Gordon Smith

1 week ago | airlineweekly.skift.com | Gordon Smith

In this special edition of the Airline Weekly Lounge, Gordon Smith shares highlights from a recent interview with Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA and former CEO of IAG. From Trump's tariffs to Russian airspace, and oil prices to sustainable aviation, you can't afford to miss this wide-reaching discussion with one of the industry's biggest names.

1 week ago | airlineweekly.skift.com | Gordon Smith |Jay Shabat

Skift Take Congratulations, IndiGo! You’re now a member of the Ten Billion Dollar Club. Only about 20 other airlines generate more than $10 billion in revenue annually. India's largest airline is also the club’s youngest member — it’s still a teenager at just 19. But much more important than either its size or its age is its consistently strong profitability. In this week's feature story, we examine some of the secrets behind IndiGo's enormous success.

2 weeks ago | airlineweekly.skift.com | Gordon Smith |Jay Shabat

Skift Take Uh oh. Looks like the party is winding down. Are the good times over for Singapore Airlines? Last week, it unveiled a lackluster 6% operating margin for the January-to-March quarter. It was roughly half the figure it earned at the same time last year, suggesting that indeed, the balloons might be popping and the dance music fading. In this week's feature story, we assess the prospects for one of Asia’s most esteemed carriers. Issue Overview Uh oh.

3 weeks ago | airlineweekly.skift.com | Gordon Smith |Jay Shabat

In this week's show, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat preview the latest financial results from Singapore Airlines, traditionally one of the world's most profitable long-haul operators. The pair also discuss highlights from an airline leadership conference and the latest Q1 earnings from global carriers. Listen to This PodcastApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSSTakeawaysThe mood at the Airline Leaders Conference was one of cautious optimism.

3 weeks ago | airlineweekly.skift.com | Gordon Smith |Jay Shabat

Skift Take Allegiant earned a +9% operating margin in Q1 2025. That seems downright triumphant compared to Southwest’s figure of -2%, Frontier’s -5%, or JetBlue’s -8%, but context is key. In 2019, Allegiant’s operating margin in the first quarter was 20%. In other words, it’s performing 11 points worse today, a drop repeated at most of its LCC peers. In this week's feature story, we ask what's going on. Issue Overview Allegiant earned a +9% operating margin in Q1 2025.