Airlines over the past week removed about 2.5 million
scheduled seats globally, putting the bottom of capacity cuts in sight even
with more cuts slated, according to analysis by OAG.
The most recent cuts put global air capacity at 29.8 million
seats for the week, down about 75 per cent over the past 14 weeks, OAG reports.
Week over week, capacity was down 7 per cent.
Most remaining capacity is domestic, with international
capacity down to about 500,000 seats per week, compared with an average of 5.9
million seats per week prior to the Covid-19 crisis, according to OAG analyst
John Grant. Markets that have seen the smallest domestic capacity declines
include the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, he said.
More cuts next week could drop capacity below the 29 million
mark, though Grant said a slowdown in the rate of cuts indicates "we are
now close to the bottom." Japan's two largest carriers, Japan Airlines and
All Nippon Airways, have schedule cuts taking effect this week.
"Looking forward, quite a few airlines have scheduled
capacity to be added back in from around the middle of May, and we will have a
look at some of that data in the coming weeks as [we] identify more of the
green shoots of recovery that will be coming along," Grant said.
"But, as always, only time will tell."