Airline News

A Florida federal judge and Trump appointee has liberated the U.S. airlines from the tyranny of having to enforce mask mandates. The five largest U.S. airlines didn't wait long, dropping their mask requirements within hours of the judge's ruling.

Travelers best be prepared for sticker shock when they go to book flights this summer. Airfares are already back to pre-pandemic levels and, with airlines mired by staffing shortages, they are only expected to go higher during the peak months.

It’s that time of year again: earnings! Delta Air Lines kicked off the first quarter results season with better than expected financials that reflected the two halves of the quarter; one characterized by Omicron and the other by pent-up demand

Pent-up demand is so strong that off-peak travel bookings are higher for both pre-summer weeks and midweek days. During the first travel industry earnings call for 2022, Delta Air Lines said yields for off-peak travel are improving as travelers move from the most popular travel times. Expect to hear more of that from travel executives this year.

Staffing. That's the issue airlines in the U.S. are grappling with as they plan their summer schedules. The good news is that carriers are licking their chops in anticipation of…

American Airlines and its pilots union are at odds over what the union alleges are illegal changes to the carrier's training practices. The suit comes as airlines prepare for a busy summer travel season that many fear staffing shortages could disrupt.

Ethiopian had expected to be further along in its recovery by now, but that's not stopping it from adding back flights to the U.S., the latest of which is a route to Washington, D.C. The carrier plans to fly about 85 percent of its pre-pandemic capacity this summer.

President Biden backs incentives for sustainable aviation fuel as the airline industry looks to cut emissions. But legislation remains stuck on Capitol Hill with little clarity on how it will become law.

Good morning from Skift. It's Thursday, April 13, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Is Home Depot's loss Delta's gain? Americans have spent two years hoarding cash and spending money on home improvement projects. But now Delta believes they're ready to spend their savings on travel and experiences, and the Atlanta-based carrier says it's waiting for them.