US airlines look for holiday boost after Delta variant interrupts recovery

US airlines are looking at the upcoming holiday season and the reopening of vital trans-Atlantic route to recover the momentum lost in the last quarter following a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. After a strong summer travel season, air-carriers had to temper their outlook last month for the quarter through September as the fast spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus slowed down new bookings and drove up cancellations. read more A month on, dipping COVID-19 cases have raised industry hopes that passengers would be more confident to fly again. Financial services firm Raymond James conducted an analysis of the TSA's 7-day average passenger screening data, which showed that while the travel demand still lags the peak in late July, it has improved from the lows in mid-September. "Cancellations have abated, bookings are recovering," CE of Hawaiian Holdings Peter Ingram said. "As we get to Thanksgiving and Christmas, we've got the opportunity for a strong, solid recovery." Bookings have also recovered at Delta, which expects domestic travel demand to surpass 2019 levels next year. United The International Air Transport Association (IATA), an consortium of 290 airlines, expects air-carriers in North America to return to profit next year before their counterparts in other geographies. The outlook for the industry's cash cow - business travel - remains uncertain.<br/>