The pandemic roller-coaster ride continues for airlines, with new border restrictions in response to the Omicron variant threatening the industry's recovery.
According to data compiled by BloombergNEF, in the first week the new variant appeared, global airlines slashed over 151,000 flights scheduled through February 1.
That may just be the beginning. Bloomberg says airlines have made steep cuts for this week, but held off from cancelling further out, suggesting that more cancellations are coming as the variant makes its inevitable spread around the world.
We still don't know a lot about the severity of Omicron, how transmissible it is or how it reacts to current vaccines.
But since it was discovered in late November, governments have tightened entry rules, added more testing requirements, banned flights from some nations and reintroduced quarantine measures.
New requirements are a patchwork by country, and subject to rapid change. Canada has added new testing requirements on arrival, but the rollout has been confusing, with conflicting information on when new rules actually take effect.
In the fast-evolving situation, many travellers may be reluctant to book flights, fearing that entry rules could change at any moment, potentially leaving them stranded at a destination or possibly not allowed back home.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Jeffrey Goh, CEO of the 26-member Star Alliance, said the response to Omicron reveals a lack of coordination and international leadership.
"Pent-up demand will come back, it's just that there needs to be clarity on what those travel rules and restrictions are," said Goh, adding that the confused response to omicron "does not necessarily bode well for the next variant."
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