Skift
• Meghna Maharishi
Alaska Airlines sees room to expand from its West Coast hubs in Portland and San Diego while contending with rising fuel costs. The strategy signals a focus on growth in markets beyond the carrier’s traditional West Coast footprint even as a key operating expense climbs.
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Alaska Airlines sees room to expand from its West Coast hubs in Portland and San Diego while contending with rising fuel costs. The strategy signals a focus on growth in markets beyond the carrier’s traditional West Coast footprint even as a key operating expense climbs.
Surf Air Mobility says it has reduced labor and operating costs and further optimized its fleet as it pursues profitability. The company also reported lower direct operating costs and fuel consumption in the first nine months of 2026 across its Hawaiʻi and mainland airline operations, but did not disclose details of the fleet reductions.
Fly91 plans to increase weekly flights by more than 26% for the IATA northern winter season, its largest route expansion since launching operations. The Goa-based regional carrier’s schedule growth marks a significant step-up in its network deployment.
Garuda Indonesia plans to raise additional debt and has negotiated longer payment terms with its main fuel supplier, PT Pertamina, the airline said on an earnings call. The steps come as soaring oil and maintenance costs deepen its losses, underscoring pressure on the carrier’s finances.
Aircraft shortages have helped sustain demand for repairs, benefiting GE and other maintenance providers. But persistently high fuel prices could change airlines’ calculus: operators may retire less-efficient aircraft rather than invest in overhauls. Despite substantial backlogs, early signs of strain are emerging across the maintenance market.
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The expanded partnership adds flight and booking options between India and Singapore, with the airlines set to offer 126 weekly flights from October 2026. The agreement also promises expanded connectivity and frequent-flyer benefits, strengthening the airlines’ commercial link across the two markets.
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Norse Atlantic Airways’ September capacity fell by about a third as it retrenched from the U.S. market, but unit revenue rose 35% year over year to 5.8 cents per available seat kilometer and load factor remained nearly 97%. The carrier plans to direct more winter capacity to Thailand and pursue additional ACMI and charter work as fuel costs weigh on performance.
VietJetAir is advancing a hybrid business model alongside further long-haul growth, vice chairwoman and group CFO Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong said at an aviation summit on Oct. 2, 2026. The remarks signal the carrier is pursuing changes to its commercial positioning as it expands beyond shorter-haul markets.
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