In the coming weeks, we’re planning on launching a series of new initiatives, which I hope readers will view as entirely positive. I mean that seriously, not like when an airline devalues a frequent flyer program, or cuts free food in the name of a buy on board selection, and calls it an “enhancement.”
I’d like to talk a little about where my head is at on these changes, and then share the details of the first initiative y’all can expect, in hopes of getting some feedback.
In this post:
I’m trying to make some (genuinely) positive changes to OMAAT
I’m incredibly fortunate that I’ve been able to write OMAAT full time for 18+ years — following this industry is a hobby and passion above all else, and the fact that it also largely pays my family’s bills is the icing on the cake, and an incredible blessing. I’ve written in the past about the general business of blogging, and all the ways the internet has changed over the years.
To be honest, it’s a really tough macro environment nowadays, between media increasingly switching to video, the way search engines display information, the increasing use of AI, etc. However, I don’t in any way view that as some existential issue, and big picture, the goal is to keep the core of the blog the same. Personally, I’m rather bullish on written media long time, but perhaps that’s a topic for a different post.
I want to fully acknowledge that in some ways, everything in the miles & points blogosphere (including OMAAT) has become a bit more stale, and it’s and to get the same dopamine hits as in the past, so to speak. Miles & points deals aren’t what they once were, we’ve all had just about every credit card at this point, and unfortunately it’s the slop garbage posts out there that generate page views, because apparently that’s what consumers want.
It’s really easy to get into the tendency of just trying to chase what you think Google wants you to post, rather than focusing on what actually interests readers, and what creates a sense of community. And I have to be honest, the community aspect of this is something I’ve done a lousy job with in recent times. For a while that was largely stalled because of my mom’s illness (she passed last year), and then having two little kids sometimes just depletes your mental energy, lovely as they are.
I have a bunch of ideas in my head for concepts I’d like to launch that lean into community, but I’ve kind of been pushing those down the road, always hoping there would be a perfect time to focus on these things. I’m kind of a creature of habit with my everyday work, and then a perfectionist when it comes to launching new things, which is why… I haven’t launched many new things lately.
Well, that mentality changes now. In the coming weeks and months, there are several initiatives I’m hoping go “live,” and they’re all about one thing — focusing on what I think readers will enjoy, and creating a sense of community. Why? Well, because I think that’s something we can actually do a good job at, unlike a faceless 100-person VC-owned blog, so there’s no reason not to lean into that. And I’m putting this post out there so that others can hold me accountable for this.
So while I’ll share more details in the next few weeks (as some of those ideas get closer to launch), I’d like to share the first concept y’all can expect. Let me explain, because while I have the concept nailed down, there are still some areas for feedback.
I’d love some feedback on my new video series concept
There’s no denying that media content is increasingly switching to short form video rather than written text. I have to be honest — to me, the thought of doing “everything I ate on my 16-hour Qatar Airways flight,” or doing videos where I have to fake the interest of a tween girl at a Taylor Swift concert about something mundane is just sort of soul-crushing.
First and foremost, it’s important to me that I enjoy what I do, and that I’m authentic to myself, because that’s the only way that any passion will come through in what I do. So I thought to myself, what kind of video content would I actually enjoy producing, without in any way factoring in monetization?
I feel like we don’t need another middle aged dude doing a podcast — I’d like to think I’m not quite having a midlife crisis (yet) — and for that matter, there are some good airline podcasts out there, like Airlines Confidential and The Air Show Podcast.
While I get a lot of offers to interview people in the industry, I almost never take them up on them. Why? Well, interviews are generally so rehearsed, and rarely tell me anything I didn’t already know. I just don’t need a regurgitated press release, and if I want those kinds of things, I’ll just watch CNBC in earnings season.
So that brings me to the angle I came up with. Even if y’all don’t enjoy it, I know I’ll have a blast doing this, and I think that’s important. One of my favorite things about the airline industry is the people — there’s so many absolutely fascinating, passionate, interesting (and sometimes downright strange) characters. 😉
I’d love the focus on the series to not be exclusively discussing current events or one specific thing at the airline (or brand) they’re working at, but instead, to be a bigger picture look at how they got where they are, their passion, and/or their insights into whatever they focus on at work.
So think of it as more of a fireside chat type concept, where I get to ask people questions. While I’m introverted, I absolutely love being able to ask interesting people questions. My goal isn’t to trap people with “gotchas,” or to grill them endlessly, but instead, to give them the chance to share their story or side of things, whether I agree or disagree with them. While I hope to make the conversations interesting, I promise to be respectful.
There are so many people I know in the airline industry who fascinate the heck out of me, and I feel like the world doesn’t know them for who they really are. I’ve not yet approached anyone about this, so who knows, maybe I won’t get any bites.
Let me give one prime example. I’d absolutely love to talk to Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith. People know him for doing a great job running an airline group, but they don’t necessarily know him as a person. He’s truly the world’s biggest aviation geek, and his career progression has been incredible and inspiring. My goal is to add a human element to people like this, rather than having their entire identity focused around their airline, their earnings that quarter, their short term initiatives, etc.
Again, I’ve not approached anyone about this, but I’d love to speak to people like the following (and I’m sure I’m partly shooting for the stars here, but I’m just trying to give you a sense of the goal, and the wide range of the types of people I’d be interested in talking to):
- Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s Chief Operations Officer; he started as a mileage runner back in the day, and is one of the brightest guys in the airline industry, and I’d also love to pick his brain on how he thinks miles & points have evolved, how airlines can keep people engaged, and what the future holds
- Patrick Quayle, United’s SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances; he’s in charge of one of the most incredible route network developments we’ve seen, and I’d love to hear how you decide to fly to places like Mongolia and Greenland, how you actually do the math on the way that loyalty programs contribute to route decisions, what the process is actually like when you want to launch flights to a new airport, etc.
- Akbar Al Baker, former CEO of Qatar Airways; what is he up to, and what does he make of how the industry has evolved in recent years?
- Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa Group; okay, this is perhaps the longest shot of all, along with Al Baker but can he show us a human side, his passion, etc.?
- Tiffany Funk, Head of Flying Blue; okay, I worked with Tiffany for nearly 15 years, and now that she has crossed over to the “real” loyalty side, her perspective on things would be very cool to learn about
- James Asquith, CEO of Global Airlines; do I just completely misunderstand him, or can be actually make the case for how the airline makes sense?
- Heck, I’d even have on Tim Dunn, if he’s willing to make an appearance; maybe we can take the debate from the comments section and turn them into a video format, so give our fingers a break 😉
Those are just several examples, and that’s obviously by no means comprehensive. I should probably reach out to these people rather than just throwing their names out.
Now, a few general thoughts:
- My intent is to do these roughly every two weeks, though not always at the same time or on the same day (since I may be talking to people from all over the world)
- My goal is for each to last around 30 minutes, so I don’t want this to be some super long thing where people get bored
- The plan is to have this be primarily on YouTube, and then people can either tune in “live,” or choose to watch it after the fact
- I’m not some smooth talker who is trying to compete with network television, so my true goal here is to make this authentic and completely unscripted, literally just like I’m having a conversation with someone for the first time with no agenda, no notes, etc.
- I’ll post about scheduled interviews in advance, so that people can tune in and even pose questions, and then after the fact I’ll do a post summarizing the conversation, sharing my thoughts on it, etc., and welcoming others to chime in as well, of course
How will I get anyone to actually talk to me? Well, here’s my pitch, plain and simple. First, people in the airline industry love to talk. They love to talk about airplanes, they love to talk to others, and (some) love to talk about themselves.
Second, quite honestly, I think it could be a good opportunity for them. If you Google most airline executives making multi-billion dollar decisions, the first several search results are them being quoted in random press releases, in the mainstream media, etc., rather than things that are actually about them. A real, human discussion could be a real value-add for them as well. An airline executive is more than the two sentence quote that appears in CNBC after they announce their earnings.
Sorry for how long I’ve gone on here, but I’d love some general feedback:
- Does anyone have an idea for a name for the series? The only things I’ve come up with are OMAAT Chat (oh-mat-chat, at least it rhymes?) or OMAAT Live, but if anyone comes up with something better that I end up using, there will be a prize
- Would you be interested in watching something like this?
- Is a once every two week frequency correct, or is that too often, or not often enough?
- Is there anything in particular you’d like me to incorporate into the questions I ask people, or the format?
- Is YouTube the right medium for this? Is there merit to also streaming this on Facebook, or just linking to YouTube is fine?
- Lastly, if you are someone from the industry or have a fascinating story that you think would be a good fit, shoot me an email at [email protected]
Bottom line
We’re working on several new initiatives in the coming months, which I plan to share more details on soon. For so long I’ve been pushing off these things, but it’s time to get started. I’d like to share the details of the first of these concepts, which is that I plan to start doing a video series, talking to some of the more interesting people in the industry, across all kinds of functions.
We’ll see to what extent people are willing to talk to me, but I promise to be persistent, so we’ll see how this evolves. There are many podcasts out there discussing current industry events, so my goal is to take a different approach. I’d just like to do 30(ish)-minute interviews with some of the industry’s most interesting people, so we can get to know them, or so they can share with us their knowledge in a particular area.
The goal would be for this to be something people can tune into live, or watch after the fact, and there would be accompanying posts about the conversation, plus the opportunity for people to ask questions.
I promise there’s more coming, but this is what we’re starting with. So if anyone has any ideas or thoughts, I’d certainly welcome them! And while I’ll be reaching out to some of the above folks soon, if there are other industry people who would be receptive to this concept (and are willing to authentically be themselves), shoot me an email at [email protected]. Thanks!
I’d recommend adding a podcast/audio version too as I can usually only listen to things like this in the car or when doing chores!
I'd just like episodes to be linked on OMAAT - very simply, just in the normal homepage post format being like New Video: Talking with - just means I don't have to go seek something out, which inevitably leads to me forgetting about it.
One Mouth At A Time.
Then you can add "Mouths Interviewed" to the stats in your footer.
sounds like a good venture I remember you doing videos a while ago glad to see your willing to try again.
OMAAT on the air
The fireside chat idea is great. But make sure to also put it on Apple Podcast, Spotify, etc. Most people will listen to this (while walking, driving, etc.); not while on the couch.
Ben this sounds amazing. If you can actually get every person you mention... especially Tim Dunn... I would 100% watch each one.
I love the idea of video content! Although I don't think you need to release new episodes every two weeks, I believe you can do what the Acquired podcast does - create less frequently but go deeper / higher quality.
Some potential names include: "One-on-One Mile at a Time", "Ben There, Flown That", "One Mile Together", or "OMAAT Cleared to Chat"
Like the idea. A new feature could set OMAAT apart. Names: Lucky Live, Lucky and friends?
When you do the video interviews, do a post that summarises it as well. Some of it could be interesting, but I vastly prefer reading things to having to watch videos.
I will wake up on release days giddy to listen. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this. I think OMAAT Live sounds great. I'm posting this with 128 comments already posted, so I didn't read them all, but I hope you get industry takers. At the end of the day, while we love good deals, we love aviation, travel, and the whole airline experience. We know airlines have to make money, and we want them to! Go get 'em buddy!
As long as there is a transcript, I'm okay with it. I have absolutely no time to listen to podcasts or videos for 30mn, so with a transcript I can pass the non-interesting stuff and go directly to the meat.
I'm not a fan of "talking head" interviews with execs. Get out there and talk to real working people in the industry where they are - on the ramp, at the check in counter, in ATC. I watch Cockpit Casual videos all the time just because they are showing me something I've never seen before.
I wouldn't worry about trying to fill a specific amount of time, let the content be your guide.
One Mic at a Time You’re welcome :)
Do it!! I think it would be great!
On the chance that Carsten decides to bare his soul, I want to see it
As I don't personally know your readers here, I really don't care to engage in mindless political bantering anymore. Hope this new venture works out for you. Count me in.
I like the idea, and feel it's a natural evolution of content. For trip reports, I suggest looking at someone like Dennis Bunnik, who produces short-ish, easy to digest, and just friendly, non sensational content. No that I expect you will veer in to the sensationalist nonsense that permeates the world, but you might be setting yourself up for that if you want to keep it going for a while.
Interviews sound great, but, ultimately,...
I like the idea, and feel it's a natural evolution of content. For trip reports, I suggest looking at someone like Dennis Bunnik, who produces short-ish, easy to digest, and just friendly, non sensational content. No that I expect you will veer in to the sensationalist nonsense that permeates the world, but you might be setting yourself up for that if you want to keep it going for a while.
Interviews sound great, but, ultimately, if it's anyone that's currently employed in the industry, you are not going to get anything out of them that isn't already known. They are scripted with pre-approved questions, and won't really tell you anything of value. Maybe Kirby would go off script, but you'd want to look more at retired folks who can speak their mind a little more, and give you the insider stuff that's relevant.
If you go for more of a podcast kind of thing, you can keep it more casual. Maybe just you and Ford talking about what you think of the industry and topics related to it.
I love Dennis Bunnik - but he's actually a cautionary tale for this. His non-flight review videos have done really really poorly - they're great to watch though. The one from the Qatar operations center was fascinating.
End of the day you have to decide if you want to do a passion project or a revenue making project. Given that the videos are Bunnik's side hustle from his family's tour business, and he's flying...
I love Dennis Bunnik - but he's actually a cautionary tale for this. His non-flight review videos have done really really poorly - they're great to watch though. The one from the Qatar operations center was fascinating.
End of the day you have to decide if you want to do a passion project or a revenue making project. Given that the videos are Bunnik's side hustle from his family's tour business, and he's flying around anyway to lots of tours, he probably had more leeway to do the airport operations passion project videos.
definitely mark nasr...he is such a cool guy!
You need to go back and present where you started - Chicago Seminars, FTU, etc. There is a whole new community there, that is moving beyond you.
I view the value of the blog is getting quick alerts on new airline/hotel promos without having to search through Flyertalk. Ways to earn points and redeem them is stale.
Me personally, I think we are past the Youtube medium. In a way that says that while it is still reveland, it has been surpassed with formats like Reels and TikTok.
I've noticed that nowadays I watch more of these types of vertical videos than youtube, which would be an insane thought 2 to 3 years ago....
"Conversations with Ben" or "Coffee with Ben" would be better. Just make it warm and personal.
Should you do a Youtube channel? Yes. You'd want to limit it to 2-3 times a month otherwise you will need to "gin up" content. And then that's when it comes to the flight attendants were mean on my last flight. Who cares?
Possibly leaders in the industry and people that analyze the industry for Wall Street.
Iced Coffee Podcast on YT - dudes are obnoxious to a degree but at same time captivating. The interesting angle is a long interview cut into free, 10minute tidbits. I dont know or care if they keep the full length behind a patreon or members section but, hey, some wacko (there's plenty here) would pony up for the whole thing as it launches to feel like a member, right? Gives - once the format works,...
Iced Coffee Podcast on YT - dudes are obnoxious to a degree but at same time captivating. The interesting angle is a long interview cut into free, 10minute tidbits. I dont know or care if they keep the full length behind a patreon or members section but, hey, some wacko (there's plenty here) would pony up for the whole thing as it launches to feel like a member, right? Gives - once the format works, and you get a rythm for an hour long convo - you both extra monetization from patreon, YT members - and web traffic to the site + larger ammount of videos for the algorithm than one huge vid that is hard to get into.
Ben I love the idea and as someone in their early 20’s I would definitely watch and think every 2 weeks and 30 minutes is PERFECT.
I would ask that it could also be available as a podcast on Spotify? You wouldn’t need to do anything extra but when I am driving or at the gym etc would love to listen.
Simple but what about “Chats with Ben”
How about OCAAT (one chat at a time)? ;)
Regardless, this sounds like a cool concept and above anything, while I enjoy your regular content, it's nice to see that you're willing to shake things up and expand the content scope.
I watch/follow a lot of YouTubers on a broad array of subjects. The most successful ones post several videos a week and many daily. But as with many endeavors, you can ‘crawl, walk, run’ to build up your frequency. Start with every two weeks, then go to weekly posting on the same day each week and then see if you can increase your frequency to three times a week. While it seems daunting to come...
I watch/follow a lot of YouTubers on a broad array of subjects. The most successful ones post several videos a week and many daily. But as with many endeavors, you can ‘crawl, walk, run’ to build up your frequency. Start with every two weeks, then go to weekly posting on the same day each week and then see if you can increase your frequency to three times a week. While it seems daunting to come up with content to fill a daily schedule you may be surprised. Not all episodes need to be a 30 minute interview. You can supplement with your own commentary and observations much as you do in a blog post. Good luck and best wishes for success! I will look forward to watching!
One Memoir At A Time
JonNYC or Enilria would both be great "gets." Platforming a tedious bystander who's made commenting their whole personality would not.
I'd like to see interviews with hotel managers at the top hotels Ben stays at, letting us know the inside track of their jobs and what goes on. Plus he could throw in a bit of video of the hotel interiors too.
Or interview the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt.
I think this is be a great idea, Ben. I’ve been reading OMAAT since about the beginning. A few thoughts on people and topics you might want to consider:
Massive hub airport operations, back of house, what all is involved from the perspective of an Ops executive or director;
Aircraft manufacturing - Boeing or Airbus, line ops or new product development, or even tech ops;
Aircraft leasing - one of the heads of...
I think this is be a great idea, Ben. I’ve been reading OMAAT since about the beginning. A few thoughts on people and topics you might want to consider:
Massive hub airport operations, back of house, what all is involved from the perspective of an Ops executive or director;
Aircraft manufacturing - Boeing or Airbus, line ops or new product development, or even tech ops;
Aircraft leasing - one of the heads of those large orgs;
Aviation pioneers like Richard Branson, or former Concorde pilots or ops managers
Interested to hear more about the folks you interview from the perspective of how they got to where they are in their careers? Who were their most influential people that helped them grow and advance? What do they think are some top learnings that shaped their careers… Looking back, if they could do something differently, what would that be and why?
I love the idea. As many have commented, people that are NOT top executives of airlines but otherwise work in the industry would make for much more interesting content.
I think the video series is a wonderful idea. I recall you did a number of them during COVID. They were always inciteful.
As long as your written articles will not suffer, audio takes more Tim and video you also have to watch. Video is also hard to do
If you make your writing more personal it will extend engagement .Your blog has been expanding language wise for dome time
When you move south in the US you start saying “y’all” but not sure it looks good in writing especially with some German grammar input ....
As long as your written articles will not suffer, audio takes more Tim and video you also have to watch. Video is also hard to do
If you make your writing more personal it will extend engagement .Your blog has been expanding language wise for dome time
When you move south in the US you start saying “y’all” but not sure it looks good in writing especially with some German grammar input . Using expressions like ““prime example” instead of “for example” just decreases density of information in your article . I am not listening to to you I am reading so try to limit unintended prose extensions; HIM, HE and HIS in same sentence ( Actually not just the in two rows) and then … “primarily on” , “some smooth talker” , “quite honestly”and “true goal” right after that . . Large language models do that and readers are looking for content that is personal and not infected by unedited algorithmic extrapolation.
On t0 your questions
• Does anyone have an idea for a name for the series? The only things I’ve come up with are OMAAT Chat (oh-mat-chat, at least it rhymes?) or OMAAT Live, but if anyone comes up with something better that I end up using, there will be a prize
⁃ No since this is done attract new readers . Do not use on know abbreviations
• Would you be interested in watching something like this?
⁃ Yes if internees bring information and do not start with “niceties “ used by time fillers
• Is a once every two week frequency correct, or is that too often, or not often enough?
⁃ When you actually make intresting content is good frequency you can publish with RSS so we will know when its available
• Is there anything in particular you’d like me to incorporate into the questions I ask people, or the format?
⁃ Dilution of loyalty programs
⁃ Inters rate of creditcards ( 27%) now in Amex and that is a very harsh punishment when you late pay
⁃ Uselessness of some loyalty points
• Is YouTube the right medium for this? Is there merit to also streaming this on Facebook, or just linking to YouTube is fine?
⁃ You tube is great if you have graphical content that will contribute to what you like to tells us about and make sure you do nto look like a radio show on video
I like you stories and hope they will continue , They can be hard to find in between the bread and butter credit card tips .
How much more Tim can Ben's followers take?
Yuck to the video. If you insist on video I hope you also consolidate the interviews into written form as well. This is generally more concise and entertaining as well. Nobody needs to try to sort out somebody's accent or listen to them rambling. And frankly I don't need to waste half of my time listening to you asking questions either. It is your job to do the interviewing which could be in person over...
Yuck to the video. If you insist on video I hope you also consolidate the interviews into written form as well. This is generally more concise and entertaining as well. Nobody needs to try to sort out somebody's accent or listen to them rambling. And frankly I don't need to waste half of my time listening to you asking questions either. It is your job to do the interviewing which could be in person over the phone or even over email. Then you can consolidate it into a longform written piece that would be good to read.
Longtime reader of this blog back when you went by Lucky. I would LOVE to see you do interviews with airline execs. It would be super unique and not something where Gemini/AI could steal the ad revenue from you. Please do it!!!!! Patrick Quayle, Carsten Spohr, Tiffany Funk - all super interesting
One Chat At A Time. Love the idea! Im an avid Youtube watcher and would totally watch a 30min interview you make. I think you should definitely incorporate reader questions so that we can be involved in it as well.
+1 on the interviewing other people in the industry (FAs, ATCs, etc) and not just CEOs. Btw my friends dad is an airline CEO would be cool to see you interview him.
I think you need to fully understand why people follow your blog and the value they think they get from it. Furthermore, I think you will need to consider building a new audience for the videos. Some will crossover from the blog but probably not many. Generating income from the videos takes time and is based on many factors. I'm not sure how you are realistically going to get those types of high level people...
I think you need to fully understand why people follow your blog and the value they think they get from it. Furthermore, I think you will need to consider building a new audience for the videos. Some will crossover from the blog but probably not many. Generating income from the videos takes time and is based on many factors. I'm not sure how you are realistically going to get those types of high level people to talk with you. About the content, I think YouTube is good for longer videos and you can cut it into smaller segments for other platforms like Tiktok.
Access is really not an issue. If you only read US blogs you don’t fully understand how integrated we are into the industry. The US bloggers don’t get invited to stuff because the travelling is too hard - in Europe we’re much closer. And every airline CEO knows who Ben is. In fact his name came up at the Riyadh Air launch dinner in London last week - which I attended as a blogger, which sort of proves the point.
I'd love to see you going face to face with Josh Cahill :)
I as well would really love to hear from the operations side of the airlines... The meteorologists, the dispatchers, the station managers etc. Big and small airlines... Commuter airlines would be really interesting. I would be interested in all of these areas which are 100% critical and not in the public view.
I'd second that. No one needs another manufactured sit down with Bastain or Kirby. Much more interesting to hear from people actually doing the work.
The real humans of aviation. Love that. The decisions are overtalked about, let’s see the passion behind the decisions
I enjoy your page but also would never want to watch a 30 minute interview.
Boring and zero time in my day for that.
If the industry is getting harder and harder to monetise maybe you should consider it's time to get out before the ship truly sinks.
When's the Josh Cahill interview segment coming?
I should definitely be featured I’ve been through so many crazy travels , credit cards , points , miles , adventures.
My posts on here have always been high quality contributions that should have been featured in The Atlantic and New Yorker a long time ago.
The Lufthansa 747-900 is better than the other airplanes .
Rage-bait? (Or, did you mean 747-8?)
Sounds like a podcast that's potentially interesting but may not actually generate all that much revenue.
I think the FM videos aren't amazing but are at least a relevant starting place.
Almost feels like you, LALF and VFTW should launch a Strike Force Five kind of thing and split the revenue 3 ways. Points Force Three.
Anyway, I somehow don't think we are at risk of hearing you pitch us AG1. Maybe a VPN!
Yeah, FM’s podcasts are kinda redundant from their posts, unless you just like hearing Nick and Greg’s voices and light banter.
(Btw, tried AA’s 789P. Felt a little awkward walking back to MCE with a measuring tape… Row 13 had at least 34”. Beautiful aircraft. Highly recommend snagging a “Preferred” Flagship Suite if you can… *wink*)
LOL - yeah, it's a really nice plane and as much as I prefer 777s to 787s, the 777s really are due for the retrofit, they just feel really old at this point. Excellent measuring - they just need more MCE on it, 18 seats just doesn't cut it on the wide body. PE also excellent on the plane.
I've got AA's XLR coming up shortly... looking forward to trying it.
As to the...
LOL - yeah, it's a really nice plane and as much as I prefer 777s to 787s, the 777s really are due for the retrofit, they just feel really old at this point. Excellent measuring - they just need more MCE on it, 18 seats just doesn't cut it on the wide body. PE also excellent on the plane.
I've got AA's XLR coming up shortly... looking forward to trying it.
As to the videos - literally have VFTW and LALF fighting about mixed nuts this morning - as much as an in depth 30 minute video with an AF exec would be somewhat interesting, I highly suspect a video of 3 points legends chatting about mixed nuts would do 50x better, FWIW. OMAAT and VFTW can debate their start up airline ideas. And so much less prep going into what could be a 30 minute weekly chat that's easy to pull 1 minute clips out of for TikTok than just the prep and nervousness that would go into an executive interview series.
Long time reader, I enjoy the written content of OMAAT.
No need for headphones, easy to scroll through.
But Ben probably has another target interested in videos.
Would absolutely love to watch these. I do t think once every two weeks is too often, but I just worry that the quality of the interviewees will eventually go downhill at that frequency. Looking forward!
Ben, as an elder millennial, I love long-form written content, and that's where I get the majority of my travel inspiration. So I love your detailed strategy posts, your reviews, and your state of the industry posts.
I would also enjoy these "behind the scenes" or "insider" looks at the industry! As a points nerd, I always want to know the why behind the how. So this series sounds amazing.
But I would actually...
Ben, as an elder millennial, I love long-form written content, and that's where I get the majority of my travel inspiration. So I love your detailed strategy posts, your reviews, and your state of the industry posts.
I would also enjoy these "behind the scenes" or "insider" looks at the industry! As a points nerd, I always want to know the why behind the how. So this series sounds amazing.
But I would actually love this as a podcast. I enjoy listening over watching. Have you considered doing Youtube for the video with Spotify for audio options? Some of the other blogs and financial guys do both. That would satisfy all options - live Youtube/video and asynchronous podcast.
Thanks for all you do! As much as I love social media, short form video is formulaic and repetitive. Those doing different things are my go-to's in the long run!
Over the last several months I see different “enhancement”. On top of already annoying advertising pop ups everyday number of articles (sometimes even close to half) is about bonuses and features of credit cards. It is becoming more and more like The Points Guy that is now basically credit card advertising channel. Stopped subscribing to it as it is waste of time.
Like several others, I am more into written than video; that said, if it was short (maybe 10ish minutes) and easy to access from the site I would probably watch. At the end of the day, do what will keep things fresh for you - you need to grow. And you need to survive parenthood, which is not for the feint of heart, particularly if you don't have family nearby who can pitch in to support you. Hang in there. I look forward to seeing what is next!
What happened to Tim Clark? And whoever is running Air India
Lucky - I think this is a great idea. I work in marketing (between traditional, content, and social media) and as much as I don't love video it doesn't seem like it's going anywhere. I personally think you'd be a hit on TikTok talking us through your biggest misadventures (TAAG Angola, getting an Egyptian fatwa, etc).. but that can be a future enhancement!
Some questions to think through for your platform is what your goals...
Lucky - I think this is a great idea. I work in marketing (between traditional, content, and social media) and as much as I don't love video it doesn't seem like it's going anywhere. I personally think you'd be a hit on TikTok talking us through your biggest misadventures (TAAG Angola, getting an Egyptian fatwa, etc).. but that can be a future enhancement!
Some questions to think through for your platform is what your goals for this are. Are you trying to rapidly reach a new audience and drive traffic to OMAAT, are you actually trying to grow on social media, or something else?
YouTube would be good for long-form content but I'd consider splicing up the best interview soundbites and posting them onto socials. In the age of AI people are craving authenticity and this is a great way to build the OMAAT brand by showing off a bit more of your personality.
One Miles Chat
This sounds interesting but please release it as a podcast even if the primary medium is video. I don’t have a lot of time for watching video, but audio I can fit into my life.
Every 2 weeks is fine, but don’t make a rod for you own back by trying to do too much. The air show does a good job of this - it’s nominally weekly but they probably average about 3 weeks...
This sounds interesting but please release it as a podcast even if the primary medium is video. I don’t have a lot of time for watching video, but audio I can fit into my life.
Every 2 weeks is fine, but don’t make a rod for you own back by trying to do too much. The air show does a good job of this - it’s nominally weekly but they probably average about 3 weeks in 4 and there’s 3 of them that aren’t always there. (Also they’d all make good interviews candidates as well)
BEN I’LL TALK TO YOU IF NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO.
"Is YouTube the right medium for this? Is there merit to also streaming this on Facebook, or just linking to YouTube is fine?"
Why would you limit it to either? Do all the above. Maybe choose one as a primary feed for live videos, but post the recordings to others.
Separate ads. Separate audiences, some of whom might not cross over. Same for Tiktok, Twitch, etc.
Personally, I find OMAAT mostly fine the way things are. I don't need videos if you post good photos. I can go through them more quickly. Maybe I'm the minority. If I can ask one thing, I hope you can improve on website loading speed, but maybe you need the ads to keep things running.
"Personally, I find OMAAT mostly fine the way things are."
Great idea: don't change, in a swiftly-evolving landscape.
What could possibly go wrong? lol
We need an OMAAT fest in 2027 so everyone can meet in person at a hotel convention.
I personally have enjoyed long form YouTube videos a lot (1 hr at least) and I think you'd have more than enough to talk about with any of your potential guests (I'm not a fan of the person at the bottom of your hypothetical guest list because that'd probably require 16 seasons or more, and all of them will be about the exact same topic).
Also, an audio-only version would be great for those who...
I personally have enjoyed long form YouTube videos a lot (1 hr at least) and I think you'd have more than enough to talk about with any of your potential guests (I'm not a fan of the person at the bottom of your hypothetical guest list because that'd probably require 16 seasons or more, and all of them will be about the exact same topic).
Also, an audio-only version would be great for those who don't mind the video.
Lastly, I'm not sure whether going live right from episode 1 is a good idea. You might need a bit more experience controlling the cadence of the conversation to keep the audience engaged. I've seen very good YouTubers struggling quite a lot when switching to live streaming. It's a skill, as anything else in life.
I think this could be a great idea. As some others have said, it would be very interesting to hear interviews of some of your regular commenters such as Tim Dunn and 1990. I also think interviews with some of your fellow bloggers, such as Gary Leff and Matt Klimpt could make for enjoyable watching.
One thing I would recommend is that you do work from notes when you're asking questions. It's easy to...
I think this could be a great idea. As some others have said, it would be very interesting to hear interviews of some of your regular commenters such as Tim Dunn and 1990. I also think interviews with some of your fellow bloggers, such as Gary Leff and Matt Klimpt could make for enjoyable watching.
One thing I would recommend is that you do work from notes when you're asking questions. It's easy to forget certain key areas that you want to cover while you're in the midst of the process.
Really looking forward to the results!
I love it ! I think YouTube would be a great platform because a person could enjoy on their phone, laptop or TV. I like the interview style as well. I think that every 2 weeks or so would be nice. Jeb Brooks (Greener Grass) tends to do about every 2 weeks as well which I think must work well for the producer as well as we consumers.
Go for it Ben !
I just want to say that as more and more folks go to short form content and influence videos, there's even more of a need for your blog. I want to read your writing, not watch YouTube. Please don't chase what's trendy.
I welcome the content. I don't normally add channels and highly selective but I'll be happy to follow Ben.
Off topic Lucky but have you seen this?
“EasyJet suggests it will agree to £5.5bn takeover by US investment firm”
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/05/easyjet-agrees-to-5bn-takeover-by-us-investment-firm
Bring back the COVID brunch!
I think this is a great idea. But I doubt I would go to YouTube to watch it. Would prefer to just listen to it via a podcast. So please make the recording available as a podcast as well.
I'm the founder of Sky Key, and would be more than happy to come on your show.
You had a whole Youtube video series going for a while there back in like 2012 or something. This sounds a lot less chaotic for you than trying to make video content during your review flights.
Not sure how doing this will make any of your content more discoverable, though... (You were complaining about Google algorithms). Maybe do a 90 second crazy dance with every guest just for posting to TikTok :P
I guess he'd have to repack some of his blog posts to prepare his audience for any upcoming interview. Let's say, eg., he's interviewing QR's ex-ceo, so he'd write a piece with some travel highlights as well as industry insights, then this piece would link to the vid (and vice versa)... (Just thinking out loud of course)
I think this is a great idea, and you have quite a few ways you could take this!
Youtube is the perfect place to post this. Though as you can see from other's comments on this post, a video doesn't suit everyone on this blog (especially since your blog isn't limited to people in their 20s). I would recommend having multiple outlets to post this information. Create a podcast as well where you post...
I think this is a great idea, and you have quite a few ways you could take this!
Youtube is the perfect place to post this. Though as you can see from other's comments on this post, a video doesn't suit everyone on this blog (especially since your blog isn't limited to people in their 20s). I would recommend having multiple outlets to post this information. Create a podcast as well where you post this, along with a YouTube video, and a summary on the blog. Use Instagram shorts to get people from that medium to view your YT/podcast channel as well.
As others have said, 30 minutes seems like a long time, especially if there is no editing to it. That's why I think a live format may not be the way to go. Editing it down would likely offer more value for time for everyone watching/listening. I think we all trust you to have all the good info in there. However, I think you said 30 minutes because you also want there to be enough substance to the conversation. At the same time, people have short attention spans (or have limited time). So, I would say 15 min max per video, and then maybe have multple parts to it on YouTube (because if videos are longer than that, I often save them for later - and sometimes never get to them).
I also recommend you get your Instagram account going again to post relevant content to help drive up engagement on your blog. Maybe you could just make it an avgeek centered account, posting cool photos and videos from your travels (it doesn't have to be too formal or structured, it's not like putting an ad on your account promoting your blog like how you previously approached instagram). Nowadays, I find these types of accounts easily have 1M+ followers, so there is a big enough community out there. And since you travel a lot, I'm sure many people would love to see another side of things on Instagram (especially since you & your blog have quite a bit of name recognition in these communities). You should also promote your video/podcasts on Instagram shorts (and maybe TikTok as well, to get another audience). Just post a few seconds of it with interesting content.
Editing and posting on all of these platforms can take some time, so I would recommend maybe hiring a part-time editor (such as for the YouTube videos/podcast), and maybe someone to help you with social media (either an intern or an agency who can help teach you how to go about it). You can keep all content control with this approach, while also getting relief from more mundane tasks to help you focus on the content. I'd be more than happy to share more thoughts about how you could do this. If you want, feel free to shoot me an email (I'm a 22 year old avgeek who has been following your blog for over a decade, so I both understand your blog & POV along with social media & current trends).
As for posting once every two weeks, typically the best thing for getting consistent views is to post every week. That helps put your upload into people's weekly schedule, making it part of their routine. Though if you were to interview someone new every week, I assume you would likely run out of interesting characters quite fast. Additionally, the time to organize all of this would likely be a lot. So, if your YouTube channel grows to such an extent, you could post content weekly, but have rotating series, so that this interview series post's every two weeks. But this is if you want to dedicate a lot of time to your channel. Otherwise, once every two weeks should be good enough. Just make sure to post about it on the blog (and embed the video here) because you likely won't get enough engagement on YT alone since your posting won't be as frequent.
As for the name, I recommend keeping your channel name on YouTube (and any podcast channels) as One Mile At A Time (since you want consistency and your blog name already has heavy brand recognition). As for the series name, I would actually recommend keeping the video title simple. For example, if you are interviewing Ben Smith, have the title of the video be "An Interview with Air France/KLM CEO Ben Smith", and then in the thumbnail of the video, write bullet points stating some topics covered (like "personal story", "how he got to this position", "avgeek?"). This will help you get organic views from non-followers on YoutTube. If you make a series name and post it in the title of the video, it might make the title too long, and it might not be fully understood by non-followers who happen to stumble on your videos while browsing YouTube. A series title can be put in your YouTube channel front page where your content is organized. That's my two cents anyway. Sorry it's really long Ben, but I thought you might appreciate the length.
I second the feedback on keeping good old OMAAT as the name, not going live, and being mindful of the fact that the industry does not have a huge pool of prominent people. So, eventually, there won't be much people left to interview anyways. Personally, the last thing I would like to see is Ben interviewing L&LF or prolific blog commenters.
I'm glad you're trying to mix it up, but there are two types of interviews that are almost never interesting (for some of the reasons you've already stated), corporate CEOs and politicians. They're simply not allowed to go off script and it's mostly talking points. Tim Dunn on the other hand would be interesting!
Get professional assistance with video setup and editing. Also take the long segments and chop into shorts; I'd consider TikTok also.
Snagging executives for interviewing is going to be a challenge. There are legal implications for anything they may say regarding operations or financials. Corporate legal and PR will have the final say on what gets posted; cycle time may be lengthy.
Exciting. Just keep it focussed on points and airlines and not gossip columns ;)
But, but… who doesn’t love some hot-goss… I guess, Gary can always do the heavy-lifting if Ben won’t, and post more ‘fights on planes’ or ‘dogs on planes’ and ‘look what this girl tried to wear on a plane’ stories.
Good idea! Maybe you could also interview some of the most interesting travelers, like that lady who commutes from NYC to U of M.
Ben! Your content is the best. Although I prefer written content, I’d watch your interviews too.
As for the name: Ben There, Flown That
I salute your acceptance of the need for change - its part of all of our lives.
I like the idea, alot. Stories are what attract people and keep them insterested. There is a podcast I listent to led by a former commercial pilot who interviews aviation luminaries. Their stories of how their lives unfolded are fascinating.
Consider a wide range of people that are part of the aviation industry - CEOs and...
I salute your acceptance of the need for change - its part of all of our lives.
I like the idea, alot. Stories are what attract people and keep them insterested. There is a podcast I listent to led by a former commercial pilot who interviews aviation luminaries. Their stories of how their lives unfolded are fascinating.
Consider a wide range of people that are part of the aviation industry - CEOs and COOs but others as well. I am fascinated with the logistics and myriad challenges.
I think 2 wks is about right, though nothing wrong with weekly if you can keep that pace.
One-on-One Mile at a Time
Hi Ben,
In the comments section of „ Delta Pilots Subtly Blame Management For “Unacceptable” Flight Reliability“ Tim Dunn offered me to meet him in person. Since I am living in Germany i was hoping that you could interview him.
I get to the Continent every now amd then.
But coffee with Ben is great too
I’d add I’d love to hear from the operations side. Baggage, ticketing, ATC. I have a friend who runs a regional with US/CAN flights. Happy to connect.
Love the idea! But you shouldn't limit this to top-execs. There are so many interesting characters in the airline industry beyond the airline boards. The perspective of someone who works for an aircraft / engine / seat manufacturer, a regulator, a major airport might be very interesting.
Further, there a managers at airlines in the second or third row, who are not well known but have alot of influence on the decisions and might...
Love the idea! But you shouldn't limit this to top-execs. There are so many interesting characters in the airline industry beyond the airline boards. The perspective of someone who works for an aircraft / engine / seat manufacturer, a regulator, a major airport might be very interesting.
Further, there a managers at airlines in the second or third row, who are not well known but have alot of influence on the decisions and might be the CxO's of the future - it would be very interesting to learn about those people and their perspective on the industry as well.
That sounds like an awesome idea!
First, a big thank you for the great job you do with this site. You clearly have a formula to keep your readers engaged even if it means throwing a few fireworks into the crowd.
I will say that I do not watch videos if information can be obtained by reading. I can read far faster than somebody can speak and since many of my comments are voice dictated, I spend far less time engaged...
First, a big thank you for the great job you do with this site. You clearly have a formula to keep your readers engaged even if it means throwing a few fireworks into the crowd.
I will say that I do not watch videos if information can be obtained by reading. I can read far faster than somebody can speak and since many of my comments are voice dictated, I spend far less time engaged on sites on a verbal basis and by reading then I could by listening to someone speak. And there still not Is necessarily interaction with a video.
best of luck with whatever you choose to do
Considering how obsessed you are with this blog, don't you think you owe it to Ben at this point to appear in a video? Put your money where your mouth is to speak
nowhere did I say I would or wouldn't participate in a video.
And I have been invited to participate in events by other bloggers but schedules didn't cooperate
I'd definitely watch this if it comes to fruition (though I dunno how often I'd watch live). I know you're planning to do video interviews on YT, but I'd also want to be able to consume in podcast form, so I can listen on my morning walks or in the car. Looking forward to hearing more
If it ain't broken, don't fix it
Title suggestion: One Mile Together
Serious guest suggestion: Vasu Raja, he likes to talk and I bet he would be willing to appear on your show.
Only if they meet in El Paso.
I'd throw in Richard Quest and Brian Kelly in there too! I'll also add ABCs Gio Benitez who covers aviation as well as CNNs Pete Muntean.
Brian Kelly? Why?
I do prefer written content to video - because my attention span and just how I consume content has been relatively static over course of my life. I think video content (or audio content) just won't capture my attention as much, even if there is value at interviewing on video/audio.
Having said that, and having read you since nearly the very beginning, I do encourage whatever you think would bring you joy. And if you...
I do prefer written content to video - because my attention span and just how I consume content has been relatively static over course of my life. I think video content (or audio content) just won't capture my attention as much, even if there is value at interviewing on video/audio.
Having said that, and having read you since nearly the very beginning, I do encourage whatever you think would bring you joy. And if you think it has value, then you should totally pursue that, and not worry about what me (or other readers) value.
I'm personally the opposite of the type of content I like to digest. But I do think your comment is valid for a lot of and Lucky should pay for transcriptions (the high quality type that rewrites it into a digestible format).
Lucky, get Ford to interview you on your podcast as I am so sure many readers would love to watch your interview.
Yes, I'd watch that. You had me at Tim Dunn. Throw in JonNYC or 1990 and I'll go get my popcorn.
Most certainly Tim Dunn-that'll be one of your most watched interviews. Having been in broadcasting/communications most of my career, I know that consistently filling a 30 minute broadcast with high quality content is extremely difficult. It's easy to start off strong but you can quickly run out of steam (and ideas). Can't wing it or free flow it. You must have at least an outline of each video and have done thorough research.
Perhaps a mix of videos with industry leaders, road warriors and credit card reviews.
Obviously credit card reviews are your bread and butter but there is likely a desire for short form content that concisely compares them.
Asking about how people achieved status with airlines, hotels, or cruise lines would bring a human element.
Ben, you can call it OMAAT presents One Matter At A Time and also if you are going to invite TD then you might as well invite DCS so that you can have the airline worshipping and hotel worshipping covered in your podcast.
I think you should release the interviews as a podcast too! The appeal of a blog is being able to read an article here and there when I have time. For a podcast it’s listening in the car or while running. I wouldn’t sit down and watch a 30 minute video
Although I tend to prefer written content to video, I do like the idea of reading a post about an interview you did, and then deciding based on that whether to watch it.
As for content, I suggest not just focusing on the "movers and shakers", but also on the real people you encounter in the business - FAs, pilots, gate agents, lounge staff, etc. And even some you don't encounter because they're entirely behind...
Although I tend to prefer written content to video, I do like the idea of reading a post about an interview you did, and then deciding based on that whether to watch it.
As for content, I suggest not just focusing on the "movers and shakers", but also on the real people you encounter in the business - FAs, pilots, gate agents, lounge staff, etc. And even some you don't encounter because they're entirely behind the scenes - rampers, airline operations staff, weather forecasters, etc. Heck, even air traffic controllers - you certainly have enough posts featuring a certain controller at JFK! Maybe he'd like to talk?
It might be hard to get workers to open up and be honest because they can't be critical of their companies, and/or their companies might have policies requiring them to get permission from their PR departments before talking to the press. So finding recently retired folks might be the way to go.
+1. After reading the post I had almost exactly the same thoughts. Thanks for writing them up, snic! Also, 15-20 min is long enough.
Overall, love the idea. I would keep the videos at twenty minutes. I became exhausted by Non-Stop Dan and Josh because their videos just drag. Embedding the video in the blog is best option. I also would like to see reels on Instagram as a summary of your posts of the week in review, with you responding to viewer posts / comments. None of the Tim Dunn argue BS. Just normies in the comments asking...
Overall, love the idea. I would keep the videos at twenty minutes. I became exhausted by Non-Stop Dan and Josh because their videos just drag. Embedding the video in the blog is best option. I also would like to see reels on Instagram as a summary of your posts of the week in review, with you responding to viewer posts / comments. None of the Tim Dunn argue BS. Just normies in the comments asking questions, getting insights. Also, I would enjoy watching videos of who you respect in the aviation blog world. I would love an interview with JonNyc. Lots of potential here. Good luck!
Just wanted to assure you there are people like me who are just getting started in their journey in this hobby and are very grateful for everything learned here.
If you enjoy it, you should do it. But having said that, I don't come here to read about the life story of airline CEOs. I come here for the travel information -- airlines, airports, classes of service, etc.
So if you are going to do the interviews because you enjoy them, I suggest you do at least every third or fourth show with a Q&A: How would I tweak your trip? (Possible name:...
If you enjoy it, you should do it. But having said that, I don't come here to read about the life story of airline CEOs. I come here for the travel information -- airlines, airports, classes of service, etc.
So if you are going to do the interviews because you enjoy them, I suggest you do at least every third or fourth show with a Q&A: How would I tweak your trip? (Possible name: OMAATify your trip! or TripOMAAT.) Your readers/listeners would send you their booked or proposed itineraries and you tell them how you would make them better (if you could) or provide tips to maximize their specific airport or onboard experience. That will drive engagement as well as keep people who are here for the travel tips coming back to learn more.
If it’s going to be a video on YouTube, it should also exist as a podcast on Spotify! Look at what the Cockpit Casual guys are doing for their podcast series: a dual approach.
I love the idea! If you’re going to do Q&A I have a feeling 30 min may not be enough and you may need to extend to 45 (30 interview and 15 Q&A).
I love the guests you mentioned, would be super curious to also hear stories from “regular” people in the industry. Flight attendants or pilots that have been doing it for decades. Or ones with unique stories. The passionate ones that love...
I love the idea! If you’re going to do Q&A I have a feeling 30 min may not be enough and you may need to extend to 45 (30 interview and 15 Q&A).
I love the guests you mentioned, would be super curious to also hear stories from “regular” people in the industry. Flight attendants or pilots that have been doing it for decades. Or ones with unique stories. The passionate ones that love their jobs. For example your favorite flight attendant on Emirates that you wrote about before (who retired). I feel like when I fly I interact with so many people but never really know their stories.
I imagine airline corporate / PR may add some challenges there but hopefully can be worked through.
I think Ben is going to find that the video format isn't going to work without good editing. He's going to have to do 1 or 2 hour interviews to get 30 min of engaging content. Nothing bores me more than a rambling podcast where two people are yacking about nothing for an hour and they raise all of 1 or 2 interesting points during that hour. I don't have the patience, and I'll turn it off after 5 or 10 minutes. And of course never listen again.
Fair, guess depends on how much editing vs “live”. Since Ben did say he intends this to be a live interview (so assuming no editing)
Love this. Hopefully you have a good social media team! Name youtube? Lucky’s Airline World.
sounds like a podcast lol. but im fine with that. +1 for "One Chat at a Time". Tim Dunn episode would do NUMBERS.
lets goooo hype hype hype
You tried a video series a few years ago and it sputtered out, if I remember correctly... without meaning to sound negative, I don't think I would be interested in watching 30-minute videos on this topic. At best, I would watch them at 2x speed. To me, the appeal of your blog is the written word, and the ability to dip in and out when I have a few spare minutes; sitting down to watch...
You tried a video series a few years ago and it sputtered out, if I remember correctly... without meaning to sound negative, I don't think I would be interested in watching 30-minute videos on this topic. At best, I would watch them at 2x speed. To me, the appeal of your blog is the written word, and the ability to dip in and out when I have a few spare minutes; sitting down to watch videos happens in different circumstances. I would much prefer that you focus on improving the user experience of the website, especially on mobile browsers. That said, from the comments it appears that other people would be interested in watching, so perhaps I'm in the minority—if so, go for it!
Agreed with Hodor on this. Love everything about OMAAT. Love trying new things, but unsure if this one is for me. (I'd love to be proven wrong). 30 minutes is too long. I like the 'snackable' way I can read an article on here in a minute or so. On the examples you gave above, I think I'd prefer to read them (and scroll down if/when my interest fades). Maybe test the waters on this...
Agreed with Hodor on this. Love everything about OMAAT. Love trying new things, but unsure if this one is for me. (I'd love to be proven wrong). 30 minutes is too long. I like the 'snackable' way I can read an article on here in a minute or so. On the examples you gave above, I think I'd prefer to read them (and scroll down if/when my interest fades). Maybe test the waters on this before - not sure on every 2 weeks. And will this take away from your other written content? Please prove me wrong.
(The bloody software once again munched my comment so reposting)
It's a good idea although it does still sound like a podcast. However, most of your readers are familiar with AA and Lufthansa etc. I personally don't really fancy hearing more from/about the likes of Mr Kirby (directly or from his subordinates), and I'm certainly fed up with the consistently positive coverage of Flying Blue and everyone in the blogosphere forgetting to mention the unannounced...
(The bloody software once again munched my comment so reposting)
It's a good idea although it does still sound like a podcast. However, most of your readers are familiar with AA and Lufthansa etc. I personally don't really fancy hearing more from/about the likes of Mr Kirby (directly or from his subordinates), and I'm certainly fed up with the consistently positive coverage of Flying Blue and everyone in the blogosphere forgetting to mention the unannounced overnight devaluation that increased the cost intercontinental redemptions by 70% without any grace period- the pitchforks would instantly come out if BA ever did that.
I think that you should seek out people to talk to you about some less well-covered stories such as the state-owned Mexicana setting up from scratch, TAAG moving to the new airport, Finnair deciding to fly to Australia, TAP launching a premium economy with eurobusiness hard product etc
Love the idea but I'll be honest that I never watch YouTube trip reviews or interviews. Just too much time to invest watching Josh Cahill whine about something new. Tbh, I'd never even heard of him before you'd mentioned his channel in some of his more unusual rants.
Love the Air Show podcast but I also rarely listen unless I'm on a road trip.
I always love your content, but sadly, I won't be...
Love the idea but I'll be honest that I never watch YouTube trip reviews or interviews. Just too much time to invest watching Josh Cahill whine about something new. Tbh, I'd never even heard of him before you'd mentioned his channel in some of his more unusual rants.
Love the Air Show podcast but I also rarely listen unless I'm on a road trip.
I always love your content, but sadly, I won't be the most loyal listener. I love the ability to read and come back to an article when something pops up.
But your Tim Dunn interview would be interesting "so.... tell me why you are the way you are..." :)
30 min max. I would strongly encourage parsing this into shorter video segments for traditional socials or even doing some interviews as a Part 1/2 if they go over 30. The reality is very few people in this era will want to watch a 30 min YouTube video unless they are highly engaged with the topic
Why not publish this simultaneously as a podcast series as well
Definitely interested, though I'd just look for it here vs on a specific site (youtube, etc.). Don't forget sites like Instagram for maybe sharing shorter video clips, too, to help drive traffic. I know that's not your primary goal here, but once you have the interviews in the format you like, you might as well promote them.
For name...I like Chats. Or OMAAT Talks? OMAAT Coffee Chats? Or Coffee Contrails (since you love coffee)? OMAAT Lounge? OMAAT Cleared to Chat?
One of your competitors tried to do video but unfortunately, they came off very stiff. I have seen video of you, and you are a very good communicator, so I think this will work for you.
I have tried to suggest that you have some kind of format where you take questions from your followers. I am quite sure that will work. That could be written or video. Not only will people be interested in...
One of your competitors tried to do video but unfortunately, they came off very stiff. I have seen video of you, and you are a very good communicator, so I think this will work for you.
I have tried to suggest that you have some kind of format where you take questions from your followers. I am quite sure that will work. That could be written or video. Not only will people be interested in asking you questions, but in the process you will get a better idea of what topics people are interested in.
Video is not my cup of tea, but twenty minutes max.
Ben I would argue that you have the best frequent flyer blog going. I think your idea to do a series of videos is great. Your ideas sound wonderful. What about seeing if you could ask Tim Clarke for an interview.
Ben, agree that evolving with the times makes sense. And, absolutely avoid the clickbait approach so popular these days. Perhaps call it “OMAAt Now”?
It would be very interesting to get a personal perspective from various industry thought leaders w/o the usual promotional aspect to interviews limited to carefully crafted PR/investor relations driven scripts. I would suggest opening it up the candidate pool to a wide array of participants, not just industry executives. The...
Ben, agree that evolving with the times makes sense. And, absolutely avoid the clickbait approach so popular these days. Perhaps call it “OMAAt Now”?
It would be very interesting to get a personal perspective from various industry thought leaders w/o the usual promotional aspect to interviews limited to carefully crafted PR/investor relations driven scripts. I would suggest opening it up the candidate pool to a wide array of participants, not just industry executives. The key criteria being: 1. Is what they are doing worth talking about? 2. Is their “story” colorful enough to hold your audience’s interest? 3. Are they open to being truly authentic so it does not come off as rehearsed, forced or just an another puff piece? .
Altitude Adjustment - ‘From cruising altitude to real human depth’ or ‘climbing beyond cruising altitude, one conversation at a time’
I'm here because I like to read. No interest in videos. But I understand it could bring in new people
So it's a podcast?
Move quickly as your idea is on point yet others are already in that space. Steve S - agree to reco 30 minute length (max) with shorts to augment.
Talk to anyone in the industry or space except the one single person who you have let ruin the blog. First recommended guest JonxNYC. Good luck!
It’s easy enough to ignore comments if you don’t like them. Don’t suggest someone is at fault for supporting free flowing dialogue
I can't wait for this. So yes you should do it, yes I am (prob others) interested. 30mins is good. YouTube perfect, it's the new free cable TV. You could and should also do shorts. Thinking to do short 30 second or less hot takes, one per interview and these can be big attention grabbers.
First thing I thought of was Road to Success Podcast
"In your own words tell us who you...
I can't wait for this. So yes you should do it, yes I am (prob others) interested. 30mins is good. YouTube perfect, it's the new free cable TV. You could and should also do shorts. Thinking to do short 30 second or less hot takes, one per interview and these can be big attention grabbers.
First thing I thought of was Road to Success Podcast
"In your own words tell us who you are and what you do" and then they unpack the path they took to get there and if it's someone that's made controversial or risky decisions, they unpack what actually happened what the thought process was and how do they feel looking back on it. Very human, real, unscripted for the most part...but edited.
Look, yea some of the short form video based content is silly and it's a new crowd but you've got the right attitude.
“Ben There/Dunn That”.
One Chat at a Time?
seems like a fun idea. the scheduling might be tricky to maintain unless you can record enough to have a solid backlog. I think you could get away with talking to other hobbyists too like Gary, especially if you're willing to make it a little spicy with your differences of opinion.
Tangentially - there's this really annoying young guy named Alex that has somehow managed to title himself...
One Chat at a Time?
seems like a fun idea. the scheduling might be tricky to maintain unless you can record enough to have a solid backlog. I think you could get away with talking to other hobbyists too like Gary, especially if you're willing to make it a little spicy with your differences of opinion.
Tangentially - there's this really annoying young guy named Alex that has somehow managed to title himself an "analyst" and gotten some time on a few different airline news stories; he's in the video about the development of the new SQ Suites. I think you could do a much better job than him as a consultant for mainstream aviation journalism.
I was also thinking One Chat at a Time!
I would be super into this. I've been a long time enjoyer of The Air Show, and i think you have a uniue perspecitve and, as you alluded to, "casual" conversation nature that I think would make for a really nice change. Unfortunately, I don't think many executives will actually share the really cool internal details I'd love to hear (ex. I'd LOVE to hear an AA fleet planner share exactly how they're planning on...
I would be super into this. I've been a long time enjoyer of The Air Show, and i think you have a uniue perspecitve and, as you alluded to, "casual" conversation nature that I think would make for a really nice change. Unfortunately, I don't think many executives will actually share the really cool internal details I'd love to hear (ex. I'd LOVE to hear an AA fleet planner share exactly how they're planning on retrofitting 777-200ERs and how many they'll do, same for how long they plan on keeping their A320s and 1999-2001 batch 737-800s), but even learning more about them as people would be amazing and insipring as someone trying to work my way into this industry!
Video is not my thing. You have to have sound obviously which is not possible at many times or in many places. It is harder to scan back and re read (watch) something. It just isn't for informational type blogs imho. But I am not a whippersnapper who scrolls their phone 12 hours a day.