To Mask or Not to Mask?

To Mask or Not to Mask?

Author: Skift May 26, 2020 Duration: 33:49
Brett Snyder, better known as The Cranky Flier, emphatically says passengers need to wear masks or facial coverings onboard aircraft. It’s not a question, Snyder says in this episode of Mondays With Skift Airline Weekly. Airlines dug themselves into a public-relations hole by promising social distancing by blocking middle seats — which doesn’t provide the necessary six-feet of separation and is financially unsustainable. So given that flights will be filling up again, passengers need to wear masks. Dive deeper into industry news with the latest issue of Skift Airline Weekly. 

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
Past The Inflection Point? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:35
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 say, of course, warn…
Brazil‘s Airlines Surge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:10
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 have made. After a te…
European Competition Heats Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:35
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 heating up, with Ryanair…
JetBlue‘s Hopes, Boeing‘s Struggles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:06
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 Russell and Madhu Unnikris…
The Recovery Will Start When? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:35
Ned and Madhu digest United's third-quarter earnings in this latest episode of the Lounge and observe that airline CEO predictions about the recovery run the gamut from United CEO Scott Kirby's extreme bullishiness to th…
Delta‘s Premium Leisure Bet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:16
This week in the Lounge, Madhu and Ned breakdown Delta's third-quarter earnings, and take bets on whether premium leisure is the travel trend of the future that CEO Ed Bastian thinks it is. Also, Southwest burns out and…
It‘s Anyone‘s Guess When Business Travel Returns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:55
Airline Weekly's' Edward "Ned" Russell heard a variety of forecasts for when business travel will return at the IATA Annual General Meeting this week in Boston. He and Madhu Unnikrishnan discuss whether Emirates Presiden…
The Pandemic Exacerbated Labor Issues at U.S. Regionals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:37
Airline Weekly's Edward Russell reports back on the annual Regional Airline Association Leaders Conference, where executives said their long-standing labor issues expanded during the crisis. Also, Madhu and Ned discuss Q…
Live From the Skift Global Forum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:21
This week's episode of the 'Lounge comes to you live from the TWA Hotel at New York Kennedy during the Skift Global Forum 2021. The Airline Weekly team discusses why Air France-KLM Group CEO Ben Smith was "pleasantly sho…