Achieving 2019 sales levels again could be some time coming for airport retailers. Two reports indicate that, despite a few airlines such as Ryanair, and Wizz Air tentatively rebuilding route networks, the road back from the Covid-19 crisis will be painful.
A study from ratings agency S&P released on Thursday, estimates that global air passenger numbers will drop by up to 55% this year versus 2019, a far steeper decline than the company anticipated in March. S&P’s expectation is that passenger traffic will stay below pre-pandemic levels until after 2023. This is less optimistic than a forecast from the International Air Transport Association.
