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Airline news digest: 31 January - 6 February 2026
Our regular rundown of the biggest airline stories from the past seven days.
Icelandair takes heart from trends in early 2026 after another tough year
After a tricky emergence from the Covid-19 crisis, Icelandair has reasons to believe that 2026 could be the year when it makes it back into the black.
Allegiant expects full-year capacity decline partially due to 737 Max delivery delays
US leisure carrier Allegiant Air issued a conservative outlook for the first quarter and full year, pointing to a ”modest delay” of 737 Max 8 deliveries from Boeing and a shaky demand outlook.
LATAM reinforces dominant position with strong revenue, capacity growth
LATAM Airlines Group reported a 50% surge in net profit to $1.5 billion for 2025 as the Chilean company consolidated its position as Latin America’s dominant airline operator.
Manufacturers’ broken promises and airline consolidation hot topics in Dublin
As ever, this January’s Airline Economics Growth Frontiers was the aviation finance community’s Davos – albeit with a snow-crisp Swiss ski resort swapped for a grey, damp, and gusty Dublin.
Airline News Digest: 24-30 January 2026
Our weekly rundown of the biggest airline stories from the past seven days.
Southwest not ‘copying’ rival US airlines with assigned seating and baggage fees: CEO Jordan
Southwest is rejecting suggestions that recent product changes have stripped away the carrier’s identity, insisting the moves reflect evolving customer preferences rather than mimicking competitors.
Wizz happy to deliver ‘benign’ earnings report as it rolls out revised strategy
After a turbulent few years at Wizz Air, executives were able to delivery a reassuringly straightforward report on the business’s October-December performance and the outlook for 2026.
Interviews
Why Emirates is adding an A350 service to Gatwick as it eyes further UK growth
Emirates will begin operating a fourth daily flight to Gatwick airport, bringing its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350-900 jets to the West Sussex facility for the first time.
How Saudia is transforming its business while growing to meet tourism demand
Commercial chief Arved von zur Muehlen outlines moves to transform the legacy carrier in tandem with the opening up of the kingdom to tourists
Neves focuses on network and frequency as Etihad gets back on growth path
Etihad Airways chief executive Antonoaldo Neves is steering the Abu Dhabi carrier into a growth phase with a strategy focused on boosting frequencies rather than dots on the route map
EgyptAir chief readies carrier for growth amid airport investment and tourism ambitions
Capt Ahmed Adel is positioning the North African carrier to play a crucial role as Egypt’s government invests in aviation infrastructure and seeks to double tourist traffic
LATAM chief Roberto Alvo focuses on fleet renewal as SAF remains elusive
LATAM’s chief executive believes that fleet renewal – and shoring up current-generation engine technologies – is the most viable path to boosting the efficiency of airline operations anytime soon.
Opinion
Is the airline industry’s new-found ‘resilience’ actually just peak premium demand?
It might be the case that strong demand for the expensive seats among travel-hungry leisure passengers is a structural change in the post-Covid era. But there are clear risks in going all-in on that assumption
Is the airline industry at a point of inflection?
Some regions face a changed revenue environment amid slow GDP growth and stubborn inflation, writes CTAIRA analyst Chris Tarry
How Trump administration’s actions are weighing on airline traffic from Canada and Mexico
Demand for air travel to the USA from neighbouring countries has slumped amid trade tensions, divisive rhetoric from the US president and concerns over economies, exposing the industry’s vulnerability to forces outside its control
Downside risks still centre stage for airlines
Lower fuel is helping profit levels but a mixed revenue picture is more instructive as airlines plan for next year, writes CTAIRA analyst Chris Tarry
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