Trade clashes would have 'muted' effects on leisure travel, says airline CEO

Growing trade tensions spurred by US President Donald Trump's increasingly confrontational trade policies may affect the airline industry, but the CEO of Hawaii's largest airline said the impact would likely be limited. "We worry from the standpoint that anything that's bad for the global economy is bad for the airline industry," Peter Ingram, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines told CNBC. "I would say that from our standpoint, it's a little bit more muted," he added. Ingram attributed his statement to the fact the company is "based in Honolulu," that it is a "leisure-focused airline," and that many people view family vacations as a "basic right in the world today." "Leisure travel has been continuing to grow, and I think it has proven — through economic downturns in fact — to be more resilient than business travel, where corporations are able, in time of need, to really cut things down," Ingram said. Technology has made traveling more specialized, and airlines need to develop to cater to a wider range of customers, the CEO said. The CEO said he expects carriers like Hawaiian Airlines to continue developing different products to serve the growing range of clients with "different needs."<br/>