United’s newest aircraft type takes flight this week and the CRJ550 interior really is as special as the company has been hyping. Airbus orders and Boeing delays plus some fancy new wifi and upgraded airports on the horizon. Another busy PaxEx week.
ancillary
JetBlue launches a new – and maybe useful – carry-on bag fee trial
Since airlines started charging for checked bags the overhead bins are more crowded and passengers more stressed. A new (optional) fee from JetBlue related to carry-on bags may help solve the problem. Or at least mitigate it slightly.
American brings priority handling, NDC booking to corporate customers
How can an airline boost its corporate travel share? American Airlines trotted out a set of benefits this week that is comparable to some elite status or co-brand credit card perks, hoping to convert more potential customers into real elites with those CCs.
JetBlue eyes a more mature TrueBlue loyalty program
The co-brand revenue is great and JetBlue intends to continue expanding that stream. But the carrier also knows its TureBlue loyalty program needs a little more to become a mature offering for consumers. That should be good news for travelers, assuming the carrier can execute.
Record ancillary revenues won’t derail Basic Economy expansion at JetBlue
JetBlue realized $33 per passenger in ancillary revenue last quarter, an all-time record for the carrier. But the company is not resting on that accomplishment. Rather, JetBlue sees significant opportunities for further growth with more unbundling (and rebundling) of fares.
Allegiant goes Extra with increased legroom option
Want a bit more comfort on your next Allegiant flight? Travelers to and from Los Angeles now have the option to pay up for “Allegiant Extra” on board, offering a number of premium seating benefits, though stopping short of a true premium economy seating product.
Killing off Eurowings long haul
Can long-haul LCCs succeed in Europe? Perhaps so, but the Lufthansa Group will no longer be part of that effort. Eurowings is closing its longhaul routes down in an effort to simplify and streamline operations.
AirFi announces a trio of new customers
Portable wireless IFE vendor AirFi secured three new customers in recent weeks, extending its leading role in the market. Air Arabia, Air Seychelles and Bamboo Airways will all fly the company’s kit, bringing entertainment services to passengers on board.
Oneworld’s digital backbone seeks ancillary revenue boost
Oneworld’s digital backbone middleware hopes to extend beyond the basics in the coming year, offering its members the opportunity to also sell services, not just give them away. Is this the solution to the interline ancillary revenue problem??
Immfly introduces Adsfly agency to optimize inflight monetization
Airlines want more ancillary revenues and advertisers want a better (and properly documented) RoI on their marketing spend. Can the new Adsfly service from Immfly deliver?