Brian Sumers, Skift
We'd love to see an airline rethink the business class experience. Perhaps one might retire all the fluff, like the multi-course attempts at fine dining, served on tablecloths. But people apparently like the business class pageantry, so it sticks around, even on new entrants, like Hong Kong Airlines.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
If you're a high-value American Airlines customer, the carrier knows a lot about you. Now it wants to leverage that data in a more sophisticated way.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Like most airlines, Air Canada knows a lot about its customers. But in 2020, once it launches a new loyalty program, it will have more flexibility to slice and dice data to deliver personal offers to passengers. Let's hope customers don't find it creepy.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
We'd like to see more airports not worry about budgets and focus on reinventing the airport experience, but that's probably not feasible in most places. Architects like HKS' Pat Askew do what they can to make travel more pleasurable with the resources they're given.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Airport lounges are rarely luxurious, but people love them. Perhaps they crave access to an "exclusive" airport club. So look for more to open soon at U.S. airports. As we learn in this interview, operating a lounge can be a profitable business.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Allegiant can't fly its MD80s from some cities at certain times of the year. It sometimes cancels routes before they launch. And it's not interested in coast-to-coast routes. Learn why in this discussion with the airline's director of planning.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Airline food isn't always tasty, but passengers probably shouldn't compare it to what they find in a restaurant. Delivering food to an aircraft is a logistical challenge, and it's amazing the system works as well as it does.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Airline in-flight entertainment systems never age well. They're expensive, and they're often heavy, so airlines burn more fuel having them on board. Why do they persist? Passengers — even those who bring their own devices — tend to like them. But can airlines keep installing these systems forever?
2 years ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
What we learned from this story: Jessica Alba is one reason airlines improved pajama quality, and passengers steal pillows and blankets from airplanes. Plus, not everyone is sure why airlines give premium passengers amenity kits on every long-haul flight.
2 years ago