As the COVID-19 pandemic comes under control and restrictions are lifted, travel demand is approaching 2019 levels. Consulting firm Cirium has analyzed the world's 25 largest airlines by capacity for the third quarter of the year 2022.
In Europe, according to Eurocontrol's forecasts for 2022-2024, 9,5 million flights are expected on the network this year, which is 85% of 2019.
More than two years after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, as authorities managed to control the number of new cases and lifted restrictions on mobility, passenger traffic is approaching 2019 levels .In some markets, both domestic and international, the figures even exceeded 2019. But what are the largest airlines in the world? Which ones have increased capacity since the pandemic?
Cirium looked at the world's 25 largest airlines ranked by capacity in scheduled seats for the third quarter of 2022 and how they grew compared to Q3 2019.
Many routes in Europe and the Middle East, as well as routes in North America, are already exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The main exception to this increase in travel is China, which has seen a dramatic 73,2% decline in domestic travel compared to the previous year due to zero COVID policies and new lockdowns imposed by the Chinese government.
In the ranking of Q3 2022 it stands out European airlines. Ryanair is in fourth place, with over 51,8 million seats scheduled for this period. Although down one position from 2019, RYANAIR exceeded the pre-pandemic offer by +16,4%.
The Lufthansa Group occupies the seventh position with over 40,9 million seats offered, with -21,5% less than in 2019 when, however, it occupied the 24th place. The International Airlines Group (IAG) also appears in the 9th place - the group companies British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus and Level – with more than 36,7 million seats, down 15,8% compared to 2019, when it was in 21st place.
It is in 11th place Air France - KLM, with more than 30,1 million seats, down 6,6% from 2019, when it was one position lower at No. 10. EasyJet climbed to 13th place with over 26,8 million seats, down -11,1% from 2019 when it was 15th. In 2022, Turkish Airlines is in 14th place with over 26,7 million places on offer, down from 4th place in 2019.
Wizz Air, airline no. 1 in 2019, it is in Q3 2022 at position 20, although it offers 16.4% more seats compared to the same period in 2019.