International air passenger demand and confidence remains high going into the busy summer holiday season, new data from aviation industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show.
IATA’s customer survey found that nearly 80% of travellers said they are planning an international trip between June and August. Also 85% said they expected disruptions during peak travel times, but 80% said they expect a smooth trip now that the Covid issue have passed.
“Expectations are high for this year’s peak Northern summer travel season. For many this will be their first post-pandemic travel experience. While some disruptions can be expected, there is a clear expectation that the ramping-up issues faced at some key hub airports in 2022 will have been resolved. To meet strong demand, airlines are planning schedules based on the capacity that airports, border control, ground handlers, and air navigation service providers have declared. Over the next months, all industry players now need to deliver,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security.
Forward bookings data indicates that the greatest passenger growth, this summer, is expected in the Asia-Pacific region; followed by the Middle East, Europe and Africa. At just over 14%, North America is expected to see the slowest growth.
