by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:20 AM ET, Wed October 6, 2021
A new report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) found that commercial airline passengers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the current COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The IATA study revealed that 67 percent of respondents felt most country borders should be open now, an increase of 12 percent from the June 2021 survey. Another 64 percent said border closures are unnecessary and have not been effective in containing coronavirus outbreaks.
The report also found that 73 percent responded that their quality of life has suffered due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, up six percentage points from June 2021. On the other hand, 87 percent agreed that wearing a mask will prevent the spread of coronavirus.
"People are increasingly frustrated with the COVID-19 travel restrictions and even more have seen their quality of life suffer as a result," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said. "They don't see the necessity of travel restrictions to control the virus."
"And they have missed too many family moments, personal development opportunities and business priorities," Walsh continued. "In short, they miss the freedom of flying and want it restored. The message they are sending to governments is: COVID-19 is not going to disappear, so we must establish a way to manage its risks while living and traveling normally."
One of the biggest issues for air travelers is quarantine measures, with 84 percent of respondents indicating they would not travel if there were quarantine requirements at their destination.
A growing proportion of travelers support the removal of quarantine limitations, with 71 percent saying restrictions should be lifted if a person has been vaccinated and 73 percent if a person has tested negative for COVID-19.
Other IATA findings include 77 percent seeing the inconvenience of testing as a barrier to travel, 86 percent feeling safe on planes due to the COVID-19 measures and 73 percent finding it challenging to understand what rules applied for a trip.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
