Soaring infection leads to sudden dip in European flights

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

As the 2^nd wave of infection hits the state and the Government is forced to impose lockdown once again, European airlines too cuts down on flights and reduces traveling scope. With the rise in virus cases, the Government has no other option but to re-impose lock down, even after hoping to boost flights, the industry decided otherwise to overcome the present situation.

Key carriers from Europe are reducing their capacity plans as they grapple with the sudden rise in infection in covid cases and new restrictions have been considered to reduce the spread of the viral disease.

Air France AFLYY 7.99% recently mentioned that it would operate 35% of its 2019 capacity in the current quarter, down from the 50% it had planned previously. Sister airline KLM will fly 45% of its typical flights, having previously planned 55% for November. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, ICAGY 3.54% the owner of British Airways and Aer Lingus, said last week it would reduce capacity to 30% from earlier plans to fly 40% of its 2019 flights.

Deutsche Lufthansa SA also stated that it would ground another 125 aircraft and reduce its planned capacity to a quarter of last year’s. It had held out an initial goal of returning to 50% of its regular operations by the end of the year.

The reductions contrast with tentative optimism at some big U.S. carriers. Despite big losses, American Airlines Group Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. recently indicated that their aircraft were getting fuller.

In Europe, a sharp increase in cases in many countries has the aviation industry on the defensive again. France and Germany have both instituted strict lockdowns. Air France and IAG warned Friday those measures would hit bookings.

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