Booking CEO Glenn Fogel: Echoes Between AI and Dot-Com Boom
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel sees the generative AI era as travel’s next major disruption – and he's been through this kind of upheaval before.
Gordon Smith is Airlines Editor at Skift and Editor at Airline Weekly. He’s covered the industry for more than 15 years across television, print, and digital platforms. Since joining Skift in January 2024, he has interviewed more than 20 airline CEOs, often helping make headlines along the way. Send stories/tips via Signal: smithgme.01
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8 Origins of Spirit’s Downfall
Spirit Airlines went from being a profit all-star in the 2010s to a poster child for dysfunction in the 2020s. Filing for bankruptcy again, having just exited court protection in March, the ULCC is deeply distressed and losing alarming sums of money. In this week's feature story we discuss where it all went wrong, and identify possible survival strategies for the ailing carrier.
Lufthansa Tightens Grip on Group Airlines with Internal Shake-Up
Lufthansa is officially focused on integration, not standardization. But the lines between its national brands are being unmistakably redrawn.
Avelo Becomes U.S. Launch Customer for Embraer E2 With 100-Jet Deal
Avelo is sidestepping legacy limitations with an ambitious fleet move, while Embraer finally cracks a U.S. market dominated by union scope clause restrictions.
Why this Korean Hotel Giant is Turning a Budget Airline Into a Lifestyle Brand
The move by Sono signals an ambitious pivot from no-frills airline to integrated travel platform, closely tied to the sprawling hospitality empire of its new parent company.
Is JetBlue’s Late-Summer Momentum Enough to Shift the Narrative?
JetBlue’s upbeat statement is a welcome change, but it’s being measured against a very low bar. The airline’s problems have been years in the making, and it’ll take more than a good month to turn things around.
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China’s Changing Airlines: 10 Things to Know
China’s 'Big Three' airline groups are still struggling to turn a profit. Domestic travel remains strong, but flights to and from places like Thailand, North America, and Europe are a challenge. Air China and China Eastern are losing money, while China Southern is scraping by with a slender margin. In this week's feature story we ask why.
Qantas Commits to More Ultra-Long-Haul Flying in 2026
As competition heats up from Gulf and Chinese carriers, Qantas is betting that nonstop wins, even if it means 16+ hours in the middle seat.
India–China Nonstop Flights Are Returning: Which Airlines Will Win the Route Revival?
After five years of frozen skies, India and China are making moves to resume nonstop flights. With diplomacy cautiously warming, who will take the lead in reconnecting Asia’s two largest economies?
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Azul and Gol: Together at Last or Separate Paths?
To merge or not to merge? That's the question for two of Brazil’s three major airlines. In January, Azul and Gol signed a non-binding deal with "intent to combine their businesses.” Then came a snag. Azul filed for Chapter 11, just one week before Gol exited bankruptcy. Today, the prospect of a Brazilian mega-merger is increasingly uncertain, as we discuss in this week's feature story.