Latest Air travel Podcast Episodes
60 - Understanding Airline Loyalty Program Status
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - April 22, 2024 19:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about the longest domestic flights in the world. Then for the main segment, he looks at airline loyalty program status. There are domestic flights out there that are over ten hours long. And the longest regularly scheduled flight ever was a domesti...
59 - Designing an Airline Brand with Edmond Huot
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - April 08, 2024 05:00 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis episode starts by looking at why you shouldn’t inflate your life jacket until you are about to leave the aircraft. Andrew then talks with Edmond Huot about airline design and branding. Why are we told not to inflate our life jackets until we are about to exit the plane? There are some impo...
The Passage des Panoramas
Improbable Walks - March 28, 2024 00:00 - 18 minutesWe focus on the Passage des Panoramas & the Passage Jouffroy--two of my favourite covered passageways in Paris today. Back in the 1800s, Parisians window-shopped, met for pastry and tea, and browsed music stories to find the latest compositions in these arcades, and really, things haven't all ch...
58 - Has Flying Become More Dangerous?
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - March 25, 2024 05:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts by looking at whether you can get your expired points and miles back. Then he talks about aviation safety, looking at recent incidents and news as well as the bigger historical picture. If your points and miles are expired, can you get them back? Learn more about...
57 - Behind the Scenes of Airline Maintenance with Brian Bermudez Part 2
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - March 11, 2024 05:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis episode features the second part of Andrew’s chat with aircraft maintenance engineer and professor Brian Bermudez. Plus, he looks at whether your points and miles will expire. Do your points and miles expire? If you’re collecting airline loyalty points, you will want to know the answer to...
136 DXB - Vegan First Class, lounge bouncers, jet stream rush, intermittent flying fasting, improper JFK
Layovers - Air Travel podcast - March 07, 2024 16:44 - 2 hours ★★★★★ - 112 ratingsIs Emirates low key encouraging membership to the high mile club? (And how Alex and Layovers saved Paul's Emirates First upgrade. The controller goes "oh that sucks", or why Alex keeps listening to ground whilst traveling (but he always gets the last bag delivery ever). Lounge bouncers (not exac...
Back to the Grands Boulevards
Improbable Walks - February 28, 2024 22:00 - 20 minutesIn this episode, we continue our stroll along the Grands Boulevards, exploring some wild stories, literati, and even an assassination attempt that resulted in the brand new Garnier Opera house being built. And I get to chat about some of my favourite Parisians from the past, including General Th...
56 - Behind the Scenes of Airline Maintenance with Brian Bermudez Part 1
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - February 26, 2024 06:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsAndrew starts this episode by talking about airline flight numbers. The main segment for this episode features aircraft maintenance technician and professor Brian Bermudez. How do flight numbers get assigned? It depends, but there are some common practices and conventions. Learn more about how...
55 - Flying Around the Globe: Round-the-World Itineraries
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - February 12, 2024 06:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about what the different cabin class names mean. Then he looks at round-the-world tickets and how you can take a trip around the globe. Club World, Delta One, Signature Class, and Mint. These are all names of airlines’ lie-flat business class produ...
Flying Around the Globe: Round-the-World Itineraries
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - February 12, 2024 06:00 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about what the different cabin class names mean. Then he looks at round-the-world tickets and how you can take a trip around the globe. Club World, Delta One, Signature Class, and Mint. These are all names of airlines’ lie-flat business class produ...
135 RAK - Epic tropical lounge, composite burn, full row downgrade, going veg, MAXed out Boeing rant
Layovers - Air Travel podcast - February 01, 2024 16:21 - 2 hours ★★★★★ - 112 ratingsQatar'd? No, that new Al Mourjan Lounge at Doha is stunning — one thing we can't say about that RAK one. Turkish'd? Not really, when a downgrade gets you full emergency exit rows — though that 333 seat made Paul act like an animal. Boeing has gone full MAX for its windows openings (ok, ok, poor ...
54 - All About Aviation Weather with Doug Morris
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - January 29, 2024 06:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis episode starts by looking at why involuntary downgrades happen and what to do if you get involuntary downgraded. Andrew then talks to airline captain Doug Morris about aviation weather and how it affects your flight. Nobody likes purchasing a premium cabin ticket and then being downgraded ...
53 - How the Global Air Travel System Works Together
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - January 15, 2024 06:00 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsAndrew starts this episode by talking about how much airliners weigh and important takeaways from recent aviation incidents. Then he looks at the international organizations that exist to keep the world of air travel functioning seamlessly. It’s no secret that the aircraft that we fly on are m...
52 - When to Book Your Flight: Travel Hacks & Trends with Christie Hudson
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - January 01, 2024 06:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts by looking at how you can fly on the world’s largest airliner – the Airbus A380 – these days. The main segment features Expedia travel expert Christie Hudson who is here to share data-driven air hacks and travel trends. Have you ever wanted to fly on the Airbus A3...
Geist in the CRTC Machine
We fight for that - December 22, 2023 21:00 - 51 minutesNOTE : apologies for a mistake about what the Broadcasting Act actually says about affordability. Also, please follow Prof. Geist's podcast: Law Bytes . We recap the inaugural appearance of Professor Michael Geist, law professor at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Ch...
Belle Epoque Spectacle: Grands Blvds (part 1)
Improbable Walks - December 20, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutesIn this episode, we celebrate the holidays with a stroll past the Opera Garnier. Bright department store windows, glittering performances, and even cinema lights: the Grands Boulevards has it all. This is where the Lumiere Brothers introduced film to Paris audiences, and where Nadar ran his 19th...
51 - Travel Tips: 2023 Year-in-Review Part 2
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - December 18, 2023 06:00 - 22 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis is the second part of our 2023 year-in-review. Our guests from throughout the year are sharing their travel tips and insights in a series of previously unaired clips. What are some essential items to pack according to a flight attendant? Episode 30 guest Lara Ketterman shares her thought...
50 - Celebrating 50 Episodes & 2023 Year-in-Review Part 1
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - December 04, 2023 06:00 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsFlying Smarter is celebrating 50 episodes! This episode contains some special announcements as well as the first part of our 2023 year-in-review. What training do flight attendants get for dealing with panicked passengers? Former flight attendant and Episode 45 guest Carrie Bradley answers thi...
134 HKG - All business class 321neo, biometrics AI airports, Qatar 2.0, boarding group 0, IFE gold standard
Layovers - Air Travel podcast - November 29, 2023 22:31 - 2 hours ★★★★★ - 112 ratingsAlex tells us all about his return to Hong Kong, with Cathay setting a new gold standard in IFE over Emirates (Greg flew China Southern, and, errr, well). Paul flies the all business class 321neo from La Compagnie from Orly to Newark (road traffic was key to that story, but traffic there is none...
Mme de Pompadour, the French President, and me
Improbable Walks - November 29, 2023 05:00 - 19 minutesToday's podcast visits the French President's palace, L’Élysée. The 365-room mansion has a history that oozes personality: once the home of Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon Bonaparte's sister Caroline also lived here for a few years. Caroline was described as "having the body of Venus and the brai...
49 - Why Flying is Miserable with Ganesh Sitaraman
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - November 20, 2023 06:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsAndrew starts this episode by talking about why we board and deplane from the left side of the aircraft. Afterwards, the main segment of this episode features law professor Ganesh Sitaraman, who joins Andrew to talk about why flying is miserable and what we can do about it from a regulatory pers...
48 - Boarding and Deplaning: How We Get On and Off the Plane
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - November 06, 2023 06:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about whether you can sleep overnight in an airport terminal. Then he looks at the different ways we board and deplane our flights. Can you sleep overnight in an airport terminal? The answer depends on where you are and there are a lot of factors a...
47 - On the Airport Ramp with Tyler Crook
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - October 23, 2023 05:00 - 26 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis episode starts by looking at how to ensure that you are within your baggage allowances so that you avoid surprise fees at the airport. Andrew then talks to ramp agent Tyler Crook to get a look at what goes on outside your plane on the airport ramp. Have you ever been surprised by extra bag...
133 ALA - Bundling the unbundling, Condor Brewdog, BER secret door, overhead bin booking, inaugural JetBlue, LH sneakers, with Alex Vukolova
Layovers - Air Travel podcast - October 22, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 112 ratingsSo small, cozy, cute, a very special airport, that was Tegel, not BER: can the finally (nearly) finished Berlin Brandenburg measure up to the "poor but sexy" German capital? At least the cleverly named lounges have an even cleverer backdoor (and, hey, it's not a poor bus station like Schoenfeld)...
46 - Surviving a Schedule Change
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - October 10, 2023 01:00 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about where airliners are assembled. Then he looks at schedule changes and how to deal with them. The planes that we fly are on are huge and aircraft manufacturers therefore have massive facilities to produce them. Find out where these aircraft ass...
46 - Surviving Schedule Changes
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - October 10, 2023 01:00 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about where airliners are assembled. Then he looks at schedule changes and how to deal with them. The planes that we fly are on are huge and aircraft manufacturers therefore have massive facilities to produce them. Find out where these aircraft ass...
132 BLQ - Finnair hippos, IST hugeness, fast track lounge, Super NES passport, Midfield Tom Cruise run
Layovers - Air Travel podcast - September 30, 2023 11:06 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 112 ratingsPaul tries multiple Italian airports, Alex finally visits the new Istanbul (and flies Turkish for the first time!). The passport blowing border official trick (it doesn't work better than the Super NES cartridge blowing). BA will soon introduce water bottles the size of mini bar vodkas (at least...
Rue Bonaparte, a Left Bank classic
Improbable Walks - September 29, 2023 14:00 - 12 minutesVisit the street where New Yorker writer Janet Flanner lived, where the Beaux Arts school still stands, and of course, where de Beauvoir and Sartre once held court... The rue Bonaparte is a Left Bank Saint-Germain classic. For photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher fo...
45 - Flying with a Baby with Carrie Bradley
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - September 25, 2023 05:00 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsAndrew starts this episode by talking about airline seat map websites. The main segment for this episode features family travel expert and former flight attendant Carrie Bradley. Where can you find airline seat maps? The ones provided by the airlines often don’t have much information. Learn ab...
44 - The Lasting Impacts of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained - September 11, 2023 19:00 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about why airplane cabins are so dry and what you can do about it. Then he looks at the lasting impacts of the 9/11 attacks on air travel today. Why do aircraft cabins feel so dry? If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not wrong. Find out why this i...