News and notes from around the interweb:
- Finally something that’s really important. To me, at least.
- Russian carrier Nordwind Airlines has been awarded the right to fly New York – Moscow, taking over the route previously operated by Transaero.
- An average people search for flights 48 times before booking. This suggests that issues like ‘display bias’ on a single site that the Department of Transportation is worried about doesn’t actually matter much.
- Airbus A380 still have a role at Singapore Airlines
The airline is still deciding on the future of other A380 leases.
…Speaking in Toulouse as the carrier accepted its latest A350-900, Singapore Airlines chief Goh Choon Phong said the airline “continued to see a role” for A380s, particularly on high-demand routes to slot-constrained airports.
…The carrier has another five A380s on order which are due to arrive from 2017.
- Delta’s new designer uniforms have been unveiled. I’ll miss the red dress.
- Richard Branson is again saying that once the Alaska-Virgin America deal closes, and Alaska ditches the Virgin America brand, he’ll be back to start Virgin again the U.S.. Can we all get a collective eye roll?
Of course he says it whether it’s real or not, and of course he’d love to take licensing fees off the top on all ticket sales again, and maybe sell again at an enormous profit while protesting that he’s really crying all the way to the bank.
Virgin America First Class Snack Basket
From a marketing standpoint it makes sense for them to do all of their business under the Virgin America name. Alaska Airlines implies that they only fly to Alaska. Probably not the best strategy. Southwest would have been in a similar situation if they had not done such a good job building their brand with a strategic merger (AirTran) and their unique culture and policies.
The virgin brand is not worth the fee in this country and OTAs give you all the awareness you need.