Sky Lounge Podcast

Hello everyone, and welcome to The Sky Lounge Podcast!

In this episode, Alex & self sit down with Tero Taskila, CEO of Beond, the airline redefining travel as the world’s first premium leisure airline.

Beond is far from a traditional carrier, and this conversation explores what it really means to build an airline around luxury, leisure, and a completely different business mindset. From business model innovation to the future of premium travel, this is a wide-ranging discussion packed with fresh insights and bold ideas. And yes, they do have ROUND THE WORLD tickets, if you want to go BEOND the grind of normal travel.

For more information on Tero, do check out his Linkedin profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terotaskila/

Recommend reading this article from Tero on Linkedin, especially if you are setting out on an entrepreneurship journey or have an innovative idea that you want to see come to life;

Every New Thing Is Born Into Doubt
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/every-new-thing-born-doubt-tero-taskila-cxjqf/?trackingId=YNp6Tid5QXOeaLELC%2FOjqg%3D%3D

Tero’s article argues that every genuinely new idea or innovation inevitably faces a predictable cycle of resistance—starting with skepticism, then often turning into cynicism, before eventual acceptance if it proves its value. The core message is that doubt is not a signal that something is wrong, but rather a natural and necessary filter that all meaningful progress must pass through. Instead of avoiding criticism, innovators should expect it, endure it, and use it as validation that they are doing something truly new; in this sense, persistence through early doubt is what separates ideas that fade away from those that ultimately reshape industries or thinking.

Tero ends the article with this "Most companies do not fail because the doubters were right. They fail because the founders and/or investors ran out of patience before the evidence arrived."

Tune in & enjoy the conversation.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’re about to step into the world of airport lounges, but not as you know them. The lounge experience is being reimagined. And leading that change is the Plaza Premium Group, the independent hospitality brand that democratized (this is a word you will hear very often in the episode) airport comfort.

In this episode, we take a very comfortable & relaxed lounge chat with Jonathan Song, Chief Commercial Officer at the Plaza Premium Group. We explore whether lounges belong in city centers as well, how partnerships with premium brands shape the traveler journey, and what it really takes to build an ecosystem across lounges, hotels, and dining. Plus — three words to describe Plaza Premium’s internal culture.

If you’ve ever rushed past a lounge entrance wishing you had access, this conversation is for you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The final 2025 episode of The Sky Lounge Podcast – where Alexandra & David talk about the Dubai Airshow, long haul narrow body aircraft, the 777X flying at the Airshow (but when will it truly fly?);
They then talk about Beond & it's US expansion, global airport growth ambitions and much more!

A question for 2026 - Will fast & free onboard WIFI be a criterion for you to choose which airline to fly?

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and the very very best for the New Year!

Both of us will be back in the new year, with a very new interesting format for SKY LOUNGE! Stay tuned!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode had more that it's fair share of focus on low cost airlines. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has packed up and left, Spirit has filed for bankruptcy… again, and we share a few stories from our own recent trips on budget carriers. Of course, you can’t talk low-cost without mentioning their favorite workhorses—the Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s and woo hoo, we may have a new market #1 soon!

Alex also tells us about her not-so-smooth experience trying to use the United Airlines app from outside the U.S., and David comes back buzzing with passion and connections from the ICAO NGAP conference in Durban.

To round it all off, we chat about airlines, brand value, and why airlines rank so low in global brand rankings!

Here's a quick quizzer for you - I made a factual mistake in the PODCAST. Can you point out what it is?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost family and friends in the recent Air India AI171 accident in India.

In this episode, Alex and David had plenty to catch up on—especially with David just back from his U.S. travels. He was absolutely raving about the United Airlines app, calling it “H-appy” with good reason! Meanwhile, Alex couldn’t get over Air France and their delicious ground-based food experiment.

They also dove into the latest Boeing and Airbus forecasts—yes, there are lots of planes on the horizon. Plus, the recent IATA conference delivered some fascinating insights and statistics.

https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2025-speeches/2025-06-02-01/

Enjoy the episode!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.