Airline News

These are the aviation travel trends we were talking about this week.

Spirit's Baldanza has a lot of respect for Delta's management, and Baldanza and the Spirit model are widely respected within the airline industry. With legacy carriers getting much more aggressive about matching Spirit's fares, the ultra low-cost carrier is definitely feeling it but Baldanza insists that Spirit can take a punch.

The press release doesn't say if employees will be able to help passengers book flights on alternate airlines following United's frequent tech glitches and cancellations.

Recent tragic incidents have affected tourism around the world, but IATA's overall growth numbers reflect the public's continued desire to travel.

Etihad is defining what modern First Class is for commercial airlines.

Baggage drop systems complement today's self-serve travel process. Passengers increasingly using early check-in via the airline app, or avoiding the queue at the check-in desk. But having your electronic boarding pass ready on your smartphone when you get to the terminal loses its convenience if you have to wait in line for the check-in desk, just to drop off your bag.

Ryanair feels that eDreams is intentionally misdirecting the public and that Google, by allowing this advertising, is complicit. The airline has put a lot of effort into its Always Getting Better program, including a new website, and having a look-alike out there is no doubt irritating.

Studies show that passengers’ sense of pleasure onboard is driven by a combination of cabin architecture, lighting, and the various cabin services available. People who feel better as a result of improvements in holistic cabin design will feel better even when other cabin elements, such as seat type and seat lay-out, are identical to those on aircraft which might otherwise rate lower.

It's a good way to make holiday travel a little more bearable, and a great way to fund in-flight Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi for miles may be a good idea for some travelers but let the buyer beware because it could be relatively expensive and deplete loyalty accounts.