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https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/overseastravelandtourism2020/2021-05-24

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Overseas residents made 11.1 million visits to the UK in 2020; this was 73% fewer than in 2019 as travel reduced because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Overseas residents spent £6.2 billion on their visits to the UK in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.

UK residents made 23.8 million visits abroad in 2020, which was 74% fewer than the previous year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

UK residents spent £13.8 billion on visits abroad in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.

Data collection by the International Passenger Survey (IPS) was suspended 16 March 2020, for the period April to December 2020 the figures in this release are based on administrative sources and modelling; estimates prior to April 2020 are based on data collected from the International Passenger Survey.

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2. Travel and tourism statistics and the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Travel and tourism statistics are usually based on the results of the International Passenger Survey (IPS), but the survey was suspended on 16 March 2020 because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. No IPS data were collected for the period when the survey was not operational.

The figures published in this article, for April to December 2020, are based on administrative sources and modelling, and the methods used are described in Section 6: Data sources and quality. The statistics have been produced to the highest quality possible, but the methods used have not been subject to full review and scrutiny. Also, we have made assumptions that some previous trends have continued, for example, the proportions of passengers travelling for business or holidays. The results are indicative and should therefore be viewed with caution. We have produced these estimates to provide users with as much information as possible about international travel over this period.

The range of variables published here are much more limited than in the regular annual publications, and the usual supporting dataset has not been produced.

This article also presents data for the period January to March 2020 in the charts and tables. As IPS survey data were not collected after 16 March 2020, incomplete information was obtained. Every effort was made to ensure the quality of these statistics, but in the circumstances we cannot be confident that they meet the high standards required for designation as National Statistics. For this reason, the National Statistics status of these statistics for the period January to December 2020 was temporarily suspended under the provisions made for exceptional difficulties encountered in compiling statistics because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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3. Visits to the UK by overseas residents and visits abroad by UK residents: 2020

Our modelling indicates that overseas residents made a total of 11.1 million visits to the UK during 2020, a decrease of 73% compared with 2019 (Figure 1). UK residents' visits abroad in 2020 fell by 74% to 23.8 million. These large falls are attributable to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with travel restrictions and reluctance to travel becoming widespread.

UK residents spent £13.8 billion on visits abroad in 2020, a fall of 78% compared with 2019. The average spend per visit has decreased from £670 in 2019 to £578 in 2020, contributing to the overall decrease in spending. Overseas spending in the UK also fell to £6.2 billion; this was 78% less than in 2019 (Figure 2).
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4. Overseas residents' visits to the UK

In our modelled estimates, which assume that past trends continue, taking holidays was the most popular reason for visiting the UK in 2020, with 4.4 million visits (Figure 3). This was a 74% decrease compared with 2019. Business trips and visits to friends and relatives decreased by 72% compared with 2019 (2.5 million and 3.4 million respectively).

Similar trends were observed for different areas of the world. Visits by North American residents decreased by 78% to 1.2 million, visits by European residents decreased by 71% to 8.0 million and visits by residents of "other countries" (countries outside of Europe and North America) decreased by 76% to 1.9 million (Figure 3).

Estimated spending in the UK by overseas visitors decreased by 78% to £6.2 billion in 2020 when compared with 2019.
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5. Visits abroad by UK residents

Our modelling suggests that there were 23.8 million visits overseas by UK residents in 2020, the lowest figure since 1985. The number of visits in 2020 was 74% fewer than in 2019, when there were 93.1 million visits.

There was an 81% decrease in visits to North America (1.1 million); a smaller fall was seen in visits to European countries, a decrease of 74% (18.7 million). Visits to "other countries" fell by 73% to 4.1 million.

Using modelling to extrapolate from past trends, 60% of UK residents' visits abroad were for holidays. There were 14.2 million holiday visits abroad in 2020, a 76% decrease on the previous year (Figure 4).

Visiting friends or relatives overseas decreased from 23.5 million in 2019 to 6.9 million visits in 2020. The numbers of business trips have varied relatively little over the last 20 years until 2020, where visits of this type fell to 2.3 million in 2020 from 9.0 million in 2019.

Estimated spending abroad by UK residents decreased by 78% to £13.8 billion in 2020 when compared with 2019.
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Visits

The figures relate to the number of completed visits, not the number of visitors. Anyone entering or leaving more than once in the same period is counted on each visit.

Overseas visitor

An overseas visitor is a person who, being permanently resident in a country outside the UK, visits the UK for a period of less than 12 months. UK citizens resident overseas for 12 months or more coming home on leave are included in this category. Visits abroad are visits for a period of less than 12 months by people permanently resident in the UK (who may be of foreign nationality).

Visiting multiple countries

When a resident of the UK has visited more than one country, expenditure and stay are allocated to the country stayed in for the longest time.

Miscellaneous visits

Visits for miscellaneous purposes include those for study, to attend sporting events, for shopping, health, religious or other purposes, together with visits for more than one purpose when none predominates (for example, visits both on business and on holiday). Overseas visitors staying overnight in the UK on their way to other destinations are also included in miscellaneous purposes.

Earnings and expenditure

Earnings refer to spending in the UK by overseas residents, whereas expenditure refers to spending abroad by UK residents.
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7. Data sources and quality

Methods used to produce these estimates

The methods and sources used to produce the estimates presented in this release are primarily the same as what was used to produce Overseas travel and tourism, provisional: April to June 2020 publication in Section 6: Data sources and quality. However, with traffic volumes increasing during Quarter 3 (July to Sep) 2020, and policy changes affecting international travel, these figures are to be treated with caution and are less robust than the previous modelled estimates released.

Accuracy of the International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates

The estimates presented in this article for the whole of 2020 must be treated with particular caution, since the methods used have not been fully scrutinised or tested.

Confidence intervals have not been provided for these estimates because we would only be able to provide this based on how well the model predicts data already collected by the IPS. The trends observed this year are not like previous years, and therefore stating these confidence intervals would indicate a misleading level of confidence in the predictions, as the assumptions of the model may not be correct.

The usual source of travel and tourism statistics, the IPS, has been suspended since 16 March 2020.

The estimates presented in this article make the best use of the available data and methods to produce estimates of international visits and spending. However, as noted, the methods are new and the results should be treated with caution. It has not been possible to produce the full range of variables normally presented in the quarterly publication.
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Travel and tourism statistics are usually based on the results of the International Passenger Survey (IPS), but the survey was suspended on 16 March 2020 because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, no data was collected for the period April to December 2020. Interviewing resumed from 18 January 2021 and we plan to release data collected for Quarter 1 2021 in July 2021.
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Travelpac: travel to and from the UK
Dataset | Released 24 July 2020
Quarterly data on travel to and from the UK, taken from the International Passenger Survey (IPS). Includes detail on age and sex of travellers, purpose and length of trip, and spending. These data are in a form suitable for small businesses and students. Travelpac comprises 14 of the most widely used variables, and the data are available for each year from 1993 onwards, in both SPSS and Excel formats

Travel trends: 2019
Article | Released 22 May 2020
Annual estimates of travel and tourism visits to the UK (of less than 12 months' duration) and associated earnings and expenditure between the UK and the rest of the world.

Overseas travel and tourism, provisional: April to June 2020
Article | Released 9 November 2020
Visits to the UK by overseas residents, visits abroad by UK residents and estimates of spending by travellers, using administrative sources of passenger travel data.

Overseas travel and tourism: January, February and March 2020 provisional results
Bulletin | Released 24 July 2020
Visits to the UK by overseas residents, visits abroad by UK residents and spending by travellers, using provisional passenger traffic data.

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Overseas travel and tourism - Office for National Statistics

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Overseas residents made 11.1 million visits to the UK in 2020; this was 73% fewer than in 2019 as travel reduced because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Overseas residents spent £6.2 billion on their visits to the UK in 2020; this was 78% less than in 2019.

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Selected countries have infection rate compared to see if there are any differences

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Visualisation showing how each country's infection rate compare to the UK

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Airlines have been loosing money during the Covid 19 pandemic due customers cancelling flights.

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Domestic and International Connectivity (number of distinct connections), 2019 

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Flight zones to potentially avoiding global spreading

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Flight zones to potentially avoiding global spreading

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Global commitments on COVID-19 offer way forward but success depends on action being taken now

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Global commitments on COVID-19 offer way forward but success depends on action being taken now

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https://www.who.int/news/item/24-09-2021-global-commitments-on-covid-19-offer-way-forward-but-success-depends-on-action-being-taken-now

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I was greatly heartened by the global show of support demonstrated at the Global COVID-19 Summit hosted by the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, on Wednesday, 22 September 2021.

The leadership shown by President Biden is commendable and provides a much-needed boost to the global efforts to rapidly expand access to vaccines, scale up diagnostic testing and expand supplies of oxygen and other life-saving tools in all countries - especially the most vulnerable. Sustained high-level commitment is needed if we are going to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commitments made at the Summit offer the promise of reaching the targets that the World Health Organization and its partners have set to vaccinate 40% of the population of all countries by the end of 2021 and 70% by the middle of next year.

To reach this year's target, we need 2 billion doses for low- and lower- middle income countries now. To quote President Biden, "we can do this."

But vaccines alone will not defeat the pandemic. The Summit also underscored the need for action on all fronts to rapidly scale up testing and sequencing, and access to oxygen, PPE and more. The Summit also included a discussion on the steps needed to prevent and better prepare for the next pandemic.

The following five actions, in particular, must be at the heart of the world's common drive to keep people safe, serve the vulnerable and promote health:

Meeting the #COVID-19 vaccines targets to, in turn, address vaccine inequity, which represents the greatest impediment to ending the pandemic.

Fully and flexibly funding global needs to respond to the pandemic. This includes the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to ensure access to vaccines, through COVAX, diagnostics, treatments and PPE to countries in need. Only 50% of the ACT-Accelerator's funding needs have been pledged, and even less released. Fully financing this initiative for 2021 would require less than 0.1% of what governments have been spending on stimulus packages. In addition, the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan requires US$1 billion to support countries to implement these tools and the public health measures needed to respond to COVID-19. It's particularly important that funders provide unearmarked and flexible support so resources can be used where, when and how they are needed to save lives.

Financing for future emergencies to remedy the chronic underinvestment in health emergency preparedness and response as well as health systems resilience. WHO is committed to working with the process led by the G20 Presidency to create a board for health threats financing that will prepare the world for the next pandemic and others emergencies to come, and be linked with new financial mechanism to support needed strengthening. Such new platforms must not duplicate existing systems but strengthen - not further fracture - the global public health ecosystem. As I said at the Summit, we need a stronger, sustainably financed and empowered WHO at the centre of the global health architecture.

A global commitment to preparedness and response in the form of an international agreement, compact or treaty that guarantees highest level political commitment for strengthening global collaboration on preventing and addressing pandemics and epidemics. This must be co-owned by all countries, rich and poor, big and small, not by a subset. It must ensure sharing of the materials needed to do this work, from financial resources and data, to vaccines, tests, treatments, other technologies and PPE. Nations of the world have the chance to breathe life into such a commitment at a Special Session of the World Health Assembly starting on 29 November.

A concerted campaign to defeat misinformation and disinformation on all fronts of the COVID-19 response, from the safety of vaccines to public health measures that save lives. The relentless torrent of malicious and inaccurate information is a major driver of the continued potency of the pandemic.

I am grateful for the commitments made by leaders who joined this week's summit.

But it is clear that commitments alone won't save lives, stop transmission, immunize people, scale up manufacturing capacity, and ready the world to prevent future health emergencies.

What is needed now - finally - is for commitments to turn into immediate actions to equitably end the pandemic.

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Global commitments on COVID-19 offer way forward but success depends on action being taken now

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I was greatly heartened by the global show of support demonstrated at the Global COVID-19 Summit hosted by the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, on Wednesday, 22 September 2021.

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past 28 days comparison of countries

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https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/best-of-europe/coronavirus-safest-holiday-destinations/

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been giving you regular information about the situation with the publication of updated maps in real time on the coronavirus situation "Covid-19" in the world (WHO).

The situation has been evolving constantly: first we communicated with you about the destinations to avoid, then, at the peak of the crisis and following the WHO recommendations, we advised you to stay at home.

As soon as it became possible to travel, we informed about the safest destinations based on criteria such as the number of active cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, the number of deaths, health measures, recommendations put in place by the authorities to welcome you in hotels, tourist accommodations, shops and restaurants in compliance with health standards.

If the vaccine against covid-19 allow us to travel more safely, many of you want to travel to destinations that have remained safe throughout this pandemic. We have selected destinations in which hospitals have never been overcrowded, destinations that have experienced fewer cases of covid-19 and are also less likely to impose a curfew or restrictions during your stay. For practical reasons we have selected destinations that have not imposed a quarantine: some safe destinations such as the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway or Finland do not appear in this ranking for this very reason despite experiencing low cases of covid-19. Here is a list of destinations that have remained safer during these last months, in comparison to others and which are open to travellers. You will find all travel restrictions (covid-19 test or not and forms to be filled out for each destination listed).

Please note that travel conditions, health measures of the various destinations as well as the number of cases of Covid-19 are listed and updated regularly.

Remain vigilant and do not forget the barrier gestures, social distancing, wearing a mask when possible or required. Avoid travelling if you are in poor health. People over 70, or overweight or with respiratory problems, should be particularly vigilant. It is also our responsibility to protect our most fragile loved ones and the people from our host countries.

We recommend you book your accommodation and check the option "100% refund without cancellation fees" as well as your flights and your tours and activities (cancellable up to 24 hours before ).

Disclaimer of liability: Every effort is made to provide up to date, accurate and complete information. However, the pandemic evolves daily and we strongly recommend that you check the rules governing the country of departure and the destination country.

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✅ Coronavirus: Safest Destinations to Visit in Europe in 2021

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If a vaccine against covid-19 may allow us to travel more safely, many of you want to travel to destinations that have remained safe throughout this pandemic. We have selected destinations that have experienced fewer cases of coronavirus and are also less likely to impose a curfew or restrictions during your stay.

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https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/studies-trace-covid-19-spread-international-flights

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Mary Van Beusekom | News Writer | CIDRAP News

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Studies trace COVID-19 spread to international flights

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One involves a symptomatic passenger who likely infected at least 12 others.

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To remedy fears of the spread during air travel for those who are hesitant to travel

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To remedy fears of the spread during air travel for those who are hesitant to travel

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https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/poland/

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143 infections per 100K people reported last 7 days

Poland reports highest number of new infections since April

COVID-19 infections are increasing in Poland, with 7,799 new infections reported on average each day. That's 27% of the peak - the highest daily average reported on April 1.

There have been 3,045,102 infections and 77,145 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.

How Poland compares

There is no one perfect statistic to compare the outbreaks different countries have experienced during this pandemic. Looking at a variety of metrics gives you a more complete view of the virus' toll on each country.

These charts show several different statistics, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, that mark the various ways each country's outbreak compares in its region and the world.

What it tells you...

Gives the true human toll of the virus on a country.

What it doesn't

Can minimize the scale of the virus' impact on smaller countries.

About this data

Reuters is collecting daily COVID-19 infections and deaths data for 240 countries and territories around the world, updated regularly throughout each day.

Every country reports those figures a little differently and, inevitably, misses undiagnosed infections and deaths. With this project we are focusing on the trends within countries as they try to contain the virus' spread, whether they are approaching or past peak infection rates, or if they are seeing a resurgence of infections or deaths.
Read more about our methodology
Where Poland COVID-19 data comes from

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Poland: the latest coronavirus counts, charts and maps

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143 infections per 100K people reported last 7 days COVID-19 infections are increasing in Poland, with 7,799 new infections reported on average each day. That's 27% of the peak - the highest daily average reported on April 1. There have been 3,045,102 infections and 77,145 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.

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https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-ryanair-boss-hits-out-over-coronavirus-scariants-and-calls-for-travel-to-eu-and-us-to-be-opened-up-12323072

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Michael O'Leary, the outspoken chief executive of Ryanair, has said it is "absolutely imperative" that "big tourist destinations" such as Greece and Spain be added to the UK's green list at the end of this week.

"The restrictions should be lifted, we should be allowing British families to travel to the US and Europe, and also to return without having to complete useless PCR forms for people who've already been vaccinated," Mr O'Leary told Sky News.

But scientists have warned that any increase in international travel could put Britain's recovery from COVID-19 at risk, with the potential for new variants to enter the country as tourists return from less vaccinated countries.
Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

"Nothing is absolutely safe," Mr O'Leary said, but "it is scientists and doctors' jobs to urge caution and care and worry," he added. "The vaccines are effective against the Indian variant, it's a scariant being used by the science and medical professions to urge caution.

"It's time that we got on with our lives. We've had 18 months of the scientists and the doctors worrying us about scariants and variants and all the rest of it."

Current data suggests that the variant first identified in India is up to 60% more transmissible than the one first identified in Kent.

The newer Indian variant is "taking over" as the dominant COVID strain in the UK as cases rise across the country, Dr Deepti Gurdasani, a clinical epidemiologist told Sky News.

Mr O'Leary later acknowledged that the variant was indeed more transmissible, and said he backed a stricter border policy for travellers from southern hemisphere countries.

"There should still be stronger border controls on long haul flights to the southern hemisphere where they have not advanced their vaccine programme," he said.

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10:27

But the airline boss went on to slam the requirement for vaccinated British travellers returning to the UK from green list countries to produce negative PCR tests, calling the situation "bizarre".

"There's no excuse for the government to restrict air travel," he said. "It's time to go on holidays and it's time to fly Ryanair."

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COVID-19: Ryanair boss calls for holiday travel to EU and US to open up and hits out over coronavirus 'scariants'

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Michael O'Leary, the outspoken chief executive of Ryanair, has said it is "absolutely imperative" that "big tourist destinations" such as Greece and Spain be added to the UK's green list at the end of this week.

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https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/spain-france-italy-poland-are-among-the-safest-countries-to-travel-to-ecdc-says/

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Spain, France, Italy & Poland Are Among the Safest Countries to Travel to, ECDC Says - SchengenVisaInfo.com

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The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has disclosed that Spain, France, Italy, and Poland are some of the safest EU countries to travel to since they have been registering low infection rates for several weeks now. In line with the most recent weekly-gathered data published b…

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Spain, France, Italy & Poland Are Among the Safest Countries to Travel to, ECDC Says

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https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-next-coronavirus-wave/

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Press play to listen to this article

The fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic is breaking over Europe, with few countries being spared a worrying rise in cases.

Comprehensive vaccination, it turns out, is necessary - but not sufficient - to contain the spread of the virus, which thrives in autumn and winter weather. Countries that had widely relaxed social-distancing restrictions over the summer are now considering re-implementing measures to stem the tide of increasing cases and hospitalizations.

Vaccination "solves part of the problem, but not all of it," said Hajo Zeeb, professor of epidemiology at the University of Bremen. While vaccination does protect against infection, it's not fool proof. Just as worrying is that immunity is waning, leading to countries turning to booster shots. "I think even the public are realizing that it's not all over," he said.

POLITICO has crunched the numbers on vaccinations, new cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the EU and the U.K. The picture that emerges is mixed and one in which vaccination penetration is the main determinant of whether the pandemic can be successfully contained. A smart approach to measures such as face mask requirements in crowded settings and vaccine "passports" are an important differentiator.

At one end of the spectrum a group of countries has achieved high rates of vaccination of both their adult populations and older schoolchildren. Top of the class is Portugal, which has successfully curbed infections, hospitalizations and deaths at low levels. At the other end arecountries facing their worst outbreaks since the onset of the pandemic in spring 2020. With only a fraction of their adult population vaccinated, COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire in Bulgaria and Romania, pushing their health systems towards collapse.

Here is a list of the four groups:

The Overachievers: The success of vaccination campaigns in countries like Portugal, Malta and Spain - where 80 percent or more of the population has been fully vaccinated - translates directly to very low new cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

Could Do Better: Countries like the U.K., Germany and Austria have achieved vaccination rates in the 60- to mid-70 percent range - not enough to stop new cases rising. The relaxation of restrictions in the U.K. has also been a powerful driver of new infections.

Falling Behind: The three Baltic nations and some countries in Central Europe, such as Slovenia, are experiencing some of the highest rates of daily new cases per million people. Vaccination rates in the 50 percent region have left much of their populations unprotected from the virus and hospitalizations and deaths are much higher than their Western neighbors.

The Strugglers: The two countries that lag furthest behind on vaccinations are Bulgaria and Romania. Overburdened health systems have contributed to the perfect storm for the current wave of the virus, which is seeing worryingly high hospitalization levels.

It's mainly an "epidemic of the unvaccinated" said Zeeb. The figures illustrate this with The Overachievers having very low new cases per million people. The effectiveness in vaccination preventing deaths is highly reassuring. The Strugglers, Romania and Bulgaria, have the lowest share of fully vaccinated people and new daily deaths that far exceed any other country in the EU. These figures are echoed in hospitalization and ICU occupancy. "The best preparation for the fourth wave would have been an effective vaccination campaign," Ioana Mihăilă, Romania's former health minister, told POLITICO.

"All of Europe is facing an increase in pressure from the pandemic - in Eastern Europe, where the rate of vaccination is much lower than in the West, the sanitary impact is real and intense," French Health Minister Olivier Véran told lawmakers on Tuesday. Elsewhere, climatic conditions and the spread of a more infectious sub-type of the Delta variant of the coronavirus were driving infections, he added: "We have every reason to be vigilant."

Zeeb fears that health systems won't be able to deal with another wave. He said that the "extraordinary" situation last year can't be repeated as there are concerns that health systems won't be able to cope again.

While vaccination isn't a complete solution - it doesn't completely block transmission - it's now clear it can prevent severe illness and death. Data from the U.K., in particular, is reassuring. Britain has seen skyrocketing cases, and while hospitalization rates are increasing, they have not surged as they did in earlier waves. In much of Western Europe, where cases are rising, it's a little too early to tell whether hospitalizations will trend steeply higher. For now, hospitalizations are lagging new infections.

While new infections may be even higher than they were last autumn and winter, they are "certainly not [higher] on the hospitalization side," said Zeeb. "Which is the good news, which speaks to the effect of the vaccinations."

A major driver of new infections has been among youth. Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University London, points out that when schools re-opened in the U.K., the high levels of community transmission resulted in "explosive growth" in case numbers.

Among the countries with available data, the countries that have few new cases, such as Portugal and Spain, also have vaccination rates that top 30 percent among those under 18. The Strugglers, Bulgaria and Romania, have rates that don't top 4 percent. Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Greece, in the Falling Behind category, all have rates under 10 percent and are also facing sharp spikes in infection.

Given the data on cases, deaths and hospitalizations, the overall vaccination rates reinforce how important it is for countries to get to not just decent vaccination levels, but rates that exceed 80 percent. As for what the future could bring, Zeeb sees the coronavirus eventually moving towards an endemic situation in Europe. "Perhaps, when spring comes, which brings down numbers anyway, we'll more vaccinations [and] have probably moved towards herd immunity in some places, due to both vaccinations plus the infections that have taken place," he said.

This article is part of POLITICO 's premium policy service: Pro Health Care. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the health care policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.

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Press play to listen to this article The fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic is breaking over Europe, with few countries being spared a worrying rise in cases. Comprehensive vaccination, it turns out, is necessary - but not sufficient - to contain the spread of the virus, which thrives in autumn and winter weather.

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https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/covid-international-travel-rules

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Aviation bridging the world and supporting the fight against Covid-19

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Aviation bridging the world and supporting the fight against Covid-19

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https://aviationbenefits.org/faqs/aviation-bridging-the-world-and-supporting-the-fight-against-covid-19/

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The global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) has hit the world of aviation hard. Amid the rapid spread of the infectious disease and the declaration of a state of emergency in many world regions, airlines have had to suspend passenger flights and cut schedules significantly. In an effort to stop the pandemic spread, governments have closed borders and requested or forced people to stay home.

The standstill of public life due to Covid-19 is unprecedented in all respects. The air transport sector has proven its ability to adjust in the past and in the current situation, supports the fight against Covid-19 with what it does best: transporting people and goods to where they are needed. This article explores how the aviation industry shifts medical equipment and staff, repatriates travellers and contributes to maintaining supply chains during the Covid-19 crisis. The examples featured are not exhaustive but provide a snapshot of what the industry is doing - with much more being done in all parts of the world.

Supporting delivery of medical equipment

In a pandemic outbreak, simple goods such as face masks, protective gear, gloves and disinfectant quickly become scarce commodities. Demand is also soaring for medical equipment such as ventilators, lifesaving for patients suffering from respiratory illnesses, and medicines produced as part of the global supply chain.

As one of the first measures to support the fight against virus, airlines around the globe started to transport medical and personal protective equipment to the regions most affected by the public health crisis.

Compared to other modes of transport, air freight is fast and reliable over great distances. Looking at the value of goods, over a third of all international trade is sent by air, but the volume is relatively small, at just 0.5%. In times of crises, however, time is of the essence and authorities turn to the speed of air transport.

Alitalia flight AZ675 landed at Rome Fiumicino Airport on 24 March with two million protective face masks from Sao Paulo, Brazil for hospitals in the Piedmont region in northern Italy, where health workers are operating under very difficult conditions.

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aviation bridging the world and supporting the fight against covid-19

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Aviation bridging the world and supporting the fight against Covid-19

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The global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) has hit the world of aviation hard. Amid the rapid spread of the infectious disease and the declaration of a state of emergency in many world regions, airlines have had to suspend passenger flights and cut schedules significantly.

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UK- European holiday destinations visited 2020

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UK- European holiday destinations visited 2020

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https://www.statista.com/statistics/1130656/uk-european-holiday-destinations-visited-by-age/

can log in with your Edinburgh account to get original data

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https://www.icao.int/sustainability/Pages/Economic-Impacts-of-COVID-19.aspx

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In light of the rapidly spreading disease named as COVID-19, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) actively monitors its economic impacts on civil aviation and regularly publishes updated reports and adjusted forecasts. The latest version can be viewed here and all full reports are available further below.

The analytical timeframe has now been extended to Dec 2021 and therefore covers the full year of 2021.

ICAO has also worked alongside the DGCA of Turkey to develop interactive dashboards to monitor four key aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on civil aviation - operational impacts, economic impacts, aircraft utilizations and impacts on country-pair traffic.

Impacts of COVID-19 across industries

The COVID-19 virus has spread worldwide without acknowledging borders. It has impacted all industries, all sectors and all aspects of our lives with devastating economic and financial losses and significant uncertainties.

Within the spirit of collaboration, the below chart gathers information from international organizations representing the impacted industries. This information is subject to frequent change and you are invited to visit the official website of each organization for most up-to-date figures.

Figures are sourced from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Airports Council International (ACI), the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). All figures are in comparison to 2019 data, except for figures marked with an asterix (*) which are compared to 2020 baseline.

ICAO is working alongside the Airport Council International (ACI) in monitoring the developments and to leverage their expertise and analysis conducted on the economic impacts of COVID-19 on airports.

​28-Sep-2021

​European recovery flattened and Asia domestic recovered faster than expected

​21-Sep-2021

​

​27-Apr-2021

​

​10-Feb-2021

​Updated analytical consideration section;

Updated outlook using latest ADS-B operational data a nd airlines' s chedule filing : further downward adju stment

​10-Dec-2020

​Outlook was further updated using on the most recent data;

November final results show steep drop in European traffic;

December preliminary data points towards a slight dip in domestic traffic in North America

​12-Nov-2020

​Updated outlook using latest ADS-B operational data and airlines' schedule filing

​4-Nov-2020

September results finalized; preliminary October results;

Stronger-than-expected recovery of domestic traffic in October; continued small dip in international traffic;

Slightly improved short-term outlook for 2021 with airline revenue losses estimated slightly lower compared to last week

​09-Sep-2020

August results adjusted

​Latest near-term outlook for September:

Possible dip in recovery (Europe, North America, potentially worldwide) due to airlines gradually withdrawing planned capacity for winter schedules. Operational data for first week of September confirms this trend.

​02-Sep-2020

Preliminary August results

Latest near-term outlook for September:

​Global International: small dip of operational capacity recovery

Europe, North America (dom.): similar trend

Africa, Middle East: Capacity recovery momentum (int. and dom.)

Asia Pacific, Latin America and North America: continued stagnation at international level

​12-Aug-2020

​Updated with recent airlines' schedule filings and ADSB data

​22-June-2020

New refinement using ADS-B operational data and new airline schedules' filing

​ Compared to last week's estimates, international estimates were continuously under cloudy sky while domestic estimates went up in some regions. Consequently, overall estimates towards the end of this year were changed by 4 to 7% (scenario 1) and 1% (scenario 2).

​09-Apr-2020

​State level analysis was removed and replaced with Route-group level analysis;

Jan and Feb results finalized

02-Apr-2020

Adjustment of February actual results;

ACI updated estimates included;

IATA estimates included​

​17-Mar-2020

​Updated analysis of China, Hong Kong/Macao SARs and the inclusion of Taiwan, Province of China

Updated stru cture to a global-level analysis

​16-Mar-2020

​Update on Korea, Italy and Iran, as well as US-Schengen impacts ​

​02-Mar-2020

​

​28-Feb-2020

​Initial analysis of scheduled international passenger service from/to Mongolia

Aviation provides the only rapid worldwide transportation network, which makes it essential for global business. It generates economic growth, creates jobs, and facilitates international trade and tourism.

Source: Aviation Benefits Report, 2019

The air transport industry supports a total of 65.5 million jobs globally. It provides 10.2 million direct jobs. Airlines, air navigation service providers and airports directly employs around three and a half million people. The civil aerospace sector (the manufacture of aircraft, systems and engines) employs 1.2 million people. A further 5.6 million people work in other on-airport positions. Another 55.3 million indirect, induced and tourism-related jobs are supported by aviation.

One of the industries that relies most heavily on aviation is tourism. By facilitating tourism, air transport helps generate economic growth and alleviate poverty. Currently, approximately 1.4 billion tourists are crossing borders every year, over half of whom travelled to their destinations by air. In 2016, aviation supported almost 37 million jobs within the tourism sector, contributing roughly USD 897 billion a year to global GDP.

Both air passenger traffic and air freight traffic are expected to more than double in the next two decades. Forecasts indicate that in 2036, aviation will provide 98 million jobs and generate USD 5.7 trillion in GDP - i.e. a 110% increase from 2016.

Source: Aviation Benefits Report 2019, IHLG

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Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Civil Aviation

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In light of the rapidly spreading disease named as COVID-19, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) actively monitors its economic impacts on civil aviation and regularly publishes updated reports and adjusted forecasts. The latest version can be viewed here and all full reports are available further below.

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https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/covid-19-and-the-aviation-industry-impact-and-policy-responses-26d521c1/

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The air transport sector (passenger and freight) represents only a small share of OECD countries' value-added (around 0.3 % on average, see Figure 1). Yet, strong inter-industry linkages with both upstream and downstream sectors make it an important part of the economy.

First, air transport relies on several upstream sectors: support activities to air transportation (including the operation of airports); aircraft manufacturing; rental and leasing services; and refined petroleum manufacturing (including the blending of biofuels). In particular, the air transport sector and airports are inherently intertwined. Some airports depend heavily on one or a few companies that use it as a hub. Shared ownership is common, either by private actors (e.g. Lufthansa owning a minority share in Frankfurt's airport) or by the public sector. The OECD Indicators on Product Market Regulation show that in 2018, the public sector was a shareholder of the largest domestic airport in three out of every four OECD countries and of the largest air carrier in one out of three countries. Moreover, aircraft manufacturers are highly dependent on demand from the air transport sector, directly or through leasing companies. Because both the activity level and the strategic decisions concerning air transport, airports and aircraft manufacturing are linked, this brief considers them jointly as the "aviation industry".

Figure 1. Size of the aviation industry, selected OECD economies

Share in total value added, 2017

Note: Industries based on ISIC Rev.4 classification (Air transport: Division 51; Manufacturing of air and spacecrafts: Group 303; Operation of airports: Class 5223). Value-added for the operation of airports not available in Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States. Data from 2016 for Canada and 2018 for the United States.

Second, air transport is a key input for downstream sectors, as it enables several economic activities by way of trade in goods and especially in services through the movement of natural persons (i.e. mode 4 services trade). Air cargo is essential for the smooth operations of global supply chains. Business travel is an important channel of international knowledge transfer. The availability of non-stop intercontinental flights is an important determinant of the location of large firms' headquarters, even though the impact of airports on local economic activity is debated. The readiness of flights reaching a large number of destinations is also instrumental for tourism, in particular international tourism.

Beyond inter-industry linkages, air transport is characterised by both complementarity and substitutability with other modes of transport, especially high-speed rail on short- and medium-haul routes. Under pre-COVID conditions, the International Energy Agency estimated that 14% of global flights could be competitively shifted to high-speed rail. Yet, air transport remains essential for territorial cohesion and development convergence as it is often the only viable way of connecting peripheral regions.

The change in the behaviour of passengers following the COVID-19 crisis, travel restrictions and the ensuing economic crisis have resulted in a dramatic drop in demand for airline services. According to IATA, passenger air transport measured as revenue passenger kilometre was down 90% year-on-year in April 2020 and still down 75% in August. The collapse in economic activity and trade affected freight, which was almost 30% lower year-on-year in April and still about 12% lower in August.

The size of the shock has put the liquidity buffers of airline companies under pressure, even if a significant share of its costs are variable ( around 50% according to IATA, notably fuel accounting for 25% of the total costs) and the recent drop in oil prices has decreased airlines' operating costs.

In the medium run, airline companies face two uncertainties:

The cost of health-related measures. Operating costs are likely to increase in the short-run for both airlines and airports because of additional health and safety requirements (e.g. disinfection, PPE, temperature checks or viral tests) before they can be passed on to consumers. Moreover, if implemented for air transport, social distancing measures could force a reduction in the passenger load factor (i.e. the number of seats that can be occupied during a flight) by up to 50%.

The shape of the recovery for commercial flights. International travel restrictions, the contraction of economic activity and changes in transport behaviour by cautious consumers may prevent a return to pre-crisis demand levels, even as lockdowns and domestic travel restrictions measures are loosened in many countries. Commercial air traffic is slow to recover: as of September 2020, the number of flights remains more than 40% below pre-crisis level globally ( Figure 2). This hides differences across flight lengths: the drop is even more pronounced for long-haul flights. In the longer run, changes in consumer behaviour may result in structural changes in air transport demand. Even though the rebound of domestic flights in China suggests that traffic may revert to pre-crisis levels, a permanent drop in demand from pre-crisis levels cannot be excluded, either through modal shifts in services trade (e.g. video-conferencing instead of business travel) or, to a lesser extent, through substitution with other modes of transport (e.g. high-speed trains).

The combination of negative demand and supply shocks and the uncertainty around the medium-run outlook create an uncertain perspective for airline companies. Through inter-industry linkages, this uncertainty affects the whole aviation industry. Moreover, the industry remains exposed to a possible resurgence of the pandemic, as governments may impose new air travel restrictions to tackle flare-ups or a potential second wave of infections. This may threaten the existence of some firms in the industry, as production and revenues are likely to remain inferior to pre-crisis levels for some time.

Figure 2. Commercial air traffic, world

Number of flights tracked daily by Flightradar24, 2020 v. 2019

Note: 7-day moving average of the number of commercial flights tracked by Flightradar24 per day (UCT time). Commercial air traffic includes commercial passenger flights, cargo flights, charter flights and some business jet flights; it does not include private flights, gliders, helicopter flights, ambulance flights, government flights, military flights or drones.

Airline companies were in very different situations before the COVID-19 crisis began. In particular, air transport is one of the sectors with the highest dispersion in productivity across firms and, to a lesser extent, in profitability. Airline companies thus entered the crisis with strikingly different abilities to withstand such a shock and heterogeneous prospects for the future.

Bankruptcies or mergers and acquisitions among large companies could have a negative effect on competition in air transport, with possible repercussions on prices. Even if 80% of passenger seats are on routes with several carriers, many of these routes rely on a small number of firms ( 36% of routes involve only two or three carriers).

Past public policy interventions in the aviation industry have had different rationales. Most interventions have targeted aircraft manufacturers. These firms are usually subject to learning-by-doing and significant economies of scale, which may cause under-investment in technology, innovation or production facilities and, hence, justify public support. Public policies have also aimed at co-ordinating a wide array of suppliers and different know-how, and ensuring aircraft safety. More recently, aircraft manufacturers have also been the target of green industrial policies, seeking to accelerate the shift towards low-carbon aircraft. Beyond supporting aircraft manufacturers, governments have also intervened to preserve employment in large air transport companies.

When it comes to the response to the COVID-19 crisis, most of the sector- or firm-specific measures thus far have targeted air transport. As of August 2020, governments have provided about USD 160 billion of support to airlines ( Figure 3). Almost two-thirds of that support consists of direct aid (subsidies, loans, equity, cash injection), while one quarter takes the form of wage subsidies. Interventions have generally taken three forms:

Figure 3. Government support to airlines in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis

Monetary value of relief measures for airlines across economies, as of August 2020

Note: Proposed or confirmed, monetarily quantified relief measures for airlines provided by governments or government-backed entities across 57 countries as of August 20, 2020 in billion USD, Measures include: government-backed commercial loans and government guarantees; recapitalisation through state equity; flight subsidies, nationalisation; deferral and/or waiver of taxes and charges; grants; and private equity.

As the crisis lingers, governments may resort more to equity injections. Even if airline companies did not appear to enter the crisis with higher leverage than firms in other sectors, their debt level could increase by as much as 28% in 2020, according to IATA. Absent any equity injection, this would significantly affect their capacity to finance new investments and, for some firms, affect their solvency.

The COVID-19 crisis has reinforced some of the rationales that were previously used to justify support to the aviation industry. In particular, liquidity challenges, increasing debt burdens and uncertain prospects can jeopardise crucial investments to reduce the industry's carbon intensity, notably the acquisition of more fuel-efficient aircraft.

Whereas industrial policy in the aviation industry has primarily focused on aircraft manufacturers, the crisis exposed the crucial role of air transport and airport infrastructure for the connectivity of peripheral areas (in particular islands). In several countries (France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Norway, Portugal), retail tariffs of air carriers for domestic transportation are regulated and sometimes subsidised as a result of a public service obligation on certain routes.

If not well-designed, government interventions can slow business dynamics and ultimately productivity growth. If they go beyond sector-wide interventions and provide firm-specific support, governments should only target solvent and productive companies. As in any other industry, governments should avoid supporting non-viable companies; rather, they should allow exit and promote resource reallocation. In practice this calls for sector-wide measures and boosting competition.

The risk that government interventions negatively affect business dynamics and productivity may be particularly acute for air transport, given the high dispersion of profitability and productivity across firms in the sector. With demand likely to remain muted in the medium run, the sector has started to adapt and downsize. In this context, governments should enable downsizing rather than counter it, being particularly careful to foster restructuring or exit of the least efficient firms while continuing to target an efficient use of public resources.

In the process of restructuring, government need to smoothen the transition for displaced workers. Besides mitigating costs for firms, job retention schemes protected aviation industry workers' income at the height of the crisis. As uncertainty regarding the cost of health measures and the shape of recovery for commercial flights resolves, job retention schemes need to adjust to target jobs that are viable but at risk of being terminated. At the same time, governments need to focus on supporting aviation industry workers at risk of becoming unemployed, rather than supporting specific jobs.

Although significant, the reduction in emissions due to containment measures and the economic crisis is likely to be only temporary, and will be inconsequential in slowing down climate change. While the grounding of a significant part of the global fleet could result in the retirement of the least efficient aircraft, the COVID-19 crisis could also reduce or postpone the necessary low-carbon investments due to financial constraints and the recent drop in oil prices. The crisis has already dampened the ambitions of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

Investment in cleaner aircrafts and fuel can contribute to long-term resilience in the aviation industry. Putting firms on a sustainable path can contribute to their long-run viability and mitigate moral hazard potentially induced by the current wave of support. In that respect, governments' interventions should consider the transport sector holistically and, where relevant, consider promoting a shift towards more energy-efficient transport modes, e.g. high-speed rail.

Making firm-level support decisions contingent on environmental improvements may help ensure that firms transition into cleaner technologies and fuels, and that the transition occurs gradually (e.g. the loans and loan guarantees to Air France and Lufthansa). In particular, as shareholders, governments should encourage this shift.

Policies should not engage in stimulating demand for aircraft by airlines. The additional costs could jeopardise the solvency of the latter and be ineffective in ensuring a steady flow of orders for aircraft manufacturers.

Moreover, rather than focusing on large players, interventions should ensure that young firms and start-ups are included, for instance through complementary measures (e.g. the French Aeronautics support plan includes funds and subsidies dedicated to small and medium-sized firms). Failing to include young firms may lead to excessive consolidation by the largest players.

Mission-oriented strategies aimed at greening the aviation industry can be a useful tool in this respect, and industrial-policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis targeting the aviation industry should be part of the low-carbon transition strategies implemented or under discussion in many OECD countries. Such co-ordinated packages of policy measures can contribute to addressing societal challenges, in particular by co-ordinating all stakeholders and ensuring the consistency and complementarity of public and private investments.

Further reading

Abate, Megersa, Panayotis Christidis and Alloysius Joko Purwanto (2020), "Government support to airlines in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic", Journal of Air Transport Management 89:101931, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101931

IEA (2020), "Changes in transport behaviour during the Covid-19 crisis", International Energy Agency, Paris, https://www.iea.org/articles/changes-in-transport-behaviour-during-the-covid-19-crisis

International Transport Forum (2020), "Restoring air connectivity under policies to mitigate climate change", COVID-19 Transport Brief, https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/air-connectivity-covid-19.pdf

International Transport Forum (2018), "Government support measures for domestic air connectivity", Case-Specific Policy Analysis Reports, https://www.itf-oecd.org/government-support-measures-domestic-air-connectivity

OECD (2020), "Job retention schemes during the COVID-19 lockdown and beyond", OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/job-retention-schemes-during-the-covid-19-lockdown-and-beyond-0853ba1d/

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COVID-19 and the aviation industry: Impact and policy responses

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The dramatic drop in demand for passenger air transport (and freight, to a lesser extent) due to the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures is threatening the viability of many firms in both the air transport sector and the rest of the aviation industry, with many jobs at stake.

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https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-winter-destinations-europe

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Winter comes in many guises in Europe - in the polar north there's serious snow and sunless weeks, while you'll find lingering sunshine in the mild Mediterranean, and cosy cafe culture and Christmas spirit in the centre.

It's an inspiring time to visit grand cities and charming villages: with fewer queues you can fit more into your itinerary, and off-season accommodation prices make European travel wallet-friendly in November, December, January and February. Via Europe's train network you can explore countries at your leisure, meeting locals going about their daily business away from the often-frenetic summer tourist season. Here are the 10 best winter destinations in Europe.

Editor's note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and always follow government advice.

1. Rovaniemi, Finland

Fistfuls of Christmas clichés characterise Rovaniemi, the "official" terrestrial residence of Santa Claus. Everyone's favourite bearded man hangs out in an atmospheric Arctic Circle grotto, and it's free to visit him (but photos are another story). Snow and reindeer add festive spirit, while the Arktikum museum gives insights into life at these latitudes.

Tip: Finnish thermometers have more numbers below 0°C than above, so pack serious winter clothing.

2. Christmas markets in Germany & Austria

December sees these romantic historic markets pop up all over Germany, Austria and other Central European nations. Expect cute stalls selling everything from gingerbread to sleigh bells and plenty of good cheer, toasted with a glass of warming glühwein.

3. Abisko, Sweden

Almost as far north as you can get in Europe on a train, Abisko in Lapland is for lovers of serious winter. The sun doesn't rise for several weeks in December and January but that darkness makes it one of the world's best places to view the majestic aurora borealis. Other attractions include cross-country skiing along national park trails and husky mushing.

4. Athens, Greece

It's a real downer trying to Photoshop 500 people out of your would-be-prizewinning Parthenon photo, but during the winter in Athens it's not an issue. All summer stresses - crowding, tourist pricing, intense heat, queues, air pollution - more or less disappear. The average temperature in Athens during the winter is around 13C (55F). It's the best time to explore the country's ancient heritage and get to experience local culture.

5. Copenhagen, Denmark

For fairytale European winter, it's hard to beat the home of Hans Christian Andersen. Forget the over-hyped Little Mermaid and head to the city's cosy bars and cafes to watch snow flurrying outside. In the heart of town, the 19th-century Tivoli amusement park is a romantic, kitsch delight around Christmastime, with heartwarming illuminations and body-warming mugs of glögg.

Tip: Splash out on a meal at noma, considered by many to be the world's best restaurant (reservations can fill quickly, so try to book several months in advance).

Couples skating hand-in-hand, breath cloudy in the frosty air - there's nowhere better for it than the Hungarian capital's picturesque central park Városligeti Műjégpálya, with its enormous outdoor rink. Feeling chilly afterwards? Budapest is famous for its ornate thermal baths.

Tip: At night seek out a "ruin pub"- an atmospheric drinking venue artfully created in a once-abandoned building.

7. Jasná, Slovakia

Slovakia offers high-quality skiing at affordable prices. Accommodation and food are reasonable too, and there's a friendliness that's missing from some of the snootier Alpine slopes. Jasná is the best Slovakian resort, with long descents flanked by snow-laden spruce trees, set in the ruggedly lovely Tatras Mountains.

8. Andalucía, Spain

Tip: Head to the Sierra Nevada near Granada if you want snowsport action.

9. Transylvania, Romania

You can't visit Dracula's lair on a sunny day with lambs bleating in the fields, right? Try steel-grey skies, bare trees and a smattering of snow. Braşov and Sighişoara, two hours apart by rail, are gorgeous medieval towns with various connections to Vlad Ţepeş, the historical Dracula, though it's doubtful that he ever set foot in his so-called castle.

10. Venice, Italy

Hauntingly beautiful and rather weird, Venice's Carnevale in February is a European highlight. Elaborate costumes and spooky masks bring the canal city's colourful history to life. Costumed dances are pricey affairs, but you can have a ball enjoying the free events with a mask bought on the street, but be prepared for epic crowding.

You might also like:

This article was first published in December 2012 and updated in September 2020.

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Winter comes in many guises in Europe - in the polar north there's serious snow and sunless weeks, while you'll find lingering sunshine in the mild Mediterranean, and cosy cafe culture and Christmas spirit in the centre.

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https://media.londoncityairport.com/new-survey-points-to-summer-lift-off-for-uk-holidaymakers/

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A nationally representative survey of 2,100 people across the UK has demonstrated a strong desire to return to domestic and international travel as soon as restrictions are eased by Government.

The survey, which took place on the weekend following the Prime Minister issuing the Government's roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions, builds on the spike of new bookings made by the British public since February 22nd and points to a resurgence for the UK travel industry.

The survey results also showed a willingness to adapt to the post Covid landscape with three quarters accepting the need to supply a negative COVID test prior to travel, if required.

And building on recent results relating to travel certification, three quarters would be willing to carry proof that they had been vaccinated if it meant being allowed to travel. Interestingly, amongst the over 65's, the number rises to 89% but for 18-24 year olds it is 67% - which may indicate that overall acceptance will increase once every adult in the UK receives their first vaccination by July.

Commenting on the survey, Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer, London City Airport, said:

"After the weakest first quarter that anyone in the industry can remember, the survey results show that the Prime Minister's roadmap has given British people hope again and it is very pleasing to see that so many see travel as a priority as restrictions are eased.

It has also given our airline partners confidence to schedule services throughout the summer and I am delighted that we will be able to connect travellers to so many destinations across the UK and Europe for the most well-deserved summer holiday they will ever have.

The challenge now for industry and Government is to make sure that May 17th is not another false dawn and to agree travel standards with our key international partners as soon as possible which will allow everyone to fly safely from early summer. And when this is achieved, I would anticipate another surge in bookings that will not only be a huge shot in the arm for the industry but demonstrate that we can finally begin our recovery."

Looking ahead to the summer, the emerging picture points to a preference for short haul holidays, with 55% of frequent flyers preferring Europe and the Mediterranean, compared to 22% who aspire to travel long haul.

This potential trend is supported by 71% indicating that travel should be allowed between the UK and countries where COVID-19 is under control, opening up the possibility of green travel corridors between the UK and European countries where risk is low.

In preparation for the restart of international travel, the airport's home-based carrier British Airways has announced a route map of 24 destinations. These include a return of core routes such as Edinburgh, Dublin and Glasgow and summer sun destinations such as Malaga, Ibiza, Nice, Florence, Faro, Nice, Mykonos, Santorini and Split.

And one year after the route was announced, the only connection between London and San Sebastian will commence with two rotations per week.

It is hoped that international departures will commence from May 17th and will be scaled up through the summer.

In preparation, the airport has an airside testing facility provided by Collinson that offers all required arrival and departure testing for UK and Global markets and will continue to offer safe, careful and speedy journeys for passengers.

Ends.

Notes to Editors

* British Airways, operated by BA CityFlyer (BACF), will offer services this summer to Malaga, Amsterdam, Berlin, Belfast, Bergerac, Dublin, Dusseldorf, San Sebastian, Edinburgh, Faro, Florence, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Geneva, Ibiza, Mykonos, Skiathos, Santorini, Mahon, Nice, Palma, Rotterdam, Split, Quimper, Zurich

* Destinations currently served by the airport include Belfast and Frankfurt with BACF, Vilnius with LOT Polish Airlines and Luxembourg with LuxAir

* Services to Amsterdam with KLM, Dusseldorf with BACF and Dundee with Loganair are expected to commence in the coming weeks with SWISS returning to the airport in May.

* London City Airport was awarded with the Global Health Accreditation Standard by Airports Council International

* 2,014 people were surveyed online by Yonder Data Solutions (formerly Populus Data Solutions), 26-28th February 2021. The survey was weighted to be nationally representative of the UK.

* For further information and data from the survey, please contact Liam McKay on Liam.McKay@londoncityairport.com

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New Survey Insight Points to Summer Lift Off for UK Holidaymakers

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A nationally representative survey of 2,100 people across the UK has demonstrated a strong desire to return to domestic and international travel as soon as restrictions are eased by Government. The survey, which took place on the weekend following the Prime Minister issuing the Government's roadmap for easing...

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https://reopen.europa.eu/en