IATA: More people gaining confidence to travel

MANILA, Philippines — Passenger confidence in air travel is growing, according to results from the latest poll of travelers by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

IATA said survey responses from 4,700 interviews conducted online in 11 markets last month “are telling that people are becoming more confident to travel.”

Results of the survey showed that those expecting to travel within a few months of the pandemic now account for 57 percent of the respondents, an increase from 49 percent in September last year.

About 72 percent of respondents want to travel as soon as possible after COVID-19 is contained to see friends and family.

The survey showed that 81 percent believe they will be more likely to travel once they are vaccinated, while 56 percent believe they will postpone travel until the economy stabilizes, an improvement from 65 percent in September last year.

“While there is public support for travel restrictions, it is becoming clear that people are feeling more comfortable with managing the risks of COVID-19,” it said.

However, IATA said there are some headwinds in travel trends, as about 84 percent of travelers indicated they would   not travel if it involves quarantine at destination.

“People want to get back to travel, but quarantine is the showstopper,” IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said.

“As testing capacity and technology improves and the vaccinated population grows, the conditions for removing quarantine measures are being created. And this points us again towards working with governments for a well-planned re-opening as soon as conditions allow,” he said.

De Juniac said while everyone’s top priority at the moment is staying safe, it is important to map a way to being able to re-open borders, manage risks, and enable people to get on with their lives.

In the survey, 68 percent of respondents said their quality of life is suffering as a result of the loss of freedom to travel, while nearly 40 percent reported mental stress and missing an important human moment as a result of travel restrictions.

“It is becoming clear that we will need to learn to live and travel in a world that has COVID-19. Given the health, social and economic costs of travel restrictions, airlines should be ready to re-connect the world as soon as governments are able to re-open borders. That’s why a plan with measurable milestones is so critical. Without one, how can we be prepared for restart without an unnecessary delay?” De Juniac said.