Grim outlook for international travel
The world's leading travel body has delivered its latest grim outlook on when international air travel will properly recover, predicting it won't be at pre-COVID levels until 2024.
The International Air Transport Association, which made the prediction, said uncertainty about the timing of border reopenings is the main factor weighing on international traffic.
Slow virus containment in the US and developing economies, reduced corporate travel and weak consumer confidence are also being blamed for the more pessimistic outlook.
🧳 Latest forecast: The return of global passenger traffic to pre-#COVID19 levels is now delayed by a year, to 2024.
— IATA (@IATA) July 28, 2020
As int'l #travel remains limited, the recovery for global passenger traffic has been slower than expected 📉
More details 👉https://t.co/Ijt8UChxmP pic.twitter.com/RrITj6vEiz
"Passenger traffic hit bottom in April, but the strength of the upturn has been very weak. What improvement we have seen has been domestic flying. International markets remain largely closed," IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac said.
"Consumer confidence is depressed and not helped by the UK's weekend decision to impose a blanket quarantine on all travellers returning from Spain. And in many parts of the world infections are still rising.
"All of this points to a longer recovery period and more pain for the industry and the global economy."
Originally published as Grim outlook for international travel
