Six Years After Covid, the Travel Industry Faces Another Stress Test
Even after the Covid shutdown forced airlines to rethink disruption management, the Middle East conflict shows the industry still struggles with the basics.
Meghna Maharishi is Skift’s Airline Reporter, where she covers everything from loyalty programs to policy-making in Washington, D.C. She previously covered the airline industry at The Points Guy, worked on the investigative desk at CNBC, and did data visualization at CNN Politics. Send tips to Meghna on Signal at mmaharishi.61.
No Refunds, Long Waits, Canceled Rebookings: Travelers Face Airline Policy Chaos
Covid was supposed to give airlines a playbook on how to accommodate customers during a massive disruption. But the war in the Middle East is throwing that playbook into doubt.
Shutdown Triggers TSA Staffing Shortages and Hours-Long Airport Lines
TSA staffing shortages are creating significantly long wait times at security as agents miss their first paycheck during the partial government shutdown.
Steady Succession or Seismic Shift? Delta Shakes Up C-Suite
The changes come as Ed Bastian enters his second decade as CEO of the airline — he could be working to ensure the company’s business model thrives beyond the current generation of executives.
Middle East Sees Massive Flight Cancellations After U.S.-Israel Attacks on Iran
Several airspace closures in the Middle East following U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran threw the region into chaos as multiple carriers suspended operations out of the UAE, Israel, and Qatar.
FAA Considers Reducing Flights at Chicago O’Hare After American and United Turf War
After American and United significantly increased their schedules at O’Hare, the FAA is now looking to reduce flights at the airport this summer out of concern that the airport could face more strain.
Southwest Airlines Bars Employees From Wearing Smart Glasses: Scoop
Southwest is banning the use of wearable technology such as AI-powered smart glasses in the workplace. Sales of Meta’s smart glasses tripled over the last year.
Spirit Airlines Reaches Deal With Creditors to Emerge From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Spirit is set to emerge from its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the late spring or early summer. Post-bankruptcy, it is looking to expand premium seats and shift focus to routes with high-demand.
Airlines Cancel 10,000+ Flights as Blizzard Slams Northeast
Expect disruptions to linger: For Tuesday, there were already 1,850 cancellations, and nearly half the flights out of LaGuardia, JFK, Newark, and Boston are canceled.
Airlines Suspend Flights to Puerto Vallarta as Unrest Erupts in Mexico
Travelers were left stranded in Puerto Vallarta as violence broke out throughout the country following the killing of the cartel leader of one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations.