# Pent-up demand prompts European travel recovery as COVID curbs ease
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-06
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: European Airlines and Hotels See Bookings Surge
Meta Description: Discover how European airlines and hotels are bouncing back post-pandemic, with growing demand for shorter trips and a return to profitability.
URL: https://financedigest.com/pent-up-demand-prompts-european-travel-recovery-as-covid-curbs-easehtml

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By Paul Sandle and Tim Hepher

LONDON/DUBLIN (Reuters) – European airlines and hotel chains are seeing bookings recover to levels barely seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, led by demand for shorter trips, although long-distance travel remains on the ropes.

The pandemic led to international travel virtually shutting down as governments around the world curbed entry. However, the [easing of curbs](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-hits-3-week-high-as-china-eases-covid-curbs.html "Oil hits 3-week high as China eases COVID curbs") and bottled-up travel demand have led to an abrupt upswing in short- and medium-haul trips.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand. People want to [see their families and travel](https://www.financedigest.com/european-airlines-see-travel-withstanding-consumer-squeeze-for-now.html "European airlines see travel withstanding consumer squeeze for now") again,” said Phil Seymour, president of IBA Group, a UK-based consultancy and aircraft valuation firm.

That echoes soaring [domestic demand](https://www.financedigest.com/turkeys-economy-grew-7-6-in-q2-driven-by-domestic-demand-exports.html "Turkey’s economy grew 7.6% in Q2 driven by domestic demand, exports") in the United States.

The [big overlay is that air](https://www.financedigest.com/olympics-freestyle-skiing-gu-lands-big-air-gold-china-moves-to-top-of-medals-table.html "Olympics-Freestyle skiing-Gu lands Big Air gold, China moves to top of medals table") travel demand is back and it is back in a massive way,” Sean Egan, Chief Executive of the Egan-Jones Ratings Company, told the Airfinance Journal conference.

Challenges remain in the form of [rising costs](https://www.financedigest.com/can-cfos-balance-the-books-with-rising-operating-costs.html "Can CFOs balance the books with rising operating costs?") and staff shortages causing flights to be cancelled. Some airlines have promised more than they can deliver this summer, delegates warned. Even so, airlines expect a [return to profitability](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-j-d-wetherspoon-returns-to-profit-as-supply-issues-ease.html "UK’s J D Wetherspoon returns to profit as supply issues ease").

British Airways-owner IAG expects to be [profitable from the second quarter onwards and for the year](https://www.financedigest.com/crop-merchant-louis-dreyfus-gets-profit-boost-in-volatile-year.html "Crop merchant Louis Dreyfus gets profit boost in volatile year") as a whole, it said on Friday. That’s despite having to cut capacity in the first quarter to avoid disruptions.

Premium leisure continues to be the strongest performing segment and [business travel](https://www.financedigest.com/5-business-ideas-influencing-the-travel-industry.html "5 business ideas influencing the travel industry") is at its highest level since the start of the pandemic,” said IAG Chief Executive Luis Gallego.

IAG, which also owns Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus, said the easing of UK [travel restrictions](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-to-restrict-travel-rules-for-russians-split-on-how-far-to-go.html "EU to restrict travel rules for Russians, split on how far to go") especially had improved demand. It saw “no noticeable impact” from the [Ukraine conflict](https://www.financedigest.com/gorbachev-died-shocked-and-bewildered-by-ukraine-conflict-interpreter.html "Gorbachev died shocked and bewildered by Ukraine conflict – interpreter").

IAG forecasts [passenger capacity to be around 80% of 2019 levels](https://www.financedigest.com/fraport-sees-2023-passenger-traffic-at-80-90-of-pre-pandemic-levels.html "Fraport sees 2023 passenger traffic at 80-90% of pre-pandemic levels") in the second quarter, rising to 90% by the fourth.

Flights between Europe and North America will be close to full capacity by the [third quarter](https://www.financedigest.com/greek-residential-property-price-recovery-picks-up-in-third-quarter.html "Greek residential property price recovery picks up in third quarter"), it said, though analysts say that contrasts with a bleak picture on most long-haul routes.

We are finally seeing genuine shoots of progress, with [profits expected](https://www.financedigest.com/portuguese-airline-tap-swings-to-profit-earlier-than-expected.html "Portuguese airline TAP swings to profit earlier than expected") to sprout from next quarter,” said Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

IAG’s bullish outlook followed similar guidance from other European airlines.

Germany’s Lufthansa is looking to return to an operating profit this quarter as [demand for travel rises](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-rises-on-demand-hopes-as-banking-crisis-fears-subside.html "Oil rises on demand hopes as banking crisis fears subside") with the easing of COVID-19 curbs, it said on Thursday.

Air France-KLM has seen a recovery in ticket [sales and strong](https://www.financedigest.com/indias-tata-motors-jumps-to-a-7-month-high-on-strong-q4-jlr-sales.html "India’s Tata Motors jumps to a 7-month high on strong Q4 JLR sales") summer bookings, it said on Thursday.

[INFLATION RISK](https://www.financedigest.com/high-inflation-recession-risk-widen-ecb-dilemma.html "High inflation, recession risk widen ECB dilemma")

[Travellers are still wary on most long-distance journeys as COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-not-planning-covid-testing-for-travellers-from-china.html "UK not planning COVID testing for travellers from China") concerns linger and U.S. visitors remain cautious about planning trips to Europe because of the conflict in Ukraine.

Hotel operators are also [seeing demand](https://www.financedigest.com/inpost-sees-stronger-2022-but-warns-of-slowing-demand.html "InPost sees stronger 2022 but warns of slowing demand") pick up.

Holiday Inn [owner IHG said on Friday that pent-up demand](https://www.financedigest.com/michael-kors-owner-capri-cuts-forecasts-as-demand-slows-shares-plunge-20.html "Michael Kors owner Capri cuts forecasts as demand slows, shares plunge 20%") and more hotel stays during the U.S. Spring Break [lifted occupancy rates](https://www.financedigest.com/shares-steady-dollar-dips-as-us-holiday-lifts-rates-gloom.html "Shares steady, dollar dips as US holiday lifts rates gloom") and prices.

Our hotels are seeing [increased pricing](https://www.financedigest.com/taylor-wimpey-espana-remain-cautiously-optimistic-as-average-selling-price-increases-by-20-4.html "Taylor Wimpey España ‘remain cautiously optimistic’ as average selling price increases by 20.4%") power,” said IHG Chief Executive Keith Barr.

U.S. rival Marriott International said on Wednesday it expects a [key revenue](https://www.financedigest.com/digital-sales-transformation-is-key-to-faster-higher-revenue.html "Digital sales transformation is key to faster, higher revenue") metric for its U.S. and Canadian markets to hit [pre-pandemic levels for the rest of the year](https://www.financedigest.com/heathrow-airport-says-return-to-pre-pandemic-demand-years-away.html "Heathrow Airport says return to pre-pandemic demand years away").

Another illustration of [rising demand](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-rises-on-prospect-of-opec-supply-cut-demand-growth.html "Oil rises on prospect of OPEC supply cut, demand growth") came on Friday from Amadeus, the Spanish firm that operates the world’s largest travel booking system. It processed almost 92 million bookings during the first quarter.

Financiers meeting in Dublin, home to the aircraft leasing market, cheered surging [demand after they themselves were forced to reduce their annual](https://www.financedigest.com/lights-maker-signify-cuts-annual-outlook-on-lower-consumer-demand-china-woes.html "Lights maker Signify cuts annual outlook on lower consumer demand, China woes") gatherings at which an influx of new money has for years been driving the growth of airline capacity.

But a tide of new worries from inflation to [rising interest rates](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-falls-as-earthquake-impact-on-crude-eases-rate-hike-fears-rise.html "Oil falls as earthquake impact on crude eases, rate hike fears rise"), environmental pressure and conflict on Europe’s border mean the shape of the recovery is anything but certain.

[“Inflation is more of a concern for us because it will impact demand](https://www.financedigest.com/aussie-supermarkets-set-to-capitalise-on-high-inflation-but-softer-demand-ahead.html "Aussie supermarkets set to capitalise on high inflation, but softer demand ahead") from passengers,” Christine Rovelli, Finnair’s senior vice-president for finance and fleet management, told the Dublin conference.

Inflation pushes up ticket prices but [higher consumer savings](https://www.financedigest.com/five-reasons-to-start-saving-early-for-higher-education.html "Five Reasons to Start Saving Early for Higher Education") are bearing at least part of the bookings. How much that affects confidence is one of the things airlines are debating.

“I would say the demand backdrop is incredibly robust,” American Airlines Vice-President and Treasurer Meghan Montana told the same event.

“Do consumers change their preferences in spending? We’re not seeing any evidence of that right now. … We’ll [see how that plays out over the next couple of quarters,”](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-mps-sees-safe-habour-ahead-after-strong-quarter.html "Italy’s MPS sees ‘safe habour’ ahead after strong quarter") she added.

The cost-of-living [crisis casts a shadow over one of the emblematic features of Europe’s](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-energy-crisis-and-the-nuclear-path-out.html "Europe’s energy crisis and the nuclear path out") liberalised aviation market, which has seen lifestyles spill across borders in recent years.

“I do wonder about some of ‘city break’ type of travel,” IBA’s Seymour said on the sidelines of the conference.

“I call it the Michael Buble syndrome. People used to fly to Italy for the weekend just to hear a concert. Now they might save a trip and wait for the tour to arrive closer to home.”

(Reporting by Paul Sandle in London and Shanima A in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Shanima A in Bengaluru, Inti Landauro in Madrid, Sarah Morland in Paris and Zuzanna Szymanska in Frankfurt; Writing by Matt Scuffham, Tim Hepher; Editing by Susan Fenton and Nick Macfie)


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