Explore every episode of the podcast The Next Trip - An Aviation and Travel Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding Pass 312: Aviation Recovers | 17 Nov 2025 | 00:49:30 | |
Doug is back from London and Drew lost a fight with a windsock. We discuss our weeks in flight and airport ops as well as the latest aviation news:
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| Boarding Pass 311: UPS 2976 | 10 Nov 2025 | 01:00:37 | |
Doug is back from Taipei and Drew has a busy week at airport ops. We discuss:
Links from this episode:
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| Boarding Pass 302: Cockpit Barriers, Westjet 787s, and Lost Baggage | 08 Sep 2025 | 00:57:51 | |
Doug and Drew fight sleep deprivation after late night and overnight shifts, respectively. Doug was on late night 767 simulator training flights and Drew was watching overnight airport ops in DC. We stay awake to discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 212: Why Flying is Miserable: And How to Fix It | 18 Dec 2023 | 01:20:26 | |
Ganesh Sitaraman, professor at Vanderbilt University, and author of “Why Flying is Miserable: and How to Fix It”, joins us to talk about the history of the airlines and how to make them better. We discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 211: Alaska Makes an (Un)Surprising Move | 11 Dec 2023 | 00:59:08 | |
Doug is back from KC46 training near Philadelphia and Drew is working to save fuel by having aircraft APUs shut down fast. Both of us are excited about the Alaska/Hawaiian merger and of course we have opinions on it. Should they start a new airline brand or keep Alaska and Hawaiian identities separate? We also discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 210: Busiest Day in History | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:53:47 | |
It’s confirmed - Sunday, November 26 was the busiest day in US aviation history. Drew talks about how it was running the operation that day, and Doug recounts leaving snowy Chicago. We discuss: Join the conversation! | |||
| Boarding Pass 209: The Great Sandwich War of 1958 | 27 Nov 2023 | 00:52:51 | |
Doug is back from Beijing and in the US Midwest for Thanksgiving while Drew is working the busiest holiday travel week ever. We talk about out Thanksgiving celebrations and discuss: Join the conversation! | |||
| Boarding Pass 208: Thanks for Nothing | 20 Nov 2023 | 01:03:30 | |
Doug is back from New Zealand and Drew's back from Geneva via a 747 from Frankfurt. Both are gearing up for a record breaking Thanksgiving travel period. We talk about what we’re thankful for but it didn’t go as planned. 😃 | |||
| Boarding Pass 207: Cargo Flashes Warning Signs | 13 Nov 2023 | 00:44:15 | |
Doug is back from 777 simulator training and Drew continues Winter Ops training in 70F temps. We discuss: We finish the episode previewing Doug’s trip to New Zealand that evening and Drew's trip to Europe the next day. Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 206: Just Tap the Brakes | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:47:24 | |
Drew has roadblocks getting flights out with the jetstream causing early arrivals in Europe, weight restrictions to Tokyo due to a volcanic eruption, and gate space issues at Las Vegas. Doug is in Denver for flight sim training after just arriving from Taipei. We discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 205: Downsizing? | 30 Oct 2023 | 00:51:32 | |
Drew is back from a Winter Ops Summit in Chicago and Doug is getting his honey-do list done before flying to Taipei. We discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 204: Full Circle Part 2 (One Perfect Day) | 23 Oct 2023 | 01:09:18 | |
Doug and Drew make it to Hong Kong to celebrate over 200 episodes. We accomplish our mission of walking to Checkerboard Hill where aircraft made the sharp turn before landing at Kai Tak airport until 1998. Drew has a special visitor from Sri Lanka with a civilian aviation story and Doug is back to KC46 training. . We discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 203: Full Circle Part 1 (Back Where it Started) | 16 Oct 2023 | 00:40:26 | |
Drew is at SFO filling in for ops manager and Doug survived a water park with 2 kids. We do a quick taping before Drew rushed to get on a flight to Hong Kong (or anywhere in Asia). We discuss We end the show with our plans for one perfect day in Hong Kong. | |||
| Boarding Pass 301: Open Aviation Jobs | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:59:44 | |
Happy Labor Day to all the aviation workers for getting where we need to be, safely, this summer. Doug and Drew talk about their aviation work weeks including Doug’s trip to Tokyo and Drew going back to airport ops midnight shift. We discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 202: Planes, Planes, and More Planes | 09 Oct 2023 | 00:59:16 | |
Doug is back from Frankfurt, and Drew is rounding everyone up to create Winter ops checklists as temps start dropping. Breaking news is a cargo 757 doing a belly landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee after a possible hydraulic issue. We discuss landing gear situations as well as a planeload of other topics: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 201: Arrivederci Avgeeks | 02 Oct 2023 | 00:45:21 | |
Doug is in Green Bay for a Packers game, after operating his 2nd flight to Rome, while Drew holds court with four avgeeks in DC. We discuss | |||
| Boarding Pass 200: Thank You Listeners! | 25 Sep 2023 | 00:52:30 | |
We made it to 200 episodes and could not have done it without you. Thank you for letting us be your avgeek fix every week. We do it for you! Thanks for the feedback, comments, engagement, and inspiration. We planned a fabulous trip for this episode but had to postpone because life happens, and we’ve alway said people (and pets) over planes. There will still be a celebratory trip soon but in the meantime we’re back to business with the following topics: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 199: Impending Groundings? | 18 Sep 2023 | 00:54:10 | |
We're back from Dorkfest at LAX but the fun didn't stop there. Doug had a rags to riches avgeek story for his return to the SF Bay Area and Drew and buddies went west to Honolulu (as one does) before returning to the mainland. On this episode we discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 198: Dorkfest! | 11 Sep 2023 | 00:51:59 | |
Doug and Drew make it to Dorkfest 2023 LAX and meet up with a bunch of our awesome friends and listeners. This is a yearly avgeek meetup first organized by Brett Snyder, better known as blogger Cranky Flier. VIP listeners Ian and Ryan join us on the episode. We discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 197: No Way Red Way | 04 Sep 2023 | 00:52:37 | |
It’s the busiest Labor Day weekend ever in the US and Drew’s mom tells us about getting the last seat on a flight from SF to DC. We also discuss: Join the discussion | |||
| Boarding Pass 196: All Roads Lead to PSLs | 28 Aug 2023 | 00:52:14 | |
See Rome and fly! Doug’s speed dating the Eternal City and Drew's on AM shift avoiding delays for customers in line for pumpkin spice lattes. We discuss Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 195: Back to Work! | 21 Aug 2023 | 01:11:19 | |
Doug is flying the line again and Drew is transitioning to AM shift. We talk about one of our favorite cities, Heathrow…sorry, London, where Doug just did a 24hr turnaround. Also on this episode Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 194: Turnaround Time with Oscar Munoz | 15 Aug 2023 | 01:01:53 | |
Doug and Drew interview Oscar Munoz, recent CEO and Chairman of United Airlines. Oscar talks about how he turned around a major US airline and put it on a path to success. We talk about his new book “Turnaround Time” which chronicles his life and career and fulfilling his American dream. Oscar discusses with us: We don’t let Oscar leave without answering some avgeek questions! Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 193: Not Without My... | 07 Aug 2023 | 00:48:10 | |
Drew is having a difficult work week while Doug is just as busy on his time off. On this episode we discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 300: Vote on Delta's New Route | 25 Aug 2025 | 00:54:01 | |
Doug and Drew talk about their exciting (not by choice) flights home on standby during a busy week. Drew also does his airfield runway inspections solo and is free to roam about the airport. Doug is back from his old love-hate work destination - London. We discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 192: Move Team & Oshkosh | 31 Jul 2023 | 01:00:20 | |
Patrick from the Move Team at Drew’s Airport joins us to talk about moving multi-million dollar aircraft and being the rescue crew for aircraft in need. He is also fresh from EAA Oshkosh! On this episode we discuss Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 191: Hobson's Choice | 24 Jul 2023 | 00:49:01 | |
Doug gets to fly the KC46 (for real, not simulator) and discusses the similarities with the 777. Drew is in peak Summer airport operations and working to keep things moving. On this episode we discuss: Airline passengers can make a Hobson’s choice if they don’t like their meal. Listen to hear what that is. Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 190: Straight to the Points | 17 Jul 2023 | 01:06:48 | |
Spencer Howard of Straight To The Points, a must-have premium travel resource, joins us this week. We discuss how he left a career in politics to follow his passion which has taken him around the world in luxury. We were also able to confirm that Spencer is an avgeek….at least we think he is, you decide. Spencer also discusses with us: | |||
| Boarding Pass 189: Francis Takes On ARFF | 10 Jul 2023 | 00:47:31 | |
Next Trip Public Enemy #1, airport ops supervisor Francis, joins Drew on a widebody transcon trip from DC to LAX. We visit Next Trip public enemy #2, Aaron, and regale Doug about planes, Hollywood, and ARFF of course. In this episode: | |||
| Boarding Pass 188: Pack Your Patience | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:54:16 | |
Doug and Drew comiserate with each other and travelers after a rough week at the airlines. We talk about what happened with the weather and ATC and the difficulties of recovering after hundreds of planes and thousands of crewmembers are displaced. We also discuss: We end the show with our first Google Voice message from abroad with a comment from Mark in Calgary, Canada. Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 187: Paris 2023 | 26 Jun 2023 | 01:05:08 | |
Drew has a rough week with nights ending up at IHOP and not Jimmy’s (we’ll explain) and Doug is on a soccer dad break from KC46 training. On this episode we discuss Spirit Aerosystem machinists go on strike, causing new supply chain issues for the 737 and 787 We end the show with a discussion about missed approaches and go-arounds. Don’t be afraid and enjoy more flight time. :) Join the conversation! | |||
| Boarding Pass 186: Sliding into the Week | 19 Jun 2023 | 00:55:21 | |
Drew talks about managing throught the Summer flight schedule and Doug is getting ready to head back to training, this time in Altus, Oklahoma, the middle of nowhere. Is it really the middle of nowhere though? Drew does some research and finds goat petting, corn shucking, and axe throwing to keep Doug occupied. We also discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 185: DB Cooper | 12 Jun 2023 | 00:55:36 | |
Doug is back in California for a break from KC46 training and Drew is managing through the crazy busy Summer flght schedule. We touch on the Air India diversion to Siberia and SFO go-arounds drama before we head down memory taxi lane with a look back at the Boeing 727. Also on this episode: Join the fun! | |||
| Boarding Pass 184: Brushwing Rising in HKG | 05 Jun 2023 | 00:56:52 | |
Cathay Pacific’s Senior VP, Americas, Chris van den Hooven joins us as his carrier bounces back from Covid19. China’s “zero covid” policy has kept Cathay Pacific out of the resurgent Asian travel market but now, with restrictions lifted, the sky’s the limit. Also on this episode: We end with Chris regaling us with bar recommendations for when we visit Hong Kong, and can tape with him IN PERSON. Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 183: Air Capital of the World | 29 May 2023 | 01:20:56 | |
Doug and Drew are on location in Wichita, Kansas which claims to be the Air Capital of the World. Is it? We tour the city to find out. All these aviation giants here but “The I C..T.” is not all about aviation. We visited breweries, a nature trail, the charming Old Town, and played pickleball! | |||
| Boarding Pass 299: Air Canada Winds Down | 18 Aug 2025 | 00:58:06 | |
Doug and Drew are doing their final summer nonrev trips which promise to be exciting - not in a good way. We discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 182: 5G Extension? | 22 May 2023 | 00:51:26 | |
Airlines are asking for more time to update aircraft altimeters but will the FAA extend the deadline at the end of June? Telecoms executive Hugh Odom, president of Vertical Consultants, joins us to talk about the concerns. Doug goes down memory taxi lane with a visit to Enid Oklahoma where he did early flight training. Drew talks about ensuring thousands of bags fly with passengers. We also discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 181: ATCGPT | 15 May 2023 | 01:09:30 | |
Nose to the grindstone for Doug and Drew this week with Doug hitting the KC46 books and simulator and Drew prepping for a busy summer airline hub operation. We dive into commercial aviation jet routes which could be a J route or Q route based on if its using ground based VORs or GPS - confused yet? Don’t change the station, we’ll explain. Also on this episode: | |||
| Boarding Pass 180: Looming Pilot Strikes? | 08 May 2023 | 00:59:02 | |
Drew is back from another Summer IRROPs preparation meeting and Doug is back to Wichita in KC46 training. Drew talks about how airlines and ATC work behind the scenes to make sure your flight is safe. Both Doug and Drew talk about how they individually work with ATC and Dispatch, real time, to get planes moving. We also discuss: We finish the episode ranting about an article lamenting airport lounges. We agree lounges could be better, but a lounge is better than no lounge! Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 179: Direct | 01 May 2023 | 00:42:58 | |
Drew is back from an IRROPs strategy session in Las Vegas and Doug is on the way home from Wichita for a break from KC-46 training. They were both on direct flights …or were they non-stop flights? Doug av-splains the difference. Also on this episode: | |||
| Boarding Pass 178: Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly | 24 Apr 2023 | 00:54:35 | |
Doug's in KC46 school in Wichita and Drew's back from helping improve airline ops tools in Chicago. This week we discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 177: Doug Does DFW | 17 Apr 2023 | 01:11:34 | |
Doug is at DFW for a meetup with our buddies at Nonrev Lounge Podcast. He also talks about flying the competition from Sacramento to Wichita and driving (?) to DFW. Drew's about to leave for Chicago to help improve a tool they use to manage the operation. We also discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 176: How'd That Hub Get There? | 10 Apr 2023 | 00:50:07 | |
Drew gets coworkers from 4 departments together because teamwork makes the dream, and the operation, work. Doug is on break from flying the 777 - any withdrawal symptoms? We check on him and discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 175: ADIRUs Down Undah | 03 Apr 2023 | 00:59:05 | |
Doug is back from his first trip to Sydney, Australia and Drew is taking new hires on ramp tours. On this episode we discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 174: Throttle Monkeys | 27 Mar 2023 | 00:57:16 | |
Doug is back from a fun, and tiring, family vacation in Disneyland and Drew spent another day at the Udvar-Hazy Aviation Museum in DC. How many trips must he make before he gets docent status and free parking? On this episode we discuss: | |||
| Boarding Pass 173: Startups | 20 Mar 2023 | 00:48:28 | |
Doug is back from Kona and Denver and Drew had an unexpected deicing event, and major delays due to winds and a single runway operation, the next day. Also on this episode: | |||
| Boarding Pass 298: Alaska Airlines Modernizes | 11 Aug 2025 | 01:04:40 | |
Drew responds to a bird strike and gets to learn more about snarge - it ain’t pretty. Doug is living a nonrev drama trying to get his family home from Denver. Both of us live vicariously through Drew’s husband Robbie who is flying to Turkey. We discuss:
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| Boarding Pass 172: Engine Geek | 13 Mar 2023 | 01:02:54 | |
Greg, our buddy and show contributor, joins us to talk about aircraft engines - how they work, air-starts, and engine supply chain issues. He also is excited to be back in the aviaton industry with what could be his dream job. Doug regales us with a pilot memoir about his 2nd trip to Japan and reveals he’s a train (rail?) geek too. We also discuss: Join the discussion! | |||
| Boarding Pass 171: Inflation and Ticket Prices... and "Real" Dollars? | 06 Mar 2023 | 01:01:15 | |
Doug is back from his KC10 “fini” flight and Drew’s been spending time with visitors at DC aviation museums. Which one is best for avgeeks? Also: Join the conversation! | |||
| Boarding Pass 170: Weight Restricted | 27 Feb 2023 | 00:49:01 | |