OAG Reports 7% Drop in Capacity in Q4

The world's airlines will offer 59.7 million fewer seats in the 4th quarter of 2008 than they did a year ago, according to OAG (Official Airline Guide) in its 10-year view of the global aviation industry. The latest figures from OAG's consolidated database reveal a seven percent drop both in the number of flights and in seat capacity for October, November and December 2008 compared with the same period last year. The U.S. domestic market will account for just under 20 million of that figure, or 33 percent of the global decline in capacity, in what could potentially be the most widespread crisis to hit the aviation industry in recent memory. The OAG analysis takes into account all future schedules filed by the airlines to date, to provide a comprehensive snapshot of planned airline activity for October to December 2008 with comparisons tracking back 10 years. For a complete analysis see the next issue of Regional Aviation News.