Global airline seat capacity forecast to be back to 85% by the end of 2022

International business travel specialist FCM Consulting is predicting a travel bounceback to continue for the rest of the year with global airline seat capacity forecast to be back to 85% of pre-Covid levels by the end of 2022. The forecast comes from FCM’s latest Global Quarterly Trend Report, which reveals that the top 20 corporate airlines across the world are on the rebound, with a global average of 87% seats offered in 2022, versus 2019. “There are now 141 countries completely open to the fully vaccinated. Our data shows the advance booking days globally averaged 26 days in Q2 in 2022, compared to 18 days in Q1 of this year,” said FCM Consulting general manager Felicity Burke. “We’re seeing an upward tick in aviation globally with the second quarter showing a steady monthly growth in seats offered, down 23% when compared to the same time-period pre-Covid. “As demand continues to increase across the world, we can now forecast that for the calendar year ending 2022 global seat availability will be back to 85% of pre-Covid levels, a bounceback that signifies the pent-up demand for people wanting to travel for both business and leisure. “Our H2-2022 forecasts have the majority of global regions 10% below 2019 seat volumes, but North America and South America are defying these stats, with both continents expected to be four per cent above 2019 levels by November this year.” Burke said, in terms of seats offered, the Australian domestic market is forecast to be back to 83% of pre-Covid levels for the full 2022 year. Similarly, New Zealand is predicted to be back to 79% domestically for the year. The report draws on global data sourced from FCM bookings, for travel during April to June 2022 (Q2-2022) and used Cirium aviation data as of 19 July 2022 and STR data 20 July 2022. Click here to download the full report. FCM is part of Flight Centre Travel Group, which has now opened registration for its Illuminate corporate travel event, to take place at Alexandria’s The Venue in Sydney on 20 October – in-person for the first time in three years.  The event will also return in a virtual format for attendees who can’t make it in person. Keynote speaker Jayne Hrdlicka will join HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham, REX Airlines deputy chairman John Sharp, Ernst & Young partner, climate change and sustainability services Adam Carrel, and Sir David Attenborough’s right-hand-man Dr Chadden Hunter. Flight Centre Corporate MD ANZ Melissa Elf said the group was “delighted to bring Illuminate back in an in-person environment – it continues to be a truly stand-out event for the corporate travel industry”. “Last year’s event was such an incredible success virtually that we wanted to retain that aspect of it, but we also want to practice what we preach by showcasing the importance of meetings and events in the business world.