The carrier expects to operate over 500 daily departures from Chicago by spring 2026.

Over 50 million people will fly between mid-December and early January, A4A predicts.

Accidents like these typically fade out of the news cycle after a week or so, but the feelings will remain strong for the industry and the victims’ loved ones.

As air travel continued to creep toward – or in some cases exceeded – pre-pandemic levels, the industry was faced with new challenges.