America News
Millions of Travellers Say ‘NO’ to the United States
The U.S. Department of State’s low prioritization of visitor visa (B-1/B-2) processing is severely hindering the U.S. economic recovery, keeping an estimated 6.6 million potential visitors from traveling to the United States in 2023 at a loss of $11.6 billion in projected spending, according to new analysis released today by U.S. Travel Association economists.
Europe’s aviation capacity close to 89% of 2019 levels – a new high
Europe’s capacity recovery as a percentage of 2019 levels has broken out of its narrow 13-week range of 86%-87%, reaching close to 89%. This is the closest to 2019 capacity since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Europe’s total seat capacity is at 88.6% in the week commencing 22-Aug-2022, which is a shortfall of 11.4% against the equivalent week in 2019.
AAA projects 31.5m Labor Day travellers
AAA forecasts 31.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday weekend, a 2.4 percent decrease from the 32.3 million people who traveled one year ago. The Labor Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, September 1 to Monday, September 5.
Qantas receives green light for American Airlines tie-up
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has issued a draft decision proposing to grant authorisation for a Joint Business Agreement between Qantas and American Airlines. Under the JBA, the airlines will coordinate operations on services between Australia/New Zealand and the United States (the trans-Pacific routes), and on their respective services which support the trans-Pacific routes.