Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 16: Spirit Air CEO Interview

Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 16: Spirit Air CEO Interview

Author: Skift November 17, 2015 Duration: 29:17
More than anything, Spirit Airlines’ business model is built on low fares, which it uses to stimulate demand and fill its planes. But what happens when fuel prices drop, enabling airlines like JetBlue to drop fares too? In a wide-ranging interview, we asked Spirit’s CEO Ben Baldanza about such “fare compression.” We also asked him about the possibility of Spirit chasing corporate traffic (like Ryanair). How will A320-NEOs change Spirit’s network? Other topics included Spirit’s pilot contract and the notion that Spirit is “stealing traffic” from other airlines. Lastly, we learned why it’s “crazy” to call Spirit a “no-frills” airline and why Baldanza loves the Tonka-truck yellow livery. This is our first CEO interview in The Airline Weekly Lounge. It went so well that we plan to make this a regular feature.

Step inside the Airline Weekly Lounge, a podcast from Skift where the editors behind the industry publication gather for a deeper, more conversational look at the world of commercial flight. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a focused exploration of the complex forces shaping how airlines operate, compete, and ultimately survive. Each episode digs into the week's most intriguing developments, from fleet strategies and route networks to labor dynamics and the evolving culture of travel, always with a keen eye on the bottom line. The central, driving question remains: how do carriers actually turn a profit in this famously volatile business? You'll hear analysis that connects financial results to real-world operations, discussing everything from premium cabin innovations and loyalty program economics to airport politics and environmental pressures. The tone is informed and accessible, peeling back the layers on both major global network carriers and regional players. For anyone curious about the business realities behind their boarding pass, this podcast offers a regular dose of context and clarity, revealing the intricate balance of economics, service, and strategy that keeps the industry aloft. Join the editors in the lounge for a perspective that goes beyond the news cycle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 423

Airline Weekly Lounge
Podcast Episodes
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 75: Qatar Airways' Lessons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:24
So this is happening: A major international airline faces a blockade. We admit it—this is a new one for us, with little to no history as a guide. Nonetheless, Qatar Airways faces a travel and trade embargo from four near…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 74: Fueling Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:45
Ryanair was one of just three individual airlines in Europe to post an operating profit in the first quarter. The success came not only by way of the airline’s juggernaut of a business model, but also because Ryanair was…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 73: Southern Comfort [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:47
Having just weathered a once-in-a-generation economic crisis, the airlines of South America just enjoyed a smooth first quarter. All the major South American airlines profited, and some even posted margins to brag about.…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 72: Good Is Good Enough [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:15
The earnings picture for U.S. carriers in the first quarter was much worse than last year’s Q1—but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. It was indeed good—and good is good. Their success comes while wrestling with rising la…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 71: Delta Keeps Dealing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:30
Delta saw its operating profit margin slashed severely in the first quarter compared to last year’s Q1. Nonetheless there are plenty of reasons to smile—that’s how good things are at Delta right now—including beating riv…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 70: Virgin Sacrificed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:45
The merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin American is now well under way and begs the question: How is the integration taking shape? In a word: rosy. Of course, Alaska will be sacrificing the Virgin brand. But Alaska’s ma…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 69: Lackluster Lufthansa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:41
When is a $2 billion annual profit disappointing? Answer: When you’re a giant airline group like Lufthansa, and $2 billion amounts to a mere 5% operating margin—and that lackluster result comes despite fuel costs droppin…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 68: Turkey’s Tough Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:57
Once again we consider the ongoing demand problems in Turkey. The numbers are in, and they’re not pretty. Turkish Airlines posted a $300 million loss in 2016. Pegasus Airlines chipped another $50 million loss, a comparab…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 67: IAG Outperforms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:10
With its fourth quarter results and a standout 2016, IAG, the airline group that includes British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling, continues to separate itself from the other two members of Europe’s Big Three air…
Airline Weekly Lounge Episode 66: Searching for Positives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:40
Air France/KLM had some good news in 2016. For one thing, its Transavia unit broke even. Also, KLM made a decent profit. But the story is rather disappointing from there, with the group posting a mere 4% operating margin…