The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that passenger traffic experienced a significant decrease in March 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic data, March 2019, but recorded an increase compared to February 2021 figures.
Because the monthly data comparisons between 2021 and 2020 are distorted due to the COVID-19 situation, IATA compared the data of March 2021 to March 2019, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
According to IATA, data comparison of passenger travel between March 2021 and March 2019 calculated in revenue passenger kilometres is as follows:
- The total demand for air travel in March 2021 decreased by 67.2 per cent compared to March 2019. This represents an improvement compared to the 74.9 per cent decline recorded in February 2021 in comparison with the one recorded two years ago.
- The international passenger demand in March fell by 87.8 per cent compared to March 2019, a minor improvement from the 89 per cent decline registered in February 2021 compared to February 2019.
- The total domestic demand was down 32.3 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels (March 2019) but significantly improved over February 2021.
“The positive momentum we saw in some key domestic markets in March is an indication of the strong recovery we are anticipating in international markets as travel restrictions are lifted. People want and need to fly. And we can be optimistic that they will do so when restrictions are removed,” IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh said.
Asia-Pacific Airlines Marked Biggest Decrease on International Passenger Traffic in the World
Asia-Pacific airlines: figures reveal that international traffic during March in this specific group of airlines was down 94.8 per cent compared to March 2019, slightly better than the decline of 95.4 per cent registered in February 2021 compared to February 2019. The region suffered from this steep traffic decline for nine months in a row, with capacity down by 87 per cent.
European airlines: recorded a decline of 88.3 per cent in March 2021 versus March 2019, barely better than the decline of 89.1 per cent registered in February 2021.
Middle Eastern airlines: marked a fall of 81.6 per cent this March versus March 2019, but better than the 83.1 per cent drop in February.
North American airlines: registered a decline of 80.9 per cent compared to March 2019, much better than the decline of 83.4 per cent of February 2021 compared to the 2019 data.
Latin American airlines: registered a decrease of 82.4 per cent compared to February 2019, better than the 83.7 per cent decline in February compared to February 2019.
African airlines: registered a fall of 73.7 per cent in March compared to two years ago, a deterioration from the decline of 72.3 per cent recorded in February 2021.
Japan Marked 58.3% Decrease in Domestic Passenger Traffic
Brazil’s domestic traffic declined 54 per cent in March 2021 compared to March 2019, drastically worse than the 34.9 per cent decline registered in February over February 2019.
Japan’s domestic traffic was down 58.3 per cent in March compared to the same month in 2019, much better from the 73.2 per cent decline in February compared to two years ago.
Regarding the decrease in air passenger demand, ACI Europe voiced its concern over the future of air travel in Europe as the sector lost 1.72 billion passengers since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.