IATA: China drives global drop in domestic demand in Feb-2021

IATA reported (07-Apr-2021) global domestic demand decreased 51% in Feb-2021, compared to Feb-2019, following a 47.8% decrease in Jan-2021. IATA stated the decline was primarily due to weakness in China travel, driven by government requests that citizens remain at home during the Lunar New Year travel period. Australia was an exception to the domestic decline, where a relaxation of restrictions on domestic air travel resulted in a significant increase. IATA director general Willie Walsh commented: "This tells us that people have not lost their desire travel. They will fly, provided they can do so without facing quarantine measures". US domestic traffic declined 56.1% in Feb-2021, and improvement from the 58.4% decline in Jan-2021, driven by falling rates of COVID-19 contagion and accelerating vaccinations. [more - original PR]