U.S. airlines say they have hit a turning point: After a lousy first quarter, they expect to be profitable as Americans return to travel in the biggest numbers since the start of the pandemic.
, which both predicted in recent days that they will earn full-year profits despite big losses in the first quarter.Air travel was subdued in January and February by the omicron variant that caused an increase in COVID-19 cases among both travelers and airline employees. But travelers came back in March, and airline executives believe that Americans are eager to travel this summer and won't be discouraged by another, smaller uptick in coronavirus cases and higher airfares.
The recovery is being powered by leisure travelers, but the airlines say they are seeing more business travelers. A major challenge will be the limited supply of pilots, which could limit the ability of airlines to operate as many flights as they would like. Isom said American will adjust its schedule to match the number of available planes and pilots. He said American executives “have tremendous confidence” that the airline will operate smoothly through the summer.