French airport operator raises fresh doubt over resumption of air travel 

"The delta variant is creating such uncertainty that we can’t be sure what’s going to happen in three weeks," said an aviation chief.

The spread in Europe of a more contagious form of Covid-19 is dashing hopes of recovery in air travel, with the head of a major airports' operator warning that it could cut short any rebound.

“The delta variant is creating such uncertainty that we can’t be sure what’s going to happen in three weeks”, said Augustin de Romanet, chief executive officer of operator ADP, which manages Paris’s three main airport, including Charles de Gaulle, and dozens of other hubs worldwide.

“It’s making us very, very cautious, especially for September and October when the pandemic could come back strongly once again,” he said.

European travel shares rallied in the spring on bets that the continent’s traditional summer holiday season would mark at least some recovery from the pandemic, which has decimated the industry. The stocks have since hit a rocky patch amid a resurgence of travel rules.

ADP’s de Romanet said he is somewhat heartened by an increase in travel through the French capital’s Orly airport, where traffic last week reached about 50% of 2019 levels. In contrast, the Paris-Charles de Gaulle international hub is stuck around 28% or 29%, he said.

“We are unfortunately still very, very behind” pre-pandemic levels, Mr de Romanet said. 

Prospects for transatlantic travel are clouded by uncertainty about US rules for European travellers, he said.

• Bloomberg