Skift Airline Weekly

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 the U.S. airline industry? Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan (above left) and co-founder […]

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’s best-selling […]

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 improving the passenger experience, baggage tracking, and security. Hear what some of the […]

Volaris is not eyeing other airlines. It has set its sights on the bus. That’s where the Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier 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 Unnikrishnan talks to Skift Travel Editor-in-Chief Tom Lowry about Volaris’ […]

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 notes that the beleaguered […]

Skift Europe Editor Patrick Whyte joined Skift Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan to share his insights into the latest in European airline news. First, of course, Whyte takes a look at why Air Europa’s parent company, Globalia, would want to sell one of its largest business units to IAG. Is there a future for vertically […]

International Airlines Group (IAG) had a surprise for the airline industry this week: It stated its intention to buy Spanish carrier Air Europa. This wasn’t a surprise to Skift Airline Weekly, however, which earlier this year reported on the rumors afloat about the acquisition. What’s in it for IAG?  Skift Airline Weekly Senior Analyst Jay […]

Skift Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan caught up with Anders Lindström, Norwegian’s director of communications for the U.S., at San Francisco International Airport on Monday when the carrier launched San Francisco-Barcelona flights. Lindström explained why Norwegian is moving some flights from Oakland to SFO, and what routes in the U.S. are doing well for the […]

The UK government this week engages in another set of inquiries on why Thomas Cook went bankrupt, which is the perfect time to ask Skift Europe Editor Patrick Whyte, who has been covering the story, what happened. How did the “booking clerk to the empire” go belly-up after more than 150 years? Whyte explains that […]

Back in the aughts, Airlines for America’s Chief Economist John Heimlich often showed a slide with an alarming statistic: Coffee giant Starbucks’ market capitalization was more than that of the entire U.S. airline industry combined. So much has changed in the last 10 years, as the airline industry recovered from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, SARS, […]