Southwest Promises to Stop Overbooking and 12 Other Aviation Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines aviation.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Like them or not, basic economy fares are here to stay: United Expands Its Basic Economy No-Frills Service

>>For economic reasons, the transatlantic aviation market has been a hotbed of innovation since the first direct flight almost 100 years ago. Building on the foundations set before, the new disrupters believe we are on the verge of a huge change. Will it last? The Battle for the Future of Airlines Is Still Being Fought Over the Atlantic

>>It seems that passenger-crew altercations are happening more and more often these days. Luckily for American, its most recent kerfuffle hasn’t completely gone out of control: American Tries to Avoid United’s Fate in Another Passenger Fiasco — Skift Business Traveler

>>This is a small ad buy, but good for Hawaiian, JetBlue and Fedex to spend money to try to persuade political types. Open Skies agreements are helpful for consumers, and for global trade. If the U.S. takes a protectionist stance against the UAE and Qatar, the repercussions could hurt U.S. businesses: Airline Trade Group Launches Ad Campaign to Support Open Skies Agreements

>>Given how big a market transatlantic aviation is, any move to extend the ban to flights coming from the UK would have a huge impact: Trump’s Laptop Ban Could Be Expanded to Arrivals From the UK

>>New JetBlue CFO Steve Priest has been leaving his mark on the airline in only a few months on the job. Expect him to make many more important decisions in the near future. The biggest? He’ll have a big say in whether the airline flies to Europe: JetBlue Delays Its New Aircraft Because of Reliability Issues

>>Most airlines prefer to focus on their core business — transporting passengers. But Allegiant executives have always thought outside-the-box, and historically that has been good for investors: Low-Cost Carrier Allegiant Air Is Interested in Getting Into the Hotel Business

>>This has been a rough two and a half weeks for United. Perhaps this report is a step in the right direction: United Releases Internal Report on What Happened in Violent Chicago Incident

>>Alaska Airlines has always taken customer experience more seriously than other carriers, but historically, that’s been easier, since Alaska has been smaller than its competitors: Alaska Air Focuses on Customer Experience and Loyalty as it Integrates Virgin America

>>The low-cost, long-haul model will come to Asia, says AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes, if customers are willing to pay for it. Fernandes isn’t shy about saying he’s jealous about some of the moves Norwegian Air has made: AirAsia CEO Supports Gulf Carriers in Open Skies Dispute

>>Surprise pay hikes for pilots and flight attendants will cost roughly $350 million in 2018 and 2019. But if airlines truly want to avoid more customer service-related dramas, one way to get there is to adequately compensate your workforce: American Airlines CEO Rejects Criticism of ‘Unprecedented’ Flight Crew Pay Hikes

>>Overbooking has gotten a lot of attention in the past three weeks, but, most of the time, it’s not a big deal. Airlines know passengers won’t show up, so they sell a few more tickets than they have seats. What’s the harm in that? Southwest Airlines Promises to Stop Overbooking Flights

>>Some of the airlines covered here come as a surprise, but it makes sense that United no longer wants to play nice with Qatar Airways and Emirates Airline: United Ends Cooperation Agreements With 5 Middle East Airlines