Airlines count on business travelers to keep recovery going

With summer vacations winding down, airlines are counting on the return of more business travelers to keep their pandemic recovery going into the fall. Air travel in the United States, bolstered by huge numbers of tourists, has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels — even topping 2019 numbers over the Labor Day weekend. Inflation — and especially this year’s sharp rise in airfares — raises concern about how long vacationers can afford to keep flying at their current pace. Airlines say they see no signs of a slowdown in leisure travel. Business travel, however, remains about 25% to 30% below 2019 levels, according to airlines and outfits that track sales.