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In light of the ongoing crisis in the aviation industry, Delta and its competitors are facing unprecedented challenges. The beginning of the year saw approximately 2.3 million passengers flying out of the United States, a number that plunged to under 100,000 due to the crisis. While there has been a slight recovery recently—with around 200,000 passengers currently traveling— this figure still represents a staggering 90% drop compared to pre-crisis levels.
For airlines to operate profitably, maintaining a load factor of around 75-80% is crucial. The retirement of older aircraft like the Boeing 777, which generally require higher load factors due to their inefficiency, is a strategic move to adapt to this new reality.