Sky Talk

Best of this week's Sky Talk

In case you missed it, here's this week's Best of Sky Talk. There's plenty to choose from:

Southwest agent asks Hooters waitress to cover up. http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2007/09/theyre-at-least.html

Nepal Air sacrifices two goats to fix problems in 757 http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2007/09/goat-sacrifiice.html

American's ugly Summer of Hell http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2007/09/the-summer-of-h.html

DFW Airport wants China Eastern flight from Shanghai http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2007/09/another-chance-.html

-- Scott

Sky Talk adds new author

You'll be seeing a new regular contributor to Sky Talk: Bob Cox, the S-T's aerospace reporter. Bob has covered all things-airplanes and aerospace for years. Check out his new posts on the V-22, F-22, and Cessna in today's blog. -- Scott

Welcome

Thanks for checking out Sky Talk, our new blog about the aviation and travel business. We've been talking for a long time about finding a way to feature our travel coverage, and get a little more in-depth, on Star-Telegram.com. Hopefully the blog will be a good start.

I'm Trebor Banstetter, one of the contributors, and I hope to update the blog as much as possible. I've been covering the airline business in North Texas for nearly five years, a stint that included covering American Airlines' close encounter with bankruptcy in 2003, Southwest's rapid expansion and growth into major markets, the closing of Delta's longtime hub at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, and the epic battle over the Wright Amendment.

It's been quite a trip, and it shows no signs of slowing down. So I think we'll all have a lot to talk about in the coming weeks and months.

We're hoping people will post comments on the blog, but I also invite readers to contact me via email as well with any ideas, tips or feedback about our airline coverage. You can reach me at tbanstetter@star-telegram.com.

Ready for takeoff

Welcome to SkyTalk! Readers, please prepare for takeoff.

North Texas is arguably the epicenter of the aviation world. The world’s largest airline, American Airlines, is headquartered in Fort Worth and is the largest employer in North Texas. The nation’s largest and most successful discount airline, Southwest Airlines, is based in Dallas. Countless other aviation-related companies, from Kitty Hawk Aircargo to LSG Sky Chefs call North Texas their home.

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is the third-largest airport in the world, and home to American’s massive hub, while Dallas Love Field is expanding under the newly-loosened restrictions of the Wright Amendment.

And we know that our readers travel, whether it’s the road warriors who fly every week or the occasional fliers who are always on the lookout for the best fares and vacation bargains.

We’re hoping to use this blog to expand our aviation coverage and share even more information with you, whether it’s a surprising fare sale, the latest development in airline labor relations or just something that caught our interest. And we’d like to hear from as many of you as possible, because many of our readers are some of the most knowledgeable folks on the planet when it comes to air travel.

SkyTalk will be helmed by Scott Nishimura, the Star-Telegram’s business editor who has overseen the paper’s aviation coverage for years; Trebor Banstetter, who has been the newspaper’s airline reporter for nearly five years; and David Wethe, who writes about Dallas/Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field airports and also contributes to airline and travel coverage.

So fasten your seatbelt, stow your bag below the seat in front of you, and don’t expect a hot meal, at least not in coach. SkyTalk is taking off!