Off The Charts

The skies are clearing up a bit for airlines as travelers slowly return to airport check-in lines.

More airlines are adding flights to their schedules and investors have driven shares for the major airlines back to levels seen in early March before the coronavirus brought the U.S. economy to a standstill.

The airline industry has essentially been grounded for months after a plunge in passenger demand forced American, United and others to slash flights. They were among the hardest hit companies as the U.S. economy was shoved into a recession. Shares are still well below levels from February when restrictions on international travel kicked in.

Analysts don’t expect passenger traffic to get back to 2019 levels anytime soon. Still investors have jumped on any sign of recovery in an industry that will be closely tied to a rebound in the global economy.