Many will be desperate for a holiday – but are discounted flights enough to revive the industry?

The pandemic has severely altered our perception of travel, but many of us long for a few days in the sun, a change of scene, and a chance to escape the drudge, says Salma Shah

Is going on holiday a way to support a struggling industry? (Getty)

Is anyone else feeling a little wary about having to start holidays abroad again? There was a time when air travel was so frequent you could turn on your autopilot to book, pack and move through the airport seamlessly; now a brain fog descends when staring at an empty suitcase. How does one pack? What’s the toiletries limit again? And can you even remember the luggage allowance? It seems incredible that we’d happily go through such a fuss for a few days away in the sun.

That’s perhaps why Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary wants to tempt us back to the skies with offers of discounted flights. For a company that has made staggering losses during the pandemic, this seemingly counterintuitive move will probably stimulate that short-haul city break market, in the process allowing the airline to swallow the short-term pain, betting that the move will lead back to profitability in 2023.

The financial shock faced by the airline industry and the sheer boredom endured by the public suggest it’s a no-brainer to take up these new offers. And wouldn’t it also be a charitable act? Doing our duty to support a struggling industry. Imagine the marketing campaign, a Lord Kitchener figure staring from a poster, exclaiming: “Your country needs you … to go on holiday”.