Airline Weekly Lounge

Gordon and Jay decode the most revealing CEO commentary from the Bernstein investor conference — what executives signaled about capacity, consolidation, and the months ahead. Then they look forward to the IATA AGM, one of the aviation industry's biggest gatherings, and what to watch for.

Presented by WEX.

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Gordon Smith – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Meghna Maharishi - ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

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00:00 Welcome and Agenda

00:35 Coffee Confessions and Naps

02:14 Bernstein Conference Setup

03:11 JetBlue Buyout Rumors

05:39 Kirby Shuts It Down

08:39 Southwest Take on Mergers

12:42 JetBlue Response and Outlook

16:07 Fuel Prices and Guidance

20:07 Break and Listener Mail

20:30 IATA AGM Rio Preview

21:37 What IATA Is and Why It Matters

25:34 Key Themes Fuel Middle East Sustainability

27:53 Questions to Ask CEOs

32:31 Aircraft Supply Crunch

36:40 Wrap Up and Subscribe

A rough quarter for easyJet has the numbers telling a stark story. In part one, Gordon and Jay dig into a -27% operating margin and the missteps, market pressures, and industry dynamics behind it. In part two, they answer a deceptively simple question: why does Atlanta — not New York, London, or Dubai — top the global rankings for passenger traffic?

Presented by WEX.

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Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Meghna Maharishi - ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

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00:00 Welcome and agenda

00:44 EasyJet origins and brand

02:32 Winter losses and margins

04:35 Core markets and bases

08:46 Italy slots and competition

16:20 Summer demand outlook

19:57 EasyJet Holidays growth

23:48 Loyalty plans and wrap

24:37 Atlanta busiest airport intro

27:03 Five reasons Atlanta wins

38:43 Airport design and future

41:45 Closing and IATA AGM plug

Gordon and Jay unpack how Iberia engineered one of the most dramatic financial turnarounds in modern airline history. Plus: Singapore Airlines posts a solid start to the year, but its Air India stake is shaping up to be a costly bet.

Presented by WEX

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Gordon Smith – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Meghna Maharishi - ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

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00:00 Welcome and Agenda

01:39 Singapore Earnings Snapshot

03:28 Air India Stake Drag

04:17 Why SIA Keeps Investing

07:22 Vistara Merger Complexity

08:43 Air India Headwinds

09:47 CEO Transition Stakes

11:56 SIA Wrap and Break

14:09 Iberia Turnaround Setup

15:03 Profitability Like Ryanair

16:17 From Dysfunction to Reform

20:23 Margins Then and Now

22:51 Madrid Hub and Macro Tailwinds

27:23 Latin America Strategy

32:04 More Advantages and XLR Growth

36:57 Final Thoughts and Signoff

Gordon sits down with Skift airlines reporter Meghna Maharishi to break down a revealing Q1 earnings season for U.S. carriers — separating the standouts from the strugglers. Plus: the latest merger chatter swirling around the industry, and could a major Boeing order follow President Trump's visit to China?

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Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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01:10 Q1 Earnings Snapshot02:26 Southwest Surprise Quarter03:24 Bag Fees and New Model05:05 Elliott Pressure and Next Moves07:08 Lounges and Premium Light08:22 American Falling Behind10:39 Break and Return11:16 Scott Kirby Merger Talk14:59 DC Policy Watchlist16:50 Flying Taxis in NYC20:57 Spirit Collapse Aftermath23:23 Trump China Trip Aviation Angle25:11 Wrap Up and Subscribe

Spirit Airlines is the first major U.S. carrier to go out of business in more than two decades. In this special edition, Gordon is joined by Jay and Meghna to unpack what went wrong — from blocked mergers to shifting consumer demand — and what Spirit's collapse means for the future of low-cost flying in America.

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Gordon Smith – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

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00:00 Spirit Collapse Begins

00:54 Meghna’s 3AM Breaking News

02:51 How Spirit Ran Out

06:10 Is ULCC Model Dead

09:00 Bankruptcy Missteps And Mergers

13:32 DOJ JetBlue Deal Fallout

17:59 Cost Math Writing Wall

20:34 Part Two What Happens Next

20:48 Who Fills Spirit Routes

23:19 Fares Rise And Route Gaps

25:26 What Low Cost Still Works

27:32 Mergers Partnerships After Spirit

33:34 Can A New ULCC Launch

36:42 Final Thanks And Wrap