Leased aircraft impacted

Analysis of the CAPA Fleet Database shows that the COVID-19 crisis has had a proportionately bigger impact on number of leased aircraft in service than on the total fleet in service.

There were approximately 31,000 commercial aircraft in service around the world on January 31, 2020. Just over 16,800 of these – almost 50 per cent – were leased. By the end of April 2020, the total number had fallen by 55 per cent, to just under 14,000, whereas the leased number had slumped by 62 per cent, to approximately 5,800. Numbers have picked up a little since then, but are still far below their pre-crisis levels.

As of July 13, 2020, the CAPA Fleet Database records a little more than 16,500 aircraft in service in total, a 47 per cent reduction on the end-January 2020 figure; and just under 7,100 leased aircraft in service, still 54 per cent below the January 2020 number. Of all aircraft, 46 per cent are now in service, but 43 per cent of leased aircraft. The total number of aircraft in service as a proportion of the entire global fleet, including those inactive, was 86.4 per cent at the end of January 2020. This fell to 38.8 per cent at the end of April 2020 and has risen a little to 46 per cent at July 13, 2020 (broadly in line with global seat capacity for the week commencing July 13, 2020, which is at 44 per cent of 2019 levels, according to OAG/CAPA data).