American’s Rebooking Move and 5 Other Aviation Trends This Week

>>It’s reasonable to ask whether airline re-accommodation agreements still make sense in 2018. In how many industries will one company happily hand you over to the competition after a slight service hiccup? But road warriors love these deals. It means they can get home, or to an important meeting, even when their favorite airline screws up: American Makes It Harder for Agents to Rebook Coach Passengers on the Competition

>>American Airlines has moved away from its earlier belligerence to navigate a cooperative path with distribution middlemen. The airline appears to be making more gains this time around: American Airlines Feels Vindicated in Its Second Try at Direct Distribution

>>United President Scott Kirby likes to say that if an airline is not first in market share in a market, it’s as good as being last. JetBlue executives likely don’t agree. They generally argue that JetBlue, America’s sixth-largest carrier, is big enough to compete with more established competitors: JetBlue Lays Out a Growth Plan by Doubling Down on 3 U.S. Cities

>>Argentina’s tough economic situation has been characterized by devalued currency and rising consumer prices. But at the same time, other factors have led to the introduction of cheaper airfares and more players in the airline market. That’s good for travelers: Cheaper Flights Come to Argentina Even as the Economy Continues to Struggle

>>Another European airline bites the dust. In this case, we’re not really that surprised: Fast-Growing Primera Air Ceases Operations

>>Maybe Delta’s new in-flight screens on its Airbus A220s will be better than previous generations. Or maybe they won’t be. Either way, Delta deserves credit. Few of its competitors put screens on domestic airplanes anymore. Delta could have easily gone without them: Delta Is Betting on Tablet Technology to Solve In-Flight Entertainment Conundrum