Jay Shabat

Cathay Pacific has come full circle. After losing about $4 billion during the pandemic years, the Hong Kong carrier has earned roughly the same amount back over the past three – its best run of profitability in decades. Can Cathay sustain its momentum – or will the next cycle look very different? We examine the outlook in this week’s feature story.

Jay Shabat is joined by Meghna Maharishi and Skift's Head of Research Seth Borko for a crossover Airline Weekly Lounge that hits two pressure points at once: a sudden jet…

In a week when the world's busiest international airline ground to a halt and Gulf hubs faced aerial attack, Gordon and Jay explore the impact of the Iran war on…

Qantas is flying high again. Strong domestic demand, booming premium cabins, and a disciplined strategy have pushed the Australian flag carrier to a steady 11% annual margin. But management wants more – especially internationally. In this week’s feature story, we examine how the 'Flying Kangaroo' plans to make the leap.

In part one, Gordon and Jay review the latest numbers from Singapore Airlines and explain why context is key when determining success. In part two, we preview the annual results…

Dubai built Emirates to drive economic growth — and succeeded beyond imagination. Now a new chapter is unfolding. Emirates is expanding cautiously, while FlyDubai and Etihad push aggressively into new markets and Air Arabia carries low-cost flying further afield. With hundreds of aircraft on order, new hubs taking shape, and regional competition intensifying, the Gulf aviation story is evolving quickly. We explore what might come next in this week’s feature story.

Delta and United are dominating airline profits while American falls behind, and Frontier struggles to recover. Jay Shabat and Meghna Maharishi break down airline earnings, American’s leadership pressure, and Frontier’s…

Icelandair is still in the red. Despite strong transatlantic demand and the collapse of local rival Play, it posted a loss for the second straight year. Yet traffic trends are improving, partnerships are expanding, and a more efficient fleet is on the way. Is Icelandair truly on the right track, or stuck in a structurally unforgiving market? We explore the outlook in this week’s feature story.

In part one of this week's show, Gordon and Jay crunch the latest financials from Icelandair and discuss how it plans to become sustainably profitable. In part two, the conversation…

Japan Airlines is back in the lead, at least for now. After losing its profit crown to All Nippon in the early post-Covid years, JAL outperformed its rival again in 2025. More importantly, both carriers are thriving despite a complex landscape of shrinking Chinese traffic, U.S. tariffs, and stiff competition. In this week’s feature story, we explain how Japan’s two airline giants are staying ahead.