American Airlines Group Inc. expects to put most of its fleet back in service in the second quarter following “recent strength in domestic and short-haul international bookings” that hint at a gathering travel rebound.
Falling infections and hospitalizations and rising vaccinations have spurred demand after a blow early this year when the US required negative coronavirus tests for international travelers, American said in a regulatory filing Monday. The seven-day average of net bookings on March 26 was about 90% of the 2019 level and domestic flights are 80% full, the company said.
American’s upbeat assessment underscored recent progress against a pandemic that caused an unprecedented decline in travel last year. Earlier this month, the carrier reported “what looks like the beginning of a very large uptick” in demand. American on Monday projected that strong bookings would continue into the second quarter, but cautioned that visibility was limited.
