Are airlines reducing freebies to travel site operators?

[Melburnian1]

A well-known competitor site to 'AFF' hasn't posted a freebie airline business class review since July 2024.

Perhaps the head honcho is 'too busy' to travel, but I doubt that.

It gives the impression with demand for international flights' business class strong for many airlines operating to and from Oz, carriers perceive they don't need the clicks or newspaper travel sections' readers (and viewers) that they would in more constrained times.

So-called 'boomers' with spare cash are prioritising travel despite an otherwise lacklustre Australian economy. Many have the funds to travel in J, with a much smaller cohort travelling in F, although heaps of airlines don't offer the latter.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I still get the impression there’s plenty of positive content out there generated by close relationships with airlines.

It may not be a business class review, but it could be a seat on an aircraft delivery flight, or entry to an airline trade show where new products are displayed and promoted, or something else hosted by the airlines. Look at the roll-out of the new Air France first class suite… lots of coverage by all the blogs and ‘news’ sites. The writers had to get there somehow.