AIR travel is expected to pick up in Asia, as more virus-hit countries lift border curbs and the region accounts for a bulk of aircraft demand in the next 20 years, said Airbus today.

While Europe and the United States have eased restrictions and demand rebounded, Asia has lagged behind, with foreign tourists barred and mandatory quarantines still in place in many nations.

Recently, however, some Asian countries have announced they are again accepting vaccinated international passengers, giving a much-needed boost to the industry hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The market has been difficult in the past few years, but it is clearly recovering,” said Alexis Vidal, marketing vice-president at Airbus.

“So, this is again… a very exciting period of aviation to be into.”

The Philippines reopened its borders to vaccinated visitors last week and Australia has announced it will do the same next week, while Singapore added more countries to its quarantine-free travel arrangement.

“There is a very short term and there is a long term. I guess the good news… is about borders progressively reopening,” said Vidal.

“I think we would all agree there is a pent-up demand and people are eager to travel.”

Industry executives urged Asian governments to ditch tough coronavirus travel curbs to help beleaguered airlines recover.

Top of the agenda is how to spur a recovery in a region where international travellers still face a gauntlet of tests and lengthy quarantines, and foreign tourists remain barred.

Airbus, citing industry estimates, said global air traffic is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels between Q4 2022 and Q3 2024.

For the Asia Pacific region, it is forecast to reach 2019 levels at a later date starting in Q1 2023, said the European plane-maker.

Vidal said Airbus remains confident about the region, adding that Asia Pacific will account for 42% of the more than 9,400 large and medium aircraft needed worldwide over the next 20 years. – AFP, February 18, 2022.