By John McDermott
The AirlineGeeks Podcast Episode 48: Returning From Shutdowns
Thank you for reading the AirlineGeeks Podcast Recap. This article gives a brief look at last week’s episode of our news podcast. For our full analysis of each of these stories, you can listen to The AirlineGeeks Podcast on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Overcast or through our distributor, Anchor.
First, we dive into the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline in the United States. The pipeline, which supplies 45% of the oil to the East Coast of the U.S., was shut down in a ransomware attack last weekend, slashing fuel availability. A number of airlines, most notably American Airlines, made route adjustments on long-haul services to accommodate refueling stops out of airports along the east coast. We dive into the implications of these stops and what implications a prolonged shutdown may have had on the industry.
We also consider the worldwide implications of this shutdown. Besides American, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport announced it was tight for fuel, potentially setting up fuel crises for airlines operating at the hub. We consider what this fuel shortage could mean for international traffic in and out of what is usually the busiest passenger airport in the world. We focus on cargo operations and some key items produced in the United States – like, for example, coronavirus vaccines – and what delayed shipments could mean in various countries.
Second, we move north to discuss Air Canada’s first-quarter financial report. The Canadian flag carrier revealed it had lost nearly $1 billion through the first three months of 2021. We compare these results with other notable announcements that have been made over the past few months. We notably consider the effects of Canada’s strict travel restrictions, especially internationally, and the effect they could have on Air Canada’s results.
We also take a moment to discuss Air Canada’s latest plans to restart services to Hawaii later this year. We speculate on what these plans could signal about forthcoming announcements on international travel, taking into account business trips that the likes of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Marc Garneau have planned in the coming months.
Last, we take a brief look at the Japanese airline market, where All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have both revealed plans to bring new low-cost airlines into the Japanese market. We take a look at Japan’s current market, considering which airlines are already present and what these new airlines will compete with. We also question how viable more low-cost airlines will be in a market with tight competition from rail, which may take some business from business travelers and cost-conscious leisure travelers looking to go back on vacation post-pandemic.
We hope you’ll listen to the podcast episode, linked above, for a more in-depth analysis of each of these stories. Monitor our page on your favorite streaming service each Friday to hear the latest episode just as it’s published at 12 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Feel free to leave a comment sharing your thoughts on this week’s episode. You can read last week’s podcast recap article here.
John McDermott is a student at Northwestern University. He is also a student pilot with hopes of flying for the airlines. A self-proclaimed “avgeek,” John will rave about aviation at length to whoever will listen, and he is keen to call out any airplane he sees, whether or not anyone around him cares about flying at all. John previously worked as a Journalist and Editor-In-Chief at Aeronautics Online Aviation News and Media. In his spare time, John enjoys running, photography, and watching planes approach Chicago O’Hare from over Lake Michigan.
