Etihad Picks Up the Pieces as Wizz Air Exits Abu Dhabi
Etihad is cherry-picking the tastiest destinations left by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. It’s a win-win for an airline with a mandate to put – and keep – the UAE capital on the map.
Gordon Smith is Airlines Editor at Skift and Editor at Airline Weekly. He’s covered the industry for more than 15 years across television, print, and digital platforms. Since joining Skift in January 2024, he has interviewed more than 25 airline CEOs, often helping make headlines along the way. Send stories/tips via Signal: smithgme.01
Wizz Air Makes Rapid Exit from Abu Dhabi: What Went Wrong?
Wizz Air’s hasty retreat exposes the limits of transplanting the European ultra low-cost model into a region with greater geopolitical instability and different regulatory frameworks.
For Airline Weekly Subscribers
Has Delta Dodged the Storm?
Tariff uncertainty. A slowing job market. Negative Q1 GDP. Does a fragile American economy spell trouble for U.S. airlines? There’s seemingly no need to panic. All is well, at least for Delta.
For Airline Weekly Subscribers
First-Half Review: 2025’s Top 10 Developments, So Far
If a week is a long time in politics, then six months in the airline industry can feel like a lifetime. It's been a tumultuous start to 2025, even by the standards of this least predictable of sectors, and don't expect things to slow down much as we enter Q3. In this week's feature story, we briefly hit pause to reflect on the first-half of the year. Don't miss the Airline Weekly team's top 10 developments of 2025, so far.
We’re Not Becoming ‘Air France-KLM Lite,’ SAS CEO Tells Skift
Anko van der Werff has long championed consolidation. With Air France-KLM poised to take majority control, he’s getting his wish while (hopefully) keeping the airline’s Scandinavian soul.
Air France-KLM Eyes Majority Control of SAS in Nordic Power Play
We’ve known since Air France-KLM’s initial deal that a majority stake was an option, but the speed and scale of the proposed transaction remains notable.
Airlines Blast ‘Intolerable’ Two-Day Strike by French Air Traffic Controllers
This latest strike underscores chronic weaknesses in Europe’s aviation infrastructure. Airlines and passengers are justifiably frustrated but so are the workers who say they’re operating outdated systems under mounting pressure.
Oneworld CEO on New Lounges, Tech Upgrades, and Where the Alliance Falls Short
When Skift last caught up with Pieper he had 13 airline CEO bosses; now he’s got 15. Between digital upgrades and global growth, they're keeping him busy.
Overlooked Oman Air Aligns with Global Giants – the CEO Tells Us What’s Next
Not every Gulf airline wants to be Emirates. Oman Air just joined the powerful oneworld alliance, and with a new leadership team, it’s betting on strategy over swagger.
Qantas Tests A321XLR’s Limits with Historic Nonstop Flight to Bangkok
Qantas is turning an aircraft delivery into a marketing moment for the Airbus A321XLR. While the record-setting flight grabs headlines, the bigger story is how single-aisle jets are reshaping long-haul route planning.