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☆ JetBlue founder says struggling airlines need to ditch barebones planes and give flyers more choices
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-01 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Budget airlines like Spirit, Frontier, and Southwest are struggling to turn a profit. The still-in-service airlines Neeleman founded, like JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Canada's WestJet, and Breeze Airways, largely follow this idea. Historically, these strategies have been absent from the likes of Spirit, Frontier, and Southwest, which have stuck to all-economy aircraft with little choice. Southwest Airlines boats an open-seating policy where seats are first-co,me first-serve. Low-cost airlines should continue to ditch barebones planesSouthwest shouldn't be the only one to move away from historical norms.

Persons: David Neeleman, —, David Neeleman —, Thomas Pallini, haven't, Neeleman, that's, Barry Biffle, They're, we've, WestJet, Scott Kirby, doesn't, Kevin Carter, Breeze Organizations: Service, JetBlue —, Breeze Airways, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Street, Frontier, Neeleman, JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Morris Air, Spirit, Airbus Locations: Southwest, Frontier, Breeze

☆ JetBlue founder and low-cost airline veteran explains how struggling airlines need to adapt to survive right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Budget airlines like Spirit, Frontier, and Southwest are struggling to turn a profit. Low-cost veteran David Neeleman told BI that Spirit and Frontier should merge to survive. The still-in-service airlines Neeleman founded, like JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Canada's WestJet, and Breeze Airways, largely follow this idea. Historically, these strategies have been absent from the likes of Spirit, Frontier, and Southwest, which have stuck to all-economy aircraft with little choice. Southwest Airlines boats an open-seating policy where seats are first-co,me first-serve.

☆ Airbus' game-changing A321XLR will enter service soon. These airlines have already announced routes with the new plane, including 3 to the US.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-08 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Airlines, including Iberia, Wizz Air, and Aer Lingus, have announced their first A321XLR routes. Irish carrier Aer Lingus said in October that it will launch its first A321XLR flight between Dublin and Nashville in April. The eight-and-a-half-hour route is a niche nonstop for the industry, with Aer Lingus as the only operator. Related storiesOther potential A321XLR routesWhile only a handful of A321XLR routes are officially on the books, many previously unserved city pairs could fit the bill, airlines have said. Qantas' list of potential A321XLR routes includes routes like Brisbane to Tokyo, Perth to the Maldives, and Melbourne to Bangkok.

Persons: —, Wizz's, Thomas Pallini, America — Organizations: Airbus, Airlines, Aer Lingus, Service, Airbus A321XLR, Spanish, Iberia, Boston, Washington Dulles, Wizz, London, United, Irish, Nashville, Saudia, Business, JetBlue Airways, JetBlue Airways Airbus, Australia —, Qantas, Jetstar, JetSMART Locations: Iberia, Wizz, Madrid, Washington, London Gatwick, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Milan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dublin, Barcelona, Rome, Brussels, Maldives, Dakar, Senegal, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Europe, Aer, United, Las Vegas , Houston, Australia, Asia, Brisbane, Tokyo, Perth, Melbourne, Bangkok, South, America, Chile, Miami

☆ JetBlue is axing hot meals for economy flyers as it looks to cut costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JetBlue has eliminated hot meals for economy passengers on transatlantic flights. AdvertisementJetBlue has axed hot meals for economy passengers as it looks to save money. Therefore, the lack of hot meals could be necessary so that the reduced cabin crew can cope with the workload. Passengers in JetBlue's business class, Mint, still have the option of hot food — including pizza and roasted chicken. Despite expectations for a loss, JetBlue reported a profit of $25 million in the second quarter.

Persons: —, Insider's Thomas Pallini Organizations: JetBlue, Service, Business, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines Locations: Dublin, Edinburgh

☆ JetBlue is fixing its business class' biggest weakness by building its own airport lounges
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Benjamin Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The new lounges, the first of which are set for New York's JFK International and Boston Logan International, are part of the New York-based carrier's continued push to bolster its premium Mint business class experience. AdvertisementThat changed in 2016 when the airline launched its first Mint premium business class cabin with lie-flat seats. Loyalty is big business for airlinesFor the airline industry, loyalty extends beyond the benefits of return business. With the new lounges in its arsenal, the airline will be better positioned to keep loyal customers coming back.

Persons: —, carrier's, Marty St, George, Jayne O'Brien, Leonard Zhukovsky, O'Brien, Thomas Pallini Organizations: Service, JetBlue Airways, New York's JFK International, Boston Logan International, JetBlue, Jetblue, Business, JFK, Mint, JetBlue's Mint, American Airlines Admirals Club, Northeast Alliance, Airlines ' Admirals Club, Delta, American Express, American Airlines, Citi Locations: York, New York, Boston

☆ Southwest is under pressure to make big changes to its planes, flights, and bag rules: Here's what they could all look like
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementSouthwest is introducing new economy seats next year, adding tablet holders and power. Southwest could charge for bags — one of its biggest free perksElliott's proposal called attention to one of Southwest's most visible perks: two free checked bags. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesThere is a way for both sides to win, according to Harteveldt: Give free checked bags to Southwest credit card holders. American, Delta, and United offer complimentary checked bags as credit card perks. The additional flights can give travelers more flexibility and give Southwest more seats to sell on a route.

Persons: —, Elliott, Southwest Airlines Elliott, Henry Harteveldt, Richard Aboulafia, Robert Jordan, CCO Ryan Green, Scott Olson, Harteveldt, Thomas Pallini, Green, Irfan Khan, Elliot, that's, Jordan, We'll Organizations: Service, Investment Management, Southwest Airlines, Business, Southwest, Atmosphere Research, Reuters, CNBC, Elliott Investment Management, Green, Boeing, The Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times, Getty, American Airlines oneworld, Oneworld Locations: IdeaWorksCompany, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Southwest, Canada, Europe, Asia, Washington

☆ Why Donald Trump loves his Boeing 757 private jet even though almost everyone else ditched the plane
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Benjamin Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThere's a common saying in the business-aviation industry: The private jet isn't a luxury; it's a time machine. The point of a private jet is to save its occupant time and increase their productivity. AdvertisementThe old (top) and new (bottom) paint jobs on Trump's Boeing 757 private jet. AdvertisementTrump aboard his Boeing 757 private jet. But what stands out the most about the Boeing 757 is that it's the muscle car of the airline world.

Persons: —, there's, Donald Trump's, it's, Thomas Pallini, Donald, Trump, Gene J, Paul Allen, N757AF, Taylor Swift, John Minchillo, James Devaney, Drake, Andrew Milligan, Royce RB211, Whitney Organizations: Service, Boeing, Business, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Bombardier Global, Trump, New York Times, Trump Force, AP Trump, Microsoft, Sterling Airlines, TAESA, DHL, FedEx, Qatari, Images, Pratt, Airbus, Shanghai Airlines, Delta Air Lines Locations: Danish, Delta, Saudi, Paris, New York, Renton , Washington

☆ Trump's Boeing 757 isn't the perfect private jet, but it's perfect for him
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Benjamin Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The point of a private jet is to save its occupant time and increase their productivity. AdvertisementThe old (top) and new (bottom) paint jobs on Trump's Boeing 757 private jet. AdvertisementTrump onboard his Boeing 757 private jet. But what stands out the most about the Boeing 757 is that it's the muscle car of the airline world. Trump's Boeing 757 before receiving a new livery in 2022.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, it's, Thomas Pallini, Donald, there's, Trump, Gene J, Paul Allen, N757AF, Taylor Swift, John Minchillo, James Devaney, Drake, Andrew Milligan, Royce RB211, Whitney Organizations: Service, Boeing, Business, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Bombardier Global, Trump, New York Times, Trump Force, AP Trump, Microsoft, Sterling Airlines, TAESA, DHL, FedEx, Qatari, Saudi Royal Families, Images, Pratt, Airbus, Shanghai Airlines, Delta Air Lines Locations: Danish, Delta, Paris, New York, Boeing's Renton , WA

☆ These are the world's 10 best airports for 2024, according to passengers. None are in the US.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Mikhail Markovskiy/ShutterstockCountry: Germany2023 Ranking: 7AdvertisementSkytrax Awards: Best Airport Staff in Europe, Best Airport in Central Europe, Best Airport Hotel in Europe (Hilton Munich Airport)7. Kazzure Gonzalez/Shutterstock.comCountry: JapanAdvertisement2023 Ranking: 9Skytrax Awards: World's Best Airport Staff, Best Airport Staff in Asia, Best Airport: 30-40 million passengers4. Sean Pavone / iStockCountry: Japan2023 Ranking: 3AdvertisementSkytrax Awards: World's Cleanest Airport, World's Best Domestic Airport, Best PRM and Accessible Facilities, Best Airport: 70+ million passengers, The Cleanest Airport in Asia3. Taylor Rains/Business InsiderCountry: Singapore2023 Ranking: 1Skytrax Awards: Best Airport in Asia, Best Airport Immigration Service, Best Airport: 50-60 million passengers, Best Airport Hotel in the World and Asia (Crowne Plaza Changi Airport)1. Thomas Pallini/Business InsiderCountry: QatarAdvertisement2023 Ranking: 2Skytrax Awards: World's Best Airport, Best Airport in the Middle East, World's Best Airport Shopping, Best Airport: 40-50 million passengers, The Cleanest Airport in the Middle East

☆ See inside the world's largest private jet, a $400 million Boeing 747 typically used by governments and the world's elite
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Thomas Pallini | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Cabinet Alberto Pinto is the design firm behind the interior of one of the world's largest private jets. Designing and implementing the interior of the ultra-luxurious Boeing jet took the firm four years to finish. AdvertisementThe 747-8i Boeing Business Jet, which is a VIP-configured variant of the civilian jumbo plane, is the world's largest private aircraft in active operation. The dual-level jumbo takes private flying to the next level as a flying palace capable of traversing time zones in the absolute pinnacle of luxury air travel. The list price of the -8i model went for about $400 million, according to the Business Jet Traveler, but the sale cost was undisclosed.

Persons: Alberto Pinto, — Organizations: Boeing, Service, Boeing Business Jet, Air Force, Business Jet Locations: Eastern

☆ Airbus notched a single order this year for its worst-selling plane
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Airbus secured a single order for its worst-selling A330-800neo widebody airliner this year. In April, a single order for the A330-800neo was quietly added to Airbus' order book from an undisclosed customer. A Uganda Airlines Airbus A330-800neo. Air Greenland's Airbus A330-800neo. The few carriers that fly the A330-800 have sung its praisesA Kuwait Airways Airbus A330-800neo.

Persons: —, 800neo, Royce Trent, Thomas Pallini, Richard Aboulafia, Peter Ingram, Jacob Nitter Sørensen, intially, Maen Razouqi Organizations: Airbus, Airlines, Boeing, Service, Business, Uganda Airways, Kuwait Airways, Garuda, Air Greenland, Royce, Uganda Airlines Airbus, Air Greenland's Airbus, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Kuwait Airways Airbus, Aviation, Uganda Airlines, JFK, Dulles International Locations: Garuda Indonesia, Air, Greenland, Kuwait, New York, Washington , DC

☆ Emirates is spending over $1 billion to continue flying its A380s, a mammoth jet famous for its onboard shower and bar. See inside the superjumbo.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Thomas Pallini | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

"How could it be as good as the A380 on the upper deck, or as good as it is in economy with 10-abreast seating on the main deck," Clark said of the Boeing 777X in an interview with Business Insider. Emirates' refurbished Airbus A380 at Dubai Airshow 2021. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Persons: Clark, Thomas Pallini Organizations: Boeing, Business Insider, Emirates, Airbus Locations: Dubai

☆ Emirates has launched a new service that will let customers charter small private jets from Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

UAE-based Emirates has launched a new private jet arm using Embraer Phenom 100EV business planes. Emirates hopes its new strategy will lure in more high-paying customers as private aviation booms. The demand for private aviation continues to hold strong post-pandemic, particularly in the Middle East where business travel has rebounded quicker than in other regions. On Wednesday, the carrier introduced a brand new on-demand charter service that will ferry elite customers from Dubai to cities in the Gulf region using a fleet of Embraer Phenom 100EV twin-engine private jets. "While it would give operators such as us stiff competition, business travel trends in the UAE still lean towards larger groups of ten travelers or more," she continued.

Persons: —, Thomas Pallini, Jordan Organizations: Emirates, Embraer Phenom, Embraer, Dubai World, Dubai International, Emirates Executive, Emirates Flight Training, Airbus, Gulf Wings, Gulf News Locations: UAE, Dubai, Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, DWC

☆ See inside the hidden airplane bunk rooms onboard Boeing's revolutionary 787 Dreamliner aircraft where pilots and flight attendants sleep
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Thomas Pallini | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Back in the cockpit, the other pair of pilots are monitoring the flight to ensure that everything is going according to plan. One set of crew is usually tasked with takeoff and landing while the other monitors the aircraft during cruise flight; though, each airline has its own rules. Inside the crew rest area of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Thomas Pallini/Insider

Persons: Thomas Pallini Organizations: Boeing

☆ See inside one of the world's largest aircraft 'boneyards' where planes go after airlines are done using them
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Or, the operator will allow an aircraft lease to expire. This means if the lessor finds a new home for the plane, it will need to be fitted for its next contract. For example, Alaska recently announced it would break the lease of its last A321neos and expects to hand them off by the end of Q2 2023. If and when this happens, the new owner will need the re-paint and likely retrofit the cabin. Thomas Pallini/Insider

☆ Companies like Qantas want to salvage parts from aircraft 'graveyards' to help with decarbonization. Take a look at one of the world's biggest.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Thomas Pallini Locations: Alaska

☆ Boeing has unveiled a new plane for its 'ecoDemonstrator' program — a modified 787. See all 10 of the company's testbed jets.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Boeing announced a new addition to its fleet of ecoDemonstrator aircraft on Thursday — a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. While not every experimental technology makes it onto a future Boeing jet, about a third actually have. 2014: Boeing 787Boeing 787 ecoDemonstrator. BoeingIn 2014, the planemaker debuted its second ecoDemonstrator — a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The 787 ecoDemonstrator tested 35 projects, including a collaboration with Delta Air Lines to generate real-time turbulence reports.

☆ More airlines are selling a cheaper business class where you'll get comfy lie-flat seat but won't get to pick which one. Meet basic business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Air France and KLM are the latest airlines to join in on the "basic" business class trend: offering passengers a cheaper business class ticket, without some of the perks usually associated with the class. These are usually sold in comparison to the full business class experience, called "flex", "flex plus", "comfort", and "elite". Here are some of the airlines that have gone basic with their business offerings:Air France and KLMAir France business class seat. Thomas Pallini/InsiderQatar Airways introduced its own unbundled business class in 2020 — offering Classic, Comfort, and Elite business tickets — and it has since then added an additional tier, the Lite business class ticket. Lite business tickets could cost as much as $3000 less than elite business tickets, according to reviews.

☆ I commute between Boston and New York City up to three times a week on a seaplane. Here's why it beats taking the train or flying commercial.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

I've been using Tailwind Air, a seaplane shuttle service, to commute between Boston and New York for almost two years now. It's the most efficient and productive way to commute between the two citiesInsider aviation reporter Thomas Pallini flying on a Tailwind Air seaplane in 2021. If you fly frequently, the cost difference isn't that huge compared to commercialFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane. For the long-term, it's not a sustainable commuteFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane. I think short-hop travel will look totally different in 50 yearsFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane.

☆ The 20 best airports in the world according to passengers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Aviation ranking website Skytrax has revealed the world's best airports for 2023. "Changi Airport is honoured to be named World's Best Airport for the 12th time," Changi CEO Lee Seow Hiang said in a press release. Of the top 20 airports, nine are in Europe, eight are in Asia, two are in North America, and one is in Australia. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Vancouver International Airport came in at numbers 18 and 20, barely making the list. In fact, Seattle once again won the award for being North America's best airport, and LaGuardia's Terminal B won "world's best new airport terminal."

☆ Singapore's Changi Airport is named among the world's best. See the 10 coolest things I found there.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Granted, both the lounge rooms and sleep zones are first-come, first-served, so there is no guarantee any will be available. But I loved that there were these options when I'm used to bumming it on the cold floor in most US airports. New York LaGuardia's new Terminal B does have some couches to lay out on, which is nice. Thomas Pallini/Insider

What are credit card and bank rewards points worth? One great feature of the program is that all points are equal, so any account that earns Membership Rewards points has access to transfer partners. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you'll earn 25% to 75% more points, depending on how much you have on deposit, but your rewards points are still worth 1 cent apiece. You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou to JetBlue, but the ratio varies depending on the rewards program. However, those miles expire after 36 months regardless of your account activity, so only transfer miles when you have immediate plans to redeem them.

I dispose of my Amex Platinum's Priority Pass membership so I don't accidentally take it with me on a trip. But get this: I immediately feed the Priority Pass membership card through the paper shredder when I receive it. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. Different credit cards offer varying Priority Pass benefitsQuite a few credit cards offer Priority Pass lounge membership. If you don't have a Chase Marriott card, you can open either the aMarriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, or Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card .

Thomas Pallini/Business InsiderThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will add valuable new travel benefits in February 2023. According to my most recent account statement, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will add Priority Pass Select membership as a benefit as of February 2, 2023. Both the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ($95 annual fee) and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95 annual fee) come with a Priority Pass Select membership that includes 10 complimentary visits a year. Since the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is at a similar price point, it's possible the new membership will be similar. You can read more about all the card's benefits and perks in our full US Bank Altitude Connect card review.

☆ Boeing's last-ever 747 just rolled off the assembly line, marking the end of an era. Here's the history of how the revolutionary plane changed the world.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Thomas Pallini | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

"As we say goodbye to the Queen of the Skies, we're proud of her legacy as an airplane that propelled aviation innovation and later laid the foundation of our family of freighters," Boeing 747 and 767 program manager Kim Smith said. The ribbon cutting ceremony of Atlas' second-to-last 747 at the Boeing Everett Delivery Center. Atlas AirSource: Atlas Air

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