A series of unfortunate events is sending airline sentiment plummeting. With consumer dollars up for grabs, one name leads [Derby City Daily logo](
[Derby City Daily logo]( January 23, 2024 [As Airlines Falter, One Stock Has a Clear Runway]( By Andy Swan Airlines are having a rough go in 2024, and consumer sentiment has never been worse. Sure, airlines historically score âlowâ in Consumer Happiness compared to the rest of the LikeFolio universe. But right now, the bar is so low that even the âbest of breedâ isnât cracking 60% positive on the sentiment scale: Whatâs going on? A Series of Unfortunate Events It started with the Alaska Airlines (ALK) Flight 1282 incident on January 5: One of its planes lost a âdoor plugâ mid-flight, tearing open a door-sized hole in the side of the plane at 16,000 feet above sea level while it was carrying hundreds of passengers. The Boeing 737-9 Max made an emergency landing. And while there were no casualties, the footage captured by terrified passengers was enough to send sentiment and public trust plummeting. This was a new plane (only eight weeks old). And a commonly used model, at that. The FAA grounded 171 similar Boeing 737-9 planes for immediate inspection. The Boeing Company (BA) shares plummeted just as quickly â currently down more than 17% year to date. Shortly after, another plane was forced to make an emergency landing due to a door light sensor (and yes, all aboard were triggered). The United Airlines (UAL) Airbus A319 made an emergency landing at Tampa International Airport â safely and with no injuries reported. The incident occurred because of an open-door light indicator flashing, leading to concerns about a possible door issue. It was more a precaution than anything else. But less than a week after the first incident, this United grounding could further contribute to concerns regarding the maintenance and safety standards of commercial aircraft. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines (SAVE), known for its dirt-cheap fares, is facing a significant setback in its bid to avoid bankruptcy. A federal judge blocked its proposed merger with JetBlue Airways (JBLU) last week, citing concerns over reduced competition. Spirit saw its stock price slashed by more than half on the news. Spirit and JetBlue filed an appeal on Friday â so the drama isnât over yet. But the cumulative impact on consumer sentiment stemming from these events has been so bad that itâs making American Airlines (AAL) look good. AAL traditionally scores [at the bottom of the pack]( in Consumer Happiness. Now, itâs tied for first place at just 59% positive. A Clear Runway Consumer Happiness is typically LikeFolioâs best indicator for long-term future growth. And right now, the airline industry is so shaken by public safety events and viability concerns that the future bookings of consumers are... pretty much up for grabs. Website data reveals a clear leader amid the chaos: Delta Air Lines (DAL) leads with 9% year-over-year growth in web visits, while the rest dip â and Southwest (LUV) trails furthest behind with a 21% decline. At this point, it's really Deltaâs game to lose. Airline sentiment might be dismal â but [we can show you a tiny AI player]( rocking 84% Consumer Happiness right now. Considering this metric is a fantastic long-term growth indicator, [this could be the best $3 bet you make all year](. [More on that pick here](. Until next time, [Andy Swan's signature]
[Andy Swan's signature] Andy Swan
Founder, LikeFolio ð
Earnings on Deck This Week AAL, LUV, and ALK are all due to report earnings this Thursday, January 25, 2024, but they're not the only stocks weâre watching. Still to come this week: Ethan Allen (ETD), McCormick (MKC), Tesla (TSLA), Sherwin-Williams (SHW), IBM (IBM), Levi (LEVI), Intel (INTC), SoFi Technologies (SOFI)... and we'll be trading all of them [with Earnings Season Pass](. Tesla could be setting up for the biggest surprise, according to our earnings algorithm, [and if you act now]( you can still get in on our earnings trade of the week for a quick-hit profit opportunity thatâll have you cashing out your profits by Friday. [Go here to get started](. Get Instant Access
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