Skailark launches Airline Economics Q2’26
Quarterly Innovation Update Q2’26
We have just released our Q2’26 update.
Please find below a summary of the most important product enhancements:
A. Product & User Interface
- Redesigned download extension – improved usability and new variables
- Upgraded MRO dashboard and variables
B. Model and Data Updates
- MRO cost overhaul
- Revenue data improvements
- Eight new airlines added
- Minor model refinements
- Updated Q1’26 financials and added Q2’26 forecasts
All our subscribers have received complimentary access to the updated data as of today. We welcome any feedback, both on insights as well as usability.
Note: To access data from any previous versions, please access our archive here.
A. Product & User Interface 1 Redesigned download extension – improved usability and new variables  Our customers have asked for it and we are happy to deliver. The download extension now lets you export at Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual level. Just select the level of detail you need, and the data is aggregated for you automatically. We have also increased the CSV output to four decimal places, giving you the precision to run truly granular analysis. Cells remain unmerged, so you keep full flexibility to slice and reshape the file however you like. On top of that, we have added a range of new variables – from airport landing charges through to the G&A cost line item. Please note: as a result of these additions, the order of the variables/columns has changed. 2 Upgraded MRO dashboard and variables Our MRO dashboard has been upgraded. The underlying model improvements are described in Section B; for Tableau, this means the following new variables: – Fleet Engine FH-FC ratio: new variable capturing the flight-hour to flight-cycle ratio. – Fleet Engine Severity Factor: index measuring engine operating severity driven by usage and environmental conditions, used to proxy thermal and mechanical stress on engines. Calculation: Regression model based on satellite-derived flight hours and cycles, engine-specific thrust and weight parameters, and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, humidity, dust exposure), producing an EGT severity score at fleet level – Updated MRO toggle: now lets you select how MRO cost is calculated, based on the reported accounting methodology: US GAAP, IFRS, or as incurred. With regards to the data, we have found a bug that we want to fix properly. Bear with us – one more update is expected in about two weeks, which will bring the model to its final version.  B. Model and Data Updates 1 MRO cost overhaul Our MRO model has undergone its third overhaul. What changed for MRO Engine costs We estimate an engine severity factor using environmental conditions during the takeoff of every single flight. This severity factor considers particle concentrations in the air as well as temperature conditions. This factor impacts the time on wing of the engines. As a result, the models now differentiate the cost impact with the location of the individual airlines and the related networks. We then depreciate the predicted costs over their target intervals – and you can now choose to depreciate via US GAAP, IFRS, or As Incurred, so you can compare carriers on whichever basis suits your use-case. Exemplary use cases: – Location effect: how much of your MRO cost is driven by location circumstances rather than the underlying operation? – Like-for-like benchmarking: what do MRO costs look like on a comparable basis, and why? Who has best-in-class costs, where does the gap sit, and what could you change? With regards to the data, we have found a bug that we want to fix properly. Bear with us – one more update is expected in about two weeks, which will bring the model to its final version. 2 Revenue data improvements We have once again made significant improvements to our Pax & Revenue model this quarter. We have completely rebuilt our fare prediction model and expanded the training dataset. The result is better data across the board – the new fare prediction model handles outliers far more effectively, giving you cleaner, more reliable revenue figures. We are rolling this out to all customers now and look forward to your feedback. Your input directly shapes how we continue to refine the model. 3 Eight new airlines added We are pleased to announce the addition of the following airlines: – AeroK – AirBusan – Air Seoul – Air Tahiti Nui – Eastar Jet – Neos Air – SKY Express (Greece) -Uzbekistan Airways A full overview of all airlines in Airline Economics 360° can be found here.  4 Minor model refinements As always, throughout the quarter we have continued to review and refine all our models to ensure they remain up to date and accurately reflect current industry developments. A few selected examples include the following: – Ownership: Leased costs were being estimated too low, due to the depreciation logic applied to financing interest rates. This has now been corrected. – Stage length adjustment: The stage-length adjustment for revenue was over-sensitive on certain aircraft types, routes, and markets. This has now been corrected. 5 Updated Q1’26 financials and added Q2’26 forecasts As you are already familiar with by now, we have validated our Q1’26 forecasts with reported actual financials (where available). Furthermore, we have added Q2’26 supply data including our latest outside-in forecasts. Skailark support form & email contact We’d like to remind you of the dedicated channels available for support-related queries. For all support inquiries, please visit our support format skailark.com/support (under Client Access). This ensures your requests are streamlined and addressed efficiently. Alternatively, you can also reach us via email at support@skailark.com If you have questions about the update or need further support, feel free to get in touch using these channels. |