All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced a major refresh of its in-flight entertainment (IFE) content that brings streaming culture directly into the cabin. Beginning December 2025, travelers will see a broader mix of global hits, regional favorites, and short films available thanks to ANA’s work with West Entertainment, its long-time content management partner. Starting December 2025 on international routes and January 2026 on domestic flights, ANA will launch one of its most comprehensive entertainment updates to date. Passengers will gain access to content from Disney+, WOWOW, Hulu and SAMANSA as well as FANY Channel, with the latter marking an industry-first for airlines.

Korean Air announced it will begin phasing out its traditional meal containers from December 2025, replacing them with plant-based alternatives made from agricultural waste materials including straw, sugarcane, and bamboo. The South Korean flag carrier said it plans to gradually introduce the new containers on select routes, with full network implementation expected by the end of 2026. The containers will primarily be used for main entrées in economy class, including Korean and Western meal options.

Republic Airways Holdings has announced the successful completion of the merger between US carriers Republic Airways and Mesa Air Group, with the two companies combining to form the second-largest regional airline in the United States. The merger was first announced on April 7, 2025, and received approval from Mesa stockholders on November 17, 2025, Republic Airways Holdings announced in a statement on November 25, 2025. 

Middle Eastern carrier Air Arabia is to launch a new route between London Gatwick and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The route, which will be the only non-stop service between the UK and Sharjah, will launch on 29 March 2026 with twice-daily flights. Air Arabia plans to use Airbus A321LR aircraft on the London-Sharjah route. The aircraft features 215 seats in a single economy class cabin.

JSX‘s plan to bring turboprops into smaller airports will officially take flight on 19 December, with the inaugural flight from Las Vegas to Santa Monica Airport (SMO). The carrier will operate its ATR 42-600 daily in the market, promising “frictionless alternative to larger commercial airports, eliminating the crowds, long lines, and unpredictable delays that have come to define traditional air travel.” The company’s press release touts the fuel efficiency of the aircraft, as well as potential economic growth for the region, clearly focused on countering local opposition to the larger plane operating at the small airport.

Lufthansa has announced plans to paint six aircraft in a commemorative livery to mark the airline’s 100th anniversary in 2026, dating from the carrier’s founding in 1926. The anniversary design features a white crane on a blue fuselage, with the bird’s wings extending onto the aircraft’s wings. Each plane will display “100” on the left side, “1926/2026” on the right, and an additional “100” on the underside.

Spanish low-cost carrier LEVEL has a unique Premium Economy option installed on part of its fleet. With some ex-Virgin Australia A330s under its wing, the IAG sub-brand offers lie-flat business class seats on the cheap. This unusual Premium Economy offering comes with some compromises, however. On a recent night flight from Miami to Barcelona, I put the product to the test. The LEVEL experience begins before you arrive at the airport, with an email inviting you to customize your meal.

Delta Air Lines has now rolled out its new 'Comfort Basic' fare type, a lower-tier option to fly on the airline's extra-legroom seats in its economy Main Cabin. The fare offers the onboard perks of a Delta Comfort seat at a lower price point, in exchange for certain restrictions. Comfort Basic is Delta's new unbundled fare option for its extra-legroom Delta Comfort product, going live on a select few domestic routes before a planned expansion. According to the airline, Comfort Basic was created for customers looking for an enhanced Main Cabin travel experience "without needing the greater flexibility and benefits provided by higher-tier Comfort fares."

Smartlynx Airlines, a cargo, charter, and wet-lease / ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) carrier from Latvia, has ceased operations after more than three decades in the skies. The airline was well known for providing European airlines with extra capacity on an ACMI basis, and had even expanded its operations on this front as far afield as India in recent years. Having begun life in the early to mid-1990s as an operator of Soviet-era aircraft, Smartlynx went on to modernize and grow its fleet as it became one of Europe's leading ACMI and charter operators. 

Air Canada will refit all existing ‘Rouge’ Airbus aircraft  with new cabins and amenities, while Air Canada Express aircraft operated by Jazz will receive updated cabins and free Wi-Fi. The program is well underway, with 15 Airbus A321s already flying with the upgrades. A330s currently on order will also benefit from the larger XL overhead lockers. The Jazz-operated regional aircraft including the Embraer E175 and Mitsubishi CRJ-900, will be fitted with the new cabin standard from 2026. Wi-Fi is currently being rolled out, with 55% of the fleet already completed.