The Week In Travel

This week, The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported total traffic in May was up by 83.1% compared to May 2021, reconfirming the strong recovery within travel markets. Global traffic is now at 68.7% of pre-crisis levels. As green shoots appear and the recovery of the aviation and airport industry gathers momentum, Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, has called on governments to improve their understanding of how aviation operates and work more closely with airports and airlines: “Having created so much uncertainty with knee-jerk COVID-19 policy flip-flops and avoiding most opportunities to work in unison, their actions did little to enable a smooth ramping-up of activity”.

Despite UK government resignations left right and centre this week, aviation and maritime minister and parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Transport, Robert Courts, has confirmed that he will stay in his post. Courts tweeted: “My focus remains on serving the people of West Oxon & discharging my ministerial responsibilities: protecting passenger safety & working to ensure resilience as we approach a challenging summer. Transport cannot be put on hold while Westminster sorts itself out.”

In airline news, flag carrier Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is providing customers with the first ever direct route from Bristol to Zurich, which will begin operating early next year. Weekly flights will run from February 4th in order to attract winter sports enthusiasts and will be operated with SWISS Airbus A220 equipment and the Embraer E190 aircraft of wet-lease partner, Helvetic Airways. Bristol Airport commercial director, Rupert Lawrie, stated that after a difficult period for the aviation industry, the move shows consumer confidence is returning since the pandemic.

And finally, Vietnamese airline, Bamboo has launched a new weekly direct route from London Gatwick to Hanoi, starting at the end of October. The flight includes premium economy and business class options, serviced by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircrafts. The route marks the seventh Asia destination linked to Gatwick Airport. Jonathan Pollard, Gatwick Airport’s chief commercial officer, expressed his excitement for the Hanoi service, stating; “To be able to continue to expand our routes across Asia is fantastic news for both leisure travellers and business passengers throughout London and the South East.”