Understanding airlines, alliances & fleets

Air Berlin: the rise and bankruptcy of Germany’s second-largest airline

From a Mallorca charter carrier in divided Berlin to Germany’s second-largest airline – and into insolvency in 2017. The story of Air Berlin with its acquisitions, fleet, liveries and the farewell flight to Tegel.

Fleet planning: how airlines manage orders, options, delivery slots and retirement

Between signing a purchase contract and the first scheduled flight, many years often pass. How firm orders, options, delivery slots, leasing and retirement work together – and how you can spot the effects at the fence.

Major airline bankruptcies in Europe: from Swissair to Alitalia

Grounding in Zurich, bankruptcy in Brussels, last flight to Tegel: how the big European airline collapses from 2001 to 2021 unfolded, what the cases have in common and where their aircraft, codes and brands live on.

Airline callsigns and their history: Speedbird, Shamrock, Dynasty and more

Speedbird, Shamrock, Dynasty, Cactus or Rooster: behind many airline callsigns are logos, predecessor airlines, hometowns or puns. How callsigns are assigned and what stories lie behind them.

Multi-brand strategies: why airline groups create subsidiaries and platforms

Eurowings, Discover, Transavia, Vueling, Malta Air, Jetstar: behind many airline names is a group with a plan. Why groups create subsidiaries and platforms, which models exist, which ones failed – and how to tell the operators apart at the fence.

AOC and operating license: what legally makes an airline an airline

A logo and aircraft don’t make an airline. Only an air operator certificate (AOC) and an operating license allow commercial flights. What the two documents regulate, who issues them and what you can read from them as a spotter.

Charter vs. scheduled flights: differences, history and today’s leisure airlines

Once clearly separate, today often hard to tell apart: what distinguishes a scheduled flight from a charter flight, how package-holiday carriers became modern leisure airlines and what to look out for as a spotter.

Codeshare flights explained: why one flight has several flight numbers

Three flight numbers, one aircraft: in a codeshare, partner airlines sell the same flight under their own code. Who flies, who sells, what shows up on the radio and flight tracker, and how to tell codeshares from wet leases and regional partners.

The EU air safety list: which airlines can’t fly in Europe and why

Around 150 airlines are banned from flying into the EU. How the EU air safety list comes about, what separates Annex A from Annex B, which countries are affected and why the list is not a sanctions list.

Aircraft leasing explained: dry lease, sale-and-leaseback and the big lessors

Many airliners don’t belong to the airline named on the fuselage. How dry lease, wet lease and sale-and-leaseback work, who the big leasing companies are and how to spot lease changes at the fence.

The freedoms of the air: traffic rights from the first to the ninth freedom

Why does an Asian airline land in Frankfurt and continue to New York? The nine freedoms of the air govern who may fly where. A clear overview with examples and a spotter’s view.

Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad: the hub model of the Gulf carriers

Three airlines, three hubs, one principle: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad connect the world via Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. How the model works, where the three differ and what it means for you as a spotter.

Hub-and-spoke vs. point-to-point: comparing airline network models

Network airlines funnel traffic through hubs, low-cost carriers fly route by route. How both network models work, where their strengths and weaknesses lie and why they shape the traffic at the fence so differently.

IATA and ICAO codes explained: decoding airports, airlines and aircraft types

Three letters on the boarding pass, four on the flight tracker: why airports, airlines and aircraft types each have two codes, how they are built and how to read them confidently while spotting.

Express integrators DHL, FedEx and UPS: networks, hubs and fleets

Yellow, purple-orange, brown-gold: behind the three big express brands are completely different networks. How integrators work, where their hubs are, which freighters they fly and how to tell them apart reliably as a spotter.

Transatlantic joint ventures: how airlines share routes and revenue

Across the North Atlantic, the big airlines work together more closely than in any alliance: they coordinate schedules, share revenue and have competition authorities approve it. How the three big joint ventures work – and what they mean for spotters.

How low-cost airlines work: costs, single-type fleets and ancillary revenue

Low-cost airlines do not save in one place but in many at once: one aircraft type, dense seating, short ground times, cheap airports and a base fare where almost everything else costs extra. Here is how the model fits together.

Miles & More explained: award miles, points, status and redemption

Award miles to redeem, points for status: how the Lufthansa Group frequent flyer program works, which airlines belong to it and how to use your miles sensibly.

Open skies agreements and the EU single aviation market: who can fly where?

Why does a Malta-registered Ryanair fly from Vienna to Palma, and why has a Delta jet landed at Heathrow since 2008? The answer lies in air service agreements. How open skies and the EU single market work – and how to spot their traces at the fence.

Regional airlines in Europe: feeders, contract flying and island routes

KLM colors, but not a KLM aircraft? Behind many short flights in Europe are regional airlines. Which business models exist, how contract flying and island services work and how to recognize the operators at the fence.

Star Alliance, oneworld, SkyTeam: the three alliances compared

Three alliances, around 60 airlines and three special liveries: who belongs to which alliance, where their hubs are and how to use this knowledge at the fence and in your logbook.

Understanding frequent flyer programs: miles, status tiers and alliance benefits

Two currencies, several tiers, three alliances: how frequent flyer programs award miles and status, what Star Alliance Gold, oneworld Emerald and SkyTeam Elite Plus mean and where it pays off for spotters.

Wet lease explained: why other airlines’ aircraft fly for your airline

You book with one airline and an aircraft in someone else’s colors is at the gate? Then a wet lease is often flying. What ACMI means, who bears which responsibility and how to recognize such operations at the fence.