Airline CEO Remco Althuis on the airline business, KLM, Etihad, China Southern & Air Seychelles

Summary

 In this episode of the Just Great People podcast, Barry Eustance interviews airline CEO Remco Althuis, who shares his extensive experience in the airline industry, including his journey with KLM and Air Seychelles.

The conversation covers various themes such as cultural integration in joint ventures, the complexities of revenue management, the importance of profitability, and the need for simplicity in airline operations.

Remco emphasises the significance of understanding market dynamics and the role of effective revenue management in achieving profitability.

He also discusses the future of airline economics and key factors that contribute to the success of an airline.

 

Takeaways

• Airline CEO Remco Althuis shares his journey in the airline industry.
• Cultural integration is crucial in joint ventures.
• Revenue management is a craft that requires understanding market dynamics.
• Filling seats is easy, but making flights profitable is challenging.
• Airlines need to reach high seat factors to be profitable.
• Simplicity in operations can lead to better financial outcomes.
• Understanding local market demand is essential for route profitability.
• The airline industry has a significant number of unsold seats.
• Effective revenue management can prevent losses and optimise profits.
• Key factors for airline success include cost control and market understanding.

Titles

• Navigating the Skies: Remco Althuis's Airline Journey
• Cultural Integration in Aviation: Lessons from Remco Althuis

Sound Bites

• "Talk less and listen more"
• "Revenue management is a craft"
• "The higher the scale, the better"

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Remco Althuis and His Journey

02:12 Early Career at KLM and E-commerce Innovations

04:07 Cultural Integration in Joint Ventures

06:18 Route Launches and Stakeholder Engagement in China

08:14 Understanding Airline Profitability and Revenue Management

09:37 Challenges in Revenue Management

14:08 The Importance of Cost Control in Airlines

18:02 Simplicity in Airline Operations

22:37 The Role of Aircraft Choice in Airline Economics

25:06 Summarising Airline Economics and Profitability

33:07 Conclusion and Future Insights

Useful Links

The Sixsess Consultancy’s Training Courses

https://sixsess.org/training/

 

The Sixsess Consultancy’s About Page

https://sixsess.org/about-us/

 

Barry Eustance’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-eustance/

 

Remco Althuis LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/remco-althuis-13416b1/

 

The Just Great People YouTube Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1mLL4YkJ9LEUPsjaZwBLAjoR-h8YEXpu

Keywords

 

airline industry, Remco Althuis, revenue management, cultural integration, airline profitability, airline operations, joint ventures, airline economics, KLM, Air Seychelles, Etihad, China Southern, Nordic, The Just Great People Podcast, airline economics, airline business, airline order backlogs, the airline industry in 2025