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In Case It’s Not Clear, People Really Hate Airlines
When the images of a bleeding passenger being dragged off a United Express flight began to surface, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be good for United. But I don’t think anyone expected it to...
View ArticleHonoring the Flight Crews That Died 16 Years Ago Today
I know one year shouldn’t make a difference, but there’s something about this year’s anniversary that makes 9/11 seem more distant than it used to. Maybe it’s the hurricanes, the threat of nuclear...
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2017 Flying Summary
There’s no question 2016 was a bad year for flying for me, but 2017 was so much better. The only thing 2017 lacked was a long haul trip. I surprised myself when I looked back to find that I haven’t...
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Reviewing Your 2017 Predictions and Making Your 2018 Picks
It’s official, 2017 is over so it’s time to look back and see how you all did with your predictions. A year ago, I reviewed 2016 predictions and asked for your thoughts on 2017. There were a ton of...
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California Pacific Will Fly November 1, But For How Long?
The wait is over. California Pacific, an airline that has been around for years in theory, has finally taken flight. The airline is currently operating… from Denver to the bustling South Dakota...
View ArticleHonoring the Flight Crews That Died 17 Years Ago Today
It’s always worse when it falls on a Tuesday. Seventeen years ago, I remember going to bed on a Monday night, ready to wake up early for another day at work. But on that Tuesday, well, we all know...
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Dorkfest is Just Over a Week Away
Dorkfest is almost upon us. One week from tomorrow, I’ll be at the park across from the In-N-Out at LAX (9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045) from 11am to 1pm. Why? To do this: That’s a...
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Another Successful Dorkfest
If you didn’t come to Dorkfest on Saturday, you missed out on a great time. We had well over 100 people show up — probably closer to 150 — to eat burgers, watch airplanes, talk shop… and take home a...
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A New Book: 3 Feet to the Left
How about something a bit different today? It’s not uncommon for me to get requests to read a manuscript, and I will often do so if it’s related to the airline industry. But it’s not every day that I...
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Reviewing Your 2018 Predictions and Making Your 2019 Picks
It’s the end of the year, and you know what that means. It’s time to look back at your predictions for 2018 as well as make you picks for what you think will happen in 2019. The 2017 review saw almost...
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2018 Flying Summary
I said I was going to leave North America in 2018, but that didn’t happen. For a variety of reasons (many work-related), I had to scrap trips that I had planned. In the end, I was left with another...
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Cranky on the Web: Via Goes Down
BHM confident in airport traffic growth despite losing Via Airlines – Birmingham Business JournalI realize this is behind a paywall that many of you won’t be able to access, but it gives me the...
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Cranky on the Web: An Interview With Me
Have We Reached Peak Airline Complexity? – kambr.mediaHere’s a wide-ranging interview I did with Kambr touching everything from my background to what’s new at Cranky Concierge… and of course, whether...
View ArticleHonoring the Flight Crews That Died 18 Years Ago Today
It’s hard to believe that the terrorist act that completely turned our industry upside down is now old enough to vote. It’s been 18 years since that fateful day in 2001. As always, following the lead...
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Reviewing Your 2019 Predictions and Making Your 2020 Picks
The year is almost done, and that means it’s time to go back and see how you did on your 2019 predictions. Some were right on, some were not, and some were truly ridiculous. (I’m talking to you,...
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2019 Flying Summary
It’s the last day of the year, so that means it’s time to look at the year in flying. Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz. Miles: 33,378 (19,406 last year)Segments:...
View ArticleA Recipe for Coronavirus Panic That Is Very Bad News for Airlines
Coronavirus panic has reached a fever pitch as cases outside of China continue to tick upwards. We appear to be seeing a perfect storm of airlines, governments, and passengers all feeding off each...
View ArticleA Letter to New Airline Employees About This Industry We Love
Dear Newbie, I’m sure this has been a really challenging month for you. After all, since you were hired in the last decade, you’ve never seen anything like this before. Take a deep breath and get...
View ArticleAll of a Sudden, The Airline Industry Disappears
Every post I had in the hopper suddenly seems irrelevant. I was working on a story about growing capacity in a small town, and I had been digging into Contour’s model. Now none of it matters thanks to...
View ArticleSubscribe to the New Cranky Coronavirus Daily Update
With the airline industry nearly grinding to a halt, Cranky Concierge has taken a hit as well. We’ve been working hard to help customers handle changes and refunds, and we’ve found a way to cut 20...
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