Flying into the future: Willie Walsh calls for tech-first thinking at IATA AGM
In an address that oscillated between optimism and urgency, Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, took the stage at the 81st Annual General Meeting in Delhi to rally the aviation industry behind a future that is digital, data-driven and sustainably delivered or risk falling dangerously behind.
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Airline profitability to strengthen in 2025 despite headwinds
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced updates to its 2025 airline industry financial outlook, showing improved profitability over 2024 and resilience in the face of global economic and political shifts.
Highlights from the expected 2025 financial performance include:
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Fly Fairly acquires Gen Z travel discovery platform LFG in move to drive global growth
Fly Fairly has announced its acquisition of LFG, the Gen Z-focused travel discovery engine known for its "Spotify meets Pinterest" approach to personalized trip inspiration. The deal brings LFG’s tech and core team under the Fly Fairly umbrella as part of its mission to build the most flexible OTA [...]
Bryan Batista appointed CEO at Skyscanner
Skyscanner, a global leader in travel, announces that Bryan Batista has been appointed CEO, taking over the role from John Mangelaars. Batista is currently the Chief Operating Officer and will become CEO on the 1st June 2025.
Skyscanner connects over 160m users in 180 countries and 37 languages [...]
Survival of the fittest: How OTAs are competing in the Middle East
In an increasingly competitive Middle East online travel landscape, staying ahead demands more than just speed – it requires sharp differentiation, relentless innovation, and smart use of AI. That was the dominant mood as top OTA leaders from Booking.com, Wego, Almosafer, and Travelwings gath [...]
Asia-Pacific airlines continue to lead passenger demand growth at 9.9%
Meanwhile, load factors fell in every region, for a -1.7 ppt overall decline.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for March 2025 global passenger demand for air travel with the following highlights:
Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), w [...]
Jazeera Airways partners with HTS to introduce Cancel for Any Reason and Disruption for Any Reason
These first-time fintech products in the Middle East aim to enhance booking flexibility and passenger experience
Jazeera Airways and HTS, the B2B division of Hopper, have joined hands to introduce Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and Disruption Assistance For Any Reason (DAFAR) on the airline’s dir [...]
flyadeal gets A330s. AirAsia MOVE’s double deal. Spotlight on IDeaS. EGL adopts Amadeus. More.
flyadeal announces order for A330 widebody aircraft
flyadeal, the low-cost carrier under the Saudia Group, has announced an order for 10 Airbus A330neo wide-body aircraft, marking a shift towards long-haul operations. The aircraft, scheduled for delivery from 2027 over a three-year period, will sup [...]
Italy fines tour operators. Sabre and CellPoint target airline payments. Klook and STB renew MoU. More.
Klook inks multi-year partnership with Singapore Tourism Board to drive growth
Klook and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have signed a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), set to begin in April 2025, building on their 2023 partnership. This collaboration aims to support STB’s Touri [...]
Catch-up podcast: Trump’s tariffs. Saudi Arabia’s tourism surge. Global airline demand slows.
We're trying something new with our weekly-ish podcast - we're outsourcing it to Artificial Intelligence. This is both an experiment and, if we're being honest, a convenient way to digest the top articles of the week from the WiT website into a nugget-of-a-podcast. We'll release a new episode every [...]
