At OAG we’ve spent a year trying to understand how air travel will evolve post-COVID. One of the early observations was that large domestic markets would prove a lifeline for some airlines, and that regional air services would follow. Last to return would be long haul air services in part based on passenger concerns about travelling far from home and becoming stranded as countries changed rules and restrictions.
While the pandemic is far from over, there is light at the end of the tunnel for air travel, with some countries making significant progress in vaccinating their populations. Pent-up demand for long haul travel may well be there, but it’s hard to tell if it will actually materialise until travel restrictions are eased. When it does return, which markets may be the ones to show initial strength?
We’ve been looking at data on Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) as well as diaspora data to see if insights on these market segments can highlight where the first long haul…