22 - Taking the Skies Less Traveled with Michael Hilliard

11/07/22 • 24 min

In this episode, Andrew answers the question of why you can’t board a flight after the gate closes even if the plane is still sitting there. He then chats with Michael Hilliard, a conflict journalist who has travelled to many unconventional destinations around the world, gaining unique experiences and insights on air travel.

Why can’t you board a flight after the gate closes even if the aircraft is still sitting at the gate? The answer involves a bunch of different factors involving aircraft, airline, and airport operations. Find out more in this episode.
What’s it like flying to airports that see very few foreign travelers? How do you fly to a conflict zone? Andrew talks to conflict journalist and podcast host Michael Hillard about his fascinating air travel experiences.
Michael has travelled to many uncommon destinations that are hard to access, having reported from places like Iran, Belarus, and Russia. Listen as he provides travel tips, his thoughts on flight safety, and much more.

Michael Hilliard is a conflict journalist with extensive air travel experience around the world. His work has taken him to places ranging from Iran, to Kyrgyzstan, to Belarus and Russia and he has worked with governments, think tanks, and other organizations across the globe. He is the founder and host of The Red Line, a geopolitics podcast that brings together three guests to tell a key story each episode. You can also find Michael on Twitter and The Red Line on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Why can’t you board a flight after the gate closes even if the aircraft is still sitting at the gate? The answer involves a bunch of different factors involving aircraft, airline, and airport operations. Find out more in this episode.
What’s it like flying to airports that see very few foreign travelers? How do you fly to a conflict zone? Andrew talks to conflict journalist and podcast host Michael Hillard about his fascinating air travel experiences.
Michael has travelled to many uncommon destinations that are hard to access, having reported from places like Iran, Belarus, and Russia. Listen as he provides travel tips, his thoughts on flight safety, and much more.

Previous Episode

21 - Yellow Things: Oxygen Masks, Life Jackets and Life Rafts

In this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about departure and arrival times as well as North Korea’s airline. Then he talks about three important safety features that all happen to be yellow, looking at how they work and what you need to know.

What do departure and arrival times actually mean? Do they refer to your gate departure and arrival times, takeoff and landing times or something else? The answer to this isn’t all that simple. Learn more in this episode.
Did you know that North Korea has an airline? This episode talks about Air Koryo, North Korea’s state-owned airline. Find out about its history, where it flies and much more.
Oxygen masks, life jackets and life rafts – these are three yellow aviation safety features that you probably know from the safety demonstration but haven’t thought much of beyond that. In this episode’s main segment, Andrew breaks down why they’re needed, how they work, and what you need to know about them.

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Next Episode

23 - Everything You Need to Know About Seat Selection Part 1

Andrew starts by talking about border preclearance and the world’s longest flights. The main segment for this episode is the first part of a two-part series on seat selection.

What is border preclearance? These arrangements between countries allow passengers to clear border processes before departure on an international flight. Learn about the implications and benefits for travelers.
Would you spend almost 19 hours on a plane? There are some really long flights out there and we cover some of them in this episode. Plus, find about the world record for the longest flight ever (hint: it was more than two months long!)
Where you sit on a plane can have a big impact on your air travel experience. Whether you are looking to avoid the middle seat, sit with your travel companion, or save money, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to seat selection. In the first part of a two-part series on seat selection, Andrew talks about whether you should pay for seat selection, how you can save on fees, how seat type can be a consideration when booking flights and more.

If you’re enjoying Flying Smarter, please take a minute to leave a five-star review for the podcast if you’re listening on a platform that allows you to do so like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Goodpods. It helps the grow the podcast and convince guests to come on the show and we would greatly appreciate it!
Connect with Flying Smarter:
Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast
Instagram: @flyingsmarter
Twitter: @flying_smarter
Website: www.flyingsmarter.com