US: Fliers find an old friend on more planes: Empty seats
Air travellers’ odds of sitting next to an empty seat are improving. US airlines are adding larger jets to their fleets and more rows to existing aircraft. The result is more open seats on many flights even as demand for air travel grows. That is good news for fliers who have grown accustomed to vying for desirable seats and bag space. It’s also a concern for airline investors who believe the industry might not trim capacity enough to protect a record run of profitability. “Right now there’s a lot of capacity out there, and I think they’re kind of struggling to fill it,” one consultant said. US domestic flights were 83.5% full in November, down from a record high of 86.3% in July. That’s equivalent to around 4 more empty spots on a typical Boeing 737-800 that can carry 166 passengers. <br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/imagelibrary/news/hot-topics/2019-01-22/general/us-fliers-find-an-old-friend-on-more-planes-empty-seats
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US: Fliers find an old friend on more planes: Empty seats
Air travellers’ odds of sitting next to an empty seat are improving. US airlines are adding larger jets to their fleets and more rows to existing aircraft. The result is more open seats on many flights even as demand for air travel grows. That is good news for fliers who have grown accustomed to vying for desirable seats and bag space. It’s also a concern for airline investors who believe the industry might not trim capacity enough to protect a record run of profitability. “Right now there’s a lot of capacity out there, and I think they’re kind of struggling to fill it,” one consultant said. US domestic flights were 83.5% full in November, down from a record high of 86.3% in July. That’s equivalent to around 4 more empty spots on a typical Boeing 737-800 that can carry 166 passengers. <br/>
