The AirlineGeeks Podcast Episode 45: Hope Amid Losses

Thank you for reading the AirlineGeeks Podcast Recap. This article gives a brief look at last week’s episode of our news podcast. For our full analysis of each of these stories, you can listen to The AirlineGeeks Podcast on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Overcast or through our distributor, Anchor.

This week, we start with a look at United Airlines’ Q1 earnings announcement. The airline announced a $1.4 billion loss, but was still optimistic about its loss reductions and the summer season to come. We take a look back to the start of the pandemic to see how airline losses have evolved since March 2020, and we take a look forward to speculate as to why exactly United has cause for hope.

We also take a look at some other earnings announcements – like, for example, that of Alaska Airlines – and compare how other U.S. carriers are moving forward this summer.

Next, we move to the Strategic Partnership between American Airlines and JetBlue, which includes the notable Northeast Alliance. The pair has announced a major route expansion out of Boston and two New York airports – JFK and LaGuardia – as well as an upgrade to preexisting services out of the airports.

A jetBlue A320 in a special FDNY livery over the runway in Las Vegas.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

We dive into the new routes the pair has announced per the partnership. We include thoughts on how this expansion affects competition in the Boston and New York markets. We also consider what the evolving codeshare agreement between the two, launched in February, means for passengers transferring between terminals for flights on the two carriers.

The announcement also includes a new international expansion by American, who is adding new international services out of New York for the first time in several years. We briefly consider how pandemic health restrictions are evolving and what this announcement may foreshadow for other airlines.

Finally, we move to a new aircraft order from Delta, who has announced they are transferring options for 25 new Airbus A321neo jets into firm orders as well as adding options for 25 additional aircraft, bringing their total of A321neo aircraft on order to well over 100.

The airline is making a notable move toward Airbus jets. This newest order is likely to allow Delta to completely retire their Boeing 757 aircraft. We discuss what this transfer will look like for Delta, especially pertaining to how the A321neo will be able to replace some of the longer routes that the 757 can operate more easily.

We then look to the Boeing aircraft that Delta is looking to retire in coming years – as well as the fleet we think they will retain much longer – and how different the airline will look as their fleet evolves.

We hope you’ll listen to the podcast episode, linked above, for more in-depth analysis of each of these stories. Monitor our page on your favorite streaming service each Friday to hear the latest episode just as it’s published at 12 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Feel free to leave a comment sharing your thoughts on this week’s episode. You can read last week’s roundup here.

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John McDermott

John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.

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