The long and short of ‘premium economy’ – CNN Out of the Office
This week, I look at premium economy options in light of Delta’s decision to introduce it’s own version.

Delta Sees Empty Seats in January, but That May Not be Bad – BNET Headwinds
The January traffic roundup is in and Delta didn’t have the best month. If fares were high enough, however, that might not be bad.

Low-fare marriage of Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways may be a plus for Northeast Ohio – Cleveland Plain Dealer
I was asked about my thoughts on what would happen to Cleveland and Akron/Canton when the Southwest/AirTran merger was complete and my quote here doesn’t really make it clear. I can easily see both Cleveland and Akron/Canton having a place in the Southwest system, but it’s always possible that strategy could dictate otherwise.

United’s 757 Grounding: What It Really Says About Airline Safety – BNET Headwinds
United had to ground some 757s this week, but this isn’t all bad. It shows the strength of the airline safety culture.

Airlines Start Tightening Belts as Fuel Prices Rise – BNET Headwinds
Fuel prices are on the rise and that means it’s time for airlines to start revisiting growth plans. Delta’s already done it.

Low-Cost Airlines: Increasingly Flying to a Major Airport Near You – BNET Headwinds
Secondary airports used to be the place to find low cost carriers, but they’re now increasingly moving toward primary airports.

Why airline fees are good for travelers – CNN.com Out of the Office
I’m now writing a new weekly CNN.com column entitled Out of the Office. I started off with a very controversial topic, and the reaction was, um, stiff. People aren’t nearly as civilized with their comments on CNN.com, that’s for sure.

US Airways: Why We Don’t Bother Hedging Jet-Fuel Prices – BNET Headwinds
US Airways doesn’t hedge, and so far it’s paying dividends. See why the strategy makes sense for the airline today.

Google-ITA Rewards Orbitz and Undercuts Merger Opposition at the Same Time – BNET Headwinds
ITA signed a renewal with Orbitz and that might have some impact on whether or not Google’s effort to buy ITA gets approved.

In the Trenches: Getting Help with Hiring – Intuit Small Business Blog
After realizing that hiring on my own wasn’t going to work well, I looked elsewhere for help.

Heathrow-Virgin Spat: Virgin Caves, but Wins the PR Battle – BNET Headwinds
Virgin Atlantic’s effort to withhold funds from BAA has failed, but the war is still ongoing.

Delta ranks near bottom in on-time performance – Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was asked whether a poor on time performance record would make fliers consider alternatives. Yep.

American May Be Turning the Tables in Its Feud With Orbitz – BNET Headwinds
American’s deal with Priceline pokes holes in some of the arguments against the direct connect model, including the idea that it will be difficult to compare across airlines.

How An Airline Justifies Investing in Its Onboard Service (Since Most Don’t) – BNET Headwinds
I sat with Air New Zealand’s outgoing chief of long haul Ed Sims to talk about how the airline decided to invest in the product.

In the Trenches: The Difficult Process of Hiring – Intuit Small Business Blog
My plan to do some limited hiring has been thwarted by complex regulations around having an employee. I need to find a different way.

Ranking America’s Safest Airlines Is a Silly Exercise – BNET Headwinds
US News decided to rank America’s safest airlines. This is ridiculous.

At Heathrow, a New $7 Billion Terminal Actually Doesn’t Seem Crazy – BNET Headwinds
Heathrow’s Terminal 5 was incredibly expensive, but BA says it’s saving the airline more money every day, so it’s worth it.

Why Frontier Airlines Isn’t Going Anywhere Any Time Soon – BNET Headwinds
A post came out suggesting that Frontier wouldn’t exist by the end of this year. That’s laughable.

In the Trenches: Burning Out – Intuit Small Business Blog
It’s been a long time coming, but I’m starting to feel twinges of burnout. It’s time to fight that feeling.

Why Google’s Purchase of ITA Software Would Be Good for Air Travelers – BNET Headwinds
The title of this doesn’t really reflect the story, which focuses on how American’s new deal with Google could be huge for both companies.

Why Airlines Bother to Sponsor Sport Teams – BNET Headwinds
Delta announced it was sponsoring the Lakers, and that spurred me to write this post.

How Airline Alliances Get Put Together, Middle East Edition – BNET Headwinds
SkyTeam has snagged Saudi Arabian, not necessarily a great prize but it’s the best available in a region that’s mostly alliance-free.

December Airline Traffic: Don’t Even Bother, As Winter Weather Skewed Everything – BNET Headwinds
December traffic roundup, but the weather really messed things up.

In the Trenches: Tax Season Approaches – Intuit Small Business Blog
It’s tax time, and I’m not taking any chances. I’m getting professional help.