This month global scheduled airline capacity (seats) is down by 47% compared to a year ago, before the impact on aviation from the COVID-19 pandemic began to make itself felt on air travel. The number of flights operating is down slightly less – by 45% – showing that, on average, airlines are flying slightly smaller aircraft where they are flying at all. Average aircraft size at a global level is down from 146 seats a year ago to 141 now. It’s not surprising that airlines have adjusted the composition of the fleet they are putting in the air. With demand falling off a cliff, excess capacity everywhere, and airlines working hard to preserve cash while keeping as many aircraft as possible in circulation we’d expect to see priority given to smaller and newer aircraft.
Not all airlines have had the same ability to make these adjustments as others. It depends on the mix of aircraft in their fleet. Across the board two families of aircraft made up the workhorses of airline fleets…