Globally, airlines increase their measured capacity in the available places waiting for a recovery of passenger traffic during the summer, according to the consultant OAG.
These were the regions where the number of available seats increased the most in the week of March 22-29 Western Europe, by 19%; Central Europe, 16%; North Africa, 13%, and the Southeast Pacific, 11%.
The OAG pointed out that in the United States, the capacity of airlines has increased by only 1%, but there are a lot of expectations about the demand that will be to travel to Mexican beaches during summer.
“Airlines are generally quite optimistic during the summer, with an upward trend in seat capacity in the second and third quarters of the year.
“Airlines are generally optimistic during the summer, with an upward trend in seat capacity in the second and third quarters of the year”; OAG consulting firm analysis.
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“Certainly, airlines seem to increase their capacity in the regions with the highest number of vaccinated people, but others are also increasing their capacity in anticipation of a high demand for vacations in Mexico during the summer,” the consultant said in an analysis. .
Also in recent weeks, airlines have announced new destinations in the United States for both Easter and summer, many of which are in response to increased demand for leisure travel to the United States, where Florida is expected to be one. states with the highest activity.
In Mexico, the supply of seats increased by 6% in the week of March 22-29.
Volaris reported an increase in its future bookings and, as a result, increased its previous capacity guide for the first quarter of the year to about 85% of its capacity, measured in terms of available seats per mile, compared to the same period last year. .
However, given demand volatility and last-minute booking patterns, the airline does not offer capacity guidance for the second quarter of the year, although “an improvement over the first quarter is expected based on current booking trends. “, Indicated the airline by
a report.
60% capacity is the average operating rate for airlines in Europe.
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In contrast, in Brazil, airlines reduced their capacity in the week ending March 29, by 70,000 fewer seats, while the country faces a new wave of infections.
Meanwhile, the third wave of infections with Covid-19 in Europe it has no impact on the capacity of airlines in the region, as there are an additional 930 thousand seats for the Easter period, an increase of 20% over the previous week.
While in Eastern Europe the capacity increase was 16%.
“It is hard to believe that demand will support a 24% increase in the number of places in Germany; A 21% increase in capacity in Spain and an incredible 49% increase in capacity in Italy “, OAG underlined.
The company said that despite the increase in the supply of available places in Europe, commercial aviation in that region it continues to operate at 60% of its capacity before the pandemic, being one of the regions with the weakest global recovery.
In contrast, in Asia, Vietnam saw a 26% increase in capacity in the week ended March 29, adding 270,000 seats, and in Thailand 132,000 seats were added.
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