Air travel news: Volotea, Sky Express, American Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Avelo Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, etc.

Airlines canceled nearly 40% of their flights to Israel and 6.7% of their flights to the region last Saturday.
Explosions were heard throughout the Gulf, notably in Doha, Qatar, home to the largest US military base in the Middle East, as well as in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
For now, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Wizz Air are suspending their flights. British Airways, a subsidiary of IAG (ICAG.L), indicated that it is closely monitoring the situation and has canceled its flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 3.
The Russian Ministry of Transport announced on Saturday that Russian airlines had suspended their flights to Iran and Israel. German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) announced the suspension of its flights to and from Dubai on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the temporary suspension of its services to Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Oman until March 7. Air France canceled its flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut.

Several Indian airlines, including Air India, also suspended their flights to the Middle East. Virgin Atlantic announced its decision to temporarily avoid Iraqi airspace, resulting in route changes for some of its flights.

American Airlines will invest $1 billion in expanding Concourse D at Miami International Airport, the airline announced. The project, dubbed « Gate D60, » involves a three-level extension of Concourse D, including 17 new boarding gates to accommodate larger aircraft and eliminate outside boarding, according to American Airlines. It also aims to allow for future international flights with direct access to customs. The project is expected to begin in 2027. In June 2025, American Airlines announced its intention to build a new Flagship Lounge and expand its Admirals Club in the concourse.

IAG announced net income of €3.342 billion, a 22.3% increase year-over-year, a record for the company, as reported Friday to the French National Securities Market Commission (CNMV). IAG, which also announced a €1.5 billion share buyback program and an 8.9% increase in its dividend payout, stated that it is implementing its strategy this year with the ambition to « be the best in the world » for its customers, employees, and shareholders.

It emphasized that « strong operational performance continues to generate high free cash flow. » This free cash flow is projected to reach €3.1 billion in 2025, down 13.8% from the previous year. The airline holding company reported revenue of €33.213 billion, up 3.5%, of which €28.969 billion came from fare revenue.

Volotea has been selected to operate the route between Tarbes-Lourdes and Paris-Orly for another four years, until 2030. Since being awarded its first public service delegation contract, Volotea has strengthened its base development, enabling it to offer a record capacity of nearly 331,000 seats in 2026, representing a 96% increase since 2022.

The Greek airline Sky Express continues its expansion in the French market with the launch of its new direct Lyon-Athens route, operating year-round from December 15, 2025. This new service, offered with two weekly flights (every Monday and Friday), strengthens connectivity between the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and Greece, while also providing seamless access to the airline’s entire Greek domestic network—the most extensive in the market with 33 domestic destinations.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and The Pokémon Company will launch three new Pokémon Jets with special liveries in 2026 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon brand. This collaboration builds on a partnership that began in 1998 with the world’s first Pokémon-themed aircraft. As part of the Pokémon Air Adventures project, ANA currently operates the « Pikachu Jet NH » and the « Eevee Jet NH, » an initiative to connect people and communities around the world. To date, a total of eight aircraft have sported special Pokémon liveries. The three new aircraft will be gradually introduced into service throughout 2026.

TAP Air Portugal announced at the Portuguese International Tourism Fair (BTL) the launch of a new direct route between Lisbon and Orlando, which will begin on October 29, 2026. At the same event, CEO Luís Rodrigues presented a wide range of strategic initiatives for