Shares in aviation companies have failed to recover in the four years since Covid upended their fortunes. Although figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that the number of passengers is close to hitting pre-pandemic levels, airline stocks are, in the main, still flying well below their earlier trajectory. Oil price volatility means that pattern is likely to continue.
But travel is on the up, as IATA’s figures show, and the FTSE 250-listed SSP, which runs thousands of restaurants and cafés in train stations and airports in 36 countries, looks set to capitalise. It has been a slower burner than anticipated; I first tipped the stock in June 2022, when only three quarters of SSP’s estate had reopened after the pandemic. Then
