Willie Walsh, director general of Iata, said the lifting of US travel restrictions in November had “raised hopes that a surge in pent-up travel demand would buoy traffic” this winter.

“But the emergence of the Omicron variant panicked many governments into once again restricting or entirely removing the freedom to travel,” added Walsh, who also pointed out that the World Health Organization (WHO) had advised against the implementation of “blanket” travel bans.

“The logic of the WHO advice was evident within days of Omicron’s identification in South Africa, with its presence already confirmed in all continents. The ill-advised travel bans are as ineffective as closing the barn door after the horse has bolted,” he argued.

Walsh was speaking after Iata’s latest industry figures for October showed a continued recovery in passenger numbers for both domestic and international markets, but this was now being “threatened” by governments’ responses to Omicron.

“October’s traffic performance reinforces that people will travel when they are permitted to. Unfortunately, government responses to the emergence of the Omicron variant are putting at risk the global connectivity it has taken so long to rebuild,” added Walsh.

“Additionally, governments must address the terrible disparity in vaccination rates that has seen the developed world offering boosters at a time when less than 10% of the African continent is fully vaccinated.”