How Will Air Travel Change in 2022?
Perhaps it’s easier to answer a question with a question. How will air travel change in 2022? Given the last two years fighting a pandemic, how won’t it change is the more fitting query?
COVID-19 is the first domino that has caused, and will continue to cause, every piece to fall and virtually everything that happens in the industry. “Will it get better? I believe the answer is yes. When? That’s a tougher question.
Here’s a look at how things could change in 2022.
Things Will Get Tighter on Planes
Don’t be hoping that the middle seat will be empty when you fly this year. It likely won’t be. The airlines put a fair amount of their fleets into mothballs because of the pandemic. Not all of that is coming out. The capacity they had in 2019 and early 2020 won’t be there. Let’s say COVID ended tomorrow. They still wouldn’t have that kind of capacity. There’s a physical capacity problem, literally less capacity. The estimate there will be a half-million less seats available.
The Mask Mandate Probably Won’t Change
Now almost two years old, the federal mask mandate on travel will likely continue throughout 2022 – even though it has been the cause of the majority of the nearly 6,000 verbal and physical reports of passenger abuse of flight crews last year.
It is highly likely that this mandate will continue due to the high transmission rate of the omicron variant and other issues. Safety and health protocols instituted by airlines have helped – deep cleaning, HEPA filters, replacing air flow every two to four minutes – it might not be enough.
On an airplane more things happen. What about when someone on boarding coughs while putting their baggage overhead? What happens when the auxiliary power unit (APU) isn’t running at the gate so no air is flowing until the engines start? What about the people who eat or drink just slowly enough to keep their mask off most of the flight anyway? Flight attendants will lobby for the mandate to continue to keep themselves safe, and that reason is good enough. Plan to wear a mask on a plane all year, including when you travel next holiday season, too.
New Budget Carriers Will Emerge
Lynx Air is here. Flair Airlines is here. Somehow, low-cost airlines were able to weather the pandemic and launch last year.
Expect more.
OWG (Off We Go) is taking air travel to a whole other level. The airline doesn’t consider itself low-cost, instead, it aims to give passengers a positive flight experience, deemed “High Love.”
Jet Airlines is hoping to connect winter-weary Canadians with sunny destinations like Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Airfares Have Gone Down and Might Stay Down
Industry leaders expects another increase in passenger numbers and a decrease in airfares. Airlines have long sought to make flying – especially premium class flying – a special experience, sometimes meaning good deals are hard to come by. But perhaps no longer, according to Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the average cost to fly roundtrip within North America in 2021 is nearly 20% less than the pre-pandemic averages of 2018 and 2019. As the airline industry continues its steady recovery, now is a great opportunity for travelers to get a deal, and in many cases, on better seats.
But You Might Not Get What You Pay For
The average cost of a premium plane ticket was 288% more than an economy ticket. While that still sounds like a lot, it’s less than it was in 2020 (365%) and in 2019 (430%). But numbers can be deceiving, and prices look to go back up – one way or another for no other reason than an increase in fares in 2022 as baseline of fuel costs will increase.
Labour Shortages in Key Roles Will Continue
The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has caused havoc for the industry, to say the least. Delays and cancellations, due in large part to short-staffed airlines, that started on December 23, 2021, are only now beginning to wane.
But labour shortages in key roles will continue in 2022.
You can’t make a pilot, flight attendant or maintenance worker just appear overnight. COVID has depleted and intensified the shortage with pilots and mechanics.
Another reason is that airlines offered buyouts and early retirement to save on wages – a key factor in being short-staffed.
Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before travelling. OnantaForbes.com does not endorse travelling against government advisories.
