Madhu Unnikrishnan

Airline Weekly

U.S. Pilot Staffing Will Take Years to Sort Out

Is there a pilot shortage in the U.S.? That's one of the most hotly debated questions in the airline industry. But the upshot for passengers is the same regardless of what the industry thinks: Airlines are cancelling more flights and flying reduced schedules this summer because they can't find enough crews.

2 years ago

Airline Weekly

Phoenix Rising

2 years ago

Airline Weekly

Phoenix Rising

2 years ago

News Blog

India’s Jet Airways Back For Another Life, Cleared To Fly

India's civil aviation regulator cleared Jet Airways to resume operations, allowing what was once the country's largest airline to operate commercial flights. Jet Airways ceased flying in April 2019, buckling under the weight of an aggressive expansion strategy and what were called at the time operational missteps and a heavy debt load. The carrier first…

Madhu Unnikrishnan | 2 years ago

Airline Weekly

Lufthansa Won’t Quit on Boeing Even With Current Disarray

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr acknowledges that Boeing is struggling right now, but he's confident the manufacturer will get its house in order.

2 years ago

Airline Weekly

Lessor AerCap Warns of Looming Aircraft Shortage as International Travel Rebounds

With international travel rebounding, airlines are scrambling to add aircraft to their fleets. But Boeing and Airbus will struggle to meet their ambitious production targets, given supply chain woes and regulatory scrutiny, the head of the world's largest aircraft lessor said.

2 years ago

News Blog

Star Alliance to Add European Intermodal Partner

The 26-member Star Alliance airline group is planning to add its first non-airline member, CEO Jeffrey Goh said on May 12. Goh did not want to get ahead of a formal announcement expected in the next several weeks, but he said the partner would be in Europe and would most likely be a railroad. "I…

Madhu Unnikrishnan | 2 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Marriott’s Homes & Villas Taps Bonvoy Loyalty Pool to Supercharge Growth

Marriott Bonvoy members account for about 90 percent of bookings on the company's Homes & Villas short-term rental platform, and access to that pool of customers is a strength, the unit's leader said. This pool of potential customers helped fuel Homes & Villas' 30-fold growth since its 2019 launch.

Madhu Unnikrishnan | 2 years ago

News Blog

Spirit Sets June 10 Date for Shareholder Vote on Merger With Frontier

Spirit Airline is calling for a shareholder vote on June 10 for the airline's proposed merger with Frontier Airlines. The airline is recommending that shareholders vote for the merger, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The move comes shortly after Spirit's board rejected an unsolicited merger bid from JetBlue Airways.…

Madhu Unnikrishnan | 2 years ago

Airline Weekly

Azul Looks Beyond Pandemic Expecting Its Best Year Ever

It's not "pent-up demand" anymore for Brazil's Azul; instead, the airline thinks the strong demand is a new normal. It doesn't hurt that Brazil's commodity-heavy economy is booming and that the country never really shut down during the pandemic.

2 years ago