Online flight search engine Skyscanner has reported a sharp rise in flight bookings for Southeast Asia as several countries ease border restrictions. This will come as welcome news to the region’s airlines, after international travel in Asia-Pacific plummeted 93% last year, compared to pre-pandemic levels. According to a Reuters report, many carriers are relying heavily on the cargo market to survive.
While the Chinese outbound market remains closed for now, several countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore are re-opening to vaccinated travellers, with varying degrees of hoop-jumping. Paul Whiteway from Skyscanner says bookings for return economy class flights to those countries rose by between 19% and 300% in January, compared to December, with most originating in the UK, the US, and Germany,
“From Skyscanner’s global footprint,…
