Podcast
Airline Weekly Lounge
Hosted by Skift · EN
The editors of Airline Weekly discuss the most interesting developments within the commercial airline industry. In keeping with Airline Weekly’s style, conversation generally centers on one question: How do you make money in this industry?
27episodes
Episodes
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Why 2026 Is Aviation's Most Volatile Year Since COVID
3d ago01:01:40Tap to summarizeThe airline industry is navigating its most unpredictable period since the pandemic, with fuel prices, geopolitical tensions, premium travel demand, and aircraft shortages reshaping the competitive landscape. Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat break down the data behind the headlines, explaining why airlines remain profitable despite rising costs and unprecedented volatility. They also explore the winners and losers across global aviation, from the Middle East's disrupted hub networks and Europe's consolidation wave to the changing competitive dynamics in the U.S. Plus, they preview what to watch as airlines report Q2 earnings and why premium cabins continue to drive the industry's strongest financial results. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome to Skift Playbooks 02:35 Why Oil Sets the Tone 06:28 Airline Profits in Context 10:39 Gulf Disruption and Recovery 12:00 Demand Trends and Rerouting 17:03 Premium Boom Everywhere 19:31 Supply Crunch and Delays 25:37 Unit Costs Beyond Fuel 26:57 Skift Aviation Forum Plug 30:00 Back to Europe Volatility 30:57 Europe Consolidation Outlook 31:36 TAP Sale and EasyJet Bids 33:43 Why IAG Outperforms 34:09 Tourism Boom and Loyalty 37:27 US Market After Spirit 40:29 Premium Gap Delta vs Spirit 44:07 US Consolidation and American Chase 48:05 Q2 Earnings Season Themes 53:04 Global Airlines Scoreboard 57:22 Wrap Up and Subscribe
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How Many Planes Does the World Need?
1w ago00:26:21Tap to summarizeAhead of the Farnborough Airshow, for this special episode Gordon Smith and Meghna Maharishi are joined by Darren Hulst, Boeing's VP of Commercial Marketing. The conversation centers on the planemaker's latest Commercial Market Outlook, an annual report which asks how many aircraft the world will need in the decades to come. Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:45 Boeing Outlook Overview 01:33 Fuel Shock and Demand 04:28 How CMO Is Built 06:22 Big Headlines 44000 Jets 07:55 Where Growth Comes From 10:29 Neutral Forecast and Investment 12:40 Break and Return 13:24 Premium Cabin Boom 17:59 ULCCs After Spirit 20:23 Farnborough Airshow Preview 21:30 Supply Chain Complexity 23:58 Where to Read CMO 24:22 Wrap Up and Subscribe
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Can a "New Class of BNPL" Become a Strategic Loyalty Play?
1w ago00:17:50Tap to summarizeClarityPay recently partnered with JetBlue to introduce a new pay-later program that combines embedded financing, loyalty, and personalization to drive incremental revenue. Learn more about ClarityPay here: claritypay.com/travel Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:28 What Airline Financing Means 00:55 Introducing Clarity Pay 01:45 Interview Begins Financing Shift 03:03 What Clarity Pay Does 04:12 Why BNPL Must Evolve 05:27 BNPL Meets Co-Brand Cards 06:33 Data Trust and White Label 07:49 Personalized Underwriting Example 09:16 JetBlue Partnership and Loyalty 11:42 Measuring Success Metrics 13:10 Future of Brand Control 14:21 Advice for Travel Brands 16:01 Where to Learn More 16:39 Subscribe and Closing
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How Much is EasyJet Worth?
2w ago00:43:10Tap to summarizeAn approach from U.S. private equity firm Castlelake has reopened the question of what EasyJet is actually worth. Gordon and Jay run through the latest takeover chatter before setting the scene for Delta's Q2 earnings. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and Agenda 00:41 Earnings Season Setup 01:26 Castlelake Bids for EasyJet 04:21 What a Takeover Means 05:52 EasyJet Value and Assets 08:31 EU Ownership Rules 09:44 Who Could Be Next 10:46 Wizz Air and Finnair 19:37 More Targets Aegean to Condor 28:42 Jet2 and Package Holidays 32:33 Break and Listener Notes 33:08 Delta Q2 Preview 33:50 Industry Trends Demand Costs 39:21 Delta Margin and Fuel Outlook 41:20 Wrap Up and Next Dates
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Does SAS Really Need 40 A330neos?
3w ago00:37:48Tap to summarizeDoes SAS Really Need 40 A330neos? In part one, Gordon and Jay discuss SAS Scandinavian Airlines' new widebody order and ask whether the carrier can justify that many additional planes. In part two, the focus turns to Air New Zealand, where management has just published an updated turnaround plan. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and World Cup Banter 01:48 SAS Order Breakdown 03:52 AF KLM Vision for SAS 05:07 Copenhagen Hub Consolidation 08:16 Network Growth and Fleet Mix 14:09 Why Copenhagen Wins 17:22 Airshow Timing and Industry Chatter 18:56 Group Rebrand Speculation 23:23 Part Two Air New Zealand Setup 24:58 Air NZ Challenges Fuel and Engines 28:50 Our Future Plan Priorities 32:25 Customer First Means On Time 34:12 Subscribe Forum Earnings Wrap 36:21 Final Thanks and Sign Off
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Is Las Vegas Out of Luck?
Jun 2500:37:08Tap to summarizeLas Vegas air traffic is down 6%. Gordon and Jay work through what's behind it, then turn to a U.S. market headed firmly the other way. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 01:55 Vegas Market Slump 03:55 Why Visitors Dropped 06:54 Premium Shift and Prices 11:00 Events and Seasonality 12:57 Gambling Competition Theory 16:00 Capacity Correction Debate 17:52 Airline Winners and Losers 19:32 Break and Listener Plug 20:22 San Diego Growth Story 22:09 Alaska vs Southwest Battle 23:14 Why San Diego Appeals 27:20 Airport Constraints and Planning 29:29 California Growth Limits Tangent 34:09 Wrap Up and Skift Forum 35:49 Final Thanks and Sign Off
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What's the Most Profitable Airline in the World?
Jun 1800:35:54Tap to summarizeThe latest Airline Weekly global earnings scoreboard is in and the airline on top may not be the one you'd expect. Jay joins Gordon and Meghna to sort the winners from the losers. Before that, we report back from the IATA AGM in Brazil, with the trends that mattered and essential insights from the conference floor. Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and agenda 00:35 First impressions in Rio 03:15 United CEO on engines 05:38 Canada market outlook 08:19 Finnair growth and hedging 10:02 JFK Terminal 1 revamp 13:10 Skift events announcement 14:35 IATA wrap and demand trends 16:45 Part two scoreboard kickoff 18:14 Top winners and Copa 21:07 More winners and US rank 25:57 Bottom losers and Frontier 31:07 Fuel market update 34:02 Final wrap and subscribe
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The IATA AGM Debrief
Jun 1100:40:47Tap to summarizeGordon joins Jay from Rio as the IATA AGM wraps. The two then turn to Brazil itself: one of the world's largest aviation markets, and one of its most consolidated — a combination that shapes everything from pricing to who gets to compete. Presented by WEX. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:35 IATA Rio Highlights 03:15 OEM and Engine Anger 10:05 Capacity Crunch Upside 13:58 Demand and Fare Limits 18:45 Fuel Price vs Shortage 22:43 Break and Reset 23:36 Brazil Market Overview 26:07 Triopoly and Bankruptcies 32:06 Why No New Entrants 35:01 Regulation and Gol Long Haul 37:19 World Cup Travel Talk 38:59 Wrap and Subscribe
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Inside the Minds of America's Airline CEOs
Jun 400:38:22Tap to summarizeGordon and Jay decode the most revealing CEO commentary from the Bernstein investor conference — what executives signaled about capacity, consolidation, and the months ahead. Then they look forward to the IATA AGM, one of the aviation industry's biggest gatherings, and what to watch for. Presented by WEX. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and Agenda 00:35 Coffee Confessions and Naps 02:14 Bernstein Conference Setup 03:11 JetBlue Buyout Rumors 05:39 Kirby Shuts It Down 08:39 Southwest Take on Mergers 12:42 JetBlue Response and Outlook 16:07 Fuel Prices and Guidance 20:07 Break and Listener Mail 20:30 IATA AGM Rio Preview 21:37 What IATA Is and Why It Matters 25:34 Key Themes Fuel Middle East Sustainability 27:53 Questions to Ask CEOs 32:31 Aircraft Supply Crunch 36:40 Wrap Up and Subscribe
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EasyJet's Tricky Quarter and Atlanta's Crown
May 2800:45:24Tap to summarizeA rough quarter for easyJet has the numbers telling a stark story. In part one, Gordon and Jay dig into a -27% operating margin and the missteps, market pressures, and industry dynamics behind it. In part two, they answer a deceptively simple question: why does Atlanta — not New York, London, or Dubai — top the global rankings for passenger traffic? Presented by WEX. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – LinkedIn Jay Shabat – LinkedIn Meghna Maharishi - LinkedIn Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/ X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 00:00 Welcome and agenda 00:44 EasyJet origins and brand 02:32 Winter losses and margins 04:35 Core markets and bases 08:46 Italy slots and competition 16:20 Summer demand outlook 19:57 EasyJet Holidays growth 23:48 Loyalty plans and wrap 24:37 Atlanta busiest airport intro 27:03 Five reasons Atlanta wins 38:43 Airport design and future 41:45 Closing and IATA AGM plug
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