Skift
• Dan Marcec
Airline loyalty programs must make rewards simpler for members to use without eroding the commercial value of seats redeemed through those programs. The challenge is balancing a stronger customer relationship with the economics of inventory offered as rewards.
PaxEx
Latest source-backed stories
Airline loyalty programs must make rewards simpler for members to use without eroding the commercial value of seats redeemed through those programs. The challenge is balancing a stronger customer relationship with the economics of inventory offered as rewards.
High activity
IAG is creating IAG Media, a new advertising business that will use Starlink Wi-Fi and passenger data to generate revenue across the group’s five airlines. The initiative puts onboard connectivity and customer information at the center of a new commercial operation.
Air Canada has spent years building what it describes as North America’s original premium airline, but its chief operating officer says the carrier still lacks a key element: reliability. The comment highlights an operational gap in the airline’s effort to establish a premium position.
A discussion at the Skift Aviation Forum 2026 focused on how airlines can preserve customer trust when operations threaten travel plans. The central message: make decisions earlier where possible and tell travelers promptly when disruption is likely, rather than leaving them uncertain.
Chief executive Sean Doyle says the timing is right for British Airways to refurbish its Airbus A380s as the airline seeks to capture more premium demand. The upgraded double-decker is set to have 202 seats in premium cabins and remain in service until the mid- to late 2030s.
Burrana has secured an undisclosed launch airline for its RISE Power in-seat charging system on a Boeing 737 linefit program. The announcement establishes the solution’s first Boeing linefit customer, though Burrana did not identify the airline or disclose commercial terms.
High activity
Iberia has finished installing Starlink on its eight A321XLRs, while charter operator Slate Aviation plans to begin fleet installations in December. United says Starlink will be available on nearly 64% of its daily flights by the end of 2026, with full-fleet installation targeted for the end of 2027.
Create a free account to see more recent PaxEx stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
