Gordon Smith

Gordon Smith is Airlines Editor at Skift and Editor at Airline Weekly. He’s been writing about the sector for more than a decade and enjoyed a front-row seat for some of the aviation industry’s biggest stories. Since joining Skift in January 2024, he has interviewed more than a dozen global airline CEOs, often helping make headlines along the way (special thanks to Michael O’Leary!). His informed insights have led to contributions for international media, including the London Evening Standard and Canada’s CBC Radio.

Latest Stories

Airline Weekly

Qantas in Focus

In part one, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat take a closer look at Qantas and ask how major new projects could change its business. In part two, we turn our attention to Colombian national carrier Avianca and put its latest earnings in context.

2 weeks ago

Airlines

First Class Fiasco: Swiss Adds Metal Weights to Rebalance Premium-Heavy Planes

Airlines are obsessive about reducing weight to keep fuel costs down and bolster environmental credentials. This decision from Swiss will not have come lightly.

Gordon Smith | 2 weeks ago

Airlines

Skift Power Rankings: Michael O’Leary

Everyone wants to know O’Leary’s opinion – and he’s not afraid to give it.

Gordon Smith | 2 weeks ago

Airlines

Skift Power Rankings: Sir Tim Clark

He took Emirates from startup to one of the world’s largest international airlines.

Gordon Smith | 2 weeks ago

Airlines

Skift Power Rankings: Ed Bastian

Ed Bastian made smart moves that put Delta at the crest of the premium wave. The airline now rakes in one of every three dollars of profit made in the entire U.S. airline industry.

Gordon Smith | 2 weeks ago

Airlines

Virgin Atlantic Reviews ‘Gender Neutral’ Policy for New Saudi Route

Throughout its 40-year history, Virgin Atlantic has made its name by shaking up the airline establishment. This move suggests that when cultural sensitivities are concerned, even a trailblazer can have its limits.

Gordon Smith | 3 weeks ago

Airlines

Star Alliance Fires Back at SAS Defection with Loyalty Status Match

With the ink barely dry on the divorce papers, Star Alliance is wasting no time in luring back some of SAS’ most loyal - and profitable - passengers. The aim of this neatly timed promotion is business continuity and customer retention, but it remains to be seen how many frequent flyers will take up the offer.

Gordon Smith | 3 weeks ago

Airlines

Can Koala Airlines Break Australia’s ‘Third Player’ Curse?

The prospect of a level-headed and sustainable competitor entering the Australian market is exciting, but a huge number of unknowns makes it near-impossible to predict Koala Airlines' chances in the wild.

Gordon Smith | 3 weeks ago

Airline Weekly

Busiest Global Airports: The Q4 2024 Preview

Of the 100 busiest airports worldwide, we reveal the likely winners and losers for Q4 and ask what these capacity trends tell us about the industry’s broader direction of travel.

3 weeks ago

Airlines

First Look Inside Qantas’ New ‘Xtra Long Range’ Plane

Qantas is the latest big-name airline to switch from Boeing to Airbus for its next generation of planes. Despite huge retraining and operational complexities, the carrier is betting that the short-term pain will pay off handsomely.

Gordon Smith | 3 weeks ago