Airline shares soar but turbulent profitability ahead, industry body warns

Airline shares – including those of Ryanair and IAG, which owns Aer Lingus – have soared on suggestions of growing consumer appetite for a return to flying, but an industry body has warned that a return to profitability may prove a long haul for many airlines.

Google searches for air travel have overtaken Covid-19 searches since the middle of last month, according to airline representative group the International Air Transport Association (IATA), although they remain 60% below where they were in January.