Air Canada's operating profit falls in 2025
February 16, 2026
Air Canada reported a full‑year 2025 operating profit of C$918 million ($673 million), down 27% year on year. Total operating revenue increased 0.5% to C$22.37 billion. Operating margin narrowed to 4.1%, compared with 5.7% a year earlier, as expense growth outpaced revenue. Passenger revenue declined 0.8% to C$19.60 billion, while cargo revenue rose 4.2% to C$1.03 billion. Other revenue, including loyalty and ancillary income, increased 15.4% to C$1.74 billion, partially offsetting pressure on passenger yields. Full‑year operating expenses increased 2.2% to C$21.45 billion. Wages, salaries and benefits rose 2.6% to C$5.01 billion, while depreciation, amortisation and impairment climbed 11.8% to C$2.01 billion. Aircraft fuel expense fell 7.6% to C$4.73 billion. Net income for the full‑year 2025 fell 63% to C$644 million, compared with C$1.72 billion in 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Air Canada generated record operating revenue of C$5.8 billion, up year on year, which the airline said helped support full‑year profitability despite cost pressures and operational disruption earlier in the year. Air Canada reported operating income of C$324 million in the fourth quarter, an improvement from an operating loss of C$254 million a year earlier. Net income in the fourth quarter rose to C$296 million, improving from a net loss of C$184 million in the prior‑year period. The airline ended the year with C$5.53 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short‑term investments.
Airbus to scrap A330-800 prototype
February 13, 2026
Airbus plans to disassemble its A330-800 flight-test aircraft, seven years after first flight. The move to dismantle the twinjet (MSN 1888, registered F-WTTO) is confirmed in LinkedIn and X posts by Airbus technology strategy manager for future programmes Julian Maldonado. MSN 1888 was first flown on 6 November 2018, Cirium fleets data shows. It was the first of three A330neo flight-test aircraft. The other two are A330-900s (MSNs 1795 and 1813). All three were retained by Airbus as flight-test aircraft. MSN 1795 completed its first flight on 19 October 2017 and is still with the European airframer. MSN 1813 took off for the first time on 4 December 2017, and was retired in 2021. Cirium flight-tracking data shows that the final flight of disassembly-bound MSN 1888 was in June 2020. It has since been in storage at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse. Maldonado says the manufacturer will preserve MSN 1888 fuselage panels – which have been signed by staff members – at its assembly line. The A330-800 has not attracted the same level of orders as its larger sibling. Since certification in February 2020, Airbus has delivered eight A330-800s: four to Kuwait Airways, two to Uganda Airlines, one to Air Greenland, and one to serve as a transport for Brunei's government. The VIP aircraft was delivered by Airbus last November and is currently undergoing conversion by Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Cirium data indicates. Another four A330-800s are listed as on order for Garuda Indonesia. But the airline in 2024 disclosed that it was in discussions to cancel its A330-800 order A330-900 operator Hawaiian Airlines and now-defunct Taiwanese carrier TransAsia Airways ordered but subsequently cancelled six and four A330-800s, respectively. Airbus has delivered 179 A330-900s to customers and has another 281 in its backlog. The manufacturer is developing an A330-800-based tanker. All A330neos are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.
Alliance flags A$160 million writedown on Fokker fleet
February 13, 2026
Alliance Aviation Services is looking at options to replace its fleet of Fokker 70 and 100 jets after disclosing an A$120 million ($85.4 million) writedown in the carrying value of the aircraft and associated spares. The company says in an Australian Securities Exchange disclosure that the impairment of the fleet totals A$130 million, while the carrying value of engines, spare parts and inventory amounts to A$30 million, both of which will raise non-cash charges during the fiscal year ending June. Cirium fleets data shows that it has 22 F100s and seven F70s in its fleet, which have a cumulative indicative market value of $63.1 million. It adds that as both types are approaching the end of their useful lives it is working on a "detailed long term fleet plan" to manage their retirement. "As part of this plan the company will consider lease and purchase options as well as the redeployment of aircraft," Alliance states. The carrier primarily operates the Fokker aircraft on resource industry and other ad hoc charter services. It also has a total of 55 E190s in its fleet, of which 34 are contracted to operate for QantasLink, four are leased to Airnorth, and one is wet leased to Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, Cirium fleets data shows. Alliance states that the E190 fleet was valued "at approximately [A]$67 million (excluding realisation costs) above the aggregate carrying values" recorded in its accounts at the end of December. The disclosure comes as Alliance prepares to release its financial results for the half-year ended December on 19 February. In November, the company released guidance that it expects to earn a profit before tax of A$46-A$56 million in the year ending June 2026, down from A$82.1 million the year prior, driven by a A$15 million increase in depreciation costs, disputes with a wet-lease customer and higher maintenance costs.