Airline News

There's no way around it: Southwest's new emphasis on cost-containment, productivity gains, and other efficiencies doesn't provide an optimistic outlook for passenger experience. It should make Southwest a more profitable airline — if passengers go along for the ride.

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines recently told investors they're making big revenue from premium-seat upsells. Not surprisingly, American wants a piece of that action. But it has some IT work to do first.

Does this mean a tie-up with another airline or someone else? For the minute Norwegian isn’t saying much on the matter.

Experts were tipping a slow-down in travel in Australia due to the falling dollar and rising fuel costs, but the country’s two main airlines are seeing revenue growth, mostly because they have reduced capacity and halted the price war.

A skeptic might say airlines are doing so well selling premium seats because their standard offering is getting worse. There's some truth to that. But airlines have also gotten better at targeting passengers with the right offers for them.

Good riddance. The MD-80 had its moment in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturers are producing much more efficient (and quieter) airplanes now.

Use it or lose it. That is apparently the reason American Airlines is making it more difficult now for some card holders to earn elite status as perks are removed.

A few years ago, Delta Air Lines expanded in Seattle and tried to take share from Alaska Airlines. Surprisingly, Alaska has held on to most of its customers. Now, Delta is trying a similar strategy in Boston. JetBlue has a big customer base there. Will JetBlue's loyalists stick around?

Qatar's departure from the Oneworld alliance could translate into some trickier international flights and connections for travelers on American, British and a dozen other airlines.

A big jump in ancillary revenue is certainly a bright spot in a period that has been pretty challenging for Ryanair.