London | The worldwide airline industry will rack up more than $200 billion of losses this year and next, before finally regaining cash-positive altitude at the end of 2021, the International Air Transport Association has forecast.

The industry will make a collective net loss this year of $US118.5 billion ($162 billion) and $US38.7 billion in 2021, IATA said. The 2021 forecast loss is more than twice a previous $US15.8 billion estimate in June.