CEO compass: Deloitte Global's 2025 Airline CEO Survey shows strategic decisions driven by risk responses

Deloitte Global's 2025 Airline CEO Survey (Dec 24, 2025, "CEO compass") finds airline CEOs see macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical instability as their biggest threats: 50% cite economic and market conditions as the top concern and 47% name geopolitical instability. Fuel-price volatility — once an industry obsession — has fallen to 13% of CEOs naming it a top concern, and almost no CEOs select pandemics. CEOs are tightening grip on what they can control: 63% cite cost control and financial health as top priorities; on-time performance and technical operations top the operational excellence list; and ~47% plan to increase AI investment in the next year. Useful framing for SEA mid-market transport, logistics and aviation-adjacent boards on how peers prioritise risk responses.