Category Archives for Airlines.
I’m going to express an unpopular view, and perhaps draw significant hate in the comments. But I don’t think a nationwide transportation mandate imposed by the CDC is the best way to approach mask compliance. And I’m an advocate of masks and have been since long before the CDC found religion on this issue. Here’s why.
Norwegian Air, the low cost carrier, was struggling before the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s already been bailed out by the government, but that’s not enough. Now they’re in talks with the government over nationalization.
So now, with global travel depressed, seems like the perfect time to start another Norwegian airline, of course!
Yesterday American Airlines added former Northwest Airlines CEO Doug Steenland to its board. Steenland led Northwest through its bankrutpcy and merger with Delta.
This seems significant.
A couple of weeks ago China threatened to shoot down civilian aircraft. They claimed US spy planes were disguising themselves as commercial flights, and that put all commercial flights in jeopardy.
The Philippines reports that the U.S. continues to spy on China disguising its aircraft as civilian.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker pressed the case for another bailout today, saying without more government aid they’ll eliminate service to some small cities. And that’s true, but misleading.
Avatar Airlines is the gift that keeps on giving. Barry Michaels has been trying to start an airline for about 30 years. Now he’s floating the idea that 22% of a business plan nobody wants (and that’s even garnered prison time) will interest British Airways to gift him 26 Boeing 747s.
How is it that spending on airlines, supported by both Republicans and Democrats, is what’s under consideration and nothing else. How did we get here?
Another airline bailout isn’t just something being snuck into a $2.2 trillion piece of legislation, but is the only standalone action Congress might take at this point. That may be shocking, but it also makes a lot of sense.
JP Morgan, in an investor note, says American Airlines would have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection if they get down to $8 billion in cash. The airline has shared its loan covenants require it to retain $2 billion in liquidity, but that’s not the trigger for a filing.
JP Morgan’s Jamie Baker writes in an investor note that the deal United Airlines struck with its pilots union to avoid 3000 furloughs includes giving the pilots first class seats that might have gone to customers as upgrades.
It’s no surprise now to see him take to LinkedIn to tell the story of a flight attendant encounter, emphasizing why he sees more government subsidies for airlines as important. Only this time his argument is that his airline, which furloughed more employees than any other carrier by a wide margin, has gotten too old. Or at least that a flight attendant tells him that furloughing younger employees means they now miss the youth on board their planes.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
