Edward Russell

Edward was Skift’s Washington, D.C.-based airlines reporter from 2020-2023. He’s covered the industry from the American-US Airways combo to the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. He enjoys bikes, trains and runs with his dog, Heathrow.

KLM aircraft at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport

Europe

KLM Confident in Winning Appeal to Block Schiphol Flight Cuts

KLM and other airlines will head back to court later in June to face off again with the government of the Netherlands over its proposed flight cuts at Amsterdam's Schiphol…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

AirAsia X's Turnaround

It’s a triple tailwind for airlines. Demand has rarely been this good. Supply is greatly constrained. And fuel prices are down sharply (about 40 percent!) from a year ago.

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Europe

Lufthansa Targets 2 Years For Payoff From ITA Airways Deal

Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr is confident in financial gains within two years of the pending acquisition of Italy's ITA Airways, despite the carrier's history of losses.

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Delta and Southwest concourses at the Atlanta airport

North America

Summer Air Travel Record Forecast

U.S. airports saw roughly 300,000 more travelers than in 2019 over the Memorial Day weekend holiday, a sign of a busy summer to come. Are airlines ready? Edward Russell and…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

North America

Small Cities Lose Air Service as Large Airlines Exit

Dwindling air service to small cities across the U.S. is the result of changing airline economics, and not just the pilot shortage airlines face, long-time industry analyst William Swelbar said…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Asia-Pacific

Qantas Eyes Significant International Expansion and Profit Growth With New Planes

Qantas to Paris? Jetstar to Manila? Both are markets that the Qantas Group could serve by the end of the decade as it sets its sights on profitable new growth…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Transcon Trouble

It was a week of disappointment for American and JetBlue, who spent the time digesting the ramifications of a judicial order to end their northeast alliance. By all accounts, it…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Europe

The Return of Icelandair

Icelandair had a rough few years before and during Covid. But the airline believes it has turned the financial corner, and forecasts its best results in seven years. Edward Russell…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

A TGV train at the Charles de Gaulle airport station

Europe

Europe's Largest Domestic Airline Markets May Never Recover From the Pandemic

A shift is underway in how Europeans get around. Air travel is still king with discounters, like Ryanair and Wizz Air, carrying record numbers of fliers around the continent. But…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago

Europe

Lufthansa to Buy 41 Percent of Italy's ITA Airways for $348 Million

The Lufthansa Group has agreed to buy 41 percent of Italy's state-owned ITA Airways for €325 million ($348 million), the culmination of more than a decade of wrangling to secure…

Edward Russell | 2 years ago