Air travel is back to pre-pandemic levels with new turbulence ahead

11-10-23

It has taken four long years for global airline capacity to return to pre-crisis levels, but the industry has changed for good, for passengers and airlines alike.

This week, global airline capacity is on the verge of finally surpassing 2019 levels, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. The timing marks a major milestone in the recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak, which plunged the $1.17 trillion global travel market into an unprecedented existential crisis. Widespread border closures forced airlines to park their fleets, bringing the industry to the brink of collapse.

The spasms that followed, from travel closures and airline bailouts to irregular reopenings interrupted by new Covid tensions, left the industry financially weakened and understaffed. Last summer, when travelers were unleashed, airlines and airports were unprepared, leading to schedule disruptions and terminal chaos.