In This Week's Monday Insight Blog

March 18, 2024

The Ten Small/Mid-Size Airport ASD Commandments

Let's cut to the bottom line. A lot of communities are pursuing air service within a fantasy airline system. Sort of worshiping false ASD gods.

We take a look at the ten new realities facing these challenges, and conclude that whole new thinking is needed, including a full understanding of the effects of airline fleet changes and new strategy directions.

Click here and join us!

 

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March 11, 2024

This Week:

Airline Strategy Shifts Due 737-10 Delays

The AA E175 Order: Not A Small Community Strategy

Airbus Potential Expansion In USA

Will The Media Torpedo Spirit?

Click here and join us!

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March 4, 2024

This week:

JetBlue/Spirit. The Changing Florida Picture. Mobile Scores.

Click here.

 

February 26, 2024

Airline Retailing:
More Changes Coming. Traditional Channels Eliminated 

Twenty years ago, brick-and-mortar travel agencies were given pink slips as major channels for air travel retailing. Despite the squeals demanding that congress take action to force airlines to pay TAs for services they didn't need any longer, these entities are no longer a factor in airline retailing. Technology has eclipsed them.

Today, watch American Airlines. They maybe implementing the next step in simplifying the retail process. Will Expedia and Travelocity be in the crosshairs? Click here.

 

 

February 12, 2024

RIP: The ULCC Model:

The Emergence of the AOL:
Alternative Option Carrier.

The ULCC model has run into what might be the end of the line for expansion of the traditional impulse demand model. Florida and 'Vegas may be slowing, and there are other revenue streams that some ULCCs are looking at. None are slam-dunks, but are instead rolls of the dice. Click Here

 

February 4, 2024

Frequent Flyer Programs:
Are "Miles" On Affinity Credit Cards A Purchased Asset?

The entire reason and purpose of frequent flyer programs have changed completely from when they were first implemented at major carriers four decades ago.

Today, they are major revenue sources via airline affinity credit cards. Millions of consumers use these cards to earn "miles" to cash in for free or discounted travel. However, the value of these miles can and has been altered from time to time as airlines change award levels.

This has congress and the DOT involved. Join us for a brief perspective on the challenges this represents for airlines and air travel.

Click here and join us for perspectives not yet seen in the consensus.

January 29, 2024

The Boeing Situation:
It Will Affect The US Air Transportation System.
Airports: Check Your ASD Premises

The Boeing 737 fiasco is growing and spreading well beyond its factories.

This week, we take a hard look at the unfolding effects of the -9 and other issues at Boeing. This has uncovered a major set of revelations and has started a sky-change in the global airliner industry and the air transportation system.

Hello, America. Like a real nuclear bomb, there is going to be fallout from this Boeing mess that will be widespread and long-lasting.

Indeed, we'd opine that it's already affected Lincoln, Nebraska. We have clear information from United, Alaska and Southwest that the summer may not be what was planned six weeks ago.

Click here and join us for perspectives not yet seen in the consensus.

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January 22, 2024

B6/NK - The Wider Messages From Outside The Courtroom

It's Not The Deal. It's The Changing Market Dynamics That It Illuminates

Click here and join us! This week, there will be a lot of retrospective on the court decision barring the JetBlue/Spirit deal. This will be particularly true now that the two airlines are appealing.

But what is being missed are the reasons for the proposed arrangement and the fundamental changes taking place in the ULCC sector, where Spirit is a major player.

Take a look at this week's Monday Update. The industry is in for some real model shifts in 2024.

Click here and join us!

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January 15, 2024

Small & Rural Communities:
The Southern Model May Be The ASD Answer

Focus On Specific Business Demand,
And Stop Trying To Compete Head-On With Larger Airports

Take a hard look at the last five years in regard to air service recruitment at small community local airports, particularly after a major carrier has left.

The track record is pretty dismal - the network carrier is gone for a reason, and consumers generally are finding better time-efficient air travel options at drive-to larger airports. The main issue is that these smaller communities usually are engaged in bringing back air service that no longer can work.

In this week's insight, a new approach is discussed. Not a replacement for American or Delta or United, but the potential for access that can be valuable to a well-defined sector of the local economy. Assuming one exists.

Check it out.

 

January 8, 2024:
The Alaska 737 Fallout:
Would A Grounding Be Catastrophic?

It could have been a one-off event. But what if there is a more fundamental issue that demands a longer-term grounding of these airliners?

Service adjustments would take a toll on Alaska and United. But in the wider scope, it's just 144 airliners out of a USA fleet of over 6,000. For United, a challenge. For Alaska, it's almost 30% of their fleet.

Let's take a look. Click here.

 

 

 

January 1, 2024
Four Aviation Dynamics To Watch In 2024

Airline Capacity:

Mainline Carriers Are Cautious.
ULCCs Are All Over The Spectrum.
Watch for economic shifts in the next six weeks.

 

 

Air Service Development Trends:

Hopefully, the Red Way boondoggle will signal a change to professional programs.
But some of the indications from Lincoln indicate the lesson is being ignored.

 

 

Airline Corporate Deals, a.k.a, (inaccurately) Mergers.
Prognosis Not Very Encouraging.

The NK/B6 and AS/HA proposals are very different in structure and objectives.
But both are consumer-positive. The consumerist wags, however, will likely carry the day.

 

The Airline Industry As DOT Punching Bag.
Carriers Create Some of This, But ...

A couple of recent service failures have been celebrated in media stories as clear proof airline service is running amok.
The reality is as much about bad journalism that tolerates and encourages misinformation as it is customer service

Click here to go for the full stories.

 

 

 

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March 11, 2024

The 737-10 Disruption
Airbus Production Expanding In USA?
Spirit - Under Media Attach

The BGI Team -
Drawing on Futurist Expertise Across Disciplines

At Boyd Group International, we've assembled a formidable array of aviation expertise to deliver solutions and opportunities for our clients.

Aviation challenges represent a wide range of interactive disciplines - forecasting, media outreach, research, regulatory issues, airline operating procedures, and more. BGI has the associate resources to apply to the specifics of each client assignment.

Let us introduce ourselves - click here