Delta Confronts the Oil Price Crisis

Delta Confronts the Oil Price Crisis

Author: Skift April 9, 2026 Duration: 41:43
Delta’s latest results are in and the fuel price challenge is front and center. Gordon, Jay, and Meghna dive into what the numbers say about the airline’s strategy and resilience. In part two, the conversation turns to Southwest and the next chapter of its transformation story. 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. 00:59 Delta Q1 Headline Numbers 01:54 Fuel Spike and Q2 Outlook 03:29 Earnings Call Tone 04:07 Premium Demand Holds 05:29 Main Cabin Inflection 06:48 Why Demand Stays Strong 11:12 High Fuel Means Consolidation 13:04 JetBlue Merger Speculation 17:42 Oil Volatility and 2008 Parallels 20:22 Premium Segmentation Tease 21:18 Delta Premium Basics 21:54 Tech Ops Profit Engine 22:27 Cargo Refinery Upside 23:14 Premium Seats Strategy 24:26 Post Pandemic Cost Reality 25:34 Wrap Part One 26:12 Listener Reminders Break 26:36 Idea Awards Spotlight 29:25 How To Enter Awards 31:35 Southwest 2.0 Pitch 33:23 Culture And Activist Push 35:34 Passenger Reactions Mixed 37:21 Middle Market Risk 39:44 Final Thanks Signoff

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
The World’s All-Star Airports [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:03
What's the ado with Austin, Cancun, Ho Chi Minh City, Paris Orly, and Riyadh? All of the airports are seeing tremendous growth above pre-pandemic levels. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss why. Plus, Boeing's 737 Max:…
American Airlines’ Blended Travel Boom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:51
The "real revenue growth" at American Airlines is in blended trips, or travel that includes both business and personal aspects, Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja said at the Skift Global Forum earlier in September. Near…
Orlando Airport’s Rebound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:35
The U.S. travel recovery is strong, and maybe nearly complete. If there is one airport that epitomizes the strength of the leisure-first recovery, it is Orlando where seemingly endless domestic demand before the pandemic…
Indian Aviation’s Moment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:56
Is Indian aviation's moment here? Air India under Tata ownership has a deal for new airplanes, while the country's largest airline, IndiGo, keeps growing and several new startups are adding new competition to the market.…
China's Red Ink [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:40
Chinese airlines struggled mightily during the first half of the year under the country's zero-Covid policy. The Big 3 all lost money but China Eastern, based in Shanghai — which suffered several lockdowns — lost the mos…
Hawaiian Airline's Recovery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:44
What does post-pandemic life like for a destination carrier like Hawaiian Airlines? CEO Peter Ingram joins Edward Russell to discuss the airline's recovery and outlook, including the long-awaited reopening of Japan. Plus…
The London Airport Crunch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:49
Flying through London is getting a little better with the end of capacity caps at Gatwick Airport. But constraints remain in place at Heathrow until the end of October, and British Airways has already reduced its schedul…
Lufthansa, ITA and European Airline Consolidation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:00
The Lufthansa Group has spent the better part of 20 years trying to improve its fortunes through consolidation. Some deals, like of Swiss, have been winners, others, like of Austrian and Brussels, not so much. Edward Rus…
Southwest's Airports Czar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:52
Meet Steve Sisneros, the airport czar at Southwest Airlines. As vice president of airport affairs, he oversees current and future real estate at the carrier's 121 airports. Edward Russell and Sisneros chat about Southwes…
Southwest Airline’s Secret Weapon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:22
Southwest Airlines had a secret weapon in the second quarter: Its fuel hedges. That helped propel it to an impressive 17% operating margin. High oil prices pulled down the results of most other U.S. airlines during what…