IndiGo, Cathay Pacific and United Airlines are each entering new markets over the coming months, launching routes to Tanzania, Kazakhstan and Luxembourg.
Hong Kong International Airport is targeting new connections to Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa as expanded runway capacity opens room for network growth.
Airlines, air navigation service providers and technology specialists are working on trials to assess the impact of contrail mitigation on decarbonization.
Cathay Pacific and Google are expanding their partnership to scale up AI-powered contrail-avoidance system usage to reduce climate impact from contrails.
Air freight demand between Asia and Europe is expected to remain strong, as the market shifts from e-commerce toward higher-value cargo linked to AI infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
Cathay Pacific has reversed most of the fuel surcharge increases that were imposed as a result of the Middle East crisis, with the cuts reflecting the recent easing fuel costs.
Cathay Pacific Airways entered 2026 in a strong position and remains on track to deliver its 2030 Vision strategy following two solid-performance years.
By Helen Massy-Beresford, Christine Boynton, Jens Flottau, Lori Ranson, Adrian Schofield
Global airlines consider capacity cuts, increased ticket prices and fuel surcharges to manage the short-term spike and long-term uncertainty caused by the war.