Europe's aviation capacity recovery to go into reverse in 4Q2022

Europe's total seat capacity is at 86.8% in the week commencing 5-Sep-2022, which is a shortfall of 13.2% against the equivalent week in 2019.

Europe remains fourth in the regional ranking, above Asia Pacific, where capacity is down by 27.3% versus 2019, and the Middle East, where capacity is down by 13.3%. Africa capacity is down by 10.5%, North America by 6.6%, and Latin America is down by 4.7%.

The capacity recovery in Europe has progressed with each successive quarter from 27% of 2019 levels in 1Q2021 to the current projection of 87% for 3Q2022. However, this figure for the current quarter – soon drawing to a close – is only a little ahead of the 84% achieved in 2Q2022.

Moreover, capacity projected for Europe in 4Q2022 has been trimmed from 88% to 85% over the past two weeks. This points to a modest reversal of the recovery trend from the current quarter to the final quarter of this year.