Access exclusive travel research, data insights, and surveys
Airlines
British Airways probably will never win back its past magic. But the airline can get better and as it strives to improve, it should look forward, not back.
Brian Sumers, Skift | 4 years ago
United wants to hold flights to wait for connecting passengers. But is this the right idea?
American Airlines has never flown to Africa, and the last time it flew to India, it lost lots of money. But the airline is now the world's largest, and it could soon expand internationally.
There are remarkably few top female executives at airlines. This needs to change — and soon.
KLM CEO Pieter Elbers has done a fine job with his airline. It is a good thing he is staying put. But how will he work with group CEO Ben Smith? We'll find out.
Southwest lags behind some of its competitors in credit card revenue. But it is working on fixing that.
We're often told that travel brands will soon know what we want to buy before we do. But few airlines are anywhere near that level.
Many airline executives believe the most important driver of customer satisfaction is reliability. American Airlines hasn't been pleased with its customer satisfaction scores, so it is trying to improve the basics of its operation. That's probably the right move. But does it also need to improve its product or brand image?
We know first class is on the way out on routes between the biggest business cities. But do travelers want a better-than-business option at a reasonable price?
By adding a new premium-heavy configuration, United Airlines will be increasing operational complexity. It is hoping it can offset that with increased revenue. Will the plan work?