Lufthansa’s Antitrust Allegations and 7 Other Aviation Trends This Week

>>There’s no guarantee that the European Commission will act on this complaint, but it shows that the online travel industry is still very annoyed with Lufthansa’s actions: Lufthansa Faces New Antitrust Allegations in Europe

>>This past year served up headlines that certainly didn’t end with the start of another news cycle. The ripple effects were felt across all of travel. Follow the trends of the moments that we have pointed out here — and be prepared to ride their waves well into 2019 and beyond: 25 Travel Moments That Mattered in 2018

>>Over the past couple of decades, most U.S. airlines have focused on transporting customers from point A to B in relative comfort. Delta wants to go beyond, hoping passengers will view it as a trusted consumer brand. If they do, Delta may be able to command an even bigger revenue premium over its competitors: Delta Air Lines Doesn’t Want to Be Pigeonholed as a Transport Company

>>Former Allegiant Air executive Lukas Johnson has a reputation for choosing winning routes no other airlines have tried. That should make him an excellent choice for David Neeleman’s new airline: David Neeleman Taps Ex-Allegiant Air Exec for Top Strategy Role at His New Airline

>>Network planners often salivate over new-generation aircraft, and with good reason. New technology allows airlines to profitably fly routes that might not have worked in the past: The Secret to David Neeleman’s New U.S. Startup? The Airplane.

>>Canada’s newest airline, Swoop, is now up and running with some of the lowest base fares in Canada. While an important milestone, the larger focus continues to be on WestJet’s challenging financial year and ability to execute several big projects at once: New Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier Swoops Into Canada

>>Google Assistant will soon start sending flight-delay notifications on mobile, and informing travelers about the reasons behind the disruption to their itineraries. This could be a really great service, and Google will do it at scale. Rest assured that an automated flight-rebooking service won’t be too far behind: Google Is Filling In the Missing Pieces With Mobile Flight-Delay Notifications

>>Despite the cost of entry getting markedly higher next year, many business travelers don’t seem too worried about new qualification standards that American and United have set for next year: Frequent Flyers Brush Off Tougher Criteria for Airline Elite Status