Delta Air Lines has formed a partnership with US start-up developer JetZero focused on design of a blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft with a flight range and seat capacity comparable to current mid-range international jets. The target is an aircraft 50% more fuel-efficient than today's. It would use existing engine technology, say the partners. "Delta will provide its operational expertise and will help design the interiors of the aircraft." JetZero in 2023 received an investment from the US Air Force of $235 million over a four-year period to prepare for the 2027 flight of a full-scale demonstrator of its BWB aircraft, intended to minimise noise, fuel burn and emissions. "Working with JetZero to realise an entirely new airframe and experience for customers and employees is bold and important work to advance the airline industry's fuel-saving initiatives and innovation goals," states Amelia DeLuca, chief sustainability officer at Atlanta-based Delta. "While Delta is focused on doing what we can today to address our carbon footprint, it's critical we also work with a variety of partners to advance revolutionary technologies, like JetZero's blended-wing-body aircraft, to solve for a significant portion of future aviation emissions." JetZero co-founder and chief executive Tom O'Leary notes that Delta "was one of the first carriers to partner with us, supporting us behind the scenes since 2023", and adds: "We look forward to their continued support of our programme through their deep knowledge and expertise." UK budget carrier EasyJet in September 2024 disclosed that it was partnering with JetZero to support development of a blended-wing aircraft capable of supporting hydrogen technology.

Wizz Air has highlighted softening bookings and yields in February and March following a sharp year-on-year improvement in January. In an update on its latest passenger numbers, the carrier notes that although the yield environment and booking profile "remained positive" in February and the first few days of March, it has "moderated compared to the January year-on-year improvement". Despite this, it is seeing better-than-expected revenue trends for its fiscal first quarter – which runs to end-June – compared with last year, "underpinning a stronger start to F26 [financial year 2026]". On 30 January, Wizz downgraded its profit guidance for the financial year ending 31 March to a range of €250-300 million ($260-312 million), from previous guidance of €350-450 million and an original projection of €500-600 million. The airline carried 4.6 million passengers during February, 5.1% more than last year. As it had lifted seat capacity 3%, its load factor rose 1.8 percentage points to 91.8%. It adds that engine-selection negotiations for forthcoming Airbus A320neo-family aircraft deliveries are ongoing, "but are seen as making positive progress as Wizz Air seeks the best outcome for its operations and the group".

AirAsia will receive 14 new aircraft deliveries in 2025, in what it calls an “aggressive expansion strategy”, with four directly from airframer Airbus and 10 from lessors. The carrier has also secured financing for its next 56 aircraft, according to Bo Lingam, group chief executive of AirAsia Aviation Group. “We are accelerating towards pre-pandemic growth rates faster than anticipated, and this expansion is a testament to our confidence in the market’s strength. Demand is up, load factors and yields remain strong, and we are laser-focused on route optimisations with a disciplined focus on cost efficiency,” he states in a 5 March announcement. “This positions AirAsia steadily to seize future growth opportunities and with the latest aircraft technology, we are future-proofing our operations for the next decade, setting the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.” AirAsia has more than 300 A320 family jets on order, Cirium fleets data shows. The carrier had previously agreed long-term leases for 15 A321neos with AerCap, of which five have been delivered, with the remaining scheduled for delivery this year. With the upcoming merger of AirAsia and AirAsia X, the carrier says it is set to “consolidate its network by integrating the efficiency of its short haul routes with the reach of its long-haul operations”. At the same time, it notes that the A321XLRs and A321LRs will be “game-changing in resetting low-cost regional and long-haul connectivity”, as its fleet of A330s “will be optimised for long-haul routes”. AirAsia parent company Capital A had said in its full year financial report that the disposal of its aviation business is expected to be completed by the first quarter of this year.