Airline News

Like many other European airlines, it's been a pretty tough year for Lufthansa. The airline could probably do without a potential FAA fine hanging over it as it tries to start fresh in 2020.

This week, Sabre stopping selling Finnair tickets as talks over a new contract broke down while European airlines will most likely have to pay a new EU tax on jet fuel. Meanwhile, India is so desperate to sell its national airline, it has agreed to take over $7 billion in debt to make Air India seem more attractive to a buyer.

It's rare for airline contract disputes with distribution companies to reach this outcome. Finnair will suffer financially until it cuts a deal. Sabre, for its part, risks embarrassment if it's seen as bullying a midsize carrier. Nobody usually ends up winning in these classic games of chicken.

New kinds of partnerships and connections are changing how the airline industry retails. Stakeholders are increasingly turning to new technology like blockchain to facilitate these changes without disrupting their ability to provide travelers a frictionless experience and giving travel managers the control they need.

This week in aviation, don't miss our deep dive on the latest technological advancements of smart airports. Meanwhile, Norwegian Air's newest CEO, Jacob Schram, is focusing on sustainable profits.

So is chatting with Chatbot Charlie an improved experience over Human Charlie? With more airlines undergoing digital transformations, sadly so, especially for call center workers.

Airlines Reporting Corporation's expansion into providing services around direct bookings is intriguing. We'll be watching how it handles the challenge without vexing the travel agencies that will remain its core customer.

Interestingly, new Norwegian Air chief Jacob Schram has plenty of experience dealing with takeovers and mergers from his time in the retail trade. Might Norwegian want to tap this experience as part of future plans?

After years of being stuck in the past, new "smart" airports are embracing technology and data to improve the experience for both passengers and vendors. But progress is still slow, widening the gap between cutting-edge and archaic facilities. What's needed? More vision, less bureaucracy.

The conversation around business traveler satisfaction is growing. American Airlines’ refreshed corporate benefits show that the airline is listening.