Madhu Unnikrishnan

The outrage and fear over Wednesday's violent protest at the capitol extended to the travel industry. The head of the largest U.S. flight attendants union is calling on airlines to ban passengers who participated in the mayhem. It would be a highly unusual for airlines to do so.

With international travel largely shuttered and an exodus from cities of remote workers seeking more bucolic settings, hordes of people are flocking to federal lands in the American West. But how to balance the need for tourist dollars with protecting fragile ecosystems and sacred sites remains a challenge.

The airline industry may be hobbled now, but industry leaders at the Skift Aviation Forum saw some hope. Much, of course, depends on the trajectory of the pandemic and the efficacy of vaccines. But the glory days aren't returning any time soon.

The U.S. has cleared the Boeing 737 Max to fly, but global regulators still need more time. Still, it's good news for U.S. airlines and for Boeing, ending the longest grounding in aviation history.

If Pfizer's Covid vaccine is approved, airlines will be on the hook to transport billions of doses. Is the industry up to the job? What roadblocks stand in its way?

Air travel demand appears to have plateaued in the U.S. International travel demand, after showing some signs of life in the summer, is slowing down as countries impose new travel restrictions in response to a resurgent pandemic.

Allegiant said it saw the "end of history" on March 1, but its focus on domestic, primarily leisure flights gives it cause for optimism. Still, the airline doesn't think a meaningful recovery will occur until sometime next year at the earliest.

JetBlue isn't pinning its hopes on a Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, it says a cheap and accurate rapid-response test could be what makes governments lift onerous quarantines and convinces people to fly again.

Why does CEO Gary Kelly say he's "happy"? The airline is aggressively going after leisure travelers and has added a bunch of new routes. Still, it's not all clear skies ahead for the LUV line, as potentially fractious union negotiations loom.

The world's largest airline will be half the size it was through the end of this year. But CEO Doug Parker thinks its flight network makes American uniquely poised to recover faster. The trajectory of the pandemic, of course, will determine if he's right.