NEW YORK — Two major US carriers, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, predict the demand for air travel will continue to surge despite expectations for an economic recession next year. The chief executives of both airlines stated tse of a recession.hat they see no evidence signaling weak air travel demand, even in case of a recession.

Delta's CEO Ed Bastian claims the surge in air travel is "Recession-Proof." A souring economy is unlikely to dent pent-up demand for travel; he told in a statement on Wednesday ahead of an investor meeting in New York.The airline's available seat mile capacity for 2022 is now at around 85% of 2019 levels, but Delta anticipates that it will surpass the benchmark for 2019 in 2023.United CEO Scott Kirby said his company foresees a "mild recession" in the US next year, but he restated Tuesday that he doesn't see a drop in travel demand.

United Airlines expects to welcome more than 8.3 million passengers, seeing an increase of nearly two million compared to 2021's same period. On Tuesday, the carrier announced a hirtoric order for Boeing's latest-generation widebody and narrowbody jets.

Also read: United announces largest widebody aircraft order ever placed by a U.S. carrier 

Delta Air Lines also maintains a bullish travel forecast despite weakening demand among smaller carriers. The carrier has recently boosted its fourth-quarter earnings outlook and full-year outlooks for 2022 through 2024.But smaller airlines are not as optimistic as Delta and United. JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Spirit Airlines cut their revenue forecasts for the fourth quarter of the year, stating that 2023 could be a tough year for the industry.

On the other hand, economic projections make it evident that risks for the aviation industry lie ahead, says Sage-Popovich, Inc. (SPI), a Chicago-based global aviation consulting and asset management firm.

According to SPI, owners of aviation assets may have to face severe economic consequences due to rising interest rates and a probable U.S. recession. Additionally, global inflation is soaring and reaching new highs; in October, double-digit inflation rates were recorded in more than half of the nations that make up the Eurozone. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also driven up airline operational costs. Additionally, other economic considerations, including rising fuel costs and employee salaries, are generating pressure on the companies as well.