Asian travelers do not seem ready to return to the skies. If there is any hope for the region’s airlines, it is that this summer season spurs families and new flyers to spread their wings both locally and across the oceans.
Data from carriers and industry bodies shows strong growth and solid load factors — the ratio of available capacity actually used — indications that the extra capacity being added to routes is finding a market among passengers willing to book a seat.
These numbers are misleading. What we are seeing is an industry shaking off the remnants of the COVID-19 pandemic but without a sustained appetite for air travel.