Skift Travel Business – Spoken Edition

The Skift Airline Innovation Report is our weekly newsletter on the business of airline innovation. We look closely at the technological, financial, and design trends at airlines and airports. Brian Sumers writes and curates the newsletter, and we send it on Wednesdays. You can find previous issues of the newsletter here. I can think of only one other major global carrier — ahem, United Airlines — that has received as much criticism over the past five years.

TUI Group has agreed to sell its French scheduled carrier Corsair to a German airline investor for an undisclosed sum. The German tourism giant has been looking to offload the airline for years as it doesn’t fit with the rest of the company’s business. Intro Aviation is buying a 53 per cent stake, TUI will initially retain a minority stake of 27 per cent, while Corsair’s employee benefit trust will take a 20 per cent stake.

Hundreds of the travel industry’s most-forward-thinking executives will gather for our third annualSkift Forum Europe in London on April 30.In just a few years, Skift's Forums — the largest creative business gatherings in the global travel industry — have become what media, speakers, and attendees have called the “TED Talks of travel.

Next up on our 2019 Global Forums schedule is our first-ever Skift Forum Asia! Happy to confirm we’relaunching a giveawayfor two lucky people to attend the conference in Singapore free of charge! We give away 2 tickets so you can bring a colleague and share the experience. We expect over 400 attendees representing 200+ companies, at the inaugural event.

The Skift Wellnessnewsletter is our weekly dispatch focused onwhat’s happening in wellness from a global business standpoint.Skift Wellness lives where wellness meets commerce, mindfulness meets technology, the yoga studio meets the boardroom, andhealth meets business. South by Southwest used to be known as a music festival with film premieres and tech activations. But there’s a new industry in town: wellness.

The Skift Airline Innovation Report is our weekly newsletter on the business of airline innovation. We look closely at the technological, financial, and design trends at airlines and airports. Brian Sumers writes and curates the newsletter, and we send it on Wednesdays. You can find previous issues of the newsletter here.

Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming megaship landed a big name in the food world. Emeril Lagasse — New Orleans chef, restaurateur, and former Food Network host — is teaming up with the cruise operator to open his first restaurant at sea on Mardi Gras, which launches next year.The announcement is the latest marketing move by Carnival to partner with well-known personalities as a way to make a connection with travelers who are new to cruising or to the brand.

Even as Aeromexico grounded its Boeing 737-8 Max fleet on Monday night, becoming the first North American operator to stop flying the jet, U.S. airlines remained committed to it. They say they’re confident in the technologically advanced airplane, even amid growing concerns and new calls for caution.

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines hospitality. For all of our weekend roundups,go here. Airbnb Is Buying HotelTonight: Here’s What That Means. Will Airbnb stick to its boutique and independent-only stance on hotels? It could put it at a serious disadvantage when it comes to competitors like Booking or Expedia in the long run.

Japan Airlines (JAL) packed a roomful of delegates eager to know more about its new low-cost, long-haul carrier at last week’s Aviation Festival Asia. But details were scant, and the audience left without knowing a lot more. They found that the key basics are still under consideration, even though an air operator’s certificate for the new airline is imminent.