United and Alaska Airlines Navigate Uncertainty

Who is Robert Isom? Madhu and Ned discuss American Airlines' new CEO, and recount retiring CEO Doug Parker’s long career. Also, Southwest Airlines is cautious for 2022, while Azul charges ahead with t...

10 Dec 202122min

This week Edward Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan mull the new Omicron variant, and what impact it may — or may not — have on the airline recovery. Also, how EasyJet and SAS did during their 2021 fiscal...

2 Dec 202124min

Like many airline chiefs, Doug Parker is “bullish” on the future, particularly after a surge in demand for transatlantic flights after the travel ban lifted on Nov. 8. But American Airlines is poised ...

28 Nov 202128min

"We will win customers on quality,” Kirby said at the Skift Aviation Forumon November 17, 2021. And he had plenty of examples quality improvements to cite: The addition of premium-heavy “high-J” Boein...

20 Nov 202135min

This week Edward Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan chew over why optimism reigns among airline CEOs, who believe the third quarter was the inflection point, and now the recovery will be more real. CEOs s...

19 Nov 202124min

This week in the 'Lounge, Ned and Madhu discuss the U.S. reopening for vaccinated travelers and what that means for airlines. But what caught their attention was the strong rebound Brazil's airlines h...

14 Nov 202123min

Ned Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan make the water jump across the Atlantic this week, where Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and Ryanair reported results. Optimism abounds for 2022, and competition is heati...

5 Nov 202128min

Earnings season continues, with JetBlue, Hawaiian, and Spirit rounding out the U.S. carriers. Once again, all eyes are on the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year. Ned Russel...

29 Okt 202127min