Marisa Garcia

They say dress for the job you want. The new Alitalia uniforms are stylish and the campaign is emotive. Alitalia's look suits the job of being an Etihad Group brand. For those who believe brand defines long-term success, this is the case study to watch.

Driving change in aviation is a complex process, but IATA has decades of established leadership, setting industry standards and encouraging airline leaders to think of new ways to manage change. Now that digital has accelerated the pace of change around the world, IATA has turned to experts in Silicon Valley to help airlines keep up.

Gogo had a set-back when American Airlines decided to open up its Wi-Fi bid to rival ViaSat, but this new Delta Air Lines commitment makes up for that.

The level of profitability revealed in the latest BTS report is leaves the Big 3 U.S. airlines room to improve their in-flight products and passenger services, without breaking the bank. But they have achieved this profitability in large part by becoming better businesses. If they are to stay profitable when the next inevitable industry downturn comes, they will need to keep improving their retail models.

The goal is to make airline lifestyle brands relatable, likable, insidery, and envy-inducing badges of honor. Fashion and other style elements are the type of brand associations which make that connection happen. Plus: Women make key travel decisions for themselves and their families.

Repositioning a brand and integrating two airlines is a challenging process, and LATAM has taken its time to work out the details. Right now, its efforts are looking good.

If consumers don't value some of the extras offered in the market, or worse still see them as an impediment to their journey, these brands believe it's best to eliminate them. Sure, doing so saves them money and creates lean processes, but it also differentiates the brand and creates positive associations for those consumers who are fed up with fluff, hype, and inflated travel costs.

Airlines and airports are improving baggage handling considerably, and no surprise with the dollars airlines stand to gain by ensuring we get our bags every time. But the promise of bags updating owners of their status along the journey is most promising. At least then, in the unlikely event your luggage decides to visit Lima, you can rest easy in Louisiana until it arrives.

Well, this is one way to try to upstage a prime competitor on their home turf. What comes next? A Magic Leap augmented reality trip featuring Jennifer Aniston for Emirates?

Gustafson believes Danes and Swedes will need to catch up with their automation-loving Norwegian counterparts, but, in our experience, all of Europe is reaping the benefits of a strong focus on digital.