Based on information currently available from Eurocontrol, the national tourism agency, Turespaña, is forecasting that the number of seats on winter flights from foreign airports to Palma's Son Sant Joan will be around 70% of what they were for winter 2019-2020. Airline schedules at present indicate some 4.5 million seats; for 2019-2020, the scheduled number was 6.4 million.
This is taken as evidence of recovery in air travel and also the interest that airlines and tour operators have in the low season. Eurocontrol suggests that there will be something approaching a normalisation of air traffic for Mediterranean destinations, with Mallorca to the fore for the winter months.
Tour operators point to the potential demand for Mallorca, as it is a safe destination where health indicators now show a positive trend. A key factor will be that hotels on the island and other elements of the tourism offer (e.g. restaurants) respond to the airlines' forecasts and operate as much as possible between November and March - the winter flight schedules apply from late October to late March.
The Council of Mallorca and the Balearic tourism ministry will be promoting the island to the main markets over the coming weeks, while hotels are making offers for the winter months. The airports authority Aena and the air navigation company, Enaire, are of the view that tour operators and airlines have known how to adapt to the circumstances of the pandemic and be flexible in adapting their operations to holiday demand; hence the progressive increase in flights.
Although the number of available seats will be below the pre-pandemic level, it is anticipated that actual take-up of seats and therefore plane occupancy rates will be greater.