The Airline Weekly Lounge Podcast

Delta Feels No Pain: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 36
Traceyintorcia

Here’s a simple recipe for success: Make all the right moves in all the right places. Whether overseas or in the U.S., Delta has managed to avoid the pockets of pain being experienced by its U.S. peers, who have even...

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Chinese Airlines Show Stress: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 35
Traceyintorcia

Is China’s slowing economy taking its toll on the country’s Big Three carriers? So far Air China, China Eastern and China Southern have held up well and posted a rather good 2015. But the fourth quarter of 2015 showed some...

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Will Virgin and Alaska Be Happy Together? Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 34
Traceyintorcia

Alaska Airlines clearly wants to be the dominant carrier on the West Coast, and if its purchase of Virgin America goes through, it will have four focus cities—Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle—all clustered on the Pacific. Such a...

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Is Virgin Merging With Alaska? Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 33
Traceyintorcia

If the U.S. airline market were to see even more consolidation, what kind of effect would it have? That’s one question we consider in a discussion about the possible acquisition of Virgin America by another airline. We also talk about...

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Post-Brussels Attack Roundup: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 32
Traceyintorcia

Attacks at airports are rare, and Tuesday’s bombing at Brussels Airport will no doubt have repercussions around the world. Which airlines will see the worst financial impact from the attacks? Brussels Airlines, not surprisingly, is most vulnerable. Unfortunately, the airline...

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Turkish Airlines Unique Position: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 31
Traceyintorcia

It’s good to be a Gulf carrier—Gulf carriers are well positioned to connect the whole world. But it might be better to be a near-the-Gulf carrier like Turkish Airlines. Turkish offers a blend of service as an intercontinental carrier and...

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Qantas’ Boomerang Effect: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 30
Traceyintorcia

After hitting the floor in 2013, Qantas, has—like a boomerang—come all the way back and more. In fact, the Australian carrier set an annual profit record in 2015. Despite enjoying the same advantages inherent to the Land of Oz right...

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IAG Has all the Right Moves: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 29
Traceyintorcia

IAG, the airline group that includes British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus, is continuing its run of success—a run that probably has peers such as Air France/KLM and Lufthansa feeling a bit envious. In fact, while those two companies...

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The French Correction: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 28
Traceyintorcia

What’s it gonna take to fix Air France/KLM? The airline group has a number of problems—from labor inflexibility to a soft French economy—all in a very competitive part of the world. But there are reasons for hope: Gulf carriers could...

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Profits Cool in Scandinavia: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 27
Traceyintorcia

Finnair, Norwegian and Icelandair all had rather forgettable off-peak fourth quarters, but not because of the chilly weather they are all enduring. Rather, each has a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Finnair’s challenges include exposure to Asia and transatlantic...

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Singapore’s Swing: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 26
Traceyintorcia

Singapore Airlines swung back to solid profits in 2015. Does this turnaround mean the airline is returning to its former glory, not seen since 2010? Or are low fuel prices just making everyone look good? Korean Air and Asiana continue...

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JetBlue Breaks Out: Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 25
Traceyintorcia

JetBlue’s big fourth quarter was kind of a big deal. Low oil prices essentially mean that every airline is making money right now, but JetBlue’s 21% operating margin is about more than just oil prices. The airline is changing, and...

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