IATA: Travel momentum builds as restrictions are lifted

Monday, February 21, 2022

Travel momentum is building as restrictions are being lifted, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

In a statement last week on its website, IATA reported a sharp 11-percentage-point increase for international tickets sold in recent weeks (in proportion to 2019 sales).




It said that in the period around Feb 8 (seven-day moving average), the number of tickets sold stood at 49% of the same period in 2019.

In the period around Jan 25 (seven-day moving average), the number of tickets sold stood at 38% of the same period in 2019. The 11-percentage-point improvement between the January and February periods is the fastest such increase for any two-week period since the crisis began.



IATA said the jump in ticket sales came as more governments announced a relaxation of COVID-19 border restrictions.


An IATA survey of travel restrictions for the world’s top 50 air travel markets (comprising 92% of global demand in 2019 as measured by revenue passenger kilometres) revealed the growing access available to vaccinated travellers.



The air travel association said 18 markets (comprising about 20% of 2019 demand) are open to vaccinated travellers without quarantine or pre-departure testing requirements.

It said 28 markets are open to vaccinated travellers without quarantine requirements (including the 18 markets noted above), adding this comprises about 50% of 2019 demand.

Meanwhile, it said 37 markets (comprising about 60% of 2019 demand) are open to vaccinated travellers under varying conditions (18 having no restrictions, others requiring testing or quarantine or both).


IATA director general Willie Walsh said momentum toward normalising traffic is growing. He said vaccinated travellers have the potential to travel much more extensively with fewer hassles than even a few weeks ago.

This is giving growing numbers of travellers the confidence to buy tickets. While recent progress is impressive, the world remains far from 2019 levels of connectivity.

Thirteen of the top 50 travel markets still do not provide easy access to all vaccinated travellers. That includes major economies like China, Japan, Russia, Indonesia, and Italy, he said.

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