Gordon Smith

The new Boeing commitments give Emirates flexibility, but also lock it deeper into a program with a long and still uncertain path to entry into service.

Emirates remains financially strong and is buoyed by Dubai’s global appeal, but complacency isn’t an option. In this week’s feature story, we explore how the airline may choose to adapt as challenges mount.

They say nothing beats a Jet2 holiday – but muscling into a rival’s biggest base on its birthday must come pretty close.

As rivals retreat and Spirit bleeds capacity, Frontier is reinventing itself with first-class seats, loyalty perks, and a bold push into new markets. But can it really fly high alone, or is consolidation still the only cure? In this week’s feature story, we weigh up the key question: Is Frontier’s independence its greatest strength or biggest risk?

IAG’s steady-but-unspectacular quarter was enough to spook the market. The European airline group remains hugely profitable, but Friday’s numbers left many industry-watchers wanting (even) more.

This isn’t Tony Fernandes’ first attempt to connect far-flung destinations – but with new aircraft, digital tools, and a multi-hub strategy, he’s betting AirAsia can finally crack a market that eluded him a decade ago.

They say when the U.S. sneezes, Mexico catches a cold. That’s certainly true for Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris. Its earnings were in poor health throughout the first half of 2025, largely due to U.S. policies on tariffs and immigration. Those symptoms now appear to be fading. Volaris reports that demand recovered in recent months, with continued momentum into the final months of the year. In this week's feature story, we take a deep-dive look at one of the region's most interesting operators and ask what could come next. 

Southwest Airlines is changing faster than at any time in its history. Assigned seating, bag fees, even talk of first-class cabins and airport lounges. But are its bold moves starting to pay off? Not quite yet. Southwest's latest results were rough once again, with margins barely positive and far from the glory days that made it a Wall Street darling. Still, there are signs that better times are on the horizon, as we discuss in this week's feature story.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. A major IT outage hitting just hours before Alaska’s earnings call underscores how fragile operations can unravel at the most inconvenient moment.

Two of the most powerful executives in European aviation positioned this rare joint interview not in the context of solidarity, but as a matter of industry security and survival.