In this episode, co-hosts Max Flight and Mary Kirby discuss how the novel Coronavirus – also known as COVID-19 – is affecting the aviation industry and airline passengers, and they highlight how major airline associations are responding to the situation.
COVID-19 surfaced in Wuhan, China, but quickly spread and has now been detected in 60 locations internationally, according to the CDC. Global infections number an estimated 90,000, and Coronavirus-related deaths are being reported around the globe. The fallout has been swift. The transportation industry is taking a major hit, as airlines slash services, including to places beyond China, and offer change-fee waivers. It comes at an already challenging time for the industry, which has seen the Boeing 737 MAX grounded for a year.
Next, Air New Zealand has announced it is exploring a bunkbed-style option for long-haul economy class travel. The concept is called Economy Skynest, and it would offer six bunk beds in a capsule monument in the economy cabin. Sleeping berths are not a new concept in aviation, but they are certainly having a moment right now. Max and Mary explore why Skynest is such a compelling design, but also why it and similar concepts add complexity to the booking process.
Last but not least, despite Coronavirus-fueled challenges to aviation and more broadly to the global exhibition industry, the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg is still on the calendar to go ahead as scheduled as of today, though the organizer, Reed, continues to monitor the situation. One of the highlights of the Aircraft Interiors Expo every year is the Crystal Cabin Award ceremony, which honors #PaxEx innovation. Max talks about some of his favorite ideas from the list of CCA finalists, and Mary details some of the big themes heading into the show.
Podcast 074: Ready to fly, but has COVID reset PaxEx expectations?
Podcast 073: Building travel confidence with masks on, change fees off
Podcast 072: The future of travel in a post-pandemic world
Podcast 070: Considerations as PaxEx suppliers assess MAX production pause
Podcast 069: How big data is shaping every aspect of aviation
Podcast 068: Mulling MAX re-entry as Dickson takes the helm at FAA
Podcast 067: Deciphering the messaging from Airbus and Boeing in Paris
Podcast 066: Why people and profits must be balanced in aviation
Podcast 065: Max Flight and Mary Kirby on why there is no-MAX flight
Podcast 064: A220 stretch considerations and IFE ad deliberations
Podcast 063: Why the Boeing 777X will be the most modern airliner in the world
Podcast 062: Will mass shootings impact travel to the United States?
Podcast 061: Breaking down the passenger wins in FAA reauthorization
Episode 060: Inflight peanuts, animals and innovations, oh my
Episode 059: Fifty-year pilot John O. Graybill on flying private safely
Episode 058: Unpacking sexism at AGM, guns in carryon, pot in transit
Episode 057: Airline content trends and new lav concepts revealed
Episode 056: Flight Chic talks trends in advance of AIX
Episode 055: AirFi CCO talks fast deployment of portable wifi boxes
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Aligned Money Show
Gorse Culture PODcast : The H.R. Detective Agency!
HCI Leadership Revolution
The Ramsey Show
Planet Money