Airlines face holiday test as demand surges

By DAMIAN J. TROISE
AP Business Writer

The airline industry’s recovery is being tested this holiday season as passengers return in near pre-pandemic numbers. The resurgence in air travel is being fueled by pent-up demand and the availability of vaccines, along with an apparent lull in virus cases since summer’s big wave. The Transportation Security Administration reports that passenger checkpoints are nearly as busy now as they were before the pandemic. Airlines have been ramping up capacity to meet demand, but the industry is hampered by a lagging workforce recovery. That’s raised concerns that major airlines could be in for a rough December.