Delta Air Lines has been the major beneficiary of competitors’ struggles to revise flights schedules due to the grounding of Boeing 737 Max jets, according to one analyst.
Second-quarter revenue will be up by about 8% and unit revenue by 3.5%.
"Delta is benefiting from artificially low capacity growth and spillover demand from competitors impacted by the grounding of the MAX," Cowen analyst Helane Becker wrote in a note to investors.
Capacity is also above its original expectation and the industry average at 4.9%.
"We expect Delta’s capacity growth to revert back to a normalized level once the Max is recertified, however, timing of that remains uncertain," Becker added.
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have a combined 72 Boeing Max aircraft grounded, which has forced the carriers to shift schedules and cancels hundreds of flights a day.
It has even led to routes being scrapped.
Boeing and the FAA are still working to approve changes to the Max with the all-clear not expected to be given until October at the earliest.
