Airline Weekly

03/09/2020

The Corona Crunch - Skift Airline Weekly

New issue: It’s not just a problem for Chinese airlines anymore. Or just airlines in Asia. The Covid-19 virus outbreak is now obliterating demand for travel across the entire world.

Pushing Back: Inside This Issue It’s not just a problem for Chinese airlines anymore. Or just airlines in Asia. The Covid-19 virus outbreak is now obliterating demand for travel across the entire world. Suddenly, airlines even hearty and healthy just a week earlier find themselves burning through ...

03/02/2020

The Covid-19 Crisis - Skift Airline Weekly

This week's issue: The alarm bells are ringing across the global airline industry. A coronavirus crisis that first decimated China’s travel market is now spreading elsewhere.

Pushing Back: Inside This Issue The alarm bells are ringing across the global airline industry. A coronavirus crisis that first decimated China’s travel market is now spreading elsewhere. Not only are people across the globe becoming warier of getting on airplanes. International commerce is feelin...

02/27/2020

La Compagnie President: All-Business-Class Can Work

Can all-business class airlines work? La Compagnie President Christian Vernet thinks so. But while others have failed — remember MAXJet? — Vernet said his airline’s product sets it apart, and the A321 is the ideal aircraft.

Can all-business-class airlines work? La Compagnie President Christian Vernet said said his airline's product sets it apart, and the A321 ...

02/26/2020

SAS CEO Frets About Coronavirus Crisis Stretching Into Airline's Peak Summer Months

The CEO of Scandinavian airline SAS is concerned that the coronavirus outbreak might hang around until the peak summer holiday season, when it would have a much bigger impact on the aviation industry.

The CEO of Scandinavian airline SAS is concerned that the coronavirus outbreak might hang around until the peak summer holiday season, when it would have

02/25/2020

We’re thrilled to announce the inaugural Skift Aviation Forum, focusing on the key global trends as well as the leaders defining the future of air travel. Thanks to our premier host, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, for the incredible partnership! https://forum.skift.com/skift-aviation-forum/

02/21/2020

Air France-KLM’s $324 Million in Fuel Savings Likely to Offset Coronavirus Outbreak Costs

For the moment, the drop in fuel price is benefiting Air France-KLM, but if the coronavirus outbreak doesn’t ease off, this could all change.

Despite the coronavirus outbreak causing widespread flight cancellations and a reduction in travel to China and parts of Asia, Air France-KLM Group might

02/20/2020

Airline Weekly Lounge — Qatar's Bet on Air Italy Fails

New podcast episode: We look at why Air Italy failed and why Ryanair is incensed about Flybe.

Qatar Airways took a page from Etihad’s book and invested in a European carrier. This elicited howls from the major U.S. airlines. They claimed this move was nothing more than a Trojan Horse strategy for Qatar to operate fifth-freedom flights to the U.S. from Europe (but not quite, since Air Italy...

02/13/2020

Airline Weekly Lounge — The Sabre-Farelogix Antitrust Lawsuit

New podcast episode: A federal court is wading into the arcana of airline distribution. It’s assessing whether there are antitrust issues with travel tech company Sabre’s proposed acquisition of Farelogix. But what exactly is the deal?

A federal court is wading into the arcana of airline distribution. It’s assessing whether there are antitrust issues with travel tech company Sabre’s proposed acquisition of Farelogix. But what exactly is the deal? And why does the government have concerns? Skift Senior Travel Tech Editor Sean O...

02/06/2020

Airline Weekly Lounge — French Bee President Marc Rochet

New podcast episode: French Bee President March Rochet said simplicity — in fleet, in network, in product — is key to why the airline is working when so many other European leisure carriers have failed.

French Bee President Marc Rochet is confident the airline's upcoming Newark-Orly flights will be successful, because the key to the ...

02/03/2020

Can SAS Pull Off Its Controversial Plan? -- Feb. 3, 2020

New issue: Can SAS Pull Off Its Controversial Plan? SAS has a lot to celebrate, but don't pop the champagne just yet.

For Scandinavia’s largest airline, there is plenty to celebrate. Capacity conditions for SAS are extremely favorable with rivals missing their MAXs. LCC predators like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air have their attention focused on markets other than Europe’s Nordic region. And best of all, Norwe...

01/30/2020

Airline Weekly Lounge — Do Secondary Airports in L.A. and San Francisco Work?

New podcast episode: Join Skift’s resident Californians, Madhu Unnikrishnan and Brian Sumers, as they discuss airlines in the Golden State (and elsewhere too).

Just what is going on in California? JetBlue is drawing down at Long Beach and dropping Oakland altogether, while United is adding flights to small California cities. Can any airline make a go of the Los Angeles Basin’s secondary airports? What about the San Francisco Bay Area’s secondary airpor...

01/29/2020

Wizz Air Looks to Middle East for Further Expansion

The airline is partnering with the state-owned Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company to create a joint venture that will start operating sometime in the second half of 2020.

Wizz Air is looking east rather than west for its expansion plans in the wake of an ambitious move to establish a Middle East subsidiary.

01/27/2020

Can ANA Dethrone JAL? -- Jan. 27, 2020

New issue: If All Nippon Airways (ANA) has a bit of a chip on its shoulder, you can understand why.

If All Nippon Airways (ANA) has a bit of a chip on its shoulder, you can understand why. It was once Japan’s most profitable airline, routinely beating its larger, bloated rival Japan Airlines (JAL). After the Japanese government rescued JAL in 2010, however, JAL suddenly became one of the world.....

01/24/2020

JetBlue CEO Warns Flight Shaming Is Coming to the U.S.

“This issue presents a clear and present danger if we don’t get on top of it,” Hayes said.

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes thinks the flight-shaming movement gaining momentum in Europe could spread to the U.S. The airline’s renewed push toward

01/23/2020

Airline Weekly Lounge — Whither Willie Walsh?

New podcast episode: What's next for Willie Walsh? Skift's Patrick Whyte gives us the view from the ground in the U.K.

Airline Weekly talks this week to Skift Europe Editor Patrick Whyte (pictured, left) on the news of International Airlines Group CEO Willie Walsh’s retirement announcement. Walsh has been a powerhouse in the airline industry, helping transform British Airways into a pan-European behemoth. London-b...

01/22/2020

IAG CEO Willie Walsh Blasts Failure to Reform Europe's Airspace

IAG IAG CEO Willie Walsh on Wednesday criticized regulators and politicians for their failure to reform Europe’s legacy air traffic management systems, something that could help improve the environmental performance of the industry.

IAG CEO Willie Walsh has criticised regulators and politicians for their failure to reform Europe's legacy air traffic management systems, something that could help improve the environmental performance of the industry.

01/20/2020

Chicago: Whose Kind of Town?

New issue: Chicago might have lots of runways, but its airline market is barely growing.

Chicago’s O’Hare airport has seven active runways. Hey, London Heathrow, are you jealous? Don’t be. Chicago might have lots of runways, but its airline market is barely growing. In fact, during 2019, while Heathrow managed a modest 1% y/y increase in passenger volumes, the Chicago market as a ...

01/16/2020

Looking Into Our Crystal Ball

New podcast episode: Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan and co-founder and Senior Analyst Jay Shabat game out what might happen in the next 5–10 years — and whether Boeing ever will build the NMA.

A single year can result in dramatic change within the airline industry, so an entire decade could see it completely transformed. After 10 years of strong profits and relatively stable oil prices in the 2010s, what does the decade ahead hold in store for t...

01/15/2020

How Struggling Air India Is Setting the Stage for a Major Battle Among Distribution Giants

Much is at stake for global distribution systems and travel agencies as struggling Air India uses airline distribution as a means to stay afloat.

The battle for India’s lucrative travel market among global distribution systems is not over yet — even if Travelport has won hands down with exclusive Amadeus adds a new twist to Air India's distribution strategy

01/13/2020

The Decade Ahead

New Issue: The Decade Ahead. One never knows what will happen in the airline industry, in one year let alone 10. Here's our take.

One never knows what’s going to happen in the airline industry, one year from now let alone 10. Individual airline fortunes can turn fast, in response to changing economic conditions (i.e. a big recession), radical cost restructuring (like that which Delta undertook), new business tactics (like ch...

01/09/2020

IAG CEO Willie Walsh Remade European Aviation: Now He's Retiring

Long-serving IAG CEO Willie Walsh, who started his career as a pilot 40 years ago, is to retire later this year. It brings down the curtain on one of the most influential careers in modern European aviation.

Longs-serving IAG CEO Willie Walsh is to step down and retire later this year bringing down the curtain on one of the most influential careers in modern European aviation.

01/08/2020

A Bush Pilot Who Always Longs to Return to African Skies

ICYMI: Skift profiles one of the coolest jobs in the airline business.

Bush planes are essential to getting tourists to safari camps; they connect major airports with the wilds of Africa. Wilderness Air Botswana pilot Kirsty ...

01/06/2020

The 2010s in Review

New Airline Weekly Issue: We're back, and we take a look the 2010s.

The 2010s, fortunately, were much better for airlines than the 2000s. Rather than lose $49b, they collectively earned more than $200b. The industry in fact earned profits every year of the decade. And things got better over time, not worse, with profits much higher in the second half (2015-2019) tha...

12/23/2019

We at Airline Weekly are on our year-end hiatus. Our next issue will be on Jan. 6. Happy holidays!

12/19/2019

The Year in Review

New Podcast Episode: What happened this year in the industry we love? We take a look back at yet another tumultuous year in the airline world. http://bit.ly/35EJVqb

It's that time of year again. Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan and Senior Analyst Jay Shabat look back on the year that was. It was yet another tumultuous year in this industry we love: Storied names like Thomas Cook, among others, went out of business, and the B737 MAX — one of the world'...

12/16/2019

Looking Back on 2019, and Looking Ahead to 2020

In this week's issue, we look back on 2019, and look ahead to 2020.

As IATA discussed in detail last week, the world’s airline industry enters the 2020s with a 10-year profit streak. But as 2019 again reaffirmed, profits are increasingly concentrated among the sector’s largest intercontinental airlines, together with its strongest low-cost carriers. Left out is ...

12/13/2019

Our Skift Airline Weekly Editor, Madhu Unnikrishnan on TD Ameritrade's The Watch List discussing the Boeing settlement case and his take on the current state of airline industry overall. Watch the full interview here http://bit.ly/2PKVpSj

12/12/2019

Is The 'Smart Airport' Really a Thing?

New podcast episode: Is the "smart airport" really a thing? Skift Travel Tech Editor Sean O'Neill tells Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan about how advances in technology are improving the passenger experience, baggage tracking, and security.

Skeptics might say the airport of the future has always been just around the corner, but maybe the "smart airport" really is a thing.  Skift Travel Tech Editor Sean O'Neill tells Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan about how advances in technology are...

12/09/2019

Why Are So Few Airlines Ordering Widebodies?

In this week's issue: Boeing’s MAX still isn’t flying. Airbus can’t get its NEOs delivered on time. But at least there’s still buoyant demand for narrowbody aircraft. Not so for widebodies.

Boeing’s MAX still isn’t flying. Airbus can’t get its NEOs delivered on time. But at least there’s still buoyant demand for narrowbody aircraft. Not so for widebodies. Last week, another widebody blow: United, in announcing a big order for narrowbody NEO XLRs, quietly added that it’s no lo...

12/05/2019

Why Volaris is Taking the Bus

New Podcast Episode: Why Volaris is Taking the Bus https://skft.it/36aenIH

It's not other airlines. It's the bus. That's where Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Volaris sees the most opportunity to grow: by poaching passengers from the country's long-distance bus network. In this episode of the Airline Weekly Lounge, Editor Madhu Un...

12/05/2019

United's New CEO Is Scott Kirby

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Scott Kirby swapped American for United in 2016, but it was clear he was looking to run an airline. His trajectory to CEO was long anticipated.

United Airlines is reshuffling its executive team with Scott Kirby being promoted to CEO in a long-expected move, and Oscar Munoz shifting to executive chairman of the airline group's board.

12/03/2019

AirAsia Wants to Beat U.S. Fast Food Chains by Opening First Airline Food Restaurant

Not only does Tony Fernandes want to disrupt online travel agencies, he also wants take on American fast-food chains that have long dominated the Southeast Asia region.

Not only does Tony Fernandes want to disrupt online travel agencies, he also wants take on American fast-food chains that have long dominated the AirAsia Wants to Take On U.S. Fast-Food Chains With First Airline Restaurant Opened

12/02/2019

Allegiant: More Than Just an Airline

New Issue: Allegiant is not an airline. No, says its management. Allegiant is a travel company.

Allegiant is not an airline. No, says its management. Allegiant is a travel company. Whatever the appropriate label, Allegiant is phenomenally successful, sporting one of the airline industry’s most unique business models. Many aspects of that business model — direct distribution, heavy reliance...

11/26/2019

The Rise of Smart Airports: A Skift Deep Dive

After years of being stuck in the past, new “smart” airports are embracing technology and data to improve the experience for both passengers and vendors. But progress is still slow, widening the gap between cutting-edge and archaic facilities.

Smart airports, or airports that use internet-era technologies to improve the passenger experience, are on the rise. Skift's deep dive takes a global look.

11/25/2019

A Conversation With Volaris' Holger Blankenstein

New Issue: Mexico’s Volaris, an ultra-LCC owned by the Indigo Group, is growing. Fast. Next year, it plans to expand capacity by another 10%.

Mexico’s Volaris, an ultra-LCC owned by the Indigo Group, is growing. Fast. Next year, it plans to expand capacity by another 10%. But it’s not the market’s Aeromexicos or Interjets that Volaris sees as its main competitors. Instead, as Volaris Executive Vice President Holger Blankenstein expl...

11/22/2019

Airline Weekly Lounge: What’s the Deal With Air India?

Airline Weekly Lounge: Will any company step forward to buy the Flying Maharajah? Listen to this week’s episode to find out.

Will there be a deal or won’t there? The Indian government now says it wants to sell 100% of the state-owned carrier, but who will buy it? The airline is notoriously saddled with debt and has a restive labor force. Airline Weekly Senior Analyst Jay Shabat acknowledges Air India’s problems but no...

11/19/2019

Smart airports enhance the experience of passengers in a similar way to how smart homes use technology to modernize household functions. Discover how technology is enhancing airports worldwide in this 5,000-word special report. http://bit.ly/2OpywmQ

11/19/2019

EasyJet Seizes on Thomas Cook's Demise With New Packaged Vacation Offerings

With Thomas Cook departing the scene, now seems an opportune moment for EasyJet to leap headlong into the package holiday market.

With Thomas Cook departing the scene, now seems an opportune moment for EasyJet to leap headlong into the package holiday market.

11/18/2019

Will Anyone Buy Air India?

New issue: Air India, a notoriously bloated state organ, is again up for sale by India’s government. Will anyone buy it?

Air India, a notoriously bloated state organ, is again up for sale by India’s government. In April, Jet Airways stopped flying, eliminating Air India’s only home-grown rival on intercontinental routes. The two airlines competed vigorously on shorthaul international routes as well, and domestic r...