Air Arabia upbeat about summer travel demand, CEO says

Air Arabia is optimistic about this year’s summer travel period, expecting more borders to reopen as more people are inoculated against the coronavirus. Uncertainty remains over the forthcoming season with the pandemic continuing and some governments saying it was too early to ease border restrictions that have badly hit airlines. “I expect a good summer subject (to the fact that) we don’t get hit with surprises of a third wave or something of that nature,” Air Arabia CE Adel Ali said. “Of course people will not go on holidays if they have to quarantine for two weeks but if it’s open they will,” he said. Ali said the Middle East recovery would initially be driven by regional and short-haul travel, with pent-up demand to visit friends and family and to go on holiday. Business travel would take longer to recover, he said.<br/>