The pandemic could shrink the global aviation fleet by nearly 10 percent
Older airplanes, and big four-engine craft, are likely to be parked or phased out for good. (Photo by Alwin Kroon on Unsplash/)If you had more than one car in your garage and life suddenly got financially tight, you’d probably start driving the most fuel-efficient one the most. And if those trips involved fewer people, well, that’s even more of a reason to hop in a vehicle that’s small and new. Airlines are doing something similar with their aircraft during the coronavirus pandemic, and it likely means that beloved big—or just older—planes are going to find themselves in the airplane graveyard sooner than usual. Those aircraft—fan-favorites like the classic 747 and the huge A380, which Airbus had already said it was going to stop making—trigger nostalgia or excitement for passengers, meaning their retirement is, frankly, sad. In fact, by early next year, the global aircraft fleet could be almost 10 percent...