Last night, United Airlines announced radical changes to the way elite status is earned in the MileagePlus program, starting in 2020. What do these changes mean for you? First, let’s review the changes. Introduction Of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF)...
Will Malaysia Airlines Shut Down?
Malaysia’s new government is talking about shutting down Malaysia Airlines. Is this a realistic threat? In a word, no. At least not likely. But let’s work our way there. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is in a bind. As the...
Why Airlines Struggle In Italy
The joke goes that Italian airlines will be profitable…when hell freezes over. Why is it that airlines seem to struggle in Italy? In an article entitled, Good Luck To Any Airline That Tries To Make A Profit Flying U.S.-Italy, Ted Reed...
Why I Question The Logic Of DOT Tokyo Haneda Slot Awards
I’m eating a little humble pie today…or at least humble mochi. My aviation predictions tend to be accurate, but not on the recent slot awards for Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Still, I question the logic of the DOT. Late...
Has Southwest Airlines Lost Its LUV?
Southwest Airlines has taken a lot of heat for the way it has handled the unexpected grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Many customers are angry and argue that Southwest has acted very much out of character. But...
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (Part 3 – Boeing 737 MAX)
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore part three, on the current Boeing 737 MAX grounding. Click here for part one on the...
Boeing, Now It’s Your Turn To Calm The Public
Boeing does not owe the public, including its shareholders, an immediate explanation for what happened to an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 that crashed after takeoff yesterday, killing everyone onboard. But it would be wise to address the issue...
Yes, Passengers Are To Blame For Poor Airline Service
Are passengers’ insatiable urge for cheap fares to blame for poor airline service? Bill McGee, a former Consumer Reports Travel Editor and FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, thinks the answer is NO. In a column for USA Today, he argues that consumers...
Dense, Dimwitted Logic From A Deliberately Deceptive Delta CEO
Air Italy’s USA expansion has caused a stir amongst U.S. legacy carriers. But Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s op-ed response is riddled with deception and outright mistruth. Feel free to start by reading Ed Bastian’s op-ed without my commentary. I’m...
Buying Sports Tickets Is Just Like Buying Airline Award Tickets
Buying sports ticket is just like buying an airline award ticket. It pays to be patient. I planned on attending Game Three of the World Series last night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, an emergency in the office...
As Another Airline Collapses, Which One Will Fail Next?
Cobalt, a low-cost carrier based in Cyprus, is the latest airline in Europe to fail. But it will not be the last. Who is next? Visit Cobalt’s website and you’ll be met with this lovely page: Cobalt regrets to...
New Air France-KLM CEO Already Has A Target On His Head
Poor Ben Smith has his work cut out for him. The Air Canada President and Chief Operating Officer was named CEO of Air France-KLM today. Already, unions representing Air France are up in arms, threatening strikes and condemning Smith’s...
Has United Surpassed American As #2 U.S. Airline?
An article in Forbes asks if United Airlines has surpassed American Airlines as the #2 airline in the USA. One veteran analyst says YES while one CEO says NO WAY! We can guess the CEO. That would be Doug...
United Airlines Gambles on Increased Capacity
United Airlines will increase capacity 4 to 6% each year, thru 2020. Is this a wise strategy or a fool’s errand that will inevitably trigger a price war? We know what the market thinks. In response to the capacity increase...
We Need More Airport Smoking Lounges, Not Fewer
The Centers for Disease Control argues that indoor smoking rooms must be eradicated from airports worldwide in order to reduce risk to second-hand smoke. I take the opposite approach: I believe non-smokers are better protected though MORE indoor smoking...
Trump Administration: Baggage Fee Disclosures are Too Burdensome
When left to their own devices, I don’t trust airlines to look out for anyone but themselves. While that is not always mutually exclusive to consumer interests, in the case of fee disclosures, it usually is… Fee disclosure should...
Cathay Pacific-Air China Merger?
The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s most respected English daily, leads with a headline entitled, “For Air China and Cathay Pacific, it’s one country, two airlines (but how long?)”. The headline follows up with a question: What looks like...
What is Qatar Thinking in Latest Cathay Pacific Investment?
Qatar Airways will spend $600MN to secure a 9.6% stake in Cathay Pacific. What is Qatar Airways’ strategy in this latest acquisition? Qatar expects the deal to close today, meaning it has been in the works for quite some...
American Airlines CEO Suggests Hubs Matter More Than Management
During an earnings call last week, American Airlines’ CEO Doug Parker intimated that bad hubs rather than poor management are to blame for widening profit gaps between industry-leader Delta and American or United. When asked about the widening profit...
JetBlue-United Merger?
An “influential” Wall Street analyst is asserting that a merger between JetBlue and United is more likely than you might think. I am not convinced… In paywall-protected analysis, Hunter Keay of the Wolfe Research has opined– A few investors recently...
