{"podcast":{"title":"Airline Weekly Lounge","slug":"airline-weekly-lounge-47251","podcast_index_feed_id":47251,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/SKIFT6592675012","website_url":"https://skift.com/skift-travel-podcasts/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/fc77e778-caef-11ec-9bec-1774d94e5b30/image/4df687945774e1b29d8fbb84d0e4e262.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Skift","episode_count":431,"summary":"The editors of Airline Weekly discuss the most interesting developments within the commercial airline industry. In keeping with Airline Weekly’s style, conversation generally centers on one question: How do you make money in this industry? Presented by WEX.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-11T18:22:08.508431+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/airline-weekly-lounge-47251"},"episode":{"title":"The Profit Gap Splitting U.S. Airlines","slug":"the-profit-gap-splitting-u-s-airlines","published_at":"2026-05-15T16:24:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/airline-weekly-lounge-47251/the-profit-gap-splitting-u-s-airlines","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/airline-weekly-lounge-47251","url":"https://skift.com/skift-travel-podcasts/","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SKIFT8695250219.mp3","summary":"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? Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Meghna Maharishi - ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries. 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","meta_description":"Gordon sits down with Skift airlines reporter Meghna Maharishi to break down a revealing Q1 earnings season for U.S. carriers — separating the standouts f…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1620,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/airline-weekly-lounge-47251/episodes/the-profit-gap-splitting-u-s-airlines/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/airline-weekly-lounge-47251/the-profit-gap-splitting-u-s-airlines.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}