Europe aviation: LCCs consolidate market share gains in the recovery

Among Europe's top dozen airline groups by weekly seats there are five LCCs.

Ryanair is at the top of the list, which also includes easyJet, Wizz Air, Pegasus Airlines and Jet2.com. All but one of these five LCCs are operating more than 100% of what was their seat capacity in the equivalent week of 2019, while only one FSC group has risen above this threshold.

Europe's total seat capacity is at 87.2% in the week commencing 1-Aug-2022 - which is a shortfall of 12.8% against the equivalent week in 2019.

Europe has moved from fifth to fourth in the regional ranking, above Asia Pacific, where capacity is down -21.9% versus 2019 capacity, and the Middle East, where capacity is down -15.6%.

Europe's capacity recovery as a percentage of 2019 levels remains on the plateau it has occupied since the last week of May-2022 - for LCCs and FSCs alike. Nevertheless, low cost airlines have made structural gains in seat share since before the COVID-19 pandemic.