Consumers are increasingly confident about air travel, according to the latest COVID-19 Iata survey of passenger sentiments.

The findings indicated that 57% of respondents expected to be travelling within two months of the pandemic being contained (up from 49% in September 2020).

The survey also showed an increasing frustration with current travel restrictions, with 68% of respondents indicating their quality of life was suffering as a result, as travel restrictions came with health, social and economic consequences.

Nearly 40% of respondents reported mental stress and missing an important human moment as a result of travel restrictions. And over a third said restrictions had prevented them from doing business normally.

“The top priority of everybody at the moment is staying safe amid the COVID-19 crisis. But it is important that we map a way to being able to reopen borders, manage risks and enable people to get on with their lives. That includes the freedom to travel,” said Alexandre de Juniac, Iata Director General and CEO.

He added that it was becoming clear that travellers needed to learn to live and travel in a world that has COVID-19. “Given the health, social and economic costs of travel restrictions, airlines should be ready to re-connect the world as soon as governments are able to reopen borders. That’s why a plan with measurable milestones is so critical. Without one, how can we be prepared for restart without an unnecessary delay?”

Another key indicator is that people want to get back to travel, but quarantine is the showstopper. “As testing capacity and technology improve and the vaccinated population grows, the conditions for removing quarantine measures are being created. And this points us again toward working with governments for a well-planned reopening as soon as conditions allow,” said De Juniac.

Below are some key findings from the report:

Travel restrictions

• 88% believe that when opening borders, the right balance must be struck between managing COVID-19 risks and getting the economy going again.
• 85% believe that governments should set COVID-19 targets (such as testing capacity or vaccine distribution) to reopen borders.
• 84% believe that COVID-19 will not disappear, and its risks need to be managed while living and travelling normally.
• 68% say their quality of life has suffered with travel restrictions.
• 49% believe that air travel restrictions have gone too far.

Future travel trends

• 72% want to travel to see family and friends as soon as possible (improved from 63% in September 2020).
• 81% believe that they will be more likely to travel once they are vaccinated.
• 84% say they will not travel if there is a chance of quarantine at destination (largely unchanged from 83% in September 2020).
• 56% say they will postpone travel until the economy stabilises (improved from 65% in September 2020).