Rising fares, staff gaps cast shadow on air travel rebound

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STORY: Airlines expect an end of testing requirements in the U.S. to rebound interest in transatlantic travel

Those routes accounted for between 11% and 17% of passenger revenue at the big three U.S. carriers in 2019

Source: Cirium

Traffic has already reached 85% of 2019 levels

And United Airlines says it plans to expand its network by 25% this summer compared to 2019

But airlines and airports are facing staffing shortages on both sides of the Atlantic

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest, has put a cap on passengers coming through as a result

And fares are up amid record inflation and soaring jet fuel costs

Source: TripActions

Average economy fares from the U.S. to the EU are up 26% from 2019 levels

So far little evidence of soaring costs hurting travel spending

Yet, there are some warning signs

Source: Cowen and Co.

A survey of U.S. travelers in May found a slight drop in interest due to growing economic concerns and rising fares