The Recovery is weakening

ARRA Encourages Operational Flexibility as Recovery Slows

Air travel news this summer has been dominated by headlines about cancellations, delays, pilot shortages, and frustrated passengers. It has been a summer of discontent! But lurking in the background is a more serious threat to our industry’s recovery: as reported in a recent article in the Washington Post, American consumers are pulling back on travel. Adobe Analytics reports that U.S. flight bookings were down 2.3% in May from a month earlier. A Barclays Bank analysis of credit card transactions shows spending on services like travel has slowed to half the pace seen at the beginning of the year. Charles Schwab notes “travel-related spending ls weakening.” The Post further reports flight searches on Kayak are down 13% in comparison to the same period in 2019.

​All indicators point to weakness in passenger numbers later this summer and into the fall – a clear and present risk to the entire aviation ecosystem’s recovery. The watchword remains flexibility: ARRA encourages its airport partners to keep flexible operating policies and practices to allow a swift response to quickly changing conditions.


We invite you to read the Washington Post article here.