The first airline liquidations of 2026 have already started emerging.
The first airline to formally cease operations in 2026 is Royal Air Philippines — the Manila-based charter and cargo airline more commonly referred to as Royal Air received licensing to run commercial flights in 2017 and quickly expanded to international destinations like Cambodia, China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
On Jan. 4, the airline confirmed that it was canceling all of its commercial flights in a situation that left between 3,000 and 4,000 travelers with tickets booked between until March 2026 having to seek out alternative travel options. While the airline currently states that it is looking forward to “welcoming you aboard soon,” a long…