Welcome to Episode 36 of the #PaxEx Podcast. Our guest for this episode is Jason Rabinowitz, who has quickly become one of the most high-profile #AvGeeks in the aviation industry. His Twitter feed combines intelligence about aviation and rail with a dash of millennial sarcasm. He’s also Routehappy’s chief data guy, meaning he is sitting on a treasure trove of #PaxEx info. And we’re also proud to count him as a member of Runway Girl Network.

Firstly, it’s no secret that the American rail system compares unfavorably with many other countries, which have adopted high-speed rail and modern infrastructure. But we are seeing some #PaxEx improvements in US rail. For instance, Amtrak has unveiled a new two-floor Chicago Metropolitan Lounge for premium class travelers and those in its loyalty program. In this episode, co-hosts Max Flight and Mary Kirby talk to Jason about his lifelong experience of riding the NY rails, and whether passengers will embrace the types of changes we’re seeing.

Next, a new word is gradually entering the #AvGeek lexicon. The word “humpspotter” sounds profane but it’s not. Airlines around the world are fitting their aircraft with satellite-supported connectivity, and the humps atop these aircraft comprise the antenna system and radome. Jason is possibly the most avid aviation humpspotter in the world. We discuss the hump proliferation, how Jason tells the humps apart, and what it all means for #PaxEx.

Last but not least, it won’t surprise you that Jason’s humpspotting work has a serious purpose; he is helping to populate one of the best #PaxEx databases in the world in the form of Routehappy. But Routehappy is much more than that, and has been in the news a lot lately for its work in powering merchandising content for flights and inking deals with Delta, United and Sabre of late. Jason tells us about the direction the firm is headed, and what these arrangements mean for passengers.