According to OAG Aviation Worldwide, Shanghai-based China Eastern is now the world’s largest airline based on available seat capacity.
China Eastern is part of China’s ‘Big Three’ carriers along with China Southern Airlines and Air China.
The carrier overtook Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. Southwest became the largest airline using this metric after US rivals including American Airlines and Delta had slashed flight capacity by nearly 90% doe to the impact of COVID-19.
Writing on the companies blog, OAG analyst John Grant said: “Some 270 airlines added capacity back to the tune of approximately 3.9 million seats; unfortunately, 303 airlines reduced capacity by some 5.6 million including over one million fewer seats from Southwest Airlines.”
Global airline capacity has now shrunk from 109 million to only 26.6 million and domestic routes make up 82% of all flights while airlines in China have added about 900,000 seats as travel restrictions have been eased and demand rises.
