
The Air Show
Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder discuss the business of the sky on this aviation podcast.
Episodes
51 episodes
Are Spirit and Sun Country a Match?
Brett Snyder has been watching Spirit's network strategy closely, and this week he floats the idea that Spirit is not only becoming more like Sun Country but it could benefit from joining forces with the airline. Brian Sumers, however, th...
•
26:37

Some China news, United's earnings, and your questions
Jon Ostrower and Brian Sumers talk about United's earnings call, and the challenges surfacing for Boeing now with delivering aircraft to Chinese airlines. Plus: Brian and Jon answer your questions about ultra-long-haul flying, OEM's commitment ...
•
30:18

Uncertainty reigns and this industry feels the pain
With economic uncertainty casting a shadow over the U.S. economy, Brian Sumers, Brett Snyder, and Jon Ostrower dive into the impact this will have on both the aircraft manufacturers and the airlines themselves. (Spoiler alert: it's not good new...
•
26:37

The homework years
Jon Ostrower brings the latest news from Airbus’s recent summit in Toulouse: planned innovations in aircraft, efficiency and sustainability, despite an increasingly fragmented global economic and political world. Ostrower tells Brett Snyder the...
•
28:27

What's certain is uncertainty
Amid economic and political uncertainty in North America, everyone is trying to read the tea leaves, memes and booking data to figure out what's going on, and that includes the leadership of Canadian and Mexican airlines. Brett Snyder and Brian...
•
27:34

The next leader of the FAA + Spirit's growing debt
This week, Brett Snyder, Jon Ostrower and Brian Sumers discuss President Trump's pick for FAA administrator: Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways. They also discuss Spirit Airlines' turnaround plan as it emerges from four months of bankruptcy...
•
28:41

Demand is softening
Amid uncertainty in the U.S. economy and political climate, airlines say they're seeing softness in domestic demand. How bad is it? Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder followed the J.P. Morgan Industrials conference this week and they discuss whether...
•
33:01

It's sexy to be nominated at the CNAs
Brett Snyder's annual Cranky Network Awards is the event of the year and the place to be for the airline industry professionals that some people (possibly his co-hosts on this podcast) think are the nerdiest of the aviation nerds: network plann...
•
26:38

Change is hard
Southwest Airlines is in a major transition — layoffs, an activist investor, and a changing product. Of course, it's an especially major transition for this airline because of its conservative culture, strategy, and history. Brett Snyder, Brian...
•
33:33

United Makes a Move to Dominate Chicago
United thinks it has found a way to once and for all make the airline Chicago's dominant player, but American is still standing in the way. Jon and Brett talk about exactly what United has found, and then discuss what American's options are.&nb...
•
22:45

Now Boom moves on to the hard part
Brian Sumers, Brett Snyder, and Jon Ostrower discuss Boom's recent supersonic test flights — a big achievement for the start-up — and the challenges ahead. Is there a market for a return to supersonic commercial flight? Is there enough money to...
•
32:34

An American tragedy on the Potomac
Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder discuss the tragic collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington National Airport last week, ending an unprecedented era of US aviation safety. Jon Ostrow...
•
28:26

JetBlue turns to connections
Brian Sumers puts Brett Snyder on the hot seat on a bunch of things going on at US airlines this month. They discuss schedule changes JetBlue made in Boston and New York, and rapid-fire questions about American and Chicago, Hawaiian and its 787...
•
30:57

Spirit's next act
As it plans to emerge from bankruptcy, America's first ULCC is trying to reinvent itself as a more upscale airline with higher costs. Spirit Airlines says it needs to move upmarket to attract new customers who want a better product. But hosts B...
•
28:15

This is not a predictions episode
It's our final episode of 2024! Brett Snyder, Brian Sumers and Jon Ostrower chat about what 2025 may bring: mergers and a new regulatory environment? a handoff at the FAA? assigned seating on an airline previously opposed to assigned seating? P...
•
29:55

Ben Minicucci on Alaska's global ambitions
Ben Minicucci joins the show to discuss Alaska's big news today — and then some. Minicucci talks about the airline's aggressive growth plans, which it says target $1 billion in incremental profits by 2027. Those plans include new international ...
•
50:28

Is 'durable and differentiated' enough for Delta?
The top U.S.-based airline continues to play it cool. Delta's execs were casual during the airline's most recent investor day — yes, Delta's targeting younger, more affluent customers and it's experimenting with A.I. for revenue management, but...
•
32:24

Marty St. George on his second act at JetBlue
Marty St. George joins the show this week to discuss his second stint at JetBlue, this time as president. With Brian Sumers, Jon Ostrower and Brett Snyder, St. George discusses the turnaround he intends to oversee at the struggling JetBlue to i...
•
49:26

A321XLR - Revolution or Replacement?
The A321XLR entered service with Iberia on November 14, and so begins the next generation of long-haul, narrowbody flying. Will this usher in an era of new and exciting routes or will it just end up being a 757 replacement? Brett, Brian, and Jo...
•
29:15

Southwest's détente
Is the drama over? Is this a ceasefire? An agreement to cooperate? Brett Snyder, Brian Sumers and Jon Ostrower discuss the recent détente between Southwest Airlines and Elliott Investment Management. Elliott gained five of Southwest's 13 board ...
•
30:55

Boeing still ain't going
The Boeing strike continues. On Wednesday, 64% of machinists rejected Boeing's negotiated proposal, extending the strike indefinitely. Earlier that day, Boeing's third-quarter earnings revealed an expected $6.2 billion loss and an official dela...
•
34:00

United's network: PDEWs and PQ
United Airlines is making moves and announcing splashy new routes — the kind you might expect from an airline with a healthy balance sheet and an innovative network chief. And still, there were some surprise additions to United's plans. Brett S...
•
28:39

American and Southwest play opposites
Brett Snyder and Jon Ostrower discuss Q2 2024 data for the domestic airline market. American Airlines faced significant challenges. Southwest, in contrast, actually did alright! This DOT data set also sheds light on the performance of new-ish u...
•
24:43
