Rephonic
Artwork for Airlines Confidential Podcast

Airlines Confidential Podcast

Scott McCartney
Southwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines
American Airlines
United Airlines
Delta Airlines
Air Traffic Control
Airline Pricing
Frontier Airlines
Aviation Safety
Jetblue Airways
Boeing
FAA
Aviation
Elliott Management
Loyalty Programs
Pittsburgh International Airport
Aviation Industry
Airlines
Jetblue
Delta Air Lines

Hosted by Scott McCartney, Fmr. Travel Editor/"Middle Seat" Columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Top Stories, C-Suite Guests, Listener Q's. The Leading Podcast Reaching Travel Industry Insiders, Frequent Flyers, & Aviation Geeks. Created by & Dedicated to Ben Baldanza.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes356Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Airlines Confidential Podcast

Latest Episodes

Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. Guest: Ben Minicucci, CEO, Alaska Air Group. Also: Airline market capitalization, Primary and backup system failure at Philly TRACON; Market share numbers & discussion; Listener input on Frontier's "Spirit" plane, and pilot... more

YouTube

Scott McCartney with Jimmy Dempsey, CEO, Frontier Airlines - From the stage of The American Bar Association's 2026 Forum on Air and Space Law Annual Meeting in Denver. Session presented by Husch Blackwell. Plus: AirBaltic bankruptcy filing; Ryanair a... more

YouTube

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Guest: Andrew Levy, CEO, Avelo Airlines. Also: The London UK ATC system failure; Gate Pass pilot program; Positive signs from JetBlue; Hyatt splits with American and announces Delta partnership; The Mi... more

YouTube

Scott McCartney with Guest Co-Host Doug Parker. Guest: Beverley Bass, Pilot, American Airlines - Remembering 9/11 - 25 years later plus reflections on Come From Away. Also: Doug Parker receives 2026 L. Welch Pogue Award for Lifetime Achievement in Av... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Ben Minicucci
CEO and President of Alaska Air Group; CEO of Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Episode: 356 - Guest Co-Host Oscar Munoz. Guest: Ben Minicucci, CEO, Alaska Airlines
Jimmy Dempsey
President and CEO of Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Episode: 355 - Scott McCartney with Jimmy Dempsey, CEO, Frontier Airlines - From Denver, CO
Andrew Levy
Founder, chairman and CEO of Avelo Airlines
Avelo Airlines
Episode: 354 - Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Guest: Andrew Levy, CEO, Avelo Airlines
Beverley Bass
First female captain at American Airlines; central figure in Come From Away
American Airlines
Episode: 353 - 9/11 - 25th Remembrance - Scott McCartney, Doug Parker, Beverley Bass
Chris Sloan
Media producer, entrepreneur, aviation journalist, and roving correspondent for Runway Girl Network
Runway Girl Network
Episode: 352 - Chris Sloan profiles Canadian North Airlines
Brett Burgess
President and CEO of ATPCO
ATPCO
Episode: 351 - Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Guest: Brett Burgess, CEO, ATPCO
Ed Bastian
CEO of Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Episode: 350 - Scott McCartney with Delta CEO Ed Bastian. Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt
Jeremy Stone
Founder, CEO and Chairman of EERO Group; aviation strategist with a focus on people movers
EERO Group
Episode: 348 - Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest: Dr. Jeremy Stone, CEO, EERO Group
Greg Anderson
CEO of Allegiant Travel Company
Allegiant Travel Company
Episode: 347 - Guest Co-Host Charles Duncan. Guest: Greg Anderson, CEO, Allegiant Travel Company

Hosts

Scott McCartney
Host of the show with a background as Wall Street Journal travel editor and long-time aviation journalist.
Charles Duncan
Guest co-hosts and in-person host discussions.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 321 ratings
  • Lib boomers talking to Lib boomers

    Some of the commentary on here is so predictable: “Are slowed arrivals into SFO just a move by the Trump administration to punish SFO?” Give us a break- lots of turning over asinine comments in order to find information on this show.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Ayyyeeeeeeeeee
    United States6 months ago
  • Is Scott even a journalist?

    When Scott has all his buddies on this show for interviews it is nothing but an airline/CEO love fest. No hard reaching questions. Softball questions always. Paints all the airlines he likes in a positive light. Nothing but an ego booster.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    MattInKC
    United States8 months ago
  • Wishy-washy and pro-industry, not pro-consumer

    I like all things aviation so I enjoyed listening for 2 years, but the show tended toward wishy-washy chatter, especially when conservative guests rotated through. The last straw was the guy with the drawl who read and agreed with a letter about how the US has become an unwelcoming place to foreign travelers. Minutes earlier, he'd said there was no reason for the government shutdown and he was just happy it was over. (Even Oscar Muñoz, former United CEO, had acknowledged the other side of the sh... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    paul4792
    United States10 months ago
  • WAY TOO POLITICAL WITH LITTLE INSIGHT

    11/28/25 update. Hyper political host Scott is an embarrassment to the industry. Interjects politics into every question and show to the point that it’s vomit inducing. Oscar couldn’t define revenue management if you handed him a dictionary so don’t look for much in terms of hard hitting insights from him.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Crazy192837
    United States10 months ago
  • 5 star show

    I’ve listened to the show from the very beginning. The Richard Anderson/Doug Parker episode finally inspired me to write a review.

    This show is officially required listening for ANYONE interested in commercial aviation. This episode in particular should win a people’s choice award. So enjoyable from start to finish. Please more!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sidestep
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host delivers insightful, industry-focused aviation analysis with strong guest lineups.

Top Business Podcasts

Proven Podcast
Proven PodcastCharles Schwartz
Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement Podcast
Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement PodcastHala Taha | Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing | YAP Media Network
The Money Mondays
The Money MondaysDan Fleyshman
The Home Service Expert Podcast
The Home Service Expert PodcastTommy Mello: $200 Million Founder|Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur Columnist
3 Takeaways™
3 Takeaways™Lynn Thoman
Business MVP
Business MVPSammy Peterson

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

355 - Scott McCartney with Jimmy Dempsey, CEO, Frontier Airlines - From Denver, CO
Q: What are the core elements of Frontier's turnaround plan?
The core elements are right-sizing the fleet to match actual asset levels, reducing costs, fixing operational reliability, maturing the loyalty program to drive card revenue and repeat traffic, and growing with premium offerings in a disciplined way to stabilize the business before expanding capacity.
354 - Guest Co-Host Maya Leibman. Guest: Andrew Levy, CEO, Avelo Airlines
Q: What is the core strategy behind Avelo's growth at secondary airports?
Avelo focuses on affordable convenience, locating bases at smaller airports with high local demand to deliver simple, reliable, convenient service that avoids the congestion and costs of larger hubs.
353 - 9/11 - 25th Remembrance - Scott McCartney, Doug Parker, Beverley Bass
Q: How did Beverley Bass get into the airline business?
Her passion for aviation started in childhood, she pursued flying lessons, faced barriers but persisted, became American Airlines' third female pilot, then the first female captain, illustrating determination and breaking gender barriers.
351 - Guest Co-Host Christina Cassotis. Guest: Brett Burgess, CEO, ATPCO
Q: What is ATPCO's core role in the pricing and distribution of fares?
ATPCO collects, normalizes, and redistributes fare data from hundreds of airlines, enabling airlines, OTAs, and GDSs to access consistent pricing information and create offers.
350 - Scott McCartney with Delta CEO Ed Bastian. Guest Co-Host Henry Harteveldt
Q: What does Ed Bastian see as the core driver of Delta's long-term success?
Ed emphasizes leadership, people, and a long-term focus on networks and partnerships, rather than short-term fixes, with a substantial push toward international growth and a strong, differentiating brand built on a superior culture.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Airlines Confidential Podcast

What is Airlines Confidential Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show zeroes in on commercial aviation, airline leadership, pricing, technology, and industry strategy through in-depth interviews with top executives, policymakers, and analysts. Episodes often mix long-form conversations with data-driven analysis, operator perspectives, and real-world operating challenges—ranging from mergers, pricing evolution, and airport infrastructure to modernizing air traffic control and post-pandemic service models. A standout aspect is the mix of veteran industry hosts and high-profile guests who bring both management insight and practical field experience, along with occasional co-hosts and compelling listener Q&A segments. Potential listeners who want actionable industry context, leadership viewpoints, and a... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Airlines Confidential Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Airlines Confidential Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Airlines Confidential Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Airlines Confidential Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Airlines Confidential Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Airlines Confidential Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Airlines Confidential Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Airlines Confidential Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Airlines Confidential Podcast:

1. The Air Show
2. Airline Weekly Lounge
3. AvTalk - Aviation Podcast
4. Simple Flying Aviation News Podcast
5. Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

How many episodes of Airlines Confidential Podcast are there?

Airlines Confidential Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 356 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Airlines Confidential Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Airlines Confidential Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Airlines Confidential Podcast?

Recent guests on Airlines Confidential Podcast include:

1. Ben Minicucci
2. Jimmy Dempsey
3. Andrew Levy
4. Beverley Bass
5. Chris Sloan
6. Brett Burgess
7. Ed Bastian
8. Jeremy Stone

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days