The Airline Weekly Lounge Podcast

Delta Pilots’ New Benchmark
Edward Russell

Labor is making big headway at U.S. airlines. The Air Line Pilots Association reached an agreement-in-principal with Delta Air Lines in a deal that could set a new benchmark for pilot pay if ratified. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss...

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EasyJet’s Unique Comeback
Edward Russell

EasyJet is making good on its recovery plan. From expanding at slot-constrained airports like Lisbon and opening new seasonal bases in Greece, the airline is on its way back to the black. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss EasyJet's results...

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Steven Udvar-Hazy at Skift Aviation Forum
Edward Russell

Airlines want more planes to meet travel demand but, with supply chains backed up, there are few new models to go around. That's good news for aircraft lessors with more than 90 percent of leases being renewed, up from around...

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A Thanksgiving Week of Travel
Edward Russell

Thanksgiving travel in the U.S. is back, said Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas Calio. But while it may be as busy as it was three years ago, it will also be different as more people take blended trips...

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Turkish Airlines Blowout
Edward Russell

Turkish Airlines had a blowout third quarter. The airline's revenues and capacity are way up from 2019 with no pause in sight. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss Turkish's outlook. Plus, Ryanair's cautious outlook despite surprisingly robust travel demand. About...

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Europe’s Airline Merger Mania
Edward Russell

Air France-KLM wants TAP Air Portugal, but so does International Airlines Group. IAG also wants Air Europa, and maybe even EasyJet. And the Lufthansa Group is back in play for ITA Airways. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss the outlook...

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Norwegian Air’s Turnaround
Edward Russell

Who would have thought three years ago that we'd be talking about the bright future for Norwegian Air? One restructuring and pandemic later, and the discounter is profitable and taking corporate travel share from competitor SAS. Edward Russell and Jay...

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Latin Caution
Edward Russell

Latin American airline executives are mostly bullish on the near-term outlook but, given their exposure to the strong U.S. dollar and other macro pressures, are cautious about what the new year may hold. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss the...

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Is Travel Countercyclical?
Edward Russell

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian claimed this week, after his airline reported a robust third quarter profit and sees seemingly unsated demand, that travel is "countercyclical" to the economic winds. And he's not alone, International Airlines Group and United...

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All-Star Airports
Edward Russell

What's the ado with Austin, Cancun, Ho Chi Minh City, Paris Orly, and Riyadh? All of the airports are seeing tremendous growth above pre-pandemic levels. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss why. Plus, Boeing's 737 Max: the good news and...

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American’s Blended Travel Boom
Edward Russell

The "real revenue growth" at American Airlines is in blended trips, or travel that includes both business and personal aspects, Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja said at the Skift Global Forum earlier in September. Listen to Skift Founder and CEO...

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Orlando Rebound
Edward Russell

The U.S. travel recovery is strong, and maybe nearly complete. If there is one airport that epitomizes the strength of the leisure-first recovery, it is Orlando where seemingly endless domestic demand before the pandemic has translated to much the same...

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