Booked late, flown full: Travellers wait longer before buying
Three in four Qatar Airways passengers now book within 60 days of departure. Hamad al-Khater, the airline's Group Chief Executive, gave the figure in a Bloomberg Television interview in New York ...
Travellers are waiting longer before purchasing their flights, with three-quarters of Qatar Airways passengers booking within 60 days of departure, according to Group Chief Executive Hamad al-Khater. This trend extends across the industry, with European airlines reporting a shortened booking window and strong demand in the month of travel.
The delay in bookings can be attributed to airspace closures, fuel prices, schedule changes, and general caution among travelers. Despite the later bookings, demand has remained strong, particularly in premium cabins, with airlines such as Delta and United increasing their premium seating offerings. Airlines have responded to this trend by releasing fewer seats at lower fares far in advance and holding more inventory for late, higher-paying passengers.
This shift in booking behavior has made airlines better positioned to maximize revenue, but it also presents challenges for network planning and scheduling.
Brief written by urgent.news from Gulf Times Business's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
