What Were Cupcakes Like in the 1700s?

Little is known about Amelia Simmons, author of "American Cookery" (the first American cookbook)—but we know she did invent the cupcake. | Continue reading


@food52.com | 3 years ago

Against All Expectations, American Has Made Flights Longer in the Last Year

I recently received a note from a reader pointing out something curious. He noticed that some flights on American were now showing some very long flight times, much longer than in the past. I decid… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Flying American and Southwest During the Pandemic (Trip Report)

Other than my Hawaiian trip in October, I haven’t flown anywhere in over a year, so it was with just a little excitement that I booked this day trip to Phoenix a mere four days before travel.… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

JetBlue and American Put Plans in Motion

There’s been a lot of talk about the American and JetBlue Northeast Alliance, but until now we didn’t have anything concrete. Things got dicey last week when JetBlue’s pilots vote… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

3 Links I Love: The Transat Scramble, Qatar Keeps Flying, Better Boarding

This Week’s Featured Link Flyer beware: Canada closed to competition – WestJet BlogI haven’t talked much about the Air Canada/Transat acquisition here, but it is getting really in… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

DOT Allows American and JetBlue to Coordinate Schedules in a Landmark Deal

Note: I’m moving my Thursday post up to Wednesday this week, just because I really want to talk about this and don’t feel like waiting. The press release simply says that American and J… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

5-Minute Brownie in a Mug

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Creamy Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops Will Be a Whole30 Favorite

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

The Time to Manage for Cash is Over

Since the pandemic began, the focus in the airline industry has been on who has the most cash. What’s the cash burn rate? How do they stem that? When will they be back to NOT burning cash? Th… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Easy, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Dutch Oven Pot Roast

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Mesa Survives Again With a New, Smaller Deal with American

I can’t be the only one to be constantly surprised at how many lives regional carrier Mesa Air Group has burned through. At one point or another, every major US airline that has worked with M… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

This Turkey Pot Pie Is the Tastiest Way to Use Up All Your Leftovers

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Edna Lewis’ Corn Bread

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

How To Make the Best-Ever Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

This Mac and Cheese Is Just Reallyyyyyyy Good

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Wild Rice Pilaf with Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Chestnuts, and Dried Cranberries

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

3 Links I Love: Southwest’s 2021 Plan, Wizz Goes For the Kill, United Jumps on a Bandwagon

This week’s featured link Gary Kelly Outlines Plans to Avoid Layoffs and Furloughs Through 2021 – Southwest MediaI thought this 10 minute video from Southwest CEO Gary Kelly was really … | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Sign of the Apocalyse: American’s Cheap, Refundable Long-Haul Fares

It was a big enough shock to see airline change fees start melting away, but now there’s something even stranger happening. American is experimenting with affordable, refundable fares on long… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Before There Was Dump Cake, There Was “Do Nothing” Cake — The Ultimate Cake for Lazy Bakers

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Cranky on the Web: Ch-ch-ch-change fees Go Away

For those in the Bay Area, I’ll be on KTVU this morning at 840a talking about change fees. American Airlines axes change fees on all but the cheapest tickets, following United and Delta ̵… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

A Closer Look at the 15 Cities American Chose to Drop

A couple of weeks ago, American put out its list of cities that it was going to drop in October if the CARES Act wasn’t extended. This cliff was created by the CARES Act itself, which restric… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

With Change Fees Gone, American Repositions Basic Economy

It did not take long for the Big Three US airlines to fall in line with this whole “change fee go bye bye” thing. But while Delta appears to have put out a hastily written statement mat… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

American Races Toward the Sun, Skirmishes Break Out Elsewhere

How about a bonus post today? Things are happening quickly in this industry this week, and if I don’t post this now, I’ll never post it. The Eagle has set its October schedule, and ther… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

A Look At Changing Regional Alliances: American (Part 1)

I’m going on vacation starting today. And by that, I don’t just mean I’m sitting at home and not working. Nay, I’m packing the family up into a rented RV and we’re goi… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

More Schedule Cuts, American Plays With Fire, and Southwest Corrects Its Course

I fear my relationship with Diio by Cirium is becoming unhealthy. Every Friday night, I run to Diio to learn about that week’s airline schedule changes, but Diio remains emotionless. Maybe I&… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Strawberry Oreo Icebox Cake Is Even Better than It Sounds

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

American Becomes Instantly Relevant in New York With JetBlue Strategic Partnership

Sorry for the tease in today’s earlier post, but these became public at different times, so I decided to go with a rare double post. Today, American and JetBlue are creating a strategic partn… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Alaska Adds Seven New Los Angeles Routes to the Northwest and Leisure Spots

Alaska has long been something of a tweener in the hyper-competitive Los Angeles market. While American, Delta, Southwest, and United all battle it out, Alaska has lived life as a large number five… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

3 Links I Love: American Unplugged, Sun Country CEO Talks, The Breguet 941

This week’s featured link | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Delta and United Play Catch Up in August While American Slows

The story of the summer so far has been American’s aggressive approach to capacity in the domestic US market. The airline put out far more than United and Delta, and throughout June, it benef… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

"Fried" Ice Cream Is a Creamy, Crunchy Summertime Delight

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

American Rallies Around Partner Hubs in 2021 Long-Haul Schedule

While most airlines continue to hack away at short-term schedules in this uncertain time, American has given us a glimpse of what things will look like next year. Yesterday, the airline put out its… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Cranky on the Web: Visiting Friends and Relatives, American Fills Up Planes

American Airlines will book flights to full capacity – Associated PressAmerican has lifted its booking limits for travel starting July 1. The airline has data showing people don’t reall… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

How To Make Easy Homemade Corn Dogs: A Step-by-Step Guide

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

This Creamy, Tangy Macaroni Salad Is Full of Ingenious Shortcuts

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@thekitchn.com | 3 years ago

Looking Beyond the Big Four’s July Schedule

Much of my analysis on schedules so far has focused on the Big 4 — American, Delta, Southwest, and United — but there is a whole world beyond them that I’ve been ignoring. It̵… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

The Art of Destroying Money

©Mark Wagner Inc.For the past few decades, the American artist Mark Wagner has been snipping up US dollars to make intricate collages that comment on Capitalism, greed, and materialism; elaborate allegorical pieces that prompt us to reconsider our relationship with such a powerfu … | Continue reading


@messynessychic.com | 3 years ago

American Reorganizes Senior Management The Way It Should Have in October

It was American’s turn to make big changes to senior leadership last week as it prepares for a smaller future. The airline has cut back on the number of VP/SVP positions, and it has reorganiz… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

American Bets on United’s Network Disadvantage and Delta’s Conservative Nature to Leap Ahead

The primary focus during this pandemic has been around which airlines are in better or worse shape financially. There’s good reason for that, but as the recovery speeds up, the time has come … | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

How Black Cowboys Built the American West: A Living History

Legends, 1993 © Ron Tarver, Courtesy Robin Rice gallery, New YorkYou may hear it, before you see it. The gentle trotting of hooves backdropped by the sounds of New York City’s JFK Expressway. Even locals do a double take when they cross paths with a member of the Federation of Bl … | Continue reading


@messynessychic.com | 3 years ago

3 Links I Love: American Says No Bankruptcy But Slashes Jobs, Delta Looks for Volunteers

This week’s featured link American Air CEO Says Bankruptcy Is an Option He Won’t Consider – BloombergWe have three related links this week. First, a recap of what American CEO Doug Park… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

If You’re Going to Fly, Wear a Mask and Stop Expecting Social Distancing

If you spend a lot of time on social media, you’ve likely seen an increasing number of travelers griping about their air travel woes. The general complaint is that airlines are not living up … | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 3 years ago

Delta, United Schedule Half as Much Flying as American in June

Over the weekend, Delta and United filed their June schedules, and again, I dove into Diio by Cirium data to see how things look. Compared to the American filing from last week, United and Delta lo… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago

American’s June Domestic Schedule Sees Modest Growth, Texas Cuts

I’ve analyzed May schedules to death over the last couple of weeks, so now it’s time to move on to June. My assumption is that May should be the low point, and that means we can finally… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago

Cranky on the Web: Airline Survival, Refunds, and a Friendly American

Evaporation of travel sector threatens airlines’ very survival – PBS NewsHourWhen PBS reached out for this, it was going to be about passenger impacts from the pandemic. By the time I did the… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago

Analyzing American’s New, Smaller May Schedule

As of this weekend, American will serve 299 destinations in May down from the 338 planned previously. But that decrease is really just on the international front. Domestically, thanks to the rules … | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago

3 Links I Love: Just How Empty Those Planes are, Virgin Australia on the Brink, Delta Clean

This week’s featured link Ethics of Airline Bailouts in Spotlight With Virgin-Qantas Feud – BloombergQuite the brawl going on down under. Virgin Australia wants the government to bail i… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago

American Slashes Los Angeles Service in April; Will It Ever Return?

American loaded its most recent short-term coronavirus-related April schedule cuts over the weekend, and the airline cut deep in some geographies. It promised a 60 to 70 percent domestic cut in Apr… | Continue reading


@crankyflier.com | 4 years ago