Harbor Diversified has completed the previously announced sale of Air Wisconsin Airlines and its associated operating assets. The US Department of Transportation approved the deal on 5 January and it closed on 9 January, according to a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Following the sale, Harbor reported that neither the company nor its subsidiaries retain any material operating assets or infrastructure to support an airline. The company kept only a small set of non‑operational items, including lease payments tied to a single aircraft, along with certain insurance claims and tax refunds. Harbor received approximately $110 million for the transaction, subject to customary post‑closing adjustments. Gregg Garvey – formerly chief financial officer and treasurer of Air Wisconsin – has been appointed executive vice-president, chief financial officer and treasurer of Harbor Diversified, continuing as the company’s principal financial and accounting officer. Christine Deister remains chief executive and secretary, while Chad Schimmelpfenning has moved into the role of executive vice-president and chief legal counsel. Robert Binns, who served as president and chief executive of Air Wisconsin, ended his employment with the organisation on 9 January and is not expected to continue with Harbor or its subsidiaries. The board approved cash transaction bonuses for Binns, Garvey and Schimmelpfenning on 8 January, tied to the closing of the sale.

Qantas has secured three Embraer 190-E1s that will start to replace its remaining Fokker 100 jets that are used on regional QantasLink-branded services in Western Australia. The Oneworld carrier says that the mid-life E190s will start arriving by the end of the year, as part of previously announced plans to acquire up to 14 of the type to replace the same number of F100s operated by its Network Aviation subsidiary, primarily on mining charter flights. Cirium fleets data shows that the unit also operates 19 Airbus A320ceos and nine A319s, which Qantas says will be fitted with in-flight wi-fi and new seats featuring USB charging ports and portable device holders. "The fleet upgrades complement the Qantas Group’s broader fleet renewal program, which includes firm orders for more than 200 new aircraft and cabin refurbishments of Qantas’ Boeing 737 and A330 aircraft, which will include new business and economy seats and larger overhead lockers," it adds. In addition to the E190s that will join the Network Aviation fleet, Qantas wet-leases 34 more of the type from Alliance Airlines which are used on east coast routes. Key rival in the Western Australia resource charter market Virgin Australia Regional Airlines has begun paring down its own Fokker jet fleet as it replaces them with new E190-E2s. It currently has two in service and six more on order.

United Airlines has taken a $250 million hit to its fourth-quarter earnings amid the shutdown of the US government that began on 1 October and ended 12 November. The US major declares that the shutdown "provided an opportunity to do the right thing by our customers and further build their trust". "United offered all customers a full refund – even if their flights weren't cancelled – and aggressively promoted that policy in customer communications," the Chicago-based carrier says. It adds that its "customer-first policies" and the shutdown's impact on bookings and costs "led to an approximately $250 million impact to pre-tax earnings in the quarter". United reported a fourth-quarter operating profit of $1.39 billion, down 7.8% year on year. Operating revenue was up 4.8%, reaching $15.4 billion. Expenses grew 6.2% to $14 billion. United raised fourth-quarter capacity 6.5% year on year. Load factor was level at 82%. It ended 2025 with $15.2 billion in liquidity, and total debt and finance lease obligations of $25 billion. The carrier says it will take delivery of "over 100 narrowbody aircraft and approximately 20 Boeing 787 aircraft" in 2026.