World: Airlines’ debt pile hits $340b as Covid chokes travel

Airlines are piling on more debt as surging coronavirus cases force travelers to cancel plans and stay home. The industry’s outstanding debt has jumped 23% since 2020 to $340b, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. So far this year, global air carriers have sold $63b in bonds and loans. It’s more evidence that the industry faces a bumpy road ahead, with many border restrictions still in place and the high-season of summer vacations in the US and Europe coming to an end. EasyJet and JAL announced new fundraising plans this month to help them weather the prolonged pandemic. “The spread of the Delta variant may lead to other countries imposing tougher quarantine rules on visitors,” said Susannah Streeter, a senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Many carriers are returning to the bond market after last year’s dash-for-cash when the pandemic first struck. The big sales show that investors are still ready and willing to give ample funding to the industry. <br/>