Fewer people are flying as airfare soars. Here's why airlines aren't worried

Fewer people are flying this year, but with airfare this high and climbing , airline executives say that's just fine. At the New York Hilton in Midtown Manhattan on Friday night, the aviation industry held its annual Wings Club gala, honoring Ed Bastian, CEO of profit-leader Delta Air Lines . North American airline CEOs and other executives at the black-tie bash told CNBC that demand trends aren't worrying them, but persistently high, profit-crimping fuel prices are. The number of people screened at U.S. checkpoints is on track for its first annual decline since 2020. Major U.S. carriers have said capturing higher fares matters more than fully filling planes or flying record numbers of travelers.