Archives: June 2008

If We Help Save the Airlines (Again)

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 26

As crude oil futures cracked $140 per barrel for the first time on June 26, the alarms about a pending catastrophe for U.S. aviation clanged loudly. In testimony before Congress,...

Readers speak: How to save airlines

Posted by: Dean Foust on June 25

I recently challenged the readers of this blog to share their ideas on how to improve the flying experience, and in a way that allows the money-losing airlines to turn...

Business travel in an era of $130 oil

Posted by: Dean Foust on June 24

I don't need to tell any road warrior how much more expensive business travel has become in the past couple of months. Those $298 fares from Atlanta to New...

The Star Alliance Gets Even Bigger

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 19

Continental Airlines’ departure from the SkyTeam alliance with Delta and Northwest was just a matter of time. The real question was where Continental would land with its future partnership,...

Yep, a New Airline Takes Flight

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 19

For the airline industry, it’s definitely not what you’d expect these days: A new airline. The British Airways-backed offshoot, Open Skies, had its first flight today from Paris to JFK....

So how would YOU save the airline industry?

Posted by: Dean Foust on June 13

My blog posting from earlier this week discussing Bob Crandall's proposals for overhauling--and hopefully saving--the airline industry drew a strong number of comments from readers. To recap, Crandall put forward...

It's Friday, a 13th

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 12

Fans of Hollywood blockbuster openings and the superstitious among us will note that today is Friday the 13th. It’s the only one of 2008; there were two last year and...

Feeling the Love from United

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 12

If you still harbor any quaint notions that major airlines consider all their customers VIPs, here’s a funny little factoid to help disabuse you. United, as many predicted, is following...

Bob Crandall: How I'd Save The Industry

Posted by: Dean Foust on June 11

During Bob Crandall’s long tenure as CEO of American Airlines, the airline was truly an innovator--so much so that employees at AA had a certain swagger about them. They knew...

Is This The Future of Flying?

Posted by: Dean Foust on June 11

I wrote a story (with the help of my blog co-conspirator Justin Bachman) for the print edition of BusinessWeek recently predicting what the industry -- and the flying experience...

Delta v. Regional, Part Two?

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 10

Fresh off a legal setback to regional carrier Mesa, Delta Air Lines is moving to cut ties with Pinnacle Airlines, citing poor on-time arrivals. The company handles 23 flights...

JetBlue's Expansions

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 09

Two bits of news from JetBlue this morning. First, the company’s LiveTV subsidiary has agreed to buy Verizon’s Airfone network for an undisclosed amount. This is the in-seat handset business...

AMR: Smoothing Over the Bag Fee

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 05

The public relations response to the new $15 checked bag fee has begun at American Airlines. Check out this AP story from Dallas. American was relatively quiet last month after...

Lose Weight or Pay a Higher Fare

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 04

It’s a deliciously logical idea: airlines should factor a traveler’s poundage into the fare mix, given that fuel consumption correlates directly to weight. Lug five heavy bags, pay more....

UAL: Farewell 737s, Ted, and 1,600 Others

Posted by: Justin Bachman on June 04

The long-awaited next shoe dropping at United Airlines just fell. The Chicago carrier is shedding 1,600 employees and grounding 100 planes by the end of next year, including its...