DLD 583: In Search of Better Seats

In episode 583 of 'Dots, Lines & Destinations,' hosts Stephen Seagraves, Seth Miller, and Fawz Mahmood dive into a wide range of aviation and travel topics, starting with Seth’s reflections from the Hamburg airshow, where he encountered futuristic concepts like a wraparound screen in first class and AI-powered voice-controlled seats—though many remain speculative. The conversation shifts to airline mergers, analyzing the rumored United-American merger talks, the potential for American to acquire Spirit, and the strategic implications for Delta and JetBlue. The hosts critique airline apps and user experience, particularly highlighting Air Canada’s flawed flight search interface and Alaska’s poor app navigation, blaming a lack of real usability testing. They examine Delta’s new A350 cabins, questioning their decision to skip premium front-row seats, and contrast Air Canada’s choice to omit privacy doors on its 787s due to space constraints. The episode also covers JetBlue’s revamped premium credit card, which now offers meaningful perks like a companion pass and statement credits, and touches on the controversial Ontario government’s purchase of a private jet for Premier Doug Ford, raising questions about airport access at Billy Bishop. Finally, the hosts reflect on lounge access changes, the decline of showers in United clubs, and share a deep-dive series on airline PNR systems.