Airlines Confidential Podcast

Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt. Guest: Vicki Jaramillo, EVP/Chief Commercial Officer, Orlando International Airport. Topics: Q1 loss at Delta; Fuel cost impact; Citibank files objection to Spirit proceeding; Pricing pressures & baggage fees; Listener feedback on safety issues previously discussed, plus a quick shout-out from George & Caroline.

Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Guest: Khalid Usman, Partner, Oliver Wyman. News: British Airways to allow Video/Audio calls with Starlink; Spirit proceedings update; JetBlue & United raise bag fees; FAA reducing SFO arrival rate; Kevin Burke of ACI to retire; IATA's Willie Walsh named new CEO at IndiGo replacing Pieter Elbers; Listener feedback on "Professor" Doug Parker's route profitability.

Guest Co-Host Dave Hilfman, Guest Dave Harvey, Founder/Principal, Harvey Global Advisory. 4/1/26 items: SWA introduces "Cattle Class" and LUV app, while Scott Kirby eyes CEO position at Spirit; News: Gary Kelly recognized for work at SWA; Air Canada/Fire truck fatal incident at LGA; Presidential directive issued to pay TSA agents; United coach couch seating; JetBlue evaluating potential sale opportunities.

This week: Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan: Guest: Robin Hayes, Chairman/CEO, Airbus North America. Also: A report on the JP Morgan conference; The TSA situation; Could a constitutional amendment be helpful? Air travel used as political football; Allegiant-Sun Country merger approved; Listener feedback on Professor Doug Parker's Route & Hub Profitability class.

Host Scott McCartney with "Professor" Doug Parker on Route & Hub Profitability. Also: Traffic levels at O'Hare; TSA funding issues continue; Spirit plan calls for more shrinking; Listener takes issue with idea that General Aviation not paying fair share.

Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz, Guest: Michael Huerta, Fmr Administrator, FAA. Also: The war and fuel prices; A change of the Homeland Security Administrator; Delta leadership changes; Listener feedback on the loyalty program pooling idea.

Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Guest: Charlie Sultan, President Concur Travel. Topics: Major Middle East air travel disruptions; Elliot Management sells more SWA shares - says "mission accomplished"; Frontier shares drop; Spirit to drop billions in debt and push forward; An idea for an LCC to gain a competitive advantage; Listener input on Chris Sununu's ash tray comment, ATC improvement thoughts.

This week: Guest Co-Host: Henry Harteveldt, Guest: Chris Sununu, CEO, Airlines for America. Also: Spirit announces plan to emerge from bankruptcy; Dealing with the Nor'easter and DHS funding issues; United announces lower redemption costs for co-branded credit cardholders; Listener input on the suspension of the Trusted Traveler Program, and the labor situation at American.

Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Guest: Sean Donohue, Fmr CEO, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Also: Party Balloons (not drones) over El Paso Airport; Government shutdown & potential disruption in TSA operations; Two Elliott Mgt-aligned Board Members step down at SWA; Spirit & Frontier reduce number of planes; Labor concerns continue at AA, Does American have an internal cultural problem? Should DFW and Love Field ownership be combined? A pilot listener's personal experiences with major airline shutdowns.

Guest Co-Host, Charles Duncan, Guest: Scott Hamilton, Founder & Managing Director, Leeham Company and author: The Rise and Fall of Boeing: And The Way Back. Also: Elliott Mgt sells some SWA shares; Spirit sells more Chicago gates; AA employees vote no confidence; International travel bookings down; Listener Q on hub economics.

Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest: David Seymour, COO, American Airlines. Topics: AA hit hard by weather related operational issues; A good week for Southwest, cash pouring in, will Elliott Mgt cash out? American earnings drop; JetBlue down; NTSB report issued on chopper collision with AA flight; Big increase in flights by United at ORD; Listener questions: Is there room for a new airline? What's the cost to start service at an airport?

Guest CoHost Dave Hilfman. Guest: John Heimlich, Economist, AFA. Also: Michael O'Leary and Elon Musk spar over Starlink; The latest Wall Street Journal airline scorecard; Is Castlelake an answer to Spirit's woes? American corrects "most profitable hub" statement on previous episode; Listener input on Southwest's new revenue prospects.

Host Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. Topics: Do the rich fly Delta? Frontier not yet selling tickets for Spring/Summer - Did Barry Biffle run off with the scheduling system password? Looking at the Frontier-Spirit potential in a different way; ALPA appeals to Spirit bondholders; JetZero completes Series B Round; Listener thoughts on Basic Economy purchasing decisions, and American's seeming lack of investment in CLT.

Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman, Guest: Don Carty, Chairman, Porter Airlines. Also: The Allegiant- Sun Country deal; Is Frontier-Spirit now more likely? Altimeter conflict - FAA putting out 5G plan for public comment; Airport debt increase rises; Expansion at (AUS) Austin, TX; SWA transformation progress; Listener input on baggage fee structure and an alternative method.

Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt, Guest: Jeremy Bowen, CEO, Cirium. Topic: 2025 On Time Performance Award Winners. Also: Storms caused holiday travel challenges; Two operational mismanagement examples; American increases Chicago flights; Spirit burning through cash; Listener questions if Pratt & Whitney sponsorship impacts the podcast's news coverage.

This week: Host Scott McCartney with Chris Sloan. Reviews: American's new A321XLR Flagship Suite & JetBlue's new JFK Lounge. Also: The $50MM Spirit Christmas gift; More Spirit-Frontier talks; Frontier CEO Barry Biffle out, James Dempsey named Interim CEO; Volaris and Viva Aerobus seek to combine; Delta President Glen Hauenstein to retire; Memphis renames it's airport; Positive listener feedback on the Doug Parker airline pricing episode. Next episode: Jan 7th, 2026. Happy New Year!

This week: Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Topics: 13 years of unpaid parking comes due; Spirit refutes competitors' talk of impending shutdown; Losses due to government flight reductions; Lots to say about Southwest - Leadership, lounges, and more; AUS Execs and others stopped by for PIT re-opening; Sec. Duffy works out at the airport; Peraton selected to overhaul FAA systems; Listener comments on Love Field, a correction re Finnair, and a listener-listener response.

This week: Host Scott McCartney attends Doug Parker's "School of Airline Pricing" - Extensive insights into pricing considerations.

This week: Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan, Guest: Phil Washington, CEO, Denver Int. Airport. Also: Ramifications from the Airbus immediate software requirement; DFW gets Turkey Award; Holiday travel vs last year; Bids for TAP Air Portugal; Listener input on where the projected new DFW passengers will come from, an idea of an AA-SWA merger, and the political environment's impact on international visitors.

This week: Host Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Dave Hilfman. Topics: Thanksgiving travel projections; US Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy releases "Golden Age of Travel" PSA; Dress codes & bare feet on seat backs; JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty calls for policy equity; Visit USA Act introduced; UPS 2976 crash update; Tribute to Peter J. Dolara, Fmr SVP, American Airlines; Listener response to Scott Kirby interview. Plus: Will American step up their game?