*The International Air Transport Association wants governments worldwide to drop COVID-19 related all travel bans, including quarantine and testing, removed for fully-vaccinated travellers

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

In a strategic move to revive the troubled global aviation industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) wants governments worldwide to drop COVID-19 related travel bans as the virus shifts from 鈥渢he pandemic to endemic stage鈥�.

IATA Director-General Willie Walsh stated in regard to the organisation鈥檚 campaign to reboot the airline sector of the economy, he is urging governments to relax travel restrictions further to improve the lot of the industry.

IATA desires all travel barriers, including quarantine and testing, removed for fully-vaccinated travellers, Simple Flying report said.

Walsh also noted: 鈥淲ith the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travellers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of COVID-19.

鈥淭he measures have not worked.”

The Director-General added: “Today, omicron is present in all parts of the world. That鈥檚 why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations. The billions spent testing travelers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening health care systems.鈥�

Airline capacity still lagging globally, say analysts

Airline analytics consultancy OAG reported that the global airline capacity in the past week (measured by the number of available seats) is now 25.5 percent behind the same week in 2019.

However, the current capacity is tracking above the equivalent weeks in 2020 and 2021. The bulk of the current capacity is in domestic markets, currently just 11 percent below the comparable 2019 period.

International capacity remains 48 percent down on the equivalent 2019 period, report said.

Outright border bans in some countries and complex and costly testing and/or quarantine regimes in other countries can make international travel an unattractive proposition to most travellers.

That’s having direct flow-through effects on airlines.

Except for Central and Western Africa (where overall airline capacity has increased 4.8 percent compared to the same week in 2019), current available capacity continues to lag 2019 levels in every other airline market worldwide.

According to OAG, in some markets, including Central and Upper South America, there is a relatively small, single-figure gap.

In key markets like North America, Western Europe, and North-East Asia, capacity is currently down by 12.5 percent, 36.5 percent, and 20.6 percent, respectively.

The report further stated the biggest regional laggards are the South-East Asian and South-West Pacific markets, where capacity is down 47.1 percent and 49.9 percent.

In view of this development, the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines Director-General Subhas Menon says this is due to strict border measures imposed throughout the region and the emergence of the omicron variant.

Mr. Menon is singing from the same songsheet as Willie Walsh.

“For meaningful recovery to take place, border restrictions would need to be eased on a consistent basis, and the current multi-layered travel requirements streamlined and simplified for travellers,” said he.

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