Wizz Air's UK subsidiary has formally applied for a US foreign air carrier permit which would enable it to launch transatlantic operations. A notice posted on the US Department of Transport’s website on 23 January shows that Wizz Air UK has applied for "exemption authority and a foreign air carrier permit to enable it to conduct foreign scheduled and charter air transportation". This would cover passenger and cargo services between the UK and USA. The application notes that the carrier "presently intends only to conduct passenger charter service, which will vary depending on seasonal and charterer demand". Wizz is seeking a broad permit that would allow it to start scheduled flights in the future, without having to file additional paperwork with the DOT, it adds. Wizz has said little publicly about its desire to launch operations across the Atlantic. The wider group has been engaged in shift towards focusing on eastern and central Europe, including the cutting of its Wizz Air Abu Dhabi unit and scaling down of its presence in western Europe. A notable exception to this has been the UK, where the airline, principally through the Wizz Air UK subsidiary, has plans to grow its footprint. As noted in its application to the DOT, Wizz Air UK operates a fleet of 21 Airbus A321neos, including three long-haul A321XLRs which can fly 11h sectors. These would enable it to reach the US East Coast and beyond from the UK. The bulk of Wizz's original order for 47 XLRs was deferred or swapped for smaller variants as part of its decision to pull back from the Middle East. During a second-quarter results briefing on 12 November, group chief executive Jozsef Varadi said that although Wizz was due to take delivery of 11 A321XLRs in total, it would not operate the full number, and those it did accept would be placed with Wizz Air UK. "We are not going to put 11 aircraft into Wizz Air UK; it's going to be less than that, and we will see how we can reconcile the market with the rest of that," said Varadi.

Ryanair expects to sign a "multibillion" spare-parts deal with engine manufacturer CFM International within the next few weeks, the airline group's chief executive has indicated. Briefing investors on quarterly results, Michael O'Leary said the deal would help Ryanair "meaningfully beat" the significant industry-wide inflation in engine-maintenance costs he foresees over the next few years, driven by the price of spares and a lack of shop capacity. "We have found it a little bit more difficult than normal dealing with CFM and GE on the engine shops, but we are very close to signing up a multi-year spare parts agreement with CFM," says O'Leary. “I expect to be able to announce something there… by the end of our fiscal year [to end-March]." Ryanair is establishing two of its own in-house engine shops to meet maintenance requirements, with a view to keepings costs down. The airline had two to three years ago been quoted rates for 2028/29 engine overhauls that were three times the prevailing level, climbing to five times higher for Max jets. Since then, "I don't think those numbers have softened", O'Leary comments. He estimates that around 85% of the cost of maintaining engines goes on parts. Ryanair’s scale and ability to bring maintenance in-house should enable it to sidestep this, he believes, but smaller airlines and leasing companies "are going to get fried alive" by engine manufacturers given the lack of slack in the system, he warns. "We have huge spare parts inventory already, but by buying more judiciously and buying spares… we will be able to meaningfully beat that kind of cost inflation going forward," adds O'Leary. Ryanair has earmarked a reserve pool of around 120 CFM engines to reduce the risk of aircraft groundings. Fleets data lists the group as having 411 CFM56-powered 737NGs and 206 Leap-1A-powered Max 8s in service. It has another four Max 8s and 150 Max 10s on order.

Allegiant Air has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the debt financing of 11 Boeing 737 Max 8s delivering in 2026. The 16 January RFP asks for proposals to be submitted by 17 February, and Allegiant plans to award mandates and move to the term sheet stage in March. The second quarter of 2026 is earmarked for finalizing and executing documentation. The airline does not expect to invite second round bids for this RFP. One of the 737 Max 8s is scheduled to deliver in 2026's first quarter, three in its second quarter, one in its third quarter and six in its fourth quarter.