Spanish airport operator Aena AENA.MC has said that it expects the flow of tourists through its terminals in Spain, Britain and Latin America to recover from the pandemic-induced slump faster than it previously expected.
Details
Passenger traffic this year will rise to between 75% and 85% of 2019 levels, the last full-year before the pandemic hit, Aena said in a statement, up from a previous forecast of 68% of pre-pandemic levels released in February.
With most COVID-related travel restrictions lifted in many countries in recent months, demand for summer travel has bounced back, causing congestion and hours-long queues at security and passport controls as airlines, police departments and airport operators struggle to hire staff fast enough.
Despite the lack of visibility for the last quarter of the year, the company said its improved forecast is based on seats offered by airlines for the summer months.
March Expectation And Aena International Operations
In March, Aena said that it expected airlines to book a capacity of 216 million passengers in Spain during the summer, 1.6% more than in 2019. The airline also operates airports in Britain, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Jamaica.
News by Reuters, edited by Hospitality Ireland. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
