Brian Sumers

Airlines want to do everything they can do hold onto cash. Many of them are in a rough position. But they still have to honor their pre-Covid-19 policies.

Scott Kirby takes over as United's CEO on May 20. Kirby is positioning himself as the rare leader in corporate America who tells the truth to employees and shareholders. Some people don't like him for it. But his comments are refreshing.

Travel in 2021 will probably look very little like it did in 2019. How will it be different? It's not yet clear, though some themes are emerging.

Spirit Airlines executives suspect their airline is well-positioned to win in a recovery. They're probably right, since low-cost options often thrive during a recession. But Spirit has to withstand the crisis first.

JetBlue is taking a cautious approach toward a rebound. Executives said indications do not suggest the industry will see a quick recovery.

Alaska Airlines long has been among the more prudent U.S. airlines. It probably lost out on revenue during the boom times because of it. But the airline now is probably more ready to withstand this crisis than many other U.S. carriers.

Sun Country is betting its unusual model will help it endure the crisis better than other airlines. But it's no sure thing. The airline faces many of the same problems as other carriers.

United President Scott Kirby has taken Covid-19 seriously since the virus first started spreading across the globe. Will that foresight help lessen the blow?

To keep cash coming in, American Airlines needs passengers to buy tickets for late this year and early next. But there's a problem. American doesn't know what flights it will fly that far in advance.

Residents of many U.S. states are still under stay-at-home orders. It seems too early to try to promote more air travel. But Southwest needs cash to stay afloat, so it probably must keep trying to fill its aircraft.