Scott McCartney

Airlines Confidential Podcast

Business EN ↓ 344 episodes

Hosted by Scott McCartney, Fmr. Travel Editor/"Middle Seat" Columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Top Stories, C-Suite Guests, Listener Q's. The Leading Podcast Reaching Travel Industry Insiders, Frequent Flyers, & Aviation Geeks. Created by & Dedicated to Ben Baldanza.

Author

Scott McCartney

Category

Business

Latest episode

Jul 1, 2026

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Episodes

069 - Staggering Financial Losses 03.02.2021

This week: The staggering amount US Airlines lost this past year; What were Southwest and American really saying in their earnings calls? Will pre-flight Covid testing for all domestic passengers be a requirement soon? New slot rules...now?  A pilot/listener follows up on pilots breaks during flight; Shout-outs to Peter Ingram and Gary Kelly.

068 - Leadership Changes 27.01.2021

This week: United shows leadership; A look into the new Washington DC leadership change; What qualifies someone to be Secretary of Transportation? Special guest Richard Mintz; and a Spirit complaint-Fine? or Whine? *Note: We apologize for some audio technical difficulties this week.

067 - Delta's Break-Even Date 20.01.2021

Delta says they can hit cash break even by summer. Can they? Norwegian ceases transatlantic flights. How long is OK for a pilot to be out of the cockpit during a flight? and Dan gets the Geek of the Week Award for his question of Yield vs PRASM

066 - Chris Chiames Joins as Co-Host 13.01.2021

Welcome Ben's new Co-Host Chris Chiames; Can Chinese state-owned Comac succeed in the USA? Ryan Air's covid ad campaign; Listener question on SkyWest's; Should the people who stormed Capitol Hill be banned from flying? and is Alexandra's complaint about Alaska rebooking her and not letting her take her cats onboard - "Fine or Whine?"

065 - Thank You Seth. Introducing Chris. 06.01.2021

Seth with a big announcement; We welcome Chris Chiames to the podcast; A look at how holiday travel went; Listener questions: Is a 717 or 757-Max in our future? Did Boeing actually benefit from corner cutting? and Richard in Houston has a complaint about Delta Comfort-Fine? or Whine?

064 - The FAA & The 737-Max 30.12.2020

Wishing you a Happy New Year! A listener question: Is the Saint Louis airport going away? What is United currently flying from St Louis and what makes hubs succeed or fail? Another listener asks:  Is the FAA too cozy with Boeing regarding the 737 Max? and a "Fine or Whine" complaint that's a very clear Fine!

063 - Jet Blue Storms Miami 23.12.2020

This Week: Jet Blue new flight destinations including Miami? Did one airline accidentally match another airline's business class pricing mistake? Insider trivia: What is the "through flight assignment model"?and a baggage compensation complaint in India - Fine? or Whine?

062 - Holiday Travel Numbers 16.12.2020

This week: 2020 Holiday travel; Aircraft financing; The logic of flight numbers; A complaint about Aeromexico - Fine? or Whine? and is Covid isolation good for redheads?

061 - 737-Max Airborn Again-Chris Sloan Reports 09.12.2020

This week: Special guest Chris Sloan from The Airchive; The 737-Max takes flight again. How will people feel about flying on it? Why does Delta have multiple Midwest hubs? What's the business structure of airline alliances? and Seth has a complaint about Spirit...is it Fine? or a Whine?

060 - Time to Taxi 02.12.2020

This week: Airlines & the distribution of the covid vaccine; Does one airline actually taxi faster than other airlines? A passenger gets arrested while behaving badly; and a complaint about KLM ticket change charge - Fine? or Whine?

059 - Grading Airlines on Covid Response 25.11.2020

This week: An Asiana - Korean Air merger? An update of the AA rules around heavy wheelchairs; Letter grades on how individual airlines are handling the covid situation from a business & customer perspective; and Charlene says her United plane was dirty and she felt unsafe...Fine? or Whine?

058 - Southwest's 737 Max Investment 18.11.2020

This week: Southwest adds to their 737 Max fleet; A flight attendant behaves badly; A weight limit for wheelchairs? and a complaint about United asking for proof of death.

057 - Salute to Veterans 11.11.2020

This week: Saluting all Veterans; Current opportunities in the airline industry; Do exclusive gate deal for airlines still exist? Anthony with a complaint about a paid boarding upgrade on Southwest - Fine? or Whine?

056 - Holiday Demand Projections 04.11.2020

This week: Will holiday travel demand return? First-ever Southwest layoffs? How long will passengers who refuse to wear a mask be banned from flying? Passengers Behaving Badly...on Spirit; and is a Frontier pricing complaint Fine? or a Whine?

055 - Questions, Answers, Corrections 28.10.2020

This week: Lots o' listener questions and a couple of corrections; Do emergency operations differ between airlines? The deal on Southwest at Love Field; Cousin Ross the pilot clears up some info on turbulence; Why is Delta still flying a 767-400? and a complaint about Copa Airlines-Fine? or Whine?

054 - One Million in One Day 21.10.2020

This week: TSA one-day passenger count hits 1 million; Southwest breaking into United territory; A passenger behaves badly yelling and coughing on EasyJet; and in Fine or Whine, the passenger blames the pilot for turbulence.

053 - From Cincinnati: Boyd Group's 2020 IAFS 14.10.2020

This week: Recorded LIVE on stage at the Boyd Group IAFS in Cincinnati with special guest Mike Boyd. Southwest's surprising moves; What changes in the industry will be perminent?; Study: Airflow IN the aircraft; & a Passenger Behaving Badly on Allegiant.

052 - Jet Blue's Play in Newark 07.10.2020

This week: Airline network moves; What's Jet Blue up to in Newark?; Passengers behaving badly; Pam in Palm Beach with a very legit complaint. Attending the Boyd Group IAFS? We'll see you in Cincinnati next week.

051 - The AA Employee Deal Status 30.09.2020

This week: Is American close to an employee deal? How does that timing work with a government bailout? A follow up on DC restricted airspace; More about the value of frequent flier programs; and listener questions and comments.

050 - Frequent Flier Programs Econ101 24.09.2020

The week: Some of the economics of frequent flyer programs; A listener question about restricted airspace around the Whitehouse; A complaint about Delta Comfort Plus; and Ben discovers some "other" Seth Kaplans.

049 - United's Charters Looking Good 16.09.2020

This week: Is United staffing sports charters with flight attendants based on looks?; Airport codes followup with much listener input & the story on BWI; Seth on ease of refunds; and a customer complaint about AA in "Fine or Whine".

048 - Ch-Ch-Ch-Change Fees Changing 09.09.2020

This week: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes fees changing; Why would Southwest be launching service in Miami?; How does an airport change it code?; A listener question about new service to Orange County; and a listener complaint about a Delta change fee - Fine? or Whine?

047 - The Bookings Roller Coaster 02.09.2020

This Week: The roller coaster trends in new bookings; It is getting riskier or safer to fly?; More about the middle(seat); Passengers behaving Badly; and "The gate agent said OK but I still got charged!" Fine or Whine?

046 - Airline Job Loss Numbers 26.08.2020

This week: The new numbers on airline job losses; Our listeners correct us on a few things; and in "Fine or Whine" why did one passenger get charged $400 for his bags when the airline said it was only supposed to be $100?

045 - Promo: Ben at Embry-Riddle 21.08.2020

An invitation from Ben Baldanza to Airlines Confidential listeners to join and participate in an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University LIVE Zoom event Wed Aug 26th.

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