Hey, this isn't Spirit! With Southwest, Bags fly free! LOL

(Written on 01/17/2019)(Permalink)

Idiom "Put something on ice:" (Fig.) to postpone acting on someone or something. Your statement says that Southwest has "put their [plans] [o]n ice." Southwest has not postponed acting on something. They have no actions to perform. The actions that are delayed are those of the FAA and by the FAA as a result of the government shutdown. Your headline suggests Southwest has purposefully delayed seeking their ETOPS certification, which is FALSE. Southwest is not a government agency and is operating normally in all other respects. Here's some bathroom reading for you. Might I suggest Chapter 5. https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/120-42B.pdf

(Written on 01/17/2019)(Permalink)

This is a terribly misleading headline. While it may not be obvious to everyone, many in the aviation industry knew that there would be no additional activity towards this route with the government shutdown and a lack of ETOPS approval from the FAA. Southwest has NOT "put their Hawaii service [plans] on ice." This is completely and utterly false.

(Written on 01/17/2019)(Permalink)

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N520AS/history/20181120/1420Z/KLAS/KSEA

(Written on 11/22/2018)(Permalink)

This article is stupid. The writer purports that the 787 is inferior and an engineering failure because there are more 777s flying long hauls than the Dreamer, and also, because the cabin configuration he most recently flew on the 787 was not as nice as the A350. Poppycock!

(Written on 08/25/2018)(Permalink)

This article mischaracterizes what allegedly happened. From what I am hearing, the FAM asked the FA for the manifest. When the FA asked why he needed the manifest, the FAM flashed his gun at her instead of properly identifying herself. This lead the FA notifying the flight deck of the situation, and the flight deck declaring an emergency. When the flight deck was informed by dispatch via ACARS that there were, in fact, two FAMs on board, they chose to taxi to the gate and have the subjects removed for verification. They were not mistakenly taken off the plane. They breached protocol and almost found themselves shot. A little personal opinion, side note: if the Federal Air Marshals and TSA weren't so busy following 2nd grade teachers, maybe this wouldn't happen at all.

(Written on 08/22/2018)(Permalink)

That's exactly what this is here. Deviation could not be much and could be easily worked around by substituting the maximum possible dry weight for these a/c. Also, a very well-written article by a reporter who clearly knows a thing or two about the aviation industry (or at least sticks to the facts and avoids sensationalism).

(Written on 08/15/2018)(Permalink)

Yeah, Denver folk call it DIA. Ever since DIA became DEN, they kept the old acronym. In Kansas City, everybody calls the airport KCI, but the IATA code is MCI.

(Written on 08/01/2018)(Permalink)

I would like to think this is unlikely. Consumers, powered with instagram and twitter, won’t accept this escalation any more. Also, the airlines are not necessarily impacted immediately by fuel price hikes because they hedge on crude when the demand is down. Also, airlines are investing in better, more efficient aircraft and are doing it largely through lease programs so they are actually consuming less with a fixed cost of ownership. Unless something in the industry changes drastically, like an oil spill, a major safety discovery, or new sweeping regulation, costs should stay steady for airlines and consumers alike.

(Written on 07/26/2018)(Permalink)

I don't disagree with you, but is the ratio correct? Are the airlines forcing more passengers in the economy coach seats than the market demands? Are they doing it because more pax at lower dollars is better than fewer pax at higher dollars? Are they doing it because airports can only accommodate so many planes on the ramp in certain windows of time? Are they doing it because premium is only premium if there are more peasants in the back of the bus? Are they doing it because they have gross margin minimums for each revenue flight? I think it's a combination of all of these things which make it a magical calculation for the airlines. Revenue minus cost equals gross margin, so more sardines in the can means more revenue with less cost. With that math, there is no way the airlines will be able to right-size the ratio of economy to premium without losing profitability.

(Written on 07/25/2018)(Permalink)