Flybe Claims Demise Related to Virus and 7 Other Top Aviation Stories This Week

Flybe Becomes the First Airline to Die Because of Coronavirus: If this coronavirus panic drags on, we may see otherwise healthy airlines go bust. But that is not the case here. Flybe was in trouble well before coronavirus.

Nearly 90 Percent of U.S. Travelers Have Yet to Cancel Plans Due to Virus: Skift Research: U.S. travelers are taking a wait-and-see approach to the evolving coronavirus situation, with few canceling just yet. But most American travel happens domestically, and as the virus spreads within the country, that may soon change.

Travel Megatrends 2020: The Rise of Ultra-Long-Haul Flights Is Changing the Way We Travel: Connecting to the ends of the Earth with nonstop flights is an increasingly attractive prospect for flyers. The growing popularity of nearly day-long flights, however, is set to disrupt the economics of the airline business. Adapting will be crucial as demand from the travel industry grows.

The New Face of Latin American Airline Partnerships: Airline partnerships connecting North and South America look different in 2020, with Delta a stronger contender in the region than ever before. Its $1.9 billion investment for a 20 percent stake in Chile’s Latam Airlines helps. Now, the question is how it will shape the industry — and the strategies of competitors like American Airlines.

Amtrak Names Another Airline Exec as Top Boss to Replace Former Delta CEO Richard Anderson: Richard Anderson deserves kudos for having helped to revitalize Amtrak in his three years as CEO. The former Delta Air Lines top boss put the U.S. railway operator on track to its first-ever operating profit while also improving its safety record.

Travelers Frustrated by Plastic Alternatives Offered by Companies: Reducing plastic waste is just step one. Step two is implementing alternatives to plastic. But how do companies get travelers on board if the alternatives are flawed? Part of the answer lies in forthright communication.

Welcome to the New Skift Airline Weekly: Skift Airline Weekly is going digital-first as of this week. It’s readable on the device of your choosing. Here’s to the next 15 years of the best aviation industry news and insights.

Important Date Changes for Skift Forum Europe and Skift Forum Asia: We’ve decided to move two of our forums to new dates in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Skift Forum Europe will now be held on June 29–30 in Madrid, and Skift Forum Asia in Singapore on Oct. 13–15. We hope you can join us for these seminal travel industry events.