When Pilot No Shows, easyJet Lets One of the Passengers Fly the Plane

by Gary Leff

easyjet
Sep 05 2019

An easyJet flight from Machester, England to Alicante, Spain was delayed without one of its pilots to fly the plane. The airline had called in a reserve pilot who was going to take 90 minutes just to get to the airport. Passengers would be taking off a couple of hours late, if they were lucky. With other delayed inbound flights last weekend, the pilot might wind up assigned to a different aircraft.

Fortunately there was a passenger on the plane with flying experience that easyJet could turn to.

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German Government Leader Wants Poor People Traveling By Rail, Not By Air

by Gary Leff

airplane
Sep 05 2019

In the grand tradition of regulators protecting the profits of large businesses at the expense of consumers, a member of of Germany’s governing coalition wants to set legal minimum prices for airline tickets.

This comes after Lufthansa’s CEO called Ryanair’s low fares “economically, ecologically, and politically irresponsible” and sought government protection in the form of a ban on low fares.

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4 Things I Learned From a Presentation to Investors By 2 United Airlines Executive Vice Presidents

by Gary Leff

united-plane
Sep 05 2019

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Gerry Laderman and Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella answered questions from Helane Becker at the Cowen and Company 12th Annual Global Transportation Conference.

During the discussion there were four things that stood out to me as being interesting, even if some were relatively tangential for analysts covering the stock.

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Lufthansa Wouldn’t Assist Wheelchair Passenger Onto a Plane, So Other Passengers Stepped in to Help

by Gary Leff

Sep 05 2019

On Monday Lufthansa left a wheelchair passenger to fend for themselves boarding an aircraft at a remote stand in Frankfurt. Reportedly Lufthansa ground staff asked passengers on the Frankfurt – Austin flight LH468 to lift the man onto the plane, because no one from the airline would do it. One of the passengers was injured in the process.

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Delta’s CFO Explains Why They’re Successful Today and Where Tomorrow’s Profits Will Come From

by Gary Leff

delta plane
Sep 04 2019

Delta Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson spoke at an industry analyst conference to make the case that their successes aren’t the result of being farther into their merger than competitors. There are specific things they’ve done that make them profitable, and they have a list of things they plan to do to grow profits growing forward.

This has implications for how other airlines run their businesses, and for what customers need to expect from flying Delta.

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American Airlines President Robert Isom Promises ‘No Excuses’ While Doubling Down on Failing Strategy

by Gary Leff

Sep 04 2019

At the Cowen and Company 12th Annual Global Transportation Conference, while promising “no excuses,” American Airlines President Robert Isom essentially doubled down on everything that he and American leadership have said before: if only mechanics hadn’t engaged in an ‘illegal work slowdown’ and the MAX hadn’t been grounded the airline would have the financial performance they’re looking for because they’d have been able to continue Project Oasis, adding more less comfortable seats onto planes.

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New Leaks About United’s Fleet Plans: New p.s. Aircraft and Changes to Domestic 777s

by Gary Leff

united planes runway
Sep 04 2019

JonNYC is usually a source of leaks about American Airlines, however over the weekend he broke Delta news and he’s expanded his portfolio by tweeting out United’s fleet plans.

We’re getting details on United’s plans for their 737 MAX 10 aircraft, thinking on a new Boeing 757 replacement, and changes to their ‘domestic’ Boeing 777s.

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