Why are flights so expensive now the pandemic is over? Experts explain, and reveal why they might still cost a lot more than before for years to come

Staff cuts during the pandemic, a shortage of planes, and airlines paying more for aviation fuel because of the Ukraine war are reasons flights cost so much now

Industry insiders from the likes of Ryanair and Booking.com tell us why airfares may rise even further, and why you should spend your air miles now

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A Boeing 737 MAX-9 flies past the Boeing factory in the United States during testing. A shortage of planes, and the inability of plane makers to increase deliveries, are among the factors keeping fare prices higher than before the pandemic. Photo: TNS

Published: 4:15am, 5 May 2023Updated: 5:21am, 5 May 2023

The worst of the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, countries are accessible again and airlines expect decent profits now that business and leisure travel has returned. Why, then, are fares still so high?

For one, there’s a lack of planes. Airlines idled large portions of their fleets because travel demand was so lacklustre during the pandemic that they weren’t needed. Now they can’t bring them back fast enough – it takes 100 working hours to ready the biggest jets for service after being parked away.

Another reason: consumers are willing to pay more for tickets after being denied the chance to travel, in some cases for as long as three years.

A Booking.com survey of more than 25,000 adults planning to travel in the next 12-24 months found that many wanted to be “more indulgent” with their itineraries to make up for lost opportunities.

Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines planes grounded because of a lack of passengers at Hong Kong International Airport in April, 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Getty Images

“Even if some trips might be a bit more expensive than they were previously, many people still see value in spending on travel,” says Marcos Guerrero, senior director of flights at the online travel company.

The bad news for consumers is that ticket prices are likely to stay elevated for several years, at least according to Michael O’Leary, chief executive officer of Ryanair, Europe’s biggest airline in terms of passengers carried.