Articles tagged “airinsiders”

Longer Flights Have Hong Kong Airlines Rethinking Customer Experience

Longer Flights Have Hong Kong Airlines Rethinking Customer Experience

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.

2 months ago

American Airlines Knows if You’ve Been Cheating on It With a Competitor

American Airlines Knows if You’ve Been Cheating on It With a Competitor

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.

3 months ago

Why Air Canada Is Starting From Scratch With Its Loyalty Program

Why Air Canada Is Starting From Scratch With Its Loyalty Program

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.

4 months ago

Airport Secrets From an Architect Who Designs Them

Airport Secrets From an Architect Who Designs Them

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.

5 months ago

The Airport Lounge Business — An Insider’s View of How It All Works

The Airport Lounge Business — An Insider’s View of How It All Works

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.

5 months ago

Allegiant Air Agonizes Over New Routes for Months or Even Years

Allegiant Air Agonizes Over New Routes for Months or Even Years

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.

6 months ago

Airline Food Conundrum – Paid Meals Winning Out Over Freebies

Airline Food Conundrum – Paid Meals Winning Out Over Freebies

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.

6 months ago

Interview: Why In-Flight Entertainment Screens May Persist on Long-Haul Routes

Interview: Why In-Flight Entertainment Screens May Persist on Long-Haul Routes

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?

6 months ago

Business of Pajamas, Pillows and Bragging Rights on Airplanes

Business of Pajamas, Pillows and Bragging Rights on Airplanes

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.

7 months ago