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IATA director general says data supports more relaxed travel rules
July 8th 2021
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general, Willie Walsh, said overnight governments needed to consider alternatives to closing borders in response to COVID-19. Read More » "To paraphrase an old saying ‘when you think that all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail’," Walsh said. "Too many governments continue to act as if the only tool in their anti-COVID-19 arsenal is a blanket border closure or arrival quarantine." Medical evidence showed vaccinated travellers posed little risk to local populations and other data indicated pre-departure testing largely removed the risk of unvaccinated travellers importing COVID-19, he said. "It's very clear the scientific medical data will support a much more relaxed environment," Walsh told reporters during an IATA online global media days briefing.
Figures from the airline lobby group showed passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was down 62.7% in May compared with May 2019. For Asia-Pacific carriers, international RPKs for the month were 94.3% lower than in May 2019, highlighting the impact of the region’s largely closed borders. "The region experienced the steepest traffic declines [globally] for a tenth consecutive month," IATA said. In terms of air freight, May cargo tonne kilometres (CTK) were higher by 9.4% over the same month in 2019. Asia-Pacific carriers posted a 2.7% improvement in CTKs, compared with May 2019. "As was the case in April, the region’s airlines reported the highest international load factor at 75.2%," IATA said.
