Airlines see summer boom led by Asia’s post-Covid comeback

Air travel bookings are pointing to strong demand this summer, with Asia Pacific leading a regional rebound after coronavirus restrictions disappeared and airlines overcame the travel chaos that dogged last year’s peak season, the International Air Transport Association said.

Forward bookings for the May-September period are 35% higher than in the same period in 2022, the airline-industry group said in a statement. Asia Pacific experienced the largest jump with a 135% increase, followed by a 43% advance for the Middle East and a 40% improvement in Europe. 

IATA’s survey, which polled 4,700 people in 11 countries, showed that 79% of passengers are planning a trip during this year’s peak travel season. The vast majority expect smooth travel conditions after airlines and airports beefed up operations following last year’s chaos. 

“For many this will be their first post-pandemic travel experience,” Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security, said in the release. “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.”