Layovers - Air Travel podcast — Podcast | Online luisteren op Radoxo

161 AAR - The Visual Culture of Air Travel: The Maps, the Designs, the Voyages That Made Us Fall in Love With Flying, with Christian Nolle 04.08.2026 2u 30min

Christian Nolle is a maker, designer, photographer, whose work focuses on aviation culture, the stories behind route maps, and the historical impact of flying on what ties us all together and makes us dream. He is the editor of Direction of Travel. We discuss everything, from his obsession with Heathrow (he was testing T5 before the opening!), his collection of route maps, his beautiful print magazine, old logos and liveries, photographing air travel (we both love it), his various exploratory projects into what flying means, and why we love this all so much — we reminisce, and also look forward (even admiring Ryanair's design!). From old timetables, freezing a network into time, to the soft power airlines held for their respective countries (Pan Am and Aeroflot!), to the promise dreamt up by looking at a big miniature aircraft at the window of an airline travel agency, it's a episode full of wonder — you'll hear (or see) that Paul could not stop his enthusiasm, from discussing his discovery of the three abandoned Olympic Airways aircraft at Ellinikon (the old Athens airport), to making Christian reveal his latest project (one you'll all love, and why the release of this episode has been delayed by a week, he needed to finish it!).Christian can be found here:Direction of Travel: https://directionoftravel.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directionoftravel/The project we discussed in episode 150, and today:Tickets to Everywhere: https://tickets.directionoftravel.comThe new project Christian revealed during the episode (IT IS AMAZING):Airline Atlas: https://airlineatlas.comAlso mentioned:Old airline time tables: https://timetableimages.com/Happy flying!_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you podcast.

160 SDU - The Airports and Airlines That Made Brazil, and Inspired Us to Fly There 29.06.2026 2u 16min

Varig, VASP, Panair, the names are long gone, but they put Brazil on the map for us, alongside iconic cinema imagery and a legendary national football team that captured every kid's imagination.Grab a caipirinha (and some black licorice) as we chart how the jet age shaped our vision of the country, before diving into our actual experiences flying in and out of SDU (that final!), GIG, CGH, GRU, POA, SSA, and IGU.From Paulistano football derbies and missing luggage to drunken airport runs, domestic workhorses, rustic 737s, the Concorde, or 7AM beef, it's all in there.Enjoy the World Cup, the heat, and Happy Flying! (We had a recording issue, you won’t notice it on the audio, but there are a handful of video cuts made to correct the sync, barely noticeable!). _____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you podcast.

159 HEL - Finnair cocoon, Air North to Kelowna, boarding zone police, Dubai plane spotting, tug slippage 18.05.2026 2u 36min

Two sagas of snow and ice: going to Dubai via Helsinki, in that unconventional (revolutionary?) cocoon seat by Finnair, and to Kelowna (YLW) with the appropriately named Air North — snowy take offs, blueberry juice and de-icing drama (no blueberry juice was used to de-ice, but an in-flight magazine was taken).Would you fly to Dubai now? Where we stand (that jet fuel price), and where to stand in Dubai to plane spot (Paul did not say it: the metro station is called Abu Baker Al Siddique Metro Station 2).Starlink everywhere, what it means for in-flight calls, TikTok challenges, and our general quiet in an airplane (oh boy). Boarding lane clogging, and the boarding zone police (main syndrome character much?). We both want to fly that ITA 321 business class, have you? More questions, and stories, on this episode which you can now watch on video on Apple Podcasts (bragging rights: we were one of the first ones to get video on Apple, all episodes from 150 are there now)._____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you podcast.

158 LIN - American Flagship hopes, Cortina Olympics ride, Flighty Intelligence, crew cosplay, LH on-demand cleaning 16.04.2026 2u 17min

Vinod's Olympics adventure: Flagship lounge, Flagship upgrade, Flagship Wifi (err), Flagship chicken, Flagship plane (well…), all the hopes and expectations of American Airlines Flagship were placed into that trip. And that Black Card! That vintage boarding pass! Does the British Airways return compete with that? Yes (that shortbread biscuit does a lot of heavy lifting). Milan finally gets the airport it deserves, with a tasteful redesign. Flighty introduces Airport Intelligence (Paul had to bight his tongue for so long on that one). Get that on the biggest TV you can buy. Dallas DFW, where you can cosplay as crew and confuse everyone (what's a jump seat?).And yes, we are entering the era of "Bring Your Jet Fuel".Plus many questions, such as:How do you expect to be recognize for your loyalty?Do you leave your stuff unattended in the lounge? Where do you put your trash when aboard? Would you like to get cleaning on demand in an aircraft? (Lufthansa does, but not in the way you might expect). Mentioned in the show -Flighty Airport Intelligence: https://flighty.com/airportsStardrift Starlink search: https://stardrift.ai/starlink_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you podcast.

157 KMJ - Japan by air, 17 hours to Perth, tensions and airfare rising, uniforms and identity, Qsuite ganache 17.03.2026 2u 33min

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly 17+ hours straight? Matt Drinkwater comes to share his experience with Qantas on the near-Kangaroo route to Perth (we talk the past and present of that route), and more, onto Brisbane. Matt and Paul share a deep bond with Japan, and discuss the beauty, and quirkiness, of flying within Japan, from small airports, to the smell of Kansai International (yes, airports have a smell!). Qsuite to Bali, it doesn't get much better than this (especially with that chocolate ganache). There's a certain allure in epic journeys, a remnant of our forefathers' explorations, this also requires you to get lost, something that Japan or China still offer (don't resist, do let go). Do you research the food you'll have on-board? Matt does (that salt and pepper squid at the Heathrow Qantas lounge!). Can one love British Airways in 2026? Matt does, and makes a great case why it stays relevant, in spite of its IT woes (but, do you smash into people at Heathrow?!). When technology meets emotion (Star Wars, anyone?), and when it doesn't (that gimmicky hologram… IYKYK). The same goes with crew uniforms, and Matt works in fashion (also, American Airlines, please watch Forks, the episode of The Bear). The global tensions, jet fuel woes, and the inflation of air travel fares in the very near future (a sensitive topic …and book that trip now!). Follow Matt on his instagram: @matthewdrinkwaterLearn more about his work(Matt, let go, and learn to love The Last Jedi!)_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

156 JFK T1 - Lufthansa Allegris Tetris, Air Canada A330, JFK faster than fast-track, 100th liveries, JetClock, how to choose a seat 22.02.2026 2u 33min

The road that Lufthansa took to get to their new business class seemed somewhat long and convoluted, Paul is finally able to tell you if it was worth the wait (choosing a seat on Allegris might be as long and convoluted a process though).And hey, there are no less than 5 outside cameras on their 350!How to strike gold after gold at JFK Terminal 1 and be faster than fast-track. Vinod finally gets the satisfaction of flying aboard an Air Canada A330, do the nuances of in-flight service and crew dynamics hit him then? We opine on a few anniversary liveries, there's one we love ("DEADLY"), there's one we're not sure about. Ever wanted a flight tracker on your desk? Jetclock is a pretty cool one.What Vinod prioritizes when he chooses a seat in business class (which he kinda goes against when he chooses a seat in premium economy!)Tasting thousands of wine for an airline? Where do we apply?Air Canada, please introduce those lesley stowe raincoast crisps on-board (and for the love of God. someone import them to the UK, says Paul!)We mentioned: JetClock (The link Paul promised is here, but the live ATC feeds sadly do not seem to work anymore: https://listentothe.cloud/ )See you in the next one, happy flying!_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

155 FLIGHTY - Flighty: Reinventing Flight Tracking and the air travel experience, with Ryan Jones, Founder CEO at Flighty 20.01.2026 2u 4min

Flighty has changed how we experience air travel. The flight tracking app, which obsessively focuses on the user experience and data accuracy, has been mentioned in nearly all our episodes since Paul got on the beta in early 2019, and we're so pleased to welcome Ryan Jones, the Founder CEO of Flighty, for an entertaining chat on everything Flighty, and more. Ryan shares the journey of creating this epic app, the importance of design, the challenges of data acquisition, the commitment to providing real-time information and how the three founders prioritize new innovative features.We learn who uses Flighty the most (can you guess?) and the role of the community in shaping the app's development and future directions for Flighty (Ryan loves feedback!).We realize how intricate it is to track a flight, and the challenges of providing timely information and flight statuses (and what to surface when, during our flying journeys). Not everything is equal, some territories are better than others, some airports or airlines better than others (there's one that doesn't seem to care). And yes, Paul asks Ryan about his favorite airport, and he tells us which one he hates hahaha (Paul and Ryan find a commonality in hating carpets!), and his plan to change the IATA code for Austin. We had tremendous fun talking to Ryan, and the two hours flew by. Thank you, Ryan, and your two co-founders, for creating such a beautifully designed experience. You should try Flighty:https://flighty.comFlighty on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/flighty/Flighty on X: https://x.com/FlightyFlighty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flightyapp/Flighty on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flightyapp/Flighty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flighty/This episode is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5DttBKTF-gHappy flying!_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

154 LGA - United fairly tale, Qatar-ish premium economy, SeatGuru farewell, Hanoi underground tension, ORD forever taxiing 25.12.2025 2u 29min

Alex finally boards a Qatar Airways flight, and finds how to get a premium economy seat in this airline that doesn't have premium economy (not through that ethernet port though). Paul completely changes his mind about United, a true Christmas miracle (and a possible playbook for BA), what an incredible crew. Farewell to SeatGuru, nothing truly replaces you (AeroLOPA is the nearest). When your boarding pass gets denied at Hanoi airport, and you unwillingly discover the bowels of Hanoi airport (a gripping tale by Alex!). And more.Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all. See you in 2026!_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

153 ROLLS-ROYCE - Inside Rolls-Royce: engineering excellence, how airplane turbine blades are born at the edge of science 30.11.2025 2u 20min

We are at Rolls-Royce, exploring the engineering marvels behind aviation engines, the inner workings behind the quiet hums of those incredible machine. We dive into the importance of expertise, heat management, and innovation in ensuring engine durability and performance.Most importantly, we talk to the people, as this is as much craftsmanship as it is the absolute edge of science — and the people are absolute gems, it has been such a highlight listening to them all talk about what they do with such enthusiasm and love for what they do.We also take a voyage through the intricate support systems in place for engine operations, the real-time monitoring of all those engines that fly you around, and the collaboration with aircraft manufacturers and airlines.We delve into the future of aviation, focusing on the development of next-generation engines, the importance of efficiency, the importance of research and development, the collaboration within the industry to tackle sustainability issues, and the role of sustainable aviation fuels.Our thanks to all of you at Rolls-Royce, your dedication to the craft is why we, the traveling public, tend to forget about engines (they always work, which is why a podcast like ours where we mostly talk, or moan, about a seat or a choice of food instead!).Special thanks to Ben Todd for having welcomed us with open arms, you're a star — it is connections like those that fuel the passion for air travel that we, and the audience, share.Learn more about our discussion here.Check Veritasium's video at Rolls-Royce for the science of this all: Veritasium on YouTube You can follow Rolls-Royce here: LinkedIn - Facebook - X - Instagram_____A show created and hosted by Paul Papadimitriou: Instagram - LinkedInThe show is on Instagram - Facebook - Bluesky - more links on the websiteVideo and audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

152 ZNZ - Is Premium Economy premium, when BA was Emirates, Precision Air approximation, caravaning Cessna, Emirates A350 10.11.2025 2u 26min

A lot of Premium Economy, a lot of BA, a bit of Safari Link, some Precision Air, and a sparkle of Emirates.

151 WDH - Skeleton Coast driving, Canada wide-body bingo, Namibia airfields, Airlink Embraer, SWISS chocolate, ZRH dance 15.10.2025 2u 59min

A Skeleton Coast drive, a wide-body bingo, and some SWISS chocolates.

150 CND - cookware security, voltage chaos, airline excellence truths, boarding Tetris, the one real European business class 31.08.2025 2u 22min

More adventures for our 150th, from seemingly attempting to cook mid-flight, to landing in an abandoned primary school.

149 TYO - Narita rave, airline soundtracks, arrivals hell, Tokyo's airport of tomorrow, LEGO MUC, pre-recorded captain 30.07.2025 2u 13min

Raves at Narita? On the apron? Can you bring your own air vent? What?

148 JTR - double upgrade bug, Hoper islands copters, BA transatlantic variance, 747s of the seas, easyJet Plus, Air India tragedy 19.06.2025 2u 19min

Alex listens to LiveATC as ASMR, whilst Paul recaptures the Greece of his youth.

147 LIR - new JAL 350 to Haneda, ode to the 757, cockpit cigars and whisky, ATL golden hour, exclusive airline statuses 24.05.2025 2u 23min

From Tokyo in what may be the best business class there is, to Costa Rica for the battle of the carts, with a joyful ode to the wild horse of aircrafts, the 757.

146 CUR - KLM timeline, Starlink is airborne, Doha First ceilings, Heathrow fire, UK ETA, bubbly for the pilot 23.04.2025 2u 8min

From tech glitches to pristine skies, from the hustle of DXB T1 to an unexpected flyby in Curaçao, we taste turbulences, KLM food, and airborne Starlink speeds.

145 KUL - AF001 fragrance, long-haul family, blue liveries, Jewel bathtub plug, hidden runways, what is premium economy 14.03.2025 2u 24min

YVR-SIN-KUL-SIN-TPE-NRT, a long-haul family adventure, and not on a dusty train.

144 10Y — A Decade on the Air, Emirates Zero-Gravity First-Class pinnacle, Virgin Avgeek fan, Finnair joy, BA loyalty controversy 28.01.2025 2u 7min

From the controversy of BA to the pinnacle of First Class extravaganza, from London to Delhi to Helsinki to New York to Dubai to Tokyo, this installment has all the emotions of a 10 year anniversary episode.

143 LBG - De-icing YVR, from Air France panache to roomy Ryanair, the retro-future of CDG T1 & the Concorde 03.01.2025 2u 16min

De-icing adventures, a tour of Europe, a visit to the wonderful Le Bourget aerospace museum, and the alternative timeline of retro-futuristic air travel.