Gordon Smith Archives

Gordon Smith is Airlines Editor at Skift and Editor at Airline Weekly. He’s been writing about the sector for more than a decade and enjoyed a front-row seat for some of the aviation industry’s biggest stories. Since joining Skift in January 2024, he has interviewed more than a dozen global airline CEOs, often helping make headlines along the way (special thanks to Michael O’Leary!). His informed insights have led to contributions for international media, including the London Evening Standard and Canada’s CBC Radio.

Airlines

5 Lessons from British Airways' Controversial Loyalty Program Changes

Last week, British Airways unleashed fury in some quarters with poorly received changes to its loyalty program. Here are five key learnings for other airlines considering a similar course.

Gordon Smith | 2 months ago

AirBaltic Airbus A220 planes are parked at a snowy airport.

Airlines

Engine Delays Force AirBaltic to Cancel 4,600 Flights This Summer

The new year is bringing the same old headaches for the airline industry. Reliability and maintenance issues with a widely used engine are forcing carriers to slash schedules for the peak summer season.

Gordon Smith | 2 months ago

Heathrow Airport, British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

Airlines

The Winners and Losers of Europe’s 2024 Airline Battle

It’s a fascinating tale of three huge airline groups. Europe’s leading network carriers each experienced a very different 2024.

John Strickland | 3 months ago

A rendering of the new Swiss Senses first class suite.

Airlines

Premium Air Travel Defined the Industry in 2024 — Will the Momentum Last?

It’s not just long-haul network airlines that are taking advantage of this increasingly lucrative segment. Low-cost carriers are marching in the premium parade too.

Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat | 3 months ago

Airlines

Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air: Which Carrier is Ending 2024 on Top?

It's tempting to group Europe's low-cost airlines together, but 2024 highlighted major differences in performance, problems, and profitability.

John Strickland | 3 months ago

Aer Lingus crew at a photocall for the new A321XLR

Airlines

This New Plane Is Putting Indianapolis Back on the Transatlantic Map

Overlooked secondary cities are on the radar of airline executives and network planners, as a new generation of long-haul aircraft upends traditional in-flight economics.

Gordon Smith | 3 months ago

A digital rendering of how the Pegasus 737 Max 10 is due to look.

Airlines

Boeing Beats Airbus to Win Huge Plane Order

Thursday’s multi-billion dollar deal for the 737 Max will delight Boeing executives after a terrible year. Now comes the tricky part — delivering the planes on time and to the right specification.

Gordon Smith | 3 months ago

Visitors taking a photograph of Taipei's skyline

Airlines

Where Did the World Fly Most Frequently in 2024?

While no two markets are the same, fears of a global slowdown in airline capacity growth were unfounded in 2024. These new figures set up 2025 to be another year of robust network expansion.

Gordon Smith | 3 months ago

A Korean Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at Vancouver Airport

Airlines

Korean Air Completes Asiana Acquisition: Everything You Need to Know

It’s been a sky-high saga worthy of a K-Drama script. After more than four years, South Korea’s two biggest airline groups have become one. Skift is here to help make sense of it all.

Gordon Smith | 3 months ago

Airlines

Heathrow Airport Braces for its Busiest-Ever Christmas

From ordinary passengers to airline CEOs, Heathrow has no shortage of detractors – however these latest numbers suggest the London airport still boasts serious pulling power.

Gordon Smith | 3 months ago