Airline Consolidation and A Good Nights Sleep

With the current state of the economy, and the rising costs of fuel, the airline industry is doing whatever it can to keep itself in the air. And many companies are turning to consolidation. But what does it mean, why is it happening, and what does it mean for the consumer? We’ll get the opinions of a top airline executive and a veteran aviation correspondent. Then – how much sleep are you getting? Too much? Not enough? And what is that doing to your body and well-being? We have the answers.

Episode Segments:

A Trimmed and Slimmed Airline Business Gordon Bethune is the Chairman of the Board for Aloha Air Group, and the former CEO of Continental Airlines. He gives his overview of the airline industry- things need to be done and consolidation is the answer. He also explains how fuel costs are affecting the airlines, and explains why fares need to be raised.
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Turbulence Ahead Barbara Peterson is the senior aviation correspondent for Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. She feels the outlook for the industry isnt positive. She explains the reasons why airlines have trouble raising their fares, and gives some of the ways the carriers are squeezing their customers in order to cut their losses.
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Making the Most of the State of the Airlines Although the cost of fares is rising, Barbara has advice on how to still get cheap fares, and how to avoid lengthy delays. She also discusses how the smaller carriers are putting pressure on the larger ones.
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The Sleep Recipe Dave discusses sleep with Professor Harold R. Smith MD, from the Center for Sleep Medicine at the University of California. Dr. Smith explains the recipe for sleep is different for everyone, and what the key to a good nights sleep is. He also explains sleep deprivation, what happens when we sleep, and what types of naps are good, and which types are bad.
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How Much Sleep is Too Much? Dr. Smith explains how sleep affects our memory and learning, and the concept of sleep debt. Plus - how much sleep do our teens need, and how much sleep do you need if you are a senior?
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Sleeping Disorders Dr. Michael Breus is the sleep expert for WebMD. He discusses several sleep disorders including sleep apnea and insomnia, and some of the potential problems that could develop from those conditions. He shares tips and advice for battling insomnia, and getting a good nights sleep.
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Links to Related Websites:

Beauty Sleep Dr. Michael Breus has outlined a program that will not only help you to get a better night's sleep, but will give you the tools to become more beautiful than you've ever been.

Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Gordon M. Bethune Gordon M. Bethune is the chairman of the board of Aloha Airgroup, parent company of Aloha Airlines. He is the former CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2004. From 1996 on, he also served as chairman of the board at that airline. He also serves on the boards of Honeywell, Sprint Nextel, Prudential Financial, and the Wills Group. Prior to joining Continental, he was an executive at Boeing. Bethune holds a commercial pilot certificate with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3, Boeing 757, and Boeing 767. While at Continental, Mr. Bethune created the Go-Forward plan, to fix the problems with the airline, which included employee morale, the quality of the product, and the route structure, among others. He is credited, along with his management team, with saving Continental from extinction. The son of a crop duster, Bethune holds a science degree from Abilene Christian University and is a 1992 graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.

Michael Breus Click Here to Visit His Website

Barbara Peterson Barbara S. Peterson is a contributing editor of Conde Nast Traveler, a monthly consumer magazine with an estimated one million readers. She also has worked as an online commentator for cntraveler.com, the publication’s web site, and has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows in connection with her book and articles she has written for the magazine. Peterson has worked as a magazine writer specializing in aviation and consumer travel issues for more than twenty years. Her freelance articles have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and Consumer Reports. She lives in Hastings on Hudson, in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and two daughters. Click Here to Visit Her Website

Harold R. Smith Dr. Smith is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, as well as emeritus Director of their Sleep Disorders Center, and President of the Association of Voluntary Clinical Faculty. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Smith also maintains a private practice of Neurology in Irvine, and was recently elected "Physician of Excellence" by his peers in the Orange County Medical Association.