Airlines Confidential Podcast

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Dave Hilfman. Topics: Earnings numbers, Big win for United; FAA certifies Boeing 737 MAX 10; Southwest shows growth; Alaska/Hawaiian challenges; Will jet fuel prices force more consolidation? Listener input on SWA's lounge brand.

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Topics: Back to the Future Week; Airline stocks; Southwest Media Day announcements; A focus on JetBlue; Lufthansa to acquire large stake in TAP Air Portugal; Politico story on potential government stake in Air Space Intelligence; American names Nick Andersen SVP Network Planning; Listener Q's on LAX and their contractor; PFC increases.

This week: Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest Dave Emerson, CEO, Virgin Australia. Also:  Delta reports lower earnings; Riyadh airport war disruptions; JetBlue financials; Gary Leff's View From The Wing reports change in American's bumping policy; Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) new terminal opens; SWA said to add widebody; Listener request for ramp operations info,  joint ventures. 

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Henry Henry Harteveldt. Topics: Terrorism by 1st officer on FlyDubai; A NASA SR-71 Blackbird revival? Scott Kirby envisions massive increase in United Chicago flights; United launches Base First fare and status match; Does Starlink move customers? Alaska Atlas Rewards & product offerings; offerings; Listener input on fleet composition, SWA lack of first class.

Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. Guest: Ben Minicucci, CEO, Alaska Air Group. Also: Airline market capitalization, Primary and backup system failure at Philly TRACON; Market share numbers & discussion; Listener input on Frontier's "Spirit" plane, and pilot pay.

Scott McCartney with Jimmy Dempsey, CEO, Frontier Airlines - From the stage of The American Bar Association's 2026 Forum on Air and Space Law Annual Meeting in Denver. Session presented by Husch Blackwell. Plus: AirBaltic bankruptcy filing; Ryanair adds capacity; US airlines cutting certain routes due to fuel costs; FAA tech budget increases; Listener input on renaming BNA, MIA accident.

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Guest: Andrew Levy, CEO, Avelo Airlines. Also: The London UK ATC system failure; Gate Pass pilot program; Positive signs from JetBlue; Hyatt splits with American and announces Delta partnership; The Miami incident; Listener reaction to Beverley Bass interview.

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Doug Parker. Guest: Beverley Bass, Pilot, American Airlines - Remembering 9/11 - 25 years later plus reflections on Come From Away. Also: Doug Parker receives 2026 L. Welch Pogue Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aviation; SWA confirms lounge openings; Sean Duffy withholding ATC pay increases; Listener input on BNA renaming, EU security.

Guest Co-Host Dave Hilfman. Guest: Reporter Chris Sloan profiles Canadian North Airlines; Topics: United's new international destinations; TSA drops Gold+ Program, Keeps SPP; Carl Icahn divests most of JetBlue stake, gives up Board seats; FAA seeks termination of 2 LGA controllers; Proposal to rename Nashville Int Airport for Dolly Parton; Listener input on AA's product improvement plans, Would De...

Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Guest: Brett Burgess, CEO, ATPCO. Also: American's product improvement plans for 2028; Washington Dulles (IAD) Approves rebuild plan; Thoughts on the PFC model; PBI officially now DJT; Google attempting to buy Spirit data; Concerns raised on ATC improvement contractor; Listener input on TSA airport Gold+ Program, AA duplicate flight numbers.

Scott McCartney with Delta CEO Ed Bastian. Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt. Also: Leadership changes at American Airlines - is it enough? The two American #2482 flights; Apollo to acquire EasyJet; Additions to AA & SWA Boards of Directors; European passport control delays; Listener Q: Did the AA Board make a mistake?

Scott McCartney with Jay Sorensen, CEO, IdeaWorks Company: Ancillary Revenue in Depth. Bag fees, Seat options, co-branded credit cards, lounges, and more.

Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest: Dr. Jeremy Stone, CEO, EERO Group ( www.eero.nexus/direct ) Also: JetBlue, Frontier report numbers; JetZero to receive $3B; Spirit's former HQ sold; A look at On Time Performance stats courtesy of Cirium; Listener Q's on operations at gates at ORD.

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest: Greg Anderson, CEO,  Allegiant Travel Company. Plus: Farnborough Air Show's military focus; Thoughts from  EAA  AirVenture Oshkosh; SWA, United, Alaska, American reports numbers; JetBlue wins bid for former Spirit gates at LGA. 

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. Topics: More earnings news. A deeper dive into fare data - current fares vs 10 years ago; Investors showing more interest in airlines; A look at the current state of industry competition.

This week: Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Topics: The fate of EasyJet - Apollo tops Castlelake offer; Earnings season starts with Delta, huge fuel cost increases, refinery income; Tribute to aviator Wally Funk; Thoughts on Delta's new Basic Business Class options; Anko van der Werff appointed CEO at Air Canada; Listener input on post-event audio recordings, Avelo adding routes at...

Guest Co-Host Dave Hilfman. Guest: Joerg Eberhart, CEO, ITA Airways. Also: Two go-arounds at Boston Logan; GAO report issued on airfares indicates strong competition persists; Aviation Week Boeing and Airbus CEO interviews reveal two very different outlooks; Improved ATC system starts taking shape; Listener Q: How to compete in CLT. Happy July 4th! Next episode: July 15th.

Host Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Topics: Prix Versailles names Pittsburgh International among world's most beautiful airports, praises biophilic design; Thoughts from IATA Transport Summit on backordered aircraft, passenger compensation; Issues around E261; European bag fee confusion; Japan Airlines President Mitsuko Tottori bans crew drinking on layovers; Hawaiian cuts...

Host Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host and Guest Chris Chiames. Topics: The complexity of the Cruise Industry vs Airlines, Working for legendary CEOs. Plus: News from the IATA World Air Transport Summit in Rio de Janeiro; Consumers changing views on travel; Scott Kirby continues to talk about an American takeover; A difficult day at Chicago's ORD; Listener input on FAA safety inspection programs,...

Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt & Host Scott McCartney, with Glen Hauenstein, Fmr. President, Delta Air Lines. Also: A look beyond the public press release on leadership shakeup at Southwest & SWA's corporate culture; Report from the Caribbean Tourism Organization conference in NYC; Listener input: Bipartisan praise for FAA Administrator, Bryan Bedford; Thoughts on redundant Texas airports. Bonus e...

Guest Co-Host: Charles Duncan. Guest: Erik Olund, CEO, Sky Chefs. Also: A summary of the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Charleston SC, Boeing Max7 closer to certification; What might happen with Spirit's LGA slots? SWA fare hikes holding; Scott Kirby downplays a JetBlue acquisition; Breeze expands at CHS; Listener feedback on Bryan Bedford's Biden Administration comment.

Scott McCartney with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. Topics: Airspace management, equipment modernization, controller staffing, and more. Also: Weather and a sinkhole, and Spirit's eye popping March numbers tell the unfortunate story.

Scott McCartney & Guest Co-Host Doug Parker on Crisis Management. News: Berkshire Hathaway buys stake in Delta; FAA staffing report released; Allegiant - Sun Country deal completed; Spirit capacity update; SWA new gates in San Antonio; MD-11s back in service at FedEx; Listener input on PBI being renamed DJT.

Scott McCartney & Guest Co-Host Henry Hardeveldt in Panama City, Panama. Guests from Copa Airlines: Robert Carey, EVP, & Deniece Nicholas Holness, Director, System Operations Control Center. Also: Spirit's scattered airplanes and engines; Delta crew scheduling concerns; Frontier's cost increase & aircraft utilization issue; PBI named Donald J Trump International Airport.

Host Scott McCartney & Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. A tip of the hat to Spirit. Also: Remembering Ben Baldanza's vision and success, and what changed after Ben's departure as Spirit's CEO.  What contributed to the downfall, and which carriers will benefit most going forward; Also: Revamped front cabin pricing initiatives; JetBlue results; NY/NJ Port Authority adding transponders to vehicles; Listene...