Making Sense of the Fuel Price Crisis

Making Sense of the Fuel Price Crisis

Author: Skift March 19, 2026 Duration: 41:14
Fuel accounts for roughly 20–30% of an airline’s operating costs—so when prices surge, the impact can be immediate and significant. In this week’s show, Gordon and Jay break down how U.S. airlines are navigating this historic spike and explore what it could mean for supply and demand.  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. Approximate Time Stamps 00:36 Fuel Crisis Reality Check 01:59 JP Morgan Conference Setup 04:19 March Bad Luck Streak 05:23 Jet Fuel Spike Numbers 07:09 Fares Rising Demand Strong 09:49 Pulled Forward Bookings 13:43 Q1 Earnings and Weather 16:28 New Revenue Levers 18:03 Legacy vs LCC Pricing 19:33 Subscribe and Break Tease 20:17 IDEA Awards Introduction 21:08 Impact Over Scale 21:56 Finding Your Category 23:06 Quiz and Sample Forms 23:40 How to Submit 24:46 Awards Wrap and Next Topic 25:16 Why JP Morgan Matters 27:20 Delta Refinery Explained 31:25 American vs United O'Hare 35:19 Fuel Shock and Recession Risk 37:32 Volatility Is the New Normal

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
What’s the Latest with Boeing’s 737 Max? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:45
Boeing's 737 Max is back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. An Alaska Airlines 737-9 lost a door plug after a sudden decompression on January 5 that prompted the FAA to temporarily ground all Max 9 variants with…
Air France-KLM's Outlook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:37
What does Air France-KLM think of the future? It's bullish. Jay Shabat and Edward Russell discuss the group's recent investor day. Reading List Air France-KLM Bullish on the Future TAP Air Portugal Sale Delayed Up To a Y…
U.S. Airlines See Strong December Quarter Demand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:24
Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest all dropped updates on the fourth quarter outlook in recent weeks. The verdict? Travel demand is good, fuel is down, and operations are largely better than expected. Edward Russell and Jay S…
The Alaska-Hawaiian Merger: Pros and Cons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:19
There are three big reasons for Alaska Airlines proposed $1.9 billion merger with Hawaiian Airlines: scale, loyalty, and premium traffic. And there are lots of questions too. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Readin…
An All British Affair [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:39
Virgin Atlantic in a good year turns a modest profit. In bad years, it loses money. So why is Shai Weiss so confident the airline will turn a profit next year? Jay Shabat and Edward Russell settle in for a cuppa to discu…
Steven Udvar-Hazy at the Skift Aviation Forum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:54
With the team out for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, we're bringing you another session from the recent Skift Aviation Forum: Air Lease Corp. Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy in conversation with Brian Sumers of The…
Boeing’s Big Week in Dubai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:11
It was a busy week for Airbus and particularly Boeing in Dubai. The airframers racked up more than 330 firm orders for new aircraft from Emirates, Ethiopian, FlyDubai, and others at the airshow. Edward Russell and Jay Sh…
Ryanair and Singapore Airlines Watch the Competition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:46
Ryanair and Singapore Airlines had good summers, and the former will be among the most profitable globally. Both, however, are watching industry schedules closely as they look forward through the winter. Edward Russell a…
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:53
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom joined Edward Russell on stage at the Skift Aviation Forum on November 1. Enjoy their wide-ranging discussion from the year-end holiday outlook to international growth and boosting loyal…
Hawaiian and Volaris's Struggles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:00
Hawaiian Airlines and Volaris are two very different carriers. But they have one thing in common right now: A lot of planes affected by the issues with certain Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines on Airbus A320neo-fa…