Layovers - Air Travel podcast
Layovers is an English-language podcast devoted to air travel, hosted by Paul Papadimitriou with Alex Hunter and Vinod Viswalingam. The show explores the ins and outs of flying, from layovers and airline travel to tips and stories for frequent and occasional passengers. It has earned a broad international listenership, ranking as a top travel podcast in many countries. The hosts bring their own experiences and perspectives to conversations around aviation and travel.
Episodes
161 AAR - The Visual Culture of Air Travel: The Maps, the Designs, the Voyages That Made Us Fall in Love With Flying, with Christian Nolle
Christian Nolle is a maker, designer, photographer, whose work focuses on aviation culture, the stories behind route maps, and the historical impact of flying on what ties us all together and makes us dream. He is the editor of Direction of Travel. We discuss everything, from his obsession with Heathrow (he was testing T5 before the opening!), his collection of route maps, his beautiful p
160 SDU - The Airports and Airlines That Made Brazil, and Inspired Us to Fly There
Varig, VASP, Panair, the names are long gone, but they put Brazil on the map for us, alongside iconic cinema imagery and a legendary national football team that captured every kid's imagination.Grab a caipirinha (and some black licorice) as we chart how the jet age shaped our vision of the country, before diving into our actual experiences flying in and out of SDU (that final!), GIG, CGH,
159 HEL - Finnair cocoon, Air North to Kelowna, boarding zone police, Dubai plane spotting, tug slippage
Two sagas of snow and ice: going to Dubai via Helsinki, in that unconventional (revolutionary?) cocoon seat by Finnair, and to Kelowna (YLW) with the appropriately named Air North — snowy take offs, blueberry juice and de-icing drama (no blueberry juice was used to de-ice, but an in-flight magazine was taken).Would you fly to Dubai now? Where we stand (that jet fuel price), and where to s
158 LIN - American Flagship hopes, Cortina Olympics ride, Flighty Intelligence, crew cosplay, LH on-demand cleaning
Vinod's Olympics adventure: Flagship lounge, Flagship upgrade, Flagship Wifi (err), Flagship chicken, Flagship plane (well…), all the hopes and expectations of American Airlines Flagship were placed into that trip. And that Black Card! That vintage boarding pass! Does the British Airways return compete with that? Yes (that shortbread biscuit does a lot of heavy lifting). Milan finally get
157 KMJ - Japan by air, 17 hours to Perth, tensions and airfare rising, uniforms and identity, Qsuite ganache
Ever wondered what it’s like to fly 17+ hours straight? Matt Drinkwater comes to share his experience with Qantas on the near-Kangaroo route to Perth (we talk the past and present of that route), and more, onto Brisbane. Matt and Paul share a deep bond with Japan, and discuss the beauty, and quirkiness, of flying within Japan, from small airports, to the smell of Kansai International (yes
156 JFK T1 - Lufthansa Allegris Tetris, Air Canada A330, JFK faster than fast-track, 100th liveries, JetClock, how to choose a seat
The road that Lufthansa took to get to their new business class seemed somewhat long and convoluted, Paul is finally able to tell you if it was worth the wait (choosing a seat on Allegris might be as long and convoluted a process though).And hey, there are no less than 5 outside cameras on their 350!How to strike gold after gold at JFK Terminal 1 and be faster than fast-track. Vinod final
155 FLIGHTY - Flighty: Reinventing Flight Tracking and the air travel experience, with Ryan Jones, Founder CEO at Flighty
Flighty has changed how we experience air travel. The flight tracking app, which obsessively focuses on the user experience and data accuracy, has been mentioned in nearly all our episodes since Paul got on the beta in early 2019, and we're so pleased to welcome Ryan Jones, the Founder CEO of Flighty, for an entertaining chat on everything Flighty, and more. Ryan shares the journey of cre
154 LGA - United fairly tale, Qatar-ish premium economy, SeatGuru farewell, Hanoi underground tension, ORD forever taxiing
Alex finally boards a Qatar Airways flight, and finds how to get a premium economy seat in this airline that doesn't have premium economy (not through that ethernet port though). Paul completely changes his mind about United, a true Christmas miracle (and a possible playbook for BA), what an incredible crew. Farewell to SeatGuru, nothing truly replaces you (AeroLOPA is the nearest). When
153 ROLLS-ROYCE - Inside Rolls-Royce: engineering excellence, how airplane turbine blades are born at the edge of science
We are at Rolls-Royce, exploring the engineering marvels behind aviation engines, the inner workings behind the quiet hums of those incredible machine. We dive into the importance of expertise, heat management, and innovation in ensuring engine durability and performance.Most importantly, we talk to the people, as this is as much craftsmanship as it is the absolute edge of science — and t
152 ZNZ - Is Premium Economy premium, when BA was Emirates, Precision Air approximation, caravaning Cessna, Emirates A350
Paul & Paolo are guinea pigs, they enter a bar, only that it's Paul's living room (but there's actual beer!), to talk, in length, about the state of BA, what is premium about their premium economy, and if it can compare to Emirates' one (or Virgin's for that matter). Paul calls BA the Emirates of the 80/90s (he felt inadequate flying them back then!) — were there enough headphones and
151 WDH - Skeleton Coast driving, Canada wide-body bingo, Namibia airfields, Airlink Embraer, SWISS chocolate, ZRH dance
Paul goes to Namibia to check the cute WDH airport, and drive 3000km+ — and yes, before you all ask, driving the Skeleton Coast is everything you dream it to be (this country is stunning, and the NamibRand is perhaps the most beautiful place he has ever seen). He falls in love with Airlink (from their Embraer to their extensive safety talk, and they serve something called food, a forgotte
150 CND - cookware security, voltage chaos, airline excellence truths, boarding Tetris, the one real European business class
Thanks to everyone who have stuck with us for 150 episodes, you're the air beneath our wings — as a gift to you, and since so many have asked for it, we've brought you VIDEO: subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)Landing at an abandoned primary school netball court. Power banks safety, because nothing says "relaxing flight" like monitoring your electronics for spontaneous comb
149 TYO - Narita rave, airline soundtracks, arrivals hell, Tokyo's airport of tomorrow, LEGO MUC, pre-recorded captain
From raves at Narita, airline sonic signatures, to the sound of engines (and a car alarm) during the recording — this episode is music to the ears of Paul and Vinod, unlike the arrivals hell of some airports (should I write which one Vinod will talk about? Nah, you'll find out!). Vinod's way back from Costa Rica, or when nothing goes your way. The beauty of Munich, built straight like a L
148 JTR - double upgrade bug, Hoper islands copters, BA transatlantic variance, 747s of the seas, easyJet Plus, Air India tragedy
Paul and Alex compare notes on their transatlantic British Airways experiences — from the really bad, to the truly great, the airline needs to dig for those latter gems, its future foundation is here (the IT bugs don't help however, trust ground staff). The cot strategy of the bulkhead seat (not if you're lucky to get a double upgrade though). Do not use the US mobile passport (well, do,
147 LIR - new JAL 350 to Haneda, ode to the 757, cockpit cigars and whisky, ATL golden hour, exclusive airline statuses
JAL takes Paul on a wonderful flight to Haneda in their new 350-1000 business class (that amenity kit too!). The new HND approach is everything (but HND T3 isn't). The aircraft guide for kids, by Vinod (and how wonderful are those Delta pilots!). An airborne Wifi setup that is so long, it will get you sober. An ode to the 757, they really don't make planes like those anymore (but Delta do
146 CUR - KLM timeline, Starlink is airborne, Doha First ceilings, Heathrow fire, UK ETA, bubbly for the pilot
Here's the trick on how to forget you don't have a window seat: spend an entire flight doing speed tests on Starlink. Another trick? How to actually get a mobile boarding pass on BA's ever-buggy app. When business becomes first, or the final trick to access the Al Safwa First Class lounge in Doha. KLM gives you a timeline of service on the IFE, and a LOT of (good) food. CDG T1 is the Circ
145 KUL - AF001 fragrance, long-haul family, blue liveries, Jewel bathtub plug, hidden runways, what is premium economy
What is it like to travel with a kid on long-haul journeys to Asia, from Singapore, to KL, to Taipei and more (and the secret bathrooms, which one would you choose?). AF001, the Air France fragrance (only the French!). Should KLM talk to Korean about the new livery? (And where is the red? LH kept a Pantone code at least). The runways hidden in plain sight (we have one in Singapore, one i
144 10Y — A Decade on the Air, Emirates Zero-Gravity First-Class pinnacle, Virgin Avgeek fan, Finnair joy, BA loyalty controversy
A decade on the air and in the air, thank you all for your loyalty (we don't offer Tier Points).Loyalty is what we start with, as British Airways shakes the world of revenue based loyalty with a rather abrupt shift (meh it was coming, says Alex, whilst Paul defends BA), but what program should we now put our miles in?!Alex flies to peak pollution Delhi with Virgin Atlantic, to meet his br
143 LBG - De-icing YVR, from Air France panache to roomy Ryanair, the retro-future of CDG T1 & the Concorde
A European flying tour from North America, a symphony of alcohol (with two specific colors), a flight sim in an airport (well, nearly), the Paris Olympics from the inside (Paul is jealous), the alternative timeline of CDG T1 and Concorde (we want to switch to it!), an appreciation for Ryanair (nope, we're not in another timeline). getting sea sick whilst taxiing (included in your expensiv
142 KTM - From Ukraine to Nepal, war zone and sky trails
Two tales of adventurous (and at time turbulent) travels: Paul embarks on a long train ride to Ukraine, while Alex soars above the Himalayas.One ventures into the heart of a conflict-stricken Kyiv, the other navigates the heights of Annapurna aboard a Ukrainian-built plane.A blend of sobering exhilaration and uplifting challenges that come when traveling in unique and sometimes demanding
141 OKA - When building a flying itinerary to Japan and beyond is like building a LEGO set
Alex tells us all about flying to Okinawa's Naha airport (via Tokyo), Hawaii (717s being flown like NYC cab drivers), the Philippines (that loop to Clarke airport), and more. We have one more Concorde to visit (next, a Millenium Falcon), we dream of Japanese airlines on-board experience (that "Italian" food, though?), we calculate the length of DXB concourses (it can be a long walk), we p
140 AKL - Everything flight planning, future fares, premium leisure growth, BA Fly no more, LHR T1 secret, the return of the 380?
What's next for the aviation industry? The post-pandemic rejigging of air travel with less business travel, and more leisure travelers in the front (who want, like most of you, to experience the full array of premium travel), more often off-season. Will fares keep increasing (it's the economy, stupid!), the unstoppable rise of ancillary revenues (gotta keep those nice margins), and were a
139 YEG - From ground crew to flight attendant, via two pandemic Olympics: Vinod's AvGeek chronicles
Ever wondered about the life of a flight attendant (and ground crew)? This is the episode for you. Paul welcomes his good friend Vinod for an episode full of fun aviation and travel stories — a long episode, with the laughs taking quite some of that length.From Edmonton to Vancouver, via Calgary (and its keys!), the many airports he worked at (Paul still hasn't been to Canada), Martinair,
138 AUH - Chic new Abu Dhabi, all business BeOnd, MAX flying challenge, humane low cost, wireless lavatory IFE
It's Alex and Paul, and it's another Alex (you've met her in 133!). She tells us all about BeOnd, the new all business class airlines that flies ex-EasyJet (!) 319s (!) to get you to the Maldives (did she enjoy the plane more than the beach?!). Humane versus non-humane low cost carriers: a new definition for IATA? The MAX flying challenge, or how to overcome the unhealthy relationship wit
137 SAI - The Great Tour of Cambodia and Vietnam, with a cup of water from Cambodia Angkor Air
Paul is joined by Paolo, one his best friends, to compare notes on a big tour of Cambodia and Vietnam (Paul flew to Cambodia, Paolo flew to Vietnam and Cambodia) with many airports, and airlines along the way (not sure about the water on-board a Cambodia Angkor Air). Paul had his worst fly ever (it was no fault of Etihad, just his own!!) and circles the 380 lounge table forever like an an
136 DXB - Vegan First Class, lounge bouncers, jet stream rush, intermittent flying fasting, improper JFK
Is 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 exactly, but lounge double dipping is a thing). Going against the jet stream when it reaches record
135 RAK - Epic tropical lounge, composite burn, full row downgrade, going veg, MAXed out Boeing rant
Qatar'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 one, but come on Boeing, do better!) — the new 350-1000 goes for a dimmable shade instead.The JAL
134 HKG - All business class 321neo, biometrics AI airports, Qatar 2.0, boarding group 0, IFE gold standard
Alex 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 to board, how crazily fast is that, kudos La Compagnie!). Choose your BA seat on Jordanian (ne
133 ALA - Bundling the unbundling, Condor Brewdog, BER secret door, overhead bin booking, inaugural JetBlue, LH sneakers, with Alex Vukolova
So 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).Bundling the unbundling: a (great) rant by Alex (Hunter, but Vukolova chimes in, and Paul got
132 BLQ - Finnair hippos, IST hugeness, fast track lounge, Super NES passport, Midfield Tom Cruise run
Paul 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 it seems so). The Magical Finnish hippos, another first in a long line of firsts by Finnair. T
131 NRT - The Amazing Zipair Race from London to California to Tokyo to Osaka and back
Combini, tamago sando, Skyliner, vending machines, ekiben, baseball Suica cards, yes we discuss Japan, where Alex was earlier this summer. And yes we talk (err, Alex talks) about air travel too, British Airways, Southwest, Hawaiian, ANA, and, drumroll, Zipair — not in that order, and with hops at London Heathrow, San Jose, San Francisco, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Itami, and some shinkansens (an
130 MSP - Cheap travel and the hamster wheel of miles and status in the post-Covid devaluation times, with Kyle 'Hello Kitty' Potter
Kyle Potter, Executive Editor at Thrifty Traveler, all-around awesome(ly smart) dude, Hello Kitty enthusiast (well, it's that EVA Air flight, you'll see!), and (very) long time Layovers listener and friend, tells us all about why MSP is the best thing ever, like everything in Minnesota — but also whether cheap travel is still possible in the current era of airfare inflation (yes!), whethe
129 GVA - Attaché bromance, Air Force Ones, 777X windows, fly with film, Covid weight, Vomit Pro, Brian Shul
We flew to Geneva to record an episode of Attaché (now on YouTube, link below), so how were our flights, and what did we think of the airport (the new C-Gates are excellent, the time at immigration not always). Does too much info add unnecessary travel stress? (Aka Flighty is Paul's IFE of choice in lounges). Is Covid wear and tear a thing? Some aircraft interiors look older than they sho
128 AUH - Etihad 2.0, Midfield mirage, Swiss cheeseboard, 40000ft silent floating, Louis Vuitton lounging
Do you have a number? The saga of Alex trying to beat boarding time at Lisbon (you won't believe he, of all people, made that mistake). A completely charming SWISS cheese board on-board (and cows in the Zurich airport train). Etihad 2.0 are quietly great, a tasteful experience we appreciate (and flying over the Arabian Gulf is a sight to be seen), plus they're now about making money (err,
127 JFK T8 - Mint Studio wow, airfare inflation, BEY dual time, increased turbulences, why do you go to a lounge?
Alex gets lost at JFK T8, only to encounter crazy turbulences over the Atlantic (a future worsening trend). But how did he get there? Finally testing what Paul did in 2021, the Mint Studio — a hope for the future of long haul narrow bodies. Airfare prices are way up from 2019 (more than inflation!), is that temporary, or what prices will be, and should always have been (that's the opinion
126 MAD - Mad dash at MADrid, skip the JAL banana, BA/LHR chagrin, Lufthansa seat Tetris, Emirates is Apple
How is it we had never actually done MAD as an episode title? This ends today, however the mad MADrid dash from T4S to T4 never does. Alex has lots to say about BA and it's …not great (he's not alone to think like this). Paul calls it, the better London airport is definitively Gatwick (stop being a wannabe posh by preferring LHR). Lufthansa introduces a grand new First Class, and a super
125 CDG T2 - The 747 is forever, a London NY bridge at JFK T8, Air France lounge joie de vivre, 777 guillotine, the airport game
The airport you think is overrated, the airport you like, the airport you love, the airport you feel yourself in, the airport you need to visit — play the airport game with us (and feel free to tweet us your answers!). The new Air France lounge at CDG T2F is beautiful, as can be CDG …when it works (you'll probably need to taxi on a country drive to get there haha). The new lounges at JFK
124 LAX — In and out LAX, the rise of Turkish Airlines, frequent flyer free agents, airline consulting, LA celebrity handling, with Hakan aka LAFlyr
Friend of the show, and very long time listener (since episode 1!), Hakan Yılmaz, aka @LAFlyr on Twitter, grew up wanting to go early at the airport to see the planes, and collect avgeek paraphernalia, and never stopped being a kid, by still going early to the airport to see the planes, and a career that led him to American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Atlas, etc., with mi
123 BRR — Flying the Concorde, visiting all the Concordes, accessing the Concorde Room, a Concorde episode with GGL Ed Parsons
Ed Parsons, the Google Maps guy, is our guest today. He's heard the Concorde prototype noise as a kid, flown on the Concorde before it got retired, explored all the Concordes in existence around the world since — a true fan — and we discuss it all, from the history to the conspiracy theories, to a certain nostalgia about a future that's now in the past. He is also a GGL, Gold Guest List,
122 FLR — Joyful Norse, Doha Changi Gardens, in-flight 5G, A380 returns, Avios loot boxes, limitless UK liquids, nacho cheese lounge
Alex has a joyful experience to Oslo with Norse Atlantic Airways (he flies to Stockholm too, the Nordics know how to handle snow, whilst the UK clearly doesn't). Finland sees record traffic to meet Santa Claus, whilst Air Greenland celebrates a new 330neo. France says NO short haul flights, the EU says YES to mobile networks in flight, the UK says NO MORE to liquid security limits. Doha o
121 JED — Flying to Saudi Arabia to see AlUla, Jeddah airport aquarium, Emirates cost cutting, desert driving, Indy travel philosophy
"What are you going to Saudi Arabia for?" asked the puzzled flight attendant — Paul was flying to Jeddah, to then drive 8 hours, to reach one of the places of his dreams: the Nabataeans tombs of Al-'Ula. From sand to copper, the massive new Jeddah terminal is impressive, and big, and really big, and has the highest airport tower in the world, and they even built an …aquarium (!?)No champa
120 YUL — World Cup flights, Avios stash, Alaska royalty, Nein to AirTags, Upper First Class, Trudeau Dorval or Mirabel
Alex needed to be in Quebec City, so he obviously flew to Montreal — that made him try Air Transat (is that a controversial airline, Canadian friends?). Our friend Greg sadly never got to fly WestJet however …and Paul still hasn't been to Canada. Qatar is getting ready for a massive amount of daily shuttle flights for the FIFA World Cup (1.5 million fans expected, they're a country of bar
119 KHI — Flying in and around Pakistan, Queen NOTAMs, Japan rush, United x Emirates, ticket inflation, Virgin plusgrade, Argo escape
Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, three cities, three cultures, and three airports that correspond them well — Paul flies in and around Pakistan (flying out was not a given on one of those trips!). The retro liveries of PIA and QR. Japan opens up on October 11th, ticket prices skyrocket, also as the USD rises against pretty much every other currency, making flying more expensive to many. The NO
118 LAP — Victorville overfly, 2bn Emirates refresh, Star losing Lufthansa, taxiing EWR for 9hrs, Windsor Suites, smuggling McMuffins
No, the other La Paz — the Southern/Baja California Alex Hunter 2022 Tour, with Megan as a VERY supporting avgeek act (aka Alex is the supporting act, Megan is the star, but you all knew that already). Emirates refreshes its fleet on a crazy tight clockwork upgrade schedule. Air France reveals its PORTE FRANCAISE* business seats (*French door). Lufthansa loses a star, and its general shin
117 VLC - Summer of discontent, Alitalia hit-and-run, AirTag anxiety, A380 comeback, so long Comair, Vuelinggedon
Alex lives and sweats the travel chaos, trying to get to Valencia with Vueling (what was he thinking?!) with an epic (FAIL) journey that ended up with Easyjet saving the day. Paul develops some Apple AirTag anxiety. The A380 is back with a vengeance, though Tim Clark wishes he had a two-engine 380, or a 350-2000, or anything BIG (meanwhile his ticket prices are soaring faster than aircraf
116 MDE - Brace for travel chaos, turbulence forecast, Medellin missed approach, 747-200m fine, air-bus routes, cascading wet leases
Brace brace brace, travel chaos ahead — from staff shortages, to strikes, to supply chain issues, to a global recession, it's going to be a messy year (and more) ahead. The mess will however make for an interesting wet-lease global puzzle (Mel Air for Air Nostrum as Iberia??), and the experience of using buses instead of airplanes (not sure how we think about that one). Tim Clark is becom
115 RTW - Mark Vanhoenacker: Imagine a City, a (787) Pilot Sees the World
A Round the World conversation with our friend Mark Vanhoenacker for the launch of his new book 'Imagine a City, A Pilot Sees the World', a sequel to 'Skyfaring'. We talk about our love for cities, the small ones of our birth, the big ones of our dreams, the ones visited once (even only at the airport), the ones we feel home at, the ones that shine bright, afar from an aircraft window or
114 UVF — Losing Virgin(ity) from sunset to sunrise, SLU, Airbus Ecureuil, ever late 777X, who pilots Air France?
From sunset to sunrise: Virgin Atlantic to the Caribbean and back, Paul is finally no longer a Virgin virgin. Flying from SLU over St Lucia, its Pitons, in an Airbus Helicopter (well, Aerosptiale). The (mysterious) Cathay white liveries. The 777X is delayed for the 500th time. Who's flying the Air France 777?Also, Paul has an echo, Alex has trees being trimmed — just pretend those sound a
113 MLE - Seaplanes, A380s and (not) remembering DXB. A220 flying through the biweekly BA IT mess.
Emirates, Emirates and more Emirates, in First, in Business, on 380s or 777s. To Male and seaplanes for Alex, to Dubai with a blank at deplaning for Paul. But also some SWISS (the savior), some BA (when it's not cancelled), the new longest route in the world (who's currently flying it??), the QR Airbus saga, Athens airport (Alex, not Paul, this time!) and more. And yes, Alitalia, because
112 JFK T5 - JetBlue Mint Studio, SFO for 3 hours and back, powered 747 relic, non-reclining Finnair, Airpotle
We're back, Alex having taken the time to hack a 747 seat belt sign, Paul having played too much Airportle. We talk about the non-reclining business class from Finnair (it's divise, but we think it might be a winner), the new Qatar Q suite which isn't a Q suite, and the big winner of this pandemic world: premium economy (non-operable seats notwithstanding haha). Whilst there's no love be
111 LIH - Touring the US in the pandemic-ish era, the MAX is back, the recovery not yet
Alex tours the US, from Denver to San Francisco to Las Vegas to Oakland to Hawaii, and gets to experience his first 737MAX, and the Great Pacific (aka lyrically talking about ZOA KZAK Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center). We discuss the state of travel in this weird era, not yet post-Covid, still pandemic-ish but not yet endemic, a weird middle where international flying is depressed
110 SIN T4 - Vaccine tourism, supersonic Boom, Mi(g)nsk detour, Covid passports, plague terminal
Alex gets cancelled (not him, the flight!). Duty free to nowhere (and no good pricing anyway). No kidnap fee, a new product by Ryanair. Plague terminal at LHR. Amber, the color of confusion. Genomics quarantine. Digital health visas (aka Covid passports, what a silly name). The travel bubble that refuses to happen. BOOM, our supersonic hopes, the PR reality. The timing of corporate travel
109 DIVERSION - Storminess reroute, Steampunk Singapore, (AL)ITA(LIA), pandemic fleets
Alex outsmarts a diversion, using all the on-air WiFi. Paul talks Scrabble (he clearly spent too much time on the ground).Flights to nowhere and airplane food to your door are not for us, even if it's BA First.2 Boeing 2 Airbus, Pandemic Drift.ITA, Italy's Troublesome Arrangement (we've come up with a better acronym in the episode).The Singapore Airlines 380 First STEAMPUNK experience, be
108 WFH - We Meet Again
Paul and Alex meet again. They haven't seen each other in a year.Recorded live, no edits, no music, no notes.Mentioned in the show: Seat 1A podcast, episode 038, with Paul
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107 - A Golden Era of travel ends, another will rise
Flight 107. We might have been in a Golden Age of travel, and didn't see it — it's now time to reflect, and think about the next one, a different one, with perhaps more friction, and certainly some pain in the process. From the economical hurt, the airlines at risk, to the new borders to travel (green zones versus red zones of infection?), from health as the new visa to less interaction (
106 OGG - The 2020 Virus Crash, the world is shutting down, keep healthy, cheer up, we will beat this (and, guys, that Kahului final will make you smile!)
Flight 106. The 2020 Virus Crash, the world is shutting down, no one is flying — this could become the biggest downturn ever in aviation history and perhaps the biggest global recession since World War II (we certainly do not hope so, we all need to beat this damn Covid-19!). Our thoughts are with all the people in the wider travel industry. Tons of airlines are now at risk around the glo
105 DCA - Covid19, 787 raffle, LHR Volunteers, business+, Ben's Chili Bowl, with Elizabeth, Dan & Ed
Flight 105. Everything you wanted to know (or not know) about the coronavirus (aka Covid19, Sars2, or World War Z) and its short-term effects on the world of air travel — from the hassles to the precaution to think about.Followed by the fan episode, with longtime listeners Elizabeth, Ed & Dan. Two out of three agree FRA is a disaster (not Elizabeth haha). The Heathrow volunteer progra
104 MSP - KC-10 flying gas station, cheese cubes and hummus, why Delta, alliances no more, A220+
Flight 104. The cheese cubes and hummus episode, with Doug Zschoche, aka OfficerWayFinder: everything you ever wanted to know about why flyers love Delta so much. What it is to fly the KC-10, the flying gas station, and to play with flight simulators (the serious ones!) around the US. Who owns the window? Airbus goes 787 dimming, and pulls a book (too many scandals?). A 737 MAX update, fr
103 DEN - Fish, Chicken, Beef, Lasagna, the flavors of the airlines …and the lizards conspiracy
Flight 103. It's always fish, chicken, beef and lasagna, airplane food, airport food and more food: airline Christmas menus, First class samplings, FRA hunger games, fake meat, Air Yoshinoya. The healthiest US trays, the best global airline for your taste buds. The Bali pigs could lead to the next airline epidemic, its epicenter actually being US catering. From airline beers (yes) to jet
102 DFW - United Jedi Force, 380 misjudgment, coffee pan pan, BA door review, mad MAD, BLLegoland
Flight 102. Paul reviews the BA Club Suite (no door was hurt in the making of this podcast). Alex and the secrets of meeting rockstars in flight (mark them down!). The A380 misunderstanding: it should live on (and don't listen to the French, they just strike anyway). United will decide your fate: dark side or light side of the Force (United also ghost Force'd Munoz). Food pan pan, coffee
101 HAN - Emirates plans, Vietnam meat, Miles & Less, Aeromexico noise, Norwegian LHR coup
Flight 101. Everything you wanted to know about Emirates future. Vietnam Airlines has pizza, 350s, 20 million fines and some undefined (but good) meat. The 777X wings are automated. Lufthansa mulls rebranding its program Miles & Less (meaning, the new program rules are stupid). Aeromexico noise, can it be damped by the PowerBeats Pro (or pretending to be on the phone to enter the DXB
100 LON - Thank you everyone for being such great listeners, happy 100 to you all!
Flight 100. To all of you, thank you so much for tuning in repeatedly, we couldn't have done any of this without your help, your feedback, your reviews, your comments, your corrections, your criticisms (and yes, Delta fans, we're again on your case in this episode haha), your photos and incredible stories you share back with us. Thank you whether you started listening last week or in 2015
099 ARN - Facial boarding, Airways board game, epic Qatar, Emperor 747, AA flagship, Betsy beer 2.0
Flight 099. Airways, the board game & softball, an avgeek game. Food galore, from the AirMos burger manual to the LHR AA chorizo hot dog, to the not-really-parisian Admirals baguette. UA Polaris confusion and AA absent service (ok, more like hit-and-miss): Paul and Alex compare their US travels (there's also AeroMexico, JetBlue, and Paul flies the longest possible AA route with a paja
098 DTW - Extraordinary HK, experiencing Delta, AA B&O, mad MAX, Gran Class, LAX Eagles Nest, e-NRT
Flight 098. Shinkansen Gran Class, Four Seasons Mexico and Popeye Chicken sandwich, are we still an aviation podcast? The Eagle's Nest at LAX. Aer Pluto Lingus. SFO goes stupid with plastic. The 777x decompressed explosively. The 737 MAX is still wingless. Alex gets BA at the top of their game for an almost-diverted flight. NRT gets e-gates and Tokyo will get aircrafts over it (point your
097 FAO - TWA love, underwater 747, Virgin Pride, Del(icious)ta, RIP Airbus father, AA MD80, BA cats
Flight 097. The TWA hotel is everything we wanted. Long haul narrowbodies, a new old debate. USB-A versus USB-C, a new new debate (we just want good power!). Delta goes all in for good economy food, the US goes all in for the Open Skies (fifth freedoms, please!!). The cool Virgin Pride flight. The not very cool alone-in-the-dark-forgotten-by-Air-Canada experience. The under water 747 (and
096 IST - Emirates rejig, airport Lambo, Skytrax porn, Sunrise 4th zone, BA bubbly, Embraer nickname
Flight 096. Emirates fleet rejigging, 787 trashing, and basic business. The airport Lambo is nicer than the new Air Force One. What's in a name, MAX or no MAX, and other Boeing decisions. IAG steals the Paris Air Show PR. The A321XLR is amongst us. After beers and whisky, BA goes sparkling. What does Embraer actually stands for (it's a fun one). Space Jet gets a mystery sale. Do you need
095 YYZ - Jewel WOW, EVA pizza, chipped E140, Airbus 50, Kulula, Finnair whisky, De Havilland, A220+
Flight 095. EVA bakes pizza. Finnair does whisky. Airbus goes 50. Uber goes NY copter. Alex flies to South Africa, misplaces stuff (angry breakfast and angry lounge shower follow). Paul flies the Q Suite to Singapore, marvels at the Jewel waterfall (rain vortex!). United goes green. AF/KLM goes V plane. Alex survives a chipped E190 with rocky suspensions to Toronto. Paul falls in love wit
094 TLV - RIP Niki, First beer, Boeing distrust, 747 record, SWISS 77W, JetBlue treason, fly Nando's
Flight 094. Niki Lauda the legend who pushed death aside. Beers and more beers: Betsy makes a come back, BA adds a secret First Class bottled beer, and more on the Speedbird 100 (toilet clog, anyone?). From Nando's to Taco Bell, zeitgeist food in travel (and debating whether there is one or two Michelin star airport restaurants worldwide). BA goes whisky, JetBlue opts for treason (I mean,
093 INN - Speedbird beer, Superjet bounce, lavatory ratio, tricky airports, SQ farm, IFE privacy
Flight 093. Paul sounds like a robot (sorry, guys), Alex sounds authoritative (he's always right, no?). The BA Speedbird 100 beer (when need Glen to assess it!). Some on-board pop that foams too much (Alex is the worst passenger). On-board food: increasing portions, farm-to-plane, rooftop potatoes. After the on-board food: the toilet to passenger ratio revealed (but also how to cram gold
092 KUH - United love, JAL Zipair, BA coronation chicken, shoddy Dreamliner, Star Wars 738, IFE 56F
Flight 092. Alex loves Innsbruck 3000. Paul loves running in CDG 3000. We adore the new TWA infinity edge pool 3000. We love the new United livery 3000. We love tiny airports that behave like big ones, 3000. We love the BA coronation chicken 3000, the best shot haul airplane food in Europe. We love Emirates and Qantas IFE data 3000, and luxury brands love Emirates 3000. We're fascinated b
091 DEL - Virgin half door, JetBlue Europe, BA First buttons, IST Big Bang, DME cheese, Grand STN
Flight 091. Warning, doesn't contain images of any aircraft in distress. BA pizza app delivery to Lagos (so many questions!). Risk of cheese smell upon landing at Moscow DME (does that make immigration go faster?). Virgin Atlantic unveils a half door (but it has nice colors). Paul flies BA First with round buttons (but fix that 789 IFE remote for Pete's sakes!!). Alex bids his Etihad way
090 RIX - BA Club Suite, cockpit goals, bye WOW, Qantas cafe, bold StarLux, Sukhoi 380, 737 MAX bind
Flight 090. BA flies to the wrong destination (Ryanair mocks, but did worse) and introduces its shortest hop ever. WOW is gone, Jet Airways is close to be gone, but StarLux goes bold. AMS has a direct view on the luggage delivery system (WHAT?!). Astana is no more (just the name of the city, we recorded 079 just at the right time!). Cathay buys Hong Kong Express (did we call it?). ANA get
089 TSE - 737 MAX tragedy, A380 buyback, AirDrop WTF, skiplag fight, Air Astana joy, Southwest dress
Flight 089. The Ethiopian disaster, the 737 MAX grounding and aftermath. A dress, a baby and a stupid passenger enter aircrafts, who gets tasered? (Not the red badge!) Lufthansa fights skiplagging, on-boards doctors (amazing program!!), ditches four engines aircrafts (and Airbus is buying the 380 back!) The best wine and champagne in the sky (but where is Emirates?) Random AirDrop, the ne
088 MEX - So long A380, identity error anxiety, AFKLM fights, ETAs everywhere, red wings, Aeromexico
Flight 088. The end of the A380. Color printing is key to enter MEX. The new world of electronic authorizations of travel. The delicate art and science of aircraft forecasting (and everybody gets it wrong). The real prices of aircrafts. Rolls-Royce is losing a ton of money. Toulouse, both a name and a city. Wings can't be red anymore. Alex flies to SFO, or at least tries to, gets humiliat
087 GMP - Ethiopian love, premium business, JAL shoe shine, FRA T3, Aeroflot hijack, stupid alcohol
Flight 087. The beeping T-shirt, A Star Wars Story. Paul falls in love with Ethiopian, reviews Asiana and JAL. IAG gives up on Norwegian. WOW has no more wow. FlyBe might be saved. NRT celebrates 40, expands new signage, offers no-nonsense security, but no more whisky. JAL's First shoe shine service. A snow globe crashes. The never-ending 787 Trent story: ANA incident, Norwegian replaceme
086 YTZ - Remembering Herb, cooking United, fancy dress lounge, shutdown pizza, A220-500, last B727
Flight 086. Remembering Herb Kelleher, how he changed the aviation world, his legacy, his lessons, his arm wrestling. The Miracle of the Hudson, as witnessed by Alex. FRA comes to its senses and asks passengers to not come to the airport. Tipping flight attends, for or against? United loves Pacific Blue, Premium Purple, Atlantic Amethyst, and Apple. Cook your own United food. Is there alw
085 USU - Drone frenzy, dumped MNL 737, CebGo ATR, Brexit IAG, turbulence gimbal, China Coast Pub
Flight 085. HKG gates numbers, HKG electronic security, HKG landside shopping — a ton of HKG minutiae. A220 dividers debate, A220 sales success, A220 charcuterie board — a ton of A220 ingredients. MNL safety lapses, MNL domestic adventure, MNL abandoned Xiamen 737 — a ton of MNL mischief. Boeing longest range, Boeing sci-fi wing, Boeing Norwegian Iran jam — a ton of Boeing scores. Brexit
084 AUH - Racing Etihad, Priority idiocy, Joon FML, Fog shutdown, Lufthansa Goose, Air France bread
—For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)Review, and rate us, on Apple PodcastsFollow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/XComment, like, review, and rate us, on FacebookSearch for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website)If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Thre
083 CTS - C-3PO Star Wars plane, Q Suite, AI boarding, Samurai security, Lion Air, Aeroflot blogging
—For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)Review, and rate us, on Apple PodcastsFollow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/XComment, like, review, and rate us, on FacebookSearch for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website)If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Thre
082 TXL - United fans, BrewDog 767, best First food, new IST, A3 fun, A220 dividers, HK Express EDTO
—For video, subscribe on Spotify or YouTube (or YouTube Music)Review, and rate us, on Apple PodcastsFollow us, and comment on: Instagram - Bluesky - Threads - Mastodon - Twitter/XComment, like, review, and rate us, on FacebookSearch for 'Layovers' on any podcast service (some direct links are on our website)If we're missing somewhere, or for any feedback, let Paul know on Instagram - Thre
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