Airlines
Southwest Airlines launch booking plugin for ChatGPT
Southwest Airlines are exploring AI-powered booking, adding a bespoke plugin for booking flights within ChatGPT. They become the first US airline to launch an initiative of this kind. Created in partnership with OpenAI and Amazon Web Services (AWS), the carrier says...
Unified OCC for airlines
The frustration mounts as an aircraft sits on the taxiway, delayed yet again. The mind races through the possibilities. Are we heading back to the gate for a maintenance issue? Is runway congestion causing a ripple effect across the airport? Will the crew exceed their...
How can airlines deliver superior CX during turbulent times?
2026 has proved to be a highly challenging year for the aviation industry. Geopolitical conflict has not only driven up fuel prices, but disturbed everyday operations to an extent not seen since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, customer experience consultant Jerry...
IAG to deploy SkyBreathe fuel efficiency platform
International Airlines Group (IAG) has announced it will use OpenAirlines' SkyBreathe platform to optimise fuel use. 600 aircraft acrosss the group's airlines — Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling — will benefit from SkyBreathe's data analysis...
How four leading airlines drove 846,000 student verifications
846K+ Student Verifications in One Year 119K Peak Monthly Volume January 2026 76% Average Student Eligibility Across Airlines Summary Airlines don’t just shuttle passengers; they help travellers experience the places, moments, and people that matter most. To...
Jet2 to offer personalised travel through Adobe AI
Jet2 have announced a partnership with Adobe to use agentic AI for personalised travel offers. The airline and package holiday provider is the largest tour operator in the UK, boasting 10 million customers. Through Adobe CX Enterprise Coworker, Jet2 personnel can use...
AirAsia say their future is secure despite jet fuel price pressures
AirAsia Group have asserted that their future is secure amid media reports of financial instability. The Malaysian carrier released a press release saying their approach is 'focused and prudent', and that they remain committed to long-term growth. According to...
Polluting airlines must pay if Heathrow expands, says climate committee
The Climate Change Committee warns that plans to add a third runway at London Heathrow airport can only go ahead if airlines pay for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The UK's biggest airport, and the second-busiest airport worldwide, Heathrow...
Etihad launch Etihad Escapes for one-stop hotel booking
Etihad Airways have announced a new platform to incorporate flights and hotel booking. Etihad Escapes will allow customers to plan their journey in one place, facilitating more seamless travel experiences. Available on Etihad.com from October, the Abu Dhabi airline...
Air France to open luxury lounge at JFK New Terminal One
Air France have unveiled 3D renders of the 29,000-square-foot lounge opening at the heart of New York's newest airport terminal. Planned as a hub for international airlines in NYC, New Terminal One is a US$9.5 billion renovation project designed to modernise the Big...
airBaltic file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid rising costs
Latvian carrier airBaltic have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York City. The carrier said they chose Chapter 11 because their financial obligations are international in nature. A court-supervised restructuring will complete by June 2027. President and CEO Erno...
Meta’s new personalised AI agent Muse can book flights
Meta launched their new AI agent Muse this week, which has travel booking capabilities. The feature is powered through Duffel, a UK company that provides muse with live travel information through its AI. Alongside flights, accommodation booking within Muse is also set...
Cathay Pacific and Google partner to reduce contrails through AI
Cathay Pacific and Google have announced a new partnership to limit the production of contrails, with trials suggesting AI could significantly reduce warming impacts. Thin, white streaks that appear in the sky behind aircraft, contrails disperse to form clouds that...
‘Get the basics right’: Gebremariam sets new direction for Air India
At a town hall, new CEO Tewolde Gebremariam and Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran set the agenda for Air India moving forward, emphasising safety and operational excellence. Gebremariam replaces outgoing leader Campbell Wilson, who departs the carrier after a...
The secret behind Icelandair’s viral marketing campaigns
The dominance of social media has added a whole new rulebook to the marketing game. In this medium, customers expect all content to be personalised to them, while jokes and authentic language are favoured even by global brands. In the aviation world, Ryanair's cheeky...
The Future of Fuelling: Lower costs, fewer errors, and total transparency
The aviation industry manages one of its highest costs with some of its most analogue information. From the pilot's order to the final load, fuel is measured, moved, and signed for many times before it reaches a wing, tracked manually at each stage, opening gaps...
Southwest to launch lounges in partnership with Chase
Southwest Airlines have announced they are launching their first-ever lounge network. In partnership with Chase, the lounges will debut at Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville in late 2027. The airline says the investment will deliver the service levels...
United adds standby feature to app disruption management
United Airlines have enhanced its ConnectionSaver tool to give passengers more control when managing disruption. The AI-powered ConnectionSaver is designed to rebook passengers onto later flights if delays mean they miss their original connection. However, a fresh...
China’s ‘big three’ airlines report combined $1.22bn loss
China's three biggest airlines said they lost around ¥8.2 billion (US$1.2 billion) in the first half of 2026. Rising fuel prices had a significant impact on Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. The carriers do not hedge much of their fuel,...
Premium revenue grows twice as fast as economy at Qantas
Despite fuel cost pressures, Qantas's full-year financial results showed strong demand for international travel and premium products. The Australian carrier's share price rose by 4% in the wake of the announcement, as Qantas reported US$1.48 billion in pre-tax profit...
