Airline News

Low-cost and ultra-low-cost airlines have had great success, but the model is not a panacea. Many discounters never disrupt as promised, or realize the profit. We’ll explore all the potential hurdles facing low-cost carriers on Friday, October 12 at 11 a.m. EST on a Skift Call. Please join us for this all-important discussion.

This week in aviation, we have two in-depth stories on American Airlines: one on a direct distribution strategy, another on making it harder for agents to rebook coach passengers on other carriers.

American Airlines has moved away from its earlier belligerence to navigate a cooperative path with distribution middlemen. The airline appears to be making a lot more gains this time around.

Maybe Delta's new in-flight screens on its Airbus A220s will be better than previous generations. Or maybe they won't be. Either way, Delta deserves credit. Few of its competitors put screens on domestic airplanes anymore. Delta could have easily gone without them.

It's reasonable to ask whether airline re-accommodation agreements still make sense in 2018. In how many industries will one company happily hand you over to the competition after a slight service hiccup? But road warriors love these deals. It means they can get home, or to an important meeting, even when their favorite airline screws up.

Argentina’s tough economic situation has been characterized by devalued currency and rising consumer prices. But at the same time, other factors have led to the introduction of cheaper airfares and more players in the airline market. That's good for travelers.

United President Scott Kirby likes to say that if an airline is not first in market share in a market, it's as good as being last. JetBlue executives likely don't agree. They generally argue that JetBlue, America's sixth-largest carrier, is big enough to compete with more established competitors.

Another European airline bites the dust. In this case, we're not really that surprised.

It just got 25 percent more expensive to earn top-tier elite status on United Airlines.

It can't happen soon enough.