IHeartMedia Aviation Expert Jay Ratliff talks about the week in aviation

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Here's your nine firstwenty one to forecast.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
We have a sunny day to day highest seventy eight
clear of a night fifty six, another sunny day tomorrow,
I have eighty another clear night fifty seven, and another
sunny day Saturday for the highest seventy nine to fifty
two degrees. Right now, let's hear about traffic conditions from chuck.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
Ingram from the uc UP Transit Center. As the only
Level one trauma center in the region, u SEE Health
is setting the national standard for emergency care and preparedness
with new additions to the er joots. You see Health
when you need expert care. Southbound seventy five continues off
and on slow. Tyler's VILLEA two seventy five with the

(00:40):
wreck just above two seventy five on the right shoulder,
right lane remains block. Northbound seventy one with a wreck
before Red Bank. That traffic back's close to Smith Edwards, Chucking,
Vermont fifty five krs.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
The talk station.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
AY twenty nine fifty five Krsite talks station Happy Thursday, Friday,
even extra happy every week because this time we get
iHeartMedia Aviation expert Jay rat Up on the program talking
aviation issues and often the stock market issues. To welcome
back to Jay. I always love having you on the show,
my friend.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Well, there's no details on this, and I found this.
I was going through preparing for the show this morning,
and anytime I see an aviation article of well, unusual one, anyway,
I always printed out to talk to you about it.
There was there was speaking of unusual described as an
unusual odor.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
You saw this one too.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
The Quantis flight left Sydney, Australia on Wednesday and expected
to head on over to Wellington, New Zealand. Apparently I
had to turn around because well, an unusual odor was
on the plane. I guess one flight attendant fell ill
as a consequence. But that's about all we know.

Speaker 4 (01:52):
Yeah, and we've had situations before. Where have there been
shall we describe a new odors that might have might
be coming into the aircraft. It might be from a
mechanical situations that's feeding something into the cockpit air that
is causing some discomfort and in some cases worse than that.

(02:13):
Sometimes it can come from other sources that you know
are more unpleasant, but they don't tend to have that impact.
Would be like a laboratory that's having some issues. But yeah,
and they're going to err on the side of caution
each time because when they start having that take place,
you're worried about other passengers. But again, and I hate
to always have to say this, but you know it

(02:34):
from a legal standpoint, when they're made aware of something
that could be a potential problem, you are then measured
by your response to that situation that you know could
be an issue for your passengers. How did you respond
you were aware something was going on, what did you
do next? And you know that's one of the other
reasons that from the laws side of things, you want

(02:55):
to do everything you can to show that you are
responding to the event as it's taking place, and that's
why they are on the side of caution and normally
try to get that aircraft from the ground as soon
as they can to make sure that whoever's been impacted
can be treated, and also to make sure that they
can remove the passengers from the cabin before anybody else
starts to show any sort of reaction to the conditions.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, fair enough, that's just you know, we've had other
articles involving odors where we can trace it directly to
the source. Pretty comical and yet embarrassing for some. But
since the odor was it was not identified. I just
thought it was rather weird. But that is not to
tell people.

Speaker 4 (03:32):
Bran. I've had to tell people over the years at
the gate area that they couldn't fly because they smelled
like they hadn't taken a bath in three years. Okay,
that's a that's a delicate conversation, that's what that's when
my agents call me, Jay, we need you out the
gate area and they go, okay, what's going on now?
You know, you'll pull them off to the side and
you and you just as delicately as you can explain

(03:55):
that you know. And I always used to say, you know,
these seats are smaller than they've ever been. It's so unfair,
and you're on top of everybody, and you know this
and that, and unfortunately, when you're in that kind of environment,
some of the odors that you know, that are given
off sometimes in affect are the passengers. And it's not
an easy one to have because like telling somebody they're
too big to fit into a single seat and they

(04:15):
need to buy two.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
Well, yeah, but you see.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Demonstrably, you can prove it by trying to fit them
into single seat.

Speaker 4 (04:25):
But some people that maybe have a body yodor that
they are have grown accustomed to over the days, weeks, months,
they don't smell anything. But you know, it's like pigpin
on Charlie Brown. Everybody goes flying, you know, get out
of the way.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
Okay, all right, let's talk like visuals.

Speaker 2 (04:43):
I'm sorry, I know anyhow, we have laser strikes. This
is This is when some idiot has a laser pointer
and he's pointing it at the cockpit of an airplane
is flying by. Is that Is that what we're talking
about in the story.

Speaker 4 (04:55):
It is it. And a lot of people are thinking,
come on, Jay, are they even that powerful? Yes, they are.
They almost look like a lightsaber. And I have no
clue because I don't think this way, Thank god, I
don't think this way. Why anybody in their backyard grilling
that hamburgers late and I sees an airplane flying overgone,
you know, I wonder if I could actually point this

(05:17):
laser up there and kind of paint this aircraft as
it flies over. Well, the problem is that when that
laser hits the ceiling of the cockpit, there's such a
bright light that immediately is thrown into the face of
the flight crew. They are momentarily distractive. Now keep in
mind they'ret a critical time of flight. They're on normally

(05:39):
on takeoff or landing, most time landing as they're coming
in low, and the last thing you want to do
is distract the pilots. Now, we've had some pilots that
have actually incurred eye damage because of this, some have
been forced to stop flying because of it. And I
think from what I remember from that report Brian in Boston,
this was we've had more than eight thousand of these

(06:01):
this year.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Eight thousand.

Speaker 4 (06:05):
Yes. Now here's the issue. If you and I are
flying we get blasted with one of these things, we
notify air traffic control, who tries to tell us, as
we're flying three hundred and eleven knots or something, where
did it come from? When you're looking out the window
in the back, you can't. I mean your long pass
where it rights. And all you can do at that
point is to give the law enforcement people an approximate location.

(06:28):
And they hardly ever catch these people unless somebody on
the ground notices it and calls it nine to one
one to report it and thank you for everyone who does.
But these idiots, I don't think they understand, at least
I hope they don't, that they're placing the lives of
everybody on that aircraft at risk when they do that
kind of crap, and the idea that it continues and
continues and continues, and some of these numbers have escalated

(06:52):
big time over the years. I mean, we got to
catch them so we can start making examples out of people,
because I mean, throw them in jail, do something that's
the message that this kind of activity is absolutely well
dangerous in your endangering the lives of many people, and
it's totally.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Unacceptable, unacceptable.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
I would also say extraordinarily anxiety inducing, because that laser
might just not be some punk idiot on the ground
trying to have fun, but it may be very well
be attacked to a high powered rifle or some other
form of rocket launcher or something that's got a laser
focus on it. I mean that would be the first
thing that went through my mind. I'm target im being.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
Targeted, yeah, and some surface air missiles on its way.
It's a concern and it always has been, in fact,
prior to the attacks to nine to eleven, that was
our concern that surface air missiles were going to be
used against commercial aviation because sadly it's getting easier needs
and easier to acquire that kind of technology. And that
was way back then. Certainly the case now and the

(07:48):
aviation industry is you and I have talked about for
such a long time, Brian is always a target for
terrorists because the airline industry is an integral part of
our nation's economy. And when you go or stop the
movement of the passenger's cargo, me on all the things
within the airline industry in the twenty six thousand flight
today commercially or so that we have, it really can

(08:10):
have an adverse impact on our economy. So that's one
of the reasons because A gets a lot of press
coverage and b it impacts our nation's economy. Why aviation
has been and continua will be target, whether it be
airports or aircraft.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
And with that recent advisory about the likelihood of a
terror episode increase soon as is all frightening stuff, Jay
right left, let's possible bring it back talking about things
getting weird on a call with Delta Airlines plus the
real id act and how that could be delayed more
with Jay right.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
Left, be right back fifty five KRC President Sho.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
Keeps in the system, Jay rightlift.

Speaker 2 (08:48):
I heard be the AVASN expert pivoting over to Delta Airlines.
What got weird in your word over Delta Airlines today?

Speaker 4 (08:56):
Well, there was a passenger, a man that had a
problem with his itiner came up. He his wife and
the small baby are traveling, so he calls Delta reservations
and of course it takes a while to get through.
Once the call went through, he noticed that the future
of his travel plans was in the hands of his

(09:16):
ex girlfriend. Whoops. Oh yes, now you can try to
disguise your voice. But the problem is they've got all
your information on the other side. Well, they pull up
the reservation, so the guy really doesn't know how it's
going to go. And then the woman on the other
end says, so flying first class with the wife and baby,

(09:37):
huh pretty nice? So, I mean apparently from that point
it went downhill fast. So he was asked later if
he gave the agent a five star rating on the survey.
He said no, he did not, but Brian, what are
the chants? And of course his wife sitting right next
to him during this awkward call, wondering what the world's
going on? But what's the odds of calling somewhere and

(10:00):
your ex girlfriend, which apparently may not have ended on
the best of terms, answers the phone, and she's the
one that's gonna try to save the day for you. Jeez.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
I'm just busily going going over my past relationships and
trying to remember whether I broke up with them or they.

Speaker 1 (10:18):
Broke up with me.

Speaker 4 (10:19):
So I'm thinking, Okay, guy's got a baby. How recent
was this girlfriend?

Speaker 1 (10:24):
Well that's another good question, Jack.

Speaker 4 (10:26):
I don't want to think that way, but you.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
Know, it's twenty twenty four. No one would be surprised.
No one would be surprised.

Speaker 4 (10:35):
Oh good, well they would be in some cases, and
I'm glad they would be if it were your eye.
But yeah, we don't know about this guy.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
That is true, all right? Well, the real id act.
Remind my listeners what that is and why it may
be delayed again and what that might what the implications
behind that might be.

Speaker 1 (10:51):
Jay.

Speaker 4 (10:52):
The attacks of nine to eleven take place two thousand
and five. Congress says we've got to have a way
that TSA can better identify any fake IDs people are
trying to use to travel. So we're going to have
the states have a consistent, uniform looking driver's license that
will be TSA approved, and everybody has until two thousand
and eight to get it implemented all the states. Well,

(11:17):
two thousand and eight approaches and guess what not, everybody's
got their homework turned in. So I had to delay
it three more years, and then they have to delay
it five more years, and then we have the pandemic
which caused them delay it three more years. And now
May of twenty twenty five. This you have to have
your homework turned in stage by the May of next year.
But now the TSA is saying, I think we're going

(11:37):
to need to push it back to twenty twenty seven.
It's not everybody, Brian, it's what you act like. It
has to do with aviation security or something. You sound alarmed.
What's the big deal, right? I mean, it just it.
You know, I don't understand why you can't say this
is the deadline everybody. Now, if you didn't have it,

(11:58):
if you still had an active asport, you could use that.
There's fourteen I think different acceptable forms of identification on
the TSA website, and if you fly somewhere and you
lose your ID, don't panic. Get to the airport early.
And there are ways that the TSA can verify that
we are who we say we are. They even use
social media. There's a lot of things that they'll use.

(12:19):
You'll have to go through some extra screening, get ready
for that enhanced pat down. But the point is there's
ways to work. The TSA is easy to work with
in a lot of ways as long as you give
them advanced notice. But the problem with this real ID
act is it's almost going to be twenty years after
it was the deadline. But is that a government situation

(12:41):
or what? It just it blows my mind because I'm
thinking this is a security related issue and we're okay,
well the twenty year delay over when it's just well
nineteen excuse me, don't send me an email. I get
my math. But the point is it's almost two decades.

Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah, that that is mind blowing day. I mean, the
idea inefficiency of government never ceases to amazing. But that
and I guess the other component of it is, you know,
if you're talking about the reliability of any given piece
of identification technology has changed so much that manufacturing a
genuine in all thing way shapes and forms, complete with

(13:15):
hologram fake ID is possible, and it is currently being done.
A lot of people get in touch with our partners
over in China and have you know, young people who
looking for a fake ID can have those made and
sent home to your front door.

Speaker 4 (13:28):
And I'm told I've never seen them that they look identical.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
I've seen them they are look they look dead on jay.

Speaker 4 (13:35):
Yeah, And here's the issue. You've got these TSA people
that already are charged with so many different things, and
you add that on top of the list. And you know,
the airports are moving towards facial recognition. That's what they're
hoping to use around the world. We're already testing it
a lot of different markets. You'll see the facial recognition
technology at airport ticket counters. It'll soon be at the checkpoints.

(13:57):
And the thought is, you and I can walk up
to a Delta counter. You know, our faces scan within
three seconds they're starting the process checking our bags. We
don't have to pull out our ID. We go to
the TSA checkpoint. Instead of that, they facial recognition boom
away you go and even at the gate, same sort
of situation that allows us to then bord our airplane.
The thought is to make it more seamless as we

(14:18):
travel now, a lot of people that don't like government
being too big, too intrusive, or saying uh uh, I
don't want that, and they're saying, Okay, that's fine. You
can opt out of all of that and get in
a lane that is going to be dedicated for people
that aren't comfortable with facial recognition. But facial recognition is
already used all over the place. You ever gone to
a World Series or an All Star Game or the

(14:38):
Super Bowl? I guarantee you it's all over the place.
With reguards to security. Ever been in a casino, there's
so many things that are there that are already being implemented.
Sometimes from a security standpoint, we may or may not
be aware of it. Probably not so to me. I
don't mind it at all, because if they can, they're
also trying security where you walk down a corridor and

(15:00):
you're screened by different machines as you walk through this hallway,
and you only stop for screening if they've got a question.
If not, you never break stride from the counter to
the gate and a way you go. So they're trying
all kinds of different avenues with advanced technology to try
to make things easier and faster for us as we travel.
I love it everything they can do to make it safer, faster,

(15:22):
more convenient. For the most part, I'm all for. I
don't mind full body imaging scans. We need them because
that detects powder and liquid explosives, where the magnetometers only
used to give us metal if it's scrapped to our bodies.
So we're making the right kinds of advancements, obviously not
as fast as I would like, but the facial recognition technology,
I'm all for.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
It understood and real quick. Here on interested time, I
have to ask you this, though all types of businesses
may very well be impacted by the longshorm and strike
on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, is that
going to have an impact on aviation issues at all currently?

Speaker 4 (15:58):
No, But when you're looking at some airlines are going
to be looking at the possibility of a delay in
part from a maintenance standpoint. That's the issue now. Right now,
we're thankfully in the slowest travel time of the year
in September but we're coming into the next month, the
holiday travel season. That's Thanksgiving, always the busiest travel week

(16:18):
of the year, and then of course we've got the
end of the air traffic middle of December on. If
this strike goes on for weeks, we could see some
issues that start to impact flights next year, and we
don't want that because if parts cannot be delivered, that
means certain airplanes can't be used. Now, airlines might have
a few extra aircraft they can substitute into the fleet

(16:39):
in the aircraft rotation, but you can only do that
from a flow control standpoint for so long, and then
all of a sudden, you're gonna have to start canceling flights.
That means fewer flights in the air, that means higher fares.
We don't want that, which is one of the reasons
that we need to get it resolved soon, the same
reason we want the Boeing strike to be resolved soon.
Boeing has like forty eight hundred back orders of planes

(16:59):
and it's causing the airlines to get fewer aircraft, and
they want more because they want to introduce more airplanes,
more seats into their schedule, and look, more seats means
cheaper fares. We want all this stuff to end quickly.
And I'm sorry that Boeing striking workers. A thirty percent
increase wasn't enough. They wanted forty percent. You know, when
they went through this sixteen years ago, Brian Bowing was

(17:21):
coming off their best year ever in profits, and the
people that were striking wanted a piece of the pie.
I get it. Boeing is not coming off their best
year ever, and you and I both know that. So
I'm really hoping they can settle this quickly and get
back to firing on all cylinders. They've got so many
issues they need to hammer out. The striker has got
to finish, but if it doesn't, it could start impacting

(17:43):
us on fares.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
All right, and we'll close out as we always do,
a real quick hub delay.

Speaker 4 (17:48):
I want a good day of travel. We've got at Minneapolis.
May give us minor delays. That's it. In honor of
you today our phone call. Yeah, it's going to be
a beautiful day to travel.

Speaker 2 (17:57):
A great, great way to end the segment, Jay Rile
up until next Thursday. Best to health you and your
better half God bless you, sir. Look forward to next Thursdays,
eight forty nine, coming up with an eight fifty fifty five
KRC the talk.

Speaker 1 (18:09):
Station right back, fifty five KRC. Home values in city
or sky high, and you have a ton of