KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — High airfares could become the new norm as airlines contend with soaring jet fuel prices and mounting operating costs, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines' chief said Friday.
Wong Hong, director-general of the association grouping 18 airlines in the region, said carriers were trying to contain ticket prices while protecting their finances and avoiding fare increases that could drive passengers away.
But the industry is operating in a substantially different cost environment from a year ago when jet fuel was about $80 a barrel, compared with around $180 currently, he said. Fuel accounts for a third of airline operating costs, making further price increases a threat to carriers' financial performance, he said.
“I believe so,” Wong said after an AAPA conference when asked whether high airfares would become a lasting feature rather than a temporary adjustment. “We are living in completely different market conditions and a completely different cost environment ... and it looks like these high prices will continue to prevail.”
On whether airlines could implement another round of fare increases if fuel prices remain high, Wong said there was no clear answer as passenger price sensitivity varies across markets.
Major airlines across the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America have raised base fares, hiked fuel surcharges or added extra fees since the Iran war began in late February.
The AAPA's data showed that passenger traffic across Asia-Pacific slumped for five consecutive months from April to August, before rebounding marginally in September. For the first nine months this year, overall passenger traffic in the region still grew by 1.9%.
“Airlines will try their best to hold on to the fares that they can charge without trying to lose passengers, but it is a tricky dilemma,” Wong said.
Airlines face a mismatch between ticket sales and fuel purchases, complicating their ability to manage rising costs, he said. Passengers often book flights months in advance, locking in fares before airlines purchase the fuel needed to operate those flights.
Beyond fuel costs, Wong said airlines continued to face supply side challenges including aircraft delivery delays and the high cost of maintaining older aircraft. But he said carriers had shown resilience and travel demand remained strong.
Airlines are doing their best to find the right levels in different markets to strike a balance between absorbing higher costs and pricing passengers out of the market, he added.
Wong Hong, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Wong Hong, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said Thursday that he will run for Senate Majority Leader in the next Congress, setting up a challenge to Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer after the party swept to power in the midterm elections.
Van Hollen said in a statement that “the American people called for change” and that is why he is running.
“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership,” Van Hollen said. “This is not about any one person — it’s about answering the call of the American people. That is why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader.”
Schumer has said he has the necessary support to win the race, which will be the first contested election for Senate Democratic leader in decades. The closed-door, secret-ballot election will be held in early December.
The question of whether to reelect Schumer has already divided the caucus and many senators have declined to say publicly how they will vote, even before Van Hollen entered the race. They have privately deliberated about what message to take from the election and many are torn — Schumer recruited many of the party’s winning candidates and raised money for them, but progressive groups are pushing for his removal.
Making the pitch for his reelection, Schumer has been working with Democratic senators one-on-one to form an agenda for 2027. In private caucus meetings this week, Schumer opened discussion on a broad plan for their first 100 days in power that included healthcare and tariff legislation and efforts to stop the Iran war.
“I’m going to win it,” Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview last week.
In a statement after Van Hollen’s announcement, Schumer said he welcomes any discussion about the future of the caucus.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together — 55 seats and counting is an amazing result — and I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader,” Schumer said. “I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and delivering for the American people.”
While Schumer is the favorite to win, Van Hollen’s run exposes a rift in the party that opened in the spring of 2025, when Schumer was put on the defensive after he sided with Republicans on a spending vote.
Even as Schumer has redeemed himself within his caucus since then — leading them through a government shutdown last year and orchestrating huge wins in the election — many in the Democratic base are agitating for generational change.
Van Hollen, 67, is not that much younger than Schumer, 75. But he has positioned himself as a new face in the party. He has also said he is considering a run for president.
While most Democratic senators have either said they are supporting Schumer or are undecided, Van Hollen has at least two backers: Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, who won a competitive election in his state last week, and progressive standard-bearer Bernie Sanders.
El-Sayed posted on X Thursday night that their majority will need “bold leadership.”
“I called on Sen. @ChrisVanHollen to lead our caucus as a candidate back in April because he leads with courage and experience,” El-Sayed wrote. “We need both right now. Which is why I’m proud to stand with him in his bid to lead our Senate majority.”
Sen. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, held a press conference Tuesday announcing he would not support Schumer. He posted Thursday night that the American people “want a Democratic Party that will stand up to powerful special interests, take on the billionaire class and fight for working families. That is why I am supporting Senator Chris Van Hollen to lead Senate Democrats.”
Van Hollen has not yet laid out his own agenda, but he has criticized Schumer for his ties to Israel and other special interests.
While Schumer has a long history of support for Israel, he has strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war in Gaza.
Several senators have said they are backing Schumer, including incoming Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who beat Republican Sen. Jon Husted last week. Beyond the election wins, those who support him say being the leader is a difficult job, experience is necessary and Schumer has proven himself with legislative successes when they held the Senate under President Joe Biden.
“Why would you fire the manager when you just won the World Series?” posted Maine Sen. Angus King, another independent who caucuses with Democrats and votes in the leadership election.
“Chuck Schumer is one of the principal architects of the most successful election in modern history, and I see no reason to change the leadership that helped make that success possible,” King wrote.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., also posted her support Thursday evening:
Cortez Masto said Schumer was key in “securing a historic majority. I will be supporting him as our Democratic leader.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., listens during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks during a panel at Crooked Con at the Walter E Washington Convention Center, in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
