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 $158.51 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 flag-ship airline operators,” explains Michael Brain, Regional Sales Manager at AerFin. “This [discrepancy in aid] has been most evident in the Americas and European regions.”
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