Southwest's COO on the MAX 7 and Ops Fixes

Southwest's COO on the MAX 7 and Ops Fixes

Southwest’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson joins Brett Snyder to talk about the certification of the MAX 7, the airline’s operational troubles, and yes, even Andrew’s responsibilities themselves. Thank you to Points, a Plusgrade company [https://www.points.com/] and SkyGo [http://theairshowpodcast.com/skygo] for sponsoring this week's episode.

The Shifting Role of LaGuardia

LaGuardia is one of the most congested airports in the country, and the way that airport has been used has changed dramatically over time. Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder dig into LaGuardia’s service over the years and where it might go in the future. Thank you to Points, a Plusgrade company [https://www.plusgrade.com/made-by-plusgrade-2025-collection/subscription/] for sponsoring this week's episode.

The Air Show Attends An Air Show

Jon Ostrower is back to talk about what he saw at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. He tells Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder about the breakthrough of a Saab 340B modified with a hybrid electric power design, how the show was surprisingly weighted towards the defense industry, and more. Thank you to SkyGo [http://theairshowpodcast.com/skygo] for sponsoring this week's episode.

The Unsettled Transpacific

Transatlantic strategies are pretty well set for North American carriers, but transpacific strategies are definitely not. Delta seems to be making its move now, though Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder disagree on whether this should have happened earlier. This week, we talk about that and all the airlines that are trying to cement their place across the Pacific. Thank you to SkyGo [http://theairshowpodcast.com/skygo] for sponsoring this week's episode.

Mergers Improve Competition

The U.S. Government Accountability Office came out with a new report on airline competition [https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-107740.pdf] and the challenges for lower-cost airlines. But Brett Snyder and guest host Courtney Miller, founder and managing director of Visual Approach [https://visualapproach.io/], poke holes in why this report isn’t all that useful, even if it’s not a bad report itself. Thank you to Points, a Plusgrade company [https://www.plusgrade.com/made-by-plusgrade-2025-collection/subscription/] and SkyGo [http://theairshowpodcast.com/skygo] for sponsoring this week's episode. SHOW NOTES: GAO's report, "AIRLINE COMPETITION: Indicators Suggest Increased Competition in the Past Two Decades, but Lower-Cost Airlines Face Challenges" - https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-107740.pdf [https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-107740.pdf]