US airline chiefs express optimism after busy spring travel weekend

More people flew in the US this past weekend than any time since the coronavirus pandemic crushed air travel a year ago, which has fuelled the recovery hopes of US airline chiefs. The TSA said about 2.57m passengers went through airport checkpoints this weekend. About 1.36m travelled on Friday, making it the single biggest day for air travel since March 15, 2020, when US states started to implement a wave of restrictive lockdowns in response to the spread of Covid-19 — although that is 46 per cent fewer travellers than the same day in 2019. The weekend figures were the highest for air travel in a year, as some states loosen restrictions and university students travelled for spring break. The fall in new infections and rapid pace of vaccinations has also boosted some Americans’ confidence that the pandemic may be in retreat. Scott Kirby, United CE, told investors Monday that the airline expected to stop burning cash in Q1 if current booking trends continue. Ed Bastian, CE of Delta, reported “glimmers of hope”, pointing to daily net cash sales — ticket sales minus refunds — which a regulatory filing said were 30% higher for the first two weeks of March than the February average. Kirby said that business demand could stage a comeback late next year, and reach 2019 levels by 2023. However, Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, expressed concern about the jump in traveller numbers, warning Americans not to “relax” and let their guard down.<br/>