Airline Travel Confidence Poll During COVID-19 Pandemic
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) conducted a survey in June 2020 to gauge passenger demand for air travel following the Covid-19 pandemic. The results, when compared to the survey's initial findings in February, suggest a significant shift in the mindset of passengers.
The survey indicates a decrease in the percentage of passengers who will wait a month or two before flying, with this group falling from 33% in April to 27% in June. On the other hand, the percentage of passengers who will wait six to twelve months before flying has increased. However, the survey does not provide any information about the reasons behind this shift in passengers' mindset.
The June 2020 survey reflects the initial steep decline and disruption in the airline industry caused by Covid-19. Key insights from this period include a massive contraction in international and domestic travel demand, changes in traveler behavior with heightened concerns about safety, and early signs of recovery that were not yet evident in June.
The enormous decline in air travel due to the Coronavirus epidemic has begun to recover to some extent with the resumption of scheduled flights since the beginning of June. However, the overall situation of the survey does not show a heartwarming recovery in the air travel sector.
The survey was conducted in eleven different countries and was the third conducted by IATA since February. Aviation operations slowed down drastically due to border restrictions, travel restrictions, lockdown, quarantine for travelers, and individual health concerns.
The survey does not provide any information about the impact of the delayed recovery on the airline industry or the measures being taken by airlines to increase passenger confidence in air travel. It also does not indicate a significant increase in the percentage of passengers who will start flying immediately after the epidemic is controlled.
More than half of the passengers state that they will not board a plane for six months and longer after the epidemic is taken under control. The most striking point of the June survey is the change in the ratio of those who will wait a month or two to start flying again. This group, which was on the rise in the April survey, experienced a sharp decline in June.
The World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. The survey serves as a benchmark of the pandemic's immediate impact on suppressing passenger air travel demand globally.
While later reports from IATA and other organizations show progressive recovery trends with rising leisure travel and a rebound in premium class bookings, the June 2020 survey specifically reflects the initial steep decline and disruption in the airline industry caused by Covid-19.
- The shift in passengers' mindset, as shown in the June 2020 survey, seems to prioritize health-and-wellness concerns, given the significant increase in the percentage of passengers who will wait six to twelve months before flying.
- Despite the recovery of air travel to some extent since June, the survey suggests that science and lifestyle choices may influence the travel decisions of many passengers, as more than half state they will not fly for six months or longer, even after the epidemic is controlled.
