Europe Weekend Review: Ryanair's M&A Appetite + NH Hotels Gets New Investment

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

May 26, 2018 View in browser

Editor's Note Plenty of people in the aviation industry have learned not to take Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary too seriously over the years. You just need to take a look at some of his most outlandish quotes to understand how his mind works. He's happy trolling other airlines, politicians and the traveling public, but you can only get away with that kind of behavior if your airline is a success – which undoubtedly Ryanair is. His criticism of Brexit is overblown, but pertinent as is his assessment of the airline industry in general. O'Leary has long predicted that rivals would go bankrupt and he has saved some of his choicest words for Norwegian. What then to make of the story this week that Ryanair has shown an "interest" in Norwegian? It's not as outlandish as it might appear. After all, Ryanair is now much more interested in participating in airline mergers and acquisitions than it was before. It is buying up to 75 percent of newly created Austrian carrier LaudaMotion and this week O'Leary said there would be further "opportunities" in this arena. So what about Norwegian? A Ryanair spokesperson denied it was interested in Norwegian, telling the Irish Independent: "Our CEO has repeatedly said we believe NAS [Norwegian] will go bust as oil rises to $80 a barrel and we don't catch falling knives." That would be a no then. — Patrick Whyte, Europe Editor Our Latest Skift Research Report Dives into Amazon in Travel Skift Research predicts Amazon could play a major role in the future of distribution, marketing, or technology in travel. Our latest report outlines scenarios for strategists, marketers, and executives to demystify both Amazon's business model and their potential approaches to travel. Learn More Top Stories Why Ryanair Is Hungry for Acquisitions Ryanair is the great white shark of the airline world. It knows which airlines are bleeding cash and it is in the mood to feast. Reimbursement for Flight Disruptions Slowly Gets Smarter Flyers are sometimes owed money from airlines following disruptions and delays, usually small amounts. New advances make it easier to submit claims, but it can still take a long time for flyers to get the money they deserve. Smarter predictive technology will eventually make delays and disruptions less of a hassle, or at least lead to insurance products that are actually useful. Minor International Pays $225 Million to Boost Stake in Spain's NH Hotels With Oceanwood (mostly) checking out and HNA looking to sell, it's all change at NH Hotels. Maybe this will kick off the consolidation in the hotel market that so many have predicted. U.S. Issues New Requirements for Russian Planes in Airspace Spat The State Department just closed the books on the last long-running airline-related diplomatic saga in Washington — Open Skies agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Now, apparently, the government is turning its attention to a feud with Russia about so-called overflight rights. Airlines Test Adding Metasearch to Their Websites If they can't beat the online travel companies, airlines might as well try to copy those companies' slickest moves. A couple of carriers are testing the display of flights on rival airlines in an attempt to prevent consumers from clicking away to shop elsewhere. Skift Podcast: How European Tourism Came Back From the Brink Tune in to hear experts on European tourism discuss the recent growth in visitors — and how to best manage it. Road Trip Evolution For all of you jet-setters out there who want to know how the other half live or, shall we say, vacation, Assistant Editor Sarah Enelow-Snyder wrote a three-part series on the evolution of the road trip, USA-style. Not only is it a great read, but it also provides valuable insights into how a subset of the travel industry caters to wanderlust-driven vacationers on the road. How Driving Defines Us: The Future of American Road Trips Road trips in the United States are statistically on the rise due to both economic and cultural factors. These vacations have incredible potential to reflect what's simmering beneath the surface of contemporary America. Tours and Hotels Look for Innovative Ways to Cater to Luxury and Budget Road Trippers While most American road trips are DIY, created piecemeal on a budget, the luxury set has options and smart travel brands know who to target. Self-Driving Cars, Electric Vehicles, and the Future of Hitting the Road The sharing economy hardly puts a dent in the fact that most American road trips occur with owned cars. But look out for brands adapting to electric vehicles before driverless cars change things completely. More Editor's Picks America's Smallest Discount Airline Wants to Emulate EasyJet With Cabin Retrofit Project Sun Country wants it both ways. It wants to add fees and reduce legroom for some passengers. But it also wants to keep the brand equity it earned when it was a full-service airline. Can this strategy work? An Allegiant Air Executive Popular With Wall Street Resigns Lukas Johnson isn't the most senior executive at Allegiant Air, but he has an outsized role at a company that has remarkably few executive vice presidents. He'll almost certainly be missed. Six Flags Is Adding 5 Parks in a Promised U.S. Expansion Push Six Flags has been talking up this scenario for more than a year, so it will be interesting to see how the strategy plays out. Will more people opt for season passes that give them access to multiple parks, even if those parks are a few hours away from each other? Mexico Tourism Marketing Blitz to Address Safety Concerns After Violence Royal Caribbean Tour Venture GoBe Calls It Quits As we've said repeatedly: Everyone wants a piece of tours and activities, but not everyone can be successful. Royal Caribbean Cruises tried something different for a cruise company with GoBe, but the space was crowded. For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab. You received this email because you are subscribed to Skift Daily Newsletter from Skift.

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