Although demand for higher-end, premium products gained significant traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality is that numerous airlines have been making investments in those offerings for quite some time.
Delta Air Lines is one of those airlines, and continues to reap the benefits of its strategy to attract premium customers by leveraging its brand - which is one of the most recognisable in the US, not just within the country's aviation sector.
The Atlanta-based airline remains bullish about the opportunities remaining for its premium offerings, and plans to reveal more about its strategy in that aspect of its business later in 2024.
There are few examples around the world where a publicly operated airport allows a private operator to build and manage a terminal onsite - and especially one sat between two runways. Airlines operate terminals in the US, but that is usually under concession and not the same thing.
Where it does happen, the track record is not high on successful implementation and cooperation.
But that is a conceptual proposal from an Irish company which is founded by part-owners of the land on which such an edifice would be built at Dublin Airport, a 30 million + passenger airport for the Irish capital and a gateway to Europe from the west, which is operated by a state company.
There are numerous complicating factors here, as this CAPA - Centre for Aviation report spells out.
Paramount among them are capacity caps; state and airport ambitions and whether they are up to delivering them; the real motives and desire of the putative private sector developer; the influence of the local authority; the public's abhorrence of interminable queues; where the money is coming from; and the attitude of the principal airlines.
If all the various schemes, public and private, come to fruition then they would transform Dublin into an airport to rival any in Europe.
Or - it could all be just a complete 'nothingburger'.
This is part one of a two-part report.
While LCCs have built up a massive narrowbody order backlog in the Asia-Pacific region, this year has seen a noticeable uptick in widebody orders as airlines look to restock their long haul fleets.
This resurgence is partly due to the fact that international markets are booming again after the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, and many airlines are finding themselves short of capacity after retiring many older widebodies.
But these widebody orders are generally aimed at the longer term, as airlines restart widebody fleet modernisation programmes that have been shelved over the past four years.
There have been several significant widebody orders either announced or placed in the first quarter of 2024, and there are also more pending as airlines negotiate with manufacturers. Their choices are closely tied to their network and market strategy for the next decade or more.
CAPA ANALYST PERSPECTIVE - a series where CAPA - Centre for Aviation's analyst team provide their personal views on a hot topic facing aviation around the world.
Commercial air travel is, by its nature, a fast-moving business. Those making decisions in and around the industry need to keeping track of what's going - and that can be a daunting, difficult, or time-consuming task.
Whether its news, routes, schedules, traffic, fleets, financing, partnerships, mergers, consolidations and thousands of other topics, CAPA - Centre for Aviation covers it.
As one of the world's most trusted sources of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry, CAPA produces, tracks and curates a huge range of news, analysis and data.
Simon Elsegood, Head of Research at CAPA - Centre for Aviation takes us on a personal journey on the platform's latest evolution.
Now that one of Canada's ULCC start-ups Lynx Air has ceased operations, questions are arising about the status of the US transborder market and the competitive landscape on routes from Canada to sun destinations and markets in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lynx made a transborder push in late 2023, taking on Canada's incumbent airlines in those markets.
Now, as the country's three major airlines Air Canada, WestJet and Porter continue to execute their respective transborder strategies - will a sense of rationality prevail?
CAPA returns to North America in 2024 with the CAPA Airline Leader Summit – Americas. To be held in Calgary (Canada) over 9-10 May 2024, the summit will provide unparalleled insight into the strategic landscape of a region that is of vital importance.
The leading conference for airport strategy and finance. The community of airport infrastructure and business developers looks forward to re-establishing its home in Miami 2024. GAD Americas returns to Miami 30-31 May 2024.
Key areas of experience: Airline industry, general management Current external appointments: Member of the Board of Governors and Member of the Chair Committee, IATA. Previous relevant experience: Chairman and CEO, Iberia 2013-2020. CEO, Iberia Express 2012-2013. Chief Operating Officer, Vueling 2009-2012. Founder of Clickair 2006-2009.
Etihad Airways announced (15-Apr-2024) the following changes to its fares and baggage policies:
The changes are effective for bookings made from 16-Apr-2024. [more - original PR]
London Stansted Airport reported (11-Apr-2024) it handled 28.5 million passengers in the 12 months to Mar-2024, an increase of 11.8% year-on-year and the "busiest ever 12 month period in the airport's history". The airport handled a record 2.2 million passengers in Mar-2024, as previously reported by CAPA. Top destinations during the 12 months to Mar-2024 were Dublin, Istanbul and Edinburgh, with the most popular countries being Spain, Italy and Poland. MD Gareth Powell added: "I'm really pleased we were able to round-off what was our busiest and most successful winter season at London Stansted with yet another record-breaking month in March, our sixth successive busiest ever passenger month". [more - original PR]
Brazil and UK signed (11-Apr-2024) an air services agreement granting fifth freedom rights to carriers operating passenger services between the nations. The agreement also grants seventh freedom rights for the transportation of cargo between the countries. [more - original PR - Portuguese]
ACI EUROPE reported (11-Apr-2024) passenger volumes at regional airports remained 38.6% below 2019 levels in Jan/Feb-2024. ACI EUROPE deputy director general Morgan Foulkes stated: "There is no escaping the fact that it is now financial crunch time for many of Europe's regional airports. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed with a forward looking and holistic view". Mr Foulkes added: "This requires continued flexibility as regards the ability of smaller regional airports to benefit from operating aid after 2027 under the EU State Aid Guidelines, less regulatory scrutiny when it comes to airport charges regulation at national level and - last but not least - a full range of accompanying measures under the EU Fit for 55 to safeguard regional air connectivity". [more - original PR]
Cathay Pacific unveiled (11-Apr-2024) its new premium economy cabin experience to be offered on the carrier's retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER fleet from 2024. The new cabin product features leather headrests, customised seat cushions, privacy wings, reading lights, a 15.6 inch 4K ultra HD screen, on-demand and Bluetooth streaming and personal device stowage. New cabin lavatories will offer touch free features to maintain hygiene. [more - original PR]
Azorra delivered (11-Apr-2024) the first of nine new Embraer E190-E2 aircraft to Scoot. CEO Leslie Thng stated Scoot is the first carrier in Singapore to take delivery of the aircraft, adding the E190-E2 is "crucial" to the LCC's overall network growth strategy. Scoot's E-Jets E2 services are expected to commence in May-2024. [more - original PR]
This report aims to benchmark the performance of the world’s major airlines – to understand their relative carbon emission quantity and intensity with respect to passenger and freight transport.