Analysis for The Americas

Until this past week many of us may never have heard of Omicron. It is actually the 15th letter in the Greek alphabet and its literal translation from Greek means "small o". However, ‘Oh’, might actually now be a better definition of this new variant of COVID-19 which has spooked governments across the world into again tightening restrictions. This has seen travel bans introduced from southern Africa, where it appears to have originated, and the derailing of recovery strategies in countries such as Australia and Singapore.  

Each week, CAPA – Centre for Aviation produces informative, thought provoking and detailed market analysis of the aviation industry. With supporting data included in every analysis, CAPA provides unrivalled and unparalleled intelligence. Here’s some of the reports published over the past week.

While many organisations have implemented successful WorkAnywhere strategies, employees are “anxious to return to in-person meetings and events”. Virtual meetings are a viable option, “but a contingent feel that a lack of in-person meetings limits their ability to build client relationships” and as such “business leaders are ready to take to the skies and roads again”.

Across 2021, airline CEOs from all parts of the world have spoken openly at the monthly CAPA Live virtual summit about air travel, the coronavirus crisis and the path to recovery. To say 2020 and 2021 have been a challenge for these professionals is a major understatement and each shares the journey for their respective airlines through one of the biggest crises to hit the world.

Real-world data from nearly 10,000 air travellers has provided further backing to pre-flight testing as a key part of the air travel recovery process at time that more countries are starting to consider revised travel requirements. The research from US major Delta Air Lines suggests that the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while travelling if all passengers have tested negative 72 hours in advance of your flight is less than 0.1%.

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) travel and transient sourcing technology provider, Cvent, have created a new set of sourcing questions to help drive corporate responsibility within the business travel and meetings sector. The new questions aim to standardise and increase the availability of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) data shared by hotels and other venues.

As confidence was truly building across the US and business travels rising, new research for the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that US business travellers are scaling back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases across the country.

The potential to impose vaccine passports on international arrivals or even to access bars or restaurants will not please everybody, but it is a key part of the arsenal on offer to governments to combat COVID-19 spread. Canada, for example, has restricted arrivals to fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents as part of its phased reopening. Others have adopted similar requirements.

Since the mutation was first identified there were concerns from the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant that it was more infectious and potentially more deadly than previous forms. With enough data now available research now confirms this, albeit vaccinations are proving a strong weapon in limiting the efficacy of the strain’s attack.

The strong forecast sentiment for travel has translated into the return of traffic, in domestic markets at least, where the removal of restrictions has permitted mobility. There are even positive signs on the return of business travel with the slow removal of international restrictions now also allowing foreign visits. While the majority of these remain for leisure purposes there is increasing evidence that business travel rates are on the rise.