Brian Sumers

JetBlue somehow makes free Wi-Fi work. But Delta hasn't figured it out yet. It has so many customers on so many flights, and it's worried free Wi-Fi might overwhelm Gogo's systems and degrade the system for everyone.

On a branding and product level, Virgin Atlantic has long punched above its weight. But overall, Virgin Atlantic is just another undersize airline trying to squeeze out a profit amid intense competition. Perhaps Heathrow's expansion will change that. But don't bet on it.

No doubt United President Scott Kirby has a high opinion of his talents. But he said United's Denver gamble would pay off. And by all accounts, it has.

Amtrak needed someone to come in and run it like a private business. Former Delta CEO Richard Anderson was probably the right choice. He knows how to turn things around, even if he may ruffle a few feathers along the way.

Emirates President Tim Clark clearly had an agenda on Wednesday speaking with the media. He said he is tired of reliability challenges with new airplanes, and he wants suppliers to get their act together — quickly. Somebody had to say it.

American Airlines' reputation has taken a hit recently among its best customers. The airline's president recently even said scores on a key customer satisfaction metric have fallen. Can American get its mojo back?

Frontier Airlines planned to IPO recently but pulled it back for unexplained reasons. Sun Country's owners may see the market differently. Will it be the next U.S. airline to go public?

Spirit Airlines is taking delivery of new aircraft, so this is an easy time for the airline to add more comfortable seats. The big question is will the airline pay to retrofit older jets to new standards? That's an expensive proposition, but it would show the airline is paying attention to passenger desires.

Want to keep your summer storm delays to a minimum? Try to fly between the largest cities and book flights on the biggest aircraft. It's not a foolproof plan, but it helps. Airlines prioritize certain flights, and it helps to know what they are.

At your typical U.S. airline, a minor dispute between a labor union and management is not unusual. But Delta has a lot fewer of these skirmishes than its competitors.