But supply chain constraints mean those planes would not be delivered until possibly years down the track, with Jefferies investment bank estimating that there is currently an order backlog of 12,720 aircraft.
All that means the sky-high airfares that people have complained bitterly about over the past few months are here to stay, and things could get worse before they get better.
Source: The world just doesn’t have enough planes as travel roars back | The Straits Times
The pandemic led to retiring many old aircraft. Even planes put into mothballs are staying there as airlines realize the required maintenance of old, mothballed aircraft makes little sense now.
Supply chain issues caused by ineffective public health shutdowns of most everything is limiting the ability of manufacturers to make new airplanes.
Pent up demand from 2-3 years of being prevented or discouraged to travel means more demand than supply.
Air crews, in some areas, are in short supply, particularly the United States. Public health ordered shutdowns led to huge layoffs and early retirements. Now it will take years to get back to full staffing.
Meanwhile, climate activists say they want to shut down all or most air travel or impose high carbon tax fees on future airline flights, making air travel a luxury item only the climate elitists can afford. Lots of ordinary people realize this and are seeking to travel now, as soon as they can, before climate activists shut down all air travel.