LaGuardia is more important than the rest of the US-Canadian market for Delta Air Lines and WestJet. This is the message sent by the two carriers late Friday as they withdrew their application for antitrust immunity on their joint venture.
Distribution
Basic Business Class now on sale
Forget about the punitive selling proposition of a Basic Economy fare. Long-haul LCC startup ZIPAIR is ready to sell a Basic Business Class seat.
United drops change fees. Forever.
United Airlines is ready to change. Or, perhaps more accurately, the company is ready for passengers to change their plans more often. In a major policy shift the carrier will no longer charge travelers a fee to change their booking on most domestic tickets. And, unlike the temporary waiver of this fee in place over recent months, this change is set to last forever.
Austria to implement minimum fares, short flight surcharges
Prices flying in and out of Austria are set to rise. And at least one airline is happy with the news, though expect lawsuits aplenty before the matter is fully settled.
ATPCO moves to ease ticketing changes for airlines worldwide
Automating millions of airline ticket changes is no easy task. Retroactively adjusting the fare rules was nearly impossible. But ATPCO stepped up to deliver a new Emergency Flexibility option to airlines and distribution channels, massively easing the change burden for the industry.
Slivers of normalcy: Air New Zealand lounges reopening
Demand for air travel is up significantly in New Zealand, though still massively below 2019 levels. And now some passengers will have a slightly more comfortable travel experience as the carrier’s airport lounge network begins to reopen.
Fighting for the middle: A pandemic seating shift
Forget the fight over who gets the arm rests; middle seats on planes are now generating real fights over if they should be occupied at all. And airlines are fueling the flames with misleading marketing messaging.
The Weekly Wrap: Cargo conversions and funky seating options
Looking to catch up on passenger experience news in recent days? I’ve got a fun new video series with Maryann Simson from APEX Media and we’re covering all the top headlines.
Inflight social distancing will kill short-haul LCC travel: IATA
Blocking middle seats or even sitting passengers every other row is not a problem when load factors hover in the mid-teens, occasionally peaking at 30% for an especially busy flight. But if social distancing rules remain in place IATA executives believe the LCC market could collapse as a financially unsustainable endeavor.
Premium products, loyalty continue to drive Delta’s growth
lta Air Lines closed out 2019 much the way it started the year. Revenue is up and costs are mostly under control. Perhaps most important, however, is that the company is seeing gains in premium revenue and the SkyMiles loyalty program.