It is a tough time to be in the aviation market and doubly so for certain types of airlines.
Amid the skyrocketing price of jet fuel, recent airline collapses include Spirit Airlines in the U.S. but also Mexican holiday airline Magnicharters which filed for bankruptcy protection in Mexico City in May and British cargo carrier European Cargo that entered administration at the start of June.
Other airlines that entered bankruptcy proceedings in recent weeks include Swiss Air Mountain and Finland-based Jetflite. Both are charter airlines serving specific markets of high-income travelers to the Alps and both charter and cargo flights to rural regions of the Arctic, respectively.
Max Air in Nigeria grounded and flights canceled over unpaid debt: report
The latest collapse being reported by local press is Nigerian airline Max Air. Launched in 2008 out of Kano in the northern part of the country, Max Air has a fleet of 11 primarily Boeing 737 planes and runs passenger flights to a dozen domestic destinations within Nigeria as well as two international flights to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Arabia flights are financed by the government for thousands of local Muslim pilgrims coming in to the city of Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
As of June 12, the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) is reported to have suspended all its services for Max Air over more than 1 billion Nigerian Naria (roughly $735,000 USD) in unpaid debt.
Without ground handlers, Max Air is unable to run any of its flights and airports across Nigeria faced significant travel disruptions throughout Thursday.
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Max Air flights canceled as ground handlers association takes “decisive action”
“We took the decisive action on Max Air today [June 11] because the airline refused to negotiate with us,” AGHAN Chairman Olaniyi Adigun said to local press. “While the other debtor airlines are negotiating with us, Max Air has blatantly refused to negotiate with the handling companies.”
Adigun said that while almost all Nigerian airlines are running up debts over the spike in fuel prices amid the war with Iran, Max Air has been unresponsive to its requests for reconciliation talks and updates on temporary financing plans. Max Air has not provided a comment on its situation.
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When evaluating by total passengers carried, Max Air is frequently listed as the fourth-largest airline in Nigeria after Air Peace, Arik Air and Ibom Air.
“Some of the other debtor airlines are already on the verge of signing Memoranda of Understanding with our members on debt repayment,” Adigun said further. “This action should serve as a signal to other airlines that ground handling companies can no longer continue to provide services without payment.”
These airlines filed for bankruptcy in 2026:
- Spirit Airlines: The largest airline shutdown of the year occurred when Spirit Airlines canceled all remaining flights on May 2. Although the airline had filed for Chapter 11 protection twice before, the skyrocketing price of jet fuel dealt the final blow.
- Magnicharters: While not yet fully shut down, the Mexican low-cost airline canceled all flights until May 2026 in a shutdown that left thousands stranded.
- Starflite Aviation: Houston-based Starflite Aviation had its AOC license revoked in March 2026, amid FAA claims that owners falsified pilot training records to bypass safety audits.
- AlpAvia: Slovenian charter airline AlpAvia also shut down in March 2026 over financial problems.
- H-Bird: Charter airline H-Bird was declared bankrupt by a Swedish judge after losing its operating license at the end of 2025.
Related: Another airline files for bankruptcy protection, cancels flights
