Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of travellers feel that
border closures caused by Covid-19 are unnecessary and have not been effective
in containing the virus, according to a September survey by the International
Air Transport Association.
That number is up 11 percentage points since IATA’s poll in
June 2021 and shows travellers are becoming increasingly frustrated by
restrictions, according to the organisation.
Other findings from the survey of 4,700 respondents in 11
markets include that 67 per cent of those polled feel most country borders
should be opened – up 12 percentage points from the previous survey. Meanwhile,
73 per cent said their quality of life is suffering as a result of Covid-19
travel restrictions.
The biggest deterrent to air travel continues to be
quarantine requirements, which IATA research found to vary wildly from country
to country. Eighty-four per cent of respondents said they will not travel if
there is a chance of needing to isolate at their destination. A growing
proportion of those surveyed said they would support the removal of such
requirements if a person has tested negative for Covid-19 (73 per cent in
September versus 67 per cent in June) or a person is fully vaccinated (71 per
cent in September compared to 68 per cent in June).
With global vaccination rates increasing daily, 80 per cent
of respondents said they feel those who have had their jabs should be able to
travel freely, but there is little support for making vaccination a condition
of boarding. Around two-thirds said it is morally wrong to deny those who haven’t
received their injections the ability to fly, with more than 80 per cent saying
testing before travelling should be offered as an alternative for those without
access to the vaccine.
While the vast majority (85 per cent) of respondents are
willing to undergo coronavirus testing as part of the travel process, several
issues remain. Seventy-five per cent of those polled indicated the cost of
testing is a significant obstacle, with 80 per cent saying governments should
bear that cost. Seventy-seven per cent see the inconvenience of testing as a barrier
to travel.
And travel restrictions are proving confusing for the
majority of travellers, with 73 per cent of respondents who have travelled
since June 2020 saying it is challenging to understand what rules apply for
specific trips and the same number finding the necessary paperwork a challenge
to arrange.
Despite the ongoing concerns around entry requirements, 86
per cent of those surveyed who have travelled since June 2020 say they felt
safe on board their flight owing to Covid-19 measures; 87 per cent believed protective
procedures were well implemented and 88 per cent feel airline personnel are
doing a good job of enforcing the rules. There is still strong support for
wearing face masks on planes (87 per cent).
IATA director general Willie Walsh commented: “People want
to travel. Eighty-six per cent expect to be travelling within six months of the
crisis ending. With Covid-19 becoming endemic, vaccines being widely available
and therapeutics improving rapidly, we are quickly approaching that point in
time. People also tell us that they are confident to travel. But what those who
have travelled are telling us is that the rules are too complex and the
paperwork too onerous. To secure the recovery, governments need to simplify
processes, restore the freedom to travel and adopt digital solutions to issue
and manage travel health credentials.”