For a while this summer, European traffic levels were around 60% of 2019 numbers - a recovery of sorts. The recent resurgence of Covid-19 in Europe and the knock-on effects on tourism underlined the brittleness of the recovery. Things are not going to get much better as the industry moves from shoulder to winter traffic. The outlook for long-haul carriers, especially those who depend on transatlantic business, is looking even worse. Symbolic of the lost business, airlines are retiring early the mighty and iconic Jumbo. The Boeing 747 in many respects was the vehicle of democratised long-distance travel - and in some luxury if you went upstairs to the bars sometimes on offer. While several Gulf airlines are getting their Airbus A380s into the air again, many of the large Airbus' may be joining prematurely their more veteran wide-bodies in retirement.
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