Budget airlines lead to air ticket availability surge

Low-fare airlines are driving forward an increase in the number of flights and air tickets on sale this month, it was revealed today.

No-frills carriers are offering 2.5 million more low-cost seats on flights within Europe in July 2005 compared with July 2004, figures from travel and transport data company OAG showed.

This is contributing to world airlines providing more than 20.6 million tickets for sale on flights to and from Europe this month – 7% more than in July last year.

The OAG also revealed that nearly a third of flights within the UK are now provided by budget airlines.

Worldwide, airlines are providing more than 280 million airline tickets in July 2005 – 5% more than in July 2004.

The number of flights airlines will lay on around the world this month is nearly 2.4 million – over 96,000 more than in July 2004.

OAG business development managing director Duncan Alexander said: “July marks the start of the northern hemisphere summer holiday season, so carriers would naturally expect to increase their capacity.

“However, the underlying trend of year-on-year growth since 2001 is an indication of steadily increasing airline industry confidence.”