<article><p class="lead">Flight recovery in the Asia-Pacific has been slowed by a resurgence of Covid-19 cases, and by measures to curb the virus' further spread in the region.</p><p>Airlines' plans to resume international flights had <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2116423">lent some support</a> to Asia-Pacific jet fuel markets, keeping Asian jet fuel refining margins against Dubai crude values positive since the start of June and rising to about a three-month high of $3.50/bl on 22 June, but margins fell back to $1.82/bl yesterday. Countries and airlines are imposing restrictions on flights in order to manage the virus' spread. Margins also remain far from the $12.12/bl average in January, just before the pandemic took hold.</p><p>Air New Zealand announced today it has placed a temporary hold on new inbound international flight bookings for the next three weeks following a request from the New Zealand government, to help ensure the country can provide quarantine accommodation for inbound passengers for the required 14-day period. The airline is also looking at aligning daily arrivals with the available capacity at managed isolation facilities, meaning some passengers may need to be moved to other flights.</p><p>Australia is shutting the border between its two largest states of New South Wales and Victoria tonight, following a surge of Covid-19 cases in Victoria's capital city Melbourne, and will likely cause further flight reductions. It is unclear how long the border will be shut for.</p><p>China's civil aviation administration (CAAC), in line with <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2111321">previously-issued guidelines</a>, has temporarily halted operations by US-Bangla Airlines' flight BS325 from Dhaka to Guangzhou for a week starting on 6 July, after five passengers on that flight tested positive for the coronavirus on 28 June. CAAC had previously temporarily halted operations on two other flights.</p><p>India has also <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2119245">banned international travel until 31 July</a> in its latest lockdown phase. Airlines in the region such as Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines are still cutting more than 90pc of international passenger flights in July.</p><p>International Air Transport Association economist Andrew Matters also said at the end of June that air traffic and jet demand recovery is <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2119225">"patchy and uneven"</a> worldwide, and that international air traffic is unlikely to return to pre-crisis levels before 2023-2024 though global domestic passenger air traffic may recover next year.</p><p class="bylines">By Sarah Giam</p></article>
