Airline News

United’s David Kinzelman discussed the importance of eliminating friction for travelers at Skift Aviation Forum 2025.

For decades, railways were the romantic sideshow to the jet age – a sepia-toned indulgence for nostalgists and hardened eco-warriors. No longer.

With green marketing collapsing and net-zero plans unravelling, the industry must finally face reality: Its current climate strategy won’t work. A fundamental rethink begins now.

Yes, flying taxis are real. They’ve got the money and they’ve been chipping away at the many obstacles in the way of going mainstream. In 2026, you’ll see more deals and a potential debut.

While IndiGo expects normal operations later this week, the disruption highlighted how concentrated India’s domestic aviation has become. Investors and regulators may have to rethink capacity diversification as traffic keeps accelerating.

American Airlines’ rapidly evolving fleet is reshaping its long-haul ambitions, strengthening its position at DFW, and setting it up for a major global moment during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s a reminder of how network strategy, when combined with the right aircraft and rising premium demand, can unlock entirely new opportunities for growth.

In a lively on-stage interview, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said the deck is stacked against smaller carriers in the U.S. airline industry, where four major players control 80% of the domestic market.

For most airlines, the post-Covid era started in 2022 or 2023. For the AirAsia family, it feels like it’s only just beginning now. In this week’s feature story, we explore AirAsia’s long-delayed restructuring, its move to fuse shorthaul and longhaul operations, and the sweeping fleet ambitions that could redefine low-cost flying well beyond its Asia-Pacific heartland.

Hamad Al-Khater was previously the chief operating officer of Hamad International Airport. He replaces Badr Mohamed Al-Meer, who had been in the top post since 2023. Qatar Airways did not explain the sudden change.

Air Canada’s COO sees operations as the real engine of brand loyalty — reframing on-time performance, cabin quality, and frontline staff engagement as core brand assets.