United Executive Departure and 7 Other Aviation Trends This Week

>>Andrew Levy came into United with so much promise, but it doesn’t sound like it worked out. That’s too bad, but we expect Levy will land somewhere else. Another Top United Executive Departs as CFO Abruptly Resigns

>>United Airlines is never going to control how its flight attendants look in the same way as airlines in other countries. That’s OK. There’s no reason flight attendants all must look the same. But it’s probably a good thing United is asking some outliers to clean up their approach. Straighten Up and Fly Right, United to Flight Attendants on Sloppy Grooming

>>Hawaiian Airlines executives are talking a big game about how they’re ready for competition from Southwest Airlines. Is it true? Or are Hawaiian’s executives nervous behind the scenes as they prepare for Southwest’s Hawaii expansion? Hawaiian Airlines Promises It’s Ready for Whatever Southwest Plans

>>Airline passengers abuse nearly everything on an airplane. Sometimes, they do it because they’re jet-lagged or drunk. Sometimes, they’re just absent-minded. And on occasion, manufacturers say, customers probably abuse interiors for sport. But the good news: Everything is tested to withstand harsh treatment from passengers: The Business of Passenger-Proofing Seats and Every Other Square Inch Inside a Plane

>>It’s becoming easier for travelers on many airlines to use frequent flyer miles. That’s the good news. But many airlines are only making the cheapest award tickets available on flights where the cash fare is low. In many cases, that means airline miles aren’t as valuable as before: It’s Getting Easier to Redeem Frequent Flyer Miles: New Study

>>New, heartier options are coming to American’s airport lounges while at United, in-flight meal service is being reduced: American Invests in Catering at Lounges as United Scales Back

>>You ever sit in an airline seat and think, “Boy, this thing is not in good shape”? Don’t blame the airline. Blame your fellow passengers: Why Are Passengers So Harsh on Airplane Seats?

>>As an airline, JetBlue Airways lags behind its peers in many metrics, including overall profit, on-time performance and network strength. But it’s trying to take the offensive by nurturing start-ups through its Silicon Valley venture capital subsidiary. Will this strategy lead to success? We’ll know in a few years: Skift Tech Forum Preview: Why JetBlue Airways Entered the Venture Capital Business