Fuel-price path
Stays elevated ($4.88 peak)
Pulls back toward $2.30
Demand
Firm
Softens
Airline supply discipline lifts yields while fuel squeezes margins
drivers
engine
terminals
Spirit shutdown
−1–3% domestic ASMs
ULCC pressure gone
step 1
Jet fuel
$2.30 → $4.88 / gal
Mid-East disruption
step 4
Demand
leisure + corporate firm
step 7
Top-4 carrier pricing power
UAL · DAL · AAL · LUV
CPI airfares +26.5% YoY
yields rise
step 2 → 3
Margin gate
IATA 6.9% → 4.1%
$72.8B → $48B
step 5
JETS exposure
~41% in top-4 carriers
asymmetric amplifier
step 6
Pricing holds
yields > fuel
JETS wins
step 7 ✓
Squeeze wins
margins fall
JETS lags
step 7 ✗
feedback
fuel: $4.88 peak
demand: firm
margin squeeze overwhelms pricing power