Jet Fuel Shock & Shutdown TSA Lines: Airlines Brace for a Volatile Spring

Jet Fuel Shock & Shutdown TSA Lines: Airlines Brace for a Volatile Spring

Author: Skift March 12, 2026 Duration: 40:08
Jay Shabat is joined by Meghna Maharishi and Skift's Head of Research Seth Borko for a crossover Airline Weekly Lounge that hits two pressure points at once: a sudden jet fuel spike and the growing airport disruptions from the current US government shutdown.  First, Seth breaks down what the fuel surge could mean for US carriers, using airline SEC disclosures to translate price moves into real dollars, and why the pain can vary by region even when the shock is global.  Then Meghna walks through what travelers are feeling on the ground as TSA agents miss paychecks, security lines balloon at several airports during spring break, and Global Entry remains suspended, creating additional bottlenecks for international arrivals. The team closes with what to watch next, including signals expected from airline leaders at the upcoming JPMorgan Industrials conference. 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.

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
American Airlines and Southeast Asia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:55
In part one of this week's specially extended episode, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat discuss a dramatic few days at American Airlines. In part two, attention turns to Southeast Asia as we discover how some of the region's…
Ryanair Earnings and U.S. Summer Trends [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:33
In part one, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat discuss the latest earnings from low-cost giant Ryanair. In part two, our focus turns to the upcoming summer travel season and what it means for the big U.S. airlines. Background…
Emirates Earnings and Booming Brazil [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:06
In part one of today's episode, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat discuss Emirates' record-breaking results and ask how long these good times can last. In part two, we turn our attention to Brazil and find out how two of the c…
Spirit Airlines and Japan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:27
Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat explore two big topics in this week's episode. In part one, we examine what Spirit Airlines' Q1 numbers mean for the future direction of the carrier. In part two, we turn our sights across the…
Euro-Things [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:33
In this week's episode, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat take a deep-dive into the latest earnings from carriers across the European continent. From airline supergroups to more niche Nordic players, we make sense of the big n…
JetBlue and Volaris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:42
With earnings season well underway, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat examine the key trends and finer details from JetBlue and Volaris - two of the largest low-cost carriers in the Americas.
United's Fascinating First Quarter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:08
Fresh out of United's Q1 earnings call, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat discuss the headline numbers and critical trends facing the U.S. carrier.
Why Delta's Flying High [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:18
In this week's episode, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat dig into Delta's latest earnings report to find out what's making the U.S. carrier one of the industry's biggest success stories.
Low-Cost, Long-Haul Challenges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
In this week's episode, Gordon Smith is joined by Ashab Rizvi from Skift Research to discuss the key findings from a new report into the low-cost, long-haul airline sector.
The Michael O'Leary Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:09
In this special edition of the Airline Weekly Lounge, we sit down with Ryanair Group CEO Michael O'Leary. No subject is off the table as we discuss everything from social media to Southwest's business model. Connect with…