Airline Weekly Lounge Podcast

The editors of Airline Weekly discuss the most interesting developments within the commercial airline industry. In keeping with Airline Weekly’s style, conversation generally centers on one question: How do you make money in this industry? 

News
Business News
Leisure
201
Is There That Much Pent-Up Demand?
It's a reunion for Brian Sumers, Skift editor at large, and Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan, as they debate whether there really is that much pent-up demand for travel. Airlines are banking on it. Brian thinks there is, but Madhu is skeptical. W...
22 min
202
Delta's Bad Week in the News
Georgia's controversial new elections law caused a public relations nightmare for Delta Air Lines and its CEO Ed Bastian, whose first, tepid comment on the law caused immense blowback and calls to boycott the airline. Bastian reversed course and issued a...
26 min
203
Will It Be a Cruel, Cruel Summer?
Qatar Airways thinks leisure and visiting friends and relatives traffic will rebound this summer, and it thinks it has the right fleet for the moment. And Eurowings is betting the same, planning its first routes in Europe than don't go through its home b...
26 min
204
Is the Airline Industry's Bullishness Misplaced?
U.S. airline CEOs are pretty confident that they've turned the corner. The pandemic isn't in the rearview mirror yet, but they're fairly certain travel will rebound this summer, and some think their airlines will return to profitability this year. Is tha...
25 min
205
Frontier's IPO: Crazy or Crazy Like a Fox?
In this week's episode, Airline Weekly colleagues Edward "Ned" Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan get into why going public may not be the craziest idea of an airline, despite the once-in-a-century industry-wide crisis. They also look at why Lufthansa is ope...
27 min
206
Cargo and Maxes
Much of the world is trapped at home and shopping online. Who's transporting all those goods? Airlines, and cargo. has been the one silver lining in the airline's terrible pandemic year. But it's not a savior; airlines still are losing money. Edward "Ned...
27 min
207
The Opportunities Norwegian Air Is Leaving Behind
Norwegian's retrenchment is providing opportunities for all sorts of airlines, like Finnair, United, and Virgin Atlantic, Airline Weekly colleagues Edward "Ned" Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan say in this week's episode. And just why is much of the media ...
24 min
208
United Channels 'The Jetsons' With Electric Air...
United's plan to bridge the "last mile" with electric aircraft is ambitious, especially since the FAA hasn't approved any electric engines for flight yet. Meanwhile, Spirit could have its 2019 capacity back by this summer. Airline Weekly colleagues Ned R...
19 min
209
Now Is When Sun Country Plans IPO?
Sun Country has been planning to go public for more than a year, but it made it official now, during the worst crisis to hit the airline industry. Airline Weekly colleagues Edward Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan talk about why the low-cost-carrier is goin...
25 min
210
Will 2021 Be Any Better?
The six largest U.S. airlines have reported their fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 results, and while we knew last year was historically bad, it doesn't look like this year will be any better. Airline Weekly colleagues Edward Russell and Madhu Unnikrish...
27 min
211
Why the A220 Works Now
Airbus has a winner with the A220, and airlines are just starting to discover what they can do with the aircraft’s size and range. Chris Sloan, publisher of theairchive.net joins for a discussion on the A220 and the Boeing 737 Max.  
26 min
212
The Data That Can Help Airlines Recover Faster
Expedia Vice President Air Partnerships Julie Kyse joins the Airline Weekly Lounge to let us know how data can help airlines recover. We will be on hiatus until the first week of January. Enjoy your holidays, no matter how you celebrate. 
27 min
213
How an Airport Adapts to a Pandemic
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport moved quickly to safeguard public health when the coronavirus began to spread in the U.S. What changes will be permanent? CEO Sean Donohue explains in this week's episode. To participate live in events like this, p...
29 min
214
It's Not Just Airlines
The airline industry is just one part of the larger travel ecosystem, and no one sector has been immune to the effects of a once-in-a-century pandemic. Skift Hospitality Reporter Cameron Sperance joins us for a state-of-play on the hospitality and cruise...
22 min
215
Connecting the Through Lines
Last week Skift and the Airline Weekly team hosted our first conference devoted to aviation. Guests including Southwest CEO and Chairman Gary Kelly, Air France CEO Anne Rigali, and Air Lease Corp. Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Házy discussed the curren...
20 min
216
Airlines' Covid Innovations
Brett "Cranky Flier" Snyder joins Airline Weekly Lounge Live after trying Hawaiian Airlines' new rapid-response test from LAX. The process, aimed to allow travelers to avoid Hawaii's 14-day quarantine, was confusing, he said. And Cranky updates us with h...
32 min
217
The Case for More Payroll Support
Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, argues that airlines are critical infrastructure, and pilots are essential workers. The industry needs more federal support in order to ensure it can bounce back when demand returns, or the ...
31 min
218
What Next for the MAX?
Boeing's grounded 737 MAX has been in the news a bunch recently, with European regulators and some airlines predicting it will be back in the air by year's end. What regulatory steps remain before the FAA approves it for flight, and what emerged in the i...
30 min
219
Hotels, Airlines and the Pandemic
Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan is joined by Skift hospitality reporter Cameron Sperance to discuss the state of leisure and business travel.  Join events like this live by registering at https://forum.skift.com/mondays-airline-weekly/
27 min
220
Pandemic Passenger Experience
PaxEx.aero founder Seth Miller joins us live from Philadelphia International Airport for an update on the passenger experience during this pandemic. The pandemic provides both opportunity and risk for airlines and their suppliers. With traffic light, now...
27 min
221
The Problem for Singapore Airlines
Few other airlines were as associated with luxury intercontinental travel than Singapore Airlines was before the pandemic. But when Covid travel restrictions went into force, Singapore's core business all but evaporated, and unlike many of its rivals, it...
29 min
222
Change Fees, Vaccines, Florida and More Consume...
Brian Sumers, Skift senior aviation business editor, and Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan asked just why airlines are eliminating change fees (when passengers have complained about them forever). Are airlines ready to transport vaccines?  To join...
30 min
223
The Post-Pandemic Future of Airlines
Accenture's Jonathan Keane sketches four scenarios the airline industry could face, ranging from a "remarkable return" to "the darkest days." How should airlines prepare for a very uncertain post-pandemic future? Join future events like this at https://f...
29 min
224
Latin America's Aviation Infrastructure Problem
IATA Regional Vice President for the Americas Peter Cerdá explains the patchwork of travel restrictions that is making air travel in Latin America difficult and why governments in the region should invest more in air transport infrastructure. Get the lat...
34 min
225
Europe’s Uncertain Recovery
More Europeans may be taking their summer holidays, but it still was a historically bad quarter for the continent’s airlines, especially for those that staked their fortunes on long-haul premium traffic.   Join us live for similar events at https://forum...
31 min