Tunisair Q2 2026 Report: On-Time Performance Improves Amid Rising Fuel Costs & Mixed Operational Metrics

Tunisair has reported a notable improvement in on-time performance for the second quarter of 2026, alongside a complex mix of operational and financial results. Below is a detailed breakdown of the airline’s latest performance metrics.

📈 Passenger Traffic & Punctuality

On-time performance: Flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule rose from 39% to 54% year-on-year.
Passenger volume: 656,248 passengers transported, reflecting a 1% decline compared to Q2 2025.

✈️ Fleet Utilization & Market Position

Despite the punctuality gains, overall activity remains mixed:

Load factor: Dipped to 71.6% (down from 75.2% a year earlier).
Capacity (ASK): Slightly increased to 1.42 billion Available Seat Kilometers, up from 1.39 billion in Q2 2025.
Market share: Edged up to 20.5%, compared to 20.1% in the same period last year.
Fleet & utilization: The airline continues to operate 19 aircraft, with average daily utilization per plane rising to 9.97 hours (up from 8.70 hours). Total flight hours grew by 3%, reaching 13,559 hours.

📦 Cargo Operations

Freight performance showed stronger momentum:

Tonnage: Climbed 41% to 1,839 tonnes, up from 1,302 tonnes in Q2 2025.
Ton-Kilometers (TK): Increased by 13%.
Cargo load factor: Remained stable at 62.4% (vs. 62.7% year-on-year).

💰 Cost Structure & Financial Pressures

The most significant expense increase was driven by fuel and maintenance:

Fuel costs: Surged 93% from 85 million to 164 million TND, attributed to soaring Brent crude prices and a widening crack spread between Brent and Jet A-1 aviation kerosene. The average price per tonne of Jet A-1 nearly doubled in Q2 2026.
Maintenance & repairs: Jumped 263%, from 8 million to 29 million TND.
Other operational costs: Ground handling (+16%), catering (+9%), and personnel expenses (+13%).
Aircraft leasing: Decreased by 19%.

📊 Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Total debt: Rose 23% to 728 million TND (from 594 million TND in Q2 2025), driven by new credit facilities drawn in 2025 and early 2026.
Financial charges: Increased 83%, from 6 million to 11 million TND.
Cash & equivalents: Improved significantly, reaching 153 million TND, up from 90 million TND a year earlier.

Tunisair’s Q2 2026 results highlight a strategic push toward operational efficiency and cargo growth, even as macroeconomic pressures and rising input costs continue to shape the airline’s financial landscape.