Europe's airline capacity: true climb starts after Ryanair false start

In the week commencing 1-Jun-2020, seat numbers in Europe have dropped by 31.8% from last week, according to schedules from OAG combined with CAPA Fleet Database seat configurations.

The year-on-year decline - a more meaningful measure - is 86.3%, which is 7.2ppts deeper than last week's 79.1% drop. Moreover, it is the 10th successive week of cuts of -78% to -90%.

Europe is the only region with lower capacity than last week and has returned to its position as the region with the deepest year-on-year cuts, after rising from the bottom of the pile two weeks ago.

Latin America capacity has been reduced by 83.5%, while seats are down by 81.2% in Africa, by 75.5% in North America, by 74.2% in Middle East and by 48.8% in Asia Pacific (the first region to recover more than half of its level a year ago).

Adjusting for a false start in Ryanair capacity showing in schedules data filed with OAG between mid April and late May, this week looks like the true start of the (still cautious) upturn for Europe.