US air travel slower to recover than Asia
The air travel industry is showing signs of recovery – but with the exception of the no-frills sector, flights are still below pre-September 11 levels.
According to OAG, which monitors global flight schedules, the number of schedule flights operating globally is at the same level as last year, but still down 5% from 2001.
The worst affected market has been the US, which has recovered sluggishly compared the Asia. In the US domestic flights are down 12% on pre-September 11 levels. In contrast, Asia’s internal flights are up 6% from September 2001, recovering from a 45% drop in traffic year-on-year during the Sars crisis.
Transatlantic routes are down 12% from pre-September 11 levels, although OAG says transpacific routes are still experiencing record losses in schedules due to the impact of Sars. Flights between Hong Kong and the US and Canada are down 19% from last year.
It is not a surprise to see that the no-frills sector has bucked the global trend and is a staggering 176% up on pre-September 11 levels in Europe. In Canada, no-frills are up 123% on pre-September 11 figures, in Asia Pacific this figure is 272% and in Latin America, 450%.
OAG says the no-frills sector should be, “credited with buoying up the industry in the last two years.”
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent