Getting Catering to the Plane 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.

>>This is a simple business. If you’re an airline, you should send your planes to places where they make money. Delta is doing it right: Delta Puts a Better Business Class on Routes Where Travelers Will Buy It

>>The best CEOs know when it’s the right time to quit. Things may look rosy now, but EasyJet could be in for a tough time if the UK’s Brexit negotiations go badly: EasyJet CEO Carolyn McCall Will Be a Hard Act to Follow

>>With competition from online retailers rising, airport duty-free shops selling luxury goods need to up the ante. Some methods they are using seem to be successful, while others may start annoying potential customers: The Shifting Strategies of Luxury Duty-Free Retailers

>>Gone are the days when duty-free retailers could lazily rely on consumers to freely spend their cash in airports. The rise of online shopping has forced them to become much more creative when it comes to generating sales: Duty-Free Retailers Get Smart — New Luxury

>>Airline food isn’t always tasty, but passengers probably shouldn’t compare it to what they find in a restaurant. Delivering food to an aircraft is a logistical challenge, and it’s amazing the system works as well as it does: Airline Food Conundrum – Paid Meals Winning Out Over Freebies

>>Anyone remember Google Wave? Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, TUI, and a whole bunch of investors and techies are betting that blockchain fulfills a lot of promise and exhibits a ton more staying power than previously-hyped technologies that didn’t hang around very long: Air New Zealand Plans to Test Blockchain Integration With Its Reservation System

>>Are you upset some airlines charge $3 for a soda? There’s a reason prices are higher than at a convenience store. It’s not easy or cheap to get provisions onto an aircraft: Complications of Getting Catering to the Plane — Airline Innovation Report