US carriers want the Biden Administration to restrict foreign carriers from using Russian airspace, arguing it places them at a competitive disadvantage. The Biden administration is considering the request. Yes, the demand is self-serving. But is the right move,...
Is United’s Quarterly Loss A Negotiating Strategy To Temper Pilots’ Contract?
At the outset, I want to make clear that I am making no declarative statements, but rather am simply thinking out loud. Could it be that the unexpected quarterly loss United Airlines now forecasts for Q1 is primarily aimed...
Singapore Airlines’ Defiant New Ad Campaign
I think the new Singapore Airlines “world class” ad campaign is a masterpiece, but also adds a subtle touch of defiance that pushes back against not only Gulf carriers, but carriers that have gone woke. Singapore Airlines World Class...
A Veteran Commercial Airline Pilot Analyzes American – Delta Runway Incident At JFK
121pilot, our resident pilot on Live And Let’s Fly and captain for a major US airline, has graciously offered his thoughts on the near collision between an American Airlines 777 and a Delta Air Lines 737 at New York...
New United Airlines Flight Attendant Training Facility In Houston Represents Perfect Opportunity To Transform Service Culture
United Airlines has opened a new 56,000-square-foot flight attendant training facility at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston that it says will accommodate training up to 600 flight attendants per month. This marks the perfect opportunity for “United Next” to...
Airmanship: What Pilots Need Most
Editor’s Note: In light of the recent American – Delta ATC incident at New York JFK, we are featuring this story again by 121pilot. It is chillingly prescient. In part two of this series, we looked at some of...
How Will United Airlines Add CRJ-900 To Fleet Without Violating Pilot Scope Clause?
A flurry of moves resembling a game of musical chairs in the US regional airline market means, in simplest terms, that United Airlines is swapping smaller jets for larger jets. But with United’s strict contractual scope clause with mainline...
The Problems Pilots Face Today
This is the second in a three-part series that talks about flying airliners and some of the challenges this pilot sees for the profession. If you read part one of this series, you will hopefully recall how I discussed the...
The Ups And Downs Of Being A Commercial Pilot
This is the first in a three-part series that talks about flying airliners and some of the challenges this pilot sees for the profession. In Part 1 we’ll discuss ups and downs of being a commercial pilot. In part...
Context Matters: Did Biden Actually Say Airlines Charging Extra For Legroom Is Racist?
President Biden made headlines for his latest gaffe, suggesting that airlines that charge extra for additional legroom are racist. But text outside of context is simply a pretext for misunderstanding. I’m going to give the President the benefit of...
New Airline Consumer Protections Proposed By DOT – Helpful Or Harmful?
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed new consumer protections for airline customers that seek to encourage transparency in terms of pricing. Are such protections necessary or a step too far? DOT Proposes Additional Airline Consumer Protections Under...
Analysis: United Airlines’ Smart Yet Unreasonable Chess Move At JFK Airport
Earlier today, I wrote about United’s ultimatum at New York JFK: give us more slots or we will pull out. It’s a gutsy demand and not entirely reasonable, but represents a shrewd chess move with little downside. Analysis –...
Gulf Carriers Solve Practical Problem For U.S. Airlines
If you wonder why U.S. airlines are cozying up to Gulf carriers, it is helpful to look to Russia, the War in Ukraine, and the economics of operating a worldwide route network under a new set of constraints that...
Shrewd Move: United Airlines Dumps Air Wisconsin
Make no mistake, the decision by United Airlines to terminate its regional contract with Air Wisconsin was deliberate, strategic, and will ultimately serve the long-term growth goals of the carrier. Why United Airlines Dumped Air Wisconsin And Why American...
Emirates And London Heathrow Reach “Compromise” On Passenger Cap
Emirates and London Heathrow Airport have reached a facing-saving “compromise” on what became a high-stakes game of chicken with each side blaming the other for a summer of delays and cancellations. Emirates + London Heathrow Save Face After Row...
Implications Of New Air Canada – Emirates Partnership
Air Canada and Emirates announced a new partnership which could eventually make Aeroplan even more valuable. But we’re not there yet. Let’s breakdown the news and the implications of this new relationship. Air Canada + Emirates Form New Partnership...
Analysis: Why Did Scandinavian Airlines Fail?
Despite government bailouts during the pandemic and a strong surge of demand in recent months, SAS recently collapsed, seeking bankruptcy protection in the USA and claiming its business model was broken. What really led SAS to fail? Why Did...
American Airlines Is Retreating Again At LAX
It’s a familiar problem at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): with intense competition, an airline finds profit margins thin, making the carrier more likely to seek routes with higher margins. The latest cutback comes from American Airlines, with a...
A Battle For Control On Air France 11
Our resident captain, 121pilot, brings us expert analysis on the recent Air France 11 incident, which we first covered here. What Really Happened Onboard Air France 11? As regular readers of Live and Let’s Fly will recall, on April...
Delta Air Lines’ New Boarding Pay Will Greatly Benefit Junior Flight Attendants
In a move that it hopes will deter flight attendants from unionizing, Delta Air Lines will pay flight attendants during boarding, a revolutionary change in the U.S. aviation industry that will lead to pay bumps, particularly for junior flight...
