The Story Behind Tech Glitches and 7 Other Aviation Trends This Week

Why Do Airlines Suffer So Many Tech Glitches? A British Airways hiccup earlier this month was merely the latest tech outage at a number of airlines. Why does the industry suffer from so many glitches? Experts point to some deeper reasons beyond the commonly heard “old tech” explanation.

Delta Pilots Upset That Primo Routes to Europe Are Going to Foreign Partners: At your typical U.S. airline, a minor dispute between a labor union and management is not unusual. But Delta has a lot fewer of these skirmishes than its competitors.

American Airlines Will Make First Class Classier on Some Jets: People think airlines don’t listen to customers. But they do, especially when revenue is at stake. American’s most lucrative customers fly in first class, and when they’re not happy, it’s a problem. We’re not surprised American is changing course on its short-haul first class product.

Delta Sues Chatbot Vendor Faulted for Data Breach: Many grandmothers have tighter password security than tech vendor [24]7.ai allegedly did. A hacker had an easy time accessing the vendor’s code, and through it, the payment card data of up to 825,000 Delta customers. No wonder the airline is suing.

Georgia’s Growing Tourism Industry Will Get a Major Lift From Ryanair: The low-cost carrier expanding its network to Georgia will be good news for the nation’s already-growing tourism industry. But with $11 (€9.99) flights comes great responsibility for a tourism economy.

Embattled Avianca Brasil to Exit Star Alliance: The loss of Avianca Brasil won’t be huge for the Star Alliance, but for some regional travelers throughout Brazil, its demise will certainly make connections inconvenient.

Can Wellness Find Its Way Into the Cramped Confines of Economy Class? Thanks to the wellness movement, both airlines and airports are upping their healthy offerings, and not just for elite travelers. Whether or not the meditation apps and relaxation suites they’re increasingly offering is actually making a difference, though, is up for debate.

Wellness Arrives at the Airport Terminal: The travel industry is trying to offer more wellness-related services, so it’s no surprise that airlines and airports want in. But whether they can really make the flying experience more relaxing is another story.