On-Air with Dan and Alex

On this episode of On-Air, Dan and Alex cover a packed week of aviation news. They revisit the 737 MAX crisis, tracing the timeline from the Lion Air crash to the Ethiopian Airlines accident and how it reshaped Boeing's reputation. They discuss why airlines retire flight numbers after tragedies, including Singapore Airlines and SQ321, and why fireworks near airports remain a hidden risk, follo...

On this episode of On-Air, Dan and Alex break down the viral Boeing 777 low pass over Horseshoe Bay Resort in Texas, the Jetran aircraft destined for Qatar Airways Cargo that flew within feet of the ground, and why the FAA is now investigating. They also compare US airlines versus European airlines in 2026, discussing Delta's LAX lounge and the shifting balance of cabin quality. The conversati...

Dan is recovering from a mysterious illness that sent him spiraling through AI diagnoses, hospital visits, and an emergency hotel stay, while Alex shares hard-won food safety lessons from decades of globe-trotting. Then the conversation shifts to airline catering: how it works, why it sometimes fails, and the current crisis at American Airlines forcing double catering out of Heathrow. The episode...

Dan is fresh off the inaugural Riyadh Air domestic flight from Riyadh to Jeddah — one of the first people in the world to fly the airline since it launched operations. He and Alex break down the full experience: the stunning cabin aesthetics, the dense seat configurations, the dry airline policy, and what it all means for the airline's future competitiveness against Emirates and Qatar Airways....

Alex is live from Rio de Janeiro at the 2026 IATA AGM - the world's biggest annual gathering of airline CEOs and aviation leaders. In this episode: what it's actually like navigating Brazil as a first-timer, the chaos of São Paulo's domestic terminal, LATAM's surprisingly impressive onboard experience, and the biggest takeaways from the airline industry's most important confere...

Boeing 777X delayed again, EES chaos at European airports, and your summer travel questions answered - this week on On-Air with Dan and Alex. We break down the latest Boeing 777X certification setback, now pushed to late 2027 or early 2028, and what it means for new Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa cabin launches. We cover the Iranian drone strike on Kuwai...

Are flight fares actually rising 20% this summer? Is travel insurance worth it? And what does the Air France 447 verdict mean for aviation today? In this episode of On-Air with Dan and Alex, we dig into the biggest travel and aviation stories of the week -- Lufthansa's 20,000 flight cancellations, why no one's flying to the US for the World Cup, and the geopolitics reshaping global air tra...

Today On-Air, Dan books the very first Riyadh Air ticket live on air as the new Saudi carrier announces its inaugural London flight for July 2026. Alex and Dan break down what this means for Gulf aviation, the ongoing Iran conflict's impact on Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad flexible booking policies, and Michael O'Leary's claim that Europe's jet fuel shortage is solved. They a...

Today On-Air, Dan and Alex discuss people bidding to buy Spirit Airlines, Ryanair's hidden agenda, and the airport alcohol ban debate headline. We break down whether Wizz Air and airBaltic will survive winter, Air France-KLM's rebrand dilemma, and our pitch for the "Riviera Group." Plus: Riyadh Air is secretly selling tickets through travel agents despite claiming to be "digita...

Spirit Airlines has collapsed, and 15,000 jobs are gone. We break down why ultra-low-cost aviation fails in the US, how the Iran conflict was the final blow, and why the Biden administration's blocked JetBlue merger may have sealed Spirit's fate. We also cover Singapore Airlines delaying its $835M cabin overhaul to 2027, their frustratingly slow Starlink rollout, and the viral foot massage...

Dan and Alex are back with a full Q&A episode covering the biggest stories in aviation right now. From Icelandair red eyes and narrow-body long-haul fatigue to the American Airlines A321XLR crew complaints, EU EES border delays, and the American-United merger rumor — nothing is off limits. They dive into Spirit Airlines and US airline instability, Riyadh Air's ongoing delays, EasyJet's...

The aviation industry is at a breaking point. With the Strait of Hormuz closed and jet fuel in critical shortage, Europe faces catastrophic disruptions. Lufthansa just cancelled 20,000 flights. Gulf carriers are struggling. Meanwhile, Scott Kirby's audacious lobbying for a United-American Airlines merger could reshape US aviation forever—if approved. Air New Zealand launches their revolutionar...

Dan and Alex are back with another deep-dive into the ongoing Middle East aviation crisis — now hitting global airlines where it hurts most: jet fuel supply. Dan recounts his epic five-flight economy routing from Bangkok through China (Guangzhou, Wuhan, Urumqi) to Istanbul on China Southern, including a surprise COMAC C919 flight and navigating China's transit visa rules. The duo break down th...

Jet fuel prices have doubled. Airlines are cutting schedules, cancelling routes, and quietly grounding aircraft. Today On-Air, Dan and Alex break down the deepening global aviation fuel crisis triggered by the US-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. From Sydney Airport warning of no fuel guarantees, to US carriers with zero hedging exposure, to European hubs weeks from running dr...

Today On-Air, Dan and Alex discuss the LaGuardia Air Canada Jazz CRJ-900 collision with a fire truck exposes a US air traffic control system stretched to its breaking point — one controller, alone in the tower, making a split-second mistake no single person should bear. Dan and Alex break down the crash, the systemic failures behind it, and the cascading global impact of the Middle East conflict o...

Dan and Alex are back with another weekly roundup of how the Middle East conflict is reshaping global aviation. From Qatar Airways operating extraordinary non-stop charter flights out of Bangkok to British Airways launching a new London–Kuala Lumpur–Melbourne route, airlines are being forced to stay agile. The hosts break down airspace availability, Gulf airline strategies, and the corridor over A...

The Middle East aviation crisis drags into its second week and the situation is far from resolved. Dan and Alex break down the latest: Thai Airways hiking fares 15%, Emirates still operating at roughly 60% capacity, Qatar down to just 66 flights from nearly 600, and Etihad barely flying. They explain your refund rights across all three Gulf carriers, why you shouldn't accept a refund before ex...

In this special edition of On-Air, Dan and Alex break down the massive Middle East airspace closures disrupting global aviation. With Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi effectively shut down, over 500,000 daily passengers have been displaced, sending flight prices skyrocketing — Bangkok to Europe fares exceeding $10,000. They examine how Emirates, Finnair, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic are each res...

Dan calls in from New Zealand after flying the world's longest first class flight from Dubai to Auckland on the A380 — all timed around a pistachio raspberry cake on the February menu. The big story: Lufthansa forced passengers to sleep overnight on A320 aircraft at Munich Airport after flights were canceled and all ground staff went home. Police and prosecutors are now investigating potential...

Dan and Alex are back with On-Air — your go-to aviation and premium travel podcast. This week: British Airways cabin crew accidentally consumed THC gummies gifted by a passenger, sparking debate on whether airlines should ban crew from accepting gifts entirely. Air Canada confirms a landmark order for up to 16 Airbus A350-1000s amid Boeing rivalry and Trump trade tariffs. Lufthansa's long-dela...

Dan and Alex return for another week of aviation industry analysis, breaking down critical safety incidents including the shocking SAS taxiway takeoff attempt in Brussels and San Francisco's parallel runway ATC failure. We discuss the future of self-driving technology in aviation, from Waymo cars in LA to airport innovation and last-mile solutions. The hosts analyze Lufthansa's business cl...

When Air France gathered the aviation world in Paris to unveil their billion-euro La Premiere redesign, the room fell silent—not in awe, but confusion. Dan and Alex break down what went wrong with the world's most exclusive first class product, from that awkward reveal moment to why they're now giving away free flights to influencers. The duo explore the uncomfortable truth about luxury ai...

In this festive episode of On-Air, hosts Dan and Alex explore the intersection of Christmas movies and air travel, discussing iconic holiday films featuring memorable airport scenes including Home Alone, Love Actually, and The Holiday. The episode highlights Dan's travel expertise through discussion of Lufthansa's controversial fare enforcement case where a HON Circle member successfully c...

Today On-Air, Dan and Alex dissect India's unprecedented aviation meltdown as IndiGo faces thousands of flight cancellations after failing to prepare for new pilot rest regulations. Despite two years' notice on updated duty time rules, India's largest carrier has stranded passengers nationwide, prompting government intervention and widespread industry criticism. Plus: Korean Air become...

Today On-Air, Dan and Alex dive deep into the Air India 787 Dreamliner crash investigation that has captivated the aviation world. The June 12th tragedy, which killed over 250 people on a London Gatwick-bound flight, has sparked international scrutiny and accusations of a cover-up. The hosts break down the critical technical detail at the center of the controversy: the Boeing 787's guarded fue...