American Airlines Looks to Downsize and 5 Other Aviation Trends This Week

>>American probably does have too many executives for an airline of its size. And considering the stock is down, this is probably not a bad time to cull the ranks. If everything goes well, passengers will probably not notice any changes: American Airlines Looks to Downsize With Executive Buyouts and Job Cuts

>>The Department of Transportation’s inspector general has several ongoing audits trying to measure the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration. That’s probably a nuisance to the FAA, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Oversight is important: Federal Auditor to Investigate FAA’s Safety Oversight of Southwest Airlines

>>Elite loyalty members of United’s MileagePlus program will be able to get free upgrades to international premium economy cabins this summer as the product fully rolls out: United Moves Up Its Plans for Premium Economy

>>In three years, Embraer will be able to deliver new regional jets to U.S. airlines that could significantly reduce their fuel bill. But U.S. airlines may not be able to take them because of restrictions in collective bargaining agreements with pilots. It’s easy to blame pilots for their stance. But they have leverage. Why shouldn’t they use it? Why U.S. Regional Airlines May Not Be Able to Fly Embraer’s Newest Jet

>>PSA Airlines has been in the news lately. But do travelers have any idea what PSA is? Is this a problem? Should passengers have a better idea what regional airline they’re flying? Or doesn’t it matter? Should Major Carriers Be More Transparent About Their Relationships With Regional Airlines?

>>Flybe’s management team will be hoping the airline’s latest turnaround strategy works, where others have failed. The carrier has plenty of challenges and is operating in a very tough environment. Might it find things easier as part of a bigger aviation group? Time Is Against UK Regional Airline Flybe as Challenges Mount