Airline CEOs Focus on Efficiency and Risk in 2025
Deloitte’s 2025 Airline CEO Survey, released on May 29, offers key insights into the priorities and concerns of aviation leaders around the world. The global consulting firm gathered responses from 32 airline CEOs in April, shortly after President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs, shedding light on what these industry leaders view as the most pressing challenges and opportunities over the next three years. According to the survey, economic and market conditions emerged as the top concern, cited by half of the CEOs, closely followed by geopolitical instability, which was mentioned by 47 percent of respondents. Supply chain disruptions ranked third, with 40 percent selecting it as a major risk. Interestingly, more headline-grabbing issues like tariffs and pandemics were ranked as top concerns by only 10 percent and 3 percent of CEOs respectively, indicating a shift in focus toward more persistent structural and economic challenges.
Operational excellence and cost control are front and center on the agenda for the next 12 months, with 66 percent of airline CEOs citing each as a top priority. Customer experience followed closely, named by 55 percent of respondents, suggesting a growing emphasis on passenger satisfaction even amid broader efforts to streamline operations. Deloitte noted that after years of rapid workforce expansion post-COVID, many carriers are now seeking to optimize performance with leaner, more efficient operating models.
Workforce strategies also revealed a surprising shift. Leadership development and succession planning topped the list of HR priorities, selected by 53 percent of CEOs, followed by employee engagement and well-being, which came in at 47 percent. Notably, pilot recruitment—once a dominant industry concern—was identified as a top-three priority by only 30 percent of respondents. Deloitte highlighted this trend as a sign that while pilot shortages may remain a background issue, airline executives are more focused today on fostering broader leadership and workforce resilience within their organizations.
On the sustainability front, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) was the clear favorite, with 80 percent of airline CEOs including it among their top three initiatives for reaching sustainability goals. Block time fuel optimization was also highly ranked, named by 63 percent of respondents, and fleet modernization followed at 53 percent. These preferences reflect a push within the industry to meet decarbonization targets through a combination of new technology, operational efficiency, and alternative fuels. As environmental regulation and public scrutiny around aviation emissions increase, these efforts are becoming more embedded in long-term planning.
Overall, the 2025 survey shows an industry recalibrating for resilience. Rather than focusing on short-term shocks like tariffs or pandemics, airline CEOs are prioritizing core business fundamentals such as cost control, workforce development, and sustainable growth. Deloitte’s findings paint a picture of a sector that is stabilizing post-pandemic and now navigating the more complex challenges of economic uncertainty, climate responsibility, and digital transformation. The full survey is available for review on Deloitte’s official website.
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