Source: UNWTO International tourism enjoyed signs of rebound in June and July 2021 as some destinations eased travel restrictions and the global vaccination rollout advanced in many parts of the world. According to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, an estimated 54 million tourists crossed international borders in July 2021, down 67% from the same month in 2019, but the strongest results since April 2020. This compares to an estimated 34 million international arrivals recorded in July 2020, though well below the 164 million figure recorded in 2019. Moderate rebound for most destinations Most destinations reporting data for June and July 2021 saw a moderate rebound in international arrivals compared to 2020. Nevertheless, 2021 continues to be [...]

Source: IATA In response to the announcement by the Australian government on the next steps to reopen, Philip Goh, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific, gave the following comment: “This is a step forward. But more can still be done. The announcement of the November timeline and the removal of the international arrival caps are positive steps forward. The reduction of quarantine period and introduction of home quarantine for vaccinated Australians are also steps in the right direction. We welcome the use of rapid antigen tests for international travel. Realistically, the woes of the travel and tourism sectors will persist as long as passenger caps are retained for unvaccinated arrivals and quarantine remains even for the vaccinated.  International travel recovery [...]

Source: ALPA The Newfoundland and Labrador-based pilots of PAL Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today announced they have filed a request for conciliation services with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. After nearly two years of negotiations for their first collective agreement, PAL Airlines pilots and the PAL Group of Companies executives have yet to reach an agreement on many issues. While continuing to help the airline earn a profit, pilots are working under extreme duress, including operating understaffed, without contractual job protections, and with increased health risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The executives continue to fail to prioritize the pilots and other employee groups who serve their airline, and in doing so they are [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery in air travel decelerated in August compared to July, as government actions in response to concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant cut deeply into domestic travel demand. Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons are to August 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern. Total demand for air travel in August 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 56.0% compared to August 2019. This marked a slowdown from July, when demand was 53.0% below July 2019 levels. This was entirely driven by domestic markets, which were down 32.2% compared to August [...]