Airlines are being very careful of anything they put on the airplane. It has to generate revenue, or it doesn't go on the plane. |
All airlines have been reexamining their IT strategies and expenditures and strategies. US Airways is certainly going to be watched with great interest. |
Buying an airfare is confusing enough now. This could make it even more confusing. |
By allowing Delta to merge with Continental or Northwest, we would have three extremely large airlines accounting for 75 percent of market. But it would be harder for American and United to dominate Delta if Delta were to merge. |
Group travel is very much a nascent part of online travel. |
I can't believe Boeing is going to sit out. |
I would not rule out Boeing becoming partners with one of the winning bidders and getting in through the back door. |
If any travel company is ignoring G2 or ITA, they do so at their own peril. |
It looks like the airlines are going to get free rein to do whatever they want. Buying an airfare is confusing enough now. This could make it even more confusing. |
It's a wide-open market, |
It's going to be a three-way shootout between the airlines, the GDS [companies], and the online travel agents. |
It's incumbent on American to respond to this. It's possible that American will try to up the bidding for US Airways. |
No airline benefits when you have a hurricane, |
None of this is good news for any airline. |
Online travel in 2004 will represent only about 15 percent of the industry's total revenue for the year. So there's huge upside to grow. The fierce competition now is about building the brand. |