Basic Economy isn’t about the LCCs
“We have to compete.” This was the message then-American Airlines president Scott Kirby delivered to Wall Street analysts in October 2015 wh... Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Coach Confidential
What to expect when you upgrade to United’s Polaris near-term
One-way flights from Beijing to New York City are cheap right now; I recently secured a $400 flight for such. But though I had the opportuni... Continue Reading
Airberlin looks again to Etihad for financial support
The fight to stay alive for airberlin took on another twist this week as the company announced additional funding from Etihad. This is the f... Continue Reading
Free flights on Ryanair? O’Leary keeps the dream alive
Want to fly for free? I don’t mean “free” trips based on points, but truly free tickets. That’s what Ryanair boss Mi... Continue Reading
When light loads reduce the value proposition of Delta’s Comfort+
What is in-seat power worth on a transatlantic flight? This is the question your author faced when considering seat assignments on a recent ... Continue Reading
JetBlue goes retro to re-launch Palm Springs service
JetBlue is not old enough to really go retro but that didn't stop the company. And when it introduced its 1960s retro-jet last week it went ... Continue Reading
Blurring of lines with competition building in Europe
What happens when an LCC runs out of smaller airports to serve? Frankfurt is set to receive service from Ryanair, another step in the blurri... Continue Reading
Small tweak to fare rules could have an outsized impact on travelers
It is only a small change. The word “departure” switched to “arrival” in certain fare rules. And it is going to have... Continue Reading
Economy class worsens and I’m part of the problem
Tighter seats are (finally) coming to Cathay Pacific. British Airways is (finally) dropping free meals on short-haul routes. Has the industr... Continue Reading
Aloha to the A380? Why it seems unlikely for Hawaiian
Hawaiian Airlines is the latest rumored customer for the Airbus A380 and it may be the US carrier best suited to acquire the type. But will ... Continue Reading
One app to rule them all: What does the future hold?
My father-in-law called me recently, flustered as he prepared for his next trip. He had read some advice online that downloading an airline&... Continue Reading
Hit or miss? Airlines aim to woo passengers with new ad campaigns
Success of American and KLM's new ad campaigns will be measured on different scales. American's approach is much broader and leaves much gre... Continue Reading
First on board: My experience on JetBlue’s US-Cuba inaugural
Travel creates so many opportunities, allowing for exposure to other cultures and solving problems that seem to befuddle governments. To be ... Continue Reading
Lack of originality may mar MRJ experience more than delays
Yet another round of delays for the Mitsubishi MRJ, this time on the ferry flight of test aircraft to the United States, leaves the company ... Continue Reading
A last gasp for Delta’s Narita hub
Delta is finally dismantling its hub at Tokyo-Narita. Citing unfair competition it will slash service this fall, with two US flights termina... Continue Reading
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