Behind the usual Ryanair bluster there usually lurks a sensible business idea. If the airline offers a better accommodation product to customers, then that should persuade some to stay away from Booking.com.
It's difficult to tell much from the first quarter results, but EasyJet seems on track to have a decent year. Acquiring some of Air Berlin’s operations will also enable it to grow in the lucrative German market.
Are there enough airline pilots to go around? There's no agreement on whether there's a crisis, but some airlines are at a greater disadvantage than others.
Just before this pilot issue broke, Skift went to Europe to speak with Ryanair's chief marketing officer about how he improved the airline's customer service. Recent events will almost certainly set Ryanair back, but we think it can recover — if only because people like cheap fares.
Ryanair does appear serious about taking over Alitalia. But it still seems odd that Ryanair would want to take over one of the world's most dysfunctional airlines. Wouldn't it just be better for Ryanair to keep growing organically?
It seems like there is a renewed appetite among Europe's big airline groups to reduce the number of players in the market. They may find it hard to do while fuel remains cheap, but when it starts to creep up, more deals will likely occur.
Fares look like they are coming down in Europe and Ryanair, thanks to its low-cost base and multiple revenue streams, is in a better position than most to weather the storm.
With good management, this ultra low-cost airline strategy is profitable just about everywhere. The key? Airlines like Viva Aerobus must be fanatical about costs, and they must provide the cheapest fares, all the time. They also should treat their customers fairly.
Given some of the misplaced comments made by UK ministers tasked with leading the country's exit from the European Union, Ryanair's comments might be a touch optimistic. Still, the importance of aviation to both sides means that some form of deal will likely be done by March 2019 to avoid a worst-case scenario of grounded aircraft.