In travel news for June 20th, 2023 we talk about the Official Airline Guide recent analysis of Air Travel between the United States and Europe.
The travel industry has observed an impressive surge in the number of Americans flying to Europe this summer, a resurgence indicative of the sector's remarkable recovery following the global pandemic. Particularly, the United Kingdom has emerged as a top favorite among the diverse destinations in Europe.
This trend has been substantiated by a recent market analysis released by Official Airline Guide, the Air Travel intelligence company. Official Airline Guide’s report details the unprecedented figures for transatlantic flights between the United States and Western Europe during this summer season.
According to the group, the Air Travel market between the U.S. and Europe was one of the first long-haul markets to bounce back post-pandemic. Most airlines promptly reintroduced these routes, leading to a recovery described by the analytics company as "quite remarkable." This comes just three years after the pandemic significantly disrupted the market.
Official Airline Guide’s evaluation attributes the revival of transatlantic travel to a mix of factors: familial ties, thrill-seekers flocking to Florida, shopping enthusiasts in London, and a moderate resurgence of Business Travel. For many people, a transatlantic journey has transformed from a 'long-haul' undertaking into an opportunity for a Netflix binge, uninterrupted by Wi-Fi.
Data from Official Airline Guide's Schedules Analyser shows that Summer 2023 is projected to have more than 111,400 flights coming in from Western Europe to the U.S., averaging approximately 530 daily. Presumably, a similar number of flights will depart the U.S. for Europe each day. A decade ago, in Summer 2013, only 80,416 flights were scheduled between the U.S. and Western Europe. This indicates a nearly 40 percent increase in Air Travel between these regions in just ten years.
An interesting part of this summer's record-breaking activity is the industry's transformation since the turn of the millennium. In Summer 2000, 45 carriers (including some which have since discontinued operations) were servicing transatlantic routes. British Airways was the largest operator, with more than 8,500 flights, while Delta Air Lines and American Airlines held the second and third positions, respectively.
However, due to various U.S. mergers, European airline collapses, and consolidation among Central European carriers, coupled with the influence of airline alliances, the number of carriers has dropped. For Summer 2023, there are now only 37 airlines operating transatlantic flights. Nevertheless, the networks' size and scale have significantly expanded.
The consolidation effect has caused the "Big Three" U.S. carriers to now dominate the market in terms of frequency, operating about 60 percent more flights than their largest European-based competitor, British Airways.
Official Airline Guide's study also looked into the number of airport pairs for routes between the U.S. and Western Europe. There are currently 13 fewer pairs operated this summer compared to the 2019 season. However, the overall number of scheduled flights has increased by almost five percent. Following significant disruptions like the pandemic, airlines tend to drop lower-frequency routes and revert to their core networks. This shift explains the 14 percent increase in flights between London Heathrow and New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Despite these changes, Official Airline Guide concludes that with increased flights, strong demand, and pressure on capacity in many markets, there's every reason to anticipate this summer as a record revenue-producing period for airlines across the Atlantic.
