OAG International, which provides data for airports and airlines, said that the air transport sector set a record in the weekly growth of seat capacity on scheduled flights to exceed the barrier of 30 million seats, but that figure remains less by about 83 million seats compared to the same week Since last year, the overall decline rate is estimated at 73%.
The agency added, according to the latest data, that the scheduled seat capacity occupied by airlines in the week beginning May 18 recorded growth of 6% compared to the previous week, noting that "the continuous growth for the second week in a row contributed to the increase in numbers."
At the regional market level in South Asia, growth rates doubled with the scheduling of an additional 1.7 million seats. The Foundation stated that the reopening of the Indian domestic market represents almost most of this recovery, while Bangladesh, Pakistan and other markets show signs of increased growth.
The agency added that the available capacity in the domestic markets (domestic flights) still represents more than 85% of all scheduled seats occupied by airlines, and it is clear that the markets of China, the United States and India have the largest share of the growth rates that are recorded.
She stated that the airlines added flight schedules for the coming June and July, and the data show varying increases, especially the main transport companies in Europe, adding that despite that, the regular services for 213 airlines are still suspended compared to the week that started from January 20, 2020.