Regional carriers receive less than 1% of state aid

Just 0.38% of confirmed state aid has gone to regional carriers as of 28th August, Ishka research shows, a fraction of the billions offered to airlines globally since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis. 

Including unconfirmed state aid, this figure falls to just 0.31%. Regional carriers have received $484 million in various forms of government support through the pandemic. However, Ishka estimates that as of 28th August governments are offering $125.84 billion in confirmed bailouts or assistance measures for airlines globally.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the total tally could be as high as 

58.51 billion. (See Ishka’s airline bailout series for full details for government support to airlines.)

Some regional carriers, however, are accessing non-airline specific government aid. “Some independent regional carriers feel ‘overlooked’ in terms of government support, with much of the support packages focusing on tier 1 and flagship airline operators”, explains Michael Brain, Regional Sales Manager at AerFin. “This (discrepancy in aid) has been most evident in the Americas and European regions”.