Transport

Vietnam Tour Operator Vietravel to Launch New Airline

John Boudreau and Mai Ngoc Chau, Bloomberg

What? Another new airline in Vietnam? Bamboo Airways has barely taken to the skies when a major tour operator in the country decides we want to get in on this, too. Tourism is booming in Vietnam but that is never a guarantee for success in any sector.

Europe’s Busiest Airports — Ranked

Richard Weiss, Bloomberg

Even with two crowded runways, London Heathrow airport is still the busiest airport in Europe, but how long will this last?

How United Is Chasing Revenue by Adding More Premium Seats

Brian Sumers, Skift

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?

Skift Global Forum Recap: How Airlines Can Maximize the Results of Ancillary Merchandising

Airlines have reaped huge rewards in recent years from sales of ancillary products. But as we discovered during this Skift Global Forum panel, their future success is by no means assured. Airlines will need to learn to think more like retailers, using what they know about customers to deliver the right products and services that meet passengers’ constantly changing needs.

United’s Focus on Revenue Gains Gives It an Edge Over Rivals

Brian Sumers, Skift

United President Scott Kirby and Chief Commericial Officer Andrew Nocella, who worked together at US Airways and American Airlines, deserve credit for the airline's turnaround. Then again, when they arrived United was a broken company, so there was probably only one way to go — up.

FAA Will Recall Thousands of Furloughed Inspectors for Airplane Safety Checks

Ryan Beene, Mary Schlangenstein and Alan Levin, Bloomberg

It's nice to see the Federal Aviation Administration admit it needs to get safety inspectors back on the job. But how about the entire government getting back to work?

Philippines Mulls Limiting Cruises to Boracay as Overtourism Worries Mount

Maria Stella F. Arnaldo, Skift

The Philippines wants cruise dollars. But Boracay, which has reopened after some rehabilitation, does not. The island is a key cruise stop but can carry only so much. Tourism authorities and cruise lines should work out the sums.

Delta Air Lines Has a $25 Million Reason to Hate the U.S. Shutdown

Brian Sumers, Skift

Delta is losing about $25 million in revenue this month because of the partial government shutdown. For such a big company, that's not a big number. But clearly Delta would like the government to reopen, and executives spent a good portion of their earnings call discussing it.

Qatar Airways Doubles Down on Threat to Boycott Oneworld

Layan Odeh and Anurag Kotoky, Bloomberg

After months of hostility with other airlines, Qatar Airways still hasn't backed down. Its president says it doesn't need Oneworld, but is that really true?

Breaking Down the U.S. Airline Industry by Market Size: New Skift Research Estimates

Seth Borko, Skift Research

Want to understand the U.S. airline industry, but short on time? Our proprietary estimates will allow you to understand how the the market is changing, which airlines are growing fastest, and the most important operational metrics at a glance.

Shutdown Puts Southwest’s Hawaii Service on Ice

Mary Schlangenstein, Bloomberg

Southwest hasn't given a new start date, which likely means its plans are somewhat up in the air. The length of the delay will depend on how long the standoff in Washington continues.

Ryanair Closes Vacations Website

Patrick Whyte, Skift

When Ryanair launched its holidays division, we said travel companies shouldn't lose too much sleep over it. We were right.