United Airlines News

It was back to the future for U.S. airlines in 2020 when passenger numbers fell to levels unseen since 1985. And while traffic will likely rebound some this year, the slow vaccine roll out and new Covid-19 strains have the outlook far from certain.

United is raising eyebrows with its drive to cut carbon emissions. The carrier has committed to the as yet untested realm of electric helicopter-like aircraft with plans to introduce as many as 200 of them within five years — a surprisingly ambitious goal for a traditionally conservative airline.

The eagerly awaited recovery in air travel that airlines have talked up may arrive late to the gate if the U.S. mandates negative Covid-19 tests for all domestic air travelers. The potential move could set back recovery efforts underway in the beleaguered industry.

The rollout of Covid-19 vaccines has the airline industry looking toward an "inflection point" when the travel recovery takes off later this year. That spike in flyers could mean some sky-high fares but, after more than a year stuck at home, travelers may not care.

United Airlines executives are betting that structural changes on the international front mean it can emerge larger and stronger from the pandemic. But this won't occur until travelers return in significant numbers, something they don't expect for some months.

Flight crews are on the front lines of America's latest culture war: wearing masks. But even as some travelers are increasingly belligerent — even hostile — to these rules, leaders are optimistic that the new Biden administration will set the example from the top and shut down opposition.

A handful of travel leaders were quick to condemn the violence and terror that we all witnessed among Donald Trump's supporters on Wednesday in Washington. The top execs' bottom line: It's not who we are.

Fears that U.S. travelers would go out of their way to avoid the Boeing 737 Max appear unfounded a week after the jet returned to U.S. skies. American Airlines is ramping up service, and other carriers are due to follow over the next two months.