As 2022 comes to a close, we'd like to thank all our dedicated readers who continue on this unprecedented journey through commercial aviation with us. 

Before looking ahead to next year, let's look back at 2022. Let's count down our top 10 most-read articles published in 2022.

10. Are Cryptocurrencies a Viable Payment Option for Airlines?

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), although enduring their own ebbs and flows, are increasingly becoming a part of the mainstream and gaining traction as a means of payment.

There are crypto debit cards, an increasing number of merchants accepting crypto payments and even entire countries such as El Salvador making Bitcoin legal tender.

This naturally leads us to wonder, where is crypto’s place in air travel and should airlines embrace this alternative payment option? This article dives into that question.

9. The Future of Status Matching & Frequent Flyer Programs

Following the recent global Loyalty & Awards conference in Madrid, we had the opportunity to interview one of the event's sponsors StatusMatch.

The company is making headwinds as the first official medium that enables frequent travelers to exchange their current status at one airline for an equal or higher status at another airline.

Mark Ross-Smith, CEO and Co-founder told us about the history of frequent flyer programs and the ambitions he has for StatusMatch.

8. Airline Fare Bundles – A Step to Better Meeting Traveler Needs

This was the first in a three-part series looking into airline fare bundles, including the opportunities that exist and what's next for the pricing strategy.

This article outlines how by offering fare bundles airlines are better catering to traveler needs. The airlines present a menu of product bundles when presenting flight choices; each fare represents a re-bundling of select ancillary features.  

7. Bid Price - The Rosetta Stone of Revenue Management

In economics, the opportunity cost of an activity is the expected value we give up when we take one action in lieu of another.

In the airline revenue management context, we assume capacity is fixed, so each seat on a plane that is sold has an opportunity cost equal to the revenue the airline could capture if it still had that seat for sale in the future.

This opportunity cost is referred to as the “bid price” in the RM context.  

6. Understanding How the Freedoms of the Air Impact International Route Planning

As we outlined in this article, air freedom rights have a significant impact on how airlines plan their international routes.  

Boiled down most simply, Freedoms of the Air are a set of aviation rights granting the privilege to a commercial airline of a specific country/territory to enter or land in another country/territory.

Historically, an airline needs the approval of the governments involved before it can fly in or out of a country, or even fly over another country without landing.

5. What Has IATA Achieved So Far with Its NDC and ONE Order Distribution Initiatives?

One of the most discussed and debated themes in commercial aviation is distribution. Specifically, IATA's NDC (new distribution capability) and ONE Order protocols have been greatly discussed.

At the beginning of the year, we had a look at NDC and One Order, outlining what it is and where the airline industry stood at the time. 

4. What NFTs and the Metaverse Mean for Airline Loyalty Programs

Some of the most polarizing terms this year have been NFTs and the metaverse, so no surprise to see this article on the list. 

These new technologies of course have made their way into the airline space. Therefore, at the beginning of the year, we examined how airline loyalty programs could be reimagined with NFTs and the metaverse.

3. What Have Airlines Been Doing with NFTs and the Metaverse?

We decided to follow up on our NFTs and metaverse piece by checking in on the industry's progress.

By the middle of the year, we found NFT tickets, expanding airline-based NFTs and airlines continuing to hop into the metaverse.

2. Amadeus Acquires Kambr to Expand Its Revenue Management Offer for Airlines

Of course, the biggest news of the year finds itself near the top of the list. The only thing surprising is it didn't grab the top spot. 

Here's the official announcement of our acquisition. 

1. An Introduction to Network Planning & Schedule Management

It's great to see that Kambr Media continues to be a source for knowledge gathering and learning! 

Our most-read article of the year was our crash course on network planning and schedule management. Stay tuned for more educational content in the new year. 

As we close out the year, we want to thank all of you for reading and supporting Kambr Media!