What Monarch Air’s Bankruptcy Means for European Aviation and 6 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.

>>American and Casper will soon be working together to bring custom-designed bedding to the airline’s long-haul flights. A hipper brand such as Casper may resonate better with younger flyers than legacy brands such as Westin or Saks: American Airlines Teams With Casper for In-Flight Bedding and a Hipper Appeal

>>It’s now going to be extremely difficult for some of Delta’s frequent flyers to earn top-tier elite status: Business of Loyalty: Delta Makes Top Elite Status Tougher to Reach for Credit Card Holders

>>You may have missed out on this year’s Skift Global Forum, but you don’t have to miss out on one of the key parts of the conversation at the event and within the industry: Travel in an Age of Permanxiety: Download the New Magazine

>>An airport lounge needs a lot of logistical heavy-lifting and finesse to get it right. But Amex has had some success executing on this mission, and is expanding internationally to Hong Kong: American Express Centurion Lounges Are a Differentiator in Credit Card Competition

>>While there might be too many European airlines, Monarch’s demise shouldn’t necessarily be seen as being symptomatic of wider industry problems. Like Alitalia and Air Berlin before it, the UK-based airline and tour operator had plenty of self-inflicted wounds that were exacerbated by external issues: What Monarch Air’s Bankruptcy Means for European Aviation

>>We like United President Scott Kirby because he says what’s on his mind. But something doesn’t add up here. Is this the real reason United hasn’t placed a new order for the A320 family of jets? United Complains Airbus Won’t Give It Competitive Prices

>>Don’t let recent news fool you. This is a promising development, but we’re still far from a world in which a substantial number of passengers fly on a hybrid-electric plane: JetBlue-Backed Zunum Plans to Produce a Small Hybrid-Electric Plane by 2022