Pandemic flights in Brazil just as full as pre-coronavirus times

That the coronavirus pandemic would deal a crushing blow to the commercial aviation sector was no surprise. Intra- and international restrictions, along with widespread fear of Covid-19 contamination in enclosed spaces, made flying one of the least attractive modes of transport during the health crisis.

But with increased levels of vaccination and squashed death curves, restrictions on travel are being loosened worldwide, with airports filling up once more, transporting people from city to city for work or pleasure. 

Distancing measures remain, however — but flight data shows that Brazil’s airlines may not be making air travel as safe as they should. The Brazilian Report carried out a survey of flight data made available by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) and found that one-half of the almost 440,000 flights in Brazil between April 2020 and June 2021 flew at over 80 percent capacity, while 15 percent of planes were over 90 percent...