Not all doom and gloom - Tams
BA has predicted a rise in traffic on some of its long haul routes in 2009.
It said it expected more customers on flights to Middle East states like Dubai and Caribbean destinations like St. Kitts and St Lucia.
It also said New York would remain a "firm favourite" with business travellers in the next 12 months.
The upbeat predictions come the day after the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a 4.6% drop in air passenger traffic in November compared with the same month in 2007.
The Association said markets for European carriers in North Americas and Asia had "slumped."
Giovanni Bisignani, its director general and ceo, said the gloom would continue into 2009 and he predicted "deep losses" by airlines.
But Richard Tams, BA's head of sales for the UK and Ireland, said: "It's not all doom and gloom for travel in the current economic climate as destinations such as Dubai and the Caribbean Islands of St Kitts and St Lucia continue to experience growth and investment, so we anticipate greater numbers of customers wanting to travel there.
"South Africa will be popular thanks to the relative strength of the pound against the rand and the upcoming British Lions tour.
"Destinations such as New York will remain firm favourites with both business and leisure travellers despite the economic downturn as savvy flyers know there are still bargains to be had and the Far East and Australasia continue to draw people looking for real adventure experiences."
The British carrier named its top ten long haul destinations for 2009 as:
* Cape Town
* Johannesburg
* Dubai
* San Francisco
* New York
* Hong Kong
* St Kitts
* St Lucia
* Sydney
* Shanghai.
www.ba.com www.iata.org