Newsletter
The Insider Brief — Tuesday 21 April 2026
The ceasefire expires this evening. United Airlines reports after the close. The EASA bulletin runs out on Thursday. American reports Wednesday.
Rodrigo Andreas
Rodrigo Andreas is the founder of Airliner Insider. He has a background in commercial aviation and economics, with experience across European aviation sales and charter markets.
Long Read
Singapore, Cathay and Korean Air are filling the seats that Emirates and Qatar Airways cannot sell
Singapore Airlines filled 93.5% of its European seats in March. Cathay Pacific carried 24% more passengers year-on-year. Korean Air posted a record quarter with European revenue up 18%.
Opinion
The man the industry laughs at is the one who saw it coming
Michael O'Leary has been right about fuel risk, ancillary revenue, secondary airports and marketing for thirty years. The industry is still laughing.
Newsletter
The Insider Brief — Monday 20 April 2026
The USS Spruance seized an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday. The ceasefire expires Wednesday. United and American report earnings this week. And Europe's jet fuel clock is still running. Here is what the industry is waking up to on Monday morning.
Long Read
Zero hedging, one pending acquisition, and the worst fuel crisis in fifty years
The Strait of Hormuz opened for twelve hours on Friday. By Saturday morning Iran had closed it again. For an unhedged carrier still in post-bankruptcy recovery, every additional week of this costs money it cannot spare.
Analysis
Airlines face a summer of elevated costs and unresolved supply risk
Jet fuel prices remain double their pre-war levels. IATA warns of European cancellations by end of May regardless. The carriers that survive the rest of 2026 intact are already visible — and so are the ones that may not.
News
American Airlines rejects United merger approach, calling combination anti-competitive
American Airlines said Friday it is not interested in a merger with United and has held no discussions. The statement goes further, calling the combination anti-competitive and invoking Trump's own antitrust philosophy to close the door.
Analysis
Norse Atlantic raises $110 million as the fuel crisis undoes months of progress
Norse Atlantic entered 2026 with its first credible profit forecast. Eleven weeks later, it was asking shareholders for $110 million. The fuel crisis has found its most exposed victim.
News
The Insider Brief — Friday 17 April 2026
Lufthansa strikes enter a sixth day as Spirit Airlines faces potential liquidation from record jet fuel prices. Air France-KLM extends flight suspensions through May 3, while Qatar Airways removes 12,000 flights following A380 groundings.
News
easyJet expects £560m loss as Middle East volatility erodes margin
easyJet expects an H1 loss of up to £560 million as Middle East volatility and legal hits offset record 90% load factors. Although revenue per seat rose 3%, a £25 million fuel spike has eroded margins. Detailed results are due May 21.
News
The Insider Brief — Thursday 16 April 2026
Lufthansa has been disrupted by its own workforce for five consecutive days with no mediation in sight. Ryanair secures fuel supply to mid-May — four weeks of visibility before peak summer. Pakistan targets end of April for PIA privatisation handover.
Analysis
The Belfast airline that has been about to launch for years — and why the economics might work
FlyAtlantic has been planning to launch transatlantic flights from Belfast since 2022. The launch date has moved three times. The A321XLR changes the economics of the model in ways that previous attempts could not access. Whether the airline can actually get off the ground is a different question.