Airline News

Listen now for a conversation with United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby from Skift Aviation Forum in November 2021.

In Skift's top stories this week, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says the airline will beat margin leader Delta Air Lines by improving the passenger experience, Accor executives explain why the hotel giant has struggled to make inroads in the U.S., and American Airlines CEO Doug Parker expresses confidence that business travel will return to pre-pandemic levels.

Leisure travelers are coming back strong in Latin America, Copa Airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron confirmed this week. And the airline with no domestic market is unconcerned about any continued border restrictions with plans to fly more than 80 percent of 2019 capacity by year-end.

While the airlines can be encouraged that flight bookings made in several parts of the world are nearing pre-pandemic marks, the low figure recorded in the Asia-Pacific region is a sign that China's tight outbound restrictions are putting a major dent in the aviation's recovery worldwide.

Have airlines passed an inflection point and will 2022 be the year demand recovers more fully? Airline executives at the Skift Aviation Forum believe so, although they warn that the road to recovery will be bumpy.

Air service to smaller U.S. cities could wither unless regional airlines can ramp up hiring. Despite offering large bonuses to new pilots, regional carriers are scrambling to find enough talent to operate all their flights.

Fourth time’s a charm? Sara Nelson is the latest union leader to attempt to organize flight attendants at Delta Air Lines, which has a mostly non-union workforce. If it’s going to ever happen, the pandemic will be the catalyst to give Nelson a victory.

United CEO Scott Kirby is talking up his investments in product, and quality improvements at the carrier. But it will still be a steep challenge to beat Delta Air Lines, the longstanding leader on quality and margins in the U.S.

Governments will likely use taxes and penalties as incentives to encourage airlines to operate more sustainably over the next decade, but Tony Douglas wants more players in the commercial aviation ecosystem to pay their part.

A government bailout always helps, but the recovery of Portugal's home airline points to the benefit of serving resilient markets in South America and Africa.