There are a number of reasons why people aren't booking air travel, and fear of catching C-19 itself isn't the lone concern. Other considerations include:
- Inability to accept quarantine terms either in overseas destination, or upon return to the UK, or both.
- FCO advisories against all but essential travel means insurance cover invalid.
- Fear of sudden changes to travel rules - which do happen with alarming frequency.
- Fear of fines for misunderstanding diverse C-19 regulations in overseas destinations.
- Fear of soaring additional costs as some countries suddenly demand C-19 test certificates for all arriving pax: 4 x £150 bill recently for a family I know of (Cyprus, IIRC).
- Concern that journey experience will be deeply unpleasant; muzzle requirements etc.
- Fear that the "holiday" will be an ordeal rather than a pleasure: permanent bemuzzlement in public spaces; closed attractions / restaurants / bars / excursions; no chance to meet new friends due social distancing and muzzles.
- Concern that overseas expenses such as car hire and accommodation will be forfeit if airline cancels flights but cars / hotels still available. My sister's family have lost hundreds on this.
- Concern that a minor ailment such as a routine runny nose could result in being declined boarding for the homeward flight.
- Concern that cancelled travel arrangements will result in another tedious months-long paperchase to secure future travel vouchers, or even ... GASP! ... a full refund.
- Realisation that advance booking brings few advantages to the customer right now. Last minute bookings come with higher confidence / flexibility, and late prices aren't exactly soaring.
- No reliable guidance anywhere as to how long this chaos may persist.
Basically, why would you book any travel for dates well in the future at this point? It's tough on the airlines, but this is why they need to prioritise conserving cash this Winter. And, of course, those carriers which have sat on refunds for months and given their customers the runaround (eg. Air Europa), or which have stitched up early bookers to quarantined destinations whilst allowing late bookers free date changes (eg. Ryanair, June 10th cut-off), have to accept a good degree of the blame for the mistrust which they have now sewn amongst travellers. Other travel organisers such as lastminute.com are at fault too, rendering themselves virtually impossible to contact and sitting on customer funds without end in sight (see Trustpilot on these if you fancy a good laugh). A buyers' strike becomes inevitable when some high-profile companies haven't played fair with their customers. But hopefully customers will remember the operators which have treated them well. I know I will.