Reuters
• Rajesh Kumar Singh
Airlines are gradually restoring grounded aircraft to service after a years-long engine crisis, improving fleet availability while facing a slower financial recovery. The costs of repairs, maintenance and prolonged downtime continue to weigh on operators even as aircraft return to active fleets.
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Air Canada expects September and October revenue to break records, driven by premium travelers shifting trips away from Europe and Japan’s peak summer heat and crowds. The outlook points to continued strength in premium demand and a potentially broader seasonal reshaping of long-haul travel patterns.
High activity
Airlines are gradually restoring grounded aircraft to service after a years-long engine crisis, improving fleet availability while facing a slower financial recovery. The costs of repairs, maintenance and prolonged downtime continue to weigh on operators even as aircraft return to active fleets.
Air Arabia expects to begin operations in the third quarter with its new Saudi Arabian airline, established with investment partners after receiving the rights to create an operator in Dammam last year. The launch would expand the Middle Eastern budget carrier’s presence in the Saudi market.
Delta Air Lines’ on-time performance rose to 79.3% in the first half of 2026 from 78.7% a year earlier, ranking second among major U.S. carriers. The improvement contrasts with continued operational disruption, suggesting that headline punctuality alone does not capture the full passenger experience.
An affiliate of Boston-based Hill City Capital won Spirit Airlines’ former Dania Beach, Florida, headquarters campus with a $93.25 million bid at an August 11 bankruptcy-court auction. The transaction remains subject to court approval, converting a recently established corporate asset into proceeds for the restructuring process.
SCAT Airlines and Riyadh Air plan to increase Bangkok Suvarnabhumi service during the Northern winter 2026/27 season, while Nok Air is set to resume international flying with four weekly Bangkok–Hyderabad flights from October 14, 2026, using Boeing 737-800s.
Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines launched three-times-weekly flights between Taipei Taoyuan and Prague Václav Havel on Aug. 1, 2026, marking the carrier’s first European route and its entry into the continent’s long-haul passenger market.
ASL Airlines Australia plans to add four incremental Boeing 737-800 converted freighters, expanding the fleet of the Sydney Bankstown-based operator. The move forms part of parent ASL Aviation Holdings’ broader growth strategy across Australia and New Zealand, strengthening its regional cargo capacity.
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