses' in Safety Message to Pilots — Dan Good, ABC News

A new biggest plane ever made

This Will Be the World's Largest Plane — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics

Inside The Roc's Lair — Guy Norris, Aviation Week

A 747 Gobs Solar Impulse From Switzerland To Abu Dhabi — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

The restoration of the first 747

From rust bucket to showpiece: Volunteers are rescuing the first Boeing 747 — Ron Judd, The Seattle Times

II. Innovation in AirTech, PaxEx and Design

#MWC15: IBM showcases iOS app for airline industry

Next IBM MobileFirst for iOS Apps Unveiled — IBM

Apple - IBM Partnership Sprouts Latest Set Of Apps At Mobile World Congress — Ron Miller, Techcrunch

#MWC15: Virgin goes smartwatch

Virgin Atlantic is testing Sony SmartWear, including EyeGlass, for engineer collaboration — Dave Neal, The Inquirer

JAL Tests Smartwatch Broadcasts at Tokyo Haneda — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

#MWC15: American Airlines' Hackathon

WearableWorld Success Story

Ryanair goes mobile-first

The new Ryanair - a mobile-first travel retailer — Martin Cowen, Tnooz

Options Away' future ticket lock

Options Away, an airfare lock startup, raises $3.5 million — Sean O'Neill, Tnooz

A mobile passport to get into the US

Second Airport Offers Travelers Access to Mobile Passport App — Benet J. Wilson, Airways News

Faster Airport Entry Into the USA with this Selfie iPhone App — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

Starwood and Uber join loyalty forces

Starwood Is Giving Out SPG Loyalty Points to Uber Riders — Serena Saitto, Bloomberg

Google Flights is out of beta

Google Flights comes out of beta, but still isn't profitable — Sean O'Neill, Tnooz

Here's what Google's super-fast flight search reveals about its product strategy — Jillian D'Onfro, Business Insider

Use ITA codes on HipMunk

Bet You Didn't Know: Using Hipmunk to book ITA Matrix flights — FrequentMiler

Airbus goes AirWolf

Airbus' New Composite Helicopter Is A Billion Dollar Bet — Chris Clarke, Jalopnik

III. App of the Week

Turbulence Forecast

IV. Debate of the week

One year into MH370's mysterious disappearance.

The Vanishing — Sean Flynn, GQ

'Nobody cares any more': the relatives who went looking Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 — Jon Ronson, The Guardian

005 MUC - Lufthansa low cost, the ME3, Delta lost dogs, China Eastern digital butler

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

I. News of the week

US airlines vs the Gulf airlines, round two

U.S. Airlines vs Gulf Carriers: That Escalated Quickly — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

Qatar's Al Baker firmly rebukes Delta chief in subsidies row — Max Kingsley-Jones, FlightGlobal

Delta CEO apologizes for terrorist remark — Karen Walker, ATW

Emirates Boss Pushes Back on Delta's Open Skies and 9/11 Claims — Jason Clampet, Skift

U.S Airport Group Sides Against Airlines in Open Skies Battle — Marisa Garcia, Skift

The Battle Over Open Skies Forces U.S. Tourism Industry to Choose Sides — Marisa Garcia, Skift

Emirates Considers Reducing Tickets Prices — RJ321, Airliners.net

Are cabin toxic fumes a health risk?

Warning over toxic fumes in plane cabins — Andrew Gilligan, Telegraph

North Korea Air Force One

See Inside Kim Jong Un's Remodeled Air Force One — Taylor Rogoway, Jalopnik

Turkish might get two A380s

Turkish Air Said to Consider Leasing A380s From Malaysia Air — Ercan Ersoy and Andrea Rothman, Bloomberg

Gulfstream breaks world record

Gulfstream Breaks Round The World Record With Only One Fuel Stop — Chris Clarke, Jalopnik

FAI.org

Lufthansa's premium costs versus LCC

Lufthansa Proposes Legacy Growth Plan In Return For Staff Concessions — Jens Flottau, Aviation Week

Lufthansa's Eurowings agrees new pay deal with pilots — Reuters

Lufthansa's new budget airline cleared for take-off — Chris Bryant, FT ($)

EU releases report on LCC working conditions

Zero-hour pilot contracts threaten air safety, says study — Euractiv

Virgin America posts profits

Virgin America posts second consecutive full-year net profit — Aaron Karp, ATW

Delta lost dogs

Furious owners claim Delta lost their show dogs at airport — Matt Markovich, Komonews

Russia requests API

Russia to require API for all overflights — hugolover, Flyertalk

II. Innovation in AirTech, PaxEx and design

Air France mobile upgrade game

Air France Upgrade Challenge — AirFrance.com

The upgrade challenge: new cabins launch in Asia — Air France (video)

Air France Launches The Upgrade Challenge Social Game — Ryan Lum, Creative Guerilla Marketing

Breathometer

Breathometer ties in Uber and last-minute hotel stays for drunk — Nick Vivion, Tnooz

Airports set to impose tougher restrictions on alcohol sales in the departure lounge after number of 'air rage' incidents triples in three years — John Hutchinson, MailOnline

Anti-alcohol group calls for booze to be banned on planes following increase in mid-air incidents — Andrea Magrath, MailOnline

China Eastern introduces digital personal assistant

China Eastern Chatbot Flight Takes Off: Will "XiaoIce" Raise In-Flight Services to Unprecedented Levels? — Kai-Chin Shih, Talk Airlines

Meet XiaoIce, a Chinese chatbot that works with their version of Cortana — John Callaham, Windows Central

Microsoft XiaoIce (Chinese)

Siri in the cockpit

Honeywell tests voice-recognition technology on flight decks — Meryl Fishler, Cronkite News

Cool New Cockpit Technologies — Honeywell Aviation (video)

3D printed Rolls-Royce engine

Rolls-Royce to fly Trent XWB with largest-ever 3D-printed part — Murdo Morrison, FlightGlobal

ANA sells 747-400 parts as memorabilia

Forever 747 — ANA A-Style (Japanese)

A Concorde podcast episode

Flying the Concorde — Omega Tau, episode 166

III. App of the ...

004 GVA - US3 versus ME3, SkyMall, Google Glass at airports, La Compagnie

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

We implemented a new recording method for this episode, which improves on the sound. We realize that the mixing is not yet perfect but we know that John Biggs will continue pushing us towards perfection.

I. News of the week

US airlines vs the Gulf Airlines

Open-Skies Agreements Challenged — Jad Mouawad, The New York Times

U.S airlines disclose details of booking lost to Gulf carriers — Jeffrey Dastin, Reuters

Emirates Boss Strikes Back at U.S Airlines for Hiding Behind Bankruptcies — Mary Schlangenstein and Michael Sasso, Bloomberg via Skift

Emirates Chairman Says U.S. Airlines Should Stop Complaining and Improve Their Service — Matthew Winkler, Dale Crofts and Deena Kamel Yousef, Bloomberg via Skift

The U.S Airlines' Hypocrisy on Protectionism in the Skies — Colin Nagy, Skift

Boeing reviving the 757?

Boeing Weighs Options to Reprise Aging 757s — Jon Ostrower and Robert Wall, The Wall Street Journal ($)

Boeing reject business case for 757 re-engining — Stephen Trimble, FlightGlobal

Air Lease CEO Weighs In on Boeing's 757 Dilemma — Jon Ostrower, The Wall Street Journal

AirUber or SpotifyAir?

Surf Air Founders Jet To The East Coast With New Private Flight Service Beacon — Sarah Buhr, Techcrunch

Jet Aviation Zurich signs exclusive service agreement with Take Air membership airline — Jet Aviation

Take Air

SkyMall reborn

SkyMall Will Fly Again. Get Ready for a New Pilot. — Scott Jordan, LinkedIn

Expedia buys airline-incepted Orbitz

Expedia to buy Orbitz in cash deal worth $1.6 billion — Kevin May, Tnooz

Expedia Hopes Orbitz Acquisition Will Help It Sell More Flights — Dennis Schaal, Skift

Korean Air executive goes to jail over nuts

Korean Air executive jailed in 'nut rage' case — BBC News

Parliament split over IAG' s acquisition of Aer Lingus, RyanAir driven out

Irish political storm erupts after BA is cleared for takeover at Aer Lingus — Simon Goodley and Henry McDonald, The Guardian

Government backing key for IAG's Aer Lingus bid, says City — Nick Fletcher, The Guardian

Airbus loses only A380 VVIP client

Airbus Cancels Only VVIP A380 Order — Thierry Dubois, AIN Online

Airbus Billionaire Study — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

The Fabulous Life Of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud — Forbes

II. Innovation in AirTech, PaxEx and Design

JetBlue introduces Apple Pay

JetBlue will soon let you buy in the sky with Apple Pay — Mariella Moon, Engadget

JetBlue's Apple Pay play begs questions about live CC processing — Mary Kirby, RunwayGirl Network

FAA proposes drone rules

US DOT issues proposed rulemaking for small UAS in commercial airspace — Graham Warwick, ATW Online

Dubai Airport briefly closed due to illegal drone activity — Aviation Safety Network

Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems — FAA (PDF)

Know Before You Fly

AMS trials Google Glass

Schiphol innovates with Google Glass — Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (video)

JAL experiments Google Glass at Honolulu Airport — Aviation Wire (Japanese)

BA goes tablet for logbook

BA first with electronic logbook for 787 fleet — David Learmount, FlightGlobal

Airplane family seating

Thomson Airways waffles on timing of Family Booth seating — Maryann Simson, Runway Girl Network

Lufthansa introduces vintage 747 livery

Lufthansa Paints a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental in Retro Livery — Malcolm Muir, Airline Reporter

Lufthansa's new basic 1968 Boeing 747-830 retro jet — Bruce Drum, World Airline News

Flying the 747-8 is like driving a Porsche, Lufthansa celebrates — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

RyanAir talks smartwatches

003 SFO - Japan Airlines leg room, LCY expansion, flight booking apps, selfie crash, Emirates 747

Paul Papadimitriou — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

SHOW NOTES

We are very appreciative for the all the feedback received in the past week. It was overwhelming, thank you everyone and keep it coming!

We are learning about podcasting as we go and, for instance, we have tested an improved sound solution that we should start using for next week's episode.

I. News of the week

Was Emirates pitched the 747-8?
Emirates Airlines gets pitch for 100 Boeing 757-8s — Scott Hamilton, Leeham News

Crash by selfie
NTSB Report

LCY will expand
Expansion of London City Airport gets Go-ahead

Harrison Ford narrates Aviation documentary
Living in the Age of Airplanes
How the Airplane Has Changed the World — Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers

The TransAsia crash
Taiwan TransAsia plane crashes into river — BBC
TransAsia Pilots Take Proficiency Tests After Taiwan Crash — NBC News

II. Innovation in AirTech, PaxEx and Design

Pay-to-use in-flight outlets
Scoot's pay-to-play AC outlets: the future of onboard power? — John Walton, RunwayGirl Network

EasyJet introduces a new livery
Skyliner Aviation News

Private air travel membership
Rise
SurfAir

Incredible room on JAL's Dreamliners
A Closer Look at JAL's Super Spacious 787-9 — Jonny Clark, TheDesignAir
Internalising the Knee Recline — Jan Chipchase

Frankfurt's airport app gives real-time security and immigration waiting times
Frankfurt Airport extends information services for passengers