Airline profits will halve to $23bn in 2026 as jet fuel jumps nearly 70%, IATA warned at its annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro hosted by LATAM.
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Key Facts
—Profit halved: Global airlines are forecast to earn a combined net profit of $23bn in 2026, down from $45bn in 2025.
—Thin margins: The net margin is set to fall to 2 percent from 4.2 percent, leaving about $4.50 of profit per passenger.
—Fuel shock: Jet fuel is expected to average $152 a barrel, nearly 70 percent above last year, pushing the industry fuel bill to about $350bn.
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