International travel might not return to normal until 2024 as airlinesstruggle to survive amid the coronavirus pandemic

Overseas travel might not return to normal until 2024 according to the International Air TransportAssociation.  

The travel body estimated global passenger traffic won't return to pre-COVID-19 levels for atleast another three years; a year longer than the IATA had previouslypredicted.

 'The return of global passenger traffic to pre-COVID-19 levels is now delayed by a year,to 2024,' the association warned.

As international travel remains limited, the recovery for global passenger traffic has been slower than expected.'

The travel body estimated global passenger traffic won't return to notreturn to pre-COVID-19 levels until for at least another three years 

Recovery in short haultravel is still expected to happen faster than for long haul travel.   

For 2020, global passenger numbers are expected to decline by 55 per cent compared to 2019; worse than the April forecast of 46 per cent.

June 2020 passenger traffic foreshadowed the slower-than-expected recovery.

Traffic fell 86.5 percent compared to the same period last year. It was only slightly improved froma 91 per cent contraction in May. 

This was driven byrising demand in domestic markets, particularly China. 

'Passenger traffic hitbottom in April, but the strength of the upturn has been very weak,' he said.

'What improvement we have seen has been domestic flying. International markets remain largely closed.

Recovery in short haul travel is still expected to happen faster than for long haul travel

'Consumer confidence is depressed and not helped by the UK's weekend decision to impose a blanket quarantine on all travellers returning from Spain.

'And in many parts of the world infections are still rising. All of this points to a longer recovery period and more pain for the industry and the global economy.'

Mr de Juniac said this is bad news for airlines, and highlights the need for governments to continue with relief measures —financial and otherwise.

'A full northern-winter season waiver on the 80-20 use-it-or-lose it slot rule, for example, would provide critical relief to airlines in planning schedules amid unpredictable demand patterns,' he said.

'Airlines are planning their schedules. They need to keep sharply focused on meeting demand and not meeting slot rules that were never meant to accommodate the sharp fluctuations of a crisis.

Obtaining a travel exemption does notguarantee you will be able to get a flight to Australia at this time.