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Hello and welcome to Seat 1A!

When you travel, do you ever wonder how you can be that person who is always ahead of the pack, even when things go awry? Hosts Vinod Viswalingam (@VViswalingam) and Geoff Dahl (@geoffdahl) are proud to present The Seat 1A Podcast.

Seat 1A aims to provide savvy travellers with advanced industry based knowledge to enhance the air travel experience and take off from the crowd. By arming you with an understanding of the systems, processes, rules and structures that define modern air travel, Seat 1A strives to give you the upper hand by examining real experiences from abroad.

Whether traveling in ultra-economy or first-class, with or without frequent flyer status, knowing how the operation works will keep you moving in front of the masses, especially when things don’t go as planned. Seat 1A provides tips and tricks on how to make your travel experience as smooth and efficient as possible. Our goal is that you'll be in Seat 1A all the time!

We have over 5 million miles of flying and over 10 years working for numerous airlines, enjoying all classes and cabins, and exploring airports on every continent. We're enthusiastic #avgeeks, with a keen interest in modern aviation trends and aim to share our knowledge in The Seat 1A Podcast. To learn more about who we are, check out Experience 010!

The Seat 1A Podcast also relies on feedback from listeners, offering the chance to take real experiences and analyze them, breaking them down to understand what happened, where things went well or wrong and what can be learned from it. If you have a story, question or experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In the meantime please find us wherever you download your podcasts, and tell all your friends!

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Feb 18, 2020

In this experience we take a look behind the scenes and share the things that are happening in the background to your plane from before it arrives and departs.

We start four to six hours before the flight even arrives and what is required for the gate. What' the backup plan? Who is coming off of the plane? Are there unaccompanied minors, special assistance passengers, or groups? Are there any maintenance issues? As we get closer to the arrival, what is the minimum required turnaround time set by the airline? Has the airport been set for the flight arrival?

While that is happening, passengers are checking in. Are there enough crew? Are there issues with the plane weight and balance? Are there any special passengers or groups to account for? If the flight is late, do passengers checking in have the appropriate visa documentation?

How much fuel is the outbound flight going to need? Is it going to need de-icing? Is there special cargo? What are the catering requirements? Is there any notification from Customs and Immigration about a flight check?

Is the equipment needed on the ramp in working order and ready? Are the groomers and caterers ready?

Is the outbound crew ready with their checks and preparation of the plane? Has the pilot signed off on all documentation?

How is the passenger baggage being unloaded? How is the liquid and solid waste being disposed of? Are all the meals loaded as required? What's happening with tight passenger connections?

Who's at fault if the plane pushes back late?

As we can see there are many moving parts and processes between your plane landing and departing – many more are discussed in this experience.

News Items:

  • breakingtravelnews article "Alaska Airlines to join oneworld alliance"
  • BBC article "Storm Ciara helps plane beat transatlantic flight record"

If you have a story about a plane turnaround, a question or other experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/