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Asia-Pacific airports urge more governments to relax border restrictions
November 3rd 2021
Airports Council International Asia-Pacific (ACIAP) has called for faster action on reopening borders after new estimates indicated passenger numbers in the region would be less than half of pre-COVID levels. Read More » The forecast predicts the Asia-Pacific will close 2021 with passenger numbers 56% lower than pre-pandemic levels despite the resumption of domestic travel in some markets. The Middle East, which also is within ACIAP’s jurisdiction, will be down by 70%. The combined numbers translate to an overall loss in passengers of 2.3 billion for the year. By year-end, airport revenues are predicted to decline by about US$34 billion in the Asia-Pacific and US$11 billion in the Middle East. “The latest ACI forecast reveals that following a bad 2020 in traffic and revenues, 2021 was even more dismal for Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports,” said ACIAP director-general, Stefano Baronci. “The particularly negative outcome in the Asia-Pacific is a direct consequence of travel restrictions and quarantine policies of many countries in the region. A repeat of the dismal 2021 year can be avoided in 2022 if more governments adopt the risk-based, pragmatic approaches recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).” Baronci said some countries were pursuing international travel and economic growth, including Singapore, Thailand and Fiji along with several Gulf states. “By the end of 2021, more major economies in Asia will have fully vaccinated above 70% of their populations, bringing an additional layer of protection against the coronavirus,” he said. “With continued careful monitoring of public health situations through indicators such as hospitalization and mortality rates, more governments are urged to expedite the calculated risk of relaxing quarantine policies and follow the global trend of adopting digital health certificates with a view of supporting the resumption of international air travel.”
