Lastminute.com Group Chief Executive Fabio Cannavale. The company started life as an Italian flight search engine but is now active in 40 countries. Lastminute.com GroupSkift Take: It's clear from his answers that Fabio Cannavale will keep looking to buy more companies. He thinks there are plenty of companies for sale and he's got some cash on hand. — Patrick WhyteLastminute.

President Donald J. Trump, center, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, right, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. The White House / FlickrSkift Take: The stage has been set for a showdown in October that will have serious ramifications for the U.S. travel industry. — Andrew SheivachmanThe U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday morning that elements of thetravel ban implemented by President Donald J.

SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson is tying to make his carrier more nimble so it can take on both low cost carriers and full-service competition. Peter Knutson / SASSkift Take: It's a tough time to be a small, full-service airline in Europe. But SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson is trying to ensure his airline can compete both with low cost airlines, like Norwegian, and massive legacy airlines like Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM.

New Airbus A320 family cabins will have better windows for viewing outside. Airbus expects to have this new cabin flying by 2020. AirbusSkift Take: Is this a game-changer? No. But let's give Airbus some credit for making short-haul travel a little more pleasant. Too bad passengers must wait until 2020 to see the new cabins. — Brian SumersAirline seats may be getting tighter, but by 2020, passengers on some Airbus planes might be a little more comfortable.

Skift Take: More audience participation and diverse speakers will make this year's Skift Global Forum the best yet. — Rafat AliEvery year as we begin production for Skift Global Forum,we challenge ourselvesto build the best program ever built fora travel conference—and that means consistently out-doingourselves. That’s why this year’s Skift Global Forum NYC, happening September 26-27 atJazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants CEO Mike DeFrino sees plenty of growth for Kimpton under IHG. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Skift Take: The hotel company that started the boutique hotels movement in the U.S. wants to set a precedent for scaling up — without losing its soul in the process.

An Air Asia X Airbus A330 taxis in Sydney. The airline will not fly longer than eight or nine hours, its founder said Monday. Aero Icarus / FlickrSkift Take: This is probably a good business decision. Economy class fares from Asia to the United States and Europe are already low, because there's so much competition. The market probably doesn't need another entrant — at least for now. And who knows? Air Asia X might change its strategy at some point.

Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo is betting his company's future on Asia, especially the Chinese market. With a fleet of new Airbus A350s, it has the right plane for the routes. FinnairSkift Take: Not every airline can be a global behemoth. Finnair mostly focuses on its niche — connecting Europe with Asia, including secondary Chinese cities.

AccorHotels CEO Sebastien Bazin in knows that Airbnb will continue to grow, and feels strongly there needs to be more transparency about the identity of hosts. He's pictured above in a promotional video. AccorhotelsSkift Take: Most CEOs said the same thing they’ve said about Airbnb countless times before — ‘We need a level playing field’ — but there are signs that some are starting to take the $31 billion alternative accommodations provider a bit more seriously.

Farelogix CEO Jim Davidson is a regular on the airline conference circuit. His company helps Lufthansa and 18 other airlines with pricing, merchandising, and direct distribution. But getting airfares to agencies while bypassing the traditional middlemen is harder than it looks. FarelogixSkift Take: Lufthansa Group and IAG (the parent of British Airways) are striving to shake up airline distribution.