Airline Weekly Lounge

U.S. airports saw roughly 300,000 more travelers than in 2019 over the Memorial Day weekend holiday, a sign of a busy summer to come. Are airlines ready? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, Delta is hit with a greenwashing lawsuit.

Icelandair had a rough few years before and during Covid. But the airline believes it has turned the financial corner, and forecasts its best results in seven years. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, Turkish Airlines’ big plans for Anadolujet. Reading List Icelandair Rides High Yields to Profits Turkish Airlines to Spin Off Low-Cost Carrier Anadolujet

Air Canada lost money in the first quarter of 2023. But that's no surprise. Wintertime losses are common for the carrier. But the red ink was minimal, setting it up for a strong year. Plus, a discussion about San Francisco's struggling airline market. Jay Shabat is joined by Madhu Unnikrishnan to discuss Air Canada's Q1 earnings and what's going at SFO. Reading List Air Canada Posts a Loss Despite...

Ryanair gave Boeing a boost, and let bygones be bygones, by ordering up to 300 new 737 Maxes. It’s the European discounter’s largest-ever order. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss the deal. Plus, Air France-KLM and IAG’s first-quarter results. Reading List Ryanair Looks East With New Boeing 737 Maxes From Its Largest Order Ever Air France-KLM Eyes Expansion in Booming South America With Potenti...

Alan Joyce took over Qantas Airways just as the Great Recession descended in 2008. He set about turning around its money-losing longhaul business, forging new international ties, and cementing Qantas' dominance of the Australian domestic market. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss Joyce's legacy and the challenges that confront incoming CEO Vanessa Hudson. Plus, Lufthansa's somewhat concerning f...

JetBlue has a New York problem. The city that made the airline could hold it back this summer if the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control staffing issues are as bad as forecast. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, WestJet pursues a new, least bad strategy. Reading List Q&A With WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech JetBlue Sounds Alarm on New York Flight Delays This Summer D...

Airline Weekly’s Jay Shabat is joined by former Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan to discuss United Airlines’ and Alaska Airlines’ first quarter earnings reports from earlier this week.  The conversation starts with United’s challenges in January and February, and notes investors will tolerate it if they have a strong March and the rest of the year. United is working to rectify its problems...

Delta Air Lines kicked off the first-quarter earnings season this week. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss what they expect. Plus, can American Airlines catch up to the pack? Reading List Delta Margin Recovery to Near Pre-Pandemic Levels in Second Quarter American Airlines Expects a Good First Quarter, the Second Is an Open Question American, Still Less Profitable than Delta and United, Attempt...

Atlanta retained its title as the world’s busiest airport last year, shocker we know. But more interesting is the rise of the Denver and Istanbul airports — to third and seventh busiest, respectively — that were not even in the top 10 in 2019. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss, plus the unfortunate shortage of air traffic controllers in the New York-area this summer. Reading List What’s the Wo...

Lufthansa is closer than ever to a deal for Italy's state-owned carrier, Alita..., oops, ITA Airways. But can Lufthansa turn loss-making ITA into a gem? That remains to be seen. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss, plus the Istanbul Airport's impressive growth. Reading List Lufthansa Still Keen on ITA Airways Deal But Wants Price Discounted Over Heavy Losses Can Consolidation Lift Lufthansa? Ist...

Big changes are underway in Saudi Arabia and India, with both poised for rapid growth in airline traffic. Each, however, is taking a distinct approach with respect to protecting their domestic airlines. Airline Weekly’s Jay Shabat discusses with Skift’s Asia editor Peden Doma Bhatia.  Related Stories How India Is Preparing for Its Goal of 1 Billion Airline Passengers What You Need to Know About Sa...

U.S. airlines presented at a major investor event in New York last week. What did they say? Airline Weekly's Jay Shabat discusses with special guest Brian Sumers of The Airline Observer. Plus, a look at an airline in the Philippines with a very unique business model... and a very unique aircraft configuration.  Related Stories: Rival CEOs at JetBlue, United and American Rally Together to Challenge...

It’s official: The U.S. Justice Department just sued to block JetBlue and Spirit from merging. Will it win? That’s anyone’s guess, but JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said he plans to fight the regulator. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, the latest results from Azul and Thai Airways. Reading List U.S. Sues to Block JetBlue and Spirit Merger JetBlue Prepares for a Fight With Justice Department...

Airlines face wide-ranging fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago in February. The biggest is the airspace closure, but the war has also triggered a surge in global energy prices while western sanctions are pressuring Russian airlines. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, why you need an accounting degree and years of experience to decipher AirAsia-parent Capital A's numbers....

Singapore Airlines and Copa Airlines were two champions of the December quarter with standout financial results. What set them apart from the pack? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss on the Airline Weekly Lounge. Reading List Singapore Airlines Looks Beyond Strong Profits to Big Things From Air India Deal Copa’s Stars Aligned in Fourth Quarter

Spirit Airlines lags other U.S. airlines in financial performance. In fact, it lost money last year while most of its peers produced profits. Can it fix its cost problems and restore order? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss on the latest Airline Weekly Lounge. Plus, is Azul in trouble? Reading List Spirit Airlines Struggles to Control Costs as It Awaits Fate of JetBlue Merger Brazil’s Azul Eye...

A goodbye to the Boeing 747, the Queen of the Skies. The planemaker delivered the last off the line of the iconic jumbo jet to Atlas Air on Tuesday. Reading List Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot by Mark Vanhoenacker Atlas Air celebrates the final 747 delivery with a tribute to the Queen (Flightradar24)

It's a busy earnings week with American, Southwest, Alaska, and JetBlue all reporting. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat preview what they're listening for ahead of the airline calls on Thursday, January 26. Plus, EasyJet's strong December quarter revenues suggest their network shift to southern Europe is working. Reading List American Airlines Sees First Full Year of Profitability Since 2019 Southwes...

Was that a hint of an Irish accent when United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby took down the U.S. industry for being unprepared for the post-Covid operating reality? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, the U.S-China air service recovery is in the hands of government officials. Reading List United CEO Says U.S. Airline Industry Unprepared for Post-Pandemic Realities by Edward Russell Geopolitics...

Welcome to fourth quarter airline earnings season. Oil prices have come down from the peak of the year but labor costs are climbing as the system of pulleys and levers that determine the industry's costs continue to fluctuate. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss what they're looking at as airlines report. Plus, the ongoing evolution in air service to small cities across the U.S. Read this week’s...

Southwest Airlines had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad holiday season. The cancellation of 15,000-plus flights between Christmas and New Years will weigh on its fourth quarter results, but consumers' memories are short and the airline will survive. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, what European country does Eurocontrol's latest data show led the continent's air traffic recovery...

It's been quite the year in aviation. From Covid variants to staffing shortages and flight disruptions, and industry dealmaking, 2022 took us for some interesting turns — but then what year does not? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss what they'll be following in the New Year. Enjoy the last Airline Weekly Lounge episode of 2022. Read daily coverage of the airline industry at https://airlinewee...

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines unveiled ambitious plans this week. The latter ordered up to 300 new Boeing aircraft, 200 of them 787s. CEO Scott Kirby claims the deal will cement United's status as the so-called U.S. flag carrier. And the former aims to recover its pre-pandemic profit margins in just two years. Can Delta and United do it? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss in the 'Lounge....

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 the ramifications this week. Plus, IATA's brightening financial outlook for 2023. Read more about Delta Air Lines at Skift: https://skift.com/tag/delta-air-lines...

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 for the fiscal year that ended in September. Plus, the Air India-Vistara merger. You can read more about EasyJet at Skift. For in-depth coverage of aviation...