Regional Air Carriers Struggle To Keep Their Role In Europe

Thierry Dubois Helen Massy-Beresford January 29, 2026
regional jets

European aircraft traffic grew 4.1% overall in 2025, but regional traffic declined 0.7%.

Credit: NATS
Regional air carriers in Europe face multiple challenges that collectively jeopardize the relevance of the segment. The commercial air transport industry regularly must cope with problems that hamper demand or impede traffic. For regionals, competition from low-cost carriers (LCC) could be the...
Thierry Dubois

Thierry Dubois has specialized in aerospace journalism since 1997. An engineer in fluid dynamics from Toulouse-based Enseeiht, he covers the French commercial aviation, defense and space industries. His expertise extends to all things technology in Europe.  

Helen Massy-Beresford

Based in Paris, Helen Massy-Beresford covers European and Middle Eastern airlines, the European Commission’s air transport policy and the air cargo industry for Aviation Week & Space Technology and Aviation Daily.

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