Airfares are up, planes are full and some major U.S. carriers are reporting record revenues. At the same time, staffing shortages are wrecking customer service, dark economic clouds loom and some worry the recovery in corporate demand is decelerating.
According to ARC, U.S. air bookings made by travel agencies that mainly serve commercial clients have plateaued around 70 percent of 2019 levels. During earnings calls this month, major U.S. airlines said June quarter domestic corporate volumes came in between 65 percent and 75 percent of 2019 levels. Revenue from corporate bookings was higher thanks . . .