Spirit continues to downsize and cut routes. But the airline also continues to serve Cancun, as I saw myself yesterday.

Just had a very rewarding experience at the PASG conference in Toronto, reading from my novel HALF THE CHILD and hearing stories from both parents and grown children about custodial issues. Now it's on to Washington and speaking at a very different conference--on a panel about the airline monopoly!

Both Sides Now: Dana Laquidara and I will co-present at the Parental Alienation Study Group conference here in Toronto. She'll read from her memoir YOU-KNOW-WHO & I'll read from my novel HALF THE CHILD. It was an excellent discussion at the PASG conference in Philadelphia in 2019.

A day in the life...

The New Yorker cover, entitled "Soft Landing."

1/19 🧵 Wow. American Airlines operates 9 of every 10 flights at Charlotte/CLT. That's Aeroflot in the old USSR type of market share. But an AA rep states: "CLT does not have a competition problem."
A valid question is: How exactly do Big Four airlines--AA, DL, Southwest, UA--define "competition"?

In Charlotte, NC. Why? Because it's the most monopolized hub airport in the US. According to DOT stats quoted by Simple Flying (below), 88% of all flights at CLT are operated by American/American Eagle. We'll be sharing more details--and proposals to enhance competition--tomorrow.

At the Wings Club in NYC tonight to see Capt. Sully Sullenberger receive the Outstanding Aviator Award. Happy to finally meet him and chat since he kindly offered an endorsement for my book back in 2012.

As always, I'm looking forward to speaking at Vaughn College of Aeronautics tomorrow, Friday/21st at 9 am ET. We're going to discuss the state of the aviation workforce, with the students who will one day be running the industry.

Many thx to my colleague & friend @celestepewter.bsky.social for lots of new followers! I have other lives as a novelist, journalist, & teacher. But this page is mostly about fixing airline passenger rights, safety, & competition. I'm the guy outnumbered 5-1 by airline execs at hearings in Congress.

Full credit to @repricklarsen.bsky.social for pursuing this Starlink story and calling it what it is--corruption.

Well, there have been quite a few horses in airline cabins in recent years...

Lots and lots of empty offices at DOT right now...
www.transportation.gov/mission/meet...

The perfect metaphor for a country dumbed down by social media. Even while "trending," a word as simple as "it's" is misspelled, over and over and over again.

OTD in 1903: Orville became the world's first airplane pilot. And Wilbur became the first bumped passenger.

Someone just told me about a new movie called Carry-On and said it looks like a thriller. So of course I asked, "Is it about junk fees?"