My Bold Prediction for United etc.
Welcome back to Brooke In The Air!
United Airlines Boing 767-400ER in Berlin, DE
I don’t usually make predictions of so many in a row but it’s been an exciting week in aviation! This week, I’ll make some bold predictions regarding United Airlines, JetBlue, exclusive business-class airlines like La Compagnie, Middle East carriers and more!
So without further ado, let’s get to it.
Newark (EWR) as seen at night on takeoff.
United Airlines is on track to be the largest carrier in the world, eclipsing 1,000 mainline aircraft, JetBlue will add nearly 200 aircraft to the United mainline fleet, for a total well above 1,250 individual aircraft; United is also becoming the unofficial flag carrier of the United States. In general, the service United provides especially to MileagePlus members, card members, and any passengers who happen to book in first or in Polaris business class. United CEO Scott Kirby has truly turned United around and metaphorically “righted the ship.” He will continue to do so and United will eventually open a true international hub, likely either Frankfurt, Germany or Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. Frankfurt makes sense given how friendly United and Lufthansa currently are, and the fact that Frankfurt is already a major international airline hub that United flies to.
I see United finally retiring the Boeing 767 aircraft in 2026. These workhorses of United’s long-haul fleet, will be replaced by the Airbus A321-XLR on lower-demand routes. Even more A321s will be available once JetBlue is folded into United.
JetBlue will steadily disappear as the merger with United is completed by the middle of 2026, possibly the end. United, with the JetBlue takeover, will return to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, though they won’t give up their fortress-hub at Newark-Liberty (EWR).
It will be interesting to see what becomes of JetBlue’s new lounges specifically their Mint lounges, but i see these lounges as becoming/turning into various United Clubs and at least one flagship Polaris Lounge at JFK.
Qatar Airways’ advertisement on the A350-900XWB
In the Middle East, the heart of luxury aviation is beating strong at Gulf Air is a sleeping Bahraini giant behind the well-known airlines of Emirates and Etihad, plus Qatar Airways. Do not sleep on Gulf Air. They already have luxurious lounges and business-class seats on their Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Then there’s the average- to good (depending on your flight) MEA or Middle East Airlines, based in Beirut, Lebanon. This airline has the potential to be great but it doesn’t consistently act on it's potential.
La Compagnie Boeing 757 before being retired in favor of the Airbus A321.
Business-class exclusive airlines such as La Compagnie will not fail but won’t necessarily succeed either. They won’t fail due to their lack of any extensive network and a route map made up of one base-hub and four (4) destinations, including only one destination/departure point in the US. Notably, that departure point being Newark-Liberty International Airport, or EWR. The end-destination being Paris-Charles De Gaulle (CDG). I’ve run the numbers, and you might as well just take major airlines iknstead of a boutique air carrier like La Compagnie. You’re looking at 2,800 USD one-way per seat on La Compagnie on the low-end during off-peak travel times. La Compagnie operates a fleet of only two Airbus A321-NEOs with A321-XLRs slated for delivery by 2026 as replacements for the A321-NEOs. Definition: In the same way as boutique hotels, boutique airlines are equally appropriate for business and vacation travel. It is a category of its own, with a focus on lifestyle branding, and thus positions airline outside the traditional segmentation of four- and five-star airlines. La Compagnie (based in France), BermudAir (flag carrier of Bermuda), Bangkok Airways (one of several Thai carriers), AirSWIFT (now part of Philippines’ Cebu Pacific fleet) and Sunlight Air (another Philippine airline) describe themselves as boutique airlines.
For traveling, the definition of boutique comes from the term boutique hotels, which refers to intimate and stylish establishments providing luxurious experiences. This is true for select boutique airlines as well.
So far that’s all the predictions for this week!
