1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Are iHeartMedia Aviation expert. We are lucky to get in 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: for a few segments on a Friday Eve. Welcome back, 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: I heart media Aviation Expert. Jay Ratt left my friend. 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: Good to hear from you. 5 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 2: As always, plus a good morning to you. 6 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: I know we do hub delays last, and I know 7 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: the TSA shut down or the government shutdown of the 8 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: TAS and the impact on TSA isn't on the list, 9 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: but I just really have to quickly ask you. We've 10 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: been reading about delays because of the TSA agents not 11 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: showing up for work, and I guess when you make 12 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: an average of forty five grand a year and your 13 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: paycheck's been deprived, you may not be able to make 14 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: ends meet at home, so you go off and you 15 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,599 Speaker 1: find an extra job. That's happening right now. We've had 16 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: three hundred or so TSA agents quit already because of this. 17 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: But the three to four hour delays that it's causing, 18 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: and then the warning that some small airports or some 19 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: of the airports might be shut down over this. I 20 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 1: was thinking of you talking about the ripple effect of 21 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: like a flight being shut down or an airport being 22 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: delayed because of weather and the profound effect that has 23 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: in terms of impacting other flights. What's your take on this? 24 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: And I hope that people who are experiencing the TSA 25 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: problem know that it is Chucky Schumer and his crew 26 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: that have caused this. But your reaction to what's going 27 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: on and do you think do you see an end 28 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: insight what's going on? 29 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: Well? I see an urgency in DC to fix this. 30 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: And I think that's one of the real issues with 31 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 2: a lot of the TSA employees. It's as though they're forgotten. Yeah, 32 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: it's as though they're out there along with the Department 33 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 2: of Homeland Security. Ay, do your job, but we're going 34 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: to pay you later. You can file for unemployment, but 35 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: you pay it back. There's just so many things here 36 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 2: that just aren't you know, from the standpoint of taking 37 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: care of the individuals as you should. It really bothered me. 38 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: And when I see a lot of these individuals that 39 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,199 Speaker 2: are ye out faced with that they missed their first 40 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: paycheck on the fourth of March. I believe the second 41 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: miss paycheck would have been maybe yesterday if it's every 42 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: other week. But Bran, I mean, how long can anybody 43 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 2: go without a paycheck to just work for free indefinitely, 44 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 2: and the idea that these men and women are saying, Look, 45 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: I've got to feed my family. I've got to put 46 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: food on the table. I've got to do what I 47 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: can do. I'm going to go get it, get something 48 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: that will bring in money. Now, I totally get that, 49 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: and you know, you don't want to let the people 50 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: down that you're working with, But the bottom line is 51 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: our families come first. You're going to do what you 52 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: have to. Now. Air traffic controllers had to face this 53 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: exact same situation in the previous government shut down, but Brian, 54 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 2: you had a much smaller number. You have. You have 55 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 2: fifty thousand TSA employees that are directly responsible day to 56 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 2: day with screening. So we've got that scattered across you know, 57 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: several hundred airports. The benches can be a little deeper. 58 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: But when you have air traffic controllers who are a 59 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 2: short as it is from a staffing standpoint, even add 60 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 2: to that with individuals not being there to work. That's 61 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: one of the reasons that the FAA had Many airlines 62 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 2: reduced their flag activity by as much as ten percent, 63 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: and several markets in the Northeast to try to help 64 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: absorb that issue. Now we're to point now where people 65 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: are being told to show up at airports three and 66 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 2: four hours before departure. It is just it's just nut 67 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: at a time when we're seeing an increasing number of 68 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: people flying because of spring break. That's why you saw 69 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: a lot of the airline CEOs reaching out to people 70 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: in Washington saying this has to stop. Now, stop using 71 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 2: these people as a political football. Let's get this deal done. 72 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: And you know, you've got a lot of airlines that 73 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 2: are struggling. Look at Spirit. Spirit Airlines has filed bankruptcy 74 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 2: twice in the last year year and a half. They're 75 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: skimming down that I think they have eighty planes left 76 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: from the fleet that they used to have to try 77 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: to keep things going. Fuel prices are going through the roof, 78 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: and now you've got the t SSU, we can need 79 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: even harder for people to get to the planes to travel. 80 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: So it's a mess. And sadly, on the day that 81 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: we hit thirty nine trillion dollars in death, that another 82 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: indication of just people in DC that have absolutely no 83 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: regard for, you know, taking care of people. It's like, 84 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 2: what headline can I use today to score my political points? 85 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: And forget about the people. I'm supposed to be here 86 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 2: to represent it bothers me on both sides of the aisle, 87 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 2: and Brian, it does you too, And I'm just glad 88 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 2: that you keep everything straight because in this day and 89 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: age of people just skimming headlines, it's tough to lose 90 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: some of the real facts that are going on behind 91 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: the scenes. 92 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: Well, and God forbid, you know my recollection is correct. 93 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: TSA was created in the aftermath of nine to eleven, 94 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 1: so we wouldn't have bombers on airplanes. Gee, last time 95 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: I checked, we're at war currently with one of the 96 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: biggest global sponsors of Islamic fundamentals terrorism, and we've had 97 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: some problems with those kind of things before. Oh that's right, 98 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: like nine to eleven. So yeah, I wonder how Chucky 99 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: Schumer's going to react if God forbids something like that happens, 100 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: Because for one of TSA agents. We'll leave it at that, 101 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: Jay Ratliff, bring it back and talk about well, leg room, 102 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: I guess Frontier Airlines kicking passengers off, Southware Airlines ditching Chicago. 103 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: We got a whole lot of topics with Jay, So 104 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: don't go away, be right back fifty five about karc 105 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: de talk station. Jay raylf Vassi's the iHeart Media aviation expert, 106 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: and he's going to answer the question which airlines offers 107 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: the most room to recline. I got a lot of 108 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: people having problems with people reclining their seat on an airplane. 109 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: It's your prerogative to lean the seat back, and it 110 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: doesn't lean back that far, but quite often fistfights are 111 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: erupted and things like that when people recline their seat. 112 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: But who's got the best reclining seat day? 113 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: That would be cutter. We got to go to the 114 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: Middle East. They'd give us seven inches of reclining space, 115 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: which is nice. And you're right. There's a lot of airlines, 116 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 2: such as Allegiance, Frontier Spirit that have seats that do 117 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 2: not recline. They are what they call pre reclined in 118 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: some instances where the seats are reclined just a bit, 119 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 2: and the airlines sell it to us this way as 120 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 2: a matter of you know, customer service. We want everybody 121 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: to make sure they have their own space or own room. 122 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 2: Nobody's encroaching. So we don't have seats that recline, they're 123 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 2: pre reclined, and we do this to provide better service. No, 124 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: they don't. They do it because when you have that, 125 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: you can actually put an extra row sometimes two in 126 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: the back of the aircraft, so you now have six 127 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: to maybe twelve extra river new seats because you don't 128 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: have these seats that recline anymore. So they do it 129 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 2: from a revenue standpoint. They do not do it for 130 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: anything that is even closely related to a customer service. 131 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: But you go to the top five airlines that have 132 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: the most of reclining space, they're all international carriers. Nothing 133 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: here in the United States, nothing even close. And that's 134 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 2: in coach, and which is you know, seven inches to 135 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: recline and coach. 136 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: Is not too bad, No, it's not. It's above average 137 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: for what I heard. Anyway, Frontier Airlines have it a 138 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: bit of a problem, a whoops moment over at Frontier. 139 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 2: This is a who you do you want to believe? 140 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 2: We had a situation where we had a viral video 141 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: that took off went everywhere showing a flight attendant for 142 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 2: Frontier kicking off a passenger for, according to the passenger, 143 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: not paying full attention to the flight attendant and as 144 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: a result, she said, look, I'm deaf, I have a disability, 145 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 2: and but you know, and so they escort or off 146 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 2: the plane. One tier who's normally not known for being 147 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 2: totally transparent on everything, Brian. They came out with both 148 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 2: barrels and said time out here, time out, time out. 149 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: That's not what happened. This woman boards their airplane with 150 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 2: an out with a drink in her hand. Now, you 151 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: cannot bring alcohol on board and aircraft. You can't consume 152 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: it on board and aircraft because it's it is a 153 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 2: federal fence. You have to serve what's served, and you 154 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: can't bring your own. And the cup she had even 155 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: had a sticker on it said do not bring it 156 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: on an airplane federal fence. Well, she brings it on anyways, 157 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: and the flight attendants mentioned it to her. She drowns 158 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: the drink, gives it to him, has some words back 159 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: and forth. Well, then the captain's notified, and Frontier has 160 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 2: a policy that says, if you break that rule, you're 161 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: kicked off the plane. And that's exactly what they did. 162 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: They followed that rule. Now, Frontier also added, look, when 163 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 2: this woman was in the gate, there was nothing in 164 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: her record that indicated any sort of a hearing disability, 165 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: and our agents had no trouble whatsoever in communicating with 166 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 2: this person, kind of leading us to think maybe it's 167 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: not a hearing impairment or what. We don't know. But 168 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: it comes down to who you want to believe, Frontier 169 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: or the passenger. If you just look at the little video, 170 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: it looks like Frontier is heartless. When you see everything 171 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: that happened from the galley back to the time she 172 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: sat down, it's a little bit more clear what was 173 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 2: taking place. 174 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: Fair enough. You know, it's funny you mentioned alcohol and 175 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: you can't bring your own alcohol on an airplane. I 176 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: guess you're allowed to bring bottles of water though, right 177 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: you can't. 178 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 2: Well, you can buy water. You can even buy a 179 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: rain in the duty free shops and bring them on 180 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: the plane. You just can't consume anything unless it's been 181 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 2: given to you by a alcohol wise by a flight attendant. 182 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: How do they police that? I mean, I just gotta 183 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: be honest with the Urban lobbying was a class I 184 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: took at UC. We used to stop over the Gentlemen 185 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: or Gentleman Square, the Student Union Square and buy beers 186 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: and put them in what we used to jokingly refer 187 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: to as opaque cups, and you can enjoy a beer 188 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: in urban lobbying because no one knew what was in 189 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: the container. You can still do that in an airplane. 190 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: But if you get caught, I guess the concern I 191 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 1: would have is what the penalty is and is it 192 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: pretty significant? 193 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 2: Days it can be I mean you hear this. You 194 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 2: could be banned from the airline. The FAA could find you, 195 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 2: you could go to j oh blah blah. It's the 196 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: federal The bottom line is, most of the time, if 197 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 2: you're sipping on something, most slide tends could care less. 198 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 2: If you're acting up, it's going to become an issue. 199 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 2: I'm not telling you to break any federal rules. Don't 200 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: go there, But I'm saying what tends to happen on 201 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: board an aircraft, and that's typically what takes place. And 202 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: you know, these flight attends have so much on their 203 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: plates already as it is, and to have to worry 204 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 2: about that. But look, when somebody's acting up and especially 205 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: calling attention to themselves, you're forcing them into a position. 206 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 2: It's a lot like the idiot that jokes that they 207 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 2: have a bomb in their bag. You have forced them 208 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: into a position that there's only one way to go, 209 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 2: there's no great area, there's no well we'll slide this time. No, no, no, 210 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 2: We've got a very set a protocol that we follow, 211 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 2: and these steps mandate us taking you off the plane 212 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 2: with everybody you're flying with. So you know, you just 213 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 2: don't please don't break any federal rules. 214 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, don't be that guy. You may be able to 215 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: get away with it as long as you're not being 216 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: that guy. So fair enough, all right, Yeah, moving over 217 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: to Southwest. Southwest Airlines decision to drop Chicago Hair airport service. 218 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was minimal, as you know, from Chicago Midway everything, 219 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: so that's the main operation. But Southwest said, look, we 220 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: can save money if we consolidate our operation not only 221 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 2: in Chicago but in Washington, DC. We're going to pull 222 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: out of Washington Dulles, we're gonna pull out of Chicago Hair, 223 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: and we're going to just fold those flight activities into 224 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 2: what we have at our other Washington airport as well 225 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: as the other Chicago airport in Midway. So they're saying 226 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 2: it's a better way to streamline their service and people 227 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: that frequent them out of O'Hare just drive over to Midway. 228 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 2: It is not the most convenient, but you can do it, 229 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 2: and it allows Southwest to be a stronger financial airline, 230 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 2: and that's what they're after. That's why all of these 231 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 2: steps are being made, and even though passengers may not 232 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 2: totally agree with it, they're setting things where Southwest is 233 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: going to become a much stronger and much more profitable 234 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 2: airline if they keep doing what they're supposed to be doing. 235 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 2: A lot of people haven't seen it yet. A lot 236 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 2: of people still are complaining about what's going on. But 237 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: Southwest knows if you make these course corrections now down 238 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 2: the road, it's going to pay off in a big way. 239 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 2: And I suspect that we're going to see just that 240 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 2: from them. 241 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: Fair enough. You know, I've been in and out of Midweb, 242 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: in and out of Chicago O'Hare, and honestly, it's a 243 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: lot easier to navigate Midway Airport than it is O'Hare. 244 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 1: That place is a zoo. 245 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 2: Well, let's say you've got two main hubs, You've got 246 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 2: American in United to continue to get bigger at that location, 247 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 2: and when you've thrown all the construction issues and the 248 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 2: things that are going is that mega airport. It's a 249 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: nightmare and for passengers trying to get to the airport 250 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: and then trying to get out in time. Look, you 251 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 2: and I've been on planes where you know, you pull 252 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: out of the gate and you're number fifty four per time, 253 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,559 Speaker 2: and it's like, just you know, just take it easy 254 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: for an hour and a half because you're not going anywhere. 255 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,359 Speaker 2: And typically that's when I'm flying back to Daton or Cincinnati. 256 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 2: I could drive it in the time I get a 257 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: flown it with those delays. But yeah, Chicago Hair is 258 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 2: a place I always say we're on time flights co 259 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: to die. It's just a huge, huge mess of an 260 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 2: airport that look, when the weather's good that they operate 261 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 2: those flights in and out there, you know. But it's just, 262 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 2: you know, one of those situations where Southwest made a 263 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 2: business decision, and I'm glad they did because that's going 264 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 2: to make Southwest a stronger carrier. 265 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: All right, coming up, Spirit Airlines slashing their fleet, boeings 266 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: involved in litigation and well rising fuel costs. You expect 267 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: Station A forty nine if you have KRCD talk station 268 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: always enjoyed these conversations. I heard media aviation expert Jay 269 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: Ratlift heaving over to Spirit Airlines. They slashed their feet. 270 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: The entire airline only has eighty planes. 271 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 2: Down from the first time they went into bankruptcy they 272 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 2: had two hundred and I think thirty or forty, wow, 273 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 2: and they have been shedding them off. They're sticking with 274 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: only the most profitable routes, even some routes that they've 275 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 2: had in the past that have been profitable. They found 276 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 2: that they can go places and be more profitable, and 277 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 2: that's what they're planning on doing. They're adding premium seats 278 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 2: and again sticking to the markets that give them the 279 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 2: highest yield or profit for passenger. And what that's doing 280 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: brand is giving him a fighting chance here to survive. Now. 281 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: Of course, with the rising fuel costs, that's creating some 282 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 2: issues for them, but the demand for travel seems to 283 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 2: be hanging in there, and hopefully for them that's going 284 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 2: to be the case. I still think that Spare is 285 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 2: probably going to have to be merged, acquired, do something 286 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 2: with some of the carrier to have any long term 287 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 2: success here. But I'm not a big fan of mergers. 288 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: But I love every low cost carrier and I want 289 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 2: them to all stick around because they give us the competition. 290 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: We need it help us to drive down airpairs around 291 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 2: the country a. 292 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: Man and litigation usually drives the cost of anything up 293 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: as it's expensive. I guess Boeing's under pressure from a 294 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: lawsuit by investors. Is this a shareholder derivative suit. 295 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 2: It's a lawsuit that goes back to the time period 296 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 2: of twenty eighteen and nineteen. It's a judge in Chicago 297 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: said that shareholders who owned that Boeing stock between I 298 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 2: think it was November seventh, twenty eighteen and October eighteenth 299 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 2: can sue as a group. They've got a collective lawsuit 300 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: here in this class action suit is against Boeing, saying 301 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 2: that they were holding or withholding critical information from shareholders 302 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: and of course airlines and pilots and other things. And yeah, 303 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 2: this lawsuit's going to move forward. And Boeing has admitted 304 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 2: on multiple occasions that's exactly what they did. And then 305 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: one time they did admit in criminal court the wrongdoing. 306 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 2: But after Trump became president, they went back to the 307 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 2: DOJ asked if they could withdraw that admission, and they 308 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 2: were apparently a lie to do so, which again just 309 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 2: just just uh, you know what it does to me, Brian, 310 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 2: give me my give me my blood pressure medication. Because 311 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 2: the idea that people can get away with this blatantly 312 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: like that, nobody's gonna notice. Come on, we'll just we'll 313 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 2: just do this. 314 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: It's like it, I'll obstruct the jury to disregard that comment, Like, yeah, 315 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: go ahead and try to unring that bell. No, I 316 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: committed it to memory. Now, So is this swirling around 317 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: that failed software update that they didn't bother telling the 318 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: pilots about, Jay, Yeah. 319 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 2: It's over the MCAST system where they had that uh 320 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 2: something that was on the airplane that they knew that 321 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 2: there were issues too that they were planning on fixing 322 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 2: on a later update that was going to happen, and 323 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 2: as a result, they were going to in essence, just 324 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 2: just let it stay as it was, and when airlines 325 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 2: and different pilots and individuals would ask about it, there 326 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 2: was very little, uh transparency back to a lot of 327 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 2: the pilots. I know for American Airlines it was on eight. 328 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 2: Otherwise I wouldn't have believed what I was hearing was 329 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 2: asking some of the engineers at Boeing why they weren't 330 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 2: telling us about the MCAST system that could violently rip 331 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 2: the controls out of our plane, out of our hands 332 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 2: when we're trying to fly the plane. And they said, 333 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 2: we don't want to overload you with a lot of 334 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: needless information. That was their exact word. And you know, pilots, 335 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: when it comes to controlling my aircraft will tell me 336 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: something isn't needed when it you know, because this is 337 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 2: something that in essence, it rips the controls out. It 338 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 2: sends a plane into a dive for ten seconds, It 339 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: gives the pilots back their control for five seconds, and 340 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: then does another ten second dive. So when that system 341 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 2: malfunctions and it's saying that there's a stall and that 342 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: aircraft needs to drop the nose and build up speed 343 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 2: to get out of the stall. When that malfunctions, it's 344 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: a thing where the pilots have control for five seconds, 345 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 2: the aircraft has control for ten and it goes back 346 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: five And you understand how quickly you can run out 347 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: of altitude when the plane has controlled ten seconds down 348 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: and you can only have control for five seconds up. 349 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 2: And that's what led to those two horrific crashes, as 350 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 2: those pilots were trying valiantly to try to save the 351 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: passengers on board their airplane and technology was fighting them 352 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 2: technology they weren't even aware that was on the plane. 353 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: To this day, every time we talk about this story, 354 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: I still cannot believe that that was the attitude out 355 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: of Bowick Lord Almighty. 356 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, Brianon, I'm sorry. We were the last planet 357 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 2: country on the planet to ground the airplane. We had 358 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 2: a lot of these very well known aviation analysts that 359 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 2: are out there that were talking about how safe the 360 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 2: aircraft was and how they would get on it and 361 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 2: not to worry, blah blah blah, and they blamed everything 362 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 2: that they could. And I was the only one in 363 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 2: the country. I was screaming on Fox and all the 364 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 2: other stations. I was on for us to please ground 365 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: that airplane until we knew what was going on. And 366 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 2: it wasn't until not the airlines, not the FA, but 367 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: President Trump who finally said, let's ground this airplane till 368 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 2: we see what's going on. Thank god he did. 369 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: It fair enough. Real quick Hub Delays has a look 370 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: other than tsa three to four hour potential lays. Jay 371 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: Rhetliff has a looking otherwise. 372 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 2: Likes island and get on a long line for a ride. 373 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 2: Same thing as the airport. So yeah, and you get 374 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 2: to do it indoors, which is nice. Bright I can't 375 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 2: find a delay to save my life. This morning. 376 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: Oh, that's the. 377 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 2: Best day of the week to fly. It's a beautiful day. 378 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 2: It's all the all the garbages out of the way. 379 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,239 Speaker 2: The issues are going to be at the airport. Just 380 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,719 Speaker 2: get there soon enough, get through the scared and checkpoint 381 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 2: as soon as you can, and get to the gate 382 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 2: of departure long before you're supposed to be, just to 383 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 2: make sure you can make that trip.